Coming Up on TCM

Discussion of programming on TCM.
User avatar
mrsl
Posts: 4200
Joined: April 14th, 2007, 5:20 pm
Location: Chicago SW suburbs

Post by mrsl »

At first I thought I was nuts, then, I did some investigating, and found I DVR'd Boom Town on Sunday, 3/30, and here it is again on tonight. But this isn't the only occurrence of an oddity I've noticed. Has anyone else noticed many whole days and evenings in the past two weeks have been complete duplicates of days and evenings in the early weeks of March? I asked on the TCM board long ago, but don't recall getting any answer. Is it that the programmers don't talk to each other, or is it the time length for leasing certain movies that cause such close re-plays?

Anne
Anne


***********************************************************************
* * * * * * * * What is past is prologue. * * * * * * * *

]***********************************************************************
User avatar
Bogie
Posts: 531
Joined: September 3rd, 2007, 12:57 am
Location: Toronto, Canada

Post by Bogie »

Pfft....I missed BOOM TOWN both times it was on. :( The first time of my own choosing and the 2nd time because of circumstances beyond my control.

BLAH :(
jdb1

Post by jdb1 »

I'd never seen it before, and I'm afraid I was disappointed in Boom Town. Something didn't quite gel - there were three very good performances, but they seemed to be happening in three different movies. Eventually, I changed the channel, and just looked in on it from time to time. I liked Chill Wills in this - he was playing the Walter Brennan part.
Mr. O'Brady
Posts: 123
Joined: April 3rd, 2008, 10:06 pm

Post by Mr. O'Brady »

"Boom Town" was required viewing in some of the history classes at my old high school, some 60 years after its own boomtown status.
User avatar
movieman1957
Administrator
Posts: 5522
Joined: April 15th, 2007, 3:50 pm
Location: MD

Post by movieman1957 »

April 29 at 10:15pm EDT comes the long awaited (for some) "Zulu" with Michael Caine and Stanley Baker.

This is part of a night of "Epic Battles." Other film included "Khartoum" and "The Battle of Britain."
Chris

"Time flies like an arrow, fruit flies like a banana."
Mr. O'Brady
Posts: 123
Joined: April 3rd, 2008, 10:06 pm

Post by Mr. O'Brady »

Thanks, Chris. I'm sure I asked for a reminder for "Zulu", but yours is the only one I received. :)

Pat
jdb1

Post by jdb1 »

I took a look at the July schedule, and I don't have much to recommend. Not because there isn't anything good, but because we've seen so much of it before, and you already know what's good, anyhow. But it's wonderful to have Rosalind Russell showcased.

Here's what I'd like to point out to you:

July 2 Pat and Mike (1952) at 6:15 PM. Sure we've seen it so many times before, but I think it's one of the ignored gems, overshadowed by some of the other Tracy-Hepburn pairings. You can concentrate on the supporting players - the wonderful, dim Aldo Ray and, in small parts, Charles Bronson (who gets beat up by Hepburn), Chuck Connors (as an exasperated cop), and Carl "Alfalfa" Switzer, as an overeager busboy who wants to tell the cop what he saw.

July 4 - Now, we know that Encore! or whatever network has it is going to show Independence Day to death, don't we. In fact, I think they've already done so over the last 6 months. However, if you'd like to demonstrate a different kind of patriotism, TCM is giving us 1776 (1972) at 11 PM. It's like a musical history lesson, and considering the reverent attitude required for such subject matter, it's not all that bad. I invite you to compare William Daniels as John Adams to Paul Giammati, and Howard Da Silva vs. Tom Wilkinson as Benjamin Franklin. My votes go with the former in each case.

At 2 Am on the Fourth we can see Yankee Doodle Dandy. Complete hogwash, of course, but Cagney is electrifying, and he dances just like Cohan used to.

July 5 - at 4 AM, Task Force (1949), with Gary Gooper, the lovely Jane Wyatt, and a completely normal, just plain Joe, no mannerisms, and all his teeth in, Walter Brennan. A nice but minor war film that's worth seeing to catch a glimpse of the "real" Walter.

July 6 - At 12 AM a silent version of Lorna Doone (1922). I don't know anything about it, but I remember the Classics Illustrated comic -- do you? This movie stars the beautiful Madge Bellamy.

July 7 - At 6:30 AM, The Hawaiians (1970). I like this one better than the movie version of the first part of James Michener's book. Charlton Heston brings pineapples to the islands and makes a fortune. The real stars, IMO are the excellent Tina Chen and the really excellent Mako.

At 9 AM that same day, He Walked By Night (1948), a wonderful noir starring Richard Basehart as a man on the run. I think this was Basehart's first movie.

Later on the 7th, at 8 PM, we can see Tootsie (1982). Some people don't love this movie, and I'm not in love with it any more, but I think it shows us why Dustin Hoffman is one of America's great actors. I've said it before: in my opinion, an actor isn't really "great" unless he can successfully do comedy as well as drama. We all know good comedy ain't easy. Dusty does it just fine.

Continued on next post.
Last edited by jdb1 on April 28th, 2008, 2:57 pm, edited 1 time in total.
jdb1

Post by jdb1 »

More on the July schedule.

On July 8 we can see Rosalind Russell in Craig's Wife (1936). I haven't seen this one in years and years. It will be most interesting to compare this to the remake, Joan Crawford's Harriet Craig, which TCM has shown us recently.

July 10 In the morning TCM is showing two movies featuring Herman's Hermits. At 6 AM Mrs. Brown You've Got a Lovely Daughter (1968), and at 8 AM Hold On! (1966). I'm sure I must have seen both of them at the time, but I can't remember either one; and, honestly, I didn't use drugs then. You don't need drugs to addle your mind -- age does it for free.

