Big Screen special: test your Berkeley film knowledge

This week we bring you Big Screen Berkeley with a difference — a chance to test your knowledge of movies, movie stars and movie locations with a Berkeley connection. Berkeleyside film writer John Seal has crafted a list of 20 tricky questions for all film or quiz buffs out there. The person with the most correct answers — emailed to Berkeleyside by Sunday, October 3, 5 p.m.will receive a $25 gift certificate to Summer Kitchen Bake Shop, good for lunch, dinner, pizza or baked goods. Answers next week. Good luck!

  1. Which Berkeley resident has worked extensively with German director Werner Herzog?
  2. In which classic silent comedy does Hearst Memorial Stadium (below) feature prominently ?

    Memorial Stadium

  3. Which Berkeley-born thespian has been nominated for three Golden Raspberry (“Razzie”) Awards for Worst Actor?
  4. Name the film starring a San Francisco comedian shot outside UC Berkeley’s Le Conte Hall in the spring of 1998.
  5. Which Berkeley-born special effects expert has a species of dinosaur named after him?
  6. Name the San Francisco-born star of 1972’s Blacula (below) who passed away in Berkeley earlier this year.

    Blacula

  7. Name the cinema that operated on Gilman Street from 1972 through 1989.
  8. Which 2005 drama was partly filmed at Malcolm X School?
  9. Name the UC Berkeley professor and expert in Scandinavian history who also wrote a book about slasher films.
  10. Name the Berkeley-born pornographic film star, socialist, and feminist whose maternal grandfather defended The Scottsboro Boys in 1931.
  11. Cal’s freshman rowing team is the subject of which 1935 short subject?

    The Blue Lagoon

  12. Which Berkeley-born actress turned down the role that went to Brooke Shield’s in 1980’s The Blue Lagoon (above)?
  13. Which Karel Reisz-directed drama features scenes shot in the original Cody’s Books?
  14. Lawrence Hall of Science provided exterior location footage for which science fiction film?
  15. To which abandoned university building will Pacific Film Archive eventually relocate?
  16. Which famous comedy, supposedly set at UC Berkeley, was actually partly filmed at USC?
  17. Which film producer of award-winning frock flicks was born in Berkeley in 1928?

    Berkeley High School

  18. Which film actor, born in Southern California, briefly attended Berkeley High School (above), where he made his stage debut?
  19. The Dream Theater briefly operated in downtown Berkeley during the first decade of the 20th century. Name the current occupant of the same address (note: the original building has long since been demolished).
  20. Which Berkeley-set drama featured Ray Milland as an alcoholic professor?

Berkeleyside’s film writer John Seal writes a weekly movie recommendation column at Box Office Prophets, as well as a column in The Phantom of the Movies’ Videoscope, an old-fashioned paper magazine, published quarterly.

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  • David

    There is no Hearst Memorial Stadium. There is the Hearst Greek Theater and California Memorial Stadium.

  • http://www.berkeleyhomes.com/blog Ira Serkes

    7. Renaissance Rialto

    14. The Forbin Project

    16. The Graduate

    I recall two tiny theaters on the 2nd floor of a building on Telegraph, east side of the street, just south of Dwight … even smaller than the Northside Theaters, if my memory is correct.

  • http://www.davosnewbies.com Lance Knobel

    Ira, you may want to save up your answers for an email. Otherwise you’re giving someone else a shot at the prize!

  • http://www.berkeleyhomes.com/blog Ira Serkes

    16. Dustin Hoffman’s flophouse apartment IS in Berkeley – corner of Channing & Ellsworth?

    It’s been decades since you could drive TO Berkeley atop the upper deck of the San Francisco/Oakland Bay Bridge.

    Lance – just read your email – I’ve no idea of the rest of answers, so happy to help someone else win the big prize!

  • Maureen Burke

    2. The Freshman with Harold Lloyd–football stadium scene also featured in the later talkie, The Sin of Harold Diddlebock. Both directed by the great Preston Sturges.

    Ira–the theater you’re thinking of is Telegraph Rep, which had some connection to Pauline Kael. Many very dark, dank, smelly, narrow hallways to navigate.

  • John Seal

    Apologies for conflating the Greek Theatre with the Stadium. My poor excuse is that I am neither a Cal grad nor a football fan!

  • Thomas Lord

    John,

    “original Cody’s books” means a place on Euclid Ave. which I’m pretty sure you don’t mean.

    Minor thing but, in fairness… thought I’d point it out. I’ve got “N” answers down and “20 – N” to go but some of these are pretty dang hard.

  • John Seal

    A fair point, Thomas. Being a relative newcomer to the area (1981), I always think of the Telegraph shop as being the ‘original’.

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  • jsk

    why do the same few people respond to this site repeatedly, conveying a limited range of opinions?

    I wish a more varied audience would weigh in, so there would be a far broader discussion of opinions on the topics presented here.
    -My 2 cents

  • Daryl

    Check out “Made in America” for your next Berkeley film quizz, John. (Other East Bay locations, also)