ChipHeartsMovies
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Posts posted by ChipHeartsMovies
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The USPS is releasing a new Bette Davis stamp --- you can see it at the link below.
Looks like they airbrushed a cigarette out of her hand.
http://www.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080101/LIFE/801010315/1005/LIFE
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You can get single copies at the CNN/Time Warner Store in the Time Warner Building in Manhattan. You could probably call and ask them to ship you a single copy.
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I did indeed. Clearly I was having a glass of wine or three with that post, heehee.
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D-bat...
Sorry you're not feeling well.
If I were feeling under the weather, my personal top choice movie would be "Meet Me in St. Louis" --- not just because it's my all-time fave. Why "St. Louis" is a good choice when you feel poorly: even the conflicts in the movie are easy-going. Nothing TOO exciting actually happens.
My second choice...probably "Miracle on 34th Street." Like "St. Louis," this movie always makes me feel good. And no one even raises his or her voice, pretty much.
When I am not feeling great, I don't want to see movies that are too stimulating --- so no "Bringing Up Baby" with its snappy & witty dialogue, for instance. Certainly no dramas.
Just my two cents. Feel better!
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Phelps ---
I'm not a fan of "Tommy," either. While I can't say I hated "Tommy" with every ounce of my being --- when you throw sex goddesses Ann-Margret and Tina Turner into the mix, as they did in "Tommy," I perk up, and even someone as gay as I am has to seriously reconsider when Ann & Tina hit the screen. But I agree with you, "Tommy" is NOT a movie I care for.
"Skidoo!" --- it's definitely not "Tommy." Viewed through today's eyes, it's more "Valley of the Dolls" or "Showgirls."
I don't think ANYONE will say they LIKE "Skidoo!" But there has never been another movie like it, and it has been locked away from public view, for the most part, for decades.
It is insane. Just watch it -- even if you hate it, this is a genuine rarity, directed by Preminger, with real stars --- TCM should have made a big deal about showing it. No matter what, it definitely isn't like "Tommy." It's not like anything.
If it isn't your cup of tea, at least I hope you are as turned on by Sexy Pirate Carol Channing as I was by Acid Queen Tina Turner in "Tommy," the rest of the movie notwithstanding.
Happy New Year!
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Thanks Gregory1965 --
Nicole Kidman -- I've always felt she was terrifically overrated, and her recent box office takes are abysmal. She had a couple of good roles, but she's basically glamourous, not such a good performer, often downright wooden. Beautiful and once married to someone more famous, so what...
Nic Cage -- Hammy to the extreme. It's probably just my taste, people seem to love him; you're right, he would be a better bet to remain known.
Sigourney Weaver - I felt the overall gravity of her work, plus the range --- "Working Girl," "Alien" trilogy, "The Ice Storm," decent indies like "The Guys" and "Tadpole" --- were in her favor. Plus she has a dignity overall that will wear well.
Mia Farrow -- I think "Rosemary's Baby" + such strong Allen movies as "Hannah" and "Purple Rose of Cairo" ARE enough to guarantee she'll be around in memory for a long time. If she was going to stick to one director during that period, he was the best. Even lesser Allen movies like "Alice" still hold up pretty well. (Sadly, his new movie is going straight to DVD).
You're probably right about Hilary Swank. Sissy Spacek too, in the other direction.
Debra Winger --- I'm afraid time is already making up its mind on her, and not so favorably. The 2002 documentary "Searching for Debra Winger" had that title for a reason.
You're probably right about Jim Carrey --- I can't bear Jerry Lewis either, with few exceptions, but you can't argue his legend.
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Fred, what a GREAT clip.
Since Fred didn't give any hints in his post, I'll let you all know Fred's link was to a 70's Dinah Shore talk show clip Robert Osborne did alongside Olivia DeHavilland & Shelley Winters. He (Robert, not Fred) was promoting his first Oscar book. It's GREAT ... is this the earliest shot we get seeing Robert O in his future role as TCM host?
Thanks, Fred, for sharing this --- I had no idea it was out there, and all us TCM-ers will love seeing it.
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daddysprimadonna --- *Skidoo* takes those shots to the extreme.
Plus, sexy highly automated 60's bachelor pads...and *CAROL CHANNING AS A SEXY PIRATE SINGS THE FINALE*, before ripping off her pirate wig and bedding Jackie Gleason.
PS: Assistant director: Erich von Stroheim, Junior. Produced and directed by Otto Preminger. End credits SUNG by Harry Nilsson.
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cascabel, you saw this in the theatre originally? WOW.
