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I have no doubt that my personal tastes are very much dictated by social environment and personal bent. I grew up reading: Dostoevsky, Bulgakov and Gogol. I was approximately six years old when my grandfather had to stop reading Nabokov to me at bedtime because his work stimulated me. It is also that I fell in love at an early age with the richness of language and the vivid mental images it creates. That explains much of why I love Poe, Lovecraft and Ellison. I will forgive your liking Adam Sandler if you will forgive my liking an actor whom I will not name out of shame. It may also be that your liking of him is reliant on liking movies in which he appears. There are several actors who are not to my taste except for a very few movies which I would probably like very much no matter who starred in them. An example of this is that I am not a fan of John Wayne but like him very much in some of the non-Western and non-War movies which he made. Knowing the number of responses to my 'reviews' is incidental to my not wishing to repeat nor contradict myself. The only thing which touches me is when a user mentions that they were alerted to a movie because of my suggestion and that they liked it very much. That usually occurs in threads other than this one.

I picked up a copy of EAST LYNNE in a used bookstore just for funsies, but I can't make it too far. WOW, THAT IS A GREAT COVER. I WISH THEY HAD USED SOME HOLOGRAPHIC TECHNIQUE WITH THE EYEBALLS SO THAT THEY MOVED BACK AND FORTH.

The Day of the Jackal (1973) Argo (2012) Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2011) Ministry of Fear (1944) The 39 Steps (1935)

The Spy in Black 1939 Notorious 1946 Torn Curtain 1966 The Chairman 1969 Marathon Man 1976 Telefon 1977

Well, for sure when one has to read something, the element of coercion can definitely have an effect on the reader's enjoyment of the assigned reading material. It's for that reason that I don't think Shakespeare, for instance, should be on any high school curriculum. Personally, I never found Edgar Allen Poe much fun -- although, from what I know about you, SansFin, I can easily imagine your enjoying his macbre stories ! ( this is intended as a compliment, I hope you know.) Jane Austen is what is known (in some circles) as a "miniaturist". That is, she focused on writing about just a few characters in a small community- she didn't write about "big" ideas or issues, she didn't write big stories (even her novels are shorter than those of her contemporaries.) She was interested in character and in character development; most of her novels are about young women who learn some kind of life lesson after examining their own foolish behaviour. That sounds a bit pat, and also didactic. But for me, anyway, the way Austen describes the psychological journey her characters experience is not didactic, it's entertaining and insightful. However, my opinion on anything here may not be considered valid because -- SHAMEFUL CONFESSION: - I kind of like Adam Sandler ! Sometimes , anyway. I certainly don't despise him the way I'm sure the majority of posters here do. I would not say I was a fan, but on the other hand, I haven't hated any film I've seen him in. I've heard his latest effort, Uncut Gems, is actually rather good (although I have not seen it myself, maybe it's rubbish, I don't know.) As for your getting few responses to your posts, SansFin, all I can say is, I often go for quite a while without reading the threads here, so that might explain why I rarely respond to your posts. However, whenever I do see anything you've posted I read it, because I know that, whether I agree with your comments or not, I know they will be intelligent and well-written and quite often, funny. We need posters like you here.

The Mask of Dimitrios (1944) That Man from Rio (1964) Three Days of the Condor (1975)

I had to read Northanger Abbey as part of a Gothic literature class. In that context, as a sendup of the real Gothic novels, it's sort of fun. It makes a nice change when you read it after coping with Otranto, Udolpho, Melmoth, Vathek, and The Monk (all of which I loved, particularly Melmoth).

Really? You think Pride and Prejudice is a "borefest" ? Also a "whiny fairy tale"? Alas ! SansFin, I almost always love your posts and usually agree with them, but in this case not. I am sad that you found the novel (the actual original one) boring and whiny. I have to assume you're not a Jane Austen fan. I doubt you'd like Emma any better. The only two Jane Austen novels I did not love were Northanger Abbey (but here we can cut her some slack, since it was her first effort), and Mansfield Park, which actually is a bit of a bore, mainly because its main character is something of a prig. But everything else Jane A.wrote, I believe is not only interesting and engaging to read, but also quite insightful about human nature. Relevant even today.

