Poorly describe movies and guess what they are

[zoobyshoe]

The Buddy Holly Story
La Bamba
The Day the Music Died

Haven't seen the one about the Big Bopper yet.

Hmmm. I have never heard of "The Day the Music Died". I was thinking about a rather different, and much older, film biography. (Not Big Bopper).

 

[Jimmy]

Hmmm. I have never heard of "The Day the Music Died". I was thinking about a rather different, and much older, film biography. (Not Big Bopper).

I was afraid of that. There have been so many...

 

[Ken Natton]

See! That's what you get for sleeping. I knew West Side Story! But someone got there before me. Anyway, there appear to be two that I can answer.

Shady soldiers redeem themselves behind enemy lines.

I think you might be talking about The Dirty Dozen.

EDIT (six hours later!) Only just spotted that DaveC already got this one.

After an ascent to the top of the music charts his life ends in a plane crash.

I'm thinking the third one is The Glenn Miller Story with Jimmy Stewart.

I saw [The Cook, The Thief, His Wife and Her Lover] years ago! It was...

...a very unusual film.

The wife of a barbaric crime boss engages in a secretive romance with a gentle bookseller between meals at her husband's restaurant. Food, colour coding, sex, murder, torture and cannibalism are the exotic fare in this beautifully filmed but brutally uncompromising modern fable which has been interpreted as an allegory for Thatcherism.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0097108/

 

[zoobyshoe]

I'm thinking the third one is The Glenn Miller Story with Jimmy Stewart.

Correct! I figured if anyone got it, you would.

 

[Ken Natton]

Okay, I’m going to try a much more difficult one. I dare say many will say that they have never even heard of this film. It is not only not a Hollywood film, it is not even an English language film. However, it did get a great deal of attention when it was released, not least from the censors.

A very troubled young woman is in thrall to a successful businessman. Slowly but surely, she comes to dominate their relationship. But in her final victory, in her final taking possession of him, she also loses him, and her sanity.

 

[Jimmy Snyder]

Okay, I’m going to try a much more difficult one. I dare say many will say that they have never even heard of this film. It is not only not a Hollywood film, it is not even an English language film. However, it did get a great deal of attention when it was released, not least from the censors.

A very troubled young woman is in thrall to a successful businessman. Slowly but surely, she comes to dominate their relationship. But in her final victory, in her final taking possession of him, she also loses him, and her sanity.

Mary Poppins?

 

[Ken Natton]

Mary Poppins?

Hmmm. Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke in the lead roles in this film. Don't know what to make of that thought...

 

[Jimmy]

Okay, I’m going to try a much more difficult one. I dare say many will say that they have never even heard of this film. It is not only not a Hollywood film, it is not even an English language film. However, it did get a great deal of attention when it was released, not least from the censors.

A very troubled young woman is in thrall to a successful businessman. Slowly but surely, she comes to dominate their relationship. But in her final victory, in her final taking possession of him, she also loses him, and her sanity.

Audition?

 

[Ken Natton]

Audition?

Wow! I had not heard of that film but checking up on it, I can see why you might think it was the one I was talking about. You are actually in the right language, but the film I am thinking of is quite a bit older. The most remarkable thing about the film I am talking about is that it is a true story. It is set against the backdrop of growing militarism in Japan in the build up to the Second World War.

 

[Jimmy]

Wow! I had not heard of that film but checking up on it, I can see why you might think it was the one I was talking about. You are actually in the right language, but the film I am thinking of is quite a bit older. The most remarkable thing about the film I am talking about is that it is a true story. It is set against the backdrop of growing militarism in Japan in the build up to the Second World War.

Picturing Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke in that film was quite disturbing.

I should have know it would be an older film. ;)

 

[Ken Natton]

Spooky, spooky, spooky. If no-one knows what I am on about with this latest film I have mentioned then they won't spot the spooky coincidence. But there is a very strong connection between the film I am talking about and another new thread in General Discussion. I feel the need to point out that I made post #250 on this thread about 2 hours before that thread was started. Spooky, spooky, spooky.

