lzcutter
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Posts posted by lzcutter
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Welcome to the boards, John!
There are lots of folks here who love talking about the movies so feel free to join the conversation or start a thread or two of your own.
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Roustabout / Barbara Stanwyck >>
w/Theresa Harris/Baby Face
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One of the tall brunette dancers in the "Choreography" number bore a remarkable likeness to Julie Newmar without being Julie Newmar.
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w / Franchot Tone - Here Comes the Groom >>
w/Charles Laughton/Mutiny on the Bounty
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Fred,
I was out at the American Cinematheque today (housed here at the famous Egyptian theatre) for a documentary screening and picked up the November Now Playing from TCM.
Monday - until early Thursday of this upcoming week is filled with lots of great, classic films and some of them seldom run, from the studio era.
So, check the schedule, folks, so you don't miss something you have been wanting to see.
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Jack,
It's not really all that unusual for films to be missing in a library or an actor's canon.
Universal has undergone some major corporate changes in the last two years and are now owned by General Electric, the same company that owns NBC.
Many of the jobs, especially in the vaults, the libraries and such, were consolidated and many of the older, long time employees either took a buy-out or retired.
It usually takes someone like a Ron Haver (who made it his mission in life to restore Garland's Star is Born) or more recently, a Dennis Millay and Charles Tabash, two TCM employees who tracked down six long missing RKO films.
It helps to have someone with a good knowledge of film and film history and too often today in the Home Entertainment Departments of some of the studios and in their vaults, they just don't have the expertise.
And without the expertise, they sometimes barely know what films they actually own.
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I realize the 'name' films are perceived to draw new viewers, but I can't believe most people don't look at their TV schedules and groan that TCM just plays the same 30 or 40 titles over and over because that is indeed how it seems.>>
We had Thanksgiving dinner with a family of film lovers and TCM came up repeatedly in the conversation (mainly because we all watch it).
I explained about the message board and the perceptions here that TCM is playing too many of the same titles too much and too many post-1960s films and that some thought it might be to draw in younger viewers.
One of the young men, a big fan of TCM and quite internet savvy but doesn't visit this board at all, thought that it wasn't because TCM was seeking younger viewers. He said it was likely to do to their viewership numbers.
Everyone at the table (with the exception of Mr Cutter) was a die hard film fan, so we asked Mr Cutter which he would rather see, Sunset Blvd or Dance, Fools, Dance.
Mr Cutter chose Sunset Blvd because "I have no idea what that other film is".
The number of people who register and post here rarely comes close to 200 of us on-line at any given time throughout the day. However, there are usually over 1,000 guests checking out the website.
Perhaps the sad truth is that we, the die hard fans who find our way to this message board are just plain out-numbered by the people who watch TCM but never find their way here.
Perhaps TCM is programming for those people who actually watch the channel during prime time hours and we, the film fanatics, are just hopelessly out numbered by them.
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Other then "The Quiet Man and "In Harms Way" I could do without any John Wayne movies. AMC plays these everyday for those who worship "The Duke".>>
"That'll be the day."
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Since there is a letterbox version of this title on DVD (for 99 cents!) why can't TCM get their hands on it? They showed it again pan/scan this week.
Thanks,
Jack Tillmanhy >>
Jack,
Here's the answer from TCMProgrammr a few posts below yours:
the distributor didn't have a widescreen version to send us; we tried
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Anne,
McLintock is indeed a Batjac production which means that when TCM runs it, they have to lease it, likely from Paramount which released a number of Wayne's movies once Batjac was formed.
Leasing it from another studio they are beholden to the studio for the print which hopefully answers Tilmany's question.
The film was directed by Victor McLaglen's son, Andrew, who helmed many of Wayne's films in the 1960s.
Like his mentor Ford, Wayne was loyal to his crew and often hired the same people again and again. Regarding the propelling of O'Hara, chances are Andrew McLaglen saw it as an homage to the master that Wayne and his father had worked for many times.
As to Patrick Wayne, I'm not sure why he quit acting, but he did have a career as a producer for many years.
When his brother, Michael Wayne, became sick and later died of cancer, the family business of preserving and restoring John Wayne's Batjac films became Patrick's main concern.
