What rarely shown movies would you like TCM to play???

[MovieCollectorOH]

19 hours ago, nakano said:

Iguess it must be a question of rights but what is the story for The Perfect Specimen a Michael Curtiz film with Errol Flynn and Joan Blondell? I have been with TCM for almost 14 years never seen it here,nowhere,finally found an unofficial link on a download place,incredibly enough the copy I got has a PERMANENT TCM logo on it! Was it shown in the early days of TCM or was it shown on an European TCM? Finally was it ever shown on TCM US?

As far as TCM US, I have a fairly comprehensive timeline of TCM's US scheduling, with some parts missing near the beginning.  More here at bottom of this page: http://moviecollector.us/reports.htm

I don't see it anywhere in my data.  I did see there are rights issues.  So I am not saying I am certain they never played it - just less likely. 

P.S. The unusual TCM screen bug might be a telltale clue.  Only challenge is to find anything else out there that matches it or explains it.

[Ray Faiola]

I just ran a print I got in of THE SUN NEVER SETS. Interesting Universal from 1939 with Rathbone, Fairbanks, Atwill, Barbara O'Neill, Melville Cooper and C. Aubrey Smith. I don't think TCM has run this one. Might have been last shown on the old AMC. Great Frank Skinner score includes the theme that was later used for the studio's War Bonds tag. Lionel Atwill plays an ant scientist who is a would-be dictator.

[cigarjoe]

Night Has A Thousand Eyes, Film Noir starring Edward G. Robinson.

[darkblue]

On ‎7‎/‎12‎/‎2005 at 9:04 AM, bhryun said:

What rarely shown movies would you like TCM to play???

William Castle's 'The Night Walker' (1964) would be nice to see.

[cody1949]

Two Ealing Studios classic comedies from England

        PASSPORT TO PIMLICO

        TIGHT LITTLE ISLAND     aka WHISKY GALORE

 

        

[MaryGH]

I know I made a post in this forum back in April 22, 2016 according to my posting history but want to revisit this subject since it concerns Turner Entertainment/Warner Brothers:

Turner Entertainment/Warner Brothers is the legal distributor of all FBO/RKO movies between 1925 and 1930. Now, a number of these FBO silent films have survived and keep surfacing, as did 2 and a one reel segment of a third did a year ago in Europe (film archives). Yes, this is about Tom Tyler's silent film career, and how Turner Entertainment/Warner Brothers holds the golden key to restoring and digitizing these silent films. Were these silent films to be restored, they could be available through TCM and DVD.

I won't go into how many hours I have spent verifying those which are confirmed to exist as well as those which do exist but are not in the LOC's American Silent Feature Film Database. My background in museum archives/archival research came in handy here.  At the present time my main goal is to see these surviving silent films that Tom Tyler made, as a B-western leading man, restored and digitized due to their importance in Hollywood history.

 

https://www.thepetitionsite.com/650/139/217/turner-entertainmentwarner-brothers-please-digitize-tom-tylers-surviving-fbo-silent-films/?src=referrer&campaign=http%3A%2F%2Ftriggertom.com%2F

[TopBilled]

6 minutes ago, MaryGH said:

I know I made a post in this forum back in April 22, 2016 according to my posting history but want to revisit this subject since it concerns Turner Entertainment/Warner Brothers:

Turner Entertainment/Warner Brothers is the legal distributor of all FBO/RKO movies between 1925 and 1930. Now, a number of these FBO silent films have survived and keep surfacing, as did 2 and a one reel segment of a third did a year ago in Europe (film archives). Yes, this is about Tom Tyler's silent film career, and how Turner Entertainment/Warner Brothers holds the golden key to restoring and digitizing these silent films. Were these silent films to be restored, they could be available through TCM and DVD.

I won't go into how many hours I have spent verifying those which are confirmed to exist as well as those which do exist but are not in the LOC's American Silent Feature Film Database. My background in museum archives/archival research came in handy here.  At the present time my main goal is to see these surviving silent films that Tom Tyler made, as a B-western leading man, restored and digitized due to their importance in Hollywood history.

https://www.thepetitionsite.com/650/139/217/turner-entertainmentwarner-brothers-please-digitize-tom-tylers-surviving-fbo-silent-films/?src=referrer&campaign=http%3A%2F%2Ftriggertom.com%2F

Yes, I've often wondered where those FBO silent films are and why they aren't seen by the public.

I'd like to see the silent westerns Tom Mix made at FBO:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Mix_filmography#FBO_Pictures

[MaryGH]

1 minute ago, TopBilled said:

Yes, I've often wondered where those FBO silent films are and why they aren't seen by the public.

 

Most of them are in European archives, not just Tom Tyler, but also Tom Mix, Bob Custer, Bob Steele, plus others.

