Film_Fatale

> {quote:title=JackFavell wrote:}{quote} > *The Fallen Idol* is excellent. I am sure you have read about it, so I won't say any more about it, but it is a really suspenseful, interesting movie. I have only seen really poor, scrappy looking prints before, so I hope tonight's will be clear and pristine. Or even just "good". *The Fallen Idol* really is a great movie, with a wonderful performance by the little boy. I watched it for the first time on a Criterion DVD, which of course had a pristine print. Hopefully, TCM also got a master from the Janus/Criterion people. I don't really know much about the other movies in the "Based on Graham Greene" lineup, except of course for *The Third Man* and *Our Man in Havana*. It is interesting that 3 of the movies are directed by Carol Reed.

*The Big Sky* is on today... just in case anyone wanted to watch it.

> {quote:title=clore wrote:}{quote} > This led to my starting to collect books on film in my teens and at present I have over 400 of them. Mind you, I lost many in a basement flood years ago, otherwise my collection would be larger. > > One more thing - I'm blessed with an almost photographic memory. I can recall being in the crib as a child yet I was in my first official bed when I was just past two years old. It's not that I can recall films from start to finish, but things such as credits stick in my head without my trying to do so. Wow, what an amazing collection of movie books you must have! I just wish I had the space for 400 of them. I just wanted to mention in passing, for all those who are interested, that TCM fans Social Network is now almost a week old! We have about a dozen members so far, and just added a chat feature. If anyone here is interested who hasn't signed up, visit http://tcmfans.ning.com Cheerio!

> {quote:title=clore wrote:}{quote} > THE MAGIC BOX tells the story of William Friese Greene, arguably the father of motion pictures. Donat plays Greene, while just about every British actor of some note is featured as support and down to the smallest bits. > clore, you seem to know so much about these movies! I promise to watch this as soon as I can and maybe ramble about it a bit in "Movie Rambles"! B-)

> {quote:title=JackFavell wrote:}{quote} > I not only watched "The Magic Box", but I taped it too. I stood in front of the TV, transfixed by Robert Donat's wonderful performance. I haven't seen it for years, but I still think that the scene between Donat and Olivier is about as good a scene as has ever been filmed. The two of them had me crying my eyes out. I think it's the one time where Olivier takes a back seat to another actor. And I hadn't realized that it was a Jack Cardiff picture, so the gorgeous, lush color was an added bonus. > > Unfortunately, I cannot set my dvdr to record automatically anymore, and I missed Scandal in Paris last night. I woke up about 15 minutes to late to see it, and I have to be awake to hit the record button. If anyone has a copy, I would gladly pay... please PM me..... > From the few bits of *The Magic Box* that I've had a chance to see, it does look like a superb movie. I can't wait to sit down and watch it properly, from beginning to end! Jackie, I left you a little message about *Scandal in Paris* in "Movie Rambles".

> {quote:title=randyishere wrote:}{quote} > Also, i forgot a film that is kind of/mostly a western: The Conqueror from 1956. I love how John Wayne and Susan Hayward play off each other. I know the critics hate this film but i've always loved this movie. My taste usually runs afoul of the critics anyway but Susan is my girl!! Do you also find it has camp value?

Very nice art-deco style poster... B-)

> {quote:title=JackFavell wrote:}{quote} > FF- It's funny you posted about The Ten Commandments right after Cinemaven's Susan Slade ramble, because I am sorry to say that I cannot get through "The Ten" without giggling uncontrollably. I have a hard time suspending my disbelief for this biblical spectacle. Anne Baxter emotes all over the place, and then there's Edward G. Robinson.......and strangely, I find Yul Brynner more sympathetic than Heston. However, I imagine that watching it in HD was probably a super experience! Glad you had fun - the movie IS very entertaining, despite what I have said...... > > Message was edited by: JackFavell You are right, the movie does have a bit of camp value. I hope to focus on that side of the movie when I get a chance to make some screencaps. And of course, I didn't exactly watch it in HD. It was just a regular DVD, played on a blu-ray player which upconverts the image. But the image looks pretty good on the HDTV because of the wide screen. If at some point they release it on blu-ray, it will look much better. So it is written... so it shall be done. P.S. I can make you a copy of *Scandal in Paris* - just PM me and you don't have to pay anything!

