Tikisoo
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Posts posted by Tikisoo
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Kyle said: Treat the phone call(s) with your current provider like a negotiation. Keep any emotion you may feel out of your voice.
Good advice. I actually sounded "apologetic" when canceling my Time Warner Cable. I said that I wished I could keep it, but I just couldn't afford them. They did everything to entice me, but I didn't budge.
And be careful about being talked into "bundling".
I had a terrible time getting in touch with someone when their Fios "blacked out" for 3 days - they were without phone, internet (& TV) all at the same time!
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slayton said: The reason you get a better result from using a cable box over directly recording from the cable to your DVD player is that through the box you get the digital signal, and from the cable you get the analog signal, which is always poorer quality.
Um, that's not the reason. *All* broadcast signals transitioned from analog to digital in 2009. Analog is no more.
And it couldn't be because "the box" is HD, because my cable (without the box) was HD (and my TV is HD)
It's a mystery!
This is one of the reasons we buy our Mom cable every year. She has a big older TV and would no longer get ANYTHING unless she had cable. It's like they've conspired to get you- either: spend a lot of money on a new TV or spend a lot of money on cable.
For an elderly person on a pittance of retirement income, that is pretty cruel.
The only reason I have a new digital TV is because I received one as a gift. My income is even more limited than my mother's!
And I take offense to the line in 1934's post: And yeah, it still does suck to have to pay more to get my TCM. But as Slaytonf summed it up - "such is life"
Not really, it's YOUR choice & you vote with your dollars.
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Yup, and even when Judy says, "This is Mrs Norman Maine" it chokes me up. I think it's the intense loyalty that does it.
In The Best Years Of Our Lives, when Wilma sees Harold take off his arms and get into bed and tucks him in and he realizes she loves him just the same as before, it never fails to choke me up.
And you KNOW these moments are coming!
Another movie that makes me cry is 2001, when Dave Bowman dies and is reborn as the "Star Child". The implication of what that scene means always tears me up.
There's countless other "moments" when films will make me cry-guess I'm empathetic (or a crybaby)
I had a bf that completely lost it, blubbering when Scarlett said, "As God is my witness, I'll never go hungry again." THAT amazed me.
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I'm really glad there is so much discussion on these boards about everyone's disgust with cable TV.
>Goodbye Comcast I think I may try Fios.
And I'm really glad you stood up for yourself and dropped the "service" when they showed you no loyalty. If they're anything like Time Warner, they'll have salespeople immediately calling you with "special offers" to rehook up. Why not just give your customers an affordable fair deal in the first place?
Because it's a cash grab for whatever they can get and as long as customers pay it, they'll continue.
I'm wondering when the average person realizes what an *incredible rip-off* cel phones, high speed internet & the other "daily neccesities" are, that they easily can do without.
We're not sheep, people.
My siblings & I pay for our 83 year old Mom to have cable every year as a present. There's a person who really does benefit from cable TV, not someone like myself who has an active rich life without TV.
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slaton-thanks for that cool diagram! I knew there was a way around the issue of "watching whatever you're recording" but had no idear how to do it. Do you lose picture quality from using a splitter?
Recording via the box gives me a much better recorded picture quality than when the cable went directly into the recorder. Apparently, my recorder doesn't "upconvert" whereas whatever signal comes from the box is denser.
I still urge the OP to just read the freekin' manual step by step and set up her own recorder-it's good to know how simple electronics really are. I usually make diagrams to keep my place as I'm going. (then always forget how to do it when I get a new component!)
That said, every "cable guy" I know is happy to set you up for "borrowing" from the cable company any way they can no matter if you're male/female/cute/not. They are seriously underpaid & abused and very aware of their company's overpriced "services".
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I'm sorry 1934, I feel your pain....somewhat. I'm just not clear to understanding your situation-did you pay the cable ransom & still get TCM, or did you opt to cut your feed?
A. If the only change has been you now view TCM through a cable box, you're fine to record.
Just READ the instructions that came with your recorder & hook it up. B. If you cut your cable, then there's no signal coming into your house to record.
My DVD recorder went over to MrTiki's who also has "the box". The recorder gets it's signal from the box and when programming the recording instructions, instead of entering the channel number you program to record via whatever "port" is hooked directly to the box (in my case "L1")
I realize the instructions look confusing, just read & do line by line, you'll be fine and maybe learn something.
I said NO to cable in February, terrified at the idea of life without TCM. I am actually _much_ happier watching local TV with an antenna and supplementing with DVDs recorded (about 10 movies a month) off someone else's TCM.
I most certainly do not miss the 90% of dreck cable broadcast and still see commercial free classic film on PBS. It appears many others around here are cutting their cable, if all the trucks are any indication.
