Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Entertainment/2010 January 25

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January 25

What are those robots?

Watching the NFC Championship Game on Fox you will periodically see a graphic of a dancing or guitar-playing robot in the corner of the screen. What the hell are those? The Hero of This Nation (talk) 02:34, 25 January 2010 (UTC)

It's Cleatus, see also Fox NFL Sunday#Cleatus the Fox Sports Robot. Nanonic (talk) 02:42, 25 January 2010 (UTC)

Thanks brah. The Hero of This Nation (talk) 13:55, 25 January 2010 (UTC)

Well,I never realised the annoying little twerp had a name.Many thanks.hotclaws 04:03, 25 January 2010 (UTC)

"Cleatus"? Cute. As in "cleats", I suppose. Hey, they paid some computer geek big bucks to animate that guy. That name takes away from its fearsomeness, though. It's like if the ultra-scary Terminator had a little badge on his shirt saying "Bob". ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 13:24, 25 January 2010 (UTC)

A hot chick from T3 named Bob would be scary but I suppose not fearsome. Googlemeister (talk) 16:45, 25 January 2010 (UTC)

Or "Bobbie Jo". A Terminator that sounds like Dolly Parton. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 17:13, 25 January 2010 (UTC)

It is motion capture - not hand-animated. -- kainaw™ 13:42, 25 January 2010 (UTC)

It seems a little too real to be animation, so that probably accounts for it. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 17:13, 25 January 2010 (UTC)

The animators of the world have all taken offense at your jab. Comet Tuttle (talk) 17:53, 25 January 2010 (UTC)

Animation is many miles ahead of where it was 50 years ago, but it's still not totally realistic. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 17:59, 25 January 2010 (UTC)

Lewis Black is not a fan, either; he threw some expletives Cleatus's way in one of his monologues. Comet Tuttle (talk) 17:53, 25 January 2010 (UTC)

Identifying a film

Okay, the film starts out with the protagonist being yelled at by his (soon-to-be ex) girlfriend in slow motion, a scene which is also repeated later on in the film. During his long workdays at a store, the protagonist realizes that he is able to slow down time. He uses this ability to undress some of the female customers while time is frozen (I think). The film was either based on, or originally created as a short film. I think it was made around '05-'07. Now all I need is the title. Thanks in advance! decltype (talk) 10:10, 25 January 2010 (UTC)

This is the basic premise of The Fermata by Nicholson Baker (one of those notable Wikipedians we hear about from time to time), but that's a novel. The stub article says something about a movie adaptation, but nothing has come out so far. If there is another film with this plot device, it's a massive steal from Baker. --Richardrj ^{talk email} 10:17, 25 January 2010 (UTC)

This is probably "Cashback", which started off as a 2004 short film before being spun-out to feature-length in 2006. Details here. Found by searching Google with shop "stop time" undress film. All the best, Steve ^T • C 11:02, 25 January 2010 (UTC)

There we go, thanks Steve. Richardrj, there's certainly some similarity. Our article even says that, Though unacknowledged in the film, the basic tenet of the plot appears to be based upon the novel The Fermata by Nicholson Baker. This is of course inappropriate OR (or synthesis) from one of our editors, unless noted in an RS. Oh, and I'm actually proud that I seem to have remembered all the details correctly. decltype (talk) 11:18, 25 January 2010 (UTC)

Nicholson Baker didn't originate the idea. The Girl, the Gold Watch & Everything by John D. McDonald came out in the 1960s, and even referenced that the idea came from Thorne Smith. 67.51.38.51 (talk) 16:26, 25 January 2010 (UTC)

And earlier was René Clair's The Crazy Ray (1925). Pepso2 (talk) 18:45, 25 January 2010 (UTC)

avatar movie

In that movie avatar, is there ever an appearance of the second sun? It is set on a moon orbiting a planet in the centauri system, but that is a binary (well technically trinary, but proxima would be really dim) system. Was this deficiency explained in film? Googlemeister (talk) 15:45, 25 January 2010 (UTC)

Does the movie ever even say it's the Centauri system? I don't remember a reference in the movie, though it's probably spelled out in Pandorapedia. 67.51.38.51 (talk) 16:27, 25 January 2010 (UTC)

I remember reading in the Popular Science interview with Cameron that the creators intended for Pandora to be in the Alpha Centauri system. I don't remember any specific references to it in the movie, however. Does anyone remember how long their trip from earth was mentioned to be? It may have been referenced that way. —Akrabbim^talk 16:42, 25 January 2010 (UTC)

It was 5 years, 9 months and some days, so unless they have FTL propulsion, Centauri system is pretty much their only choice. Googlemeister (talk) 16:43, 25 January 2010 (UTC)

But 5 years and change by whose clock? That said, I don't recall seeing anything about multiple suns. — Lomn 19:47, 25 January 2010 (UTC)

Good point on the clock. I am not sure if they factored relativistic time dilation into that statement. Other issues with clocks and calendars seem apparent now. There did not appear to be seasons on Pandora, but it would be an amazing coincidence if Pandora managed a 24 hour day. Especially since most moons are tidally locked with their planet giving your average moon a longer day then that of earth. Googlemeister (talk) 19:55, 25 January 2010 (UTC)

Regarding tidal locking: Io (Jupiter) and Miranda (Uranus) both orbit their primaries in less than two days, so an Earthlike day length would be plausible, albeit suspiciously convenient. As for seasons, I think there's just not enough evidence in the film to say anything in any particular direction. The movie covers what, four months? Seasons would be dictated by the movement of Pandora's primary about its star, which could easily be much longer than a year-long orbit. Even with an Earthlike orbit, four months isn't enough in many parts of Earth to observe much seasonal change -- plus there's the lack of detail to say what Pandoran seasons would look like, anyway. — Lomn 21:30, 25 January 2010 (UTC)

I saw it in all 3 different projections, I only recall seeing the Planetary scene when coming into orbit, and I think 2 clearly prominent scenes from the moon, Avatar running in Garden area, and night shot of him in the woods with his Mamacita. The day shot, and outspace scene, I don't remember seeing a second Sun. This may be brought up, as well as the actual location of Pandora in Avatar:_A_Confidential_Report_on_the_Biological_and_Social_History_of_Pandora. --i am the kwisatz haderach (talk) 22:32, 27 January 2010 (UTC)

The Howling Series of Movies

Could you please identify which of the seven "Howling" series of movies, released between 1981 and 1995, were made for theatre / cinema release and those that went direct to video.

I have several publications and sources that contradict each other on this issue particularly the final four movies made in the series.

I know that the author of the Wikipedia article, on this subject, indicates that from The Howling IV to the end of the series these were direct to video productions. If this could be clarified that would be appreciated.

Regards

Ian Willson —Preceding unsigned comment added by 86.129.26.253 (talk) 18:53, 25 January 2010 (UTC)

Take a look at http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0082533/movieconnections. The original, The Howling, was a theatrical release, and if you look at the titles with (V) behind them, those are the direct to video releases. Woogee (talk) 21:38, 25 January 2010 (UTC)

Theme music

I stumbled across this web page: http://www.rhodium.com/. The music is from a movie, but I forget which, and it's been killing me! Help! —Preceding unsigned comment added by 173.179.59.66 (talk) 21:31, 25 January 2010 (UTC)

It is from Gladiator and is called "The Battle." See this link Gladiator (soundtrack) and type in "Gladiator the battle soundtrack" on YouTube if you want to hear it on there. Coolcato (talk) 22:35, 25 January 2010 (UTC)