CaveGirl

Hey, Dargo I heard that while filming "Book Club" in Sedona, you were the original male they hired to play the part of Jane Fonda's boyfriend in the film. Why did you give up the role to Don Johnson I'm wondering if you don't mind me asking?

Should I give up hoping TCM will make some serious programming time available to show Rainer Werner Fassbinder's "Berlin Alexanderplatz"??? Here are the running times: 894 min (West Germany) 931 min (US)

Maybe you could just get closed captioning?

In life, everything cannot be roses and champagne. Now occasionally, there are exceptions to this rule in movies, where everything has aligned in perfect harmony and there can be no objection to the overall quality of the film. But even in low rent films, often there can be a saving grace which makes at least bits of it watchable and enticing. This post recognizes such quality in either kind of film. In the less than perfect type, perhaps a dance number that is exquisite or a comic bit, elevates the film to a higher standard which makes one always look for that one great segment. Or in the case of a really fine film, there still are moments which make the movie more magical and add to its lustre. In the latter category, of a really great film to begin with, that is added to with a seemingly small touch which brings such relevance to the whole proceeding, I nominate "The Day the Earth Stood Still". Now the sequence I am referring to, would not be the least bit necessary for the film in general, and if forgotten would not affect its overall genius, but to me it just gives a sense of camaraderie with the character of the Spaceman, as played by Michael Rennie. Now, speaking of Rennie, I first saw this film as a child and if I were ever to be abducted by an alien like Betty and Barney Hill were, please let it be one who looks and acts like Michael Rennie. He is just the cat's meow and makes a wonderful alien being, at least for us females though I doubt males wouldn't find him appealing too. In his silver suit and looking all gorgeous he's so wonderful, but I digress. Back to the point, the part in the film where I think his alien yet human connection is shown most admirably is when at the boarding house, he is walking through the downstairs common living room and sees a box on a table. He picks it up, and looks a bit confused then opens it to find it playing a tune, and then a subtle smile crosses his lips and a bemused expression takes place. We realize that this is something totally new to him not known on his planet or in his sphere of knowledge. Till then, Klaatu looks so human one does not probably think of him as coming from an alien planet, but this scene provokes a new view of him in my eyes. Share any such magic moments that redeem a less than great film or add to a perfect one.

Those who smile all the time usually belong to cults, Dargo. Like when you were in that NXIVM cult that is in all the news stories now, about having sex slaves. You should have joined a Cargo Cult instead, and then you could have been a god and not just a salacious purveyor of illicit treats.

I can hope that calling yourself, Silent Bob means you dig silents as all good film buffs should! If TCM scheduled a single theme day with all movies with the name, "Bob" in the title, like the classic "What About Bob?" with Bill Murray, would that appease you? By the way, welcome and remember, B-level films are like the minor league teams which send baseball stars to the majors, hence...always important in the pantheon of filmdom and historically interesting to watch.

Thank goodness they didn't serve him any Prairie Oysters, Dargo though I read once that Errol Flynn had an early job shucking them with his teeth, which may be why he had to have dental work when he got to Hollywood!

Far be it from me to advise you on seeing any of his films, Vautrin but I really think you might enjoy some of his silents, like "West of Zanzibar" with Chaney and Lionel, and "The Unknown" with Chaney, as Alonzo the Armless and Crawford due to their most exquisitely bizarre storylines, which are a bit perverse yet mesmerizing. Also the "Unholy Three" [both versions] and even "The Show". Browning had a unique take on tales a bit outside the normal vein, which made his films very enticing. "West of Zanzibar" is so outre I don't think they would even be able to make it today, as it would probably be banned.

I have to disagree with you disagreeing with me, Sepia but only on the chocolate issue. Just as no one who loves and reveres the color brown, would pick a variant like Light Raw Umber from the Winsor & Newton oil paint line, over a rich Sepia...the same rings true for chocolate lovers. Now you know I am right about that analogy, doncha, Sepia?

I think you ARE right and it only took a moment to agree with your assessment that Felix is more amenable as a source of comparitive anatomy, than Fritz. You will have to pardon me for this egregious mistake but I was under the effect of some bad liquor that day and my acumen was a bit off on identifying which feline resembled the phone in question. Thanks for your assistance, Dargo!

I have never seen this, but thanks, Jimmy!

Silents are for all times! I've said it before and will say it again, a real film fan enjoys silent movies. Just like a real chocolate fan, likes the dark kind over the milk chocolate. So kill me!

