Can you solve these real 'Jeopardy!' clues about horror movies?
Can you solve these real 'Jeopardy!' clues about horror movies?
Combining two timeless traditions, Stacker has compiled a list of real "Jeopardy!" clues about horror movies. Anyone who's seen the popular game show knows the drill: the question takes the form of an answer, and the answer takes the form of a question. A tad gimmicky perhaps, but it's kept this machine running in daily syndication for 37 seasons straight—and that doesn't include previous iterations, which ran for years at a time and didn't feature Alex Trebek as host. Nowadays, one can't imagine the show without him.
While digging through the "Jeopardy" archives in search of choice clues, Stacker uncovered a few blatant trends. One is that Alex Trebek isn't necessarily the world's biggest horror fan. When the category "Scary Movie Sequels" appeared on the board, Trebek exclaimed, "Aren't they all?!" He might have a point, but it still hurts.
Another conspicuous trend? The show's writers are definitely partial to two specific musical horror comedies. The films won't be named just yet, and for obvious reasons, but here's a hint: One is about a deadly plant, and the other still draws an occasional midnight crowd. Throughout numerous years and episodes, these two titles pop up over and over...and over and over again. As a result, one might safely deduce that Trebek and his team aren't exactly catching up on the "Hostel" franchise during their off-hours.
Nitpicking aside, "Jeopardy!" has provided a fairly impressive overview of classic horror cinema by way of its categories and clues. From retro bone-chillers to recent blood-curdlers to everything in between, most of history's biggest horror flicks have made their way onto that blue game board. Numerous contestants have put their skills to the test, and now it's your turn. Get your brain pumped and your buzzers ready, and throw something scary on while you're at it. 'Tis the season, after all.
Do you have what it takes to solve these real "Jeopardy!" clues about horror movies?
Clue #1
- Clue: "Dream Warriors" is the subtitle to the third movie in this series
- Category: Horror Films
- Value: $600
- Date episode aired: Jan. 13, 2020
Answer #1: What is 'A Nightmare on Elm Street?'
Series creator Wes Craven and Oscar nominee Frank Darabont helped write the script for this third installment. Largely set in a mental hospital, it presents Freddy Krueger with new foes and old ones alike. One is played by Patricia Arquette in her big-screen debut.
Clue #2
- Clue: Both a 1999 film and its 2016 sequel feature found footage exploring this title figure in the Maryland woods
- Category: Oh, The Horror!
- Value: $600
- Date episode aired: March 24, 2017
Answer #2: What is 'The Blair Witch Project?'
Shot on a reported budget of just $60,000, the original "Blair Witch Project" earned over $248 million at the worldwide box office. It also paved the way for an entire subgenre of "found footage" horror fare. Before the 2016 reboot, there was a maligned 2000 sequel made in the style of a traditional horror flick.
Clue #3
- Clue: In this film the man-eating plant Audrey II was voiced by Levi Stubbs of the Four Tops
- Category: Unusual Characters
- Value: $1200
- Date episode aired: Oct. 11, 2018
Answer #3: What is 'Little Shop of Horrors?'
An off-Broadway musical interpretation of a 1960 Roger Corman film inspired this beloved classic. It underperformed in theaters and then overperformed on the VHS rental market. The 2012 Blu-ray release includes a much darker alternative ending in which Audrey II grows to gigantic proportions and devours New York.
Clue #4
- Clue: A marriage-minded monster awaits this title creation in a 1935 horror classic starring Elsa Lanchester
- Category: "B" Movies
- Value: $100
- Date episode aired: Sept. 17, 2001
Answer #4: What is 'The Bride of Frankenstein?'
Boris Karloff reprised the role of Dr. Frankenstein's monster in this iconic sequel. Determined to outmatch a zany competitor, Frankenstein builds his monster a female companion. Despite setbacks, Universal is still reportedly working on a modern-day remake.
Clue #5
- Clue: A demonic puzzle cube is the centerpiece of this horror film series based on a Clive Barker novel
- Category: Cinemacabre
- Value: $2000
- Date episode aired: Dec. 25, 2003
Answer #5: What is Hellraiser?
Author Clive Barker adapted his novella "The Hellbound Heart" when writing and directing this British horror film. The "demonic puzzle cube" at its center has the power to unlock forbidden dimensions, where deadly Cenobites await. A supporting character named Pinhead would play a more predominant role in sequels.
Clue #6
- Clue: In 1990 Christine Elise battled this homicidal doll; in 2019 it was Aubrey Plaza
- Category: Horror Movies
- Value: $800
- Date episode aired: Oct. 4, 2019
Answer #6: Who is Chucky?
First introduced in 1988's "Child's Play," Chucky spawned an impressive number of sequels, comic books, and merchandise tie-ins. Christine Elise starred in the first sequel, and Aubrey Plaza featured in the lackluster remake, in which the crazed, Cabbage Patch-like doll is reimagined as an AI-powered killer.
