Kinokima

Speaking of Chaplin: The Great Dictator was just announced as a May title for Criterion. http://www.criterion.com/films/27605-the-great-dictator

TCM has not had a vast library at their disposal for some time so if they haven't added commercials at this point I highly doubt we should be all that concerned they will because of that reason. Edited by: Kinokima on Feb 14, 2011 5:23 PM

Well TCM does celebrate birthdays quite often. In March a whole month will be dedicated to Jean Harlow's centennial. And throughout the year films are scheduled for birthday tributes. But when someone just dies it makes sense for TCM to do a tribute as well. It's not emphasizing their death but celebrating the life they lived. However I just realized why they decided to make the tribute on May 23rd. That would have been Betty Garrett's 92nd birthday. So in this case they are doing a bit of both. Edited by: Kinokima on Feb 14, 2011 3:58 PM

Never say Never. Just got the following from Twitter: "TCM to honor the late #BettyGarrett on her birthday, 5/23. Seven-film tribute includes On the Town & My Sister Eileen. http://cot.ag/dFFmUC" But wow 5/23 is definitely a big jump

Seems a lot of my favorite celebrities had big egos. I can understand part of Kelly's ego but also Donen wanting to strike out on his own and he was certainly very capable on his own. From the interview with Kelly in 1978 I would expect there were no hard feelings between him and Donen if there ever were when their partnership ended. Speaking of Donen I would love for TCM to air his private screening again because I didn't get to see it. Here is a quote from that on their partnership Donen acknowledges that, although he and Kelly were close friends, the task of co-directing could be difficult: "Would you like somebody sitting behind you saying, 'Don't say that. No. Try it this way'? And you have to convince them. It's tough." Edited by: Kinokima on Feb 14, 2011 3:39 PM

Exactly I agree with you (well except for Star Trek and Star Wars being that special of a phenomena when it comes to creating a fandom) but as I pointed out before there is a big difference between dressing up in costume & dressing up as pertains to your regular wardrobe. I really don't see how Pretty Woman affected today's fashion all that much. If anything I think what Julia Roberts wore after she became more fashionable would be more popular than the clothes she wore in the early part of the movie. And I guess it is an unpopular opinion on here but I did enjoy that movie when I saw it (it's nowhere near a favorite though and I only saw it once). Edited by: Kinokima on Feb 14, 2011 2:33 PM

If they are going to do anything it won't be until next month because of 31 days of Oscars.

There is also a difference between dressing up in costume for a special event like a convention or Halloween and following the dress of a character for your regular wardrobe. In the sense of dressing up in costume Harry Potter is not atypical at all: Star Trek, Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, Anime, etc but I don't think you will see people dressed up as Wizard or Klingons on a regular basis. At least I hope not. LOL

From Japan besides the wonderful Studio Ghibli films which are must: Lupin the III Castle of Cagliostro directed by Miyazaki in 1979 before his Studio Ghibli days Millennium Actress directed by the late Satoshi Kon (actually any of his films are worthy but this is my personal favorite). Kon's films show animation is not just for kids. The Girl Who Leapt Through Time this is the best animated movie you have not seen. It came out in 2006 and is just incredibly charming. The one film that I think deserved to beat Pixar but it came to the US to late and wasn't eligible for the Academy Awards. More people need to see this movie. I know it's not old but if TCM ever did something dedicated to animation it would be great if they could play it. Not from Japan but as a kid I loved the following non Disney cartoons. The first one is especially a Classic. The Last Unicorn Land Before Time Secret of Nihm An American Tail Anastasia (historically inaccurate as it is)

Well maybe not 2,600 people but I certainly alert my friends when a good movie is on at a reasonable time (Prime Time). Most of my friends don't get TCM and only one that does really ever takes my advice so it's a bit of a losing battle. I did get my friend to watch Sunrise the other week. She told me she enjoyed it. I expect Battle of Algiers was a hard sell because it was on early in the morning.

I completely missed this before. So we lose someone else from the Golden Age of Hollywood. She lived a long life but it's still pretty sad. May she Rest in Peace!

Hey I never saw the film so I can't say but reviews from critics and viewers seem to disagree with you about the plot: This is the tagline for the movie on Rotten Tomatoes: Though Steven Soderbergh succeeds in emulating the glossy look of 1940s noirs, The Good German ultimately ends up as a self-conscious exercise in style that forgets to develop compelling characters. I have no problem with new movies but one that gets a 32% on RT and a 6.1 on IMDB doesn't really seem worth seeing to me. Also I have seen plenty of movies based on books where the book is great but the movie is anything but.

I read an interview with Kelly from 1978 and he had nothing but kind words to say about Donen and what a good team they were together. Kelly said by the time they did It's Always Fair Weather they just became so used to each other that they no longer needed each other.

Well I probably should not judge the film without seeing it myself but it actually doesn't have good reviews regardless if it got a theatrical release. The common consensus seems to be it does have a nice old movie style but it has a paper thin plot. 6.1 on IMDB 2.8 on Netflix 32% on Rotten Tomatoes I am actually surprised I never even heard of this film until this thread.

