JamesJazGuitar
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Posts posted by JamesJazGuitar
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I have Gene Tierney's autobiography and it supports what you say about Bogart helping her out and being very kind. Sadly Gene still had a nervous breakdown anyhow.
As for Key Largo, yea, Bogie and Eddie got along great on that film but Bogie did admit it was about time he got the upper hand on Eddie. Eddie had killed him on screen so many times that Bogie said he did relish evening the score at the end of Key Largo.
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But it is a conspiracy! The Academy scheduled the award show in February just so TCM would have an excuse to ignore Reagan.
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While I don't agree Reagan is close to being 'one of the greatest men of our century" I do agree TCM should celebrate his birthday.
He was in enough high quality movies to justify that and even if one disagrees with his politics, he was President of the USA. If Lansbury gets a month, Reagan deserves at least a day.
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To me this thread is just another rant from people that expect something for nothing. They want other people to spend their money to create content that will NOT make a profit or even worst lose a lot of money.
As I always do I tie this to jazz. Even here in So Cal, where many of the jazz musicians live, there are very few jazz clubs. Why? Because they cannot afford to survive. I cannot be upset that a jazz club closes because it is going broke. My friends and I have started house concerts. We get about 30 - 40 people willing to 'donate' $25 and we turn all of the money over to the musicians. We feel this is a win-win between the musicians and us (some great jazz musicians here in So Cal barely make a living with the older ones only living on SS).
I don't watch reality TV but those shows have fans. I say don't knock the media outlets, but instead the dumbing down of our culture. (of course I wouldn't say soap operas are anymore sophisticated than Jersey Shores, which makes this thread all the more funny!).
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What?? That group has no talent!
The guys and I that play rock together play a few of their songs. The songs are realy easy, folk rock type, 3 - 4 chord songs. But singing all the parts is very difficult. We need a gal to sing the Roy parts (or one of us needs an operation!).
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Well even Rage Against the Machine moved towards being part of the machine when they started making more and more money. Oh those dirty capitalist!
As for the Who Sells Out. I also liked some of the songs but I wouldn't say the cover was one of my favorites, but it was innovative since it was moving Rock in the concept album direction (toped by Tommy as others have noted).
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Yes, thanks for this info. We all wish to see TCM remain commercial free but at the same time understand that providing the service cost money.
Also since TCM charge to cable companies and the like (directTV), is 'low' maybe companies like Comcast are taking advantage of that if they move TCM to a higher cost tier. (an issue being debated at another thread).
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Do you think budget concerns might have something to do with the differences between the two movies in terms of quality? (in addition to Whale 'growing' on the job).
For example, the first Thin Man movie sometimes looks like it was done on the cheap. The second one looks to me like it was done under a larger budget. I'm NOT commenting on the quality of the storyline but just the 'look and feel' of the movie.
In both cases the studio knew they had a hit and put more money into production.
As for the Maria scene in Frankenstein; to me that is a key scene of the movie. I don't see how anyone could feel otherwise. We see that the monster is also just a child (Ok, one that needs a serious timeout!).
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I read both of your post and I agree with your take on the PC topic.
While I believe all content should be shown, based on what I have read here at this site over the years it is clear that those that cry about the world being too PC and the same ones that cry when TCM does shown certain films with what they would describe as a PC host. The Race in Hollywood threads have the evidence. Some people just wish to be angry.
As you also noted then there is all the false equivalencies. It is like they have never seen movies like Mississippi Burning, Brokeback Mountain etc....
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One of my favorite lines was said last night in My Favorite Year; I'm not an actor I'm a movie star!
By Allan Swain (playing an Errol Flynn type on live TV), when he finds out that the show is live and there will not be any takes.
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She was good in Westward the Women (a very good movie and a unique western). I was surprised she got star billing right up there with Robert Taylor. I can't see her helping sell more tickets since I assume American audiances didn't know her.
Maybe the studio felt they had another Simone Simon.
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The L.A. Times has a story today related to the Natalie investigation. Bottom line; Nothing new was found,, time to move on.
Natalie rest in peace.
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I would of been willing to show Olivia how to play the guitar. I wouldn't even charge for the lessons.
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I would agree that TCM and classic films go hand in hand but I don't think many people here in the USA are really interested in classic films. I admit I don't have any specific stats to back up my view but as I noted I have yet to see anyone with any data either.
The fact that TW hasn't messed with the TCM format is telling. To me this means that either TCM is in the black or at least NOT in the red enough for TW to be concerned. Either way I wish I could review their books. Classic movies are a very limited market and I just wonder how their business model works and is able to stay afloat. I assume the cost to licence a lot of movies is fairly inexpensive since cost is typically bases on demand, and demand is relatively low.
