lzcutter
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Posts posted by lzcutter
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Actually, Vidiot, the Movie Database includes nearly all movies made. What we call the Turner library, is only a few thousand films, and in fact they don't own any of the films any longer.>>
Hey Filmlover!
Vidiot,
When Ted Turner did the merger with Time-Warner a few years back, the TCM library was part of that deal.
That library is now belongs to Time-Warner and is under the care and handling of Warner Brothers studios.
At the time of the merger, the TCM library consisted of all RKO films, all pre-1948 Warners films and all pre-1986 MGM films.
When the TCM library changed ownership and the library became part of the Warner Brothers library, the Warners film library was finally reunited after years of being separated.
What this all means for TCM the station and we the viewers of the station, is that they have to rent/lease all the films they show. TCMProgrammr has said they are doing multi-year deals with Paramount and from the looks of the January schedule, they have done a great deal with Sony to be able to show not only Sony owned films (the post-1986 MGM library as well as the United Artists library) but Sony's Columbia Studios library as well.
20th has their own Fox Movie Channel so it is not easy for TCM to get the rights to air Fox Films but every once in awhile they do get lucky. In February, thanks to the 31 Days of Oscar, we will be treated to "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea" from Disney (a studio TCM almost never gets to air film from). Universal (which owns a good chunk of the Paramount film library now as well as its own) is also starting to work multi-year deals with TCM from what I understand.
Hope that helps!
Message was edited by:
lzcutter
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Unless it is differnet ol' Ted OWNS! the print for GWTW and lots others>>
GWTW,
When Ted did the merger with Time-Warner a few years back, his/TCM library was part of that deal.
The TCM library is now owned by Time-Warner and under the care and handling of Warner Brothers.
That library consists of: all RKO films, all pre-1986 MGM films and, thanks to the merger, now includes all Warner Brothers titles. (Until the merger, TCM library only included the pre-1948 Warners library).
We couldn't ask for a better studio to be taking care of this library.
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*******URGENT*Western Union Telegram*URGENT********
(To whom it may concern: Please proceed with the delivery of this message despite the fact that Western Union gave up sending telegrams in 2006. Remember: this is cyberspace, where all things are still possible)
To: Dean Finnie, In Transit, Somewhere West of Zanzibar and East of the Moon.
From Professor Lzcutter, Chairperson, Film Restoration Dept., Classic Cinema College campus
Dean Finnie,
Please be advised, DO NOT, repeat, DO NOT take flight with Ronald Coleman and crew trying to evacuate China. stop. We have it on the best authority that this plane is not headed to safety. stop. Again, advise you take Orient Express in the company of one Hercule Peirot or other means of transportation but DO NOT get on the plane with Ronald Coleman.
Will explain when you are back safely. stop Will telegram at your next destination about Harvey.stop
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Kyle,
Naw, not feeling alone and alienated, there's plenty of us around here. It's just with most of them being on holiday sabbatical, I'm glad to have someone keeping an eye out for gems like this one.
I like the list a great deal. Much like TCM itself, an expansive and inclusive group of films from all eras.
I fear Harold Ramis may be too busy in his real life to be an on-going faculty member at the Classic Cinema College but I would hope that Dean Finnie would invite him to be a guest lecturer.
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Lynn, I think your calendar is ahead a few days. BBB isn't due until January 1st. Rock Around the Clock IS in the NP magazine for tonight. But the good news is that on January 29th, we have Rock Around the Clock, Twist Around the Clock, Don't Knock the Rock, Don't Knock the Twist, Juke Box Rhythm, Let's Rock, and more.>>
One should never try to remember the TCM monthly schedule in their head. It's just too much.
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I resent these movies that introduced 'teens run amok'.><
MrsL,
Long before "Blackboard Jungle" and "Rebel Without a Cause" there were the Dead End Kids and the Bowery Boys who were always questioning authority and trying to be defiant while they ran amok.
William Wellman made a film in 1933 called "Wild Boys of the Road"
that deals with the subject at hand and other directors and writers dealt with the subject in the films of the 1930s before the Dead End Kids had their breakthrough.
There are even silent films that deal with disenfranchised youth in the 1920s.
