MattHelm

I'm just trying to be objective about material by basing my point on the 99.99% of what is traditional TCM, and can see why people don't want the stuff that they find deviates from that, to be shown. The big tent approach can be good but does have its faults. I don't think they're including stuff like Miyazaki for everyone. As we've seen, the programmer said that it was 100% his/her idea to showcase what many think to be radically different from the nature of TCM's core. Was that person thinking of the viewers as a whole, or thinking of what he/she would like to see? How does a programmer get the idea for anime when thinking of people who usually tune in to see their regular line up? You're right Turner Classic Movies decides what the consensus is ... and TCM already decided what its fundamental theme was on day one. No? The problem many have is that there seems to be a change in its initial prime directive. The term classics really shouldn't have any bearing on this discussion, since there are a lot of movies within their fundamental theme that aren't "classics." If it were about classics, there wouldn't be enough to sustain a 24 hour network. So, I think questioning whether the 70s and upward gave us any classics is a moot point in this. By "classics" it's apparent that they're referring to a time frame. Even if they cut the time frame off at the end of the 60s, they still have a big tent to work with. I personally think it should be the end of the 70s. But I do think it should be by time, so that the term classics is less ambiguous. The post 80s movies are easier to come by on other channels and DVDs. (as an example of a network not being the best judge of its core audience, TVLand is showing the movie Barefoot in the Park next month)

That's fine. As I've said, I like the Miyazaki movies and I like movies from any era, but unlike some, I can separate what I like from what the general consensus of a channel's fundamental theme is. Do you think there wouldn't be an outcry from Cartoon Network viewers if they started showing a Clark Gable festival during primetime?

I think most would agree that the unexpected is good if it means acquiring old classics not yet in the TCM library, but do you mean to tell us that TCM doesn't care about the general consensus of its core audience? A nice unexpected surprise would be if you guys worked in some serials as an ongoing weekly show, not material that changes the face of the network.

I wouldn't even attempt to go through all that gadgetry myself. I'd worry about the system failure all night and then I'd be up to watch them anyway.

I consider silent movies as part of the consistent programming even though it's midnight Sunday slot makes it seem like fringe material. TCM most likely doesn't expect a huge audience for that time slot no matter what's playing.

But this is a poll for information as opposed to a "vote" to give them an indication to go on. Even if there were dishonest people submitting multiple entries, I think TCM would know if there were an unusually high amount of people who'd like to see anime, recent movies, etc., based on the number of how many programs that fit those criteria. That stuff is probably less than .01% of their scheduling, as opposed to the 99.99% of their consistent programming. There are always margins for errors in polls to account for anomalies.

I don't know why it's a big mystery about what TCM's core criteria is. It's not like it's string theory. I doubt most of us look up the next month's schedules crossing our fingers that Pippi Longstocking is making its TCM debut.

I think you may be right that they're advertising for the Cartoon Channel Anime. I agree that the King Kong airing isn't advertising, it's just opportunistic. They know that with the remake out, people who haven't seen the original might notice it playing on TCM and tune in. It's all about numbers. In that case, they're using the remake to advertise the original.

I like Miyazaki but TCM isn't the place for him. The difference between his movies and the shorts on Cartoon Alley, is that the latter were made mostly back in the 40s, sometimes spoofing movies of that era, and/or actors. They're classics not just by content, but by time, and fit the criteria of what TCM had come to stand for.

Sounds like Spirited Away.

Your cat might bring you home dead mice and birds if you let him.

Just keep your shades down while you watch them, you don't want the Rankin/Bass police taking you away. Then again, it's only a little outside the 12 days of Christmas, so they might go easy on you.

You mentioned that animals don't have their own claymation Christmas classics ... Bumbles is the Abominable Snowman from Rudolph. According to Yukon Cornelius, they survived the fall off of the mountain because ... Bumbles bounce.

You mean animals don't know that Bumbles bounce?

I can't tolerate intolerant tolerance. Speaking of eating, I do agree somewhat with Judecca that we are animals. After all, we're mammals and primates. I use this argument with PETA vegan girls who try and convert me. As animals, PETA should respect us too and since we're the top of the food chain ... let there be meat. I don't see them criticizing the carnivorous habits of other animals.

Yes, you did apologize for being out of line, but I thought it was ironic that you extol the virtues of Miyazaki's higher plane, and still go off like that. It's one thing to defend what we believe in, but when it's only an opinion of a cartoon or movie, you shouldn't take it personally. Check your emotion ... focus your mind, young padawan.

The programming decisions for TCM are based on the same as any other network: To satisfy the majority to ensure its consistent viewership. They also have the same problems as other networks in that they lose touch with their base now and then. They should offer annual or biannual polls on their site and supply a toll free number for those without computers, to poll what the majority wants. Every company goes with a majority ruling because it's a business at heart, TCM is no different. When they take it upon themselves to make unexpected changes it's usually a test. If they get enough feedback either way, they'll know whether it was a good decision or not. Not many people would just think to e-mail them an opinion, thinking no one is going to read it. But if there were a poll taken on their homepage and advertised between movies, I'm sure people would participate. That's the only fair way to go about it. Some may not like the consequences, but most would. I think these boards are a pretty good indicator that most want TCM as it was without recent films, anime, etc. The reason most turn on TCM is to see something you can't see on any other channel. The recent changes for the most part, can be found elsewhere. I think silent films in their place Sundays at midnight aren't endangered by a majority vote.

I for one am happy that Judecca took Miyazaki's lessons to a higher plane ... to spit down on people. I wonder how the diatribe would have went had she not been so full of life's beauty.

Gallipoli too. And I thought the ending of Hero with the shape of Jet Li's body on the gate with all the arrows surrounding it was brilliant.

Casablanca: Raines: What in heaven's name brought you to Casablanca? Bogart: My health. I came to Casablanca for the waters. Raines: The waters? What waters? We're in the desert. Bogart: I was misinformed. Sunset Blvd: Swanson: My astrologist has read my horoscope, he's read DeMille's horoscope. Holden: Has he read the script?

I'd love to see a month devoted to Sam Peckinpah.

I personally don't consider a movie a classic just because it's on TCM, though I think we know why a movie is usually part of their library. I've no problem with 70s movies being on there either as long as they don't start showing the God-awful Billy Jack movies.

Yeah, all the bio's and documentaries pronounce it as Chick-o. Even in Duck Soup his character's name Chiccolini is pronounced Chick-o-lini. Had it been otherwise, they would have most likely called him Cheek-o-lini.

I agree. I would also add, to answer this question, one has to ask his/herself why they turn on TCM. We all know by now what to expect (or did, in light of recent movies) when we even think of checking out what's on TCM. We're like Pavlov's dogs ... we're conditioned what to expect when TCM is even mentioned. We automatically think old actors/movies, not current ones.. Like your "classic rock" analogy, if people expected to turn on a channel and see Impressionist paintings, they'd wonder what the hell a Warhol was doing on there. Even if they didn't know it was a Warhol, they'd know it wasn't the usual programming and that they were looking at something that was vastly different and not up to par with Impressionism. And why air movies on TCM that we can see on any other channel? Perhaps that's what determines a TCM classic, movies we can only see on TCM.

I love the Miyazaki animes, and personally don't mind them on TCM, but at the same time I agree that this isn't the place for them. They have shown a disturbing trend in airing films that don't belong on there like Sleepless in Seattle, etc. What's next, showing the origianl Ocean's Eleven back to back with the idiotic remake? Some of us may regard Miyazaki's films as classics, but we have to be consistent in our criticism of TCM straying from their raison d'etre.