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>That being said, try as I may, I just can't get into LAWRENCE OF ARABIA. I mean who wants to watch a 4 and a half hour movie with no Women in it???
I never noticed there were no women in it,heh, but I can understand you're not "getting into it". The only time I have ever seen it was when I was flat on my back sick and had nothing else to do. I found it a great film, a great story and enjoyed it. But I can't ever watch it on TV again. If it EVER comes to a theater near you, I suggest you give it a try.
I bet the big screen gives it exactly what it needs to succeed.
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It's amazing sometimes, how this thread mirrors conversations we have at home.
Last night we watched the last 20 minutes of Son Of Frankenstein and commented on how many elementss of Young Frankenstein were lifted from *it,* not Frankenstein or Bride of.
Then we started talking about Mel Brooks films in general, and well I like them. Agreed, they're often lowbrow humor, but what can I say? Guess I've a lowbrow sense of humor.
Even my Mom cracked up at Spaceballs, and she's never seen Star Wars. Obviously, these films hold their own.
We also discussed the "out of control wooden arm" gag and how it crops up in oddball films- YF, Dr Strangelove, Harold & Maude (folding sleeve really but same idear) and for whatever reason, it's always funny.
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>lzcutter wrote: President Obama is a big fan of the film (snipped) and perhaps the hope is that being doing this, the film will reach an audience who possibly haven't seen the film before and would be interested in watching.
Obama & I are the same age and I first discovered classic films with their rediscovery in the '70's when modern Hollywood films took a big turn for the worse.
I've noticed an awful lot of dreck coming out of Hollywood the past decade too and there seems to be another resurgence in rediscovery of "classic" films.
It's funny how I was considered an anomaly by my friends, "Oh SHE likes those old b&w movies" and little by little they are joining me for screenings.
Hope this is another "trend".
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Well now that it's been said, I too think of Susan Hayward & Ida Lupino in the same vein- both were tiny, delicate beauties made of steel underneath!
They were quite different in that Ida comes from an "acting family" back round and Susan was a beauty discovered as a model that went into acting. I think Ida was a more refined actress, but Susan's performances were nothing to sneeze at.
My mother loved Susan Hayward and I was named for her. Much better than going through life with a name like Ida!
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Wow, I'm surprised too, no TCM tribute for either birthday gal.
I love, love, love Debbie and feel so fortunate to have seen her perform and later speak a few moments with her. She is truly a fully talented woman and her adorable face (& figure!) certainly has aged very well. Wonder if she'll ever be an "old lady"?
It's fun learning more about her from reading daughter Carrie's books too.
Reading Debbie's autobiography left me depressed to think her personal life was a struggle. Reading some of the same accounts in *Shockaholic* shows me the power of humor as a coping mechanism.
Happy Birthday Debbie! You certainly have contributed positively to this world!
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>make sure you go through an HDMI cable, not the old component connections.
Thanks filmlover...I opened this thread b/c I knew you'd respond to a BR discussion...and I knew there would be a nugget of wisdom in it for me.
I've been waiting (to be paid) so I can upgrade to a Sony BR that I saw in my (locally owned-sweet!) electronic store for $80.
My HDTV is equipped with an HDMI port & I had no idea what it would be for. Now I know to get an HDMI cable at the same time as the BR.
Hope it's not more expensive than the player!
Remember the days when RCA cables were so expensive? Ugh I'd buy "gold" ones for $10 more, what a dope. Now RCA cables are carried in the Dollar Store. Same with USB cords. I must have wasted a fortune buying overpriced electronic cables.
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Thanks for responding, Sepiatone. Love the name (& color!)
Simply:
This area is Time Warner Cable. If you have "standard" plan, there is a cable that runs from the feed directly into your house.
If you have the "super rectom reem" plan they provide you with a "box" so you can get those upper tier channels like HBO & Showtime
Using the one-and-only DVR machine, I seem to have better quality picture when recording via the box than I did when recording directly from the cable.
True? Any reason? My imagination?
The DVDs recorded via the box seem to be "denser", sharper, with more pixels.
Eh, it never occurred to me that yes, if you're paying to subscribe to TV stations, they should be commercial-free! You're already PAYING for it!
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Ok all you smart guys, something is happening I just can't figure out-hope you can follow this crazy scenario:
I had TW cable coming directly into my new large format TV and when recording TCM, often the picture was slightly pixelated.
I received HD channels (as fraction numbers, like 24.4) which looked a heck of a lot better on my TV.
Wishin' & waitin' for TCM to go HD too.
I discontinued my cable connection, which allowed me ONLY local HD channels (like PBS 24.4) and set up my DVR next door to record the occasional movie on TCM.
