CaveGirl

My favorite child actors are Sybll Jason, and Billy Gray. Though he shot more to fame as Bud on tv in "Father Knows Best", he was so fab in films like "The Day the Earth Stood Still" and others. I think he even has a bit part in "In a Lonely Place" asking Dixon Steele for his autograph. Of course, Jackie Coogan is my all-time favorite child star and again I will beg TCM to show some of his old silent films, and then early talkies of the 1930's, like "Tom Sawyer".

This is fascinating! I have refused for years to watch RA because...well, it just seemed so silly and I have never been a Troy fan, but do love Pleshette. Missed the beginning yesterday, but got caught up just as Suzanne was coming into the dining room at the hostel, and was trying to remember the name of the guy she was travelling with to Rome. Then I got totally hooked as even though it's not the greatest movie or storyline, the scenes are beautiful with statues by Bernini gracing vistas and backdrops worthy of Leonardo making it an incredible travelogue for Rome and its surrounding areas. This forced me to watch the whole darn film and I totally enjoyed seeing the gorgeous Angie in her hostess duds, and the film interiors also were well appointed and enjoyable to view. Rosanna Brazzi was excellent as his usual Latin Lover type and all in all, the film was fun especially the part where Troy is renting the chalet and his totally overdone blond hair gets all blown up by the wind, and looks like a bad comb-over.

Interesting thread. People hate "Doctor Zhivago", aren't sure about Rod Steiger and seemingly not too into Tom Courtenay. Well, Bravo! Not that I agree with those thoughts necessarily but I am all for people being free to state that they do "hate" something as we can't all like the same things as that would be so boring. I think for me, I can totally appreciate the artistry of Lean in all his pictures, this one included...but of all of them this one is the one I really don't enjoy watching again. It is a bit like forcing myself to read "Ulysses" by James Joyce again, as doing it once is enough of an accomplishment. As for Steiger, I totally like him and enjoy the fact he can sometimes be a totally serious actor in a film, or be a total fop and act the fool in something like "The Loved One". What I would so enjoy seeing is if TCM would play his first tv version of the teleplay "Marty" as I've always wondered how Borgnine's performance would compare. Tom Courtenay has always been appealing to me in his low-key style so I like him too. Opinions about films are like a Rohrschach [spelling?] test to me, showing often more about the person viewing them than about the film itself. What one brings to the film, influences one's beliefs about its qualities mayhaps.

Speaking of nasty, old, perverted men, who here has seen "Child Bride". What a classic. It is like watching Shirley Temple at the age of singing "On the Good Ship Lollipop" being pursued by C. Aubrey Smith. And I too am a major Oscar Levant fan, as who else would say he could not watch Doris Day films since he was a diabetic. Hilarious! But not being diabetic I did enjoy watching her in "Pillow Talk" last week...

"Whit Heat" all the way. I love when he goes crackers.

Hey, Droogies! I remember reading this novel for my college religion/science fiction course and then seeing the film. I had to write a paper on it, so since they weren't throwing patrons out after each showing, I sat through it four complete times. Uh, I went into the theater in daylight and when I came out it was almost midnight and I felt drugged...a bit like Alex. I've not seen the movie for years, so excuse any detail mistakes... Reading the book helped a lot with the Russian and other linguistic intrigues and I believe the title of a natural thing like an orange with a mechanical thing, like a clock shows that the Ludovician treatment is the combination of two incompatible entities. Two other things that make the movie superb are the music and the fashion and décor. I believe that there is also the interesting connection to superstar musician Walter Carlos and his contribution, but when you look him up you might have to now spell his/her name as Wendy Carlos. There are very few photos of him online, which is a whole other fascinating story but I digress. This is one of the few if not only, sci-fi movies which does not have everyone in the future wearing similar boring clothing. This film actually went to the trouble of showing different strata of taste, style and class through the décor and fashions, as you remember the Cat Lady was high end avant garde stuff and the parents of Alex had lowbrow clothing and furnishings, in my opinion. The combining of one who had great taste in music with a bloodthirst in violence, was genius by its author, as it made the belief that Alex was worth saving from his own vices a plausible concept. A definite five-star flick, no question. I could still watch it over and over as I love the "Thieving Magpie" music [which again influences the rape scene] and the incredible photography.

