Tikisoo

Like that godawful Big Bang Theory. Oh man, but that show is nauseating. That show is like the internet....people identify with the charactors because everyone thinks they are "speshel".....smarter than the average joe in the guise of a quirky geek. Newsflash-there's nothing unique about you when you follow the TREND.

Wow speedracer-you sure saw some CLASSICS. Judy Holliday is one of my favorites. I'm convinced she created the quintessential dumb blonde in BORN YESTERDAY. I've watched this week: Saawariya-a Bollywood movie recommended by someone on this board. Typical B'wood with great costumes, sappy songs and moralistic story. When I saw the lead guy in a "naked towel dance" I realized I had seen this in the theater when it came out. Not a favorite, but ok. HAROLD & MAUDE Criterion Collection- Got this out of the library for the "extras". Not worth the money to buy it, there's scant little insights by Cort & Ashby biographer. Worth one viewing of the supplements, though. AMERICAN MASTERS MARGARET MITCHELL- Just including this excellent biography because it really talks a lot about the impact GWTW had-both the book & movie. (worth recording yourself a copy) Adrien Brody in HOUDINI- I am a Houdini enthusiast so didn't have high hopes for this....but I love Adrien Brody (who has a house in my area) It was very obvious this was a TV product; the modern electronica music, the computer graphics illustrating what's going on inside his body, the fade out chapter endings, etc. It covers many facts of HH's life, but the crazy changes made to his personal life for dramatic effect are offensive! There is also that trendy fast flash cut thing from MTV used pretty frequently, making me dizzy. TikiKid responds to my continual scoffing with, "But it makes it more interesting to me!" So there you have it. All those camera affectations, swearing, sex scenes "sell" to the kids. Happily, she's now interested in Houdini. She said, "He made MOVIES?" Yup and TikiSoo has them on DVD for your viewing play-sure. Only first the Tony Curtis version which I think has much better charactor development and more coherent story flow. LILI- I wrote about my impressions on the "Lily" thread. Glad I finally saw it! Still have THE AGE OF INNOCENCE to watch- another forum recommendation! Thanks!

This movie has been on my wish list for years....I was so excited to see it in the line-up. As many of you know, I'm a huge Flynn fan AND a huge John Barrymore fan, so this movie is right up my alley. When I jumped out of the chair seeing it in Now Playing, my Mom said, "I HATE that movie. It's terrible. Depressing." So at least I'm prepared for a disappointment. Seems many focus on Flynn's loss of "joy of life" and losing his handsome looks, but I just don't see him that way. Sure, he was electric as a young buck in ROBIN HOOD, but I also really like him as he aged. Age takes the sparkle from your eyes and replaces them with lines around them-so what? Just like quiet wisdom replaces crazy vitality, it's just living life. Why would I expect Flynn to remain a boy forever? I think I'm going to like seeing Flynn play Barrymore....there is no one better.

I'm currently reading Shelly Winters' book "The Middle of My Century" ISBN0-671-44210-4 It was on the shelf at my local Rescue Mission store. I waited until it was marked down to $2 because I thought it would be a bore. Boy, was I wrong! Her writing style is lighthearted, candid and full of insights...she does NOT hide any negative observation of herself or others, which I find wholly engaging. She writes pretty extensively about the Actor's Studio, her roommate Marilyn Monroe, her relationships & mostly, her work. I have gained appreciation of the Actor's Studio and the camaraderie it fostered for actors from her descriptions of classes. One interesting Hollywood item: she was under contract at Universal (!) who kept putting her in B pictures as a blonde bombshell (just like her roommate!) but she made more money for them by being loaned out to other studios in more "artistic" productions like NIGHT OF THE HUNTER. She said "One loan out could bring Universal $200k, which would pay half the cost of an Abbot & Costello movie." Funny to see where Universal put their values. Shelly certainly was a pistol....too bad her great performances on film are so few & far between.

Well HoldenIsHere, it's obvious you've seen these episodes more recently than I have-it's been years....decades! But you bring up the idea that younger people (assuming from your selfie avatar) are just as entertained now as us older people were when they originally aired. It also brings to mind that TV shows revolving around personalities was the heart of comedic situations. The more you watched, the more you got to know their reactions to situations. Later shows like MASH, CHEERS and even SOAP all relied on charactor development. I don't watch TV any more. Around the time of SEINFELD but especially FRIENDS, I got very bored with the charactors. Often I see them going too far "cartoony" like MASH's Klinger charactor and Seinfeld's Kramer charactor. Unrealistic, not funny. The only reason SOAP worked was the charactors started out cartoon silly and the longer you watched, their humanity surfaced. When I try watching TV shows today, I just can't get interested in the charactors. They seem to be very bland and I don't care what happens to them. Too "cartoony"....too "bland". Just nothing seems to strike that delicious balance anymore.

