Science Fiction Trivia

Off topic discussion zone.

Moderators: winston, another_commander, Cody

User avatar
Disembodied
Jedi Spam Assassin
Jedi Spam Assassin
Posts: 6885
Joined: Thu Jul 12, 2007 10:54 pm
Location: Carter's Snort

Re: Science Fiction Trivia

Post by Disembodied »

Smivs wrote: Mon Feb 26, 2018 2:30 pm
I was thinking Dune as well.
Totally from memory, isn't the instrument a Balisat? No idea what it was (stringed?) or how it was played. Was it Gurney Hallek?
Probably best to ignore this array of wild guesses really :P
Not bad … Gurney Halleck did indeed play the baliset. That's one down!

You should be able to guess which Culture novel from the title … the instrument is mentioned more than once, not least because it's often a bit of an impediment to one of the main characters.
Commander_X
---- E L I T E ----
---- E L I T E ----
Posts: 675
Joined: Sat Aug 09, 2014 4:16 pm

Re: Science Fiction Trivia

Post by Commander_X »

Culture one is simple: in "The Hydrogen Sonata", the instrument is the Antagonistic Undecagonstring, or elevenstring.
User avatar
Disembodied
Jedi Spam Assassin
Jedi Spam Assassin
Posts: 6885
Joined: Thu Jul 12, 2007 10:54 pm
Location: Carter's Snort

Re: Science Fiction Trivia

Post by Disembodied »

Commander_X wrote: Mon Feb 26, 2018 3:27 pm
Culture one is simple: in "The Hydrogen Sonata", the instrument is the Antagonistic Undecagonstring, or elevenstring.
That's two! One more to take the prize.

Of course, it doesn't have to be the one from the cartoon series I'm thinking of: any SF musical instrument with a fictional name will do. And in fact I've just remembered there's a short story which has a fine selection to choose from …
User avatar
Smivs
Retired Assassin
Retired Assassin
Posts: 8408
Joined: Tue Feb 09, 2010 11:31 am
Location: Lost in space
Contact:

Re: Science Fiction Trivia

Post by Smivs »

You'll find six here ;)
Commander Smivs, the friendliest Gourd this side of Riedquat.
User avatar
Disembodied
Jedi Spam Assassin
Jedi Spam Assassin
Posts: 6885
Joined: Thu Jul 12, 2007 10:54 pm
Location: Carter's Snort

Re: Science Fiction Trivia

Post by Disembodied »

Bandfill
Fanfar
Doremian Beshniquel (or Fizz)
Ommni Box
Kloo Horn
Smivs wins it! For the curious, the instrument from the cartoon series was the holophonor, from Futurama. The short story with several instruments was Jack Vance's "The Moon Moth", which lists the hymerkin, the ganga, the zachinko, the kiv, the strapan, and the gomapard …
User avatar
Mauiby de Fug
---- E L I T E ----
---- E L I T E ----
Posts: 847
Joined: Tue Sep 07, 2010 2:23 pm

Re: Science Fiction Trivia

Post by Mauiby de Fug »

Cody wrote: Mon Feb 26, 2018 1:58 pm
I seem to recall something in Asimov's Foundation series, which may have been a musical instrument - of sorts.
Just for completeness' sake, this could be the instrument that the Mule played, the Visi-Sonor.
User avatar
Cody
Sharp Shooter Spam Assassin
Sharp Shooter Spam Assassin
Posts: 16081
Joined: Sat Jul 04, 2009 9:31 pm
Location: The Lizard's Claw
Contact:

Re: Science Fiction Trivia

Post by Cody »

Thank you, Mauiby, I think you're right. Give the squirrel a coconut!
I would advise stilts for the quagmires, and camels for the snowy hills
And any survivors, their debts I will certainly pay. There's always a way!
User avatar
Smivs
Retired Assassin
Retired Assassin
Posts: 8408
Joined: Tue Feb 09, 2010 11:31 am
Location: Lost in space
Contact:

Re: Science Fiction Trivia

Post by Smivs »

Time for a picture clue.

Image

This sci-fi car featured in a TV series, but was first seen in an unrelated movie. The winner is the first person to name the series, the film and the Producer of both (same person).

