Scenic Stuff

Because I was bored, because I haven't set a quiz in a long time, because I stopped receiving quiznet mails, because I love movies:

Identify the movies from the descriptions below. These could be descriptions of scenes from a movie, dialogue or just general background to the film. There are a few spoilers, so please, please click on the lj-cut tag below only if you are a movie buff who has the confidence of having seen or at least heard about 'em all ! Then again, if you are a genuine movie buff, all of these should be sitters. The idea is not to have unanswerable questions, but to tease your brain into rememembering these moments from the movies...

1. The screenwriter wrote the scene about the police lineup first. He then wrote the bulletin board scene and then the rest of the movie, effectively written in reverse. The most famous scene has a crashing coffee cup, a bulletin board display and a fax machine taking forever to display a face. There is also a voice saying "It's all there, I'm telling it straight, I swear". The director has this to say about the scene: "It was one of those rare occasions when you could lie to an audience and because there were so many aspects to the film the audience would accept lies - it made the ending all the more exciting and powerful."

2. The original novel describes this scene with the words: "Mary started to scream, and then the curtains parted further and a hand appeared, holding a butcher's knife. It was the knife that, a moment later, cut off her scream. And her head." This ended Chapter Three. 'Nuff said, there is enough trivia about this scene to fill a whole book.

3. Helicopters swarming out of the dawn light to flatten a village. Speakers blasting out Wagner's 'Ride of the Valkyries'. Surfing. Explosions. The smell of napalm in the morning. Insanity.

4. "You was my brother, Charley. You should've looked out for me a little bit. You should've taken care of me - just a little bit - so I wouldn't have to take them dives for the short-end money...You don't understand! I could've had class. I could've been a contender. I could've been somebody, instead of a bum, which is what I am. Let's face it (pause) ...... It was you, Charley."

4 b. I had asked this question on quiznet long back. The lines above were uttered by an all time great who won an Academy Award for his role. These lines were spoken again by another all time great in another great movie, who also went on to win an Oscar. Who ?

5. "I called Mama. She was so happy she cried. She wants you to have her wedding gown. It's white lace."
"Yeah, Osgood. I can't get married in your mother's dress. Ha ha. That - she and I, we are not built the same way."
"We can have it altered."
"Aw no you don't! Osgood, I'm gonna level with you. We can't get married at all."
"Why not?"
"Well, in the first place, I'm not a natural blonde."
"Doesn't matter."
"I smoke. I smoke all the time."
"I don't care."
"Well, I have a terrible past. For three years now, I've been living with a saxophone player."
"I forgive you."
"I can never have children."
"We can adopt some."
"You don't understand, Osgood. (Changing to manly voice.) I'm a man."
"Well, nobody's perfect."

6. He stalks her into the bathroom, lurches after her, saying "Little pigs, little pigs, let me come in...Not by the hair on your chinny, chin - chin...Then I'll huff, and I'll puff, and I'll blow your house in!" He smashes his way into the bathroom door, with each stroke of the blade jutting through the wood, as his screaming wife watches his progress with her butcher knife poised to strike. He peers through the broken slats with an evil grin and perversely exclaims: "Hereeeeee's Johnny!"

7. "I'll have what she is having"

8. Couldn't resist this - another long one to wind up:

- Never mind that stuff. Take a card
- Card? What will I do with the card?
- You can keep it. I've got fifty-one left. Now what were you saying?
- As chairwoman of the reception committee, I welcome you with open arms.
- Is that so? How late do you stay open?
- I've sponsored your appointment because I feel you are the most able statesman in all Freedonia.
- Well, that covers a lot of ground. Say! You cover a lot of ground yourself. You'd better beat it. I hear they're gonna tear you down and put up an office building where you're standing. You can leave in a taxi. If you can't get a taxi, you can leave in a huff. If that's too soon, you can leave in a minute and a huff. You know, you haven't stopped talking since I came here. You must have been vaccinated with a phonograph needle.

.. and later..

- Not that I care, but where is your husband?
- Why, he's dead.
- I'll bet he's just using that as an excuse.
- I was with him to the very end.
- Hmmph. No wonder he passed away.
- I held him in my arms and kissed him.
- Oh, I see. Then, it was murder. Will you marry me? Did he leave you any money? Answer the second question first.
- He left me his entire fortune.
- Is that so? Can't you see what I'm trying to tell you? I love you.
- Oh, your Excellency!
- You're not so bad yourself.