He now oversees the preservation of the Wayne films and was, as I understand it, largely responsibe for "The High and the Mighty" finally being preserved and released on DVD.
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Not "Flashdance", neither "Footloose", "Fame", "Xanadu", "Grease" or "Saturday Night Fever" left the impression on me "Streets of Fire" did......the atmosphere, those sets!......I think I'm going to buy the DVD!!! >>
Feaito,
I never understood how Flashdance became a pop culture icon influencing music, clothing and everything else and Streets of Fire didn't!!!
Sometimes, there is no justice in movie-land.
The young woman dancing in the biker club was the woman who doubled for Jennifer Beals dancing in Flashdance.
Funny the things we remember:
"Some people that never talk about their feelings got 'em deeper than anybody. Other people never talk about their feelings 'cause they ain't got any"
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Jack,
The last time I saw it a few years ago, it still held up. Michael Pare should have had a better career. He was discovered as I recall by Irene Selznick and that was how he got into the movie biz. She thought he had that something extra that the camera would love. Unfortunately, for Pare, I think Selznick got sick with cancer shortly after his career took off and he moved on to another agent that didn't have the eye for material that would work for him.
I loved the music and all the neon and the wet streets. A very 1980s movie that pays homage to The Wild One (all those vintage motorcycles and cars) and many different westerns. Walter Hill directed. Amy Madigan's breakthrough role as the former soldier who becomes Pare's sidekick. Punk rocker, Lee Ving, was Willem Dafoe's right hand man.
For the street scenes with the elevated train, they built that set on the Universal backlot and then threw a big tarp over it so that they could control the lighting.
The interiors of the big concert were shot inside the Wiltern Theatre, a wonderful old Art Deco movie palace here in Los Angeles at the corner of Wilshire and Western.
I always thought the woman who played Pare's older sister should have had a better career. And I loved the acappella group who was supposed to open for Diane Lane.
"Because Tonight is what means to be young."
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..W/Sylvester Stallone/First Blood. Does that work,
It sure does, gwtw-
w/Burgess Meredith/Rocky
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Anne,
PD stands for Public Domain, which are films (and books, etc) that the copyright has expired and the copyright was not renewed (for various reasons, oversight being a common one) by the rights holder.
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Philippe Noiret who was in "Cinema Paradiso" and "Il Postino" has passed away.
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The Gambler w James Caan...
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w/Al Martino/The Godfather
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W/ Edward Herrmann / Mrs. Soffel >>
W/ Jane Alexander/ Eleanor and Franklin
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AMERICAN HOT WAX. This 1978 classic has been withheld from all forms of home video release due to complicated and expensive music rights. Released theatrically by Paramount, this musical bio of disc jockey Alan Freed is, hands down, the coolest movie ever made about rock and roll. Just ask anyone who's seen it. >>
Directed by Floyd Mutrux, starring Tim McIntire (son of John Mc and Jeannette Nolan) as legendary show producer and rock and roll deejay, Alan Freed.
Co-stars Fran Drescher and Jay Leno in the very early stages of their careers.
Wonderful music, great cast and some wonderful visuals to boot.
I saw it when it was first released at the old Warners Hollywood theatre and I may have had the soundtrack album at one time.
Would love to have it on DVD so I could watch a double bill of it and "Streets of Fire".
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SW,
I'm not from TCM, just a long time poster here.
Posting 1.5 pages of quotes is probably going to be too much to ask someone to read.
You might try starting a new thread in the Information Please forum and explain upfront what is you are doing, why and post one or two quotes of dialogue that you are hoping to identify as used in other films.
That way, you start out small and can build on the thread as people respond. Starting big with 1.5 pages of text will overwhelm many posters and they will click to the next thread.
So, that's my advice for what it's worth.
Though I am intriqued as to why you are finding the source of these quotes as it sounds like more than just a casual hobby and I suspect a good story behind it all.
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To get around the problem of not having enough studio era films on a digital format that they can broadcast, they realize that they do have post-1960 films that they can run. They also start reaching out to other studios to rent/lease films that they can add to their programming.