 

[Jimmy]

Spooky, spooky, spooky. If no-one knows what I am on about with this latest film I have mentioned then they won't spot the spooky coincidence. But there is a very strong connection between the film I am talking about and another new thread in General Discussion. I feel the need to point out that I made post #250 on this thread about 2 hours before that thread was started. Spooky, spooky, spooky.

After searching a bit, I think I have identified the film in question. The above seems to confirm it- if you're are indeed referring to https://www.physicsforums.com/showthread.php?t=513826".

In the Realm of the Senses - A 1976 Franco-Japanese film

That is a little spooky.

 

[Ken Natton]

After searching a bit, I think I have identified the film in question. The above seems to confirm it- if you're are indeed referring to https://www.physicsforums.com/showthread.php?t=513826".

In the Realm of the Senses - A 1976 Franco-Japanese film

That is a little spooky.

Ai No Corrida - In The Realm of the Senses - is indeed the film I was thinking of. I always thought that the controversy that surrounded this film was a pity because it always seemed to me to fail to spot the key point, which is that it is actually a very melancholy story. It might seem a strange thing to pick-up on but I always liked the music from that film. It was specially written for the film by Minoru Miki, and he clearly got it. The French only became involved because of the Japanese censors. Apparently the film was taken from Japan undeveloped and then developed in France. It was indeed the French who marketed and distributed it. Anyway, well done Jimmy.

 

[Jimmy]

Ai No Corrida - In The Realm of the Senses - is indeed the film I was thinking of. I always thought that the controversy that surrounded this film was a pity because it always seemed to me to fail to spot the key point, which is that it is actually a very melancholy story. It might seem a strange thing to pick-up on but I always liked the music from that film. It was specially written for the film by Minoru Miki, and he clearly got it. The French only became involved because of the Japenses censors. Apparently the film was taken from Japan undeveloped and then developed in France. It was indeed the French who marketed and distributed it.

I may have to keep this one in mind for future viewing. Netscape has it on DVD. No instant streaming though.

Anyway, well done Jimmy.

Well, I can't take too much credit for that one. I had to search vigorously through lists of Japanese films. I did find it just before your last hint though. That just proves I can perform a decent web search. I'm not much of a film aficionado.

Here's one that isn't quite as obscure:
A homicidal humpback attempts to cease power in this adaptation of a play.

There have been several film adaptations but they are all titled the same.

 

[zoobyshoe]

There have been several film adaptations but they are all titled the same.

I believe you may be referring to that "bunch-backed toad" otherwise known as Richard the Third.

 

[Jimmy]

I believe you may be referring to that "bunch-backed toad" otherwise known as Richard the Third.

Just so.

 

[Math Is Hard]

OK, here are some tough ones...

1) It's a story about snakes on board an airplane.

2) It's a story about the interaction between some cowboys and some aliens.

 

[Ken Natton]

OK, here are some tough ones...

1) It's a story about snakes on board an airplane.

2) It's a story about the interaction between some cowboys and some aliens.

Interesting, Math Is Hard. You don’t seem to be taking it too seriously, but I am not sure whether you mean to extract the Michael. I confess that I had never heard of either film before and with titles like Snakes on a Plane and Cowboys and Aliens I might not have set my expectations too high. But when I then see that the star of one is Samuel L Jackson, among the stars of the other is Harrison Ford and the executive producer of the other is Steven Spielberg I’m forced to take them a little more seriously. Not that I think I’ll be watching either any time soon – unless you can persuade me that I should. Somehow I don’t think you intended to recommend them. Not sure what you did intend though.

 

[DaveC426913]

Not sure what you did intend though.

She intended me to laugh. Which I did. That was funny.

It's riff on the themes of obscure descriptions of movies: utterly unobscure descriptions.



But since we're talking about this thread: my opinion is that people have pretty much missed the point. It wasn't simply 'describe a movie briefly', it was 'describe a movie badly'.

Vanadium50 and Evo had some good ones:

'Transported to a surreal landscape, a young girl kills the first person she meets and then teams up with three strangers to kill again.'

