markfp2
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Posts posted by markfp2
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Thanks very much for the info, markfp2. I channel surf fairly often, but somehow this passed me by, or I passed it by, or something like that!
My father also served in WWII, in the Army Air Corps.
The way the networks change their names and programing it's a wonder that anybody can figure what they are all about and it's easy to skip over one called H2. Now that you've found it, I hope you enjoy it like I usually do.
My dad was in the Air Corp. during WWII, based in England. He was a gunner on a bomber. Like many others who went through that he'd never talk about it so I can only imagine horrible it must have been for, not only, him but for all the crews.
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This may be that theater. This was the old Loew's State Theater -
same address: 362 S. Salina St., Syracuse.
It's a shame they are touting the "Classical Films" aspect and showing digital.
That's the Landmark Theater I was talking about. I'm rather torn about this series. The theater is an almost 3000 seat, Thomas Lamb designed, showplace which has undergone millions in restoration, but for several years was managed by people who wanted nothing to do with film and were only interested in live shows. As a result, the projection equipment was left in disrepair and I'm not even sure it can be used again or for that matter is still there.
Today, there's new management which, at least occasionally, wants to remind folks of the theater's film heritage by showing classic movies. I wish they would show them in 35mm, but that just can't happen. So I want to support them, if for no other reason than they are at least showing movies, and since I understand that the theater is renting first-class digital projection equipment for the series I'll give it a try and hope for the best.
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I guess for me the thing about digital projection is how well it's done in any individual theater. I've seen really great digital screenings in area first-run theaters and also a dreadful showing of the of WIZARD OF OZ at a local second-run house. Of course, the same can be said for film, there were always theaters that had bigger screens and brighter and sharper pictures than others.
Having worked professionally with film, in one way or another, for most of my life I will always have a special respect for it. I have nothing but praise and support for venues like the Capitol Theater in Rome that try to continue to show movies, like they was meant to be shown, in 35mm. But like I pointed out, in the near future, all the studios will cease releasing film and when the last of the existing 35mm prints wear out that will be the end of it.
That warning hasn't fallen on deaf ears as classic theaters across the country scramble to add digital projection. Even the Capitol Theater, which pledges to continue to show 35mm as long as it's available, has obtained funding and is planning to install digital this summer.
Some die-hard film buffs simply refuse to see classics that are not shown on film, as is there choice. The way I see it is that, like it or not, digital is here to stay and someday, maybe sooner than we want to admit, will be the only way to see classic movies on big theater screens. So despite my love of 35mm, I'd rather have the chance to see them, in whatever format is used, than not see them at all.
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But is it seen as a slight against Vietnam War veterans...?
Well, some might see it that way, but I doubt it was deliberate. if they can't get the flms, they can't get the films.
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Are they showing them in 35mm? There's a huge former Loews theater, also now called The Landmark, in Syracuse NY doing a big classics series starting later this month, but everything is digital.
If those Bellingham films are 35mm consider yourself very lucky as most of the studios have stopped releasing film prints. Paramount stopped making all film prints near the end of last year so if WAR OF THE WORLDS, SHANE or any other Paramount title is running in 35mm it's probably an older print and when it wears out that's it.
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I agree.
Today I just discovered a channel on DirecTV, H2, airing D-Day and WWII documentaries tonight through the early hours.
H2 use to be called History Channel 2 and DirecTV has carried it for several years.
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I think TCM did a good job over Memorial Day weekend and since almost every other network was doing D-Day programming for June 6th, I can't find fault in them doing alternative programming. Besides, if I wanted to remember the heros of WWII and I did because my Dad was one of them, I'd much rather remember them by watching something like the History Channel that uses actual combat footage which shows the real horror of what they went through instead of the make believe and santized Hollywood version of war.
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I know there aren't many Vietnam movies, but it seems that every time TCM does a military themed event, it is almost exclusively World War II movies. They did have a 100th anniversary of the start of WW I. For example, this past Memorial Day.
How about a better mix of movies from each war?
I suspect that it isn't a deliberate slight against Vietnam War movies, but simply the fact that being relatively newer films there's more interest in them from other networks. So, as a result, TCM has to bid against them for the rights. As we've often seen before, the networks that show commercials every ten minutes and hack movies to pieces to fit in those commercials often have far deeper pockets than TCM. It's sad but true.
