ValentineXavier
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Posts posted by ValentineXavier
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> {quote:title=clore wrote:}{quote}
> Possible candidates for the 2013 edition of "Essentials, Jr." include
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> MY DINNER WITH ANDRE
> SWIMMING TO CAMBODIA
> DEATH IN VENICE
> THE LEOPARD
> UNDER CAPRICORN
> ANATOMY OF A MURDER
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> Feel free to add other possibilities.
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*Little Big Man*
*The Taking of Pelham One Two Three* (1974)
*The Chocolate War*
*The Yellow Submarine*
*Sanjuro*
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A couple of years ago, TCM showed a lot of Mexican movies, about the Mexican revolution. They have shown a few other good Mexican films in the past, and an Aztec Mummy film or two. But, they could show a lot more! I'd love to see all the films Bunuel made in Mexico, and *Macario*, just for a start.
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I'm a fan of *The Fallen Sparrow*. Besides being a Garfield fan, I'm usually interested in films involving "pre-mature antifascists." That's the term that our US Gov. used when it refused to enlist any US citizen who had fought the fascists in the Spanish Civil War, even after we were at war with Germany.
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> {quote:title=MarlonFan wrote:}{quote}
> I gotta figure out a way to see "The Appaloosa" ... my local vid store does not have it. I don't get Encore or anything like that. Does TCM play it sometimes?
I don't believe they've ever played it, but I wish they would.
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> {quote:title=hlywdkjk wrote:}{quote}
> Can't believe he was able to stay "spotless" while painting.
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He must have used an airbrush.
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I want to see *The Umbrellas of Cherbourg* in 3D!
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Silly title. You have to be on wheels to be a Hell's Angel...
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I am also a Jane Wyatt/Wyman confusion sufferer. When I was about 10, I would confuse Peter Sellers with Phil Silvers. They even had the same initials. My still extant confusions:
Vince Edwards and Vic Morrow
Richard Benjamin and Charlie McCarthy
John Wayne and Marion Morrison
Charles Bickford and Asta
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I think we saw two different films. I see a finely woven tapestry, that makes a coherent whole. The special effects are no big deal, they just support the presentation of this near-future. The plot is really secondary. It serves only to drive the relentless question, infused into every scene of the film, "What does it mean to be human?"
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Yes, plasmas are getting scarce.
720p and 1080i are the broadcast standards of HDTV. ABC uses 720p, because a progressive signal has less artifacts with fast movement, like in sports.
1080p is scarce to non-existent on cable and satellite. It is available on BluRay.
HDMI, DVI, and component, all deliver a true HD signal.
It is true that a lot of people with HDTVs aren't seeing true HD, for lots of reasons, and cabling is one. But, any cable that can carry 480p can carry true HD, like 720p, 1080i and 1080p. It is composite and S-Video cables that can only carry SD, that is, 480i.
One thing that strikes me as odd, is this fascination with thinner, and thinner screens for large TVs. Most people don't mount them on the wall, they put them on a stand. Even if you do mount it on the wall, there is no real difference between 1.5" thick, and .75" thick. And, if you mount it on a stand, there is really no difference between a .75" thick TV, and a 60" DLP that is 8-10" thick. Now that we no longer have those hugely deep CRT sets that jutted awkwardly into the room, picture quality should rule, not a few inches, or less, of thickness. In PQ, power consumption, and durability, DLP sets win, hands down. And yet, some manufacturers have stopped making DLP sets, because the thin ones are so popular.
Edited by: ValentineXavier on Jun 3, 2012 1:59 AM
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Indeed - he used a Chinese mask, and costume...
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They also showed *Steel Helmet*, which is another good, realistic Sam Fuller film.
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> {quote:title=Anuska wrote:}{quote}I am in the market for a new TV but after watching TCM in some of my friends' new expensive TVs, I got scared. In a Samsung 3D TV, classic movies looked cheap (in my opinion). The characters seemed to be superimposed on a background and the effect did not improve the movie at all. Is this a problem only with the 3D TVs or is it a feature of newer TVs? Am I the only one who doesn't like the image quality? If some of you could advise me or recommend a good tv for classic movies, I would appreciate it. Thanks!
Mostly, you are going to see old classic movies in standard definition, not HD. There is a wide variation in how well sets reproduce SD signals. In general, plasma sets are notorious for having poor picture quality with SD sources. In general, DLP sets (Mitsubishi is one manufacturer) do very well with SD signals. LCD and LED sets, in general, fall somewhere in between. But, that is no absolute.
All HD sets will have to upscale the picture to their native resolution - 1080p for most DLP, possibly 1080i in others. Some upscale much better than others, regardless of the HD system used. If you do buy a set, and are displeased with the appearance of its SD presentation, you can see if your cable/satellite box has better upscaling. To do this, set the box's output to upscale to the native resolution of your TV. It just might look better then.
