jarhfive

LuckyDan, Quote: "Dance with the one that brung ya, you might say, but when the ones who brought TCM start dying off, then what?" I'm fifty years old and have been watching Turner Classic Movies since 1996. "Dying off"?! Oh God, now you've got me scared. Bogie, Quote: "I totally agree with the core of what you're saying Dobbs, as I do believe the fan base will eventually jump ship..." "Jump ship" to what? Rusty

Hello, After the first programming challenge I commented, "in my opinion, scheduling a week was a mechanical exercise". True, only because I built on a good idea for a theme. Second shot at programming. Having only a vague idea for a theme (and not wanting to repeat myself, or other contributors), I discovered just how darn difficult it becomes to program a week. I ran out of time...aww. So, to 'first time' contributors--congratulations on completing a difficult task. To second time contributors--I am very impressed by your completion of another week of programming! Thanks lzcutter for providing links to the six schedules. I 'looked back' three times at each schedule before I decided on a vote. My first look at each schedule was to 'tally' the number of movies I know I have not seen. I was immediately impressed by the number of entries that included shorts and cartoons. Programming relevant short material is sophistication that takes this scheduling exercise to a higher level than I thought possible. All right! I understand using a personal bit of criteria as "what movies I have not watched" ignores some things like "sticking to the TCM library", or thematic excellence. What the hey, it's my decision. My decision is--hlywdkjk's schedule. Rusty Message was edited by: jarhfive

Maximo, Last night, I watched the Valentino film "Beyond The Rocks". I mentioned to my wife while watching "Beyond The Rocks" that, for a couple of scenes, the modern score was distracting, not enhancing, the story. Overall, I thought the "Beyond The Rocks" music was fine...just a couple of movie moments that the jazzy music was a distraction. After "Beyond The Rocks" we watched a recording of "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde". I 'take back' anything negative I said concerning the score for "Beyond The Rocks". The music for "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" was a complete distraction--at least the first fifteen minutes of the movie. Why do I say the first fifteen minutes? Because, like you, I turned down the sound...'popped back' to the beginning of "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" and started watching. With no sound, I was able to concentrate and appreciate John Barrymore's wonderful performance. Rusty

FredCDobbs, I purchased a Toshiba RD-XS34 DVD 160GByte HDD recorder--February of this year. Over the past few years I have slowly replaced all my video equipment with Toshiba (old stuff--Hitachi, Sony, Panasonic). Why? My opinion--Toshiba engineers the best video electronics (for home use). Toshiba is not necessarily the best equipment made, simply the best of the equipment targeted for non-professional buyers. The good: I have created approximately 150 plastic disks since February. Four bad disks, all because of operator error...not equipment malfunction. I use Taiyo Yuden 16X DVD-R Media 4.7GB Silver disks only (recommended by Toshiba for the unit). In fact, I am purchasing 500 blanks today (before Taiyo Yuden quits manufacturing the item). I record only to HDD and transfer to plastic disk. This method allows the operator to edit movies to running length before making the plastic disk. Many of the recordings have been checked in other recorders (Toshiba and Sony)--no problems playing the plastic disks. The bad: TV Guide is the installed software (TiVO-like) and is a problem. It took two weeks before the TV Guide 'grabbed' television listings. A month ago my cable provider re-ordered their line-up...the recorder TV Guide did not acquire new listings until the unit was un-plugged for a few seconds. Note that the "un-plug" requirement (to reset TV Guide) was not mentioned in any of the supplied manuals (three of 'em). We had to get the "un-plug" instructions from the TV Guide web site. The Toshiba supplied remote gets very heavy use. I thought the remote would probably crap out long before the recorder. I purchased a second remote on line for about 38 dollars (my spare). A couple of other problems and notes concerning this unit. Copy once source material allows recording to HDD but not to DVD-R. However, this unit does allow recording to DVD-RAM (Toshiba supplies one disk). DVD-RAM does not recognize copy protect 'flags'. I have not used the DVD-RAM mode of recording. This recorder uses "playlists" for editing purposes--that is, an original is first recorded on the HDD and a playlist is created from the original. I have discovered that a playlist should not be edited. Changing a playlist in any way will cause complete lock-up of the recorder if you try to create a plastic disk from the playlist. The only thing to do if the unit locks up is un-plug and let the unit initialize. If the operator screws up the playlist, always delete and make a new playlist from the source original. I have no opinion about longevity of the recorder or the plastic disks. I have not used the equipment and disks more than four months. I do know that labeling disks is a problem--I use a sharpie and label around the center hole only...avoiding the "silver" area of the plastic disk. Rusty

wordmaster, Cheese and Crackers: "The Legend of Boggy Creek" (1972) "Return to Boggy Creek" (1977) "Boggy Creek II: And the Legend Continues" (1985) Rusty