It is both far better and far worse than you remember, I'm sure. You're right, it is a perfect example of clueless corporate people deciding what the "kids" would love. Jackie Gleason, George Raft, Groucho, Carol Channing, Mickey Rooney --- THESE are the stars they put into a drug-culture film in 1968 to appeal to the Flower Generation!
TCMers --- this is a terrible movie, but really funny because of that (like *Valley of the Dolls,* for instance, but far messier and involving a lot more stars). And it is GENUINELY a rarity.
PS: Harry Nilsson SINGS the entire closing credits as the movie ends.
Message was edited by: ChipHeartsMovies
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The very unusual French film *La Jetee* has no dialogue --- only very sparse voiceover. By coincidence, it is playing on TCM this month --- Mon. January 7 at 4:15 AM EST.
*La Jetee* is a short (28 minute) movie from 1962 that was clearly the source material for the Brad Pitt/Bruce Willis film *12 Monkeys* (as the producers of the latter admitted all along). *La Jetee* is a very strange movie; it consists of a series of still photos, linked with very, very brief voiceover interludes.
The movie involves time travel from the future to stop activities from happening that will create havoc down the line. It is actually more of a romantic drama, in feel, than a sci-fi thing.
This one isn't for everybody, but it is really remarkable. If you have the slightest interest, give it a try --- at MOST, it's 28 minutes.
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LOL, just glad Jodie finally jumped the broom, so to speak.
Won't she be happily surprised when the supermarket tabs never run another story or photo of her & Cydney? The only reason they ever did was that she wouldn't admit it. (I'm friends with someone else, not nearly as famous as Jodie, who had this exact experience). Not very exciting to say a couple of gals in their 40's went to the supermarket without that Secret Lesbian Angle.
Sorry to send us all off-topic...
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*sigh* "The Terminator." Why?
I won't complain since it's the same network that I'm watching Joan Blondell & James Cagney's film debuts on as I type this, but..."The Terminator."
And BTW, the original trailer for "Skidoo!" features Timothy Leary and Sammy Davis Jr. telling the audience to "turn on the older generation" by taking them to "Skidoo!" Then Groucho appears and says the script made him laugh his head off, so if you see someone without a head, it's him.
And Carol Channing performs one of her musical numbers dressed as a sexy pirate.
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The wonderfully awful "Skidoo!" is on TCM this week!!! This 1968 Otto Preminger movie is one of the weirdest, most delightfully terrible movies ever made. It stars Jackie Gleason, Carol Channing (who sings!), Mickey Rooney, Groucho Marx (playing a mobster named "God"), Frankie Avalon, Peter Lawford, George Raft, Cesar Romero, Burgess Meredith, Frank Gorshin, and more. It airs this Saturday 1/5 at 1 AM EST.
I won't go into the plot, which involves a mob hit, acid, and a few things you can't make out. Who cares?
This laugh-out-loud gem has never been released legally on video or DVD (although I treasure my bootleg more than any other in my collection, right up there with "Cobra Woman"). Film Forum in NYC ran a single screening a few years back when they did a full Preminger retrospective of all of his films (it sold out immediately --- this movie is legendarily bad); there is a Preminger festival right now at the same theatre, scheduled in conjunction with a new book release on his career, and they declined to book it.
This is a real rarity --- fans of good Bad movies, don't miss it. And Preminger fans --- don't miss it either, but don't think you're getting another "Laura" or "The Moon is Blue!"
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I had read that Robert Osborne was a Desilu contract player in the early 60's --- but was surprised to find out he had a small role in the pilot for "The Beverly Hillbillies." He was apparently offered a reprising role on the series as an assistant to the banker (Mr. Drysdale), but turned it down as he thought the series was too offbeat to succeed. Of course, it became one of the longest-running sitcoms of the decade.
And surprise --- it's one of the episodes that lapsed into public domain, so you can see it on many websites streaming for free. It's Season One, Episode One, called "The Clampetts Strike Oil." Robert O. is in one scene --- about 2/3 of the way into the episode. He comes into Mr. Drysdale's office. He was a VERY handsome young guy, and you'll recognize him immediately.
Like I said, it is in the public domain and available lots of places. I watched it at:
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With all due respect, patful & lzcutter, this argument is valid.
While the programming isn't 100% war flicks and Westerns in the weekend daytime slots, it is VERY heavily focused that way, and has been for months. I've raised the issue in other threads previously.