Teens running amok has been a movie staple almost since the movies began. The interesting part is seeing how it is dealt with over the years because it says more about us a society than the movies themselves.
As for lip syncing songs, that has been a staple of musicals from the beginning of sound musicals as well. Some actors are better at it than others and always have been.
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Cinemascope.
If it's any consolation, I think "Rock Around the Clock" was a last minute substitute for the "Beach Blanket" movie that was originally scheduled.
So, the time difference that everyone is noticing may have come because those two films were different lengths.
Was really looking forward to "Beach Blanket Bingo" and hope they reschedule that one for a later showing.
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I can't believe I am the first person to post this 'news'.>>
I'm not the only "egghead" around here!
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Elaine,
Any way you slice it, it cannot be from a 1923 television show. Television was only a vague concept in 1923.
The debut of television occurred at the World's Fair in NYC in 1939. Television invention did not really take off until after WW2.
So, the closest it could be would be a black and white film made in 1923 that you saw on television at some point.
Manning H. Haynes did direct a film in 1923 called the Monkey's Paw but it was shown theatrically upon release and not on television.
Perhaps, this film version is the one you saw on television when you were young.
Message was edited by:
lzcutter
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Larry,
I would be there in a heartbeat(and while I can't speak for Kyle, I'm betting he'd want to be there) and would bet a few other Southern and Northern California posters (waving to filmlover and JackBurley) would probably attend as well.
I would wager Robert Osborne would be very interested in being part of the ceremony. It would be great if TCM or the Turner Archive Project would film/tape it as well for history's sake.
Johnny Grant acts like he knows everyone but I bet RO knows them better and they might be willing to take a call from RO.
How best to blast through this roadblock, I guess, is the question.
I have to ruminate for awhile......
Message was edited by:
lzcutter
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Here's a link to the thread that Larry was referring to:
http://forums.tcm.com/jive/tcm/thread.jspa?threadID=87014&tstart=0
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Thomasterryjr,
Here are some links to other threads about the March schedule:
http://forums.tcm.com/jive/tcm/thread.jspa?threadID=93612&tstart=15
http://forums.tcm.com/jive/tcm/thread.jspa?threadID=93588&tstart=0
http://forums.tcm.com/jive/tcm/thread.jspa?threadID=93243&tstart=0
Hope this helps. General consensus seems to be we like it!
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Bill,
Her stage name was Sandra Shaw and according to IMDB she did have a few roles in films.
Her real name was Veronica Balfe and she was known as 'Rocky". She was the neice of MGM Art Director par excelence, Cedric Gibbons. Her father was governor of the New York Stock Exchange.
She was quite the sportswoman. One of the titles she held was California State Women's Skeet Champion. She enjoyed golf, scuba diving, skating and horseback riding as well as surfing and tennis.
She and Coop married in December of 1933 and remained married until his death in 1961 from cancer.
Later in 1961, she married Dr. John Converse and was married to him until his death in 1981.
'Rocky' passed away in 2000.
The most publicized bad patch in her marriage to Coop was his affair with Patricia Neal, his costar in "The Fountainhead". It became public knowledge and Coop and his wife separated over the affair.
In the end, Coop ended the affair and Neal attempted suicide but Coop went home to his wife and daughter.
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As far as some of us can tell it's Morgan Freeman.
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WordSpidee,
Click on this link for the poem and author:
http://forums.tcm.com/jive/tcm/thread.jspa?threadID=93444&tstart=15
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Oceaan,
We have these threads that can probably be of help:
http://forums.tcm.com/jive/tcm/thread.jspa?threadID=93644&tstart=0
http://forums.tcm.com/jive/tcm/thread.jspa?threadID=74571&tstart=15
http://forums.tcm.com/jive/tcm/thread.jspa?threadID=93361&tstart=30
http://forums.tcm.com/jive/tcm/thread.jspa?threadID=93141&tstart=30
Hope that helps!
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Have either Oliver! or Oliver Twist been shown alot lately?
I caught Oliver! last week because it had been forever since I had seen the film and thought it had been months (if not a year) since the last time TCM broadcast it.
