Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Entertainment/2009 July 28

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July 28

left handed musicians

can a left handed cellist, violinist etc play any music written for right handed people? if so, how do you stop banging elbows in an orchestra? is there special seating arrangements? —Preceding unsigned comment added by Payneham (talk • contribs) 04:17, 28 July 2009 (UTC)

Unlike, say, guitar or electric bass, orchestral string instruments are never played left-handed for the exact reasons you describe. Left-handed violinists are trained to play right-handed, which is difficult, but not impossible to do. See this discussion on teaching a left-handed student to play right-handed, and the special problems that leads to. For things like "fiddle"-style violin, where someone plays mostly solo or with a small ensemble band, it is probably possible to play left handed, but it would be difficult to find a mass-produced left-handed violin; it would likely have to be modified by hand, or specially built as a left-handed violin. here is a page describing a luthier who does make them. Assuming you got you hands on one; you would play it analogous to a right handed player. You would use the same fingerings as a righty would (using the index the same way s/he would, etc), except your play would be mirror-image. In that way, it would be no different than a left-handed guitar, and there have been some very successful left-handed guitar players out there. So yes, it is quite possible to make and play any stringed instrument left-handed, but if your goal is to play in an orchestra you can probably forget about it and learn to play with your off hand instead. --Jayron32 05:26, 28 July 2009 (UTC)

Australian "Heidi" adaption

Hi, I'm looking for an Australian adaption of the German "Heidi" story, probably from the 90's or so. I have once seen this movie and cannot remember the title, nor did Google or IMDB help me much. It's about a young girl who is forced to move from the outback to a city, because her parents lost a lot of money due to a falling wool price and cannot keep their sheep/farm. She's very unhappy in the city. Does anyone know this movie? --Regenspaziergang ^!? 05:47, 28 July 2009 (UTC)

According to Heidi#Film.2C_television_and_theatrical_adaptations, "The only incarnation of the series to reach the English language was a dub of the 1979 feature-length movie adaptation of the television series". Perhaps you were thinking of that? decltype (talk) 17:23, 28 July 2009 (UTC)

That's a terrible misuse of the word "incarnation" there. In what way is a feature-length adaptation of a television series "made flesh"? Not blaming you, Decltype, as you're merely quoting from the article… Malcolm XIV (talk) 23:40, 28 July 2009 (UTC)

Speaking as a lifelong voracious reader and erstwhile professional editor, I would say that it's a perfectly acceptable metaphorical use of the word. Chacun a son gout, however. 87.81.230.195 (talk) 02:03, 30 July 2009 (UTC)

Thanks, but that is not what I meant. It is not listed there, and most probably, the girl is not called Heidi in the Australian movie. It just has extremely many parallels. --Regenspaziergang ^!? 02:45, 30 July 2009 (UTC)

English TV drama set in wartime

Possibly from the '80s. I think it revolved mainly around one family. One of the characters might have been called Kitty, and in one episode a young man was given a white feather in an envelope (the implication being he was a coward because he wasn't away at war). Exploding Boy (talk) 06:11, 28 July 2009 (UTC)

Sounds like an adaptation of The Four Feathers, except there doesn't appear to be an 80s TV drama in the list there (maybe the 1977 movie?). Adam Bishop (talk) 06:16, 28 July 2009 (UTC)

I'm fairly certain it was a serialized drama and not a movie, and I think it was set in WWII. Exploding Boy (talk) 06:22, 28 July 2009 (UTC)

Sounds like The Cazalets, based on the books by Elizabeth Jane Howard, but a search shows it was produced in 2001. Gwinva (talk) 07:06, 28 July 2009 (UTC)

Are you sure you're not getting confused with the Australian WWII drama series The Sullivans? Nanonic (talk) 15:11, 28 July 2009 (UTC)

I think that's it! I had a nagging feeling it might have been Australian, but I was watching it in England so I went with that instead. Thanks! Exploding Boy (talk) 16:12, 28 July 2009 (UTC)

