152
votes
Accepted
How accurate is this computer hardware in the movie Wall Street?
Those are actual stock trading computers used in the 1980s.
The manufacturer is Quotron - whose name is on the keypad in the second image. Quotron started providing a computer interface for reporting ...
- 12.2k
85
votes
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What is Jack Nicholson tossing aside in this scene in The Shining?
Aluminium plate rings, used for separating dinner plates between plating up & serving; keeps the food warmer for longer.
Plate rings have a characteristic bottom lip which will 'hook' over the ...
- 53k
70
votes
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Were oranges an intentional use of symbolism by filmmakers?
No and Yes
According to various sources [one here], Francis Ford Coppola confirms on the DVD commentaries
“It started out as an accident”, said Coppola in DVD commentaries, “but once we realized ...
- 133k
69
votes
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How do productions like Stranger Things or other similarly "not modern but still within recent memory" productions acquire period props?
Wired actually has an article about this:
...
To get the amazing '80s stuff, Reiss scoured eBay, flea markets, prop rentals, and estate sales in Georgia. (The series is set in suburban Indiana ...
- 33.5k
56
votes
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Is the face on the front of the truck a Marvel approved likeness of the Green Goblin?
They had permission from Marvel
According to this source and the credits of the movie, they did have permission from marvel to use Green Goblin's face. Check this image from the credits of the movie:
...
- 14.5k
55
votes
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What is this dog really biting in The Thing?
No, the dog definitely didn't chew a hole in a real fence.
Update: Word of God answer from Producer Stuart Cohen and John Carpenter!!!
John Carpenter:
The fence was made out of edible material. ...
- 11.8k
55
votes
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Why did Cameron show the baby doll so prominently in Titanic?
Well, this movie was inspired from the real incident. This porcelain head of a child’s doll is still lying 12,000 feet under the surface of the Atlantic Ocean next to the wreckage of the luxury liner ...
A J♦
- 57.8k
55
votes
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What kind of gun did Robocop use in the first movie?
Beretta 93R (as the "Auto 9")
The primary weapon that Robocop uses in the original 1987 film is the Beretta 93R.
The main weapon used by RoboCop (Peter Weller) is the "Auto 9". This
is a Beretta ...
- 27.7k
50
votes
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What exactly is ALF?
For the first two seasons it seems that there was someone inside an ALF suit.
An actor called Michu (Mihaly “Michu”) Meszaros (Wikipedia link) who was on 2ft 8in tall
For the first season of the ALF ...
- 133k
49
votes
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What's the first movie to use a prop to destroy/control an entire world?
Some of the examples in your question are technically not "props", so I will answer what I think you're really trying to ask, rather than following the exact wording of the question.
In KoKo'...
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48
votes
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What are those items hanging behind the shop keeper?
They are engine accessory drive belts. They are attached between the engine crank shaft and the engine components like:
Water pump
Alternator
Air conditioning compressor
Power steering pump (in some ...
- 3,406
47
votes
Accepted
Is the Bolton sigil meant to look like the British Flag?
The UK flag, the Union Jack, is a combination of three flags:
And Scotland's flag is based on the crucifixion of Saint Andrew, which was held on an X-shaped cross:
But Bolton's flag represents ...
- 118k
47
votes
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Are the computers in Severance real?
They're props, but the design is based on a real terminal screen/keyboard from the 70's
The entire design premise of the show is based on an uncertainty of where we are in time.
"We wanted to ...
- 53k
45
votes
Accepted
What is that attachment on the telephone?
That is a Shoulder rest. This is to help you hold the phone up to your ear by shrugging your shoulder or tilting your head a bit.
It made a lot more sense before cell phones.
44
votes
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What was the significance of the deep fried kebab poster in Infinity War?
This may be a reference to an obscure "trend" from Scotland.
The Glasgow Stonner Kebab
"The Stonner", a 1,000-calorie, deep fried pork sausage kebab has been dubbed the most dangerous fast food in ...
- 4,726
43
votes
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Why is Edward in a white limousine at the end of the film?
Earlier in the movie, Vivian says
When I was a little girl, my mama used to lock me in the attic when I was bad, which was pretty often.
And I would-- I would pretend I was a princess...trapped in a ...
- 133k
42
votes
Accepted
What are the towers on Tatooine?
These are moisture vaporators. These devices are used for collecting moisture from atmosphere that will be used as water.
From Star Wars databank,
Found on desert planets, moisture vaporators were ...
A J♦
- 57.8k
41
votes
Was Bruce Wayne's car specifically designed for the movie?
The car in question is a Mercedes Vision Gran Turismo.
This link indicates that the car has been around for at least 4 years (as that's when the article was written) as a concept. It appears to have ...
- 12.5k
38
votes
Accepted
Why are dolls, teddy bears, etc. used as horror objects in horror films?
This great source provides some answers given by people related to horror genre (filmmakers, writers and experts).
Below are some quotes from their answers to the question Why are dolls and clowns, ...
- 15k
38
votes
Accepted
Did James Bond only wear Omega watches?
The early films he wore Rolex, then went through a mixture of various types, analog & digital - Breitling, Gruen, several Seikos, TAG Heuer, until there was a deal signed with Omega for Goldeneye. ...
- 53k
35
votes
Accepted
What is this golden belt that is given to Chewbacca?
It is Medal of Yavin.
At the end of A New Hope, Han and Luke got medals for their role in the Battle of Yavin, but Chewbacca didn't.
This medal belongs to Han, which Leia was holding.
Image courtesy
...
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- 57.8k
34
votes
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What is this round thing on the pantry door in The Shining
It's a commercial walk-in refrigerator door handle, known as a 'push-strike'
Basically it just pushes through the door onto the regular latch on the outside so you can get out... unless in this case ...
- 53k
32
votes
Accepted
How did Adebisi make his hat hang on his head?
There is an interview in Men's Fitness where the actor, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje explains how the hat stayed on his head:
But the weirdest thing about Adebisi was how he wore his trademark
knit ...
- 27.7k
31
votes
What was the significance of the deep fried kebab poster in Infinity War?
It just lets you know they are in Scotland.
If they were in Paris they might sit in a café somewhere that had the Eiffel Tower in view. If they were in New York they might have yellow cabs going by ...
- 748
27
votes
Accepted
Did Kevin spill real chili?
Brian Baumgartner (Kevin) explains this in the video below:
He talks about the carpet, and he explains that they prepared 3 takes for this scene, but it wasn't ...
- 14.5k
27
votes
Accepted
Why is Havana covered in 5-digit numbers in Our Man in Havana?
These are lottery numbers.
The location above is, as per Graham Greene's novel:
“…the square at the top of Lamparilla Street… swallowed up among the pimps and lottery sellers of the Havana noon.”
...
- 38.5k
26
votes
Accepted
What gadget does Will have on his wrist in "Stranger Things" S03E08?
This is a Nelsonic Q'Bert Wristwatch, sold by Nelsonic Digital. They were very popular, especially in the 80s for their game-themed wristwatches, wherein you could actually play the game on your wrist!...
- 3,290
25
votes
Accepted
Was Bruce Wayne's car specifically designed for the movie?
Was Bruce Wayne's car specifically designed for the movie?
Partially yes, it was a concept car designed for a video game and named Mercedes-Benz AMG Vision Gran Turismo but was made into a real ...
- 118k
Only top scored, non community-wiki answers of a minimum length are eligible