Seriously Dargo, this catchphrase, needs to be dumped into the New Coke file!

I totally agree! I love seeing shorts, serials, cartoons and programming that simulates probably what is was like to go to the movies in the 1930's and 1940's. My grandmother has said, that it could be an all day affair. First you might see some vaudeville acts, and luckily for her, she saw people in her day like Houdini, and W.C. Fields and Burns and Allen and so on. Then she's said you would see some shorts and then maybe a cliffhanger serial and perhaps win some dishes, moving on to a cartoon and then a B-movie prior to the big feature film. She said they'd go into the theatre in the daylight and get out in the darkness, and what fun! I wish TCM would show some serials like "The Shadow" with Victor Jory or similar stuff, since who doesn't enjoy people like Lamont Cranston. Good show, TCM! This is going really far back, but I'd love to see some of the original silent episodes of "The Perils of Pauline" with Pearl White too.

I see "The Letter" is on this weekend on TCM. I cannot stop watching this movie. The settings, the diabolical Bette Davis cuckolding her simple minded hubby, as played by Herbert Marshall. The music, and the scenes with the moonlight and trees obscuring the sky. Dead man at the bottom of the stairs, opium den-like spots with the only woman who has such an evil smile, Gale Sondergaard. Endless knitting or tatting or whatever, and more innuendo than a murder case on the Investigation Discovery channel. This film is endlessly entertaining and Willie Wyler made a masterpiece for sure. I can watch it over and over. Finally after being hooked for years, and buying it on dvd, I decided to get the written tale, as I love Somerset Maugham's works anyway, and was a bit shocked that one major famous line from the film is not in the book, but fear not, anything by Somerset is still worth reading. He was a master of understanding the human soul and underpinnings, and always shows truth. If not, "The Letter" what film are you HOOKED ON?

I never seem to tire of watching SOAT, so thanks for the nod, TB!

You kind of got my drift, Lawrence not that I am against any entries who started as actors and then directed like **** or Eastwood.

Orson was a wine connoisseur, TB. Too bad he's not available for the TCM wine commercials, which would finally make them palatable to me. I used the term, "Director/Actors" mostly because I wanted to solicit names of people who started as directors but then just used their talents in a few films treading the boards.

Love Seastrom in "Wild Strawberries"! Thought I'd give the alternative spelling. Haven't seen Cronenberg in that film so will look for it and thanks, Lawrence!

Oh, Richard Quine! I always liked him as an actor and know he directed later in his life. Will admit I didn't remember which films so thanks for the info, Kingrat!

I know sarcasm when I see it, Mister Dargo! Did you notice also the optic trick of making the phone base look a lot like Fritz the Cat?

Ex-cuuuuuuuuuuuuse me, Dargo! They may have phased out stereopticons by 1906, but I'm still using one! It has really good 3-D effects and where else can I find photos of Teddy Roosevelt in the third dimension, I ask you???? Don't call me a Luddite though, or I may have to hurt you...

If you like those films, Nip you might like "Kiss of the Vampire" as directed by Don Sharp from the 1960's. When I first starting reading your initial post, that's the film I thought you were talking about. Love your exposition in detailing the action! Have you seen Bava's "The Whip and the Body" with Christopher Lee?

I love and highly recommend this movie. And as for Henry Hull, he is always something to be reckoned with. I also like the somewhat divergent explanation for the werewolf condition and overall this is a super precursor to other werewolf films. If they make a film of Hull's life I think they should have Ethan Hawke play him, with Vincent D'Onofrio playing his slightly chubbier brother.

Now you are heading into the murky waters of miasmic eroticism, CJ. Notice how it just seems natural that the ability of a swamp to overcome one, and take you into subterranean depths involuntarily, is similar to other magnetic attractions of the senses. I see people already have mentioned my favorite swamp film, "Strangler of the Swamp". Seemingly a low budget programmer with little to recommend it, actually it becomes quite mesmerizing as one views it, not in the least by [as said here already] the almost glowing yet slightly out of focus takes on the Ferryman. I first bought this film for only one reason, not expecting much, but because one of my favorite character actors, Charles Middleton [of Ming the Merciless fame] played the Ferryman. But soon realized as I watched the dvd, that this film was amazingly moving and eerie and not by accident. I honestly thought having Blake Edwards in it, promised a less than good overall effect, but he actually does no damage to a thoroughly evocative film. Great direction by Frank Wisbar as said by other TCM posters in this thread.