At 4:45 PM, continuing in its hippy-dippy vein, TCM is airing The Happening (1967). I never saw this one, but at the time it was being made, my parents were in Florida, where scenes were being shot, and they met Anthony Quinn on the set. They talked about the weather. Far out!

July 11 - At 8:45 (sorry, forgot to note AM or PM) Penelope (1966) with Natalie Wood. There was some discussion about this heist film on the board last year. I don't think I've seen it, but now's our chance.

July 13 - One of the greatest of films, Bergman's Wild Strawberries (1957) will air at 2 AM. The older I get, the more this movie speaks to me.

At 3:45 AM, you can see one of Woody Allen's several reworkings of Ingmar Bergman, Interiors (1978). Frankly, friends, somehow the kvetchings of well-to-do Upper West Siders just don't reach me the way the angst of isolated Swedes can do.

July 14 - At 1:30 AM, Hitchock's Young and Innocent (1937). This is one of his British films - the usual subject: innocent man on the run, aided by comely young woman, in this case the wonderfully named Nova Pilbeam.

July 15 - At 8 PM, Picnic (1955), a flawed but worthy version of Inge's play. For me, the real stars here are Rosalind Russell and Arthur O'Connell. Russell's big scene, begging O'Connell to marry her, is shattering.

At 10 PM we can see Russell trying to be Brookly Jewish in A Majority of One (1961), while Alec Guiness pretends to be Japanese. They try, but - oy vey! I imagine that back in 1961 (and earlier for the Broadway version) the middle-aged/racial angle would have been a bit too much for mainstream audiences. (The original Molly Goldberg, Gertrude Berg, played the part on Broadway, and her Japanese love interest was played by Sir Cedric Hardwicke.) At least in the movie we get to see Mae Questal; and isn't that George Takei as Guiness' son?

More -----
jdb1

Post by jdb1 »

This is getting long -- I thought I said I didn't have much to recommend!

July 17 - at 12 PM Orson Welles' The Trial (1963), with Anthony Perkins well cast as Josef K. This excellent print of a remarkable movie was shown on TCM recently. Grab it if you haven't yet seen it.

July 18 - A morning and afternoon of Red Skelton movies. Some good stuff in small doses.

At 10 PM - Sidney Lumet's The Fugitive Kind (1960), with Marlon Brando and Anna Magnani. Hot stuff from Lumet and Tennessee Williams.

July 20 - A late night of silents with Fatty Arbuckle and Mabel Normand.

July 22 - It's been so long! at 8:30 AM The Horn Blows at Midnight (1945), with Jack Benny. Haven't seen it since I was a kid.

July 28 - At 3 AM, one of cinema's greatest and most affecting films, IMO, Robert Altman's Nashville (1975). I don't love all of Altman's work, but this one is great. It's also very churning, and very long. You really need to see it more than once to take it all in. All of the actors wrote the songs they sing, and Keith Carradine got an Oscar for "I'm Easy."

July 31 - at 7:15 AM - George Pal's Tom Thumb (1958). This is a bit overstuffed, I think, but nice for the kids. Russ Tamblyn is a very athletic Tom Thumb.
Ollie
Posts: 908
Joined: January 18th, 2008, 3:56 pm

Post by Ollie »

On May 6th, TCM is showing 8 Rudolph Valentino films.

http://www.tcm.com/schedule/index.jsp?s ... =EST&cid=N

and since I'm not much of a fan of Rudolph, I'm not sure how 'valued' these are to Silent Film Fans. I wanted to make sure everyone who wanted to see these could get the chance.
jdb1

Post by jdb1 »

Did anyone see, or record to see later, the docu that aired early this morning on TCM about 1950s values in films? I got the TCM email reminders, and then completely forgot about it. I'd love to know what it was all about. I suppose it's a good bet it will be re-run eventually.
User avatar
Bogie
Posts: 531
Joined: September 3rd, 2007, 12:57 am
Location: Toronto, Canada

Post by Bogie »

I saw half of it. The documentary was done in 2001 They had John Carpenter, Molly Haskell, Paul Mazursky, some critic (sorry his name escapes me) Lee Grant and Roger Corman being interviewed about the movies of the '50s and the hidden values and social meanings behind the films. They had segments where they talked about their experiences being a movie goer at the time and then they'd have segments for each value defining film.

The films they discussed from what I saw were The Ashphalt Jungle, Rebel Without a Cause, The Wild One, The Thing, and Giant. I thought the interviewees did a very good job of explaining the nuances of the films and what they meant in terms of the values of the times and the social mores of the period as well.
User avatar
movieman1957
Administrator
Posts: 5522
Joined: April 15th, 2007, 3:50 pm
Location: MD

Post by movieman1957 »

Bogie:

I was beginning to worry. Just a reminder that TCM is showing L&H double features on Saturdays in June. I hope you get to catch some of them.
Chris

"Time flies like an arrow, fruit flies like a banana."
User avatar
stacia
Posts: 5
Joined: March 14th, 2008, 1:16 am
Location: Kansas
Contact:

Post by stacia »

mrsl wrote:Has anyone else noticed many whole days and evenings in the past two weeks have been complete duplicates of days and evenings in the early weeks of March? I asked on the TCM board long ago, but don't recall getting any answer. Is it that the programmers don't talk to each other, or is it the time length for leasing certain movies that cause such close re-plays?
I'm about 2 months late for this thread, but I thought I'd jump in anyway. A month or so ago I mentioned that many films are being reshown on TCM, and "Wizard of Oz" was even shown twice in one 24-hour period. I mentioned it on a Usenet forum and an actor who has a source at TCM said the repeats were indeed because of leasing issues. Unfortunately, I didn't find a more detailed explanation than that.
Post Reply