Never mind Absolute Beginners, I had fun watching the earlier "TCM Underground" pic that preceded it: EARTH GIRLS ARE EASY !!! Oh my goodness, what a completely unabashedly silly piece of fluff ! But it was good fluff, I enjoyed it very much. It was so shamelessly ridiculous, it didn't even try to have any kind of cohesive plot or make sense in any way, so what do you do with a movie like that? You go with it. You sit back and enjoy the ride, and you don't try to pretend that it's anything other than a celebration of silliness -- but in a good way ! Maybe it's because I have a bit of a weakness for those kind of quirky goofy '80s comedies. They make me nostalgic for the '80s. I'd also put the original Hairspray in this category...a fluffy musical that's lots of fun, not particularly memorable, but kind of sweet. (Actually, to be fair, there's a lot more going on in Hairspray than there is in Earth Girls are Easy.) A brief description of what passes for a plot will give y'all an idea of how un-serious a film, even a film that's a comedy, this is: Geena Davis, who is engaged to a smarmy two-timing doctor, and who works as a manicurist at a salon called (wait for it !) "Curl Up and Dye", is languishing beside her pool after a fight with the aforesaid smarmy fiance. Suddenly a spaceship falls into her pool ! Oh no ! Aliens ! But it's ok, the aliens are nice, three furry young men who just want to meet some nice earth girls (the "easy" part comes later- no pun intended...) The rest of the tale involves Geena's attempts to help the aliens get their spaceship fixed so they can return whence they came, but not before a splendid time is had by all. The aliens get their fur removed at the "Curl Up and Dye" (any excuse to write that name again) salon, whereupon they emerge as Jeff Goldblum, Daman Wayans, and Jim Carrey, all three looking amazingly young and , well, attractive. After their makeover, they check out all the fun things young Californians were doing in 1988 --- dancing (Wayans steals the show), hanging out at the beach (where there's some kind of "blondes" contest going on), accidentally robbing a convenience store, stuff like that. Why am I bothering to post about this goofy little movie at all, let alone writing so much about it? I don't know, except that Earth Girls are Easy is so ingenuously silly, so good-natured (no one in it is very mean, not even the two-timing fiance), and so joyfully unworried about its own shallowness, it kind of works ! Also, I watched it in real time, which means I watched it at 2 o'clock in the morning . And I didn't fall asleep once !

I was up at 2 AM watching this one as well. It was such a ridiculous film, but such great, cheery, silly, goofy, adorable fun. I really liked it, and Geena Davis was delightful. I just about rolled off the sofa during the sequence where Geena Davis' character (in a Julia Roberts blonde Pretty Woman wig and lingerie getup) goes about destroying some of her cheating boyfriends things while singing a parody of a power ballad breakup song. I was laughing so hard.

Thank you for your interesting and thoughtful post. How intriguing that your grandfather read Nabokov to you. (Hopefully he skipped certain passages, but perhaps not, since they appear to have had a stimulating effect. ) The only Bulgakov I've read is "The Master and Margarita", which I found most thought-provoking. However, now I'm dying to know who that shameful actor is you said you like. How can I forgive you for liking him if I do not know who it is? I assure you I will not think badly of you regardless of who it may be. After all, how can they be any more embarrassing than Adam Sandler? As for John Wayne, I used to despise him, but oddly enough, as I've gotten older, I find I don't mind him after all. Sometimes I even like him. I worry that this may be a symptom of aging - am I losing my powers of aesthetic discrimination, or am I merely becoming more open-minded? One suggests early dementia, the other, the beginning of wisdom. Either way, I don't mind watching Stagecoach or Red River, John Wayne's presence notwithstanding.

Preservation Act 1 by The Kinks -Nov 1973 The Kinks try musical theater on record. The first track "Morning Song" sounds like it could be from a musical, no singing but there is a lot of humming. "Daylight" sets the scene with some Village Green types going about their daily lives. "Sweet Lady Genevieve" is nice one about a lost love, sung by Ray as a character simply called The Tramp. "There's A Change In The Weather" has three characters-Working Class Man, Middle Class Man and Upper Class Man, all sung by Ray, they seem to be all worried about some impending trouble brewing. The Tramp sings "Where Are They Now?" about English types that now longer seem to exist, like Teddy Boys, Mods and Rockers. "One Of The Survivors" is about Johnny Thunder, one of the last of the motorcycle riding types who digs Jerry Lee Lewis, Buddy Holly and Dion And The Belmonts. Side 2 begins with "Cricket" a song sung by The Vicar, he equates the game of cricket with Godliness. "Money And Corruption/I Am Your Man" finally seems to get the story going as the people are fed up with being ignored and empty promises. A new character Mr Black, tells them he will be their savior and will unite all the workers. "Here Comes Flash" has the ominous sound of the villainous Flash who is coming to do you in. The best song is "Sitting In The Midday Sun" sung by The Tramp who is perfectly happy to do nothing all day but sit in the sun. The last song "Demolition" is Flash and his cronies taking over and demolishing everything in their path. So this is not one of the group's best, it is just an introduction to a few characters and a story that so far is not too involving.

Como, Perry

That takes me back. I remember purchasing an 8mm copy of Phantom of the Opera in 8 reels when I was a kid. There was no soundtrack and I had a Bell and Howell projector by which I projected the film onto a bed sheet I attached to a wall. I still have those eight Phantom reels stuffed in a drawer, along with a number of 8mm 10 minute Castle Films film clips. This is what you did as a movie collector in the days long before video tape became available. I haven't looked at any of this stuff in decades now and need a posting like this to jog my memory that I still have that version of Phantom.