Hey, Droogies! I remember reading this novel for my college religion/science fiction course and then seeing the film. I had to write a paper on it, so since they weren't throwing patrons out after each showing, I sat through it four complete times. Uh, I went into the theater in daylight and when I came out it was almost midnight and I felt drugged...a bit like Alex. I've not seen the movie for years, so excuse any detail mistakes... Reading the book helped a lot with the Russian and other linguistic intrigues and I believe the title of a natural thing like an orange with a mechanical thing, like a clock shows that the Ludovician treatment is the combination of two incompatible entities. Two other things that make the movie superb are the music and the fashion and décor. I believe that there is also the interesting connection to superstar musician Walter Carlos and his contribution, but when you look him up you might have to now spell his/her name as Wendy Carlos. There are very few photos of him online, which is a whole other fascinating story but I digress. This is one of the few if not only, sci-fi movies which does not have everyone in the future wearing similar boring clothing. This film actually went to the trouble of showing different strata of taste, style and class through the décor and fashions, as you remember the Cat Lady was high end avant garde stuff and the parents of Alex had lowbrow clothing and furnishings, in my opinion. The combining of one who had great taste in music with a bloodthirst in violence, was genius by its author, as it made the belief that Alex was worth saving from his own vices a plausible concept. A definite five-star flick, no question. I could still watch it over and over as I love the "Thieving Magpie" music [which again influences the rape scene] and the incredible photography.

Miss Wonderly, I was rereading previous posts in this thread and noticed this statement [ostensibly by you] about "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid:: "Actually, having read this entire thread so far, I venture to say I'm the only one here who's said they don't like that movie." I just wanted to add my vote to your dislike of that movie. I think it falls into the category of a film that was very popular at one time, and has a sentimental following but deep down you know it is not...uh, really that great. I remember talking to a man at a party once, and we got to discussing movies and he said to me, "Oh if you love films you must love my favorite film..."BCATSK". Gee, I thought...should I burst his bubble or not. POP! P.S. He got over it and we remained cordial.

Laffite, please excuse my oh so tardy reply but I want to thank you most profusely for revealing the Sapphic connection to the plethora of mysterious posts in this thread. Having just read a biography about famous Sappho, Natalie Barney and other assorted people like Rilke, who was the boy whose mother dressed him as a girl till a late age [shades of Norman Bates perhaps] I found this whole TCM ossuary of facts most interesting. Following the vicissitudes and meanderings of the TCM members would be otherwise as difficult as reading "Ulysses" without the Cliff Notes! I remain, your devoted student, CG.

This is the kind of actor I always enjoy seeing in a film. I always watch the credits when a film begins, and if the decidedly talented Mister Litel is in it, I know I am in for a good time. He could play many types of roles and was always reliably impressive. Cheers to him and bravo to this call for a "shout out" for him also!

Whilst reading of the dissatisfaction of some, about continued showings of "My Fair Lady", I accidentally happened upon the film yesterday I think. Pardon me, but sometime the days run together after watching too many films... As I was starting to turn it off, due to realizing that I was saying dialogue before the actors did since I knew the scene so well...I started noticing the incredible Cecil Beaton [i think] designed backdrops in the Henry Higgins' home and became enraptured. The decorations and furniture and wallpaper were superb, and of true Victorian style with money being no object obviously to attain such sublime perfection. I then forgot about the movie per se, and just started looking at all the clothes, architecture, art nouveau statues and framed pictures on the wall and was totally enjoying myself. Then I remembered a true aesthete and scholar I once met, who said that one always wants to revisit a great book, as they find new things every time they read it. I think movies can be the same for some people. I think I've watched "Vertigo" at least twenty-five times and now am so secure in what is happening in the plot that I can ignore it and look to see if the cars are consistent on the streets as Jimmy Stewart drives around them from different angles, and try to figure out why the lamps behind Kim's bed in her apartment sometimes have shades and sometimes don't. I think it was in the foreign movie, "Amelie" that there is a scene where the dialogue concentrates on watching a fly on the screen behind someone in perhaps "Jules and Jim". So for a crazed film fan, of a great movie...there can never be too many showings as there is always something new to look at and enjoy that one might have not had a chance to see before, being that they may have ONLY been watching the main actors and action in previous viewings.

