Each month, I scour the Turner Classic Movies Now Playing guide 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.)
7/1: Farley Granger Mini-Marathon
1:30 PM - Behave Yourself! (1951)
3 PM - Strangers on a Train (1951)
4:45 PM - Side Street (1950)
6:15 PM - They Live by Night (1949)
Handsome leading man Farley Granger passed away earlier this year; however, today we get a mini-marathon of films in honor of his birthday. In these 4 films Granger plays a (somewhat) innocent man who gets tangled up in other people's crimes. The line-up includes what might be Granger's best film, the Hitchcock-directed Strangers on a Train; as well as two films co-starring Cathy O'Donnell, who is probably best known for her role as Wilma in The Best Years of Our Lives.
7/12: Rock N' Roll High School
6 AM - It's Trad, Dad! (1961)
7:30 AM - Bye Bye Birdie (1963)
9:30 AM - Juke Box Rhythm (1959)
11 AM - Senior Prom (1958)
12:30 PM - Rock Around the Clock (1956)
2 PM - Beach Blanket Bingo (1965)
4 PM - The Cool Ones (1967)
I love watching films from the 50s and 60s which tried to capitalize on the burgeoning teenage market and the new popularity of rock music. These were low-budget "B" movies made for teenagers, but usually saddled with corny storylines by "square" adults. However, the generally upbeat tone and lively musical performances make even the dumbest stories fun. Bye Bye Birdie is an exception here because it was based on a hit Broadway musical, so the budget was bigger, the story a bit more layered; however, the reactionary attitude toward rock n' roll remained - it makes kids crazy!
7/23, 9:30 AM - The Tall Target (1951)
Dick Powell stars as detective John Kennedy (no, not that one), the only man who can prevent the assassination of Abraham Lincoln aboard a train traveling to Washington, D.C for his inauguration. This film was directed by Anthony Mann and was inspired by an actual attempt on Lincoln's life. This minor historical footnote has been elaborated upon to create a modern conspiracy thriller, which builds tension even though we know the conclusion (Spoiler Alert: Lincoln lives). Nice period details, such as shots of the Capitol under construction, add an extra level of interest.
7/29, 2 AM - Symbiopsychotaxiplasm: Take One (1968)
In this installment of TCM Underground, director William Greaves has young actors audition in Central Park for a fictional project about a troubled couple. His cameras also capture what goes on "behind the scenes," such as crew member gossip, gathering onlookers, and other distractions. This avant-garde documentary had enough of a cult following (including actor Steve Buscemi) to merit a sequel, Symbiopsychotaxiplasm: Take 2 1/2, in 2005.
7/31: The Chaplin Family
2:15 AM - Peppermint Frappe (1967)
4 AM - A King in New York (1957)
Stay up late to catch this double-feature starring the talented Chaplins. Peppermint Frappe is a doppelganger story, similar to Vertigo and Obsession, set in Spain during the repressive Franco regime. It is a dark character study of a lonely doctor who becomes so obsessed with his friend's new wife, played by Geraldine Chaplin, that he tries to mold another woman into her image - which shouldn't be too difficult, since she is also played by Chaplin.
A King in New York stars Charlie Chaplin as the king of a small, broke country who comes to the USA to make money; however, after befriending the young son of a Communist couple (played by Chaplin's son Michael), the king finds himself on trial for Communism. At the time this film was made, Charlie Chaplin was living in Europe, barred from re-entering the US due to his outspoken political views. King was Chaplin's satrical take on American consumerism and political paranoia during the McCarthy era.
Next month, Summer Under the Stars!
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Allen Abroad
by AJ
I would have loved to have been around during the late 1950s/early 1960s: all the men wore sharp suits and skinny ties, women wore dresses, the music was great, movie musicals were actually good. Of course, I wouldn’t have been able to go to the better movie theater in my hometown because it was for “whites only.” But that's not part of my 60s, that is to say, my dream of the 60s.
In Midnight in Paris, the latest film from Woody Allen, an unsatisfied screenwriter/aspiring novelist played by Owen Wilson is visiting Paris with his fiance and her parents. Gil's (Owen Wilson) idea of a great time in Paris is different from his fiance's, which includes spending a lot of time with a pretentious, pseudo-intellectual played quite well by Michael Sheen. Gil pines for the Paris of the 1920s, when you might find people like F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald, Ernest Hemingway, Gertrude Stein, and Picasso at the same party on any given night.
A lot of reviews have tried to step around the actual plot of this film, describing it instead as a movie about a "young engaged couple forced to confront the illusion that a life different from their own is better." That plot description comes from IMDB and is similar to descriptions on other websites and periodicals. But it really isn't a spoiler to tell you that late one night as Gil takes a stroll an older model car pulls up next to him and he's invited for a ride by some revelers on their way to a party. At the party, after meeting Zelda and her husband "Scott," Gil realizes that, somehow, he's been transported to the Jazz Age Paris that has been the focus of his nostalgia. That's not a spoiler because Woody Allen is a genuine auteur and storyteller. He could make a whole movie about a couple dealing with illusions of the life they want to be living which takes place entirely in the real world, but I'm glad he didn't and chose to add magic to Midnight in Paris. But Gil wandering into 1920s Paris is the just the tip of the iceberg.