Really? You calculate the percentage of responses to your posts? (just kidding) Most responses my posts receive are arguments or to point out everything I missed. I'm very glad someone is watching & commenting on newer movies, since I don't subscribe to any streaming service. This thread is most helpful to point me in the direction of what I may enjoy watching or should avoid! I always bristle when anyone calls our posts "reviews", as we're really just a classic movies fan group stating our opinions. But I'm more annoyed by those who just state the title of what they 'JUST WATCHED' as if listing a tally. As for Jane Austen stories- no, I don't find them boring if done well. But like Shakespeare, you have olde language & social mores as a barrier for many modern viewers. When I hear a younger person say they enjoyed the latest Austen story/movie, my heart warms knowing there still are people out there who can concentrate more than 5 minutes & have enough imagination to emotionally immerse themselves in another era.

Mr. Bug Goes to Town (1941) Next: Gulliver's Travels (1939) - Two from the Fleischer Studios.

I'd love to see Doris Day marry Dennis Day just to see their wedding announcement - Doris and Dennis - what a day!

My Spy (2020) A former Army Ranger working for the CIA gets owned by a little girl he is supposed to have under surveillance. This movie is precious! It hits nearly every trope of the genre and makes them refreshing by breathing new life into them. It references: Notting Hill (1999) as a prelude to a firefight. It is very easy to empathize with him after a dinner with the girl and her mother when he says: "I miss dealing with terrorists." It acknowledges the similarity of a rescue with a dramatic scene in: Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981). The production values are more closely that of a made-for-television movie rather than a theatrical release because it is an Amazon Prime movie but there is quality work throughout. It will surely never be enshrined as a classic but it is great good fun. 8.4/10

Jane Austen was assigned reading at a time when I read for sheer enjoyment W. Shakespeare, E. A. Poe and P. G. Wodehouse. Her writing suffered by comparison and her stories were very thin by comparison. I realize that she is very popular but so is Adam Sandler and so it is obviously a matter of taste. The simple fact that less than twenty percent of my reviews in this thread have elicited comments clearly demonstrates that my taste is not in keeping with the majority here.

George C. Scott

MoMA just made a 4K scan of Quick Millions (1931), so if the rights could be sorted out that would be perfect programming. And I wish TCM could get Disorderly Conduct (1932)--after seeing that at Capitolfest I want to show it to noir aficionados.

I gotta agree with you. But I'm a big fan of well done credits. Long live Saul Bass!!!

The Honeymoon Machine (1961)

GREEN GRASS OF WYOMING (1948)

Daytime July 1. My guess is William Wyler Jezebel (Bette Davis, Henry Fonda) (Warner Bros., 1938) The Letter (Bette Davis, Herbert Marshall) (Warner Bros., 1940) The Little Foxes (Bette Davis, Herbert Marshall) (RKO, 1941) Mrs. Miniver (Greer Garson, Walter Pidgeon) (MGM, 1942) The Best Years of Our Lives (Myrna Loy, Frederic March) (RKO, 1946) Friendly Persuasion (Gary Cooper, Dorothy McGuire) (Allied Artists, 1956)

Diplomatic Courier (1952)

I am curious as to why TCM mainly shows WWII films during its Memorial Day Marathon. Memorial Day is a tribute to fallen soldiers from all wars, not just WWII.

There were some threads for 2019 and it was mentioned in a couple of threads for 2020 but there's no separate thread for 2021, so I decided to make one. Here are the movies that are going to be shown: The Birdcage (25th Anniversary, 1996) - Sun, Jun 27, Mon, Jun 28, Wed, Jun 30 The African Queen (70th Anniversary, 1951) - Sun, Jul 18, Wed, Jul 21 Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (50th Anniversary, 1971) - Sun, Aug 15, Wed, Aug 18 Citizen Kane (80th anniversary, 1941) - Sun, Sep 19, Wed, Sep 22 Silence of the Lambs (30th anniversary, 1991) - Sun, Oct 17, Wed, Oct 20 High Society (65th anniversary, 1956) - Wed, Nov 10, Sun, Nov 14 West Side Story (60th anniversary, 1961) - Sun, Nov 28, Wed, Dec 1 On Golden Pond (40th anniversary, 1981) - Sun, Dec 12, Wed, Dec 15

as far as I'm concerned the 2005 KEIRA KNIGHTLY, aggressively au natural version of PRIDE AND PREJUDICE- which was filmed at someone's misbegotten insistence that the actors NOT ONLY use NO MAKE-UP but also be filmed in lighting which I can only describe as SADISTIC is the original PRIDE AND PREJUDICE AND ZOMBIES.