Because of the vagaries of my work, much of which is done at home, I have TCM on in the background virtually every day, all day --- so I DO actually watch, pretty much all the time, and I can compare it with weekday programming, and I am complaining.
Not to say there aren't good Westerns or war movies --- if "Destry Rides Again" or "Stagecoach" or "All Quiet on the Western Front" come on, I'll cancel all appointments. But I have to side with jazzymary here --- these aren't my favorite film genres either, and while seeing an occasional film of these types is fine, I've had enough.
Variety, please, TCM!
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Gary Cooper as a contemporary law officer --- absolutely. I have to say, my whole take on him has shifted thanks to these boards. He was never one of my favorites, but I'm beginning to enjoy his performances more and more.
And CineMaven & scsu1975 --- you'll both be as happy as I was to learn that Jodie Foster basically came out in December, when accepting an award at a Women in Entertainment breakfast. She dedicated it to "My beautiful Cydney, who sticks with me through all the rotten and the bliss." Cydney Bernard is her longtime girlfriend, since 1992.
Video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=udVcJSwiWfE
News:
http://www.afterellen.com/people/2007/12/jodiefoster
And many more news articles...
Jodie, take a deep breath --- the air is so much cleaner when you're out of that stuffy closet. Guess what? Nobody really cared! You TCM guys, hardcore film fans, hadn't even heard, apparently.
The big question: who's next?
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WOW --
This topic obviously struck my fancy....sorry to ramble on so much, and please feel free to argue any of my thoughts.
Legendary Stars of the Future For Sure:
Meryl Streep, Tom Hanks, Susan Sarandon, Denzel Washington, John Travolta, Johnny Depp, Will Smith, Diane Keaton, Harrison Ford, Robert DeNiro, Jack Nicholson, Tom Cruise --- all of these people have had terrific roles in many good (and some great) films, and all starred in movies that were big box-office hits as well as films that were critically lauded. Definitely will be Legendary for decades. I'd probably add Sigourney Weaver, Morgan Freeman, George Clooney, Mia Farrow, and maybe Mark Wahlberg and Sam Jackson here.
Less Certain Legacies:
Jodie Foster, Al Pacino, Liza Minnelli, Bruce Willis --- each starred in a couple of truly great films and then dished out years (DECADES) of junk. These people will never be forgotten, just may not be remembered as glowingly as Streep & Hanks when The Future balances all the garbage with a couple of legendary films, and these stars run the risk of being known, as an example, as Liza "Cabaret" Minnelli. (For instance, Jodie may have two well-deserved Oscars, and is terrific in "Taxi Driver," but look at the crap she generally chooses, from "Maverick" to "Panic Room"). Whoopi Goldberg belongs here too --- so good in "The Color Purple," "Ghost," and "The Long Walk Home," and then piles of dreck. Stallone and Sally Field land here as well, maybe Dustin Hoffman too. This isn't a critique of their abilities --- just a look at the direction their careers went. (For the record, I'm a huge Liza fan, and think she's amazing in "The Sterile Cuckoo" and "New York, New York" too --- just talking about how I think The Future will see these folks).
Great Actors Not Big Movie Stars:
Laura Linney, Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Julianne Moore, Dianne Weist --- these people literally never turn in a bad performance, yet they're not considered big stars even today. (All are among my absolute favorites. I would pay $11 to see Julianne Moore read the phone book without question, because she has never disappointed me yet). Other current stars that fit here: Judi Dench, Cate Blanchett, Joan Allen, Ed Harris, Toni Collette, Chloe Sevigny, Joan Cusack, Tilda Swinton, Sean Penn, maybe Mark Ruffalo, Matt Dillon, and Tim Robbins. You'd add River Phoenix to this list. Should-have-been Mimi Rogers, too (rent "The Rapture" before you scoff). It will be interesting to see if any of them are idolized in the future when movie buffs look back on their work.
All Bets Are Off About How They'll Be Remembered:
Brad Pitt, Kathleen Turner, Drew Barrymore, Matt Damon, Leo DiCaprio, Kevin Spacey, Scarlett Johannson, Jamie Foxx, Jessica Lange, Sissy Spacek, Russell Crowe, Keira Knightley, Ethan Hawke, Meg Ryan, Natalie Portman
What About...?
