classiccinemafan Posted December 10, 2012 Share Posted December 10, 2012 I can't tell you how much I really hate that channel. I'm so greatful we have TCM. AMC showed 'Christmas in Conn.'. It was in black and white , but had those dumb 'walking dead' ads in the bottom. I'm so looking forward to seeing 'Christmas Story' on Christmas eve and Christmas day. After having supper with family of course. It's on 24 hours , so what is there to miss. It's a tradition to watch Christmas Story in my house. 24 straight hours. I love that movie. It's a wonderful life and Miracle on 34th street 1947 are the others on my top 3 favorite christmas movies. Edited by: classiccinemafan on Dec 10, 2012 1:27 PM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LsDoorMat Posted December 10, 2012 Share Posted December 10, 2012 classiccinemafan, you had me at "AMC stinks"! Colorized versions of movies - and panned and scanned when widescreen of course - do not surprise me on AMC. During October when AMC was running a few of the old B&W horror classics in the middle of the night, one poster claimed he had seen the 90 minute "Corridors of Blood" starring Boris Karloff run in a 15 minute slot with 5 minutes of commercials over on AMC! I doubted the veracity of this claim, but then they did it again so I tuned in and you wouldn't believe the result - it was incomprehensible. Why bother with the pathos of Karloff when Bob the Enzyte guy would be just as effective in such an abbreviated production! I'm sure when AMC runs "White Christmas" - which fortunately for them is already in color - they really regret there are no car chases or explosions in the film to captivate their target demographic. I'm sure if they could edit them into the film without violating copyright they would. My husband and I were just talking the other day about watching "Make Way for Tomorrow" and "Murder by the Clock" on AMC back when we first moved into our house in 1995. How far AMC has fallen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DougieB Posted December 10, 2012 Share Posted December 10, 2012 I completely agree how far AMC has fallen, but I watched "White Christmas" last year and will watch it again this year. It looks spectacular in HD and nobody else is showing it. I can live with commercials if I really want to see a movie. I grew up watching movies with commercials on a small black and white TV, when the least kind of bad weather made it all but unwatchable, in which case one of my brothers or I would be appointed to stand there holding the rabbit ears so that the others could watch. Commercials aren't a small price to pay, but in some cases I'm willing to pay it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen44 Posted December 10, 2012 Share Posted December 10, 2012 It's not just AMC that has changed it is the whole media business that has dumbed down it's offerings with reality shows and celebrity gossip. The 1979 movie Network accurately predicted the media world that we are being subjected to today. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LsDoorMat Posted December 10, 2012 Share Posted December 10, 2012 > {quote:title=DougieB wrote:}{quote} > I completely agree how far AMC has fallen, but I watched "White Christmas" last year and will watch it again this year. It looks spectacular in HD and nobody else is showing it. I can live with commercials if I really want to see a movie. I grew up watching movies with commercials on a small black and white TV, when the least kind of bad weather made it all but unwatchable, in which case one of my brothers or I would be appointed to stand there holding the rabbit ears so that the others could watch. Commercials aren't a small price to pay, but in some cases I'm willing to pay it. I bought the recently (2009) restored DVD of "White Christmas", and I agree the film looks great. That's how I watch it so I don't have to deal with AMC. I remember watching all kinds of old films on B&W TV too. Those were the days with morning movies, afternoon movies, late show movies. I loved these old films even as a kid, and when Christmas vacation would come, I'd get out the old TV guide and circle which old films I'd watch on which days. An odd occupation for a 10 year old, don't you think? So when these old films were all over the dial, you're right, commercials were not too high a price to pay. But in the days we're talking about, 40 years or so ago, the channels couldn't constantly put annoying little crawling things across the bottom of the screen to advertise DURING the movie too. AMC does that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dpompper Posted December 10, 2012 Share Posted December 10, 2012 Sacrilege. I'll watch my DVD, thank you very much. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twangman9312 Posted December 10, 2012 Share Posted December 10, 2012 I remember when AMC used to campaign against colorization and they'd sometimes run an anti-colorization promo. I particularly remember the end where a bucket of paint is dumped on King Kong and the voiceover says, "We don't monkey around with the originals." Well, now they do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DougieB Posted December 10, 2012 Share Posted December 10, 2012 You're right, of course, about DVD being the way to go. And, no, you weren't the only one circling things for the week in TV Guide. Nothing odd about that at all, pre-DVR. I think one of the reasons I resist totally dumping on AMC is the fondness with which I remember Bob Dorian and Nick Clooney. I recently tranferred to DVD some of the old VHS tapes I recorded from AMC of movies TCM still hasn't shown and I made sure I included their introductions. Yes, AMC pretty much stinks, but there are some beloved ghosts roaming those halls. And you're so right about the creepy-crawlies; maybe on The Weather Channel or the news, but definitely not for movies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hlywdkjk Posted December 10, 2012 Share Posted December 10, 2012 *"I remember when AMC used to campaign against colorization and they'd sometimes run an anti-colorization promo."* Yeah. That was their dig at Ted Turner when TNT was showing the colorized versions of some films. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LsDoorMat Posted December 10, 2012 Share Posted December 10, 2012 > {quote:title=DougieB wrote:}{quote}You're right, of course, about DVD being the way to go. And, no, you weren't the only one circling things for the week in TV Guide. Nothing odd about that at all, pre-DVR. I think one of the reasons I resist totally dumping on AMC is the fondness with which I remember Bob Dorian and Nick Clooney. I recently tranferred to DVD some of the old VHS tapes I recorded from AMC of movies TCM still hasn't shown and I made sure I included their introductions. Yes, AMC pretty much stinks, but there are some beloved ghosts roaming those halls. And you're so right about the creepy-crawlies; maybe on The Weather Channel or the news, but definitely not for movies. I know some people who actually get their old tapes of the AMC broadcasts, CUT OFF the introductions when they transfer the films to DVD, and dump the VHS tapes! To me those introductions are of historic and sentimental value and I can't see why anybody would dump them. Good for you for keeping them around for posterity. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clore Posted December 10, 2012 Share Posted December 10, 2012 Yes, I remember the line in the spot where they boasted that their films "contain no added ingredients" and on the screen we saw a box of crayons being crossed out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hamradio Posted December 10, 2012 Share Posted December 10, 2012 How many would rather had the original "Miracle on 34th Street" instead of the *boring* silent feature last night? I watched only 30 min of it and got out a DVD. Shoot if AMC simply stop showing commercials and editing their movies (my major issue ), I would accept the colorized versions as a tradeup. I like Santa in red and white attire anyway. Speaking of modern movies, anyone noticed that "Prancer" (1989) don't get the attention it should? It's just a great Christmas film as "Miracle on 34th Street" and "A Christmas Story". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clore Posted December 10, 2012 Share Posted December 10, 2012 To each his own, but I consider THE CROWD (if that's the silent to which you are referring) to be one of the greatest of its era. I was so happy to finally get a recording of it last night as I've not had a VCR in years and only recently purchased a DVD recorder. Nevertheless, I do enjoy MIRACLE ON 34TH STREET which may be on next year if the pattern holds up. It was on in 2009 and 2011, so maybe it's going to show up again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LsDoorMat Posted December 10, 2012 Share Posted December 10, 2012 > {quote:title=clore wrote:}{quote}To each his own, but I consider THE CROWD (if that's the silent to which you are referring) to be one of the greatest of its era. I was so happy to finally get a recording of it last night as I've not had a VCR in years and only recently purchased a DVD recorder. > > Nevertheless, I do enjoy MIRACLE ON 34TH STREET which may be on next year if the pattern holds up. It was on in 2009 and 2011, so maybe it's going to show up again. I'm with you. I already had a recording of the Crowd, but I watched it again because it is one of the greatest silent films ever made with themes that remain pertinent to this day. I don't see how anybody could be bored by it unless they just don't like silent film. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janet0312 Posted December 10, 2012 Share Posted December 10, 2012 I would have watched Miracle last night when I got home from work, but I honestly can't stand that many commercials. A 90 minute movie running for 2 hours and 15 minutes. Yikes! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hamradio Posted December 10, 2012 Share Posted December 10, 2012 Sorry but "The Crowd" simply didn't strike a note with me. It being silent has nothing to do with it, there are many silents I enjoy but like sound movies, I don't like some of them. Before last night, I've never heard of "The Crowd" let alone just finding out its an acclaimed film. I am happy that you and clore had a wonderful night. Just boils down to personal taste. Edited by: hamradio on Dec 10, 2012 12:13 PM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dargo2 Posted December 10, 2012 Share Posted December 10, 2012 Re this whole colorization of "Miracle" here... I find it rather ironic that the newest Macy's Christmas commercial which features all these present day "celebs", has a computerized image of Edmund Gwenn as Kris Kringle from this movie interacting with all these "celebs", and he's shown in, believe it or not...BLACK & WHITE..and which I thought was a nice touch. (...if you haven't seen it yet, wait 'til the end where he interacts with the irascible Donald Trump...that's the best part about it!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hamradio Posted December 10, 2012 Share Posted December 10, 2012 Dargo2, do you think anyone would like a computerized image of Donald Trump with better hair? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dargo2 Posted December 10, 2012 Share Posted December 10, 2012 Hmmmm...not into the "Comb-Over" look, are we, Ham?! (...and yeah, maybe while they're at it, the guys at the CGI studio can do somethin' with that freakin' SNARL o' his TOO, eh?!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dpompper Posted December 10, 2012 Share Posted December 10, 2012 That could be "befitting." I think of him as a cartoon character, anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sepiatone Posted December 10, 2012 Share Posted December 10, 2012 I'm surprised, Dargo, that Trump didn't try cashing in on the sale of "Trump Bad Hair Hats", ala Davy Crockett "Coonskin" caps! Dougie, you and your brother had to hold the "rabbit ears"? What happened, the TIN FOIL didn't work? I always wondered why some smart-azz didn't try an "un-colorizing" campaign; the REMOVING of color from old Technicolor movies? "Man, wouldn't this movie look GREAT in BLACK AND WHITE?" ( I actually thought of this while watching *The Sting* recently) Sepiatone Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hlywdkjk Posted December 10, 2012 Share Posted December 10, 2012 *"Speaking of modern movies, anyone noticed that "Prancer" (1989) don't get the attention it should."* - hamradio Is *Santa Claus: The Movie* worth anyone's time or attention? Santa Packing For 'hamradio's House Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hamradio Posted December 10, 2012 Share Posted December 10, 2012 LOL!! Santa forgot the Heathkit SB-301 on my wish list. :^0 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MovieMadness Posted December 10, 2012 Share Posted December 10, 2012 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
classiccinemafan Posted December 10, 2012 Author Share Posted December 10, 2012 sepiatone , I once watched 'Rocky' in black and white. It looked good. But I still prefer watching it in color. 'Rocky' is one of my favorite 70's films. The Sting too. Edited by: classiccinemafan on Dec 10, 2012 1:38 PM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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