It's the not the actual historical Paris of the 1920s Gil finds himself in, but what we think that time and that city would be like. The movie is a dream of that time period. There are so many great moments with the personalities Gil runs into during his nights in Jazz Age Paris. You should recognize the names of the people he encounters from prerequisite college courses you may have taken. The most notable of these names are Gertrude Stein and Ernest Hemingway, whom Gil gets to help him with his book. Now that's an aspiring novelist's dream if I've ever heard one. I won't say too much else about his nights in bygone Paris since the charm and humor of those scenes comes from who he just happens to run into at parties and cafes. The movie doesn't go into how it is that Gil is able to wander back in time. I think the movie, like Gil, is too thrilled to bother asking how or why.
The movies Allen has made abroad have all dealt with heavy themes, even the comedies. Match Point, Scoop, and Cassandra's Dream involved murder; You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger was interesting look at people's plans and schemes; Vicky Christina Barcelona, which I enjoyed very much, was a comedy in that it wasn't a straight drama. Midnight in Paris is filled with romance, nostalgia, magic, and whimsy. It's an entirely enjoyable experience. You wouldn't think that Owen Wilson would be a great stand-in for the Woody Allen-esque character in a Woody Allen movie, but his cadence and energy are great fit for Allen's dialogue. Come to think of it, Wilson's struggling thief in Bottle Rocket isn't that far off from Allen's characters in Take the Money and Run or Small Time Crooks. 
I get to watch a version of my dream of the early 60s in American Graffiti and Mad Men, though the latter downplays any nostalgia for that time period. If I ever was able to wander back to that time I'd like to be able to come back to my time as well. If I spent all my time back there what would I have to be nostalgic for?
I would have loved to have been around during the late 1950s/early 1960s: all the men wore sharp suits and skinny ties, women wore dresses, the music was great, movie musicals were actually good. Of course, I wouldn’t have been able to go to the better movie theater in my hometown because it was for “whites only.” But that's not part of my 60s, that is to say, my dream of the 60s.
In Midnight in Paris, the latest film from Woody Allen, an unsatisfied screenwriter/aspiring novelist played by Owen Wilson is visiting Paris with his fiance and her parents. Gil's (Owen Wilson) idea of a great time in Paris is different from his fiance's, which includes spending a lot of time with a pretentious, pseudo-intellectual played quite well by Michael Sheen. Gil pines for the Paris of the 1920s, when you might find people like F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald, Ernest Hemingway, Gertrude Stein, and Picasso at the same party on any given night. A lot of reviews have tried to step around the actual plot of this film, describing it instead as a movie about a "young engaged couple forced to confront the illusion that a life different from their own is better." That plot description comes from IMDB and is similar to descriptions on other websites and periodicals. But it really isn't a spoiler to tell you that late one night as Gil takes a stroll an older model car pulls up next to him and he's invited for a ride by some revelers on their way to a party. At the party, after meeting Zelda and her husband "Scott," Gil realizes that, somehow, he's been transported to the Jazz Age Paris that has been the focus of his nostalgia. That's not a spoiler because Woody Allen is a genuine auteur and storyteller. He could make a whole movie about a couple dealing with illusions of the life they want to be living which takes place entirely in the real world, but I'm glad he didn't and chose to add magic to Midnight in Paris. But Gil wandering into 1920s Paris is the just the tip of the iceberg. It's the not the actual historical Paris of the 1920s Gil finds himself in, but what we think that time and that city would be like. The movie is a dream of that time period. There are so many great moments with the personalities Gil runs into during his nights in Jazz Age Paris. You should recognize the names of the people he encounters from prerequisite college courses you may have taken. The most notable of these names are Gertrude Stein and Ernest Hemingway, whom Gil gets to help him with his book. Now that's an aspiring novelist's dream if I've ever heard one. I won't say too much else about his nights in bygone Paris since the charm and humor of those scenes comes from who he just happens to run into at parties and cafes. The movie doesn't go into how it is that Gil is able to wander back in time. I think the movie, like Gil, is too thrilled to bother asking how or why.The movies Allen has made abroad have all dealt with heavy themes, even the comedies. Match Point, Scoop, and Cassandra's Dream involved murder; You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger was interesting look at people's plans and schemes; Vicky Christina Barcelona, which I enjoyed very much, was a comedy in that it wasn't a straight drama. Midnight in Paris is filled with romance, nostalgia, magic, and whimsy. It's an entirely enjoyable experience. You wouldn't think that Owen Wilson would be a great stand-in for the Woody Allen-esque character in a Woody Allen movie, but his cadence and energy are great fit for Allen's dialogue. Come to think of it, Wilson's struggling thief in Bottle Rocket isn't that far off from Allen's characters in Take the Money and Run or Small Time Crooks. I get to watch a version of my dream of the early 60s in American Graffiti and Mad Men, though the latter downplays any nostalgia for that time period. If I ever was able to wander back to that time I'd like to be able to come back to my time as well. If I spent all my time back there what would I have to be nostalgic for?
