CaveGirl

I would watch those two films just to see how purty that R.J. Wagner was in his heyday!

Well, you know Lawrence it is not just the female who is wimpy, since I remember going to a midnight movie showing of "Freaks" while I was in college, and sitting in front of me were two of the university's largest football players, munching on their popcorn and making cracks as the credits rolled. During the first scene when the elderly lady calls to the freaks, who she refers to as her "children" to show themselves, Johnny Eck the Half Boy is seen zooming across the wooded area and the two football giants start screaming in fear and jump up, spilling their popcorn and then they zoom also up the aisle and leave! Well, I'm sitting there thinking "What babies!" Every time I saw them on campus after that I would have to secretly laugh to myself about what wuses they were! I also had a friend who I showed "Candyman" to and she kept putting a pillow in front of her face during the movie, and blamed me for her having nightmares for weeks. I guess I am just immune to believing any movie is real, no matter how convincing it is. I imagine the cameraman standing there right out of eyeshot, and it ruins any chance I believe what is happening is real. I did think the premise though of Blair Witch was very clever and did add to its believability.

As one who loves learning strange facts about films, I am sure not many here will be nescient of any that I impart on this TCM board. But that still will not keep me from trying for in my quest I hope that others will share with me oddities about films they have learned during their sojourn watching and reading about films that I may become even more filled to the brim with such knowledge. So, I'll start. I doubt that anyone here is not aware that the song "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance" which was written by Bacharach and David and sung by the incomparable Gene Pitney, is nowhere to be heard in the actual film. So the story goes, John Ford didn't like the song and refused to put it in the film so if you have been waiting for it while watching Jimmy Stewart, give up now! Anyone who already knew that little bit of trivia, probably knows lots more than I, so please share anything weird about film lore that you have garnered in your filmic travels. And thanks in advance!

Oh, geez I simply love David Wayne! One of the really unappreciated actors in the pantheon of greats. This guy graced so many films and it's true, he was as usual superlative in "M", which is really a rather thankless part which will always be compared to the Lang original. But with Losey at the helm I do think they made a very fine film and Wayne wisely does not copy Lorre but creates his own character. The ending scene is quite effective and shows his acting chops. If Wayne is listed in the beginning credits of a film [which I always watch just to make sure who are playing lesser parts] then I ALWAYS watch. He could run the gamut from playing a guy who wants to off his wife and put her body in the car trunk for disposal, to a witty and charming little guy singing "Farewell, Amanda" as he does to Katharine Hepburn in "Adam's Rib". I also have always thought he was so important a fixture in the Sinatra film "The Tender Trap" since the main actors can play off him. I was pleased recently while watching a Sunday morning repeat of the "Golden Girls" to see him playing a part as I think Blanche's daddy. No matter what he was in, he was fabulous. So yes, I too thank TCM for showing this really well done remake of the Lang classic which held its own!

Being that we both are fans of Maugham's writing, Miss Wonderly I'll bet you have seen the film "Christmas Holiday" with Deanna Durbin. I had read most of Maugham's more famous works, but ordered the book that this film was based on after seeing it. It is said that Gene Kelly played such a heel in the film, that he refused ever again to take such a part as it was a very unsympathetic one, which is a bit surprising since he played the cad "Pal Joey" on stage who is also a bit crass. Yet this is the brilliance of the writing of Maugham, that Kelly's character weakness and criminal tendencies form the crux of the plot. To me it is definitely the best part poor Deanna ever had, since she is allowed to play a mature role, and since the film was directed by Robert Siodmak it has a very downbeat take. Now it is true that when I read the book, I realized that many things about the origins of the characters had been changed, but the film still is rivetting and gets the true meaning of the story, and Maugham as usual writes elegantly about his characters whose motivations are revealed slowly in a mysterious way. There are insights into the depths of their beings which is very profound and moving. I'd love to hear your take on this film, and also enjoyed reading your earlier post about Maugham's works. Thanks for sharing and I'm so glad to find another who appreciates his amazing talents.

I think someone gave you a bum steer on that one, DGF. By the way, I just made up a joke. How do you know that Monty Hall of "Let's Make a Deal" used to be a bullfighter? Cuz he is always saying "Pick a Door"!

