h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I'm with Wolfie. A clue please (although it sounds hauntingly familar and I keep getting Dan Ackroyd's face in my mind--but I'm certain he's not involved--so much for my sanity!)

Also, Wolfie, I recognised the Dire Straits lyric, but can't place it in a movie. Any additional clues there?

:o)

Hi Roundley,

Ok, a clue. The title of the film is very appropriate for the time of year (good tidings and all that) but the subject matter is something you'd more liekly think of in the summer.

Oh, and also think Altered Images.

Any more clues and I'd be giving it away!!!

Cheers

Wolfie

A clue......Hmmmmmmmmm

First off, it has NOTHING to do with Dan Akroyd.

This clue may be too easy, but here goes:

The movie is about a doctor, a tennis shoe mogul, a TV star, a reporter, a lawyer, a drug dealer, a girlfriend, and a lonely house-wife.

Oh...and a dead guy.

OK, so now I have a picture of Woody Allen in my head - could it be from "Play It Again, Sam"?

Cheers

Wolfie

Duncan, your movie is The Big Chill. I suspect the speaker is Jeff Goldblum (the reporter).

Wolfie, you forget, Christmas is summer here! We've had bushfires on the edge of the city today! But I'm going to have to sleep on your clue--there's something at the back of my mind, but I can't work it loose.

Have a great Christmas day, guys!

:o)

I know this is an easy one, but I had to ask...

In the Big Chill, who played the dead guy? (You see his wrists in the opening sequence, if I remember correctly.)

:o)

Kevin Kostner played the dead guy.

Here's another for you to ponder:

"I dreamt of the dragon."

"I have awoken him. Can't you see all around you the dragon's breath?"

Ok Duncan. I think we give up!!

In case anyone was wondering, my quote (the Dire Straits lyric) was from a little British film called Comfort and Joy, which was about the trials and tribulations of a Scottish local radio DJ, pleayed by Bill Paterson, getting involved in a turf war between rival ice-cream companies. The lyric was quoted by one of the characters to Patterson the mornign after he'd had a particularly stressful evening. It was also a bit of an in-joke, as the music was by Mark Knopfler and was taken largely from their Love Over Gold album, on which the song the line comes from appears.

A new quote is, I feel, required, so:

"Aw, I hate killing things"

A clue - there is a link with Comfort and Joy.

Cheers

Wolfie

I don't know, I mustn't be seeing the right movies (which is possible as my movie watching has sharply declined in recent years).

I suspect I'd like to see Duncan's movie, but I'm pretty sure I haven't yet.

And Wolfie, your's sounds kind of familiar, but I can't place it and it keeps getting overwritten in my head with Terminator 2 and teaching the T100 (Arnie) NOT to kill things.

Any further clues from either of you, or will you simply put me out of my misery.

:o)

followin roundley's instructions...

what is the most commonly used phrase in the world of movies?

first to get it right wins...umm....something..

OK, Roundley, a further clue:

This film has the same name as a Spingsteen track and one of its big stars once tried to swim home.

Keith, I have no idea what the most commonly used phrase in the movies. Clue please.

Cheers

Wolfie

Geez, Wolfie, that's it?

A connection with Comfort and Joy (and I can't get "Tidings" out of my mind) and then a Springsteen song. Well, not being a huge Springsteen fan, I looked up his song title list, and found 15! tracks that sound like film names I remember (and there'll be another dozen that I just don't know about).

The 15 were (for interest): Viva Las Vegas, Streets of Philidelphia, Secret Garden, Point Blank, Pink Cadillac, No Surrender, Local Hero, Independence Day, Heartbreak Hotel, Gypsy Woman, Frankie [&Johnnie], Dead Man Walking, Dancing in the Dark, Blood Brothers, and Badlands. And there were heaps of others that sounded like film titles that I just wasn't sure about.

