The Silver Screen Oasis

I don't know how many here subscribe to the premium channels like HBO, but I've notice that there are more classics showing up and in black & white no less.

In the last couple of months HBO and Cinemax have run the 1953 version of SO BIG, I'M NO ANGEL, Hitchcock's STAGE FRIGHT, WHATEVER HAPPENED TO BABY JANE and and the Tyrone Power version of THE RAZOR's EDGE.

Now, the Encore channels, especially Westerns, have been doing a pretty good job with older films all along, but HBO surprises me. It's true, that they turn up at odd hours, late at night or early morning, but still it's nice to see somebody running them.

Of course, if they have them under contract, that means, most likely, TCM can't get their hands on them for a while, but TCM seems to have pretty full plate, right now, with the Columbia, Paramounts, MGM and Universal films they've recently acquired.

I know at lot of folks don't get HBO, but I think it's better to have them shown than just sitting in the vault.

That's always so good to hear in contrast to so many dismal new production announcements. I hope that's a trend that continues.

I regularly check the overnight listings on Cinemax, more so than HBO. There is the occasional gem. A fair amount of Fox films show up.

HBO Signature has shown Audrey Hepburn's Sabrina a couple of times that I know of, in addition to Laura and some others I can't think of right now, but like you say it's always at 5 or 6 in the morning or evenearlier. Still it's better than nothing.

Glad you mentioned those two. I knew I'd forgotten some. Even at those kinds of times, I'll gladly take them.

I'm really dredging up an old thread but since it involved HBO this is as good a place as any.

Running through the HBO channels last night it looks like all their channels are showing things in widescreen format. With the occasional classic showing up on HBO that hopefully will be the case from now on. HBO Signature does have some from time to time and if they're showing them properly now I'll pay attention to what is listed.

BTW, the picture doesn't look distorted so they don't seem to be compressing or expanding anything.

On the other hand with recently catching "Dreamboat" with Clifton Webb and a few like it they are old enough we won't have to worry about it. Now if someone would show "San DIego, I Love You" again I can rectify my mistake of losing my recording.

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The Encore Western channel shows a lot of old movies, but the Gene Autry ones are revitalized by Gene's own company. As for the other B&W films, I'm just so glad to have this offering of Westerns, even though they are heavily repeated, for a western fan like me, this is manna because it's so rare to find westerns on other channels. TCM is okay when they occasionally honor a western star and show his/her movies in a marathon manner such as the Joel McCrea westerns. I've found myself DVR'ing whole nights and early into the morning films to watch at a later date. I still have several waiting to be seen.
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I have several McCrea films to watch too.

I wish Encore Westerns would broaden their catalog some. I get the feeling that too often they are showing nothing but spaghetti westerns. (Not all the time but a lot.) I wish they'd dig a little deeper.

If any of you have HBO Signature you might keep an eye on morning listings. They don't do it every morning but in the past week they showed "Remember The Day" with Claudette Colbert and John Payne and they showed "In Old Chicago" with Tyrone Power.

Once in a while they throw us a bone.