Extremely disappointed in TCM Memeorial Day Weekend schedule

[tcmsteven]

Last year the schedule was so full throughout the weekend, I made a matrix of must-sees, DVR, and try to see movies, cross referenced with AMCtv and anything else. Literally DOZENS of various war films.TCM clearly has had the best, most comprehensive schedule for several years. In fact I've made it a popint to not schedule anything for the whole weekend This year? A different stroy. AMC was running war movies yesterday (Friday 5/26). And they have a decent schedule all day today as well.

 

Well it's Saturday, and TCM has ONE war film scheduled. It's quite sad. I wish I had the list from last year. I hope to find the proper entity to express my displeasure so that we can right the ship for next year.

[JKelso]

I too am disappointed with the selection of films and lack of many of the wonderful traditional films shown at this time usually. My husband and I traditionally spend this weekend watching TCM. I've been so sad to see no real schedule for films until today. And, the films chosen, over all, are not that good. Please return to a more usual schedule of films encompassing each of the armed forces.

[PhillColeman]

Your disappointment is completely understandable. However, you need to keep in mind that TCM, like most broadcasters, relies on its viewer data info to determine which movies will garnish the most viewers. And since most WW2 era viewers are dead or dying, the pool that TCM relies on (post-Vietnam and non-vets) are not the most 'ancestral' or 'historic' war movie sophisticates, so to speak.

 

Also, when you file a complaint that TCM isn't showing the movies you'd like to see, you need to list the titles of those movies you think should be aired, and provide backup evidence that you have requested those titles via the TCM request-a-movie website.

 

Bottomline, let's be grateful that we have TCM... because w/o Ted Turner's and Jane Fonda's fabulous creation of TCM and their continued devotion to Military Holiday's, we would be at the mercy of those TV channels that feed the American public the silliness that is degrading our national conscience, ethics and morality with perverse nonsense....

 

Respectfully,

Phill

http://www.americanwarlibrary.com/a44/pcole.htm

 

[tcmsteven]

Phil...thanks for responding.....and I will try to reach the proper authorities with my requests. And TRUST ME...I LOVE TCM. A faithful viewer. But your theory about programming doesn't make any sense in regards to Memorial Day. Absolutely irrational even. You say TCM relies on viewer interest/bottom line...yet berate general TV viewership sensibility. We NEED TCM to have a strong schedule so viewers KNOW what's out there. If TCM lets it disappear now...it WILL be forever gone. ESPECIALLY important to educate younger viewers. If you never show the movies...they aren't going to know to request them. How do you NOT get that?

 

It's very hard for me to accept that TCM needs viewer intervention to have a solid strong Memorial Day Weekend schedule. Who's working there these days? The same viewers you berate in your post? What's it like being on a sub in the South Pacific in WW II? Don't know...TCM didn't show any sub movies.

 

See what I mean?

 

 

If TCM needs my help to pick out a full weekend of movies, I'd be thrilled to comply. Here's a partial list of movies I can't believe I didn't see anywhere this weekend:

 

Thin Red Line

Saving Private Ryan

Up Periscope

All Quiet On The Western Front

A Bridge Too Far

Hamburger Hill

Das Boot

The Longest Day

Sands Of Iwo Jima

Wake Island

We Were Soldiers

Run Silent Run Deep

Halls Of Montezuma

MacArthur (no MacArthur? Really?)

Tuskagee Airmen

Enemy Below

30 Seconds Over Tokyo

Hell In The Pacific (shot on location on Palau....an important engagement)

 

We could even lighten it up a it with MASH and 1941. Not to mention show a few of the MANY documentaries, shorts, and vintage news reels.

 

 

 

Well that is just the start. No bariners. Are any of these movies enough to make TCM roll in ratings and cash? Well...maybe not....but that isn't the point is it? This isn't rocket science. It's important history (if sometimes embelished for film purposes)...and TCM is an important keeper of these treasures.

 

 

 

 

[PhillColeman]

I said TCM picks movies that it's viewer data tells them which movies MOST viewers want to see. You are saying that TCM should determine its movie lineup based on what YOU want to see. Okay, you need to do one of two things... One, you need to convince TCM that you, and not their survey or viewer data, knows more about what the public wants to see. Or two, you need to get the head job as TCM's film picker.

 

Sorry I offended you. No one told me that you alone represent the Nielsen Ratings for the entire country. Now that I've gotten the word I will ignore your future postings. You're right. TCM and the rest of us are wrong.

 

Geeziz! I sure wish the newspapers would tell us when God is in our midst!!!!

 

[tcmsteven]

Phil...not sure why you are being so argumentative. My original complaint was about having a full weekend schedule...especially as compared to previous years. That complaint stands and is valid...even if it was an executive decision by TCM.

 

You then requested that I submit suggestions to TCM....which I did here just to show examples. Many of these movies I listed have in the past been on TCM schedule both on Memorial Day and thougghout the year.

 

You then admonish me for thinking that only *I* could possibly appreciate any of the movies on the list. Or that I think these are the only movies worthy.

 

I'm not entirely sure where you are coming from. Do you have some sort of personal vested interest? It would seem that I dare make a complaint against TCM...as if they are above reproach. And how could I have the nerve and gull to suggest the movies I did? Who do I think I am?

I respectfully disagree. I respectfully submit that I have every right to express my opinion, and that I have reasonable cause.

 

Also....thank you for your service.

 

 

[KidChaplin]

TCMSteven...what? No "Patton"?! How can you leave "Patton" off of that list?! I admit it is a pretty good list! But no "Patton?!"

