Professor Kingsfield's Hair-Raising, Bar Raising Holiday Movie Quiz

This delightful movie quiz has been leeched over from Sergio Leone and the Infield Fly Rule. My original answers can be found in the comments section, but I thought it might be fun to take another run at it and publish the results here.

1 :: What was the last movie you saw theatrically? On DVD or Blu-ray?

Theatrically: The Spirit -- and it was awful.
DVD: Hercules -- the original Steve Reeves version.

2 :: Holiday movies— Do you like them naughty or nice?

Naughty, and most preferably with an axe-murder or two.

3 :: Ida Lupino or Mercedes McCambridge?

Ida Lupino for what she did on both sides of the lense, and for playing the wonderfully wicked warden in Women's Prison.

4 :: Favorite actor/character from Twin Peak?

The stuck-in-reverse midget.

5 :: It’s been said that, rather than remaking beloved, respected films, Hollywood should concentrate more on righting the wrongs of the past and tinker more with films that didn’t work so well the first time. Pretending for a moment that movies are made in an economic vacuum, name a good candidate for a remake based on this criterion.

You mean Hollywood isn't currently remaking every slasher-movie known to man? And to reverse that trend, how about Frank Miller's To Kill a Mockingbird.

6 :: Favorite Spike Lee joint.

Mo' Better Blues.

7 :: Lawrence Tierney or Scott Brady?

Mr. Cranky Detective himself, Scott Brady, for failing his hostage negotiation training and taking it in the junk in Wicked, Wicked.

8 :: Are most movies too long?

Only when they don't leave when politely asked to do so.

9 :: Favorite performance by an actor portraying a real-life politician.

Dan Hedeya as Tricky "You Suck" Dick in Dick.

10 :: Create the main event card for the ultimate giant movie monster smackdown.

Godzilla and Gamera -- but they don't fight each other, and instead they fight crime!!!

11 :: Jean Peters or Sheree North?

I'll give the nod to North.

12 :: Why would you ever want or need to see a movie more than once?

I'm not quite sold on movies being medicinal, but if watching certain things make you feel better, like some do for me, then hell, watch 'em twice and then call me in the morning.

13 :: Favorite road movie.

The Cannonball Run.

14 :: Favorite Budd Boetticher picture.

As much as I love Seven Men from Now, The Tall T wins it by the length of Richard Boone's nose.

15 :: Who is the one person, living or dead, famous or unknown, who most informed or encouraged your appreciation of movies?

A tie between Elvira, Mistress of the Dark, Joe Bob Briggs and author Ian Thorne.

16 :: Favorite opening credit sequence. (Please include YouTube link if possible.)

I know it's not the original, but I've always been partial to the Woolner Bros. alternate opening to Blood and Black Lace. But since I can't find a YouTube link for that, I'll present my second favorite opening credit sequence:

17 :: Kenneth Tobey or John Agar?

In a drinking contest, or as actors? Ack, why must I chose!?! Either way, my money is on Tobey.

18 :: Jean-Luc Godard once suggested that the more popular the movie, the less likely it was that it was a good movie. Is he right or just cranky? Cite the best evidence one way or the other.

He might have a point to some extent -- I mean, I don't think Casablanca did real well critically speaking when it was initially released but folks eventually came around. However, if a movie is good, I mean good-good like he says, you'd think that people would, you know, try and see it. A lot.

19 :: Favorite Jonathan Demme movie.

Caged Heat.

20 :: Tatum O’Neal or Linda Blair?

O'Neal's got a better curve-ball.

21 :: Favorite use of irony in a movie. (This could be an idea, moment, scene, or an entire film.)

I think the final gut-punch moment in the original Night of the Living Dead when Ben is shot dead by the posse of zombie hunters. And not just because he survived the night only to die, but because he survived the night by hiding out in the basement -- the basement he refused to take refuge in until everyone else had been killed because he insisted it was a death-trap.

22 :: Favorite Claude Chabrol film.

Since I've only seen La Rupture I guess that wins by default.

23 :: The best movie of the year to which very little attention seems to have been paid.

I don't understand all the hate for Cloverfield.

24 :: Dennis Christopher or Robby Benson?

Dennis Christopher in a laugher.

25 :: Favorite movie about journalism.

Deadline U.S.A. [Bogart/] "That's the press, baby." [/Bogart]

26 :: What’s the DVD commentary you’d most like to hear? Who would be on the audio track?

I had high, high hopes for a Thing from Another World commentary track with Ken Tobey and Robert Cornwaithe (while they were both still alive) that was moderated by Tom Weaver. Now I'll settle for one with Weaver, Bill Self and Bob Burns.

27 :: Favorite movie directed by Clint Eastwood.

The Outlaw Josie Wales.

28 :: Paul Dooley or Kurtwood Smith?

Um, together they fight crime? OK, OK, I'll give the nod to Smith for Robocop and Robocop only.

29 :: Your clairvoyant moment: Make a prediction about the Oscar season.

The telecast will run long, but Hugh Jackman will surprise people with how funny he is.

30 :: Your hope for the movies in 2009.

Joe Dante and John Sayles team back up and do a remake of "THEM!"

31 :: What’s your top 10 of 2008? (If you have a blog and have your list posted, please feel free to leave a link to the post.)

Honestly, I haven't seen enough 2008 releases to judge, but what I saw (Iron Man, The Hulk, Dark Knight, Wall-E), with one notable exception (see post below), I liked a lot.

BONUS QUESTION (to be answered after December 25):

32 :: What was your favorite movie-related Christmas gift that you received this year?

A new DVD player since my old APEX decided to crap out on December 23rd.