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Classic Movie Picks: June
by Lani
Each month, I scour the Turner Classic Movies Now Playing guide 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.)
Drive-In Double Features - Thursdays in June
6/2, 8 PM - Godzilla, King of Monsters (1956)
9:45 PM - Rodan (1957)
11:15 PM - Ghidorah: The Three-Headed Monster (1965)
1 AM - Godzilla vs. Monster Zero (1970)
Celebrate the bygone summer tradition of drive-in movies with classics remembered (The Thing from Another World, 6/30) and forgotten (Mars Needs Women, 6/16). This month-long series kicks off June 2 with four movies starring the Godzilla Gang - Mothra, Rodan, and the "king of monsters" himself. While these films are best seen on a large, outdoor screen, if you plan on watching them in your living room consider opening the windows to let in the summer air.
6/6, 10:15 AM - Once Upon a Time (1944)
Cary Grant plays a Broadway producer with an exciting new act - a dancing caterpillar!
There's probably a reason why no one talks about this movie in the same breath as The Awful Truth or Arsenic and Old Lace; but the premise sounds so ridiculous, and Cary Grant is always good, I'm willing to give it a try.
6/8: Bogie + Alexis 4EVER
12:30 PM - The Two Mrs. Carrolls (1947)
2:15 PM - Conflict (1945)
Two specimens from the little-recognized sub-genre of "films in which Humphrey Bogart plays a creep who murders his wife in order to be with Alexis Smith." I haven't seen Conflict yet, but The Two Mrs. Carrolls is a fun little thriller, helped by the always reliable Barbara Stanwyck in the lead role.
6/21, 9:45 PM - Angel Face (1953)
I always think of "Star of the Month" Jean Simmons as the good girl who falls prey to the cads around her (see Guys and Dolls on 6/21 or Uncle Silas on 6/7), even though in reality she had a much more diverse range. So, I'm interested to see her play "against type" and use her angel face to mask sinister intentions.
6/29: A Night in Scotland
8 PM - I Know Where I'm Going! (1945)
10 PM - Brigadoon (1954)
12 AM - Let's Be Happy (1957)
2 AM - Bonnie Scotland (1935)
3:30 AM - Castle in the Air (1952)
5 AM - Mary of Scotland (1936)
Scotland is one of my favorite places to visit, so I'll take any opportunity to go back, even if it is only vicariously through films. And what a line-up! Gene Kelly, Cyd Charisse, Van Johnson, Vera-Ellen, Wendy Hiller, Laurel & Hardy, David Tomlinson, Margaret Rutherford, Katharine Hepburn, and Frederic March are the stars of the night; and the directors represented include John Ford, Vincente Minelli, and Michael Powell. So while it's not quite the same as a vacation, I can still enjoy the scenery and culture of film-world Scotland, while avoiding the cold winds and rain of real-world Scotland.
Spotlight on Vincente Minnelli
I recently read A Hundred or More Hidden Things: The Life and Films of Vincente Minnelli by Mark Griffin and now I'm eager to catch up with the Minnelli films I haven't seen like Designing Woman, Some Came Running, and Bells Are Ringing. June on TCM is actually full of some of Minnelli's best films, including the one that earned him the Best Director Oscar, Gigi.
6/3, 8 PM - Father of the Bride (1950)
6/7, 8:30 AM - Bells Are Ringing (1960)
6/7, 10:45 AM - Some Came Running (1958)
6/10, 9:30 AM - The Clock (1945)
6/10, 11:15 AM - The Pirate (1948)
6/12, 8 AM - Designing Woman (1957)
6/12, 2 PM - Gigi (1958)
6/12, 10 PM - The Bandwagon (1953)
6/19, 1:30 PM - Father of the Bride (1950)
6/19, 3:30 PM - The Courtship of Eddie's Father (1963)
6/26, 6 AM - The Pirate (1948)
6/27, 10:45 AM - Gigi (1958)
6/29, 10 PM - Brigadoon (1954)
Each month, I scour the Turner Classic Movies Now Playing guide 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.)
Drive-In Double Features - Thursdays in June
6/2, 8 PM - Godzilla, King of Monsters (1956)
9:45 PM - Rodan (1957)
11:15 PM - Ghidorah: The Three-Headed Monster (1965)
1 AM - Godzilla vs. Monster Zero (1970)
Celebrate the bygone summer tradition of drive-in movies with classics remembered (The Thing from Another World, 6/30) and forgotten (Mars Needs Women, 6/16). This month-long series kicks off June 2 with four movies starring the Godzilla Gang - Mothra, Rodan, and the "king of monsters" himself. While these films are best seen on a large, outdoor screen, if you plan on watching them in your living room consider opening the windows to let in the summer air.
