Each month, I scour the Turner Classic Movies schedule for upcoming films that I can't miss. The highlights are posted here for your reading and viewing pleasure! (All listed times are Eastern Standard, check your local listings or TCM.com for actual air times in your area. Each day's schedule begins at 6:00 a.m.; if a film airs between midnight and 6 a.m. it is listed on the previous day's programming schedule.)
3/7, 8 PM - The Agony and the Ecstasy (1965)
This biopic of Renaissance artist Michelangelo kicks-off TCM's month-long spotlight of Art and Artists on film. The film focuses on the painting of the Sistine Chapel and the frequent clashes between the artist (Charlton Heston) and his patron, Pope Julius II (Rex Harrison). An impressive replica of the Sistine Chapel was constructed at Cinecitta film studios in Rome. Large photographs of the real painting were attached to the ceiling, then painted over, to create the simulation of a freshly completed work. Ironically, Michelangelo was primarily a sculptor, a fact which inspired a short documentary "prologue" titled The Artist Who Did Not Want to Paint. Tune in at 7:47 PM to catch the short before the feature!
3/9: Selections from the Disney Vault
I've really enjoyed TCM's ongoing installments of "Treasures from the Disney Vault" hosted by Leonard Maltin. Martin is an enthusiastic fan and his host segments offer interesting insights into the animated shorts, features, and documentaries, many of which are TCM premieres and can't be seen anywhere else. This month's line-up has a watery theme, with many of the films taking place at sea or near the water. (Hmm, any coincidence that Finding Dory is coming to theaters soon?)
8 PM - The Whalers (1938) / Sea Scouts (1939)
Two cartoons featuring Donald Duck
8:30 PM - 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1954)
Originally planned as an animated feature, this adaptation of Jules Verne's classic adventure novel was the first live-action film shot at Disney's Burbank studios. It stars James Mason, Paul Lukas, Peter Lorre, and Kirk Douglas (as singing sailor Ned Land), as well as a giant squid. It was also the biggest budget film of the time; in fact, it was too expensive to turn a profit. However, Disney was able to parlay the film into a popular TV special (advertising for his new Disneyland theme park) and the movie lived on for decades as a Disneyland attraction.
10:45 PM - Operation Undersea (1954)
The aforementioned popular TV special about the making of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea
11:45 PM - Merbabies (1938)
Silly Symphonies short about baby mermaids (what else?)
12 AM - Secrets of Life (1956)
1:30 AM - Nikki, Wild Dog of the North (1961)
Nikki, "the Malamute Wonder Dog," is separated from his master when their canoe capsizes and must find his way home through the harsh Canadian wilderness.
3 AM - Return to Snowy River (1988)
This sequel to The Man from Snowy River is a romantic adventure set among ranchers in the Australian high country, with star-crossed lovers and plenty of wild horses.
4:45 AM - Lt. Robin Crusoe, U.S.N. (1966)
This updated version of Robinson Crusoe stars Dick Van Dyke as a Navy pilot stranded on a seemingly deserted Pacific island. Of course, he soon encounters an "astrochimp" and a comely Polynesian lady...and hijinks ensue (this will surely sound familiar to fans of Daniel Defoe's classic novel).
3/19, 11 PM - A Man Escaped (1956)
This suspenseful film by director Robert Bresson follows a WWII French Resistance fighter, imprisoned by the Gestapo and condemned to die, who devotes every moment to planning his escape. Bresson is known for his harsh realism (some might even call it punishing). His films are pared down to the very essentials; for example, in A Man Escaped we see and hear only what the prisoner can. For anyone who enjoys prison break stories and their combination of methodical procedure with nail-biting suspense, this film is an essential.
3/26: Classic Stunts
8 PM - The General (1927)
9:30 PM - The Driver (1978)
11:15 PM - Stagecoach (1939)
1 AM - Safety Last! (1923)
Tonight's line-up showcases classic movie stunts from the Silent era to the Seventies.
The General stars Buster Keaton as a confederate engineer racing to save his train from Union spies. One famous scene depicts the train on a collapsing burning bridge; a train was purchased just to destroy, bringing the cost of the stunt to $42,000 (almost $2 million today) and making it the most expensive shot in silent film history.
From trains we go to automobiles with The Driver, famous for its car chases. Ryan O'Neal stars as the title character, who steals cars and acts as a getaway driver for hire, and Bruce Dern is the detective obsessed with catching him.
Stagecoach stars John Wayne in his breakout role as the Ringo Kid, one of a diverse group of passengers who must race through treacherous Apache country in the title stage. It's like Speed in the wild West! The film contains many impressive stunts by Yakima Canutt, including a scene in which he is dragged beneath galloping horses.
Last, but not least, is Safety Last! the classic silent which features Harold Lloyd's famous stunt in which he dangles from the hands of an enormous clock.
