Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Entertainment/2007 October 17

= October 17 =

Laurel and Hardy
It has (unfortunately) been a long time since I saw a Laurel and Hardy film, but I remember several scenes in which they are shown in bed together. I assume this was intended to indicate that they lived in poverty (and could only afford one room and one bed) rather than that they were lovers, but did grown men really sleep together for that reason? How did audiences react to or interpret these scenes when the films were released? I found an interesting article that discusses this from a gay standpoint, but it doesn't answer my questions.--Shantavira|feed me 09:32, 17 October 2007 (UTC)
 * I think it was more for the comic effect of two men forced to share a bed due to their circumstances rather than any homosexual undertone. To be honest I have seen quite a few "Laurel and Hardy's" and the thought had never even occured to me. In fact males having to share a bed or huddle together for bodily warmth in adverse situations is surely a clichéd Hollywood staple in comedy films. Of the top of my head I can think of are Planes, Trains & Automobiles and Without a Paddle and I am pretty sure I have seen an episode of Scrubs where that happened as well to name but a few. Lanfear&#39;s Bane 11:41, 17 October 2007 (UTC)
 * The second paragraph of this section of the Morecambe & Wise article also suggests it was/is a comedic cliché — although interestingly, it suggests (uncited) that this tradition started with Laurel & Hardy. I'm more inclined to agree with Lanfear's Bane in thinking it is a longstanding aspect of comedy.  Hassocks5489 12:33, 17 October 2007 (UTC)
 * I remember a scene in The Lady Vanishes where Naunton Wayne and Basil Radford shared a bed. If I recall, one had his shirt off. But, I don't know about any homosexual subcontext. They were embarrassed to have to share a room with the pretty maid, though.--Sethacus 15:20, 17 October 2007 (UTC)
 * Dickens puts men sharing beds in inns without any suggestion of their being lovers, and it appears that [Abraham Lincoln] was known to have shared his bed with other men without it being regarded as something shocking. In earlier times lives were played out with a lot less privacy than they are now and in the UK in the 40s and 50s it was certainly not unknown for a lodger to be put to sleep with the son of the house, for example. SaundersW 15:35, 17 October 2007 (UTC)
 * Is there anything along the lines of this in LOTR? Book or film, I can't remember but some random neuron just fired and I don't have the energy to nail it back down. Lanfear&#39;s Bane 15:53, 17 October 2007 (UTC)
 * All the hobbits share a room in Bree - though whether or not they have separate beds.. Maybe in Rivendell there's definately 'little people sleep overs' going on.. In the film some people claim that Sam and Frodo's relationship had homosexual overtones.. I thought so anyway.. could you be more specific?87.102.123.108 19:11, 17 October 2007 (UTC)
 * http://www.ealasaid.com/misc/vsd/sam.html —Preceding unsigned comment added by Corvus cornix (talk • contribs) 20:07, 17 October 2007 (UTC)
 * If I were being chased by the Nazgul, I'd want as much company (i.e. alternate targets) as possible too. Clarityfiend 06:50, 18 October 2007 (UTC)
 * If so, Sam was "Bi," to be precise, since he got married and had kids after returning home. Kingsfold (talk) 18:47, 22 October 2009 (UTC)


 * According to the innkeeper when I visited Colonial Williamsburg, very few travellers were so fussy and so well-off as to insist upon their own room -- or to insist upon having the sheets washed. Different times, different customs.  --M @ r ē ino 21:51, 17 October 2007 (UTC)

Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique
In Naruto, Sasuke's always seen blasting fireballs around. Being a fan of Naruto, I thought I'd learn a jutsu, and what other jutsu to learn than the one everyone learns first: Great Fireball Technique. The thing is, I can't get the hand seals right. I've got three versions of the jutsu on my hands!

The first method's hand seals are Tiger, Boar, Horse, Tiger. The person who showed me this method has done it so much, he can probably do the hand seals faster than Sasuke.

The second method's hand seals are Serpent, Ram, Monkey, Boar, Horse, Tiger. I saw this on YouTube, but I don't know what ninja performed it. Clearly either Sasuke or Itachi, but it didn't look like either to me.

The third method's hand seals are Tiger, Monkey, Boar, Horse, Tiger. The person who showed me this method said that if there's one jutsu he's sure of, it's Fireball.

Now, what exactly is the right order? They all seem of equal veracity, ridiculous as it seems. Does the jutsu variate at times, as I've heard? Thanks for the help.--The Ninth Bright Shiner 22:30, 17 October 2007 (UTC)