6/6, 10:15 AM - Once Upon a Time (1944)
Cary Grant plays a Broadway producer with an exciting new act - a dancing caterpillar!
There's probably a reason why no one talks about this movie in the same breath as The Awful Truth or Arsenic and Old Lace; but the premise sounds so ridiculous, and Cary Grant is always good, I'm willing to give it a try.
6/8: Bogie + Alexis 4EVER
12:30 PM - The Two Mrs. Carrolls (1947)
2:15 PM - Conflict (1945)
Two specimens from the little-recognized sub-genre of "films in which Humphrey Bogart plays a creep who murders his wife in order to be with Alexis Smith." I haven't seen Conflict yet, but The Two Mrs. Carrolls is a fun little thriller, helped by the always reliable Barbara Stanwyck in the lead role.
6/21, 9:45 PM - Angel Face (1953)
I always think of "Star of the Month" Jean Simmons as the good girl who falls prey to the cads around her (see Guys and Dolls on 6/21 or Uncle Silas on 6/7), even though in reality she had a much more diverse range. So, I'm interested to see her play "against type" and use her angel face to mask sinister intentions.
6/29: A Night in Scotland
8 PM - I Know Where I'm Going! (1945)
10 PM - Brigadoon (1954)
12 AM - Let's Be Happy (1957)
2 AM - Bonnie Scotland (1935)
3:30 AM - Castle in the Air (1952)
5 AM - Mary of Scotland (1936)
Scotland is one of my favorite places to visit, so I'll take any opportunity to go back, even if it is only vicariously through films. And what a line-up! Gene Kelly, Cyd Charisse, Van Johnson, Vera-Ellen, Wendy Hiller, Laurel & Hardy, David Tomlinson, Margaret Rutherford, Katharine Hepburn, and Frederic March are the stars of the night; and the directors represented include John Ford, Vincente Minelli, and Michael Powell. So while it's not quite the same as a vacation, I can still enjoy the scenery and culture of film-world Scotland, while avoiding the cold winds and rain of real-world Scotland.
Spotlight on Vincente Minnelli
I recently read A Hundred or More Hidden Things: The Life and Films of Vincente Minnelli by Mark Griffin and now I'm eager to catch up with the Minnelli films I haven't seen like Designing Woman, Some Came Running, and Bells Are Ringing. June on TCM is actually full of some of Minnelli's best films, including the one that earned him the Best Director Oscar, Gigi.
6/3, 8 PM - Father of the Bride (1950)
6/7, 8:30 AM - Bells Are Ringing (1960)
6/7, 10:45 AM - Some Came Running (1958)
6/10, 9:30 AM - The Clock (1945)
6/10, 11:15 AM - The Pirate (1948)
6/12, 8 AM - Designing Woman (1957)
6/12, 2 PM - Gigi (1958)
6/12, 10 PM - The Bandwagon (1953)
6/19, 1:30 PM - Father of the Bride (1950)
6/19, 3:30 PM - The Courtship of Eddie's Father (1963)
6/26, 6 AM - The Pirate (1948)
6/27, 10:45 AM - Gigi (1958)
6/29, 10 PM - Brigadoon (1954)
Monday, May 16, 2011
Summer Classics at the Paramount
by Lani
This is my summer film guide to what's playing at a theater near me, specifically the Paramount Theater, Austin's only movie palace. This year the Summer Classics Film Series has stretched the definition of "classic," expanding the schedule to include everything from an obscure Mexican silent film (El Tren Fantasma) to a movie which left theaters only a few months ago (The Coen brothers' True Grit).
The series kicks-off this Friday, May 20, with a special screening of Casablanca hosted by filmmaker, historian, and ascot enthusiast Peter Bogdonovich. As a young director, Bogdonovich befriended many stars from the Golden Age of Hollywood, so that later he could do funny impressions of them (this may not be the only reason). On this evening, I expect we'll hear his Bogie impression along with colorful tales of Hollywood, and after Casablanca Bogdonovich will also screen a surprise Bogie film of his own choosing. Bogdonovich's own films will get the spotlight in another special screening hosted by Sam Beam, better known to music fans as Iron & Wine. On July 27, Beam will show Paper Moon and on the following night he'll screen Last Picture Show.
I'm also looking forward to several restored prints starting with three Charlie Chaplin films June 9-12: City Lights, The Gold Rush, and Modern Times. And July 2-3 is "Burt Lancaster weekend" featuring a restored print of The Leopard, a lush Italian epic directed by Luchino Visconti and co-starring two of the most beautiful stars to ever appear onscreen, Claudia Cardinale and Alain Delon.
Visconti isn't the only foreign director featured this summer; in fact, a surprising number of foreign films have been included in this summer's series. From France alone there's the ingenious comedy of Jacques Tati in Playtime (August 11-14), two films from the Nouvelle Vague - Truffaut's Soft Skin and Godard's Vivre Sa Vie (August 20-21), and crime dramas from Jean-Pierre Melville and Robert Bresson. But it's not all arthouse fare. Sci-Fi week, July 5-8, includes the monster movie classic Them! and the original, uncut version of Godzilla.