[JamesH]

Actually, my disappointment isn't what wasn't shown but rather with one particular pick that I think really shouldn't have been shown. For me, any film that purports to depict events of an authentic engagement during the Second World War should do so with some attempt of fidelity and adherence to accuracy. No film is under any obligation to do anything beyond entertain the viewer. However, when the subject is based on an occurrence that resulted in such sacrifice that was painfully evident in the forested Ardennes region of Wallonia in Belgium during mid December 1944 until late January 1945, it becomes a sad testimonial to the worst of Hollywood absence of respect for those that will never come home on a day we have set aside to honor their forfeiture.

 

The Malmedy massacre was correctly depicted in the film in question but beyond that, I didn't see one darn thing that came close to fact. It isn't hard to find Hollywood productions that alter the specific events to enhance story or box office (the Great Escape come to mind). But the 1965 production of the "Battle of the Bulge" didn't even come close to portraying what precisely occured on those cold, cold days so many years ago and TCM should take that into account the next time they select the line-up for Veterans day. We owe them that!

[prc1966]

JamesH -- I had a very similar train of thought yesterday afternoon when I turned on TCM to see what Memorial Day film was on, and once again, it was "Kelly's Heroes". While I do find this movie to be funny and enjoyable on occasion, it certainly strays very far from reality, and it shows a group of soldiers breaking every civil and military law in the books. Every year on Memorial Day, I can't help wondering if it is an appropriate film to air on the very day when we honor those who gave their lives in defense of their country. Maybe next year, we could leave this one in the vault for the weekend?

[jamesjazzguitar]

I agree that Kelly's Heroes is an odd movie to show as part of a Memorial day tribute, but one could also say that is true of All Quiet On The Western Front. (but this movie does honor the troop on the line but officers are not portrayed in a positive light).

 

 

 

 

 

[JamesH]

While I totally agree with you prc1966 about "Kelly's Heroes", it was a very enjoyable film and it's odd direction was typical Eastwood. Does it do anything to honor the solders that fought and died in WW2, of course not. But then "Kelly's Heroes" makes no effort to try and rewright history or suggest it was reflective of any genuine event. Keep in mind that Hollywood has made a large number of movies about WW2 and likely the vast majority of these are pure fantasy (The Dirty Dozen or Bridge Over the River Kwai). Good as they were, they never tried to make the viewer believe they were addressing historical events or depicting an actual occurrence.

 

Not the case with "Battle of the Bulge", here there was a total lack of conformity to known facts in making the film. I don't mind that they wanted to make another WW2 action movie, but calling it something that it clearly wasn't is simply a false representation of what we know happened and thus, how does that pay homage to the sacrifices made there?

 

[jamesjazzguitar]

Do you know if the US War Department (Department of Defense) provided support to the producers of Battle of The Bulge?

 

As you know often the producers will thank the goverment for their support in the credits. But since the historical aspects of the film are so 'off' I wonder if the goverment decided to NOT supply any support unless the script was revised (which is clearly wasn't).

 

 

[prc1966]

JamesH -- In spite of my thoughts that perhaps it is not an appropriate movie for a Memorial Day tribute, I would to certainly say that I do do like Kelly's Heroes - as a comedy and caper flick, it's a real hoot. In addition to be being very much a typical Eastwood film, it is also very representative if it's time -- the age of the anti-hero was at it's peak in 1970!I agree with your assessment of Battle of the Bulge. It may be that the movie makers were trying to condense a lot of different apsects of the campaign into one fictionalized story, but even at that, they did a poor job of creating any sense any accuracy. The first time I watched it, I was expecting a movie along the lines of The Longest Day, in which case a great deal of effort was made to reflect real events.I have similar issues to the 1968 move "Anzio", which, in terms of inaccuracy, does to the Anzio campaign what "Battle of the Bulge" does to the Ardennes Campaign.

[JamesH]

I don't know jamesjazzguitar. However, I did see this on IMDb, "This film was denounced by former President (and Supreme Allied Commander in Europe during WW2) [Dwight D. Eisenhower|http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0252032/] soon after its release in a press conference due to its glaring historical inaccuracies."

 

Most of the tanks used in the production were obtained from the Spanish Army and a lot of footage was shot south of Madrid which is why there is an absence of cold weather, trees and snow.

[JamesH]

Hard for me to address the "Anzio" film prc1966, in that it came out about the time I was off to do my gig for Uncle Sam and didn't get back to the states until 71. My guess is, it's been on the tube (likely TCM) but I simply haven't been driven to watch it. That's odd, in that I'm a BIG Bob Mitchum fan and even BIGGER Peter Falk fan. Hate to hear it maybe in the same class as "Battle of the Bulge".

[prc1966]

Anzio used to be shown on tv once in a while when I was a teenager back int he early 80's, but I have not seen it broadcast in decades. I did purchase a bootleg version of it on DVD when I working overseas 3 years ago, and it certainly played loose with the facts, much like Battle of the Bulge. For whatever reason, trhey changed the names of General Clark and General Lucas to General Carson and General Leslie -- then went downhill from there!

[mathewjohn]

I think it may be that the movie makers were trying to condense a lot of different aspects of the campaign into one fictionalized story, but even at that, they did a poor job of creating any sense any accuracy. The first time I watched it, I was expecting a movie along the lines of the Longest Day, in which case a great deal of effort was made to reflect real events. Thanks for sharing.

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