Odd movie connections

[JenLee]

Hm. I know one of them right off the bat: Robert Loggia (nominated for his role in Jagged Edge) and Tom Hanks (nominated and won for a number of roles) in Big.

The other two are going to require some pondering.

[Ken Jennings]

So does the self-destruct sequence in Movie #2 have winks to the famous one in Movie #1? I've only seen Movie #2 once and can't remember. If so, this would qualify more as "parody" than "odd coincidence," right?

[bobg]

So does the self-destruct sequence in Movie #2 have winks to the famous one in Movie #1?

No (that I can discern), and honestly I'm glad.

However, there was another actor in Movie #1 who reprised his character's fate in another movie, and in that case it was a parody.

Cheers,
- Bob

[cinemaniax7]

There are three movies from the 1980s with very little in common except that each one features a scene in which two of its stars play a piano duet of "Heart and Soul." All six actors have either won or been nominated for an Academy Award (though not necessarily for these roles). What are the films and who are the actors?

I'll be interested to see the answer to this one. The piano duet has long been a popular "bonding" motif with filmmakers, particularly with this song (as recently as this summer in Superman Returns). But I'm hard-pressed to come up with anything from the 1980s other than the famous scene in FAO Schwarz.

[jaclyn]

So does the self-destruct sequence in Movie #2 have winks to the famous one in Movie #1?

No (that I can discern), and honestly I'm glad.

However, there was another actor in Movie #1 who reprised his character's fate in another movie, and in that case it was a parody.

Cheers,
- Bob

Would the parody be the diner scene at the end of Spaceballs? I don't recall the actor off-hand.

[rigsby]

Would the parody be the diner scene at the end of Spaceballs? I don't recall the actor off-hand.

Yes, it would; the actor would be John Hurt.

[bobg]

One actress has been in two very different films in which she's trapped aboard a spaceship that's set to self-destruct. When she asks the computer to abort the destruct sequence, it refuses. Who is she and what are the films?

Several folks knew this referred to Sigourney Weaver in Alien and GalaxyQuest.

Of that latter film, George Takei ("TV's Mr. Sulu") has said, "it's a chillingly realistic documentary."

The other Alien actor who parodied his character's fate in a later film was John Hurt. The later film was Spaceballs.

Cheers,
- Bob

[bobg]

There are three movies from the 1980s with very little in common except that each one features a scene in which two of its stars play a piano duet of "Heart and Soul." All six actors have either won or been nominated for an Academy Award (though not necessarily for these roles). What are the films and who are the actors?

A few people got the "gimme" in this puzzle, namely the famous scene in FAO Schwartz from Big, where Tom Hanks and Robert Loggia dance Heart and Soul (and Chopsticks) on a giant floor keyboard. The other pairs were Sean Penn and Elizabeth McGovern in Racing With the Moon, and Richard Dreyfuss and Amy Irving in The Competition.

Cheers,
- Bob

[bobg]

Difficulty: moderate.

In one landmark film, a young, fair-haired farm boy dreams of leaving his desert home to fight in a far-off war, to the dismay of his guardians. He meets up with an older, worldlier, dark-haired rogue (played by an actor who will become one of Hollywood's top stars) who's cynical and self-interested. The cynic reluctantly joins his quest and turns out to have a heart of gold.

This film was much imitated after its release. Strangely, though, there was another movie just four years later that no one considered to be an imitation of the first, even though it had a young, fair-haired farm boy who dreams of leaving his desert home to fight in a far-off war, to the dismay of his guardians. He meets up with an older, worldlier, dark-haired rogue (played by an actor who will become one of Hollywood's top stars) who's cynical and self-interested. The cynic reluctantly joins his quest and turns out to have a heart of gold.

What are the films?

Cheers,
- Bob

[gameshowcongress]

Difficulty: moderate.

In one landmark film, a young, fair-haired farm boy dreams of leaving his desert home to fight in a far-off war, to the dismay of his guardians. He meets up with an older, worldlier, dark-haired rogue (played by an actor who will become one of Hollywood's top stars) who's cynical and self-interested. The cynic reluctantly joins his quest and turns out to have a heart of gold.

This film was much imitated after its release. Strangely, though, there was another movie just four years later that no one considered to be an imitation of the first, even though it had a young, fair-haired farm boy who dreams of leaving his desert home to fight in a far-off war, to the dismay of his guardians. He meets up with an older, worldlier, dark-haired rogue (played by an actor who will become one of Hollywood's top stars) who's cynical and self-interested. The cynic reluctantly joins his quest and turns out to have a heart of gold.

