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HITS & MISSES: Yesterday, Today & Tomorrow on TCM


Bogie56
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[...]As an aside, did anyone else take advantage of the session of animation movies that TCM aired the other day, before primetime? There were some goodies in there, including Magic Boy (the MGM-ized release of Shōnen Sarutobi Sasuke, Gulliver's Travels, Twice Upon a Time (one of my all time favorites) & Watership Down (probably the first animation I ever watched, not aimed squarely at young kids).

 

Yes, I saw Watership Down for the first time and enjoyed it more than I was expecting to. Had I seen it as a child I probably would have been devastated by it, though. It does contain some of the most graphic violence and vivid displays of suffering I recall ever having seen in an animated film. I liked the animated depiction of the rabbits' body language; and the integrated human and rabbit behavior from the characters was well done and amusing. My favorite character was Fiver, the neurotic rabbit who could foretell disaster. He was very entertaining and struck me as the most realistic as a rabbit. Zero Mostel as the seagull was funny but at the same time seemed flagrantly out of place.

 

I also saw Gulliver's Travels for the first time but was terribly disappointed, I'm sorry to say. The great animation was wasted on a simply boring film.

 

I also love Twice Upon a Time.

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Abar delivers exactly the kind of things you're most likely going to be looking for in a blaxploitation flick - though IIRC, (and without too much of a spoiler), it also attempts to drive it's point home via use of a plot device also used in a certain Claudette Colbert movie recently discussed on these forums - which was something of an unexpected touch.

Abar tries to hitch-hike by showing off his legs? ;)
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Dirk Bogarde day tomorrow. I'll be taping three I haven't seen:

 

Cast a Dark Shadow (1955)

The Password Is Courage (1962)

Death In Venice (1971)

You're in for quite a treat with "Death In Venice" - Luchino Viscounti's films are unlike anybody else's - it isn't exactly faithful, though, to Thomas Mann's novella - in that it is more "explicit" - and Tadzio in the flesh is such an "objet d'art".

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Dirk Bogarde day tomorrow. I'll be taping three I haven't seen:

 

Cast a Dark Shadow (1955)

The Password Is Courage (1962)

Death In Venice (1971)

CAST A DARK SHADOW may be the first film where Dirk Bogarde showed he had serious acting chops. This is basically a filmed play about a man who marries for money and is willing to kill for it, but with Bogarde, Mona Washbourne, Margaret Lockwood, and Kay Walsh, we are in very good hands. Directed by Lewis Gilbert, who went on to make films like ALFIE and THE SEVENTH DAWN.

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Misses: MGM Parade Show #19 (1955)

I usually welcome the shorts - even repeats - however, MGM Parade Show #19 seems to have been paraded about a half a dozen times in the last couple of months!

 

Turner Classic Movies did not have "Twice Upon a Time" appear properly during their most recent broadcast of it a few days ago (it appeared as if had been magnified and squeezed from left to right).

 

The version TCM has shown in the past is pan & scan (with associated left/right cropping), whereas the DVD has a widescreen version (which I didn't know existed until I saw the DVD) - could that difference be what you're describing?. I didn't tape Friday's airing, but as far as I could tell, the earlier airings were otherwise correct (no magnification, or squeezing - just the P&S cropping).

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CAST A DARK SHADOW may be the first film where Dirk Bogarde showed he had serious acting chops. This is basically a filmed play about a man who marries for money and is willing to kill for it, but with Bogarde, Mona Washbourne, Margaret Lockwood, and Kay Walsh, we are in very good hands. Directed by Lewis Gilbert, who went on to make films like ALFIE and THE SEVENTH DAWN.

TCM isn`t showing I COULD GO ON SINGING 1963 where I enjoyed Dirk`s portrayal of the ex husband of Judy Garland. I can understand why this film isn`t being shown on Dirk`s birthday, but I am disappointed that there will be no showing in April when Judy is SOTM. Judy`s last movie which I enjoy very much.

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Monday, March 28

 

Wow.  March does get even better.  Dirk Bogarde day and a good, diverse bunch of his films too.

 

4:45 p.m.  Death In Venice (1971) Good Visconti film as others have pointed out.

 
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The version [of "Twice Upon a Time"] TCM has shown in the past is pan & scan (with associated left/right cropping), whereas the DVD has a widescreen version (which I didn't know existed until I saw the DVD) - could that difference be what you're describing?. I didn't tape Friday's airing, but as far as I could tell, the earlier airings were otherwise correct (no magnification, or squeezing - just the P&S cropping).