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I love that old George Pal chestnut but is that the best print they can find? The color looks faded. I don't care how dated it is it deserves a better print to be shown.
I'm beginning to think that the print (probably 16mm) that was used to make TCM's digital copy is the only one left. I checked the DVD that I bought some years ago and it looks like the same one. I've seen other copies over the years, but none of them are any better than than this one. For years, and independent distributor owned the rights to DESTINATION MOON along with, among other films, another 1950's sci-fi classic INVADERS FROM MARS and neither have been restored or released in a better version which makes me think that there isn't any better original film elements out there.
I have fond memories of DESTINATION MOON. I was a small kid when it came out and seeing that in color just blew my mind. Sure, by today's standards is kind of primative, but back than it was spectacular.
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Both of my DVDRs are Pios. That variable bitrate is wonderful. Too bad they are no longer made.
I've heard great things about Pioneer recorders, but around here they were only available through high-end specialty electronic stores at prices above my budget. My favorite is Panasonic which also featured a variable bitrate but is no longer made. I had two, but one died so I'm really using the surviving one as little as possible just in cases where I really need the variable record feature.
To replace the dead one I bought a Magnavox that, in addition to the standard record modes,has 2.5 and 3 hour settings which helps make up for losing one of the Panasonics. Actually, I liked it enough, and it was cheap enough, I bought a second one as a spare in case my other Pannie goes. I also have a couple of Toshiba recorders, which I like, but they only have the standard 2-4-6 hour record modes.
It certainly looks to me like it's getting harder to find recorders in stores anymore. Neither the local Wal-Mart or Target has them and last time I checked, Best Buy said they did carry them but never seem to have any in stock. The last couple I got came from Amazon.
Interestingly, regardless of brand, most of them are indeed made by the same company, Funai Electronics. The company owns dozens of trademarks for brands like Magnavox, Sylvania, RCA, GE, Emerson and manufactures them under license for Philips and Toshiba.
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Well, now the DVR is full, and there doesn't seem to be any way I can transfer them to DVD, or record directly from TCM to DVD;
I've been with DirecTV for about 15 years and make DVD copies all the time. PM me and tell me what model DVR you have and I'll see if I can solve your problem. If you don't know what the model is, just open the little door in the front were that plastic authorization card goes and you should see a label with it on it. Should be something like HR-34-200 depending on the model.
I think I have about 2500 DVDs mostly recorded from TCM and counting those with multiple movies on them probably have well over 3000 movies. I can't possibly watch all of them so I guess I'm more of a collector than anything else. I always told myself that I'd watch them all when I retired, but I retired several years ago and not only can't I watch all of them, I keep recording more.
A few days ago, I heard that a long-time movie collector friend of mine had passed away. I commented to my (non-film buff) wife that I wondered what was going to happen to all his stuff. She said that his wife has probably been waiting for years to clean out the basement. Then with a twinkle in her eye (I think) said that when I go she was calling the dumpster guy first and then the undertaker.
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It's an interesting thread, but everybody should keep in mind that since TCM doesn't own any of the films it shows and must lease them from other companies, it has no control over what gets released on DVD. Even those that carries TCM brand on the packaging and are promoted on the channel are simply a product of a marketing arrangement with the studio that actually releases the DVD.
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The studios have learned that people do that. Many new DVDs do not allow it. We have a Disney-made DVD which goes all the way back to the first splash screen and begins again if you press any button during a preview.
A lot of the DVDs from Netflix and other rental services like Redbox are specific rental versions which not only contain "forced"' previews which can't be skipped but lack extras that are on the regular versions. Many times these are the only versions the studios will allow them to use. Quite often, it will say right on the disc that's it's a rental version.
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It's always interesting in Westerns how everyone is so clean. The women's hair is always perfectly coiffed and the men always seem to have the latest contemporary hair styles (contemporary to the time the film was made) all perfectly styled. Clothes are always clean, no holes or stains. Everyone has beautiful teeth, despite how much tobacco chewing and general lack of hygiene there probably was during the settlement of the West.
That's always been a pet peeve of mine, especially with TV westerns. Look at just about any episode of WAGON TRAIN and not only is everyone clean but also wearing clothes with the creases still in them. The historical facts are that folks on wagon trains often didn't bath or wash thier clothes for weeks at a time and when they did they certainly didn't pull out an ironing board and press those duds.