Bonus point for ultimate Google-fu :-
A company was formed to put this car into production. None were ever built or sold, but what model name was it to have?
Commander Smivs, the friendliest Gourd this side of Riedquat.
User avatar
spud42
---- E L I T E ----
---- E L I T E ----
Posts: 1576
Joined: Wed Mar 26, 2014 10:11 am
Location: Brisbane,Australia

Re: Science Fiction Trivia

Post by spud42 »

Ed Straker’s car from the Gerry Anderson series, UFO.
the movie i think is Doppelganger although the car does look a bit different, however i found this article....
We’re very pleased to announce that the Doppelganger car has been recovered by Anderson Entertainment and private collector – James Winch. The car was one of three one-offs built in the 1960s for use in the film – also known as “Journey to the Far Side of the Sun”. The other two cars – known as Straker’s Car and Foster’s Car (as they were used for those characters in UFO) are thought to be beyond repair, but the Doppelganger car is in far better condition.
as for Strakers car... read here.... http://gerryanderson.co.uk/finding-strakers-car/

Ed China involved, but this was 5 years ago so... more research to see if they finished the replica.
Arthur: OK. Leave this to me. I'm British. I know how to queue.
OR i could go with
Arthur Dent: I always said there was something fundamentally wrong with the universe.
or simply
42
User avatar
Cody
Sharp Shooter Spam Assassin
Sharp Shooter Spam Assassin
Posts: 16081
Joined: Sat Jul 04, 2009 9:31 pm
Location: The Lizard's Claw
Contact:

Re: Science Fiction Trivia

Post by Cody »

UFO - Gabrielle Drake! <sighs>
I would advise stilts for the quagmires, and camels for the snowy hills
And any survivors, their debts I will certainly pay. There's always a way!
User avatar
Smivs
Retired Assassin
Retired Assassin
Posts: 8408
Joined: Tue Feb 09, 2010 11:31 am
Location: Lost in space
Contact:

Re: Science Fiction Trivia

Post by Smivs »

Spud wins the oily rag :)
Commander Smivs, the friendliest Gourd this side of Riedquat.
User avatar
spud42
---- E L I T E ----
---- E L I T E ----
Posts: 1576
Joined: Wed Mar 26, 2014 10:11 am
Location: Brisbane,Australia

Re: Science Fiction Trivia

Post by spud42 »

BRB, just got to consult my "Boys Own Book of Sci Fi Trivia" im up to page 404 .......
Arthur: OK. Leave this to me. I'm British. I know how to queue.
OR i could go with
Arthur Dent: I always said there was something fundamentally wrong with the universe.
or simply
42
User avatar
spud42
---- E L I T E ----
---- E L I T E ----
Posts: 1576
Joined: Wed Mar 26, 2014 10:11 am
Location: Brisbane,Australia

Re: Science Fiction Trivia

Post by spud42 »

sorry about that... you know what happens when you start reading.... forgot why ..lol

ok.... Molecular Motion this concept is developed/invented in this 1940's story.

Author and Title please.

now back to reading Boys Own... facinating....
Arthur: OK. Leave this to me. I'm British. I know how to queue.
OR i could go with
Arthur Dent: I always said there was something fundamentally wrong with the universe.
or simply
42
User avatar
ffutures
---- E L I T E ----
---- E L I T E ----
Posts: 2171
Joined: Wed Dec 04, 2013 12:34 pm
Location: London, UK
Contact:

Re: Science Fiction Trivia

Post by ffutures »

The Black Star Passes and sequels by Campbell, perhaps? Space drive that makes all of the molecules in the drive move in the same direction instead of vibrating around randomly.
User avatar
spud42
---- E L I T E ----
---- E L I T E ----
Posts: 1576
Joined: Wed Mar 26, 2014 10:11 am
Location: Brisbane,Australia

Re: Science Fiction Trivia

Post by spud42 »

and we have a winner folks.. spot on ..over to you......
Arthur: OK. Leave this to me. I'm British. I know how to queue.
OR i could go with
Arthur Dent: I always said there was something fundamentally wrong with the universe.
or simply
42
Post Reply