Capuchin

> {quote:title=LonesomePolecat wrote:}{quote} > I watched the Hidden Fortress and I loved it! Why haven't I seen this before? Thank you, TCM! Now you know why I'm always raving about Kurosawa and Mifune. If you haven't seen them before, I very highly recommend you watch Yojimbo and Kagemusha. I think you'll be very pleasantly surprised.

> {quote:title=lupinofan wrote:}{quote} > i really was upset with how the collector ended. I know how you feel. I'm not a great fan of hers, but her performances are always excellent so I thought I'd check out *The Collector,* which I hadn't seen before. I'm glad they didn't just tack on a cheesy ending to give everyone the warm-and-fuzzies, but I was really disappointed that the writers didn't find a better way out of the corner they'd written themselves into. (Basing a film on a novel never stopped a screenwriter or director from coming up with a good ending.) So it's another plus one for *SE* (she's great), but raspberries all around for the 'creative' staff for creating this clunker.

And for those not watching it, the score is 117 to 2.

> {quote:title=audreyforever wrote:}{quote} > Nice picks, but personally I would include the prime time film tonight, The Lady Eve. Seconded. And thirded, if necessary. *The Lady Eve* has one of the greatest scenes ever -- when they're on the train and she's "confessing" -- absobloodybrilliant!

The sea discovered by Count Saknussem?

This may sound like sacrilege, but I always thought *Sanjuro* is one of his weakest films. The first time I saw it, I came in a few minutes after it began and didn't know what I was watching. My impression was that it was made by someone trying very hard to imitate Kurosawa but wasn't quite hitting the mark. I couldn't articulate exactly what I found 'off,' and it's been so many years I wouldn't venture a guess now. Maybe when I see it again, it'll either click for me or I'll be able to home in on what bugged me about it.

> {quote:title=HollywoodGolightly wrote:}{quote} > > {quote:title=LoveFilmNoir wrote:}{quote} > > Edward Everett Horton has a birthday tribute during the day on the 18th. > > I admit I am not very familiar with him You might possibly, without realizing it, be familiar with his voice -- he narrated "Fractured Fairy Tales" on the Rocky & Bullwinkle show. Or you might have seen him as Roaring Chicken in the tv show *F Troop.* I love the fact that they're highlighting him! In Programmer's Challenge #13 (May(?) of last year) I gave him a whole day. The real TCM programmers have seen fit to only show two of the films (out of 8) that I picked -- *The Body Disappears* and *I Married an Angel* but they're definitely two of his best. It's going to be a grand day!

I'm recording them all. In fact, I'm set up to capture them on two recorders at the same time just to make sure nothing can go wrong on my end. My favorite is *The Hidden Fortress.* I think too many people dismiss it because of its comedic overtones, but I think that's what makes it special. Any time you have a very serious director handling light-hearted scenes, it's a real glimpse into their methods and power. (Hitchcock's *The Trouble with Harry* and *Mr. and Mrs. Smith* also come to mind.) When introducing someone to Kurosawa, I always show them *The Hidden Fortress* first and then *Throne of Blood* -- I think those two show his real range. (I have to admit I'm not a great fan of his more contemporary films, but they're still better than 96% of what's out there.)

1st -- Toshiro Mifune (if you're unfamilar with his work, tune in *The Hidden Fortress* this evening)

> {quote:title=patful wrote:}{quote} > I do get an eerie feeling that the birds and squirrels are plotting to kill me when their morning feeding is an hour early. The squirrels around here wouldn't mind getting fed an hour early. In the fall, however, they're real testy about how 'late' I suddenly become (#1462 on my to-do list -- teach the furry little beasties to read a clock). DST is inane in all its incarnations. The only businesses for which daylight is essential are construction, agriculture, etc., and they set their own hours irrespective of what everyone else is doing. Want to go to work in the dark so you have extra daylight when you get off, or vice-versa, want to be able to see to drive to work and do your outdoors stuff at dusk? Simple: ask your employer to establish flex-time and/or change their hours. Since no single start/end time is going to make everyone happy, progressive companies often split or stagger working hours. DST was designed so the lowest common demoninator, the most mundane people, are the least unhappy. Intelligent people are expected to be flexible enough to cope with the absurdity. If I were in charge of everything (a prospect that should make you quake in your boots), I'd probably go with either the US as one time zone (if it's good enough for China, which is much larger, we should be able to make it work) *or* I'd abolish time zones altogether (they're a carry-over from the age of railroading) and every clock and watch in the country would be equipped with GPS so it can determine the exact local time.