There is such a thing as Classic Literature (which is different from the Greek & Roman Classics). I have usually seen it used for Literature from the 19th Century and prior. However there is also the term Modern Classics for Literature. There is something called Classical Hollywood Cinema. However TCM has made it clear from their mission statement this is not the only type of film they plan to show and this is true from the beginning of channel. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Classical_Hollywood_cinema However I still feel the general definition of Classic "exemplary of its kind" is way too general because anything can be a Classic depending on an individual's taste. But that's just me. edit: I also think there is a difference between calling something a classic and talking about Classic Film. Edited by: Kinokima on Feb 13, 2011 11:07 AM

Well there is a difference between "Classical" and "Classic". Sometimes they are used interchangeably and that is probably what the issue with definitions is. Classical always refers to a specific time period. Classic often refers to something of lasting worth or a prime example of something.

I agree James. First of all I *do not* have a problem with TCM or what TCM schedules. I am fine with the sprinkling of a "new classic" from time to time if it fits a specific theme as long as the films are predominately pre-1970 and the older the better. And what I mean by theme is this month is Oscar month so I do understand why there are new movies on. I even plan to watch some. For example I never saw Silence of the Lambs and well this seems a better time than any to watch it. However if I am going to be quite frank TCM's definition of Classic is way to broad. Now I understand there are many definitions of Classic but what TCM is basically saying is it can be anything but in a sense that means the term means nothing in the end. When I tell my friends I love Classic Movies.....I do mean old movies from a specific time period. However it isn't such a big deal to me that I disagree with TCM's definition of the word Classic because 99% of the time I am quite happy with TCM (whatever their definition of Classic is). I think it is the best channel on cable by far. In the future though I wouldn't want to see the majority of films on TCM be "new Classics" because that definition also fits TCM's definition. That would not be a good thing for me and I have seen it happen on too many other channels which used to play mainly Classic (as in old things) but now schedule just the opposite. But then that's the future and I say I am going to enjoy the channel now which I do think is doing a great job. I am not going to get bent over shape over a definition or over a possibility of the future. Edited by: Kinokima on Feb 12, 2011 3:57 PM

So thanks to Netflix I watched Fury for the 1st time tonight and overall I enjoyed it. Although I do agree with Lang that it would have been a better film if Tracey's character had actually been guilty which is why +M+ is not just a good film but a brilliant film. Anyways after watching it I checked the special features and saw there was a commentary track with Bogdanovich & Lang himself. What a treat! Needless to say I ended up watching the film twice in one night. I wish there was more of Lang on the commentary but what there was made me smile. I think Bogdanovich for his part did a good commentary but I have mixed feelings about him sharing some of his personal feelings for Lang. Although I thought he was fair about Lang's career & the film. As for all the things about Lang being difficult. It's not that I don't believe them in fact it almost makes me like him more. He seems to be such a colorful character. I would have so loved to have a chance to talk with him. I guess hearing his voice on a commentary is the next best thing.

I'm a rabid Keaton fan and Chaplin still makes me laugh. I love them both! Comedy is very subjective of course but the idea that Chaplin isn't funny to anyone anymore is just plain ridiculous.

Perhaps there was a misunderstanding. A day of African American themed Oscar films would probably be feasible but I thought you meant more than a day. That might not be possible, especially not every year. As I said below the Oscar month does have themes but these themes do change every year so we aren't seeing the exact same nominated films every year (I suppose we probably see many of the same Best Picture winners though).

somehow the same cannot be programmed to spotlight African-american themed films with Oscar nominations and/or wins. I am sorry but no one ever said this on that thread. However you point out themes like Jack Nicholson and Greer Garson. These themes *change every year*. So even if they did a themed day for African American Oscar nominated films one year they probably would not do this every year. No matter what month TCM does the 31 Days of Oscars (March or February) I am sure someone would be unhappy that something else is not being celebrated that month on TCM.

While I guess it is something that they wanted to pay homage to the old movie style if those screen shots are anything to go by (especially the sewer one) they definitely did not know what they were doing. I miss the really great black & white photography we had in films like the Third Man. I guess we will never get that back.

On live journal someone posted some gorgeous screen shots that I had to share. http://breakattiffanys.livejournal.com/75030.html

So I am not the only one who loves Anchors Aweigh? I am glad I am not alone. It's actually my favorite of the 3 Kelly/Sinatra films. It might be somewhat of a guilty pleasure but I just find it so darn sweet. The love story between Clarence and the girl from Brooklyn gets me every time and is my favorite part of the movie (well that and Sinatra's crooning). I don't know there is just something about a shy awkward Sinatra that amuses me (in a good way) greatly.

So that is why Caught is on the schedule for March. I don't know who Lee Tsiantis is but I am very thankful to him/her. The employee picks range from the well known to the more obscure. It was very similar with the Critics picks a few months ago. Overall I think it is a good range of films.