What does the colored dial by the door do?

Opens the door to different places

Howl's Moving Castle Quiz: Calcifer and the Walking Fortress

This Howl's Moving Castle quiz climbs aboard the clanking home of the wizard Howl in Studio Ghibli's 2004 film. Play 10 interactive questions on Sophie's curse by the Witch of the Waste, the fire demon Calcifer, the color dial door, Turnip Head, Diana Wynne Jones' novel, the Merry-Go-Round of Life theme, an Alsace town and the film's anti-war message.

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🎯 Daily Trivia Challenge • 🧠 10 Questions • ⏱️ 150 Seconds

Question 1 / 10 Time: 150s

Director
Who directed the 2004 film?
Author
Who wrote the novel the film adapts?
Curse
What does the Witch of the Waste do to Sophie?
Fire
Who powers the castle?
Legs
How does the castle move?
Door
What does the colored dial by the door do?
Scarecrow
Who is Turnip Head really?
Music
What is the film's main waltz theme called?
Town
Which French region's towns inspired the setting?
Theme
What message is strong in the film?

Explanations: answer key for all 10 questions

Q1: Who directed the 2004 film?
Answer: Hayao Miyazaki
It is a Studio Ghibli film.
Q2: Who wrote the novel the film adapts?
Answer: Diana Wynne Jones
It was published in 1986.
Q3: What does the Witch of the Waste do to Sophie?
Answer: Turns her into an old woman
Sophie cannot tell anyone.
Q4: Who powers the castle?
Answer: Calcifer, a fire demon
He has a contract with Howl.
Q5: How does the castle move?
Answer: On walking metal legs
It clanks across the hills.
Q6: What does the colored dial by the door do?
Answer: Opens the door to different places
Each color is a location.
Q7: Who is Turnip Head really?
Answer: A cursed prince
Sophie's kiss frees him.
Q8: What is the film's main waltz theme called?
Answer: Merry-Go-Round of Life
Joe Hisaishi composed it.
Q9: Which French region's towns inspired the setting?
Answer: Alsace
Colmar is often named.
Q10: What message is strong in the film?
Answer: Opposition to war
Howl battles in a senseless war.

A Walking Castle and a Fire Demon

Howl's Moving Castle, directed by Hayao Miyazaki and released in 2004, adapts Diana Wynne Jones' 1986 novel. Young hatmaker Sophie is cursed by the Witch of the Waste and turned into an old woman. She sets out and finds shelter in the walking castle of the wizard Howl.

The castle clanks across the hills on metal legs, powered by Calcifer, a fire demon bound to Howl by a contract. A colored dial beside the front door opens it onto different places. A hopping scarecrow, Turnip Head, follows Sophie and turns out to be a cursed prince.

Miyazaki added a strong anti-war message, with Howl battling in a senseless war. The towns were inspired by places in Alsace such as Colmar. Joe Hisaishi's waltz Merry-Go-Round of Life became one of Ghibli's best-loved themes, and the film earned an Oscar nomination.

What This Quiz Teaches

Animation fans will enjoy these questions.

Who wrote the story
How Sophie is cursed
How the castle works
Who Turnip Head is
What the film says about war

Did You Know?

Markl is Howl's young apprentice.
Heen is a wheezing dog.
Christian Bale voiced Howl in English.
Billy Crystal voiced Calcifer.
Sophie's age shifts with her mood.