MattHelm, Yesterday, after reading a bit of contrary opinion (this topic) directed at my ideas...I had to "mellow". I was already tense--my cable internet connection has now dropped to an "up time" of twenty percent...I had to "mellow". I grabbed my big bottle of Dilaudid and took four tablets (two more than usual) and listened to my compact disk of the soul-full vocal stylings of "Barry White...Wedding Night Groove". The moment I heard the first notes of the first "groove", all I could think was, "it's a nice day for a White wedding...". BTW: I don't think it's a coincidence that I called my cable company a few days ago (after three days of non-synchronized sound and picture on TCM) and told the cable company phone person "fedge off". "Fedge off" after the usual--"well we can't do anything about that". Oh, yeah. I heard the word "fedge" spoken by one of the "plumber-ghost hunter" guys. I thought he (for real) said "fedge"...ha! Rusty

MattHelm, Quote: "By "tony" movies, do you mean "Tony Blair" movies? You know, since you mentioned Eyes Without a Face, I can't get that stupid Billy Idol song out of my head. And each time you bring it up it gets worse..." Maybe the following will erase Billy Idol from your thoughts--"Tony! Toni! Tone!" Rusty

Hello, Something important from the silent movie era that was lost with the switch over to talkies was "as the camera whirs" directing. Adapting today's fabulous technology (a tiny receiver in ear) 'real time' direction could make a return. On the other hand, performers might have that "caught in the headlight" look. Well, more than they already have... Rusty

MattHelm, "El Santo" on Netflix? I don't know. I rent "tony"movies (I am on a four rentals a month plan). Stuff like..."Mrs. Brown" and the mini-series--"Pride And Prejudice" and "Shakespeare In Love". Oh, I did find and add to my Netflix queue--"Eyes, No Face". I know "El Santo" reading my big catalog of videos. "El Santo" rates his own highlighted (boxed) section. Also, catalog editors go all out with gushing and provocative "El Santo" descriptions. Rusty

TOOMANYNOTES, Quote: "Me too! I am sooooo excited about Rob Zombie as the matter of fact I plan to eat my supper a half hour before the show so I can throw up on my television set when I see the Exploding Heads and guts comming out of people screaming." Be glad your reaction (projectile vomiting) is repulsive horror movies. If watching television, not too difficult to avoid horror movie fare. However. I have the same "I'm going to be really sick" reaction to those "mean office worker" commercials. Watching something like, oh..."The Third Reich" on the History Channel and before I can flip to something else...up pops one office guy throwing a pineapple or potted cactus at another office guy (his back is turned)...and it's funny. The "mean office worker" commercials are way too prevalent (one commercial is too much). I think advertising companies (at their retreats and seminars) watch "In The Company Of Men" and after the movie is over--"now...how can we put a funny spin on this torture the co-worker idea?". Yuck. Rusty

DavidEnglish, Quote: "Are there other films that explore alternate histories..." A good question. The only "what if..." movie I could think of was Fatherland (1994). I looked the thing up on IMDB--a "made for television film (HBO)". The "what if..." plot is, of course, used quite a bit for television episodes. Star Trek's--"what if the Roman empire did not collapse", "what if aliens were prohibition era (Earth) gangsters". My favorite television thing is the Saturday Night Live skit--"what if Spartacus had had a Piper Cub". Kirk Douglas (the guest host) is a passenger in the Piper Cub and gets to fly over and drop rocks(?) on the grounded Roman soldiers. Big laughs. Rusty

Rickspade, Is "The Unfaithful" the movie that has a sculpture instead of a letter? Oh, I know "The Unfaithful" is the movie. I have seen "The Unfaithful" a couple of times and (both times) I had to shake my head and laugh. Why? Everybody in the movie seems to immediately recognize the 'bust' as the movie character--Chris Hunter (Ann Sheridan) . Well, the sculpture is a woman...with hair about the same style as Chris Hunter and...that thing does not look anything like Chris Hunter! I know...suspend disbelief. Okay, other than the 'bust' artist was looking at a picture of someone other than Ann Sheridan during construction, "The Unfaithful" is a pretty good movie. Rusty