They discover that when they take a big tent approach to the films they show -Films from the 1920s to the 1990s - their viewership increases."
At least you admitted it, now I know I'm not going crazy. Others have been insisting that TCM hasn't changed one bit since the beginning - thank you. >>
Sweetbaby,
In saying, "Imagine this" all I asked was that folks imagine a scenario for TCM for the last twelve years. I have no idea how accurate my scenario is though I am confident that it is realistic, which are two different things, I know.
As for TCM changing, I'm firmly in the TCM's big tent approach to the channel, I always have been. I love film, all film. Some genres I like much more than others but my love of film doesn't come with rigid in and out dates. I think there were some wonderful movies made during the studio era and some truly awful films made during that same era. I think there are some wonderful films produced today and some truly awfuls produced. The awful ones don't keep me from loving films from all decades.
I'm with Jack Burley and Filmlover and all the others who say TCM has been running post-1960s -1990s films all along. It was stated in bold on the front page of their page website in 1994 when they debuted and I have enjoyed post-1960s films ever since I started watching TCM years ago.
I think their big tent approach to the channel is one of the reasons the channel has survived (that and coming under the care of Warner Brothers) and will be able to survive in the years ahead still being uncut and commercial free.
They could have fallen into the trap that AMC did but thankfully, they had a better vision and better management. And for that, I am truly thankful.
But, back to my post, I did it to give everyone something to think about when thinking of TCM:
Does anyone have any idea of how many films now exist in the TCM/Warners Film Library? All Warner Brothers, all RKO, all MGM films to 1986. Even counting the lost films, that is thousands and thousands, possibly hundreds of thousands of films, that have to be preserved, restored and transferred to a digital format. And there is no guarantee that the agreed upon digital format of 2006 is going to be in use ten years from now.
Any way you slice it, it is a tremendous undertaking and it won't happen overnight or even quickly.
So, all those obscure titles you guys used to enjoy, my scenario explains why they aren't being shown anymore. Not because TCM is showing more modern films but because of the sheer logistics of the library and today's digital world.
It will take time to get them transferred but at least the library is in good hands. Imagine if Paramount or Universal had bought the original TCM library.
The films would be sitting in vaults and not getting taken care of with the speed, love and care that Warners is doing.
And that is something we should appreciate much more around here, in my opinion.
And with that, I echo Mongo in wishing everyone a wonderful Thanksgiving!
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Skimpole,
I've never had a problem believing Ethan Edwards, as portrayed by John Wayne.
I think Richard Widmark is a good actor but I think Wayne was the right choice for Ethan Edwards.
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Moira,
Whoever supplied his obit to the Los Angeles Times should have consulted you before they sent theirs in because your post was a better recap of his career than the one printed.
Thanks for shining the spotlight on his fims and television work!
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Happy Birthday Path,
We really do miss you and hope you come back one of these days.
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MG,
Sophie Tucker was known as the "Last of the Red Hot Mommas". She often played the El Rancho Vegas in the 1950s as a headliner. The stories of her and Joe E. Brown are stage are legendary. Sinatra and the gang would make a habit of stopping in and seeing her perform whenever they were in town. MattHelm may have some more info on this.
From the film footage and the pictures I have seen, she sure seems like a woman and the audience is always laughing.
As to the Astaire episode, it would have had, more than likely, to be cleared with his widow before they could release it on the box set and she may have said no or wanted to much money.
Your favorite Holiday Movies!
in General Discussions
Posted
The Ref with Denis Leary, Kevin Spacey, Judy Davis and Glynis Johns.
Required viewing at our house for the holidays if only for the dysfunctional family that, in the end, can come together, suggest that the overbearing mother nail herself to the cross, and the ending with the shout-out to a Charlie Brown Christmas.
What would Christmas be without Meet Me in St Louis, A Charlie Brown Christmas (anyone remember the commercials for the snowball, round ice cream balls covered in coconut) and The Ref? We also throw in Die Hard and Lethal Weapon (because we live in Los Angeles), White Christmas and Christmas Story (because at the end of the day we remember our own mothers telling us we'd put our eye out") just to cover all the bases.