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Well it is too bad Bill Gates isn't a big fan of classic movies. He could underwrite the entire process.
But really where should the money come from. One cannot expect the Feds to pony up any money. There is the Libary of Congress but their funds are limited and I assume they would only be able to afford to 'save' a very limited number of movies (assuming those that make these type of decisions are even interested).
So the best option are non-profit shops but as you noted their funds are also very limited. The end result will be that some of these works will be lost forever.
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Your post implies that TCM loses money every year but that Times-Warner keeps in going because of the prestige. Now, I don't disagree with that because I have always wondered how TCM could be in the black.
You say the brand is very strong? What does that really mean? Since TCM doesn't participate in the rating process how does one 'measure' how strong their brand is? I have also always wondered what percent of US TV viewers watch TCM on a regular basis? 5%? 1%?
So is this a case of a corproration doing a public service?
Of course none of this matters as long as T-W's management feels it is worth it to keep TCM alive even if it is in the red.
Either way, like you I'm very grateful.
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Well at my height my head would be in the right place.
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While I'm not a fan of being PC (and sometimes in a public forum my wife wishes I was), I find it interesting that those that complain the most about a PC world typically lean right but at the same time they wish to ban all sorts of behaviors, actions and products. i.e. they hate being PC but love to ban or outlaw things.
I just don't get that. I would rather have private companies be PC than have the government pass laws banning or restricting behavior, actions or products. Isn't that ironic?
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I do remember seeing this. I have tried to google to get the list of top actors and actresses by year but all I get are bogus websites trying to see me movies. I know someone posted a link but I don't have it. Man I wish I did. I give up trying to find it myself.
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I see a common misunderstanding from the two posters here. Businesses, like TCM, should have the right to show the type of content they wish to show. If one doesn't like it they can go elsewhere.
This isn't censorship. It is merely a business practicing their right to show what they wish to show. Censorship would be the government preventing a business from showing what they wish to show. So TCM is being PC but I don't label that censorship.
I also wish TCM would show the Chan movies. All users can do is ask. But this topic of the Chan movies has been beaten to death. One can buy the movies.
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Don't you find it odd that Lansbury was a SOTM the very first year? Please I love her but I do find that very strange. Of course Glen Ford was the second SOTM (after Garbo), and I find that strange also but Ford was the #1 male box office actor for a few years in the 50s. (hey he might not be known as one of the great actors but he sure was popular back in his day).
Of course as others have said, the people that decide who is who is not STOM base their decision on a lot of very different reasons.
A review of the list does cause me to scratch my head every once in a while and what made the programmers pick one person and just as imporant not pick someone else.
But there is never a good reason to trash a professional. That goes beyond just having an opinion.
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With TCM's small market share they don't have the power to push back to Comcast.
There have been other media provider content provider 'wars'. The options for either party are limited. The content provider can only has two options; Lower the price they charge the media provider so the media provider moves them (or keeps them), at a lower price tier OR without their service.
Unless you know how much TCM charges media provider for their service and how much it cost to operate TCM, the TCM profit margin, and if TCM is in the red or black on an annual basis, I don't see where you have any basis for some of your assumptions.
I expect TCM to someday move to a HBO type of model. If it does each viewer has to decide if paying X for the service is worth it.
You may wish to look into an alterative media provider.
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But could it be possible that TCM picked Lansbury as SOTM because they have a back room deal with TV Land to help promote MSW? I don't think that is a crazy idea.
For example, when the movie of Get Smart was about to be released TV Land starting playing Get Smart reruns and twice per night. That clearly was in the interest of both parties.
Yea, both White and Lansbury are living TV legends. Lansbury is also a broadway legend. But is she a classic movie one? Yea, I already know your answer!
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Interesting choice in The Majestic. Now that movie was really knocked by critics, most Carney fans, and did very poorly at the box office but I liked it.
As you know it has a tie in to old movies and of course the blacklisting commie hunting era. Yea, the movie might get a little too mushy at times but it gave me a classic movie vibe. Now I wouldn't list it in my top 10 or even 50 but I felt the movie was a lot better than most of the movies released around the same time. Oh, and we get to see Laudau.
Ronald Reagan's Birthday
in General Discussions
Posted
If someone is born in Febuary and they have oscar winning performances than it does make sense to feather those films on their birthday.
Since Reagan was SOTM twice I don't see how anyone can say TCM has a political 'issue' with him. Based only on his movies and acting ability, I don't see how he rates being SOTM twice, when someone like Joel McCrea or Leslie Howard have never been SOTM (yea, I'm going to keep bringing up these two guys anytime this topic some up!
).