Larry, Thank you for the reply. I could have written much more about Mary Astor. I watched a disk of one of her movies last night--"Easy To Love" (also starring Adolphe Menjou...another great Hollywood performer). Mary Astor could be crazy and mean-spirited ("The Great Lie"), inviting and mean-spirited ("The Maltese Falcon"), funny ("Palm Beach Story"), winsome and desirable ("Dodsworth") and so many other characters. Mary Astor could even elevate the 'fleshed out' industrial film--"Red Hot Tires" to a movie worth a view. Mary Astor, Gene Tierney and (maybe) Kathleen Turner--at present, my "most watchable" actresses. Now. Mae Murray. I have only viewed three of her movies (the two movies I mentioned earlier this topic and "The Merry Widow"). Wait, I'll amend that last sentence. I have a book with a big photograph of Murray, John Gilbert, Erich von Stroheim and several other people on the set of "The Merry Widow". Mae Murray and John Gilbert are schmoozing and Stroheim looks pretty glum. The caption for the photograph reads, "Director and Leading Lady Mae did not get along". Hmm. Well, she looks like she is having a good time. I have not seen enough of Mae Murray's work to have an informed opinion about "yes actress...no actress". I enjoyed her on-screen comedy persona--both silent film and 'talkie'... Rusty

MattHelm, Spanish vampire/ zombie movies (with Templar thrown into the 'mix')? You mention some odd ball stuff. No, I have not heard of "Blind Dead". Now...if you had mentioned "Mexican Hooded Wrestler" movies (El Santo)...well, absolutely I have heard of.... I am glad you mentioned H.P. Lovecraft. Growing up, I was a fan of H.P. Lovecraft and August Derleth. By the age of fifteen, I had read pretty much all of Lovecraft's stories. Loved 'em. Thinking about H.P. Lovecraft--I've got a couple of recommendations. Remember the first supernatural encounter in "The Blair Witch Project"? The scene--"Alexander Calder does folk art"? Hanging stick things? That scene must of been inspired by a short story by Karl Edward Wagner--"Sticks". It was part of a short story anthology--"Whispers". The story begins with, uhm...stick things and the narrative soon develops into a very creepy H.P. Lovecraft theme. The story won "Best British Fantasy Something..." the year it was published. Highly recommended. BTW: I know "The Blair Witch Project" has been the object of derision (jokes, etc.), but I was scared by the "goings on" in that movie. In fact, I felt, uh...unwell for a couple of hours after the thing ended. The scene--"hand prints on wall" ? Oh, baby...spine tingling. My other recommendation is a novel by Colin Wilson called "The Philosopher's Stone". Colin Wilson liked the mythology of H.P. Lovecraft, but not his writing style. Wilson's book reads like "Howard Carter meets The Great Old Ones". Very well written and interesting story. Well, the last third of the novel, the plot becomes a little--"what the hell is going on here?". The book is so well written, I did not really care if I understood everything about Wilson's philosophical and mystical, uhm...deal. The novel has been published as a new edition, so should not be difficult to find. Rusty

RockyRoad, Thank you for the "Zombies of Mora-Tau" recommendation. I looked up "Zombies of Mora-Tau"--no DVD. No Netflix. Description of VHS version of "Zombies..." is interesting. I wonder if my local video rental stores stock a classic item like "Zombies Of Mora-Tau"? Yeah...right. Well, worth a bit of investigation. Rusty

MattHelm, Oh, and one very recent film--"Shaun Of The Dead" from 2004. Can zombies be funny? You bet, particularly if zombie humor has that special British 'flavor'. Rusty

MattHelm, "The Lost Skeleton of Cadavra"? My sister-in-law recommended "The Lost Skeleton of Cadavra". I have not seen. Worth a rental? I don't know why I have not rented "Cadavra". I have the idea the movie may be a little too aware of its source material (cult movies) to be taken 'seriously'. Ahh...am I wrong? Two more for my wish list (zombie films!)--one (sort of) recent, yet 'classic' and one (sort of) recent, yet...something. Number one--the strange, disgusting (but funny) "Re-animator" from 1985. Number two--the weird and disgusting "Cemetary Man" from 1994. Rusty

Hello, One more actress--Mae Murray. The past week watched Mae Murray in one silent movie--"Delicious Little Devil" with Rudolph Valentino. Mae Murray's performance made me laugh. Watched Mae Murray in one sound film--"Bachelor Apartment". Again, Mae Murray's performance made me laugh. Her filmography ends in 1931! Reading her IMDB biography--her 'prince' of a husband advised her to quit MGM and..."goodbye movie career". Damn. Rusty

WaldoLydecker, Ann Sheridan's performance as Lee Donley in "Torrid Zone" is the most appealing bit of acting I have seen in a long time. I am glad I 'caught' the recent TCM broadcast of "Torrid Zone". I watched "Torrid Zone" after recording on a hard disk drive, once as I transferred the movie from hard disk to plastic disk and once to 'check' the plastic disk recording. Jeez...I think I will watch my plastic disk recording of "Torrid Zone" tonight. Thanks for mentioning Ann Sheridan. Rusty