I have a 56" Samsung DLP, and TCM SD looks great on it. Unfortunately, Samsung no longer makes DLPTVs. So, when I have to buy a new one, it'll probably be a Mitsubishi. Fortunately, DLPs can be had for less $ than other sets, at that size.
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I don't know why we need to keep having so many threads about 'What is a classic film?' The answer is really very simple. A classic film is one that is heavy on the "class," but easy on the "ic." Unless, of course, it is a monster/horror film. Then, it may judiciously include more than a modicum of "ic."
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To put it simply, *Tobacco Road* is the most idiotic and insulting film I have ever seen, that was made by a good director, with a good cast. I find it's ridiculous representation of the people personally disgusting.
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Decent film, lousy Runt...
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MovieProf, it is abundantly clear, even after one viewing, that Deckard is a Replicant. He seems to realize it, as he is looking at his memory photos. Certainly Edward James Olmos realizes it. The real question is, does he really admit it to himself, after he realizes it? This is all part of the over-arching theme of What does it mean to be human?, that is crystallized in the dialog between Deckard and Batty, in Batty's death scene, including the quote below:
>*Batty:* I've seen things you people wouldn't believe. Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion. I watched C-beams glitter in the dark near the Tannhauser gate. All those moments will be lost in time... like tears in rain... Time to die.
Batty also calls Deckard "kin," making one wonder if Batty also knows that Deckard is a Replicant. I think he does. I can't consider this a "failed film," as you have pronounced it. I believe it is in the top 5 sci fi films of all time.
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> {quote:title=nikkipascoe wrote:}{quote}Hi all,
> I have a collection of DVD movies. Some are very old. I'm afraid that after years' abrasion, some of them won't be readable. How can I keep those DVD movies in a good condition?
The best thing is to make copies on high quality blank media right away, while they are still playable. This would mean either Taiyo Yuden, or Verbatim AZO blank DVDs. These are available at reasonable prices on line.
If some are already unreadable, due to surface abrasions, the best thing is to try restoring the surface, with a product like someone else recommended, then making copies.
As said earlier, *never* use any cleaners containing ammonia, and I'll add, chlorine, or abrasives. I sometimes use Sparkle Glass Cleaner, which has no chlorine or ammonia. It is a gentle glycol cleaner, and is safe for optical plastics which are NOT coated. You can spray just a little on a soft cloth, or lens cleaning tissue, and wipe off smudges with radial, not circular, strokes. I wouldn't try it on CDs, because they are coated with lacquer. DVDs are polycarbonate.
Care in handling and storage are very important. Others have given you good tips on that. I'll just add that I prefer the poly cases to the jewel cases. They are softer plastic, not brittle like jewel cases. They are more durable, and if you by the ones with clear plastic sleeves, they are much easier to put printed covers/labels in than the jewel cases.
Far and away the commonest cause of disc deterioration is the use of crummy media for recording the original. Memorex is well known to be awful stuff. Years ago, there were many brands that were fairly reliable. But now, most are really land-fill grade, except for the Taiyo Yuden and the Verbatim AZO series. The more common Verbatim "Life" series is unreliable junk.
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I'm a fan of *The Appaloosa* too. It shows up on Encore Western pretty regularly, but they show it in pan and scan. I haven't seen the LB version on TV in years, if ever. For a Brando western, I think *One-Eyed Jacks* is a better film, but I still like *The Appaloosa* a lot.
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> {quote:title=Dargo2 wrote:}{quote}Okay, okay. After readin' what you two guys are sayin' here, I THINK I've now got what a "Cult Movie" is.
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> Just one question though...
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> Does any movie starring Tom Cruise or John Travolta qualify???
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For me, a film with either of them in it would be a culled movie - culled out.
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I've seen it several times. It's an interesting film.
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I saw the man live a couple of times. He was a national treasure. Fortunately for us, we'll always have his music.
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> {quote:title=MarlonFan wrote:}{quote}.
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> How about "Don Juan DeMarco"...did anyone see that? did you like it? I did, lol.
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I didn't expect to like it, but I did. With Johnny Depp, and Brando in it, I had to watch it. It's fun, but not in the same ball park with Brando's best.
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Well, it's been decades since I saw *The Mole People*, and I don't remember it well. But, this, from the IMDb, makes it sound as if there could be some snow in it:
>A party of archaeologists discovers the remnants of a mutant 5000 year old Sumerian civilization living beneath a glacier atop a mountain in Mesopatamia.
AUGUST SCHEDULE IS UP!
in General Discussions
Posted
There are plenty of films I haven't seen that I am looking forward to. Most of all, there are a couple of Toshiro Mifune films I have never seen! I have seen The Samurai Trilogy, which is being shown that night. Still, look forward to watching all three films in a row, probably with a couple of friends, a few pizzas, and a few brews.