Parker Posey, Michelle Pfeiffer, Julia Roberts, Hugh Grant, Kate Winslet, Danny DeVito, Annette Bening, John Cusack, Jamie Lee Curtis, Jeff Bridges --- I have good feelings about this group, in spite of spotty performances or less-than-great films here and there. Others in the same club: Rachel McAdams hasn't been less than stellar yet, and Jake Gyllenhaal has been terrific in a variety of roles --- he was equally good in "Brokeback Mountain" and "Jarhead" in the same year, and those two movies couldn't have been more disparate --- not to mention his turns in "Zodiac," "Donnie Darko," "October Sky," and "The Good Girl." Believe it or not, I'd put Mandy Moore here too --- she turns in good performances in the worst of circumstances; I think she's one of the most underrated performers in Hollywood. She deserves far better films than she gets (and other than "Saved!," she doesn't get very good films; she's just very good in them). For many of these people, I suspect the Future may think of them as bigger talents than they currently get credit for being (although obviously Julia Roberts gets plenty of notice).
Doubtful Their Work Will Hold Up Well in Retrospect (Although Some Will Remain Famous For Decades):
Reese Witherspoon ("Election" and "Clueless" excepted), Michael Douglas, Sandra Bullock, Bette Midler ("The Rose" excepted), Queen Latifah, Angelina Jolie, Lindsay Lohan (really good as a child, dreadful since), Burt Reynolds, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Gwyneth Paltrow, Ben Stiller, Orlando Bloom, Eddie Murphy ("Dreamgirls" excepted), Woody Harrelson, Kim Basinger, Will Ferrell, Halle Berry, Alec Baldwin, Bill Murray, Geena Davis, Uma Thurman, Winona Ryder, Ashley Judd, Val Kilmer, Jude Law, Richard Gere
My Surprise Prediction:
Adam Sandler, at best ignored and generally reviled by most anybody who's anybody, will prove to have a lasting appeal. Sure, he's lowbrow to the extreme and plays stupid people in stupid movies --- but so, for example, was the brilliant Don Knotts, who brilliantly played those stupid men in those stupid movies in the 1960's. There's a warmth behind Sandler's nitwit characters that is missing in, say, Jim Carrey's performances that sets them apart. Every movie shouldn't be "Schindler's List;" so kill me, I think "Billy Madison" is funny and I think Adam Sandler is likable onscreen.
Tomorrow's Marjorie Mains Today (The Future Will Remember As Character Actors Who Were Great):
Kathy Bates, Rupert Everett, James Earl Jones, John C. Reilly. Probably this is where Dianne Weist, Ed Harris, Tommy Lee Jones, and Joan Cusack will land.
Tomorrow's Luise Rainers Today (Oscar Winners Who Won't Be Remembered Beyond the Next Few Years):
Charlize Theron, Joaquin Phoenix, Helen Hunt ... definitely Helen Hunt, who gave one of the flattest performances ever to win the Oscar. Admit it: you'd already forgotten she won. And already forgotten her altogether.
The Future Wonders What the Hell We Were Thinking:
Robin Williams (!), Jim Carrey, Keanu Reeves, Nicole Kidman, Nicolas Cage, Madonna (as an actress), Cuba Gooding Jr., Matthew McConaghey, Ben Affleck, Greg Kinnear, Jennifer Lopez, Jimmy Fallon, Kirsten Dunst, Tim Allen, Jennifer Aniston, Billy Crystal, Kate Hudson --- all generally horrible. It mystifies me that Robin Williams is still allowed to make movies after some of the gems he has lobbed at us. "Patch Adams," anyone?
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magnavoice --- please don't be annoyed about lzcutter's response to you. we're all friends here.
and on the host topic --- and i think i will probably be a little abrupt on this --
it seems a little creepy that so many people are ready to retire robert o. he looks pretty healthy to me, and he fills his hosting duties better than anyone i can imagine.
ben mankiewicz: he seems like a nice enough guy if you wanted to have a drink with him, but i LOATHE his jokey weekend movie intros, and i think his make-fun-of-the-movie-we're-about-to-see shtick is a HUGE mistake on tcm's part.
i understand that tcm needs to broaden its audience, and especially on the weekend tcm tries to bring in guys, and maybe tcm thinks ben m. is a great bridge to bring in young guys, but a host that makes fun of your entire channel's programming? bad idea.
(and i know that this is 100% tcm's choice, and not ben m.'s, but i never, ever, ever, ever want to see the rescued hollywood cemetery or the legendary restaurant promos again. ENOUGH. REALLY? John Wayne got drunk here? at this very restaurant that you are filming in? tell me about it for the 86th time, please. WOW.)
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What a fun thread to start!
I had never thought of Clara Bow as a star in horror films (and I assume you mean at the time of her career peak in the late 20's/early 30's --- not in her "Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?" years), and I agree, she would have been great as the ORIGINAL Scream Queen.
