Question: If Carl is so terrified of being killed by the drug dealers after losing their money, why can't he simply leave the city?
raywest
21st Mar 2023
Ghost (1990)
21st Mar 2023
Blood Diamond (2006)
Question: Kind of a silly question, but why do the rebels kidnap children and train them to fight in the war? Wouldn't it make more sense to take the adults since they are stronger and more skilled?
Answer: Adults may be physically stronger and more skilled, but that makes them harder to capture and more dangerous to their captors as they would resist and attempt to escape. Children can be indoctrinated to their cause and are more easily intimidated into being compliant. If they're killed, it's easier to kidnap more.
21st Mar 2023
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004)
Question: When Harry and Hermione go to rescue Sirius from the tower, why did Hermione cast Bombarda instead of Alohamora? Using Bombarda caused a very loud sound to erupt and destroyed the door which could have got all three caught. Using Alohamora would have been easier since there's hardly any sound and the door would have simply been unlocked instead of being blown practically to pieces.
Answer: For one, Sirius is being held in an isolated area, high up in the tower, so any sound would be muted or not heard at all. Also, he is not in an ordinary room, but a cell with fortified locks. Hermione used a powerful charm to blast open the iron gate. Alohamora simply unlocks ordinary doors. Bombarda blows things up. It also made the scene more dramatic and climatic.
20th Mar 2023
Friends (1994)
The One Where Rosita Dies - S7-E13
Question: When Phoebe meets Earl she says that her mothers name was "Pearl", but every other time Phoebe's mothers name is mentioned her name is "Lilly". Is Phoebe trying to relate her life more to Earl's? Or is this just a mistake?
Answer: Phoebe rushed to Earl's office to talk him out of killing himself. She told him about her own mother's suicide and deliberately lied that Lily's name was "Pearl" (rhyming with Earl) hoping to establish a personal connection with him. She stumbles a bit on the name, saying P-earl, as she makes it up "on the fly."
18th Mar 2023
Night Court (1984)
Question: In nearly every episode there are two bailiffs standing in the back of the courtroom, a blonde white guy and a black man with glasses. They also appear hanging out in the cafeteria, walking in the halls, etc. However, I don't think they ever had a single line during the entire series run, even in episodes that prominently featured the building's entire bailiff staff. Any reason they made an effort to keep these two extras for the entire run, but never had them say anything?
Answer: Most likely, they were stand-ins for members of the main cast. When lighting sets, rather than have the main actors stand around while they adjust the lights, they will get someone with similar physical characteristics to fill in. Since they are already on the set and have nothing to do during the actual shooting, it is more convenient, and probably cheaper, to also use them as extras.
Answer: Most likely it was about money. Actors who have speaking parts, even if it's only one word, are paid more than "extras", who do not have any dialogue. As the two characters played no part in any of the plots, there was no reason to have them speak lines. Therefore, they were paid less money.
So why hire an extra to play a messenger or bailiff from another courtroom when that pair was already on the set and could have easily said the lines?
What lines? Your question specified that they never spoke any lines and you wanted to know why.
Lines that other extras playing bailiffs said.
If an actor speaks any dialogue, they are billed as "co-stars" and paid at a higher rate than "extras" (also known as Background Actors), who are uncredited. The two you mentioned were regulars who were merely silent background characters used to "dress the set", making the courthouse look more realistically populated. Extras often have no acting ability and are unsuitable for speaking lines. Some people work exclusively as extras in various TV shows and movies and do not actually act or have dialogue.
16th Mar 2023
Back to the Future (1985)
Question: Near the end of the movie, George and Lorraine say that if it hadn't been for Biff, they never would have fallen in love. Shouldn't they really be thanking "Calvin 'Marty' Kline" for getting them together?
Answer: I agree with you, but the idea is that, if George hadn't rescued Lorraine from Biff in the parking lot, they wouldn't have fallen in love. It's dark as hell to wax nostalgic about an attempted r*pe, but there you go.
Totally agree with your answer. Would add that Lorraine already knew who George was but was unimpressed and had mostly written him off as a goofy nerd. It was George saving her from Biff that totally changed Lorraine's perception. Otherwise, Marty's attempt to push them together probably would have failed.
17th Feb 2023
Excalibur (1981)
Question: At the very end, Arthur's body is being carried away on a barge, with three women standing above him. Are those three women the fates?
Answer: They were the Goddesses of Avalon. A group of women who each have a specific magical power. They were the makers of Excalibur, healed King Arthur's wounds from his first battle and took him to his final resting place, readying him for the day he would be needed again.
Most Arthurian myths attribute elves as making "Excalibur", and also "Clarent," King Arthur's other magical sword.
Answer: Or possibly they were attendants of Arthur, who would set the ship on fire, then have the option to die with their king, or to try to swim to shore. The Vikings did stuff like that. Why not imagine that the Brits did too?
26th Feb 2023
Married... with Children (1987)
Question: Why do Kelly and Peggy put tape on the back doors before the tornado?
21st Feb 2023
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007)
Question: While at the park, why did Dudley still bully Harry? Knowing that Harry is quite capable of doing magic, wouldn't it have been better for Dudley to just leave him alone instead of trying to act macho in front of his friends?
Answer: Dudley was too much an immature bully to stop harassing Harry. His entire personality was selfish, boorish, and cruel. He knew exactly what he could and couldn't get away with regarding Harry. He also knew Harry was not allowed to perform magic outside of Hogwarts while underage and would get into severe trouble for harming a Muggle. The entire Dursley family increasingly feared Harry as he matured. Dudley started to change for the better after Harry saved him from the Dementors.
