lzcutter

"Gone With the Wind" started life as a best-selling book; it was then adapted for the screen and produced as the glorious movie we all love. And Rusty, you're right - the color is gorgeous. Someone restored it - was it TCM? AFI? I don't know, but we should all be thankful.>> Ralph, I believe the restoration you are referring to was done by George Feltenstein and the crew at Warner Brothers. They, more than any else, understand, the importance of preservation, restoration and the library under their control.

So, here's your chance to put your money where your complaints are. Show us what you would program if given the chance. Don't fall back on the excuse of it won't make difference. You've been very vocal about your dislikes about the programming. Show us what you think we could be missing.

The whole European class that Ashley and his family, no doubt, represented to all around Twelve Oaks, must have been very seductive. It was so far removed from their every day lives and everything they all wished to aspire to. That it came with marrying within the family, while very impractical in the confines of Southern aristocrats, on the continent had the advantage of being more times removed by all the blood lines. It was probably seen as very contintental to those who knew the Wilkes family and barely batted an eye over such things. And there is Scarlett, wanting so much to be a part of such a class but being on the outside, looking in at such a refined and dignified family. If only she could scale the wall and land the handsome Ashley for herself, surely they would accept her and a world she only dreamed of would be hers for the enjoying. She came so close and in doing so realized that the truth was no where near the myth she had built up her in mind over all those years. What was it John Ford said about the myth and fact......

Fred, I don't think Scarlett was so much in love with Ashley as she was in love with ideal of Ashley. To her thinking, he was the perfect gentleman: well educated, polite to a fault, probably had never raised his voice in anger to her, somewhat worldly (well, compared to Scarlett's very close knit world), everything a young girl of Scarlett's age (isn't Scarlett still a teenager when the book/movie opens) believes makes up the ideal man. If I remember the book correctly, Scarlett had spent almost all her life (like most Southern girls of that time) completely within the confines of her small town world. Books and an overactive imagination were probably her only window on the world so to speak and Ashley certainly fit the image of the romantic, gentile knight that Scarlett would fancy for herself.

BestEra, Often what happened, especially back in the 1930s and 1940s, was that a film might be retitled for overseas distribution. Sometimes, the American title did not translate well into a foreign language or the American title would changed too avoid confusion with a similarly titled film from another country. Sometimes the movies were retitled when they had run their course and were used as filler as the second film on a double bill.

Also, I notice Paramount's finally beginning to release their Republic Wayne catalogue this summer, for those who care, like me. Between all the titles you mentioned and these and those on TCM, it's quite possible I could do nothing but watch movies all year. Instead, I keep building a library it'll take me the rest of my life to wade through! >> Johnny, The Wayne family, to their credit, has been very good about doing the preservation and restoration of Wayne's films correctly. I think the death of Michael Wayne a few years back came as a blow to the family as he was the main force behind preserving his father's legacy. But, it looks like the family has picked up the gauntlet so to speak and is moving forward. If I understand the way the Wayne Trust is set up, they call the shots to Paramount on Wayne's Paramount and Batjac films but I may not have all the facts right on that. If not, hopefully, someone will post with the correct info. The other good news is that Paramount had a big executive shake up last year and finally is beginning to understand that their film library does have value and needs to be preserved and restored so that they can be a much bigger player in the DVD market. Keep your fingers crossed. It's been awhile since Paramount Home Ent has made this much progress.

I think TCM has had the 31 Days of Oscar salute since 1995.

Constarkel and Ralph, Thanks for the clarification, I appreciate it. No harm, no foul.

Constarkel, All I did was respond to your question as to why TCM would run a pan and scan of "Lovers and Other Strangers". I responded with a message based upon what has happened with other films that have not run in the original format and the reasons given. But thanks for calling me a syncophant. I mistook your post as a genuine question. Thanks for letting me know I don't need to take you seriously in the future.

The 31 Days of Oscar will be over in another week. Hang in there.