Texas summers can be brutally hot, but the Paramount keeps moviegoers cool with an obscene level of air conditioning. I am only slightly embarrassed to say that I have worn a Snuggie in the Paramount before, and I think I may need it again this year. Cat People (1942), showing August 4-5, is sure to bring the temperature down a few more degrees and I'll need something to hide under during the other scary movies playing that week: The Shining, The Haunting, and Kuroneko - a ghost tale from Japan.
But this overview has only scratched the surface. There will also be several double features spotlighting classic film favorites like Audrey Hepburn, Jack Lemmon, Grace Kelly, and Paul Newman. We'll even have a "Patrick Swayze Christmas (in July)" with a Roadhouse/Red Dawn double feature, July 16-17. If you will be in Austin this summer, check out the full film schedule online and I'll see you at the movies!
This is my summer film guide to what's playing at a theater near me, specifically the Paramount Theater, Austin's only movie palace. This year the Summer Classics Film Series has stretched the definition of "classic," expanding the schedule to include everything from an obscure Mexican silent film (El Tren Fantasma) to a movie which left theaters only a few months ago (The Coen brothers' True Grit).
The series kicks-off this Friday, May 20, with a special screening of Casablanca hosted by filmmaker, historian, and ascot enthusiast Peter Bogdonovich. As a young director, Bogdonovich befriended many stars from the Golden Age of Hollywood, so that later he could do funny impressions of them (this may not be the only reason). On this evening, I expect we'll hear his Bogie impression along with colorful tales of Hollywood, and after Casablanca Bogdonovich will also screen a surprise Bogie film of his own choosing. Bogdonovich's own films will get the spotlight in another special screening hosted by Sam Beam, better known to music fans as Iron & Wine. On July 27, Beam will show Paper Moon and on the following night he'll screen Last Picture Show.
I'm also looking forward to several restored prints starting with three Charlie Chaplin films June 9-12: City Lights, The Gold Rush, and Modern Times. And July 2-3 is "Burt Lancaster weekend" featuring a restored print of The Leopard, a lush Italian epic directed by Luchino Visconti and co-starring two of the most beautiful stars to ever appear onscreen, Claudia Cardinale and Alain Delon.
Visconti isn't the only foreign director featured this summer; in fact, a surprising number of foreign films have been included in this summer's series. From France alone there's the ingenious comedy of Jacques Tati in Playtime (August 11-14), two films from the Nouvelle Vague - Truffaut's Soft Skin and Godard's Vivre Sa Vie (August 20-21), and crime dramas from Jean-Pierre Melville and Robert Bresson. But it's not all arthouse fare. Sci-Fi week, July 5-8, includes the monster movie classic Them! and the original, uncut version of Godzilla.
Texas summers can be brutally hot, but the Paramount keeps moviegoers cool with an obscene level of air conditioning. I am only slightly embarrassed to say that I have worn a Snuggie in the Paramount before, and I think I may need it again this year. Cat People (1942), showing August 4-5, is sure to bring the temperature down a few more degrees and I'll need something to hide under during the other scary movies playing that week: The Shining, The Haunting, and Kuroneko - a ghost tale from Japan.
But this overview has only scratched the surface. There will also be several double features spotlighting classic film favorites like Audrey Hepburn, Jack Lemmon, Grace Kelly, and Paul Newman. We'll even have a "Patrick Swayze Christmas (in July)" with a Roadhouse/Red Dawn double feature, July 16-17. If you will be in Austin this summer, check out the full film schedule online and I'll see you at the movies!
Saturday, April 30, 2011
Classic Movie Picks: May
by Lani
Each month, I scour the Turner Classic Movies Now Playing guide 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.)
5/2, 8 PM - Gates of Heaven (1978)
I think some people avoid documentaries because sometimes non-fiction films can make you feel like you are back in school getting a lecture on economics, environmental science, or foreign policy. However, documentarian Errol Morris is like that one cool teacher who can make any subject engaging. He uses inventive cinematic techniques and finds completely unique topics - such as the Gates of Heaven pet cemetary and the people whose pets are buried there. Roger Ebert has listed Gates of Heaven as one his top 10 films of all time and written about it for his Great Movies series, but I think the best endorsement for this movie is that it caused director Werner Herzog to eat his shoe.
Star of the Month: Esther Williams
5/5, 8 PM - Bathing Beauty (1944)
5/12, 8 PM - Neptune's Daughter (1949)
"Wet she's a star, dry she ain't." Though that Fanny Brice quote was originally said about Olympic swimmer Eleanor Holm (Holm had married Brice's ex), many people have applied it to "Metro's Golden Mermaid" Esther Williams. Her swimming-centric musicals were such big hits in the 40s and 50s (and still entertaining today), you can't deny her star-appeal. And Williams' water-ballets were so unique, no one else even tried to copy her - a true rarity in the film industry! I've singled out a couple of my favorite Williams films, but I really feel like any of her musicals are worth watching simply for the spectacular pool sequences. However, if you find they're not your style, check out some of Esther's non-swimming movies on May 26 - she's pretty good outside the pool, too.