Some movies stick with you and they don't even have to be classics or with multi-million dollar budgets. One of these is "Attack of the 50-Foot Woman" of which I can visualize whole scenes today even though I've not viewed it in many years. Was not her philandering hubby called "Harry"? I can recall as a kid watching this with my brother and neighborhood kids, and seeing that giant rather flabby hand with the long, painted fingernails going into the bar maybe and trying to grab Harry away from the adorable Yvette Vickers. Also remember Allison continually calling out Harry's name as she searched for him all over the county while wearing that very attractive towel. It's a classic scene just as is the scene of Grant Williams fighting the spider in "The Incredible Shrinking Man" or Kevin McCarthy looking into the zombie seed pod eyes of Dana Wynter in "Invasion of the Body Snatchers".

To me the disclaimer "loosely based on a true story" means that what will be following is "quasi-factitious". Now I just coined that term but it seems apt considering what "factitious" means and all the Lifetime movies formulated on this very concept. Just for the record...I do not watch Lifetime Movies since I don't enjoy seeing Jaclyn Smith playing neurologists or attorneys.

I decided to answer this question blindly, by not reading any of the previous responses which might influence me. I think some of Paul Newman's films are classics of their kind, but I don't particularly think it is due to him as an actor, which may lend fuel to the fire here which is not my intent. I don't dislike Paul Newman as an actor or him as a person, but I often felt he was a bit overrated. I actually like him much more in his older parts than the ones he is most famous for, as he seems to have mellowed a bit and is not so fatuously smug. In his early films, I always thought he was a bit mannered and stiff, and I personally am more attuned to an actor like Ernest Borgnine in "Marty" than a type like Paul Newman in "From the Terrace" or others like "The Long Hot Summer". I often found his performances to be unintentionally humorous, as in when he portrayed Rocky Graziano. When he was in his element, as in something like "Hud" I think he complements the film. Films like BCASK survive more on personality of the stars than maybe the greatest acting skills and Paul Newman was successful at being Paul Newman on screen than anyone else in my estimation. A movie can be a classic without everyone in it being classic...can't it?

Love him, love him, love him...regardless of what Groucho Marx said about him. Did I mention I just finished reading the Hedy Lamarr biography?

I am so pleased I stayed up till 2:00am on Sunday nite to see Kim Ki-Young's "The Housemaid". What an incredible movie and one of the best I've seen in many years. Sure wish I'd known it's been around since 1960. Some spoilers ahead... Now I am always hoping to find a film which will scare me, and it truly did besides being as intense a psychological study as Joseph Losey's "The Servant". I am unscareable and though I appreciate the talent in films like "The Exorcist" which can frighten others, for me it always falls flat as I must have been born repeating the advertising line from "Last House on the Left" stating "Remember...it is only a movie, it is only a movie." So the fact that TH was both fascinating as a character study and scary enough to make one bejeeberless was impressive. I actually jumped in my seat at one point in "The Housemaid" and will never look at packages of rat poison the same or even filled glasses of water or some simple rice in a bowl. This psychological masterpiece can cause heart palpitations and I can't even imagine it could be improved in a remake. I kept thinking that the "housemaid" and her unfathomable facial expressions were reminiscent of the maid to Francisco Rabal in Bunuel's "Viridiana" and it was fun to hear the post film comments saying Ki-Young was sometimes compared to Luis. All in all, I'm so glad I stayed up. Sure I could have watched it at a different time, but there's something right about watching a film like that in total darkness and my only complaint regarded the end, but I won't quibble since I also dig films like "The Woman in the Window". Anyone else watch?

Ah, you mention the sacred word..."Criterion", Andy! I once entered a contest in which the prize was a copy of every Criterion film on dvd. At the time, "Playtime" had been out of print for awhile, and selling on Ebay for like 150 bucks, and it was included in the package but alas I did not win. Happily though, they did finally rerelease Tati's film and I was satisfied. I love Fritz and Pabst and agree that a week of such films might be in order, and if there was not a protest I'd also like to see some of the work of Leni Reifenstahl who was a superlative director in spite of her, shall we say...unsavory predilections. I think she later discounted such connections, but still... I'm glad you chose a roof over buying a Criterion film, Andy...good choice if it rains in your area! Thanks so much for your note of approval!

Totally enjoyed rewatching BM and I always like seeing Helen Walker. Dennis O'Keefe would be asked to build up his leg muscles though if he was working in films today. That one scene with just his jockey shorts on, would have required him to have calf implants surgically implanted nowadays!

