The Silver Screen Oasis

On the down side, we watched movies with commercials. I'd hate to go back to that. But you're right, Wendy. Those were nice times!

I thing it was "Northside 777." (It was a LONG time ago.)

Thanks, Chris. What a great teacher!

So true, red. I guess I wouldn't go back with all those commercial interruptions...

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I'm telling you guys, just tape or DVR and watch later in the day so you can fast forward through commercials. It's not a perfect solution but it's better than having someone constantly talking about their athletes foot, or super ways to lose weight, or how to shine your teeth until you don't need lights on at night, etc.

Jack sweetie, you're so right about the kids not having to anticipate anything anymore. I feel so sorry for kids nowadays. They have very little imagination, if they can't push a button, they don't know what to do. Try sitting a 10 year old down with some buttons, lace, tempera paints, and colored paper and ask them to make a birthday card for their old maiden aunt. You would get a look like you just ate a bowl full of crickets or something.

One last thing. Actually, I've turned off TCM a few times to watch the old Gene Autry movies on the Western channel. I'm even getting used to his voice when he sings. He's definitely never been a Bing Crosby. Even Roy Rogers sounded better. But Gene made some really good 60, 75, and 90 minute movies. They all have different story lines, and various cast members, and always either Pat Buttram or Smiley Burnette. Then again there's also Eddie Dean and Buster Crabbe (after his Flash Gordon days, I think). They all can be kind of hokey, but fun to watch when you are waking up in the a.m.

One last thing, I just discovered another PBS Chicago station (that makes 4 of them), and this one is showing The High Chapparall and I'm just remembering how much I liked it. They're also showing Wanted: Dead or Alive and I'll have to watch it one of these days, never saw it as a kid.


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I love Gene Autry's voice! I actually prefer it's tone to Bing's though I like both of them. Bing is a much better singer but tere's something down home and natural about Autry's singing, nothing phony. Somehow, his voice embodies the warmth and spirit of those plain, simple men and women I knew in Oklahoma growing up.

I know, somehow, watching a movie on youtube sometimes seems a chore for me....maybe because the flow is upset? or I am always worrying that I'll skip a part, or my computer will konk out in the middle...

I just have this strange hangup about preferring to watch something with an "audience"----meaning the awareness that there are others "out there" that are watching the same thing along with me. It makes the experience less lonely.

I agree with that, Miss Goddess. I don't go to movies much anymore. But I like to watch TV in real time. It's comforting to know other people share the experience. Independent or not, we don't like to be completely isolated.

Let's not forget Gene Autry recorded the best known version of "Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer"! You know Dasher and Dancer and Comet and Vixen...

I'm with you guys, just knowing someone else is watching, part of that TCM family makes things immediately more interesting.

Initial post revised.

I'm just beginning to discover the westerns produced by Universal Studio in the 1930s. Today, Universal is best remembered for their monster movies in the 1930s, but during the 1930s they were best known for their well-produced westerns starring, among others, Tom Mix and Ken Maynard. Some of these were grand entertainments, elaborately produced and expensive. Others were smaller, leaner films. Some were chapter serials. Thus far I've only seen a handful, but I am impressed.

I'm also disappointed Universal doesn't get behind its own productions. The studio hasn't released one single western from this time. They seem to have discarded literally hundreds of their early films. The westerns remain either unreleased or circulate as 16mm dupes transferred to DVD-R by private collectors. The point is, there is a world of westerns out there waiting to be rediscovered.

And I am one that would love to discover them.

I've heard people, mostly at TCM, talk about how Universal seems to have little or no interest in their library. Not enough money in it to suit them, I guess.

I recently saw King Vidor's The Texas Rangers since it's in one of those dirt cheap Universal 4-packs I picked up. It was really surprising that I'd never heard of it before... Fred MacMurray was great and Jack Oakie was good too. Plus, there was that amazingly directed battle with the Native Americans smack in the middle of the movie.