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Not being a "techie," I would think that it's as easy as pushing a button to correct the problem? The question is, who pushes the button, or makes the audio correction? TCM or Cox Communications? And, if so, why isn't there an easier way to get around all the "red tape" of just reporting such a "simple" matter.
If a problem were at TCM's end it would affect every single one of us and that rarely happens. It's far too complicated to explain, but definately isn't "a simple matter" and does involves more than just pushing a button to correct.
You say it never happens on any other channel, but that probably isn't really the case. It just doesn't happen on the particular channel you're watching during the time you're actually watching it. It may very well happen and you just have never seen it. I get my programming from DirecTV and every now and then will stumble across a channel which has the audio out of sync.
Most cable companies will never admit the trouble is with them and will always blame the channel whether it's TCM or another.
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I've seen it panned-and-scanned. Horrifying. During the buffalo stampede, the two lines marking the edges of the screens slide back and forth often enough to make you seasick.
I agree. I don't like the whole idea of P&S, but depending on how the original film was framed and how much care was used in the reformatting process, there are some that I can at least sit through without too much complaining, but HOW THE WEST WAS WON sure isn't one of them.
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I personally like HOW THE WEST WAS WON in the smilebox format, but most folks have never experienced the very deeply curved Cinerama screen in a theater and don't understand the reasoning behind the look of it so I can see why TCM shows both versions. It could be a lot worse. I happened to run across it on one of the other movie channels not long ago and they were showing it in pan and scan.
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Try looking at the classic film publication CLASSIC IMAGES that's been publishing for over 50 years, it's loaded with ads for that kind of material. If you've never been a subscriber, they'll even send you a sample copy. Their address is http://classicimages.com
It has some great article too.
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TCM has run it before, but not lately. Perhaps since it's running on another channel they no longer have the rights to it.
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I've found that while movies can get worse, they never get better.
It's true that movies don't change over ther years, but I've found that I certainly have. There are many films I remember hating, first time around,, but then years later, I'll catch them again on TCM or at a film society screening and will end up loving. Of course, it works both ways. There are those I fondly remember as a kid and then after seeing again for the first time in forty years will end up saying to myself "WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?".
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It was confusing. I think the first day I registered 3x because of that prompt.
It was confusing. It took me two days and the help of a moderator to get things working. Looking back, a big part of my problem was the prompt to re-register.
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I understand that one needs to get copyright permission but I wonder how much control this permission allows.
For example; Say I'm a producer of the play and I wish to use 8 songs from the play and I'm granted copyright permission for these 8 songs. I decided to do the 8 songs in the style of rap music. Can the copyright permission be revoked?
Well, you're only getting a license to use the copyrighted material so yes the copyright owners can, and often do, put restrictions on how the material can be used. For example, if your local community theater wants to do a production of say "Phantom Of The Opera", the agreement with Andrew Lloyd Webber's company may have restrictions against cutting out any songs or making major changes to the story or music. Not to say it would be impossible to get permission for changes, but I think it would all have to be negotiated ahead of time before the contract was signed.
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I think that often the problem with movie versions of well-known books, was censorship. Now, I'not talking about "dirty" books, but those that dealt with mature themes. The studios would buy the rights, but then water the story down so not to attract the wrath of the production code, the Catholic Legion of Decency or local censors. One of my favorite books is Betty Smith's "A Tree Grows In Brooklyn", and Elia Kazan certainly did a great job with the movie version, but anyone who's read the book knows that there were deletions and changes. The example of "Huckleberry Finn" is another one, I don't think anyone has ever made a film version that was true to the book, because it deals with racial issues.
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I like to think once the word filter is worked out we will all look back at this thread and have a good laugh!
I'm already having a good chuckle over it. The filter system seems to be designed for today's world and not that of old movies when commonly used words often had different meanings. It will all work out eventually.
The Godfather I and II
in General Discussions
Posted
That's true. A very brief window of availability (I've heard it could have been as little as a week) developed between when one network lost the rights and another picked them up and TCM jumped on it. Bravo, TCM! That's one of those cases where making a last minute schedule change was the best thing to do.
Of course now, TCM doesn't have a chance to get them anytime soon because AMC has the exclusive rights for the next 200 years. Okay, it was really only nine or ten years, with renewel options, but for those of us who want to see them back on TCM, uncut and commercial-free, it's going to feel like 200 years.