 

I do not know whether the version usually shown by them was panned and scanned or not, but it was still cropped.

 

By the way, the version released on VHS and the one usually shown by the Cartoon Network in the past were open matte unlike the one released onto the DVD you had mentioned (that version was cropped also, from top to bottom). The version that was available through Comcast's video-on-demand services was open matte also (it also had the same audio track as the version usually shown by Turner Classic Movies).

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sapphiere--TCM has scheduled  the 3 hour disaster "Pepe" (1960) for April 30th, 6:00 a.m., E.S.T., where Garland only sings the introductory song, "The Faraway Side of Town".  To confirm this , go to TCM's webpage on "Pepe", go to the "Article", and read the credits at the end of it; those specify Garland's voice ONLY was used, not the general 'credits" Overview.

 

Maltin doesn't even give This one a "BOMB" rating--just 0 out of 4 stars.  Quote; "This one's only if you're desperate".   One of the few times I agree with him.  After Garland's song that opens the film, "The Faraway Side of Town", it's all downhill--and Garland's song is her only participation in the film, if I remember correctly.  

 

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You know Bogie, I agree with you.

 

I have not bothered to look at it at all since the change.  I look at my provider's list of upcoming movies on various channels instead.

 

 

A Note about themes for the rest of the week in March:

 

Tonight is the final look at Art in Movies.  There are some new to me films.

 

Tuesday night I have choir, but those at home can enjoy Peter Fonda movies.

 

Wednesday night I notice that 2014's Best Picture THE ARTIST is airing.  Hooray!  I still haven't seen it.

 

Thursday night is Sister Rose's final chance to get anything right in terms of the people making the movies.  Sigh.

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A recommendation for Tuesday:

 

LILITH (1964) - Jean Seberg is the beautiful and mysterious mental patient; Warren Beatty is the attendant who falls in love with her. Can he save her or will she destroy him? (I prefer Beatty's early performances like this one when he was a hungry and ambitious young actor.) Robert Rossen's direction is on the arty side, and not everyone likes it, but to me it seems mostly appropriate for the subject. Look for Gene Hackman in a small role.

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I have a few recording tomorrow:

 

The Squaw Man (1931)

Penthouse (1933)

The Young Lovers (1964)

 

 

I also recommend West of Zanzibar to anyone who hasn't seen it. Ulee's Gold is also good, in a low-key way, and it was filmed not too far from my neck of the woods.

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I have a few recording tomorrow:

 

The Squaw Man (1931)

Penthouse (1933)

The Young Lovers (1964)

 

 

I also recommend West of Zanzibar to anyone who hasn't seen it. Ulee's Gold is also good, in a low-key way, and it was filmed not too far from my neck of the woods.

Oh, wow I was going to post about those films also, Lawrence.

 

And "West of Zanzibar" is just classic Tod Browning off the wall bizarro world stuff that no horror fan should miss!

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sapphiere--TCM has scheduled  the 3 hour disaster "Pepe" (1960) for April 30th, 6:00 a.m., E.S.T., where Garland only sings the introductory song, "The Faraway Side of Town".  To confirm this , go to TCM's webpage on "Pepe", go to the "Article", and read the credits at the end of it; those specify Garland's voice ONLY was used, not the general 'credits" Overview.

 

Maltin doesn't even give This one a "BOMB" rating--just 0 out of 4 stars.  Quote; "This one's only if you're desperate".   One of the few times I agree with him.  After Garland's song that opens the film, "The Faraway Side of Town", it's all downhill--and Garland's song is her only participation in the film, if I remember correctly.  

How stupid to show a film in which Judy Garland only sings the introductory song. What a waste when I COULD GO ON SINGING should have been shown. TCM has shown this film previously, but what a shame that ICGOS isn`t scheduled for Judy`s month.

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Tuesday, March 29

 

Peter Fonda night.  Good one TCM.

 

10 p.m.  Ulee’s Gold (1997).  I didn’t think this was Peter’s best film but it did earn him an Oscar nomination for acting.

 

 

I've seen it and I found his acting much closer to the great acting his father did than in other films of his.

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I'm recording The Woman On the Beach. It's from Jean Renoir, and it has Robert Ryan. And I haven't seen it.

 

I also recommend Dead of Night for any who haven't seen it.

 

 

 

Most importantly, wake up the kids because at 6:00 A.M. EST Un Chien Andalou is on, and it's what a growing mind needs.

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Tonight TCM is airing The Artist which recently won Best Picture.  It is new to me.

 

As it is black and white and I want to see it for the first time when I can focus on it and not the reflection of my living room I will likely record to watch another time.

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