5/18: Heist Movies
6:30 AM - The Day They Robbed the Bank of England (1960)
8 AM - Odds Against Tomorrow (1959)
10 AM - The Asphalt Jungle (1950)
12 PM - Cairo (1942)
2 PM - Rififi (1955)
4 PM - High Sierra (1941)
6 PM - I Died a Thousand Times (1955)
TCM has really been hitting my sweet spots lately, last month they had a night of prison break movies, this month they're doing a day of heist films. The only film out of place here is the 1942 Jeannette MacDonald musical Cairo. It would make more sense to show 1963's Cairo which is a remake of The Asphalt Jungle in which thieves try to steal King Tut's jewels. However, the Now Playing guide and TCM website both say that the '42 film is the one playing today.
5/21, 2:30 AM - House of Pleasure (1954)
I've recommended the films of director Max Ophuls before, and as long as TCM keeps showing his films I'll keep picking them. This one contains three stories about the pain that pleasure can bring, and it features many wonderful French actors including Jean Gabin, Danielle Darrieux, and Simone Simon.
5/22, 8 PM - My Brilliant Career (1979)
This film about a headstrong girl who chooses independence over marriage was part of the Australian New Wave of the late 70s and early 80s, and started the career of director Gillian Armstrong (whom I always mistakenly call "Gillian Anderson," a habit I need to break - reason #1 for me to see this movie). The film also introduced the wider world to the great Judy Davis, who would later go on to star in A Passage to India (1984) and several Woody Allen films, as well as winning an Emmy for her portrayal of that other great Judy: Judy Garland. Though I've seen Davis in many films, I realized that I've never heard her speak with her natural Aussie accent (reason #2 for me to tune in tonight)!
Andrzej Wajda Trilogy
5/15, 2 AM - A Generation (1955)
5/22, 2 AM - Kanal (1957)
5/29, 2:15 AM - Ashes and Diamonds (1958)
These three films by legendary director Wajda form a trilogy about the Polish experience during World War II. A Generation is a coming-of-age story of young Polish soldiers during the German occupation. Kanal shows the harrowing experience of resistance fighters trapped in the sewers during the ill-fated Warsaw Uprising. Finally, Ashes and Diamonds takes place on the first day of peace after WWII as one totalitarian regime replaces another.
Each month, I scour the Turner Classic Movies Now Playing guide 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.)
5/2, 8 PM - Gates of Heaven (1978)
I think some people avoid documentaries because sometimes non-fiction films can make you feel like you are back in school getting a lecture on economics, environmental science, or foreign policy. However, documentarian Errol Morris is like that one cool teacher who can make any subject engaging. He uses inventive cinematic techniques and finds completely unique topics - such as the Gates of Heaven pet cemetary and the people whose pets are buried there. Roger Ebert has listed Gates of Heaven as one his top 10 films of all time and written about it for his Great Movies series, but I think the best endorsement for this movie is that it caused director Werner Herzog to eat his shoe.
Star of the Month: Esther Williams
5/5, 8 PM - Bathing Beauty (1944)
5/12, 8 PM - Neptune's Daughter (1949)
"Wet she's a star, dry she ain't." Though that Fanny Brice quote was originally said about Olympic swimmer Eleanor Holm (Holm had married Brice's ex), many people have applied it to "Metro's Golden Mermaid" Esther Williams. Her swimming-centric musicals were such big hits in the 40s and 50s (and still entertaining today), you can't deny her star-appeal. And Williams' water-ballets were so unique, no one else even tried to copy her - a true rarity in the film industry! I've singled out a couple of my favorite Williams films, but I really feel like any of her musicals are worth watching simply for the spectacular pool sequences. However, if you find they're not your style, check out some of Esther's non-swimming movies on May 26 - she's pretty good outside the pool, too.
5/18: Heist Movies
6:30 AM - The Day They Robbed the Bank of England (1960)
8 AM - Odds Against Tomorrow (1959)
10 AM - The Asphalt Jungle (1950)
12 PM - Cairo (1942)
2 PM - Rififi (1955)
4 PM - High Sierra (1941)
6 PM - I Died a Thousand Times (1955)
TCM has really been hitting my sweet spots lately, last month they had a night of prison break movies, this month they're doing a day of heist films. The only film out of place here is the 1942 Jeannette MacDonald musical Cairo. It would make more sense to show 1963's Cairo which is a remake of The Asphalt Jungle in which thieves try to steal King Tut's jewels. However, the Now Playing guide and TCM website both say that the '42 film is the one playing today.
5/21, 2:30 AM - House of Pleasure (1954)
I've recommended the films of director Max Ophuls before, and as long as TCM keeps showing his films I'll keep picking them. This one contains three stories about the pain that pleasure can bring, and it features many wonderful French actors including Jean Gabin, Danielle Darrieux, and Simone Simon.
