Totem automatically closes when I try to open a video file

You may get more information about possible errors if you run such commands from a terminal window (in Applications > Accessories > Terminal).

totem
vlc
mplayer

Are the respective commands. You will need to specify a filename for mplayer, vlc and totem have a graphical interface to open media files.

this is what I received running totem from terminal.

rick@Penelope:~$ totem
** (totem:6133): DEBUG: Init of Python module
** (totem:6133): DEBUG: Registering Python plugin instance: YouTube+TotemPythonPlugin
** (totem:6133): DEBUG: Creating object of type YouTube+TotemPythonPlugin
** (totem:6133): DEBUG: Creating Python plugin instance
** (totem:6133): DEBUG: Init of Python module
** (totem:6133): DEBUG: Registering Python plugin instance: BBCViewer+TotemPythonPlugin
** (totem:6133): DEBUG: Creating object of type BBCViewer+TotemPythonPlugin
** (totem:6133): DEBUG: Creating Python plugin instance
** Message: no file info
** Message: no file info
Device is now /dev/scd0
libdvdnav: Using dvdnav version 4.1.2 from http://dvd.sf.net
libdvdnav: DVD Title: BAND_BROTHERS_D2
libdvdnav: DVD Serial Number: 2d248a55
libdvdnav: DVD Title (Alternative): BAND_OF_BROTHERS
libdvdnav: Unable to find map file '/home/rick/.dvdnav/BAND_BROTHERS_D2.map'
libdvdnav: DVD disk reports itself with Region mask 0x00fe0000. Regions: 1
VTS change
cur audio stream change
NAV packet discont: cur_end_ts 99:99:99.999999999 != vobu_start_ptm: 0:00:00.330077777 base 0:00:00.000000000
seek completed. New start TS 0:00:00.330077777 pos 0:00:00.000000000
Pushing stream event
Pushing clut event
Pushing spu_select event
Pushing audio_select event
Discont packet
Pushing highlight event with TS 99:99:99.999999999
demux: got segment update 0 start 330077777 stop -1 time 0
sending new segment: update 0 rate 1 format 3, start: 10000000000, stop: -1, time: 0 scr_adjust: 870293(0:00:09.669922222)
*********** Sending audio fill: accum = 0:00:00.670344444 still-state=0
Sending 38400 bytes (0:00:00.100000000) of audio data with TS 0:00:10.670344444

(totem:6133): GLib-GObject-WARNING **: IA__g_object_get_valist: object class `GstPlayBin' has no property named `current-subpicture'
****** FIXME: WAIT *****
**** STILL FRAME. Duration 5 ****
**** AUDIO MUNGE: still-state now 1
demux: got segment update 1 start 330077777 stop 5335077777 time 0
sending new segment: update 1 rate 1 format 3, start: 10000000000, stop: 15005000000, time: 0 scr_adjust: 870293(0:00:09.669922222)
The program 'totem' received an X Window System error.
This probably reflects a bug in the program.
The error was 'BadAlloc (insufficient resources for operation)'.
  (Details: serial 58 error_code 11 request_code 140 minor_code 19)
  (Note to programmers: normally, X errors are reported asynchronously;
   that is, you will receive the error a while after causing it.
   To debug your program, run it with the --sync command line
   option to change this behavior. You can then get a meaningful
   backtrace from your debugger if you break on the gdk_x_error() function.)
rick@Penelope:~$

this is what I get for running vlc:
rick@Penelope:~$ vlc
VLC media player 0.9.4 Grishenko
[00000001] main libvlc debug: VLC media player - version 0.9.4 Grishenko - (c) 1996-2008 the VideoLAN team
[00000001] main libvlc debug: libvlc was configured with ./configure '--build=i486-linux-gnu' '--enable-maintaner-mode' '--enable-release' '--prefix=/usr' '--enable-libtool' '--enable-fast-install' '--with-binary-version=1ubuntu3' '--disable-update-check' '--disable-gnome' '--disable-gtk' '--disable-familiar' '--disable-fb' '--enable-ggi' '--enable-sdl' '--enable-esd' '--enable-mad' '--enable-arts' '--enable-jack' '--enable-pulse' '--enable-lirc' '--enable-a52' '--enable-aa' '--enable-dvbpsi' '--enable-mozilla' '--with-mozilla-pkg=libxul-plugin' '--disable-kde' '--enable-mp4' '--enable-dvb' '--disable-satellite' '--enable-ogg' '--enable-vorbis' '--enable-shout' '--enable-qt4' '--disable-slp' '--enable-flac' '--disable-skins' '--disable-basic-skins' '--enable-skins2' '--enable-freetype' '--enable-mkv' '--enable-speex' '--enable-caca' '--enable-live555' '--enable-libmpeg2' '--enable-fribidi' '--enable-cdio' '--enable-mod' '--enable-theora' '--enable-modplug' '--enable-dvdnav' '--enable-gnutls' '--enable-ffmpeg' '--enable-ncurses' '--enable-smb' '--disable-gnomevfs' '--enable-bonjour' '--enable-mpc' '--enable-vcd' '--enable-vcdx' '--enable-notify' '--enable-twolame' '--enable-x264' '--enable-faad' '--disable-zvbi' '--enable-telx' '--enable-mediacontrol-bindings' '--disable-atmo' '--enable-taglib' '--enable-libass' '--enable-libdca' '--enable-alsa' '--enable-dv' '--enable-v4l' '--enable-v4l2' '--enable-pvr' '--enable-svgalib' '--enable-dvd' '--without-dvdcss' 'build_alias=i486-linux-gnu' 'CFLAGS=-g -O2' 'LDFLAGS=-Wl,--as-needed' 'CPPFLAGS=' 'CXXFLAGS=-g -O2'
[00000001] main libvlc debug: translation test: code is "C"
[00000001] main libvlc: Running vlc with the default interface. Use 'cvlc' to use vlc without interface.
libdvdnav: Using dvdnav version 4.1.2 from http://dvd.sf.net
libdvdnav: DVD Title: BAND_BROTHERS_D2
libdvdnav: DVD Serial Number: 2d248a55
libdvdnav: DVD Title (Alternative): BAND_OF_BROTHERS
libdvdnav: Unable to find map file '/home/rick/.dvdnav/BAND_BROTHERS_D2.map'
libdvdnav: DVD disk reports itself with Region mask 0x00fe0000. Regions: 1
QPainter::begin: Paint device returned engine == 0, type: 1
QPainter::begin: Paint device returned engine == 0, type: 1
QPainter::begin: Paint device returned engine == 0, type: 1
[00000459] a52 decoder: A/52 channels:2 samplerate:48000 bitrate:192000
[????????] x11 video output error: X11 request 140.19 failed with error code 11:
 BadAlloc (insufficient resources for operation)
X Error of failed request: BadAlloc (insufficient resources for operation)
  Major opcode of failed request: 140 (XVideo)
  Minor opcode of failed request: 19 ()
  Serial number of failed request: 83
  Current serial number in output stream: 84
rick@Penelope:~$

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