As for "Oliver Twist", the David Lean version I suspect we are talking about, I haven't seen that on the schedule for quite some time.
Maybe I need to look at the schedules more closely! I was hoping to see Oliver Twist over the holidays because I like Alec Guinness a great deal and wanted to compare his Fagin to Ron Moody's.
Color me sheepish if they have both been broadcast frequently the last few months.
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The Ramones were great, in my opinion and a very influential band as I recall.
As to the film not having any redeeming qualities, again, that is subjective and everyone is going to have an opinion.
While you may not like the film, others will be watching tonight and singing along.
I was sad to see that "Beach Blanket Bingo" was knocked off the schedule as I was looking forward to seeing that one and hope that TCM can reschedule it for the future.
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GWTWbooklover,
What might work better than the pop ups and streaming info on the lower third of the screen would be for TCM to devote a half hour each week-end for a segment hosted by RO or BM where they could talk about the trivia and little known facts of the movies they are screening that week.
Those would probably be worth recording because the info would be valuable and not likely to be included in any box sets.
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Even if it were unscripted, wouldn't a producer stop her and have her say it again, just so she wouldn't look stupid? I know I would have!>>
Overeasy,
What likely happened is that no one caught the slip when Ms. Janis was recording the voice over. It is very likely the script had the phrase worded properly and she misspoke in the reading. She may have only done one take of the paragraph that included the line or she may have done several and due to audio problems, the one used was by far the best.
But given how much voice over she had to read (and it could have been lengthier and that was cut for time), it is unlikely they would have caught it when she was recording.
Perhaps it was a busy day and Ms. Cooper only had x amount of time to record the voice over before rushing off to catch a plane, another appointment or her life in general.
Perhaps there were audio problems that delayed the recording so they were pressed for time when the tape finally started rolling. Any number of things could have occurred to keep the session from going smoothly and adding to the misspeaking the line.
By the time the mistake was caught in the editing room, she was likely not available to come to the studio and re-record the line or it was too expensive to try to fix in the mix.
So, everyone decided to live with it as is and probably figured that the majority of people would know that Ms. Cooper was not slamming her dad and make the leap to what she was trying to say.
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PK,
Jessie Martin is wonderful, the sets are great and the actor who plays Martin's love interest is also great.
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I think part of the problem lies in the fact that it costs $15k for a star on the Walk of Fame.
In the old days, the studios picked up the tab for that without alot of thought. Today, the studios still do.
However, the probem is that the studios today are not in the habit of picking up the tab for stars of the golden age. Like their home video departments, too often the marketing and advertising folks have no idea who Marjorie Main was and likely don't care because it's not putting money in their coffers.
The people who sit on the nominating committee are most concerned with who has the $15k to pay for the star, not who is deserving. They are also very concerned with the public relations and who will generate the most press by coming out and getting their photo taken.
It would be really wonderful if each year, the various studios would each put up the money for a classic actor's or actress's star. That would be at least five a year who would be added to the Walk of Fame.
The sad news is that I would be willing to wager that the studios were less inclined to honor silent actors and actresses with stars the further we moved away from the 1920s.
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Anne, Barney and Movieman,
Thank you so much. I'm glad you guys enjoyed it as I had alot of fun writing it.
I have heard that another department is planning a big New Years Eve bash and I look forward to hearing the report on that one.
We in the Film Restoration Department are partied out this year and hopefully will be spending New Years Eve with those professional vaudevillians, the Marx Brothers, in our screening room.
But, you never know who will walk through the door so I should probably knock on wood.
Where the heck is Charlie McCarthy when you need him?
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Dear Dean Finnie,
We hope you had a wonderful Holiday.
We in the Film Restoration Department are deeply chagrined that our Holiday party resulted in such mayhem that the local authorities had to be called.
With that said, we would like for you to hear our side of the story. Originally, we had a very small gathering planned. Our bookkeeper, one Mrs. Dubois, wanted us to be able to pay for our own party this year instead of relying on the kindness of strangers and regular donors.