Well at least *The Big Clock* is available on DVD. The one MCA title I do wish they could show on TCM is *I Walk Alone* with Burt Lancaster and Kirk Douglas (their first movie together, and a darn good noir). It has never been available on video in any format, to the best of my knowledge, and it's part of the Paramount titles they control, I believe. P.S. The trailer for *The Blue Dahlia* is available here: http://www.tcm.com/mediaroom/index/?o_cid=mediaroomlink&cid=215722

> {quote:title=clore wrote:}{quote} > I agree about CRISS CROSS, I find it superior to THE KILLERS and it's always on the top of my list when someone asks me to recommend some noir titles. If I remember correctly, weren't both titles issued as a double-feature back in the days of laserdiscs? Sure wish Universal would consider doing that again. At least they licensed *The Killers* to Criterion.

> {quote:title=clore wrote:}{quote} > Thanks for the invite, I'll have to sign up immediately. We just added a chat feature, hope it'll be fun to use. > Just think, a box set for THE BIG TRAIL could end up being almost as big as the Ford at Fox collection. Well, maybe a bit smaller than "Ford at Fox", since that one had like 12 movies. > I adored THE MAGIC BOX today. Great print, wonderful cast and fascinating subject matter, even if the historians still debate its accuracy to this day. > Between *The Magic Box* and the 4 rarely seen movies shown as "Bob's Picks", yesterday was a very busy day for my poor TiVo.

up-converting to HD sounds a bit more plausible with a channel like TCM, since one would assume that a lot of the movies they show probably wouldn't be available in a "real" HD format anyway. If they did it, 2009 would probably be a very good year to switch. Even a lot of folks who don't want to bother with blu-ray players have HDTVs in their homes now.

> {quote:title=randyishere wrote:}{quote} > Still lovin' the great pics of this intensely beautiful woman. Cyd certainly is easy on the eyes. Loved the pic of Cyd with the President and First Lady. It was nice to see the pic of Cyd with Dolores Gray. Cyd would be so pleased with your tribute, FF. Keep up the good work. CC is moving up my list of favorites because of this thread. Thank you! So very glad to hear that!! And here I thought maybe nobody was paying any attention. Hope to be able to add a few screencaps in the near future. B-)

*They certainly get treated as if they couldn't!!!!!!!!!* Ain't that the sad truth? Well, I sure do know the feeling! This sure sounds like a classic to me.

Just watched *The Ten Commandments* yesterday (wrote more about it in Movie Rambles) and Yul is absolutely magnificent as Ramases!! :x Hope to have a few screencaps later on! B-)

> {quote:title=coopsgirl wrote:}{quote} > Michaela: You can post any of the pics you want on your site. If I get a chance I'll post some there too. > Awesome! I do hope you'll be able to register. The site is barely a week old but we already have quite a few TCM fans. Also, we've just added a live chat feature so folks can chat in real time (slightly more fun than a discussion board, imho!)

We now have a "chat" feature... B-)

> {quote:title=ChiO wrote:}{quote} > My copy should arrive tomorrow. After *The Tales of Hoffmann* and *The Red Shoes* yesterday, I'm ready for more. I hope you'll enjoy it! The reviews I've read all say the video transfers are pristine. My copy probably won't be here before the weekend, but whenever it gets here I'll be just as happy to finally have these two movies on DVD - especially *A Matter of Life and Death*, which I've loved for more than 15 years now. :x