Obviously, most stars in the Olden Days didn't have much say in what films they appeared in --- the contract system being what it was.
Who else should have shifted genres?
I've always felt that Veronica Lake's comedic abilities were never really explored. Sure, she starred in comedies like the legendary "Sullivan's Travels," and the terrific "I Married a Witch," but you still look back at her as the star of noir movies like "The Glass Key" or Westerns like "This Gun for Hire." Would have been great if she had been able to do a few romantic comedies.
And my all-time fave Judy Garland --- CLEARLY a musical star of the highest order. "Meet Me in St. Louis," "The Wizard of Oz," "A Star is Born" --- among the greatest films ever made, all musicals. But note her (Oscar-nominated) dramatic turn in "Judgment at Nuremburg." Check her out in the Cassavetes "A Child is Waiting," which TCM has happily been running of late. If you haven't seen it, be sure you check out "The Clock" --- her best movie (other than "Meet Me in St. Louis" and "Wizard" for MGM, and it's a romantic drama, with no music).
Would have been nice if Judy had been able to do a few more dramas.
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Celluloidkid, thanks for focusing on "Letty Lynton." Dunno if you read it, but I participated in the last TCM Challenge and made "LL" the central point of my fantasy schedule.
"Letty Lynton" ISN'T a real lost film --- I have the bootleg DVD to prove it --- and a musty copyright lawsuit from the 30's should be resolvable 80ish years later.
Okay, it's not "Mildred Pierce," but ANY Joan Crawford movie deserves to be seen.
TCM --- RESURRECT LETTY LYNTON!
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1. TCM
2. Fox Movie Channel
3. IFC
4. Sundance Channel
5. TV Land
6. Logo
7. Nick (at Nite)
8. Lifetime
9. Game Show Network
10. Hallmark (Sorry, I love me some "Murder, She Wrote")
Saddest Footnote: NOBODY mentions AMC. And rightfully so.
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Joan Blondell is being honored with a retrospective at the Museum of Modern Art (MOMA) in NYC this week.
http://www.moma.org/exhibitions/film_exhibitions.php?id=6736
JOAN BLONDELL HONORED AT MOMA (!!!)
These are real projected films in a theatre, FYI.
Just wanted to let my fellow New Yorkers know...and give any nutsy out of town Joan Blondell fans the heads up to book last minute flights to our fair city.
I just found out today about it ... and as I am off to Atlanta to visit Mom for the holidays later today, I won't even be able to enjoy seeing Joan's films presented at MOMA myself!
It's a real tribute and genuine retrospective. Can't believe MOMA didn't let us TCM'ers know it was coming!
Miz Blondell is one of my favorites. I can only hope MOMA schedules a Glenda Farrell festival NEXT year. I won't complain about MOMA's scheduling JB's tribute in the worst possible week, because I am grateful they did it to begin with.
I'll be in Georgia, but I hope some of you get a chance to visit MOMA this week!
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Holiday wishes returned to you CineMaven, and to everyone else on the TCM boards.
Very, very best holiday wishes to all. For better or for worse, I'm back!
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Congratulations lzcutter --- a well-deserved win!
And filmlover, I LOVE the Rochelle Hudson cover.
Thanks for asking about the auction, Kyle --- between that and a VERY glitchy month trying to log onto the boards, I have barely been around at all.
Because of the nature of eBay, we won't really have a final tally until mid-end of January (late payers, a handful of items lost in the shipping we have to refund, people who default, etc.) --- but it LOOKS like we are on track to raising about $100,000 for the AIDS charity this year.
Saturday, though, I'm on a plane to Atlanta to see family and decompress for Five Whole Days --- where I'll try and imagine what lzcutter has cooking for the next Challenge!
Skidoo! At Last!
in General Discussions
Posted
I warned you, "Skidoo!" is excruciating in many ways.
Heehee. Most ways.
I LOVE the classic bad movies ("Valley of the Dolls," et.al.), which admittedly many people don't care for. Although I think we can all agree we adore Carol Channing as a Sexy Pirate.
What really excited me about TCM showing "Skidoo!," though, is that the network really pulled a genuine rarity out of the box for TCM Underground, as they did previously with "Homicidal." Boy, do I have some suggestions for them: Mickey Rooney in "B.J. Lang Presents," for starters.
I hope TCM's next later-Preminger years movie is "Tell Me That You Love Me, Junie Moon" (starring Liza Minnelli) --- it's not as LOL as "Skidoo!," but it's another real rarity.