As you hopefully recall, Professor Darrin McGavin, of the Leisure Arts Department, and one of his top students, Jarhfive/Rusty, had designed a lamp in the shape of a woman?s leg. It turned out to be quite a seller. Professor Cary Grant ordered a couple dozen to give as Christmas gifts. Once word circulated around about the artistry involved in the making of the leg, well, sales went through the roof. Professor McGavin and Rusty had to call in the cavalry, so to speak, and Matthelm and JonParker were able to help in the production of the lamps.
We had faculty, staff and a few students lined up on the last day so buyers could pay for and pick up their lamps. We had no idea so much money would be made. Mrs. Dubois and her assistant, MrsL, were busy taking the money and writing receipts. Every time they could catch a break, they would hand the extra cash off so that the cash box would not be over-flowing. Unfortunately, they handed the cash off to Professors William Powell and Myrna Loy. They, in turn, had Professor Thomas Mitchell help them in counting the cash.
Well we got so busy that no one noticed that the trio had left the building. At the end of the day, we were all exhausted from all that packing,taping and writing Fragile (that's Italian, you know) on the boxes, when what to our wonderous eyes should appear but the three professors with enough alcohol to drown eight large reindeer (or so we thought).
Professor Mitchell and Matthelm set up the bar. Music Professors Dean Martin and Sinatra argued over who should be the bartender. Luckily, that was solved when one of our more creative staff members, Kyle (did you know he was from Hollywood?), stepped forward and took charge of the bar. Not only is he from Hollywood but he is quite an accomplished bartender!
Well, Professor Grant returned bringing [/b]Professor Katherine Hepburn[/b] and James ?Call me Jimmy? Stewart with him. While Professor Grant was quite taken with Ms. Hepburn, she seemed to only have eyes for Mr. Stewart. Mr. Stewart kept trying to introduce everyone to his friend, Harvey. Harvey, for the record, is a large pooka. Luckily this crowd did not seem to care.
By the time I turned around, the conference room was filled with so many people it looked like George Bailey?s living room on Christmas Eve. I still am not sure where they all came from. I promise you we did not advertise that we were having a Holiday party but everyone on campus seemed to know and be in attendance.
We were wondering what we should do for food, especially with all that liquor flowing, when through the door came the Dolly Sisters, and saints be praised, Chef Felix. ?Cuddles? sent the Dolly Sisters over to the piano to sing with Sinatra and Martin, grabbed the Head of Home Economics, Marjorie Main, and disappeared.
It was only a short time later they appeared with trays and trays of food. The party was in full swing. Our favorite journalism professor, Larryvecchio, came in and regaled everyone with stories of his recent trip to Russia. The downside to that was hearing the stories of a couple of staff members, Sig Rumann and Alexander Granach who got very teary-eyed and began reminiscing about some woman named Ninotchka.
Somewhere along the way, Professor Hepburn and Mr. Stewart made good their escape (leaving Harvey behind to charm the Dean of Psychology). No one saw them leave and no one is owning up to where they were going.
Well, the wine kept flowing, Kyle kept serving and ?Cuddles? kept the food coming. Professor Barbara Stanwyck was overheard at one point complaining about Professor Fred McMurray being obsessed with her. Needless to say, Miss Theresa Harris (who insisted upon being called Chico) replied that perhaps it was Prof. Stanwyck who was obsessed with men and not Professor McMurray?s fault. That caused those gathered around the piano to start singing ?St. Louis Blues?. Another reveler was heard to say ?Do it again, I like it? only to be silenced by one of the best students in our department, filmlover, who growled ?You?ve got the wrong movie?.
Well, everyone was having a swell time. Those professional vaudevillians, the Marx Brothers were everywhere. Groucho was talking to one of our most beneficial donors, Margaret Dumont, Harpo was chasing the female wait staff and brother Chico was trying to push Professor Sinatra off the piano.
Drama teacher Humphrey Bogart finally snarled at him to back off. Mrs. Bogart, the lovely Lauren, found comfortable seating on top of the piano and encouraged the carolers to keep singing. Professors Garland, Martin and Sinatra were singing a wonderful version of ?Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas? when the Drama Dean Emeritus, Spencer Tracey, came in looking for Professor Hepburn.
A hush fell over the room as we all have the utmost respect for Dean Tracey but none of us knew where Professor Hepburn was. Emeritus Dean Tracey stormed off, muttering that Professor Hepburn was the love of his life and he would find her.