The house next door subscribes to a bigger cable package needing "the box". No channels are fractionalized, only whole numbers. Local PBS 24.4 is channel 835 next door.
TCM is still the exact same channel, but everything I have recorded "through the box" looks much better. It's not HD, but definitely sharper and no pixelation!
Is there a reason for this, or just my imagination?
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Thanks for that historical info on "flyers". I found a stack of those in the basement of the Palace advertising Ben Hur. I took a nice one before the owner left them on the counter as giveaways.
It reminds me of getting my Cinefile Society schedule in the mail -
the family looks it over to decide what we'll see the next season (all of them) and anticipation builds as each screening gets closer!
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Ball of Fire has already been released on DVD, wasn't it a Criterion release? There's nothing in that press release that says these haven't been previously available, is there?
I'm confused.
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>I do not believe it is an appropriate movie for TCM as it has a modern feel. It does not evoke the atmosphere or the sensibilities of the classic era.
You are mistaken using the word "classic" to mean an era. (who decides WHAT era?)
"Classic" in TCM sense means "transcending time" (& cultures) meaning films that can can be enjoyed by anyone, any time, even today-classic films.
I've heard a lot about Blade Runner, never saw it. I might as well get it out of the library to give it a look.
One reason you most likely won't see Clockwork Orange on TCM is the sickening violence. I had a tough time watching it on the big screen a few years ago, but the small screen may bring it down a notch. Definitely have to be late night.
Although I was surprised sex story Carnal Knowledge aired on TCM late night. It was pretty mild by today's standards, though.
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OK, I'm braced for my whippin'....but here goes-
When you're discussing rating movies with 3 sentences & a 1-5 stars system, it's going to be limiting. It's a GUIDE, not a bible. Maltin is rating films that may be viewed by all sorts of people; old ladies, kids, trailer folk, inner city conservatives, all races/creeds, etc.
Some people like/don't like musicals while others like/dislike futuristic scifi and some people enjoy/hate cute morality tales.
I hate violence, so for ME, Taxi Driver IS a 2 star movie, it didn't make much sense, the flow was terrible, etc.
I very much dislike The Grapes of Wrath, but it deserves a 4 star rating for _most_ viewers.
You shouldn't discount a GUIDE just because you don't always agree with it. You alone aren't the entire demographic.
You have to rate the film standing on it's own, not in relation to the popularity of the subject or how it relates to other films. If a film can transcend genres and EVERYONE can like it (like The Wizard of Oz or Singin' In The Rain) it is undeniably a 5 star movie.
And wow-I was at someone else's house and read from their inept video guide...made Maltin's seem like a bible.
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>I am at a point where I only consistently view TCM. Everything else on television is too tiresome.
^^^That was me 2 months ago.
Bill Mahr is the only HBO show worth watching, and OWN on regular cable offers the occasional excellent documentary, interview or movie.
While I agree with you for the most part on the movies, I have caught a few excellent documentaries on HBO Demand, such as one on the garment industry in NYC, "Schmatta". But too few & far between.
Now that my cable's been disconnected (no high speed internet either) I'm finding lots of great Fox titles at the library that TCM never shows along with lots of classic movies & TV shows. And now they carry BluRay.
I have become a HUGE fan of PBS. American Masters for history, Frontline for in depth news stories & Independent Lens for really great documentaries.
My DVDR records fewer & fewer from MrTiki's TCM next door. It feels good being off the teat.
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Wow sepiatone, I agree 100% with your last post;
>The biggest problem I have with CGI is that too many filmakers lost track of the "less is more" line of thought.
Exactly.
>And I seem to be one of the few who feels the old Star Wars effects still hold up well.
Indeed. I prefer "real" physical effects to CG every time. Fantasy worlds like 2001 A Space Odyssey or The Shining would have not been nearly as striking (or believable) if done in a computer. Lighting design is a huge part of the illusion of it being real, because it IS a real pen, it IS a person walking upside down, it IS a person in ghoul make up, not a flat picture of an object or person.
Can you imagine the loss of impact seeing Fred Astaire dancing against a green screen of a room rotating?
And I love your point, joelfilmone about Harryhausen essentially being an actor in multiple parts as the animator. That's what really sets him apart. Compare his space ship work to his "monster" work and you can see his acting talent.
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>What does TikiKid take away from the experience now?
Thanks for asking casablancalover.
Because she is so exposed to film & history through me, she knew it would be a worthwhile topic at the dinner table.
First we both agreed Matthew Broderick is a babe-ola. Then she commented on "how bloody" it was, remembering some amputation scene long forgotten by me. She didn't take much away from the story on her own, really.
I then brought up that _I_ liked the movie because I didn't realize blacks even fought in the Civil War and she commented on how futile (& bloody!) their attack was. And then we got into a discussion about prejudice, oppression, sacrifice, the civil rights movement....pretty much an overview of black history in America.