Little known fact: No Irishman is ever drunk as long as he can hold onto one blade of grass to keep from falling off the face of the Earth.

AHA! I finally figured it out! The reason the May schedule was 'late' was they wanted to distract people from the usual rants -- repeats, newer movies, etc., ad infinitum, ad nauseam. Well, done, TCM for giving the nitwits some other nit to pick! As I suspected, the May schedule is good (as always), but the only films I'm at all interested in watching are: Angels Alley (1948) The Fortune Cookie Mr. Lucky (1943) Anna Christie (German) (1930) Smart Woman (1931) Woman Against Woman (1938) There's Always a Woman (1938) Midnight (1939) Green Mansions (1959) The Fountainhead (1949) Zaat (1972) Jewel Robbery (1932) Becket (1964) The Son-Daughter (1932) Murder In The Private Car (1934) The Happy Road (1957) The Thomas Crown Affair (1968) Brother Orchid (1940) The Blue Gardenia (1953) I Love a Mystery (1945) The Goodbye Girl (1977) When Ladies Meet (1941) Idiot's Delight (1939) One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest (1975) Bell, Book and Candle (1959) The Divorcee (1930) Hide-Out (1934) The Last Of Mrs. Cheyney (1937) Lady In The Lake (1947) Kind Hearts and Coronets (1949) The Ladykillers (1955) On Borrowed Time (1939) Double Wedding (1937) A Kid For Two Farthings (1956) Dangerous Blondes (1943) The Heavenly Body (1943) Command Decision (1948) Stalag 17 (1953) The Great Escape (1963) King Rat (1965) Battle Of The Bulge (1965) Mister Roberts (1955)

Forgive me for being out-of-step, but I love the fact that's it's "late." Usually, when a new schedule comes out, there might be one or two movies that excite me. The rest of the good ones I've either seen recently or their appearance in the schedule reminds me that I've haven't watched it lately and so I pop in the DVD. (This month is a very rare exception -- *Kurosawa* !! !! !! !! !! !!) If May's schedule had been 'on time,' it surely would have been anti-climatic. Seeing all the people here running around like chickens with their heads cut off has been far more amusing.

At some point early this morning (I foget what time it was), if you clicked on "Full Schedule" and then picked the "View and Print: month after" a schedule came up. My heart leapt! But then I noticed that it was the April schedule, the same that came up if you chose "View and Print: next month." Although I've never seen what I'd call a 'bad' schedule on TCM, I'm not getting my hopes up -- the reason for the delay may be a technical glitch: they phoned in it and the answering machine's tape was full.

> So you think all those gratuitous bare leg shots in Gold Diggers of 1933 are simply there for the artistic value? I may not know art, but I know what I like. >Gold Diggers of 1933 and 42nd Street are both contrived claptrap, with some of the most overused plot devices around. (And I'd bet the plot devices were already tired back in 1933.) Yet they're still good movies, and a heck of a lot of fun. It's my understanding that the plot of 42nd Street was fresh and new -- it seems trite now, but that's only because it's been repeated so many time. Offhand, I don't recall the plot of GDo'33, but considering how early it is, it was quite possibly also a groundbreaker. Even if they were both 'contrived' by putting old ideas in new garb, neither one is claptrap -- the casting was good, the performances are solid, and the entertainment went far above cheap melodrama.

Yey because it being in the listing will attract people who don't usually tune in to TCM and who may then stick around to watch the good movies. Nay because it's contrived claptrap appealing to the lowest common denominator.

I suggest you record it, if possible. This is one of those rare films that works on so many levels and has so many layers you're bound to find something new every time you watch it. I suspect the main reason it's a sleeper is that the deeper implications take time to sink in, which is contrary to filmdom's usual fast-fluff formula.