5/22, 8 PM - My Brilliant Career (1979)
This film about a headstrong girl who chooses independence over marriage was part of the Australian New Wave of the late 70s and early 80s, and started the career of director Gillian Armstrong (whom I always mistakenly call "Gillian Anderson," a habit I need to break - reason #1 for me to see this movie). The film also introduced the wider world to the great Judy Davis, who would later go on to star in A Passage to India (1984) and several Woody Allen films, as well as winning an Emmy for her portrayal of that other great Judy: Judy Garland. Though I've seen Davis in many films, I realized that I've never heard her speak with her natural Aussie accent (reason #2 for me to tune in tonight)!
Andrzej Wajda Trilogy
5/15, 2 AM - A Generation (1955)
5/22, 2 AM - Kanal (1957)
5/29, 2:15 AM - Ashes and Diamonds (1958)
These three films by legendary director Wajda form a trilogy about the Polish experience during World War II. A Generation is a coming-of-age story of young Polish soldiers during the German occupation. Kanal shows the harrowing experience of resistance fighters trapped in the sewers during the ill-fated Warsaw Uprising. Finally, Ashes and Diamonds takes place on the first day of peace after WWII as one totalitarian regime replaces another.
5/31: Fantasy-Adventure Movies
6:15 AM - The Three Worlds of Gulliver (1960)
8 AM - The Boy and the Pirates (1960)
9:30 AM - The Wonders of Aladdin (1961) [listed online as Thief of Bagdad (1940)]
11:30 AM - Sword of Sherwood Forest (1960)
1 PM - Atlantis, The Lost Continent (1961)
2:45 PM - The Pirates of Blood River (1962)
4:30 PM - Captain Sinbad (1963)
6 PM - Captain Nemo and the Underwater City (1969)
Stories of pirates, magic, and underwater cities - this just seems like a day of pure fun!
Saturday, April 16, 2011
A Stripper is Born
by Lani
Because I am mildly interested in any movie which contains musical numbers, it was only a matter of time before I would see Burlesque. Starring Christina Aguilera and Cher as a hungry up-and-comer and a jaded veteran of the stage, respectively, Burlesque looked like a combination of Chicago and Showgirls...encrusted with rhinestones and sequins and wearing a feather headdress. The anticipation was palpable.
It has been awhile since I saw a decent modern musical film. I'm not asking for something that stands up to Singin in the Rain, I just want something fun with catchy music and dancing. The big musical of 2009, Nine, ultimately took itself too seriously to be fun; but Burlesque could not possibly take itself too seriously because it stars Cher, who doesn't even take herself seriously. Furthermore, Nine was cast to the gills with Oscar-winners who are not also singers, but here Cher has the upper-hand again because she is both.
Well, Burlesque is now on video and I have seen it. I wouldn't suggest that anyone seek it out, but if you, too, feel unable to resist the lure of this movie then, by all means, watch it. However, I suggest you also listen to episode #1 of the How Did This Get Made? podcast which delves into the many ridiculous and problematic elements of Burlesque - including Tony award-winner Alan Cumming's appearance as a glorified extra, Stanley Tucci playing literally the same character he played in The Devil Wears Prada, and an excessive use of wigs. Unfortunately, the biggest problem with Burlesque is the lack of consensus about what "burlesque" actually is. Is it, as Cher explains in the one number, the seemingly counterproductive process of showing "a little more" then showing "a little less"? Is it go-go dancing? Is it lip-syncing to Megan Mullaly CDs? (It is none of these.)
For a more definitive portrayal of the art of the striptease, I suggest you look to Gypsy (1962), the classic musical biopic of famed burlesque dancer Gypsy Rose Lee. More specifically, watch the "You Gotta Have a Gimmick" number in which three experienced performers explain the finer points of their profession to young Rose. Sure, it isn't exactly realistic, but at least this film acknowledges that burlesque dancers are supposed to take their clothes off.
I think my favorite burlesque-themed film would have to be She's Working Her Way Through College (1952) starring Virginia Mayo and Ronald Reagan. As you may have guessed from the title, Mayo is working her way through college by stripping at the burly-q. With the encouragement of her teacher, played by Reagan, she brings her talents to the school's struggling drama department. In the end, the students put on a lavish musical which, like all musical productions put on by film characters, has no plot and no songs that relate to each other in any way.
But under all the wigs, Burlesque follows a tried-and-true formula: the nobody who goes out on stage and comes back a star. In this case, Aguilera achieves stardom as a singer in a burlesque club, so the pinnacle of her success is getting her photo in the weekend section of the newspaper. Though it wasn't the first film to use the formula, A Star is Born has become the archetype for this type of showbiz story. In both the 1937 version and its 1954 musical remake, little Vicki Lester becomes a movie star almost overnight, even going on to win an Oscar. Unfortunately, her husband is a drunk and he can't handle her success in the face of his own professional failures.