Hello folks...just a brief ramble on The Late George Apley...what fun. I had never even heard of this film until tonight and I almost turned it....until I heard RO's introduction and I became curious. Very entertaining story and Colman was just perfect in his "perfection". And after the film, RO pegged this story perfectly....charming. It sounds like a very strong recommendation. I recorded it (and all the other "Bob's Picks") and hope to be watching it fairly soon. I am going to rewind the clock a bit and ramble about "SUSAN SLADE." Whew! Things sure do move fast in the TCM lane. Yeah...I know this is a movie easily made fun of: lush photography, soft focus, melodramatic emotions, schmaltzy music. But what can I tell you. This is one of my favorite 60's movies. It?s a product of its time (1961). I didn?t find it (wholly) laughable. I usually suspend my disbelief and buy the premise of old movies. I haven?t seen this movie in years, but it tackles some serious issues: out-of-wedlock pregnancy and mothers who sometimes turn into sisters. (Jack Nicholson?s and Bobby Darin?s real-life situation comes to mind). Wow, you really do make me wish I had caught it when TCM showed it. But when I saw that the DVD was supposed to be out by the end of the month, I really wanted to wait and hoped that the DVD might have a few interesting extras. Nonetheless, this is a very interesting ramble and I must make a point to come back and re-read it after I've had a chance to catch up with *Susan Slade*. In an unrelated ramble (which I'm sure _everyone_ here will ignore, as always!) we watched *The Ten Commandments* last night - what a great entertainment that is! What can I say about a movie with such a strong cast? Chuck Heston, Yul Brynner, Edward G. Robinson, Anne Baxter, Vincent Price, Nina Foch. And the sweeping story totally grabs you and never lets go, for the nearly 4 hours of running time! This was also the first time I've had a chance to watch the movie in an HDTV, and even though it isn't available on blu-ray yet, it is such a wonderful experience to be able to watch it in a television where it can just FILL up the entire screen. And with so many memorable scenes - the parting of the Red Sea, God writing the Holy scriptures, the death of the Pharaoh's troops. It's the kind of spectacle that just isn't done anymore. And there will probably never be anything like it, again. Hopefully I'll also be able to catch DeMille's own silent version of the movie sometime soon! B-)

> {quote:title=rohanaka wrote:}{quote} > I also have to confess that until recently...whenever I thought of GG, I only picture her like this: > > ; > > (PS..Frank and Molo...which one of you is which in this picture???) I'd wager Frank is the one with the black hat. > So... all you Grahame-a-****....where should a gal like me start if I want to better acquaint myself w/ your friend? I keep hearing about this "In a Lonely Place" film....I put it on my Wanna See List...what else do you think I should add??? I'd suggest first and foremost that you add *The Big Heat* and *Human Desire*. Maybe also *The Bad and the Beautiful*, *The Cobweb*, *Not as a Stranger* and *The Greatest Show on Earth*, although she's more of a supporting player in these last four. I'm sure the other Grahame-a-**** have other interesting suggestions.

I just caught this bit in digitalbits.com (no pun intended!) In news around the Net today, the excellent SciFi Japan website has a good piece up on the recent HD restoration of all 28 Godzilla films by Toho studios. Sources are telling us that we're likely to see the films begin appearing on Blu-ray Disc later in 2009. I did a forum search for *Godzilla* items in the DVD forums, but didn't come up with anything, so I take it nobody had mentioned this before.

> {quote:title=mongo wrote:}{quote} > Kyle, "One Froggy Evening" (1955) is my favorite cartoon. > > > Michigan J. Frog That is also one of my favourite cartoons, mongo. I watched it way back and recently again on DVD and it's still as great as ever. Gotta love Mr. Frog! :x

> {quote:title=clore wrote:}{quote} > MCA has got to be the worst. Not only with the Paramount library, but with their own Universal product. They've got tons of stuff that could be packaged creatively for DVD sales, but beyond that, they don't seem to make much available for telecasting either. In the early days of AMC, I should have taken advantage and recorded the Universal films they aired from the 40s and 50s. If it doesn't fit the format of either the Sleuth or Sci-Fi channels they own, it seems to be unlikely they're ever going to open up the archives. You're absolutely right, clore. I keep hearing that TCM has been working with Universal Home Video, and might soon have a deal in place to show more of what's in MCA's vault - both the Universal titles and the Paramount titles they control. If there is one thing that would definitely make 2009 an awesome year for TCM viewers, surely a comprehensive deal with Universal/MCA would be it!

> {quote:title=faceinthecrowd wrote:}{quote} > I think BONNIE AND CLYDE caused such outrage -- although it's very well made -- because of its light-hearted tone -- the humor, and the jolly banjo music. It would be more enjoyable if one could forget that these two were murdering anyone who got in their way. > > The slow-motion ambush at the climax of the picture is justly celebrated, as are many other moments. B & C is a perfect example of how a film can be cinematically brilliant and morally repulsive at the same time -- one thing has nothing to do with the other. Just think of TRIUMPH OF THE WILL, and the second half of THE BIRTH OF A NATION. Good points. I would even add *Peeping Tom* to the two movies you've mentioned. I've the blu-ray version in my Netflix queue, I hope to be watching it fairly soon. B-)