Best Picture Oscar Winners
This 1991 thriller starring Anthony Hopkins and Jodie Foster is still the only horror film to win the award
Silence of the Lambs
This colorful natural light show is more likely to occur during autumn than the rest of the year.
Aurora Borealis/Northern Lights
Christmas celebration was outlawed in this first and largest communist nation by area, but was reinstated when Mikhail Gorbachev resigned, on Christmas Day.
The Soviet Union/Russia
Mark Twain was raised in this river town, and drew inspiration for Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn from his experiences there
Hannibal
Burrito in Spanish means "little this", a domesticated pack animal.
Donkey
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
This insect (whose color palette matches that of Halloween) migrates farther than any other beginning in the autumn months.
Monarch Butterfly
Many medieval kings and emperors chose Christmas day for their coronation. This first Norman king of England did just that in 1066.
William (the Conqueror)
Missouri was granted statehood on this date in 1821. (The birthday of a member of the Hall family.)
August 10
Ice cream is thought to have been invented around 500 BCE in this ancient empire, whose heartland was in modern-day Iran.
Persian/Achaemenid
Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman attempt to navigate the difficulties of living in Vichy-controlled Morocco in this 1942 classic
Casablanca
In Greek Mythology, Autumn began when Persephone was abducted by this ruler of the Underworld, causing her mother Demeter to kill all plants until Spring in mourning.
Hades
Of Santa Claus's eight reindeer, this many have names beginning with the letter D
3
This area of central Missouri that is named for a famous frontiersman played an important part in the westward expansion of the United States
Booneslick
The Gilmore Girls theme song was performed by this singer with a royal name
Carole King
The last winner of the 20th century, this film features Kevin Spacey as a man who becomes increasingly dissatisfied with his upper-middle class suburban life
American Beauty
Autumn came to English via the Old French "autompne." This in turn came from "autumnus" in this language
Latin
Saint Nicholas hailed from Myra, which today is in this country that shares a name with a flightless bird
Turkey
This town that shares a name with an eastern European capital holds the record for both the hottest and coldest recorded temperature in Missouri's history
Warsaw
Jane Austen's original title for Pride and Prejudice was this. Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth Bennett each fail to make a good one on one another.
First Impressions
Kathryn Bigelow became the first female to win Best Director for her work on this 2009 Best Picture winner about bomb disposal crews in the Iraq War
The Hurt Locker
Leaves change color in the fall due to the breakdown of this pigment
Chlorophyll
The date for Christmas was chosen to supersede this pagan holiday
Yuletide
This dessert treat was invented during the 1904 state fair when an ice cream vendor ran out of cups
Ice cream cone
Pina Coladas originated in this territory of the United States
Puerto Rico