Thanks, Bogie, I've wanted for a long time to see "A Taste of Honey" again! I don't need to watch "Executive Action" though since I've solved the Kennedy assassination a long time ago. Let's just say the biggest clue is in a very little detail that is not about the grassy knoll, or the Mannlicher-Carcano rifle, or shell casings, or if Jada saw Ruby and Oswald at the Carousel or even if someone was shooting from below the street in a sewer. Just watch all the old film footage of who and what was showing up at Parkland Hospital and then who or what is leaving the Dallas Police headquarters, right after Ruby shoots Oswald and you have the solution.

Apologies to Jethro Tull and Ian, but it seems appropriate when discussing jungle epics on film that such things might be occurring behind the scenes after all the pith helmets get taken off. Now a great jungle film would be "Jungle Hell" from the mid-1950's since this is its IMDB synopsis: Jungle Hell (1956) Adventure, Sci-Fi | 17 October 1956 (USA) A tribe in the Indian jungle is threatened by flying saucers, mysterious rays and radioactive rocks. Seriously what more could anyone ask for but Sabu, with UFO's and radioactivity in rocks, plus mysterious rays to boot? I love almost all jungle epics, unless they might star June Allyson, who I would not use a pitchfork on but would ask the witch doctor to place a voodoo curse and then have her boiled alive. But I digress. Name your most treasured jungle pictures so we can all see them if we've so far been deprived of the ordeal, oops I mean honor!

Yeah, you are right, Fedya. I had to hook up my dvd player first from the outside cable HDMI thingie and then with another connection going up through the HDMI jack on my tv. If one still has an older model without blue-ray or HDMI, then they would still be using the red, white and yellow cables to the tv monitor. "Saboteur" definitely would be great to own on dvd. Thanks for your post. It is interesting to me to see what different people here are purchasing on dvd or maybe I am just a very nosy person trying to pry into other's collections.

That has to be one of the greatest live interview events ever recorded. Shelley was on first and was her usual delightfully bubbly and exuberantly loquacious self, then Oliver came on and she kept interrupting him. It was hilarious. And then he started verbally jousting with her, about how men were better chefs and better at everything and Johnny Carson just kept his mouth shut knowing this was great tv. Then they went to commercial, and come back as Shelley from offstage walks up and pours a glass of wine right over the top of Reed's head. He did absolutely nothing and was stonefaced with no reaction as Carson cracked up. I had to give Ollie some credit for taking it that well. I believe you can pull up the whole segment on Youtube and trust me it is worth seeing.

Heck, I kinda like Mr. Potter. Just cuz he is not on the happy juice, is no reason to hate him. He basically tells Jimmy the truth but okay he was wrong to take Uncle Billy's deposit money. But without Old Man Potter, no story...right? I rest my case. It's a dirty job to be mean for a movie tale but someone has to do it.

I think June even had the ability to annoy Jimmy Stewart when she played his wifey. The only movie I ever liked her in was that oddball one called "The Shrike" I think. In it she plays a really even more annoying part than the usual Juney saccharine type.

I don't know how I missed this post, TB since you have all my faves on it, but the one I love most is May Robson. I have many pictures of her as a young lady during her Broadway sojourns before she went to Hollywood in a great book I have called "A Pictorial History of the Theatre". It has scads of photos of people like her and even Harry Davenport as a young boy, which is quite the sight to see since he usually played a grandpa in films. May Robson was one of the best at dear, sweet yet good with a quip elderly ladies and it's too bad there is no one like her today. Thanks for honoring her and the rest of the great group you showcased.

Only 120 dvd's, eh? Well I'm sure you will catch up quickly, Mr.G.! That's hilarious about JJ. I think you may be a record setter on that one. My closest similar overpurchasing might be that many versions I have of "Vampyr" on all formats, and in many languages. Anyone who loves "mylar" is a wonderful human being. I'm sure many current film collectors on dvd, also have VHS tapes in storage just in case their dvd player goes out.

Excellent, GPF! You go to the front of the group for admitting you alphabetize. Some people are ashamed to admit it, but it shows true addiction to films.

I own both of those films, Lawrence! To join this club you need to admit if you alphabetize your dvd's? Also, a true addict has at least once bought the same title twice, because they have too many films on dvd. I had to start making a list of what I own since it was up in the 600 film stratosphere and I'd forget what I had already. Thanks!