Elvis is dead, Tom Hanks might be said to have attempted a swim home in Castaway, the Kama Sutra doesn't suggest swimming home, John and Joan Cusak, nor Dan Ackroyd have attempted it (Grosse Point Blank--I know it's a bit of a reach), Clint Eastwood hasn't attempted a swim home, don't remember the main star in the terrible martial arts films "No Surrender," Local Hero was a Dire Straits soundtrack, so you wouldn't have gone with the Springsteen reference, can't say for sure whether Will Smith, Jeff Goldblum or any of the other big stars in ID4 have tried the big swim home, Elvis is still dead, never seen Gypsy woman, Al Pacino and Michelle Pfieffer are not known for thier watery prowess (especially not Michelle--she's know for other attributes ), Susan Sarandon and Sean Penn have ever attempted to swim home, as far as I know (not even in the movie, although I've not seen it to be sure), who cares if Patrick Swayse swam anywhere, never seen Blood Brothers, and can't remember anyone significant in Badlands.

So, on the back of that, I'm guessing Tom Hanks, obviously in Philadelphia, but I've no idea of the context, and I remember it pretty clearly.

So, I'm wrong! But I thought you'd appreciate my reasoning.

:o)

i cant give a clue, it would make it far too obvious!

it's said by all types of people, could be said by men, women or children young or old.

Hi guys,

Roundley, I'm impressed. You really did a lot of work on your answer. But, as you say, you are wrong. The film I was looking for was "Local Hero", the quote being said by Peter Capaldi's character when he ran over a rabbit on a foggy Highland road.

so, those clues; well the connection between "Local Hero" and "Comfort and Joy" is Mark Knopfler's score. The Springsteen track is, of course, "Local Hero" (one of his better ones, I think). The big star who tried to swim home is Burt Lancaster who, in his often-overlooked best role in "The Swimmer" does exactly that, using the pools of his neighbours to accomplish the task. If you haven't seen it, I'd recommend it.

Sorry if I was needlessly obscure with the clues, but I didn't want it to be TOO easy!!

Keith, your most commonly used phrase in the movies has got me stumped, but it's got to be something like:

"Don't look behind you!"
or
"It's perfectly safe."

Please put me out of my misery.

Anotehr quote seems called for now, so let me see if I can stump you with this one:

"Wooh! Dey's darker dan us!"

Cheers

Wolfie

Thanks, Wolfie.

I have seen Local Hero several times, and always loved it, but I have to say that kililng the rabbit in the fog doesn't stay with me nearly as much as the motorcycle buzzing them every time they leave the hotel, or the phone call about the lights of the Aurora, or that the accountant runs or owns every viable business in the village.

As soon as I read your answer the scene leapt to mind.

On your new clue, it sounds awfully Mel Brooks-ish, like from Blazing Saddles or History of the World Pt I, the sci-fi rip-off that I can't remember the name of, or even Robin Hood: Men in Tights.

Let me dwell on it a moment or two.

I'm stumped for a quote to reciprocate with--I'll go watch some movies and pick one. In the meantime, I heard a great music lyric the other day:

"Her nails are painted and they shine like justice.
...
Her voice is dark like tinted glass."

I thought they were great allusions.

:o)

Or how about the singing Russian? Classic moment - and did you know that the guy playing piano in that scene is Alan Clark, keyboard player with Dire Straits at the time.

I knew that I made the latest one too easy. Perhaps I should try harder:

"Craaaaaawfiiisssh!"

Cheers

Wolfie

wolfie,

dont look behind you and its perfectly safe could only really be used in certain genres, the quote im looking for can be used across the board.

it's a tricky one, but you need to simplify it right down!

Okey doke here's a few:

"You can't shoot the devil in the back! What if you miss?"

"You have to consider the possibility that god doesn't like you. In all probability he hates you."

"Where are you going?" "To see if there's a pub!"

Hey there,

Great quotes Lizardboy. The first one, I believe, is Verbal Kint in The Usual Suspects.

The other two are very familiar; I'll give it some more thought!

Cheers

Wolfie

The first one is right. Keep Pontificating!