Clue #7
- Clue: This horror movie veteran played the inventor who put together Edward Scissorhands
- Category: So Funny It's Scary
- Value: $600
- Date episode aired: April 29, 1998
Answer #7: Who was Vincent Price?
Despite a versatile career on stage and screen, Vincent Price remains best known for his work in the horror genre. Some of his most notable films are the original versions of "House of Wax," "The Fly," and "House on Haunted Hill." His voice is also famously featured on Michael Jackson's hit song "Thriller."
Clue #8
- Clue: This 1960 Hitchcock classic was partly based on real-life murderer Ed Gein, who skinned his victims
- Category: Horrors!
- Value: $300
- Date episode aired: Dec. 1, 1997
Answer #8: What is 'Psycho?'
While tame by today's standards, Hitchcock's seminal slasher pic made audience members faint in their seats. It's but one among a handful of classics to cull inspiration from real-life serial killer Ed Gein. Other titles drawing from Gein's story were "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" and "The Silence of the Lambs."
Clue #9
- Clue: This 1997 movie opens with Jada Pinkett meeting her end at a screening of "Stab"
- Category: Scary Movie Sequels
- Value: $200
- Date episode aired: Feb. 14, 2000
Answer #9: What is 'Scream 2?'
A number of key players returned for this profitable sequel, which takes place on a college campus. Staying true to its meta-horror roots, the film depicts a fictional version of its own predecessor. The franchise-within-a-franchise yielded its own sequel and ended up driving much of the plot of "Scream 3."
Clue #10
- Clue: In a 1941 film based on R.L. Stevenson's horror classic, Spencer Tracy played these two title characters
- Category: Literature on Film
- Value: $400
- Date episode aired: April 24, 1990
Answer #10: What are Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde?
Robert Louis Stevenson's timeless tale has been adapted dozens of times across a host of mediums. This 1941 film version was nominated for three Academy Awards, including best cinematography and best music. It was director Victor Fleming's first credited feature on the heels of "Gone With the Wind."
Clue #11
- Clue: Sergeant Howie, you've got an appointment with the title pagan fella in this 1973 horror classic
- Category: Don't Tell Me
- Value: $1000
- Date episode aired: June 25, 2018
Answer #11: What is 'The Wicker Man?'
No discussion of the pagan or folk-horror subgenre is complete without making reference to this 1973 benchmark. It follows a police sergeant in search of a missing girl to a remote Scottish village, where things are definitely not what they seem. A 2006 remake starring Nicolas Cage was reviled by critics and audiences alike.
Clue #12
- Clue: Jamie Lee Curtis was paid $8,000 and provided her own wardrobe for this 1978 John Carpenter film, her first feature
- Category: Horror Films
- Value: $600
- Date episode aired: Dec. 8, 2015
Answer #12: What is 'Halloween?'
Director John Carpenter shot the original "Halloween" in under 20 days and on a reported budget of just $325,000. Scream queen Jamie Lee Curtis would later recall, "We bought my entire wardrobe at JCPenney for probably a hundred bucks." According to Mental Floss, the mask worn by serial killer Michael Myers cost a mere $2.
Clue #13
- Clue: Before "Welcome Back, Kotter" aired, Travolta played one of this title girl's tormentors in a 1976 horror film
- Category: John Travolta Films
- Value: $800
- Date episode aired: April 22, 2010
Answer #13: Who is Carrie?
Stephen King's auspicious debut novel inspired this Brian De Palma film of the same name. It stars Sissy Spacek as the title character, a bullied teenage girl with telekinetic powers. Playing a supporting role, Travolta was just one year away from his breakout performance in "Saturday Night Fever."
Clue #14
- Clue: Robert Cremer's biography of this horror star was subtitled "The Man Behind the Cape"
- Category: Movie Trivia
- Value: $300
- Date episode aired: July 13, 1990
Answer #14: Who was Bela Lugosi?
Forever synonymous with the role of Dracula, actor Bela Lugosi was one of Hollywood's original monster men. After landing the iconic part, Lugosi struggled to break free from the horror genre. Robert Cremer's biography was published in 1976 and promised a glimpse of the man behind the myth.
Clue #15
- Clue: This midnight cult film featured Tim Curry as transvestite scientist Frank N. Furter
- Category: Susan Sarandon Cinema
- Value: $300
- Date episode aired: Dec. 4, 1996
Answer #15: What is 'The Rocky Horror Picture Show?'
Fun-packed midnight screenings turned this musical horror-comedy into a multigenerational cult smash. Movie theaters would continue to show the film at midnight over the decades, setting Guinness World Records in the process. A separate Guinness World Record was set in 2010, when 8,239 people did the Time Warp on L.A.'s Santa Monica Boulevard.