Hello, Mary Astor. IMDB filmography for Mary Astor (as actress) lists 152 movies from 1920 to 1964. A few of my favorite Mary Astor roles--Mary Linden in "Behind Office Doors", Odette Mauclair in "I Am A Thief", Madame Germaine De Laage in "The Hurricane", Edith Cortright in "Dodsworth", Sandra Kovak in "The Great Lie", Princess Centimillia in "Palm Beach Story", Brigid O'Shaughnessy in "Maltese Falcon", Jewel Mayhew in "Hush, Hush Sweet Charlotte". Rusty

MattHelm, "Glowing white, blonde alien"? Maybe, "The Astounding She-Monster" (1958). "A beautiful alien woman (complete with skintight spacesuit, high heels and a force field that can kill humans with a mere touch) lands in a forest and terrorizes a geologist, a pair of crooks and a kidnapped heiress. Robert Clarke, Kenne Duncan and Shirley Kilpatrick star. AKA: 'The Mysterious Invader'". Or, "Terror From The Year 5000" (1958). "A beautiful woman arrives on Earth from the distant future in an attempt to bring humans back with her and repopulate a world devastated by radioactivity. Salome Jens, Ward Costello, Joyce Holden start in the AIP fave." Synopsis from: 2004 Movies Unlimited--Big Catalog of Videos. Both movies available on DVD. BTW: Another wish list item. "X the Unknown" (1956). Melting British (Scottish?) guys. Watching "X the Unknown" at the age of eight years old did cause a couple of sleepless nights. Movie cast includes Dean Jagger and Anthony Newley(!). Maybe, Newley 'puddles'... Rusty

MattHelm, Quote: "Be glad you only watched 15 minutes of Les yeux sans visage" Why? If the movie is a Criterion disk that automatically makes it a must-see classic...right? While I am writing about Criterion, a brief story. I received two Netflix disks the same day--the Alan Ladd movie--"This Gun For Hire" and the french movie--"Le Samourai". "Le Samourai" is a Criterion DVD and includes several "extras". One essay (on the DVD) regarding "Le Samourai" notes that Le Samourai's director--Jean-Pierre Melville had the film "This Gun For Hire" in mind writing the script for "Le Samourai". Now, I may have added the two films to my Netflix queue at the same time (you know, "if you liked blah-blah-blah...you will like blah-blah"), but I mix up the order of my Netflix queue constantly. Don't you think it is strange to receive (and watch one week apart) two movies that have this, uh...big time connection? BTW: Something related to the topic. I would like to see TCM broadcast Corman's 1957 version of "Not Of This Earth". The limited release DVD I bought was made from an unrestored 16mm print. The DVD video was too dark to appreciate Corman's movie. I would like a good look at those cue-ball eyes...dammit! Rusty

MattHelm, Quote: "well at least Eddie's third point hasn't changed" True, but what is "half a piece"...a lot? I would like to have Zombie program Georges Franju's "Eyes Without A Face". I watched 15 minutes of the movie on television when I was a kid (yes...it was an 'over the air' broadcast item) before Dad said, "John...no more of that (movie)...turn the dial to the other station". I am not sure, but I think he "suggested" turning the dial during a face removal(?). Rusty

MattHelm, Quote: "If you woke up to watch the Illuminati on A&E at 2 AM the other night, please tell me you were up for Superfly last night." The only movie I will ever get out of bed (without external, uhm...prodding) to watch at 3:00 A.M. (central time). The movie was even better than I had remembered--HBO...ten to fifteen years ago. I had completely forgotten about Superfly's partner, Eddie (Carl Lee). Quote from IMDB: Eddie: You're gunna give all this up? Eight Track Stereo, color T.V. in every room, and can snort a half a piece of dope everyday?! That's the American Dream... Rusty

MattHelm, A few minutes ago, I was laying on the couch thinking about this Rob Zombie thing and the name "2000 Maniacs" popped into my thoughts. I turned on my computer to look at the "Zombie movies" (check for "2000 Maniacs"), but before schedule check I looked at this thread and...there was your "2000 Maniacs" message. I am not joking about the--"'2000 Maniacs' popped into my thoughts". Why do I know anything about "2000 Maniacs"? I read a synopsis of the movie in my old video catalog--"2000 Maniacs" sounds like a great bit of trash. I even checked Netflix a couple of months ago for "2000 Maniacs"...nope. Why no Netflix stock? Not on DVD? Okay. First...I will re-foil my hat, and replace the hat on my head and be back to check Rob's picks. BTW: Rob Zombie? I saw a "Rob Zombie Signature" guitar in an instruments catalog a couple of years ago. In addition to a director of films, he's a musician? I know--'google' Mr. Zombie. Rusty