I love Redford and I'm not talking about his looks. THE HORSE WHISPERER is one of my favorite movies despite the insipid Kristin Scott Thomas. My Mom raves over OUT OF AFRICA, for many of the same reasons....the use of "place" to help tell the story. Many years ago I was told to see his THE MILAGRO BEANFIELD WAR, which I remember hearing about when it was released, but never saw it. I was told it was an excellent film, but it's not available at the library or been shown on TCM!

Primos asked: What is the premium channel? I only find an article from Syracuse.com that says FIOS has deleted Fox 68 and My 43. I don't know which channels....I don't subscribe to cable TV. Guess what I meant to say was "losing channels from their premium package" If they keep this up, I wonder how far the cable channels think they can push their subscribers? The 1980s and the days of the cable strangleholds are over. Exactly!

Then don't say THE MONARCHY as if the House Windsor were the only monarchy in the world. Oh forgive me....I was just staying IN TOPIC

Whenever I see this movie a Mystery Science Theater line comes to mind; "America in the 70's.....all orange.....all the time!"

I think this is the wave of the future.... There ALWAYS was a "lower tier" package available with cable, it only includes "over the air" local stuff and a few really awful cable channels like QVC-nothing like TCM, ESPN or a cable news channel. Recently there was a local news story about Verizon/Fios losing a premium channel in their package. The news story said, "the carrier asks customers to be patient while under negotiation" The writing is on the wall.

That's why so few of the ten years of the show are available on DVD. Not true Helembaby2, pretty much half of MST is available on commercially produced DVDs. The other half is available on bootlegs. Remember-they encouraged recording! Although you are correct about the movies used-most were PD or very very low rental packages. Some are held up in release for "rights" issues. Things like songs, typically. What I'm speaking of is the writers/performers of MST3K. They don't see a dime of whatever SHOUT is releasing. I think that's pretty lame.

Palmerin said: THE monarchy? Which monarchy The one we're discussing....the British Monarchy.

I finally got to watch it last night....loved it! I saw Lili as a young innocent girl who has led a sheltered life. She was completely at a loss of what to do when her "means of support" had disappeared from her. The movie was about her discovery of life, "learning" as she says. It also seems like the story of the puppeteer's "discovery" of life too. In that sense, it's very sweet. The puppet aspect strikes me as a symbol of psychotherapy, but it might as that's what I studied in college. What I found objectionable was the slap. It was hard, mean and a reaction to the puppeteer's self loathing or inadequacies. Definitely wrong to inflict upon Lili. I would NEVER put up with a violent mistake like that from a man and would instruct my daughter not to either. I understand the gesture and understand how someone (Lili) could forgive him and run back to him. But I certainly wouldn't. And I worry about her future with someone not in control of their anger....I know, it's only a movie.

Love seeing Betty White there....thought her charactor on MTM show was unbelievably funny. You just can't explain it-you gotta see her! Do younger generations even REMEMBER locally produced shows? (cooking, kids shows, etc) It's one of the things I miss most about local TV stations. And I stopped buying any SHOUT products after learning NO ONE from Mystery Science Theater 3000 sees a dime from their box set releases. Terrible. And newcomers to ALL IN THE FAMILY might be turned off by Archie's point of view at first. There are several episodes dealing with Archie's demons that can make you more sympathetic for his charactor, as well as ALL the charactors. One favorite episode involves a plumber with a black "helper" played brilliantly by Ron Glass. Each member of the family tells the story from their point of view- Archie sees the guy as a Black Panther with a huge afro wearing a dashiki eating an apple and cutting it with a machete sized knife......Mike's version shows the guy as a stepin' fetchit sort of mincing drawling oppressed black kid....and then Edith tells the story (truthfully with zero bias) and the guy is normal and has a teeny pocket knife to cut his apple with. This sort of insight is typical for the show. AITF illustrated the pivotal years of civil rights in the US as well as women's liberation, mistrust in government and other huge cultural changes in the US. Maybe like the movie GUESS WHOS COMING TO DINNER, younger generations just don't understand what all the fuss was about?