On second thought, for an attorney, rather than a lawyer, it might be best to pick Dumbledore (he represented Harry Potter at a hearing in one of the movies). Who would vote to convict someone whose attorney can change the whole jury into newts? (even if they might get better)

Isn't "crooked lawyer" a redundancy?

As much as I like Warren William, I'd have to pick Ricardo Cortez's Perry Mason. I have to pass on Laughton -- he was too easily fooled by a floozie.

Gregory Peck's role in *Roman Holiday* was not typical.

The Code allowed rustlers, gansters, and German socialists to be gunned down by the hundreds because it was justice, not violence. The oaters were morality plays -- wear a white hat (be good) and everyone will like you, wear a black hat (be bad) and people will cheer your demise. (The fact that you had to hide in a crummy shack while the good guys lived in bright, clean homes reinforced the benefits of being moral.) It's 'violence' only when a nice person gets hurt.

(Sorry to come back into this so late, but life is what happens when you're making other plans.) Congratulations Movieman! The voting was close, but you had a fair win with a great schedule. Thanks again to lzcutter for running a great challenge. And thanks for the three who voted for me, although only one was willing to go public. I have to wonder if any of the TCM staff votes on these challenges. Obviously they'd vote by private message, and they wouldn't want their participation known, so it would be violating a confidence for anyone to say whether they vote even if they don't say who they voted for . . . hmmm . . . I guess I'll just have to keep wondering.

The most important thing first: lzcutter set and ran a great challenge! Congratulations! Thanks to tcmprogrammr for the comment in the original thread. I know they weren't talking about me, but any sign of encouragement is very heartening. All the schedules are really amazing. The highlights (for me): Filmlover -- England to France, especially *Those Magnificent Men . . .* and *Umbrellas of Cherbourg,* and Bardot as SOTM. audreyforever -- Food for Thought and Ann Sothern's Maisie movies. Fedya -- your various takes on the overall drug theme. Very funny! countessdelave -- Graham Kerr as guest (I'm a great fan), Ghost Writers, and WWWWednesday! LonesomePolecat -- Mickey's **** is loaded with great movies. The Henson and Miyazaki movies are wonderful. kingrat -- The way you twisted the mother's theme around was fantastic. Jennifer Jones as SOTM would always be good. Right now, it is especially touching. movieman1957 -- Stan and Ollie as SOTM! Gamblers Synonymous is great. The tribute to Yakima Canutt is long overdue. Capuchin -- It's not just Nutrition and The Other Other White Meat are mean turns of the challenge theme. Fredmill38 -- I May Be Poor and Let's Hear It for the Free-Thinkers are wonderful themes. Celeste Holm and Tyrone Power blocks are great. As I suspected when I first saw it, I have to vote for SansFin's. What I particularly liked -- Telling a Relationship Through Titles. I don't remember seeing that kind of theme before. The Classic Clothes day, especially the trio of invisible movies. *The Great Race* has the best ever pie fight, and *Blazing Saddles* set a new standard in culinary combat. The Dining Out and Dining In sections -- *When Harry Met Sally* and *The Gold Rush,* still make me laugh. Blessed are the Sweetmakers and Seems Fishy topped off a great day. What really made it for me were the movies I've long wished TCM would show -- *The List of Adrian Messenger* *The Play House* *We're No Angels* *A Tale of Five Cities* *Blood Alley* *Laura* *If I Were King* and many, many others. I'm not sure you understood the concept behind the Underground, but *Mole / Tkhunela* is a great movie, and it's all good if it led to your showing *The Taming of the Shrew.* So -- everyone had a great schedule, and it was terribly hard to pick just one, but I had to go with the one that made me really, really, really wish it were a real week's programming. (Now I have to wait in fear about Filmlover is going to do for a cover for mine.)

Yeah, sigh!, Brunette was on. I just now thought of something to check -- when TCM posted the January schedule last October, it had *RtHK* instead of *MFB* I guess this was one of those "we wanted it but there was a last minute rights problem" things, so they changed it somewhen between the time they thought they had the schedule finished and when they had RO do the intros. It irks me a bit because there was something else I wanted to do this evening instead of recording the 'Road' movies, but a chance to get six of the seven was too good to pass up. Having only five of them doesn't quite cut it. Oh, well.