As I understand it, most of those FBO silent film prints that existed in the USA were melted for their silver content, while the few that did survive, primarily in western Europe although there is one ("Lightning Lariats") at Gosfilmofond in Moscow.

So why Europe, especially these cheaply made (usually at $6000.00 - $8000.00) B-westerns?

As I understand it, film culture on the American West is very unique, even romantic, in Europe - a land which has no counterpart. Most of Tom's surviving silent films are at Cinematek in Brussels; the link in my previous post gives a rundown of what does exist and where it is. Like any other museum, a film archive is an ongoing process; any time someone donates a private collection of films, these films are accessioned, evaluated for their condition, stored properly (especially the 35mm nitrates), recorded in their database (PastPerfect or something similar).

Hope that answers your question, if you have any others, please feel free to ask, I will try to answer them.

 

[TopBilled]

5 minutes ago, MaryGH said:

 

Most of them are in European archives, not just Tom Tyler, but also Tom Mix, Bob Custer, Bob Steele, plus others.

As I understand it, most of those FBO silent film prints that existed in the USA were melted for their silver content, while the few that did survive, primarily in western Europe although there is one ("Lightning Lariats") at Gosfilmofond in Moscow.

So why Europe, especially these cheaply made (usually at $6000.00 - $8000.00) B-westerns?

As I understand it, film culture on the American West is very unique, even romantic, in Europe - a land which has no counterpart. Most of Tom's surviving silent films are at Cinematek in Brussels; the link in my previous post gives a rundown of what does exist and where it is. Like any other museum, a film archive is an ongoing process; any time someone donates a private collection of films, these films are accessioned, evaluated for their condition, stored properly (especially the 35mm nitrates), recorded in their database (PastPerfect or something similar).

Hope that answers your question, if you have any others, please feel free to ask, I will try to answer them.

Thanks Mary. Very informative. I don't know much about the FBO catalogue of films. I assume there were comedies, romances and films in other genres...more than just these silent westerns. So it's always intrigued me why none of this work gets shown.

[MaryGH]

Just now, TopBilled said:

Thanks Mary. Very informative. I don't know much about the FBO catalogue of films. I assume there were comedies, romances and films in other genres...more than just these silent westerns. So it's always intrigued me why none of this work gets shown.

You're welcome! FBO did in fact also do films of other genres. Are you familiar with Lantern Media History? http://lantern.mediahist.org/ 

One of the best tools for film/movie star research. If you decide to go to that site, be prepared to spend a few hours in there - time flies for me when I start digging into the old Hollywood trade publications.

For example:

From Exhibitors Herald and Moving Picture World, January 28, 1928

 

[Ensign Pulver]

On 7/12/2005 at 9:04 AM, bhryun said:

What rarely shown (or never shown) movies would you like TCM to play??? My choices are...

1) The Shanghai Gesture

2) Knight Without Armor

3) The Conspirators (was shown in last few months, but I would like to see it again!)

 

 

[ChristineHoard]

Applause (1929) with Helen Morgan.

[TopBilled]

14 hours ago, MaryGH said:

You're welcome! FBO did in fact also do films of other genres. Are you familiar with Lantern Media History? http://lantern.mediahist.org/ 

Thanks for the great link. I looked at some periodicals there last night. Definitely can spend hours going through the materials on that site. Very informative!

[Cinemartian]

At the beginning of the year Mankiewicz mentioned that he was 'excited about the programming and movies that TCM secured for the year' which I interpreted as rights for certain movies must be individually purchased and obtained and they decided to make a poor selection for the year as Robert is no longer around. What's with all this 70's junk? He has mentioned that he considers the seventies a renewed golden age but other than a lot of european film I find the 70's a weak period in American cinema. I'm sure a lot of it comes down to budget as well. Maybe they could get some Bunuel that no one has seen. The Other Side of the Wind is coming to Netflix people. 

[darkblue]

3 hours ago, Cinemartian said:

I find the 70's a weak period in American cinema. 

Most creative decade in film ever - especially from 70 to 76.

[titinenitrate]

I'd like to see more silent film comedies starring women! Even the really early ones and shorts, like Daisy Doodad's Dial, the feminist comedies about women's suffrage, and stuff like that. There are a lot of good examples that I found in this new book, "Specters of Slapstick and Silent Film Comediennes." 

https://cup.columbia.edu/book/specters-of-slapstick-and-silent-film-comediennes/9780231179478

[LawrenceA]

The works of Russ Meyer.

[Sukhov]

The movies of Tinto Brass. They would be perfect TCM Underground fare. 

[Emily Emerac]

On 8/23/2018 at 7:50 PM, Ensign Pulver said:

1) The Shanghai Gesture

2) Knight Without Armor

3) The Conspirators (was shown in last few months, but I would like to see it again!)

 

 

Hello -- I'm new to the TCM site, though not at all new to classic movies.