I am lucky, I gots a HULU TV which also carries a WEST COAST TCM FEED, and I am a pretty early riser, so I caught the last 30 minutes or so of EARTH GIRLS and was surprised by how much fun it was, right down to the roast chicken spaceship out of FLASH GORDON serials of the 1930s. Also it featured ANGELYNE at her MOST ICONIC in a CAMEO I saw seeds of the later smash hit dUMB AND DUMBER being germinated in the scenes between WAYANS and CARREY, and I am ashamed to admit, I also thought JIM CARREY was really cute [back then], And I hate myself for it. Also the late CHARLES ROCKET in a role as a slimy surgeon, his story is a very tragic one and worth a trip to wikipedia if you don't know it already.

Watched Beauty for the Asking, with Lucile Ball, Patrick Knowles, and Frieda Inescort. This 1939 RKO film, running at 68 minutes while average, was still interesting. I really liked the interplay between the two women and Knowles made for a swell cad.

I am about halfway through Barbara Payton's memoir, I Am Not Ashamed. I hope to finish it by the end of next week so I can return it to my friend when I visit. I like how the book is written, it's written in a very conversational tone. I can just picture a worn out, haggard, probably drunk, Barbara Payton telling someone her life story while they transcribe her words. This book is fantastic and also very bittersweet as this woman could have probably had a good career had she made some better choices. Perhaps if she'd spent more time with Franchot Tone and less time with Tom Neal...

It took me awhile to fully appreciate this movie. I first saw it as a teen in the 1960s and didn’t like Tyrone playing an alcoholic and a geek. It actually disturbed me. I saw it again @ 6 years ago w mature eyes. It hit me that Tyrone delivered an amazing performance as Stanton transforming himself from a handsome con man to an ugly drunk. He deserved at the least an Oscar nod. Now it’s one of my favorite movies

Sessue Hayakawa John Qualen Eleanor Powell How about a week of Janes, week of Johns, week of Roberts, etc... What I really appreciate about all of these suggestions from everyone is how obvious it is that we all really want to see more than just the "obvious" stars. We might all be a little more sophisticated than the credit we're given.

How did you like it? I recently read about some kerfluffle concerning a new biography of Roth, apparently the biographer has been accused of "sexual misconduct". So now the bio's been pulled from circulation. However, sorry, that could open up a whole can of worms, and has nothing to do with the novel you mentioned.

Dr Zin in the "Jonny Quest" TV cartoon series is probably the best animated psychopath.

Rod La Rocque was in One Romantic Night with Lillian Gish, who was in A Wedding with Geraldine Chaplin, who was in Buffalo Bill and the Indians with Paul Newman OR Rod La Rocque was in Resurrection with Dolores del Rio, who was in Cheyenne Autumn with Sal Mineo, who was in Exodus with Paul Newman (P. S. my link for Camryn Manheim was Philip Seymour Hoffman: Happiness and Nobody's Fool.) Next: Jason Robards, Sr. (father of Jason Robards)

Blake, Amanda

The Million Pound Note (1954)

Faye Dunaway Next: THREE DAYS OF THE CONDOR (1975)

1945 - Having Wonderful Crime Next: Adolphe Menjou, Walter Slezak & Eugene Pallette

Harper, Lew was played by Paul Newman in Harper 1966

Yaphet Kotto next: Hurry Sundown 1967

Sal Mineo as Lawrence Sherman in Who Killed Teddy Bear? (1965).

I love the Saul Bass graphics 🎬🎪🎬

Hey, Angelyne looks like she came from Planet Clare !

If I was Janet Leigh I would have insisted on a good grade heroin, not that sodium stuff. Too much salt in that.

I never saw the Kinks live but did see Ray Davies solo when he did a show in a small theater in Greenwich Village NYC. This was in 1996 when he was promoting his book X Ray, he would read stories from it and he performed nearly all the famous Kinks songs, it was a great show. And about his relationship with brother Dave, in 2013 I was at book signing for Ray's next book Americana. There was a radio host interviewing him, he was asked how Dave was. His first reply was "Dave who?" with his cheeky grin. He then said he was doing alright and he writes some great music. The audience applauded but when it died down, he couldn't resist adding "But he's a punk!"

If Kitty Carlisle married Conway Twitty, she would be Kitty Twitty. If Dolly Parton married Buddy Holly, she would be Dolly Holly. If 50's TV personality Buff Cobb married Howard Duff, she would be Buff Duff. If Crystal Gayle married baseball pitcher Mark Clear, she would be Crystal Clear. Or If Crystal Gayle married baseball pitcher Vida Blue and later convinced him to get a divorce, that would be a Crystal Blue Persuasion. (which is worse than Tara Bull.)

The best Audrey Hepburn ever looked (which is really saying something) is in this photo shoot on the set of Sabrina with the comparatively simple look of the pony tail and black sweater, but then still the immaculately sculpted eyebrows.