89% Pure Junk

Anyone who knows me knows I love lists. I love movies. And I love a good trivia challenge. So what he have here is one of those trifecta moments that I simply can’t resist.



I got 89% right. A pretty solid B+; maybe an A-, depending on generous you want to make the curve. I had a nice long unbroken streak between 91 and 67, and finished strong down the homestretch from 29 to 1. Plus, I didn’t miss two in a row. Not too shabby, right?

Of the eleven I didn’t get, I had seen only one (99). There were a few I guessed at based on actors (47, 48, 33, 34) or the setting and context of the scene (89), and a couple that I needed a little help from the IMDb. But I think 89 is pretty respectable.

I had #11 from the moment I saw it. But it really couldn’t have been anything else—if you’re even remotely aware of movie ephemera, you know what it is just by the number. Of course, I was giddy at 91.

Three cheers for "Agent Mosley."
The complete answer key is here. My scorecard is below.






100: Night of the Living Dead
99:
98: Dead Poets Society
97: Blade Runner
96:
95: Ocean’s 11 (2001)
94: Star Wars
93: Midnight Run
92:
91: The Right Stuff
90: The Fugitive
89: The French Connection (?)
88: Back to the Future
87: Cast Away
86: Quiz Show
85: The Silence of the Lambs
84: Titanic
83: The Magnificent Seven
82: Rain Man
81: Galaxy Quest
80: Harold and Maude
79: Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead
78: The Day the Earth Stood Still(?)
77: The Apartment
76: The Great Escape
75: The Hustler (?)
74: Ed Wood
73: The Jerk
72: Raiders of the Lost Ark
71: When Harry Met Sally
70: Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan
69: M*A*S*H
68: The Breakfast Club
67: The King and I
66:
65: The Princess Bride
64:
63: Network
62: Mr. Roberts
61: Singles
60: Gone with the Wind
59: His Girl Friday
58: Goldfinger
57:
56: It’s a Wonderful Life
55: The Blues Brothers
54:
53: Midnight Express
52: Waking Ned Devine
51: Roman Holiday
50: Cool Hand Luke
49: The Taking of Pelham 123
48: The Adventures of Robin Hood (?)
47: The Big Sleep (?)
46:
45: The Hudsucker Proxy
44: Magnum Force
43: Monty Python
42: Finding Nemo
41:
40: Superman: The Movie
39: The 39 Steps (a gimmie!)
38: Aliens
37: Men In Black
36: Clerks
35: Harvey
34: Marty (?)
33: The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean
32:
31: Ferris Bueller’s Day Off
30:
29: Young Frankenstein (It’s pronounced “Fronk-en-steen”)
28: The Bridge on the River Kwai
27: The Usual Suspects
26: North By Northwest
25: Sunset Boulevard
24: Escape From New York
23: The Wizard of Oz
22: Casablanca
21: The Lion in Winter
20: Boogie Nights
19: The Shawshank Redemption
18: Almost Famous
17: The Maltese Falcon
16: The Natural
15: Being John Malkovich
14: The Professionals (IMdB)
13: Lawrence of Arabia
12: Ghostbusters
11: This is Spinal Tap
10: Citizen Kane (?)
9: 12 Angry Men (?)
8: Office Space
7: To Kill a Mockingbird
6: Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (Chill, Winston!)
5: The Godfather
4: Fargo
3: L.A. Confidential
2: Once Upon a Time in the West
1: The Lord of the Rings


So, how'd you do?

4 comments:

Irene Done said...

I hope you ran right out and got yourself a copy of Laura. Gene Tierney plays the most beautiful advertising executive of all time, although I'm still unclear on what her exact job is.

stennie said...

As a bonus, can you name the movie that gave "AlonsoMosleyFBI" his blogger nickname? Actually, I reckon you can if you got #93.

"Because I DIED IN EPISODE 81!!!!"

Irene Done said...

What hump?

Mr. Middlebrow said...

Irene:
Glad to see somebody is paying attention. Blücher!

I really need to watch Laura again. I remember Gene being quite lovely, indeed, but little else. Obviously.

Ah, yes, the ubiquitous "ad executive" title covers a multitude of sins, doesn't it? Especially in the pre-Bernbach era. Speaking of which, have you heard about the new show coming to AMC--"Mad Men"?

Stennie:
So nice of you to stop by.

I have to cop to knowing the Alonso Mosely reference only from having seen it mentioned on Dennis' SLatIFR blog (where I found the video). I still got #93 right, though!

Can I just go on record as saying that Galaxy Quest is one of the great, undervalued gems in, well, the galaxy? And Sam Rockwell's reaction to seeing the Thermians in their actual state--one of the all time best screen screams. Pure comic horror.