JonParker

> I am also enjoying the movie. It has been called the > worst movie ever made, and the reason is quite > obvious. Yet, it is wildly entertaining because of > its flaws. This is one of my new favorite films, and > it is absolutely awful. Ed Wood gets a bad rap. There are far worse directors out there; try a Coleman Francis movie for a truly horrible viewing experience. The thing about Wood is that in spite of the obvious flaws in his films, a lot of them are consistently entertaining. Sometimes that's unintentional, like Criswell's opening monologue ("We are all interested in the future, for that is where we will spend the rest of our lives"). You're never bored while watching Plan 9, and that's not true of a lot of schlock films. I thought Zombie did a great job as host. I'm really looking forward to the rest of the TCM Underground movies.

According to imdb, which may or may not be accurate, it was auctioned off and bought by Steven Spielberg, who donated it back to the Academy.

Fred, I totally agree. I've gone through about 70 DVDs this month just burning all this stuff. October has been excellent.

*I* never complain. I think TCM does a really good job keeping everyone happy at least some of the time, which is why it bothers me when people start bitching about the programming. Sure, the channel would be different if they only ran things i wanted to see, but then viewership would decline. I think TCM does an excellent job.

That's her. It's from "Call her Savage," one of her few talkies. She looks pretty good in the movie. It may be that I'm a crappy screencapper.

I am EXTREMELY happy that you're back. Really. I missed you terribly. Please don't let anyone run you off.

I am EXTREMELY happy that you're back. Really. I missed you terribly.

Is it worse than the Clara Bow shot I posted above?

> It is Friday and only four people have taken the time > to vote so far in this "Get Out The Vote" thread. (I > have received a fifth vote by Private Message.) That is pathetic.

This is the best post ever.

I think genre marketing (which is accepted by a lot of the audience) is a pretty cheesy way to look at films. I like *good* films, and whether it's a romantic comedy or a spaghetti western is secondary to the fact that it's good.

I would hate to see you leave. I too am resisting getting digital, but if that was my only option to keep getting TCM I'd bite the bullet and do it. Unfortunately, like pktrekgirl, I have geographical limitations that rule out satellite. Best of luck in your search for an alternative. Edited to add that those same geographical limitations even prevent me from even getting over the air broadcast, so Comcast really has me over a barrel. Message was edited by: JonParker

The answer is the same as it is for most once big stars who are now forgotten -- the films. For whatever reason, none of his films were true blockbusters, nor were they artistic in the way that rescued Murnau and Dreyer from obscurity. I think the stars and directors that make it into general knowledge have at least one or two films that everyone knows. It's those outliers, not the life's body of work that make the difference. Honestly, I would have no idea who Dwan was if not for Brownlow.

> I've never encountered a letterboxed movie while > skimming through any of the "Encore" or "Starz" (or > HBO) channels. "The Movie Channel" (and its second > thing) shows some letterboxed films, and somewhat > less often on the Showtimes. The myriad Cinemax > channels might even do the occasional one. Never the > HBOs, Encores and Starz, though, so I generally avoid > them. I think OAR is only an option if you subscribe to HD programming on the premium channels.

>I can't think of two other people who > could post a week of TCM Programming of their own > creation that would excite me more. Flattery will get you everywhere.

> I'm having a real problem deciding between Sugarpuss > and lzcutter. Don't feel bad. I had the same problem. I eventually posted my choice, but after I voted I keep wanting to go back and look at it again. Now that I think about it, this may be the only time in my entire life that I've had to choose between two exceptionally good candidates for anything. Most of the time it's been the lesser of two evils.

> Aw, really? Eric Linden? > I caught "Young Bride," last month or whenever it was > on, and there really weren't too many other Hollywood > stars in the Eric Linden mode. Kinda like some > sickly, James Cagney-Mickey Rooney cross-pollination > who wasn't getting enough meat in his diet. Still, he > at least brought some pep to the picture. There was a thread on Young Bride on the Pre-Code forum a while back, and I'll just re-quote what I wrote there: "Eric Linden drives me up the wall -- my idea of hell is having nothing to watch but Eric Linden and Una Merkel movies for all eternity. He's like a third rate Lee Tracy with none of the charm."

I also love Bette in Hush Hush. I loved Baby jane too, but not nearly as much. Actors that make me want to throw something at the TV are Una Merkel, Eric Linden, and Richard Cromwell.

Read this thread for a discussion of this topic.

Um, *I* never said that TCM is drek. I love TCM. That's why I'm here.

> bobhopefan, yes, AMC has been drek for years and > years. I remember the beginning of the end > when...hence my apprehension of TCM... When they started showing commercials between movies, I went "ok, they have to make money. I can live with that." When AMC starting interrupting movies for commercials, I quit watching. I sent them a letter of complaint, and got back a form letter stating that "our viewers appreciate an intermission" or words to that effect. Of course, if I were to "appreciate" the number of "intermissions" they have these days it would be because of severe prostate trouble.

You really need to watch "Show People" the next time it shows on TCM. It's a great comedy, with guest appearances by a lot of the leading lights of 1920s Hollywood. It was the first Marion Davies film I ever saw, and from the scene where she auditions her acting ability I was cracking up. I was also hooked on her.

> Well I said I'd participate, But work and life seemed > to sneak up and kill me with a lot of projects. Yeah, it looks like a lot of fun, but I don't have time to even try.

I LOVE LOVE LOVE lzcutter's challenge response. I would record every single thing that week except for the "Hollywood" series, and that only because I own it already. lzcutter gets my vote. I must add that this is based soley on personal taste. I was torn about whether or not the week should be something that TCM could actually program rather than my personal favorites. If that were the case, I would have voted for my runner-up suparpuss. It was a real close call.

Gloria Grahame