I'd love to see The Shanghai Gesture again.  A really bizarre and lurid story from a play and, I suspect it was highly bowdlerized for movie audiences.  Compelling and entertaining nonetheless.  Very interesting especially for Victor Mature's take on a Turkish "Dr. Feelgood" type medic, Mike Mazurki as a Chinese henchman, and especially for a petulant Gene Tierney's gorgeous clothes, designed by her husband Oleg Cassini.

I'll also cast a vote for a charming comedy from 1947 called A Likely Story, starring Bill Williams and his wife Barbara Hale.  It's a very clever story, complete with gentle gangsters, an overbearing insurance salesman, and the ugliest artwork you ever saw.  Williams is quite good, and shows a nice flair for comedy.

I'm sure I can come up with many more, but it's just too hot today to have to think for very long.  I'm glad to be here at TCM.

 

 

[TopBilled]

9 hours ago, Emily Emerac said:

Hello -- I'm new to the TCM site, though not at all new to classic movies.

I'd love to see The Shanghai Gesture again.  A really bizarre and lurid story from a play and, I suspect it was highly bowdlerized for movie audiences.  Compelling and entertaining nonetheless.  Very interesting especially for Victor Mature's take on a Turkish "Dr. Feelgood" type medic, Mike Mazurki as a Chinese henchman, and especially for a petulant Gene Tierney's gorgeous clothes, designed by her husband Oleg Cassini.

I'll also cast a vote for a charming comedy from 1947 called A Likely Story, starring Bill Williams and his wife Barbara Hale.  It's a very clever story, complete with gentle gangsters, an overbearing insurance salesman, and the ugliest artwork you ever saw.  Williams is quite good, and shows a nice flair for comedy.

I'm sure I can come up with many more, but it's just too hot today to have to think for very long.  I'm glad to be here at TCM.

Nice post, Emily. Welcome to the message boards.

[Emily Emerac]

Thank you for your welcome, Top.  The heat index was over 100 yesterday, and will probably be the same today, but I thought of a few more movies I miss seeing.  One is the Anne Shirley version of Anne of Green Gables, in which O.P. Heggie's wise and sweet farmer absolutely blows me away. 

Then there is the unfortunately sparse film catalog of Lyda Roberti, who was one of the most skillful and funny women in 1930s cinema.  I usually avoid those Hal Roach shorts she made with the overbearing Patsy Kelly, whose presence I can take in only small doses, but there are the few feature length films she made, like Three Cornered Moon, and her best work - Million Dollar Legs.  Roberti could have been a contender, playing femme fatales and ditzy blondes to equal effect, but she died in 1938 at the ridiculous age of 31.

[TopBilled]

7 hours ago, Emily Emerac said:

Thank you for your welcome, Top.  The heat index was over 100 yesterday, and will probably be the same today, but I thought of a few more movies I miss seeing.  One is the Anne Shirley version of Anne of Green Gables, in which O.P. Heggie's wise and sweet farmer absolutely blows me away. 

Then there is the unfortunately sparse film catalog of Lyda Roberti, who was one of the most skillful and funny women in 1930s cinema.  I usually avoid those Hal Roach shorts she made with the overbearing Patsy Kelly, whose presence I can take in only small doses, but there are the few feature length films she made, like Three Cornered Moon, and her best work - Million Dollar Legs.  Roberti could have been a contender, playing femme fatales and ditzy blondes to equal effect, but she died in 1938 at the ridiculous age of 31.

Nice to find another Lyda Roberti fan. She did make a few feature length comedies for Roach near the end. One was NOBODY'S BABY in which she and Patsy Kelly play befuddled nurses. It's quite funny.

Most, if not all, of her early stuff was at Paramount which explains why it's never aired on TCM.

As for ANNE OF GREEN GABLES (1934) TCM does schedule it a few times a year since it's in their library. However they never show the sequel, also starring Anne Shirley, which is called ANNE OF WINDY POPLARS (1940). I believe it's prevented from airing due to some legal rights issue.

[Cinemartian]

On August 27, 2018 at 3:41 PM, darkblue said:

Most creative decade in film ever - especially from 70 to 76.

Cite examples. You can't use Kubrick. I'd say okay to Coppola The Conversation and Godfather but I don't know. Jaws doesn't count either. 

[darkblue]

18 minutes ago, Cinemartian said:

Cite examples. 

No point. It would take far too long for me to list the hundreds of movies from the 1970's that I loved. 

I appreciate what I appreciate and you appreciate what you appreciate - and there's a gulf of difference between, I'm pretty sure.

[TopBilled]

On 8/29/2018 at 7:38 AM, Emily Emerac said:

I thought of a few more movies I miss seeing.  One is the Anne Shirley version of Anne of Green Gables, in which O.P. Heggie's wise and sweet farmer absolutely blows me away. 

ANNE OF GREEN GABLES is airing on TCM the 26th of October.

http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/975/Anne-of-Green-Gables/