Buffalo_Chuck

I'm surprised that the website didn't offer an easy link into listing all those 35 films. I can sort of understand this reluctance, considering the few names listed. I'm not sure how much worse the list can get. Or is this a "Let's list our worst-ever choices and everything else has to be better" idea?

I don't mind replacing Carrier Fisher, whose opinion I seldom agreed with but at least she had some insights into films and fans that I appreciated. She did have the years of experience to create supportable arguments for her viewpoints and comparison statements. I hope TCM will also consider using g-strings and pasties to increase viewership since glitz is so much more important than years of comparative movie-watching.

I think DVD collectors have more to worry about when they've used video-compression to make DVDs. This is why DVRs can sometimes produce DVD-R copies that no other player can read - they use a compression-algorithm that no other device can read. I am skeptical that BluRay or HD will be long-lived, however. The Chinese continue to want to use the EVD format standard which ups the optical disk capacity by 4, but they're still mired down in the Sony-Phillips-Western Technology Standards Committees vs. Communist Tienaman Square ideology. Meanwhile, by the time we all have bought several waves of HD and BluRay products, then the Standards Committees will approve the EVD standard. I don't think of this as "planned obsolecense" - it's more like a technological Bataan Death March - force us to buy into one trench, then force us to buy our way out, then force us back into another trench. Someone could get real cynical if they had the long-term view.

Dada ends up with Gene Tierney. Hubba hubba. And he gets Peggy Cummins in NIGHT/CURSE OF THE DEMON, although I think "not being killed by the horrible monster" may have been the first thing on his mind at the end of that film, but then again, he had to turn and walk away as the credits rolled. And there was Peggy. I don't think guys would complain.

Yes. Hopefully there's no confusion with BISHOP'S WIFE.

Thanks for showing those in the last few days. UNION STATION's always memorable because of the climax in the underground tunnels of the station, and having the kidnap scenario developed by an ex-station employee. Nancy Olsen was a good match for William Holden in this early pairing, too. If she'd taken better care of him after UNION STATION was finished, maybe he wouldn't be doing face-down scenes in swimming pools later. CRACK UP is Pat O'Brien's interesting addition to Ollie's "Amnesia Film Series", where O'Brien's been drugged into imagining some phantom train accident, and then discredited as an art expert and framed for murder. Two memorable films. Thanks, TCM.

The MEXICAN SPITFIRE films didn't win me over too much, other than they were an interesting series. But it was Zasu's appearance and performance in AT SEA that made me appreciate that movie more than others. I am now hoping these SPITFIREs will return to TCM one day so I can re-watch them and maybe catch something I didn't on first viewing. Zasu is terrifically under-represented on the DVD shelves.

Yes, D, well said. Spammer-Haters earn their ignore status. I can certainly understand bringing popular modern films like TERMINATOR, SOMETHING ABOUT MARY and similar films to fill up TCM's time-slots. It's not as if they're required to show classics. COPS is probably available, too.

I'd probably vote for the unfinished GRACE KELLY project. I have a feeling it was substantially unfinished - the slim Cast Listing and description makes me think casting wasn't even completed and maybe not even the script.

I like watching LOVE AFFAIR but, as you pointed out, that film's success makes me want to see the other 2 films with Boyer all the more. And even if they're not good, that's fine with me - watching her work is always a treat. I think seeing so many of these lesser films makes me a bigger fan of her.

I probably shouldn't have bought Ollie that 18th cup of espresso this afternoon. This topic obviously didn't need caffeine to stoke Ollie up! ha ha... sorry! I heard that in the '60s or early '70s, the Brit Film Institute destroyed thousands of tapes because their director (and the destroying personnel) decided shelf space and re-using the video tapes was more important than preserving art. Peter Cook even tried to buy the tapes containing many many of his Peter Cook-Dudley Moore BEYOND THE FRINGE episodes, but because the BBC Bureaucracy had never considered such a possibility, they refused to let him buy the tapes OR buy new replacement tapes. The BBC decided to destroy that show's tapes instead. I forget the director's name at that time who ultimately bore the brunt of wanton destruction's responsibility, but she received a good amount of castigation over this. You'd mentioned Novarro and he's a slient screen star that I've only recently learned about, and I understand restoration efforts are underway on some of his films (THE RAT series?) but there are so few copies available and, as you said, so many thousands have been lost. Consider a film like DOC HOLLYWOOD (1991, Michael J. Fox). It's only available in Full Screen Pan & Puke format. Yet it wasn't filmed in such squeamish format - but that's the only thing available. Decision-makers are responsible for destroying or maiming even recent art with few repercussions. I'm so glad the Mona Lisa isn't given to Hollywood for preservation.

(Ollie, the coffee's my treat today when you arrive.) I am laughing at the shag-carpet comments because, since I recall horrid shag carpeting, I DO believe it truly was monstrous. And it was EVERYWHERE. It multiplied. It wouldn't die, you couldn't drown it or burn it without some kind of horrid, venomous gas-spewing retribution. And despite all attempts to destroy it, it merely called its brothers and cousins in as replacements. So, do you really want to belittle shag carpeting's true monstrousness?!! ha ha - even the Japanese gave in and used carpet remnants on a couple of their smog-monster type features. I hope your home-carpeting doesn't hear about your discussion. They talk. You know that, don't you? They have forums. "Threads" is what I think they're called. OK OK, I'm making that up. There's not a fiber of truth to any of this. But next time you hear creaks in the night, don't count on your blanket to be there for you to hide under. I think they're all in the same union.