'Jogger gets hit by car'


They are technically correct, but emphasize so utterly the wrong parts of the movie, that it makes for a hilarious description once you get it.

IMO, the other 95% of the submissions in this thread miss this key point of comedic delivery.

 

[DaveC426913]

Apropos: examining a joke is like dissecting a frog. You learn how it works, but the frog dies.

 

[lisab]

Interesting, Math Is Hard. You don’t seem to be taking it too seriously...

Yeah, MiH, you aren't taking this seriously at all!

 

[Jimmy Snyder]

I'm taking it seriously.

 

[Ken Natton]

Okay, message read load and clear. I perceived a problem that when the clue was too obscure, everyone ignored it and it sunk without being answered. I sought to ensure that answers were reached before the original reference disappeared. I also saw it as an opportunity to discuss, briefly, the films thus mentioned as well. That seemed worthwhile and entertaining to me. My apologies for the intrusion.

 

[Jimmy]

my opinion is that people have pretty much missed the point. It wasn't simply 'describe a movie briefly', it was 'describe a movie badly'.

I think an overly brief or vague description can be considered a poor description as well. If a description is funny too, that's a bonus!
</metadiscussion>

1. Man talks into tape recorder and watches himself.

[STRIKE]2. A small, white animal causes a man to soil himself.[/STRIKE] (Monty Python and the Holy Grail - Janus)

3. An average man and a woman who "paints people and fruit and..." end up in the future.

Hints:
1. An independent film involving time travel.
2. Average man becomes president.

 

[DaveC426913]

Okay, message read load and clear. I perceived a problem that when the clue was too obscure, everyone ignored it and it sunk without being answered. I sought to ensure that answers were reached before the original reference disappeared. I also saw it as an opportunity to discuss, briefly, the films thus mentioned as well. That seemed worthwhile and entertaining to me. My apologies for the intrusion.

Not sure how you're 'intruding'. Isn't this thread 'your baby'?

 

[DaveC426913]

I think an overly brief or vague description can be considered a poor description as well. If a description is funny too, that's a bonus!
</metadiscussion>

But the humour only comes in the payoff - when you go 'murderous little girl? Oh! Dorothy! Haha yeah.'

To me, this is more like regular trivia. Which is OK too. And I wouldn't have reaised it except for Ken's meta comment about the thread.

 

[Jimmy]

I hear ya, brother.

 

[Math Is Hard]

OK, here are some tough ones...

1) It's a story about snakes on board an airplane.

2) It's a story about the interaction between some cowboys and some aliens.

The answer to #1 is Knight and Day.

 

[Ken Natton]

Isn't this thread 'your baby'?

No, I wouldn’t have said so. It was started by blade123 who seems to have vanished from it. But clearly he / she started a great thread – it has generated a great deal of interest. My feeling was that part of that was because it was such a fast changing and evolving thread. Initially, I saw myself only as introducing some films of a different style than those that dominated the early pages. But I certainly don’t seek to proscribe where it goes from here, I’m as interested as anyone else to see that and to ride the surf. I was just defending my contribution which seemed to be under criticism, that’s all. Really it’s not important. Let the clues, obscure or otherwise continue.

 

[Jimmy Snyder]

I got Moonstruck from the county library. It was OK, but I wouldn't say I loved it awful.

 

[wisvuze]

1) policeman finds a big treasure. his partner dies and fur coats can destroy druglords

2) man walking around in desert plays instrument and shoots people really quickly

 

[S_Happens]

1) policeman finds a big treasure. his partner dies and fur coats can destroy druglords

2) man walking around in desert plays instrument and shoots people really quickly

1) American Gangster

 

[TurtleMeister]

1) policeman finds a big treasure. his partner dies and fur coats can destroy druglords

2) man walking around in desert plays instrument and shoots people really quickly

2) Once Upon A Time In The West (has awesome soundtrack)

 

[wisvuze]

Both correct, you guys are good aha

 

[Andy]

Evil Machine kills people.