A Star is Born doesn't have much in common with Burlesque; however, one could argue that both films deserve to be remade. A Star is Born has been made three times (and a fourth version may be coming soon) because it is an affecting story that can be adapted to any decade and appeals to a wide audience; Burlesque should be remade because it's terrible.
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Classic Movie Picks: April
Each month, I scour the Turner Classic Movies Now Playing guide 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.)
4/3: Rarely-Seen Gems
8 PM – Fragments (2010)
10 PM – Unseen Cinema (2006)
Fragments is a collection of restored segments from “lost” silents and early sound films, including a clip of Emil Jannings’ Oscar-winning performance in The Way of All Flesh (1927). As many as 80% of the films made before 1930 are thought to be lost forever, mostly due to badly-preserved film stock. This compilation is as much a celebration of the important work of film archivists as it is to the art of film itself. Unseen Cinema is another treat for cinephiles, featuring examples of avant-garde cinema by filmmakers in the US and Europe from 1894 to 1941.
BONUS PICK: 4/17, 8PM – The Mysterious House of Dr. C (1976)
This film, part of TCM’s Lost and Found series spotlighting films that have long been unseen or unavailable, is an American remake of a Spanish adaptation of the ballet Coppelia in which an inventor creates a beautiful mechanical doll.
4/6, 1 PM: American Madness (1932)
This is a film by Frank Capra which deserves to be better-known. Walter Huston stars as banker Tom Dixon, who must fight to protect his customers from panic and the bank’s Board of Directors in the face of the Depression. The tense scene of a panic-fueled run on the bank is especially memorable. Capra recycled some of the ideas from this film, such as Dixon’s basic business philosophy, 14 years later in It’s a Wonderful Life.
4/10: In Memory of Elizabeth Taylor
6 AM – Lassie Come Home (1943)
7:30 AM – National Velvet (1944)
10 AM – Conspirator (1949)
11:30 AM – Father of the Bride (1950)
1:15 PM – Father’s Little Dividend (1951)
2:45 PM – Raintree County (1957)
6 PM – Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1958)
8 PM – Butterfield 8 (1960)
10 PM – Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1966)
12:30 AM – Giant (1956)
4 AM – Ivanhoe (1952)
Like many, I was saddened by the recent death of Elizabeth Taylor. She was one of the last great stars of the studio era, and one of the first who achieved even more celebrity due to her turbulent personal life. However, younger generations may know her better for her iconic (I’m not joking) commercials for White Diamonds perfume. They may not understand how her dazzling beauty fascinated moviegoers in the 1950s, or how her undeniable talent kept audiences’ attention for nearly 70 years. Today’s tribute includes many of Taylor’s career high-points, from her early triumph in National Velvet to her Oscar-winning roles in Butterfield 8 and Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?. If you only know Taylor as a pop culture figure, today is a great opportunity to discover her films. And if you're already a fan, then maybe there's something here you havne't seen before. I am especially fond of the heart-warming Father of the Bride and it’s sequel Father’s Little Dividend, but I’ll also be tuning in for the rarely-shown spy thriller Conspirator.
Other Elizabeth Taylor films this month:
4/1, 2AM – Secret Ceremony (1968)
4/4, 12 AM – Raintree County (1957)
4/6, 2:45 AM – Little Women (1949)
4/16, 2 PM – National Velvet (1944)
4/15: Prison Break!
8 PM – The Wooden Horse (1950)
10 PM – The Colditz Story (1955)
12 AM – The One That Got Away (1958)
I love a good “prison break” movie, Grand Illusion and The Great Escape are two of my all-time favorites. Many of the classic Hollywood prison breaks take place in POW camps during WWI and WWII, which mitigates any sense of wrongdoing on the part of our escaping heroes – they’re breaking out so we can win the war! Tonight’s lineup starts with two such films about Allied POWs, one incorporating gymnastics and the other taking place at a special prison for high-risk escapees. The third film of the night breaks the mold as it is about the only German POW to escape the British during WWII, and told with an air of neutrality uncommon to this genre.
(Note: The April edition of Now Playing lists Breakout (1959) at 12 AM; however, the TCM website lists The One That Got Away, so I’ve chosen to go with what I assume is the more current web schedule.)
4/29: Royal Romance
8 PM – Royal Wedding (1951)
10 PM – Roman Holiday (1953)
12:15 AM – The Glass Slipper (1955)
2 AM – The Swan (1956)
4 AM – The Student Prince in Old Heidelberg (1927)
In honor of the impending marriage of Prince William and Kate Middleton, (almost) all of tonight’s films involve romance between a royal and a commoner. The exception is Royal Wedding, the romantic mismatch here is between an American and a Brit; however, it is set in London during the 1948 wedding of Prince William’s grandparents, Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Phillip. I’m especially looking forward to The Glass Slipper, a musical adaptation of Cinderella showcasing Leslie Caron’s dancing alongside a fine supporting cast of non-dancers including Michael Wilding, Keenan Wynn, Estelle Winwood, and Elsa Lanchester.
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