It has deeply bothered me for years, that Jackie Coogan's films as a child, have never been showcased much on TCM. Sure, they play "The Kid" but Jackie was one of the world's biggest film stars in his youth challenging even Chaplin as a favorite world-wide. But alas, we never seem to get to see them. In over twenty years I do believe I've seen one of his silents but things like "Peck's Bad Boy" I don't recall ever seeing here. And...the best Tom Sawyer bar none, was Jackie Coogan in an early talkie. Now don't get me wrong, I'm happy to even see the cute guy as grown-up as a sleazy drug dealer in things like "High School Confidential" but it really would be nice to see his films from the time of after "The Kid" up to around 1932 as he was the premier child star of that time. Indulge me, TCM! Anyone else a Jackie fan and do you own his pencil box and doll collectibles from the 1920's?

Isn't any film with vintage footage of the Yardbirds, with both Jimmy Page AND Jeff Beck tantamount to any claims of greatness. Now the word "great" is not really indicative of being that great anymore, as there are so many other words, not even taken from Latin or Greek that indicate a summa state and talent and abilities are now really not so evident in the general populace of entertainers but I digress... I think for me, if it is an Antonioni film...it definitely is great and "Blow-Up" is great also due to being a chronicling of a specific time period in Britain, that was unique and very Carnaby Streetish so in that sense, just like Richard Barthelmess in "T'olable David" which has scenes of Americana backwoods never to be seen again, B-U is great for the same reason. Or...I could be wrong so kill me!

Hey, Terrya...you said a mouthful! Is it anathema to state unequivocally that SCTV was way superior to SNL? Probably but I bet many would take the chance to be horsewhipped to state such. Who can ever forget the SCTV sketch wherein Eugene Levy portrayed Floyd the Barber in an "Andy Griffith" show take-off to just give one uproarious example. And Andrea Martin as any character, leopard hatted or as the immigrant woman. I would say SCTV was an acquired taste for some, and those Canadian public service moments were unforgettable too.

Finally, addendumwise...thanks, Calamity for your comment! Primosprimos, I appreciate your chastizement of the overzealous censor too! JJG, I get your drift and it's not really that I so believe the smaller part performers need tributes, but perhaps just a bit of distaste for the continual "star"-bleating and larger than life chest pounding in promos. If I could get the ad guy who wrote that line "all the stars in the heavens" I would wring his neck. I picture someone like Lionel Stander sitting there and concocting all that hooey and then laughing and saying it over and over to all the press agents at MGM. I guess I'm just a sucker for the Charles Middletons of the world, and I should leave now and go watch his amazing performance on my new dvd of "Strangler of the Swamp" starring NO stars unless you consider Blake Edwards a star, as a lowly actor before his more impressive directorial days.

Thanks, Arturo! I stand corrected. Glad to hear that Vera was more of a star in her day than perhaps she is thought of now. It is true, often only by reading old movie magazines or talking to an older generation person does one find out truth vs. fiction in movie lore. I remember talking to a relative whose family owned a movie theatre locally, whose film knowledge was encyclopedic and we got talking about Alfred and Lynn Fontanne. I remarked that the scuttlebutt was that they found the movies vulgar so only appeared in TG as a kindness and then went back to the "theatuh"! My relative said..."No, no, no...that is NOT what happened. They were not liked by the movie buying public as they appeared stiff on-screen and their films did not do good box office, which is why they left films." Now, maybe she was right and maybe she was wrong, but I do listen to those who were actually alive and on the scene, when discussing events of the past, because only believing what one reads can be very suspect if one seeks the truth about anything.

Dargo, just want to say thanks to you for posting the Robert Easton stuff. I always dig it when I see him in a movie or old tv show. He was truly fab to watch!

It would seem that the perfect place to showcase this magnificent film by Rainier Werner Fassbinder would be the Turner Classic Movie channel. It's like fifteen and a half hours long, and could be shown in installments like a mini-series. Though I've spent a lot of money on movies in my time, hundreds for boxed sets of stuff that I had to have...this is one I've never bought. Is there anyone else here who would like to see it play on TCM, besides me? The last film I bought of Fassbinder's was "Querelle" which I am going to admit holds a strange distinction in my film library. I am equally thrilled and repulsed by it at the same time. It is freakishly unique, and perhaps this is due to being a tale from the pen of the notorious Jean Genet. The voiceovers are mesmerizing, and Brad Davis is great but the standout performance in my estimation is Franco Nero, as the smitten military head entranced with Davis. Jeanne Moreau is something else too but I digress. Fassbinder is unique in cinema and another of his films that would be fun to see is "Mother Kusters Goes to Heaven". I think "Querelle" might just be a bit too much for TCM, but maybe I'm wrong.