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

Are there clues here in the surrealism?

Boring, vertical ditch?
Are we talking oil wells.
Can't consider boring = dull.

Bugger, can one earn a living at this in the US?
I thought in most states they locked you up.
Is the word in common use, as in the UK?

Will you settle an argument?
There is a film set in your (red)neck of the woods (or perhaps not - I never was good at geography). It stars, I think, the guy who played B. J. Hunnicutt in TV M*A*S*H and was also in ?Vanishing Point? anyway these big cities guys drive out into the wilderness to canoe down a river but manage to incur the wrath of the locals with unfortunate conseqences. (Oh that film I hear you cry.)
Well B. J. gets into a cutting contest he on guitar and a youth on banjo.
Here comes the question (soon). My daughter says this scene comes from "the Bridge over the River Kwai" which is ludicrous: it's called "the Bridge on the River Kwai" but that is a different film on a different continent in a different decade, so:
what is the film, and
what is the tune?
Guitar & banjo alternate "diddle ee dee dee dee dee dee dee" ...

Altavista wasn't helpful with "deedle ee ..."

Any comments gratefully received.

The song is obviously Dueling Banjos (Dee-dee-dee dee dee dee deee de, badada da dum da da dee dee) and the movie is Deliverence, but I don't recall seeing B.J. in it. (It has been a while, though.)

'Nonnie

Hey! Nonnie,
No - I couldn't help myself.
Sorry

I'm not sure about B.J. now you mention it.
But I shan't forget the titles again.
And it's shut my daughter up.
Ta, muchly.

plaguesville

You know....I wish there was a way to notice these things better! Good save, 'Nonnie! Thanks!

I think the actor you're looking for is Burt Reynolds. He stared in Deliverance, but is well known for his other "Redneck" movies, as well.(Smokey and the Bandit, W.W. and the Dixie Dance Kings, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas...etc.)

HHHMMM... hadn't thought of "boring" in that light!....Actually, I set utility poles for the phone company. That's rather boring to some, I suppose!

NM

Telegraph poles - ah.
Hadn't considered that. I was thinking on the large scale, for the U.S.
Still, if your lottery ticket didn't come up, there was good ole Jed Clampitt's example.

*Let me tell you all a story 'bout a man named Jed*
*Poor mountaineer barely kept his family fed*
*Then one day he was shootin' at some food*
*Up from the ground came a bubblin' crude*

He-he!.....hadn't thought of that show in a while!

Lottery?....This is Alabama, and that's gambling!......The two don't mix!

NM

No problem, p-ville.

NM: It's only gambling when it's fun. When the state gets the money then it's 'public service'... *peeks at the stack of public service tickets in the drawer*

I figured 'Bama would start one up to support the churches.

'Nonnie

LOL!!!! You know, if the politicos ever think of that angle.....who knows!? That would be the *only* way it would succeed!!!

NM

Fairly and Nonnie,
You were, of course, both correct. In "Deliverance":
Burt Reynolds - yes. Mike Farrell (yeah, that's him, B.J.) - no.
Jon Voig(h)t - yes, was the one I confused with BJ.

In case you find any other poor helpless critters unable to fend for themselves, then:
http://www.imdb.com/
seems to be a good film reference site. I found it on "Devast8or's" page, so
Thankyou All.