Clue #16
- Clue: Newsweek said this Gregory Peck horror film with young Damien was "the latest serving of deviled ham"
- Category: Knock, Knock
- Value: $800
- Date episode aired: June 26, 2001
Answer #16: What is 'The Omen?'
On the heels of "The Exorcist" and "Rosemary's Baby" came this horror flick with similar themes. A huge commercial success, it generated three sequels and a latter-day remake. Critics were initially somewhat hostile, but they warmed up to the film over time.
Clue #17
- Clue: Shia LaBeouf discovers that "every killer lives next door to someone" in this 2007 horror film
- Category: The Movies
- Value: $600
- Date episode aired: May 2, 2007
Answer #17: What is 'Disturbia?'
"'Rear Window' for teens" is one way to describe this modern thriller from director D.J. Caruso. It made over $118 million at the worldwide box office on a reported budget of $20 million. Rising star Shia LeBeouf would appear in the first "Transformers" movie that same year.
Clue #18
- Clue: Horror films often show the victim from the perspective of the killer, a shot known by this three-letter abbreviation
- Category: Film Grammar
- Value: $800
- Date episode aired: May 12, 2011
Answer #18: What is POV (point of view)?
As early as the 1960 thriller "Peeping Tom," filmmakers used POV shots to put the audience in a killer's shoes. The technique took off in the 1970s, appearing in everything from "Black Christmas" to "Jaws" to "Halloween." POV shots are also a stalwart of the found-footage subgenre, though most often from the victim's perspective.
Clue #19
- Clue: This 1973 horror classic had Linda Blair take an extended look around
- Category: "The" Movie
- Value: $1600
- Date episode aired: Oct. 13, 2017
Answer #19: What is 'The Exorcist?'
People flocked in droves to see this grotesque horror flick about the demonic possession of a 12-year-old girl (Blair). Intense audience reactions generated equally intense word of mouth, making it one of history's highest-grossing films when adjusted for inflation. It won two Academy Awards and gradually spawned a franchise.
Clue #20
- Clue: A human who's infiltrated the enemy commits the faux pas of asking for ketchup in this 1978 horror spoof
- Category: More Funny Than Scary
- Value: $1200
- Date episode aired: July 14, 2016
Answer #20: What is 'Attack of the Killer Tomatoes?'
Sentient tomatoes are on a killer rampage in this low-budget parody of horror and sci-fi tropes. Critics were mostly unimpressed, but that didn't stop the film from earning a loyal cult following. A then-unknown George Clooney starred in the first of three sequels.
Clue #21
- Clue: A 1968 horror movie was titled "Night of" these zombies
- Category: That's Oxymoronic
- Value: $400
- Date episode aired: Dec. 20, 2019
Answer #21: Who are the living dead?
The living can't be dead, which makes George Romero's proto-zombies walking contradictions. Audiences didn't seem to mind and helped turn this low-budget film into a box-office smash. While not the first official zombie film (that honor goes to 1932's "White Zombie"), it's arguably the most influential.
Clue #22
- Clue: Donald Sutherland was a total scream dealing with pod people in this 1978 horror remake
- Category: Screams, Shouts
- Value: $2000
- Date episode aired: Jan. 20, 2016
Answer #22: What is 'Invasion of the Body Snatchers?'
The 1955 chiller "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" was directly remade no less than three times, which isn't to mention other films with similar premises. Director Philip Kaufman's 1978 version is a classic by itself, with at least one iconic scream of a scene—to say anything more is to give too much away.
Clue #23
- Clue: A tagline for this 1983 horror film is "She'll possess you. Then destroy you. She's death on wheels. She's..."
- Category: Girly Movies
- Value: $2000 (Daily Double)
- Date episode aired: Dec. 17, 2007
Answer #23: What is Christine?
Adapted from a Stephen King novel, this creepy thriller tells the story of a deadly car named Christine. While not a "girly movie" by any stretch, it does put a deranged twist on the overprotective girlfriend concept. Horror icon John Carpenter directed.
Clue #24
- Clue: Aliens inhabit the bodies of the staff of a small-town high school in this 1998 horror flick
- Category: Small-Town Cinema
- Value: $600
- Date episode aired: March 23, 2000
Answer #24: What is 'The Faculty?'
Director Robert Rodriguez and screenwriter Kevin Williamson were piping hot when they collaborated on this invasion movie, which updates classic predecessors like "The Thing" and "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" for younger audiences. Some say that the derivative story is the point, putting this film in the same camp as movies like "Scream," which Williamson also wrote.
Clue #25
- Clue: "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre"
- Category: Horror Movie Villains
- Value: $500
- Date episode aired: March 6, 2000
Answer #25: Who is Leatherface?
Cranking pulpy realism from a low budget, director Tobe Hooper created one of history's most unsettling horror movies. Leatherface wields a chainsaw and makes up part of a bigger family, all of whom are equally sadistic. Sequels, remakes, and reboots would follow.