Some of Don Knotts movie roles: The Last Time I Saw Archie It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World Move Over, Darling The Incredible Mr. Limpet The Ghost and Mr. Chicken The Reluctant Astronaut I'm not advocating for a TCM tribute, but let's at least give the man his due. Whether you like the movies or not, he did create some memorable characters on film and on television and in his passing, we should pause a moment and acknowledge that.

Nothing really that important. As you were. Message was edited by: lzcutter

It's being reported prolific actor Darrin McGavin, known to one generation (50s) as Mike Hammer " to another generation (70s) as Kolchak, the Night Stalker,and another generation (80s) as the bumbling, but understanding father in the holiday classic "A Christmas Story". Memorable films role also include "Summertime" and "The Man with the Golden Arm" and "The Delicate Delinquent" 'along with countless character roles. He won an Emmy for his performance as Candice Bergen's dad on "Murphy Brown". On Broadway, among many roles, he performed as Hap in "All My Sons" during the 1950s. He will be missed. Message was edited by: lzcutter

And the beautiful George Clooney is the nephew of beautiful Rosemary Clooney.>> And the cousin of Miguel Ferrer who is currently on "Crossing Jordan".

Here's hoping Bellanosy at least has seen "Kane" or knows the story so we didn't ruin the "surprise". Saw a film prof do that one semester. Told the class just before the movie started "Oh, Rosebud's the name of the sled" and then the house lights went down and the movie started. Most of the class had indicated with a show of hands that they had not seen the movie (this was before the advent of VCRs and cable stations). I always wondered if knowing that ruined the movie for them.

Just heard a report that loveable Mr. Limpett aka Deputy Fife aka Don Knotts has passed away.

Constarkel, No doubt, they had to rent the movie from another studio or source. In the past, TCMprogrammer has said they always ask for the original release in the original format but are at the mercy of what gets shipped to them. In this case, it sounds like they were shipped a pan and scan version and if it has been edited for content, it may be the airline version or a network broadcast version.

The Searchers is one of those films that folks are not in in universal agreement on. While many people love it and consider it a classic (and it did inspire many of the filmmakers who began working in the 1970s), there are just as many people who consider it a racist film and don't consider it a classic because of the sterotypes and feel that Ford overemphasises and glorifies Ethan's attitudes.

Rusty, FYI, the documenatary about the making of "Cleopatra" is part of the 5 Star Edition of the DVD!

"They Can't Take That Away From Me" will come back to me on a moment's notice. Has been doing that ever since I saw "That's Entertainment" in 1974.

Huntress, Re: My Name is Bill W: I believe it was a Hallmark Hall of Fame movie back in the late 1980s starring James Garner and James Woods. James Woods won the Emmy that year for Best Actor besting heavy favorite to win, Robert Duvall from Lonesome Dove. Legend has it that the reason Woods won was because of the members of the TV Academy that are members of AA voted for him instead of Duvall.

I think Bad News Bears aired earlier this month and has been aired a few times over the last few months on TCM. Blackboard Jungle, too, I think has aired within the last six months. Cimaron was on just a few nights ago.

Movielover, I believe none of those films are in the TCM library so TCM would have to rent them in order to show them.

PK, Yes, you can buy a separate burner and record your movies to DVD from your Tivo. It's a fairly simple process via a menu. It will be recorded to DVD in real time, however. At least on the DVD-R we use, it is done in real time. Afterwards we finalize the disc and voila, move on to the next movie. We like it because there is a black screen with the name of the show, the production date and running time put on the head of each disc without us having to do anything. Our DVD-R also serves as our DVD player so we can enjoy commercial discs as well as the ones we burn.

A quick trip to the TCM database reveals that "Men In War" is a United Artists Production. UA was a small, independent company and finding out what studios now control their library is not as easy as with the bigger studios who sold off pieces of their libraries. The UA Library may be controlled by Sony these days. The bottom line is that TCM would have to locate and rent this fine war film in order to show it on TCM.