Adding on to this answer: In the "Chamber of Secrets" book, some of this is explained. Chapter 2 is when the Dursleys learn that Harry is *not* supposed to be using magic outside of school. Until then, he briefly enjoys their nervousness around him.
17th Feb 2023
Old (2021)
Question: Why didn't they need more than one pill? We take pills daily. These people took one dose the first day and then never again. They were there for about 50 years with one dosage but somehow they still worked?
Answer: The people were only there for about a day. The beach they were taken to rapidly aged them at the rate of one year every thirty minutes. The pharmaceutical company used them as test subjects by continually spiking their drinks with experimental medications for various health conditions to simulate a 50-year long drug trial within a 24-hour period.
17th Feb 2023
The Forgotten (2004)
Question: What made the aliens think erasing the parents' memories when their children were abducted would help with their test? Especially since there would be birth records, medical records, school records, etc.
Answer: The experiment's purpose was to test if the parental bond still existed after memories of their children were erased. The NSA agents were aiding the aliens on the pretense that it was "protecting" humankind. They are a powerful government agency and could delete various official records. Also, if the parents' memories were successfully erased and they never knew they had children, they would be unlikely to search for or come across their records. Those experiencing memories were treated as if they were mentally ill.
17th Feb 2023
Krull (1983)
Question: Is there any reason why Robbie Coltrane's voice was dubbed?
Answer: I looked online and while there are many references about Michael Elphick dubbing Robbie Coltrane's voice, there was no explanation about why. Interestingly, Lysette Anthony, who played Lyssa, also was dubbed over by American actress, Lindsey Crouse, because it was thought she had a more "mature-sounding" voice. Presumably, the filmmakers felt a different voice better fit the character Coltrane played.
Answer: They were inexperienced actors, it was their first movie roles and didn't have formal vocal teachings.Robbie was said to have a very gruff, deep and thick accent, while Lysette was too high pitched.
This was not Coltrane's first movie and Anthony had been in TV movies and miniseries.
17th Feb 2023
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990)
17th Feb 2023
Tommy Boy (1995)
Answer: A number of online explanations said it was because Lowe was already contractually tied to another project while this one was being filmed. Another explanation is that he was left uncredited so his appearance mid-film would come as a "surprise" when the plot took a different turn.
I read where his contract with the mini-series "The Stand" left him unable to take any credited roles. However, it seems "Tommy Boy" began filming after "The Stand" aired and he was credited for his role as Jesse James in "Frank and Jesse." However, it seems to be an Internet story where the source isn't credited.
17th Feb 2023
Kalifornia (1993)
17th Feb 2023
Die Hard (1988)
Question: When Hans is interrogating Takagi, why would he remove a silencer to fire the weapon indoors without hearing protection? Wouldn't it be more menacing to put a silencer on in that situation?
Answer: I think he's just subtly showing Takagi that he's in control of the situation - there's no need to hide behind a silencer, which they were using earlier. They've taken over and can do whatever they want, including loudly executing people. It's a very subtle power-play.
Answer: They used guns with silencers to access the building and take control swiftly and quietly. Now that they no longer need to do that he takes off the silencer. A silencer affects the gun's accuracy. It is also highly likely he wanted the people in the other room to hear the shot.
17th Feb 2023
The Santa Clause (1994)
Question: Two questions. 1. When Scott catches Santa on the roof, Santa falls down and vanishes. When Scott, as Santa is caught and arrested, how come he didn't vanish? 2. Is it ever explained why Santa, when he lands in Scott's yard, disappears?
19th Jan 2023
Criminal Minds (2005)
Question: Kate says she wants to take a year off for her new baby, Hotch says her job is still there, but we never do see her again. Possibly a way of just writing her out due to Jennifer Love Hewitt being pregnant in real life? Also the character not being well liked?
Answer: The official explanation was that Love Hewitt was written out at the end of Season 10 was because she was pregnant. She was still pregnant when Season 11 began filming and unable to resume the show then. After giving birth, Love Hewitt wanted to focus on being a full-time mom and chose not to return. When the series was rebooted on Paramount+, she was already cast in another show. However, Love Hewitt's departure may have have been prompted by fans disliking her character, even though producers claimed viewers had accepted her by the end of the season. This allowed her a graceful exit.
15th Jan 2023
A Quiet Place (2018)
Question: If they were still uncertain of their safety, why was the baby no longer under oxygen and his box with its lid? Especially when Lee had to leave them alone to look for the other kids.
16th Jan 2023
The Craft (1996)
Question: When Laura's hair is falling out in the school shower, she looks at Rochelle and says that she doesn't know what she did to deserve this. Why doesn't Rochelle say anything? She could at least point out the way that Laura bullies people, without revealing the witch coven.
Answer: I think Rochelle was shocked to see Laura in such an emotional state and with almost no hair. It's likely she started to feel guilty for casting the spell on her.
Answer: Because unlike Laura, Rochelle is, or was, essentially a good person. And good people tend not to kick someone when they're down.
Answer: I think this moment shows how people don't always "learn their lesson" — at least not when you think they should learn it. Rochelle seems to realize that her spell has been useless because Laura is not changing. She can't imagine why she deserves this.
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Answer: Large sums of laundered money were involved, and the drug dealers are not "small-time crooks." They would relentlessly hunt Carl, eventually finding him. It would be, "he can run, but he can't hide."
raywest ★