Not only was Joan Collins a beauty, but she was an "old style" actress....meaning dramatic. That's why she was so good as a villian. Guess the monarchy needs to keep "in the news" about something. Best Collins/Hurt/Jolie receive recognition for their charity work than their acting which for the most part is ho-hum. (although I wish "dramatic" style acting was more popular with todays bland-ites)

I almost broke my rule about interjecting myself into the private conversations of strangers to correct him. You could have said, "Excuse me...I'm Meryl Streep's son....."

speedracer said: I remember when I was in middle school, I discovered Nick at Nite one night and watched I Love Lucy, Bewitched, The Munsters, I Dream of Jeannie, and so on. It warms the cockles of my heart to know these shows reached beyond their time to a new generation. It amazes me that any kid could get "hooked" into these old TV shows, I thought they were a product of their time and only held a nostalgia factor for us olde folk. That alone deems them "classic" If other cultures enjoy them too, they truly ARE classic. Eventually, the Nick-at-Nite shows started moving to TVLand (which was fine) but then TVLand went to the darkside with all of their "original programming." The focus on classic television went away--which is why I am excited about getting Me-Tv back soon. I do not understand why this happens. ALL stations seem to do this....the History Channel creating Ice Road Truckers? It must be sponsors/money. But why wouldn't you want a commercial spot during Andy Griffith-a popular show with great values? I really really hope ME TV stays in it's format. I hear ya about Nick At Night....I still have my "block party" magnet you could send away for- I loved "Sgt Joe Fridays". I really hope someone gets ALL IN THE FAMILY for repeats, it was a brilliantly written show with memorable lead charactors, often featuring great charactor actors. I prefer watching "episodes" to DVD box sets anytime.

Haha his eyes look like Spanish Olives

speedracer-I just d/l that-just gorgeous art! I'll have it printed out professionally and just paste it onto a sheet magnet. I'll enjoy seeing it every day on the 'fridge more than a framed picture. I do this for all great finds on the 'net too small to frame.

Well all I have to say to that is; shut up and deal! Happy New Year! I said this while playing cards with my cousins New Years Eve......fell with a thud. Not one person in the room got it.

The next time it is very warm I'm going hiking in a speedo! MrTeek is a marathoner and one of his running buddies wears a speedo-nearly traumatizing his teen daughter who bikes along. I use the opportunity to talk about what is appropriate to show, when & why. My plan is if she starts exposing her bewbs too much - which seems to be in fashion - we're going to have a casual meal at the Tilted Kilt (or Hooters).

Vautrin said: Could be. I've read so much about Mayer's bad bahavior over the years, I wonder if it is sometimes exaggerated. Even giving him the benefit of the doubt on some matters, I still feel he was a pretty bad actor and a supreme manipulator But all that bad behaviour led to the best movies made that we all love today. It's that age old argument we have on these boards; love the performance/despise the person. This is why I love the movie THE BAD & THE BEAUTIFUL. Sometimes that manipulating control leads to great art that endures. I'm not an "the ends justify the means" kind of person, but obviously LB Mayer was. Hopefully H'wood has evolved since then.

Or "F***ing Meryl" as I guarantee you Faye Dunaway calls her. You bring up a great point. Have you ever seen the movie SEARCHING FOR DEBRA WINGER? It's along those lines. I was shocked at how fantastic Streep's singing voice was in POSTCARDS FROM THE EDGE and figured that's why she was asked for ITW. But I bet like Johnny Depp, Streep is just guaranteed big box office- remember how H'wood operates. Susan Sarandon & Goldie Hawn and even Diane Keaton are all great, talented & yes, bee-u-tiful actresses. And they sure have more talent (maybe experience?) and star power than the new younger set of pretty bland faces. How about stellar Shirley MacLaine? She's even older and now getting those "still pretty old lady" type roles Jessica Tandy enjoyed in her later years.

I kind of enjoy this conversation.....what TV shows past/present are important to us. Can you imagine a time traveler from 200 years ago listening to us? People hotly discussing delight and disappointment over TV shows as if a matter of life or death. Maybe television is an art form....it certainly evokes emotional responses in us like literature and paintings did throughout history.

Billed said: I really enjoyed this film and was quite glad TCM aired it. I had heard so much about it over the years and it was nice to finally get a chance to watch it. That's great to hear TB. That's when TCM is at it's best-bringing you a movie you've heard a lot about. Like I had stated before, it's an oddity featuring pop stars of the day that has actually aged pretty well despite the thin story. But gawd I hate Oliver Reed & Eric Clapton.