Seeing the movie in school was just a springboard for home discussion, but that's typical for us. (and I bet no other kid in her school discussed Glory at home) I certainly can't help her much in algebra or sports but absolutely try to instill social morality and practice good conversational skills.
We often watch a vintage educational film before a "feature" too.
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When I was a kid & saw Harryhausen's charactors on the big screen yeah, I thought they were hokey. They looked like dolls for the most part, especially the staring eyes. The "unliving" things such as the metal giant, the skeletons, the dragon with the three heads, etc. looked a little better than a doll person or a horse which are too familiar to fake well.
Although obviously faked, since the film was a "fantasy", it worked just fine. Now that I'm older, I appreciate these films even more and just LOVE Harryhausen's wonderful contribution. They are fast paced and pretty absorbing, best seen on the big screen with an audience if you can.
As for CGI, I like the comment on "the real cliff overlooking a real ocean" and the point about matte painting is spot on. I prefer matte paintings to cgi for backround effects because paintings are more like how the human eyes & brain "sees". It has a "painterly" effect that works in a fantasy movie well. I am starting to be more drawn to Technicolor films and P&P films for this "otherwordly" painted fantasy effect.
I really dislike CGI, I just don't like the way it looks. It does not suspend my belief. The camera angles usually move too much around the action (because they can) and I never get a sense of weight or placement.
I wanted to like the Harry Potter movies; a story about kids going to Sorcerer's school to learn magic? Ye-ah, how cool! But instead the sets were way too dark for me to see anything (to camoflage the styrofoam props?) and the action was way too fast for my eyes to even register. Maybe it was just a weak story, but I don't see many CGI movies that grab me.
And I agree, I prefer drawn animation to computer animation-it just doesn't look right-while drawn animation doesn't try pretending to. Look at Bambi-it's like a painting come to life.
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A film friend of mine is convinced "Phil" is played by a young uncredited Kurt Russell. What do you think?
These "educational classroom" films are just about my favorite-they can cover topics such as drug use, manners, dating, VD, working a job, fallout shelters and even new products like phones, cars & grocery display cases.
I have a decent collection of them on DVD thanks to the AVGeeks.com who have been gathering these up from school discards for decades.
When I watch these I realize teaching kids the importance of responsibility was a big thing. Nowadays kids see their parents "call in sick" to go to the amusement park, run red lights & cut others off in traffic. Wouldn't it behoove teachers to show these films now-it may teach kids to behave better. (yeah right)
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casablancalover said: They say the Bible says it, and they are as serious as a heart attack. The family I know considers dinosaurs a myth, or they were with Adam and Eve.
I was shocked, SHOCKED when viewing Bill Mahr's film "Religiousity" when he flatly asked people if they believed a robed man with a long white beard lives in the sky and watches all we do and they seriously answered "YES". I never knew some religions teach this & people follow it. How scary is that?
One of the reasons I think "stupidity" reigns is because these days we have SO MUCH to retain & think about, some just tend to believe what they are told, without thinking. (Network) It's the reason why people daily put their identity at risk by banking online & posting on social sites, it's easy, convenient, they don't have to think.
The best class they could teach my kid is "logic" (while I teach "social morality") everything else would fall into place.
Comcast misleading tactics
in General Discussions
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Haha willbefree, your posts make me lol every time!
>I kvetch out loud every time I'm in a supermarket and some idiot has to call about which chicken to buy
Haha, why not stand there, make eye contact & listen to them until they hang up? If the person says "what?" (like that's a question) I answer, "Oh, I thought you wanted the whole store to listen...you ARE in public, you know." (or LOUD or PERSONAL insert whatever offended you)
>I remember my father, ages ago, telling me that the phone company was going to bundle phone and television and the newfangled invention internet. I said no way.
Listen to Dad, HE knows! (why are parents always right?)
>I too am now retired and shamefully admit to watching too much television and blathering on too much on the internet, so they have me over a barrel.
Eh, I listen to TV all day while I paint and definitely enjoy being involved in internet "conversation" such as this too (since I live/work alone) but that doesn't necessarily mean you're "over a barrel".
We are the consumers and we vote with our dollars. I find it amazing we are so brainwashed into thinking we NEED these things.
I started out in the fashion industry and recall the day I realized all this marketing was stoopid. They were actually trying to market special eye shadow & nail polish colors for New Years Eve.
Then it dawned on me that I really don't need those shoes/blouse/dress....we're not NAKED.
I have the cheapest prepay phone (can text too-woo hoo) and only carry it when out hiking or trail riding in case I get lost/fall off/etc. For some reason I get along just fine not hearing constant updates from friends about every burp & ****.