BronxG, I can only criticize GIANT CLAW as the goofiest looking monster puppet in film history. Juxtapose that with his airplane and parachutist-gobbling activities - which was incredibly blood-thirsty for that time - and someone might find that 1957 sealed the fate of many extras and human models as more and more were stomped and chomped. KING KONG back in 1933 had a head-chomping scene and a stomp scene. Very cold-blooded, and I don't think we saw anything like that for decades. No wonder some people consider this a pre-code film. Twenty years and dozens of monster movies later, Harryhausen's BEAST FROM 20,000 FATHOMS (1953) had a head-biting sea monster dinosaur who really should have bought a roller-coaster ticket - it's no wonder he got in trouble. THEM (1954) lacked all of that - we did see a ribcage being rolled down a sand-pile, but all other bloodletting was done off-camera (and so well). THEM was also a series of giant-model puppets, but their scant and limited on-camera usage let us focus on their possibility instead of their obvious failings. Then, GIANT CLAW and BLACK SCORPION (both in 1957) had eating-the-victim scenes. Or at least a scorpion grabbing the random phone-lineman off his pole and stinging him (surely Glen Campbell wasn't singing about HIM, was he?). And CLAW was letting it's trap-door flop open, and then some puppeteer yanked it shut when the GI Joe doll was inside the mouth. GIANT CLAW gets a nod for the on-screen actors' attempts at serious dramatic turns. They REALLY try hard and I'm sure they'd have given up if they'd seen the goofiest monster ever - this is why I'd recommend this film for a viewing. One, at least.

"...the front cover showed..." Ah yes, always a great idea. Judge a book by the cover. And everyone knows movie posters are 100% accurate and always reflect exactly what the film is about.

I'm too much of a sucker for Margaret O'Brien to not find something fun in these films. I think she played the same character in all of them, right? A bit too learned for her age, a bit too naive for her street. As for Lansbury, I kept thinking, "She'd look really cute ina Queen Of Hearts costume, wouldn't she?" I don't know why George Murphy didn't do better in this role while John Payne and James Craig were so effective in theirs. Craig's cynical, sharp-edged character is just about perfect for him in LOST ANGEL, and Payne's MIRACLE ON 34TH attorney was perfectly sappy and upright TENTH AVE ANGEL won't beat those two, but here's another one I'd never seen and I'd watch it again.

Bugsy Malone Paper Moon I guess if CHINATOWN can fit, then BONNIE & CLYDE, DILLINGER, too?

And sometimes, sentiments are worth two posts! I too think Junior's donated time and discussion helped my appreciation for these films but a lot of them were just plain great anyway. However, his appearance made me start watching them, and after one or two, his post-film appearance ensured I'd stay to the end, even if the film didn't become a favorite. I've watched four of their recordings again and I liked all of them more upon re-watching which, to me, is the acid-test for a film I'll be watching more in the weeks to come.

Moira, thanks for the link and I enjoyed reading the exchanges. I wish I knew more about the pre-Codes but I'm just now learning.

I've always enjoyed it. Edward G. Robinson striking fear into all before him. Romy and Jack running around, painting mustaches on all the poster work, Dorothy Provine trying to understand it all. I'm disappointed this hasn't received much air-play, but I'm hoping for lits DVD release.

I remember seeing the sales figures on the colorized trash they claimed was the CASABLANCA film versus the B&W DVD sales at the same time, and I remain heartened that consumers don't buy the marketing hype claiming we're supposed to "prefer". I know younger audiences may be susceptible to this, but as they grow more educated, they'll discover B&W jewels like all of us have.

There were a number of her films I haven't liked so much, but seldom is she the cause - in fact, I think she shines even more in some of these with stories I don't like, or other characters I don't care for. I am glad TCM gave me the chance to see the richness of her musicality.

Yes, well, "that's the price we pay", ha ha... I mean, if women don't shun us and betray us, then they hang on and get in our way! Just think about how much fun Clyde could have had without that albatross Bonnie?!! He coulda been like John Dillinger! Oh wait... dead in a street shoot-out. Hmmm... seems like some guys ain't gonna make it anyway! I've been collecting quite a few Michael Gough films of late, including KONGA, but I think Whit Bissell should get my attention, too. He plays about the same character in all his films, usually smaller parts but always has an important role. HE WALKED BY NIGHT is one of those. And certainly these two TEENAGE films. Sounds like the start of another thread!

I'd love to hear her included in EVERY GIRL and WILL SUCCESS SPOIL showings.

In 2006 during Lauren Bacall's book signing tour, she was asked if there were ever recordings of her Hoagy Carmichael songs. "There were at the time, but they never made it past 1950," she said. I wish more of Hoagy's film songs were out there with the singers involved - especially Bacall. I think she had a great and distinctive voice, great for that smoky stuff.

Yes, Bissell was doing his best to be the American Michael Gough - and was quite capable, too. He was a fairly handsome actor, but was usually cast as the wronged or shunned male while the pretty woman had her eyes on a more handsome fellow. And we all know what Bissell and Gough would end up doing after that - teenaged monsters or giant simians running amok. And there was always a woman to blame! I wonder if Bissell and Gough were the first mayors of Margaritaville?