It is a fabulous film and really deserves a much wider reputation. I think the credits said it was directed by Gregory Ratoff but IMDB says Orson was uncredited as co-director. It certainly seems to be his style. Thanks for your thoughts, Tom!

I so agree, about Burns I mean. Yep, I think the old Stepford was the best. Wasn't it written by Ira Levin of "Rosemary's Baby" fame? You got some great stuff. I'm assuming "CF" is also the old one, and love that Fugitive series. I think David Janssen always looked so sad in that show, but it was not because he was being pursued for killing his wife. It was because he came from an old show biz family, and had a horrid stage mother who was like an old chorine and almost forced him into the business, saying that there was "no other business than show business". Scary! Update: Just found this article on Janssen's stage mother. Check out articles on Berniece Graf or the following: http://www.ew.com/article/1993/08/13/david-janssens-stage-mother

Miss Wonderly, which Felix annoys you more, the Jack Lemmon movie one or the Tony Randall tv one? PS Have you always been MissWonderly with the "3" or were you watching "The Three Faces of Eve" recently? I did not recall that number being part of your appellation before. Excuse me if I'm blind.

Ava did seem to have some rather strange taste in men. I mean, Mickey and Frank and before that wasn't she with Artie Shaw? I think she just wanted those fools money, but was really into the bullfighter type for romance. I remember my great uncle talking about her sitting next to him in a restaurant in Durham, during the war when he was stationed there. Said she was giving all the guys the eye. Kinds of reminds me of the "I Love Lucy" episode where Fred Mertz sees her at the Brown Derby I think.

Whoa, was that the new "Stepford Wives" or the original, Eugenia? Love ITHOTN! That Ken Burns really does make the best documentaries. They are the sine qua non, of documentaries because I think he tries to unearth every bit of film, photos and other artifacts to delineate the stories without worrying about how long it will take of what it will cost. I will watch documentaries of his on topics that otherwise I would not even care about. Thanks for your response and you are now a charter member of the DVDSNC!

GPF, I just spent like five hours reading all the literature on setting up my cable in a bedroom and programming all the channels. Whew! Who knew that if you take more than two minutes to replace the batteries in the new remote that came with the digital box, that you would lose all the programming already inset. Don't you just have to put the red, white and yellow jacks into place on both units for hooking up your new dvd player? Or do you have your HDMI connection going through the dvd player and into the tv HDMI connection? I heard Dargo is good at mechanical things. I bet he would come over and do this for you, if you promised him some snacks and paid him with a dvd of "You Bet Your Life" episodes. Or I can give you an old Marx Brothers poster I used to have up my basement as payment for him. Just ask!

That's my favorite short tale from a Somerset Maugham anthology movie. Nigel Patrick steals the show in that one and Maugham had a wonderful way of seeing into a person's inner being and character that not many writers possess for sure.

Welcome to the bi-weekly meeting of the DVD Shopaholic Nonanonymous Club. We have no 12-step program since we are not into curing our addiction. The purpose of the club is to meet and discuss any new dvd purchases we have made in the last 3-4 days and you must post bi-weekly. I'll start since I have been very busy buying more dvd's to put into my giant Rubbermaid containers which need to be filled asap. Last week I bought the boxed set of the complete tv series, "Science Fiction Theatre" hosted by Truman Bradley. Now I was not expecting much being that it is from like 1955-1957 and I assumed would be in black and white, not that there is anything wrong with that. Imagine my surprise to start Disc One and see it appear in beautiful living color and very good prints. Plus oddly enough the first episode was called "Beyond" and curtailed wonderfully with a chapter of a book I am reading about UFO's from the tv show "Decoded". I can see now that SFT heavily influenced later tv sci-fi shows like "Outer Limits" and "Twilight Zone" even though it was a bit more based on tales from reality. I also purchased a boxed set of "One Step Beyond" episodes hosted by John Newland which is marvy also and has many stars who later went on to Hollywood films. Well, I must say I am very pleased with my shopping and highly recommend the above sets. If you would like to join the club, first you must submit to a test detailing how often you shop for dvd's and then you must keep up your average monthly of at least two offerings or you might be kicked out of the club pronto for being a slacker. If you are already in the club and were not blackballed, then please list your most recent dvd buys and your reviews. Thanks!

Dang, I wish I were home right now! Oh, wait...I own the boxed set of Val Lewton films. Never mind.