What are the films?

Cheers,
- Bob

hmm, know one of them is (posted in white)(Star Wars (technically episode 4, first one released), and I assume it was the second....

[JenLee]

Ooh, is the other one Gallipoli?

[cinemaniax7]

I'll post this in white for those who want to puzzle this one out. But I believe the answer is as follows:

Al Pacino was nominated twice for playing Michael Corleone in The Godfather and The Godfather, Part II. Pacino won his "makeup" Oscar for Scent of a Woman, and was nominated for his supporting role in Dick Tracy.

Paul Newman was nominated twice for playing "Fast Eddie" Felson in The Hustler and later in The Color of Money, the film for which he was given his "makeup" Oscar. He was nominated for his supporting work in the graphic-novel-based The Road to Perdition.

Good question!

[bobg]

In one landmark film, a young, fair-haired farm boy dreams of leaving his desert home to fight in a far-off war, to the dismay of his guardians. He meets up with an older, worldlier, dark-haired rogue (played by an actor who will become one of Hollywood's top stars) who's cynical and self-interested. The cynic reluctantly joins his quest and turns out to have a heart of gold.

This film was much imitated after its release. Strangely, though, there was another movie just four years later that no one considered to be an imitation of the first, even though it had a young, fair-haired farm boy who dreams of leaving his desert home to fight in a far-off war, to the dismay of his guardians. He meets up with an older, worldlier, dark-haired rogue (played by an actor who will become one of Hollywood's top stars) who's cynical and self-interested. The cynic reluctantly joins his quest and turns out to have a heart of gold.

What are the films?

The first one is, of course, Star Wars, with Harrison Ford as the charming cynic. The second is Gallipoli, with Mel Gibson in that role. (Good work, JenLee!)

Cheers,
- Bob

[bobg]

Difficulty: easy.

A director now considered one of Hollywood's best once made a film based on a true story in which a pair of criminals, motivated by a worthy goal, commits a crime that escalates into a hostage situation. Facing a daunting array of law enforcement agents, the criminals are buoyed by the popular support they enjoy among ordinary folks, who cheer them on. In the end, one of the criminals is shot by lawmen and the other surrenders.

The following year, another director now considered one of Hollywood's best released a film based on a true story in which a pair of criminals, motivated by a worthy goal, commits a crime that escalates into a hostage situation. Facing a daunting array of law enforcement agents, the criminals are buoyed by the popular support they enjoy among ordinary folks, who cheer them on. In the end, one of the criminals is shot by lawmen and the other surrenders.

What are the movies?

Cheers,
- Bob

[cinemaniax7]

Difficulty: easy.

A director now considered one of Hollywood's best once made a film based on a true story in which a pair of criminals, motivated by a worthy goal, commits a crime that escalates into a hostage situation. Facing a daunting array of law enforcement agents, the criminals are buoyed by the popular support they enjoy among ordinary folks, who cheer them on. In the end, one of the criminals is shot by lawmen and the other surrenders.

The following year, another director now considered one of Hollywood's best released a film based on a true story in which a pair of criminals, motivated by a worthy goal, commits a crime that escalates into a hostage situation. Facing a daunting array of law enforcement agents, the criminals are buoyed by the popular support they enjoy among ordinary folks, who cheer them on. In the end, one of the criminals is shot by lawmen and the other surrenders.

What are the movies?

Cheers,
- Bob

Are you speaking of Dog Day Afternoon and Sugarland Express?

[bobg]

A director now considered one of Hollywood's best once made a film based on a true story in which a pair of criminals, motivated by a worthy goal, commits a crime that escalates into a hostage situation. Facing a daunting array of law enforcement agents, the criminals are buoyed by the popular support they enjoy among ordinary folks, who cheer them on. In the end, one of the criminals is shot by lawmen and the other surrenders.

The following year, another director now considered one of Hollywood's best released a film based on a true story in which a pair of criminals, motivated by a worthy goal, commits a crime that escalates into a hostage situation. Facing a daunting array of law enforcement agents, the criminals are buoyed by the popular support they enjoy among ordinary folks, who cheer them on. In the end, one of the criminals is shot by lawmen and the other surrenders.

Are you speaking of Dog Day Afternoon and Sugarland Express?

Sure am!

Cheers,
- Bob