UK game show

Does anyone know the name of the game show, which used to be broadcast in the UK on the BBC, and Mr. Blobby was in it? I think one of the challenge- type things was where a conveyor full of stuff rolled past and contestants had to memorise them. Another thing I can remember is that there often used to be those wooden artist's figures that could be moved into certain poses displayed during the show quite often. I know that's not many clues but I can't remember much about it! Please help! Chevymontecarlo (talk) 06:35, 28 July 2009 (UTC)

Our article on Mr. Blobby lists a number of possibilities, the most likely of which is Noel's House Party. --Richardrj ^{talk email} 07:28, 28 July 2009 (UTC)

I think you are confusing several different shows. The conveyor belt was a feature of The Generation Game.--Shantavira|^{feed me} 07:59, 28 July 2009 (UTC)

Late-period Generation Game, as hosted by the odious Jim Davidson, often featured comedy characters from old programmes such as Mr Blobby and Blakey. So yes, it was definitely the Generation Game. A far cry from the heyday of Brucie or Larry Grayson, but there you go. Malcolm XIV (talk) 23:46, 28 July 2009 (UTC)

Yes, it was definately the Generation Game. Now I remember! Thanks! Chevymontecarlo (talk) 10:47, 30 July 2009 (UTC)

American movie re-writing of British military history

I see from the article The Four Feathers that the latest version of the film shows the British losing a battle they in fact won. I recall another Hollywood movie about Americans taking a copy of the Enigma code machione from a german submarinme - when in reality this was done by the British Royal navy. Are there any other examples of American films that re-write history to give Americans the credit for what the British achieved? 78.147.249.185 (talk) 09:47, 28 July 2009 (UTC)

The U-boat film is U-571. Astronaut (talk) 12:44, 28 July 2009 (UTC)

Gremlins began with the RAF, but they quickly became Americanized. Pepso2 (talk) 08:01, 29 July 2009 (UTC)

MTV cartoon

Can you name the MTV cartoon from 90's? There were two men talking to each other (they were using many swearwords), drinking and when they listened to the music they dance in a funny way (I think they were shaking heads)? —Preceding unsigned comment added by Atacamadesert12 (talk • contribs) 14:37, 28 July 2009 (UTC)

Dude, your not talking about Beavis and butt head are you?? huhuhuhuh. you said "anus". Questionabout"theman" adolf (talk) 14:46, 28 July 2009 (UTC)

Yes, that's it! How could I forget? Thanks! —Preceding unsigned comment added by Atacamadesert12 (talk • contribs) 15:49, 28 July 2009 (UTC)

Triple doubles in the nba

i have been searching everywhere, i have a list of top 10 but i want more. Do u no where i can get a list of triple doubles in the nba history. i am searching 4 a list of every1 who has at least 10 triple doubles the top ten only goes down to 28. anyway u can help ? —Preceding unsigned comment added by Djluci (talk • contribs) 19:38, 28 July 2009 (UTC)

Best I can find is this, which lists four active players with 12-18. And Dikembe Mutombo has 10. Clarityfiend (talk) 18:57, 29 July 2009 (UTC)

Here's a fan who really needs to get a life - he's compiled a list of all triple doubles for 16 franchises. Clarityfiend (talk) 19:12, 29 July 2009 (UTC)

Apparently there was a complete list put out by basketball-reference.com not too long ago,[1], but the link is now dead. Maybe you can contact them and get it. Clarityfiend (talk) 19:29, 29 July 2009 (UTC)

Identify this movie

I remember watching a movie earlier this decade which started with footage of a Middle Eastern War, and then many people suddenly "disappeared" onboard an aircraft, at a birthday party, etc., and the remaining people eventually realized that they needed to go to Church and turn to Jesus Christ. What was the name of this movie? 162.51.202.27 (talk) 21:15, 28 July 2009 (UTC)

Sounds like the concept for Left Behind, though I haven't seen it and can't confirm the specifics. Category:Christian films may also be useful to scan for other rapture-related topics. — Lomn 21:22, 28 July 2009 (UTC)

I should note that the Left Behind books and movies are good, entertaining read; but are not necessarily sound theology. Most christians, even most evangelical christians, do not hold the same view of rapture or of end times that Left Behind does. Think of them more as a sort of "Biblically-based action-adventure stories" rather than actual Christian theology. --Jayron32 12:16, 29 July 2009 (UTC)