It was about that time that we began to hear laughter from the indoor pool. We have long complained about having the Film Preservation Dept. so near the indoor pool and all that water, but I digress. Professor Hepburn and James ?Call me Jimmy? Stewart seemed to be having a very good time swimming in the pool. Some of the female faculty became concerned that neither Professor Grant nor Emeritus Dean Tracey would view this in a favorable light and left the party to try and coax Professor Hepburn out of the pool.
If our troubles had ended there, all would have been right with the world but, unfortunately, our luck was not to hold.
Handyman Walter Brennan came in and kept asking all the guests if they had ever been bit by a dead bee. This perplexed most of our partygoers. However, Mrs. Bogart, the lovely Lauren, knew the answer. Professor Grant's brother, Teddy, kept rushing up the stairs yelling "Charge" and then blowing his bugle. It caused quite a commotion.
About that time, Harpo Marx was chasing a half dozen female staff members, someone stepped on Asta?s tail and he let out the worst howl, which caused Professors Powell and Loy to drop their martinis and come running, Professor Bette Davis declared ?what a dump? because we had failed to decorate to her taste and Professor Mickey Rooney kept trying to convince everyone that we could put on a show using the old barn and some props. Professor Grant went ballistic when his two aunts from Brooklyn suggested serving their elderberry wine as a nightcap.
I vaguely remember hearing a group singing Russian folksongs in one corner, in another Victor Frankenstein and his monster were dancing to ?Puttin? on the Ritz? only to be told by Clark Gable and his dancers that they had the lyrics wrong. Tempers flared.
I?m not sure what happened next I suspect that old busybody Miss Gulch (She really needs to get some sort of life) may have something to do with it but the next thing any of us knew the police sirens were wailing and Bert the Cop was threatening to take us all to jail unless we came to our senses.
The party began to break up and everyone began to find their way towards the door. ?Cuddles? said he might be back for the Valentine?s Day party if the Dolly Sisters weren?t in Europe, Sinatra and Martin kept talking about playing Las Vegas together, Professor Grant was threatening to do bodily harm to James ?Call me Jimmy? Stewart and never saw Professor Hepburn smiling radiantly and leaving with Dean Tracey.
As Professor Bogart and Mrs. Bogart, the lovely Lauren, were leaving, Bert the cop stopped them. Overlooking the damage done to the conference room and all the happy revelers passed out on the furniture, Bert was heard to ask ?What caused all this??
?The stuff dreams are made of? Professor Bogart replied before slipping into the holiday night with his lovely wife.
The last we saw, they were hurrying to catch up with Dean Tracey and Ms. Hepburn.
So that, Dean Finnie, is our story, meager though it may be. Any damages to the furniture or the conference room (we have heard tales of a food fight, a singing contest between the free French and Germans that may have gotten out of hand, a brawl or two between Wrestling Coach Victor MacLaglen and everyone else and a shouting match between between Ross Penell and Flint Cohill), we will gladly try to cover with more sales of the lovely ?leg? lamp.
Also, one of our students, JackBurley has had some wonderful ideas for marketing the films we are restoring and those funds may be enough to cover damages for this year?s party and still have enough in the kitty to cover next year?s party as well.
Thank you for your understanding.
Respectively,
The Film Restoration Department staff
Message was edited by:
lzcutter because articles come in handy and proofing is never easy
Who'd Win These Duels????
in General Discussions
Posted
Marlon Brando and Frank Sinatra>>
Sinatra because Brando would try to talk him out of fighting.
Vic Morrow and Humphrey Bogart>>
Bogart because he would want to get back to table and order another drink posthaste.
William Holden and Robert Mitchum>>
Mitchum because he wouldn't be trying to protect his face.
John Garfield and James Cagney>>
Cagney because he was scrappier
Richard Widmark and Lee Marvin>>
They wouldn't fight as they respected each other too much. They'd stand at the bar drinking watching everyone else brawl.
Lee J. Cobb and Jack Palance>>
Palance because he was always in better shape.
Bette Davis and Joan Crawford>>
Would depend if Joan had a wire hanger in her bag.