By John Seal
November 18-24, 2002
From the obscure to the obscurest to the merely overlooked or underappreciated - they all have a home in the TiVoPlex! All times PST.
Monday 11/18/02
2:15 PM Sundance
Chattahoochie (1989 USA): An opportunity to appreciate the skills of Gary Oldman, Chattahoochie sees the versatile thespian taking on another role as a Southerner (the American kind, not the London kind Oldman directed so brilliantly in Nil By Mouth). No Mason Verger style make-up this time, but Oldman certainly doesn't need it, as this is a very serious look at mental illness and society's inability to confront it in an honest and compassionate fashion. Frances McDormand plays Oldman's wife and she's brilliant as his brittle and sensitive spouse. Director Mick Jackson's Hollywood debut led to him working on L.A. Story and The Bodyguard before returning to his television roots, but this is the best work of his career. Also airs 11/19 at 2:00 AM.
8:35 PM Flix
At Close Range (1986 USA): Christopher Walken and Sean Penn play a father and son crime team in this riveting drama that signaled Penn's arrival as a genuine star. Brother Chris Penn is also on hand, and there's a terrific supporting cast highlighted by David Strathairn,
Candy Clark, and the uber-creepy Crispin Glover in one of his most memorable performances. Somehow the presence of the then-Mrs. Penn's 'Live to Tell' on the soundtrack doesn't detract too much from the film's grim scenario. Also airs 11/20 at 5:00 PM.
9:00 PM Turner Classic Movies
Night of the Hunter (1955 USA): The only film Charles Laughton ever directed features an astonishing confluence of talent and the end result is the only Hollywood film I've ever seen that can match the surreal beauty of Luis Bunuel's Los Olvidados.
Stanley Cortez's cinematography is breathtaking, but the real star of the film is Alfred Spencer's set decoration. There's nothing else in Spencer's filmography to prepare the viewer for his work here, though he certainly did good work on films like The Harder They Fall (recommended a few weeks back in this column). And what more can be said about Robert Mitchum's powerhouse performance as Harry Powell, one of the most loathsome characters ever to grace the silver screen? Add in a warm-hearted performance by silent star Lillian Gish and you have a film that every serious cinema buff needs to see.
Tuesday 11/19/02
1:00 AM Turner Classic Movies
The Young Savages (1961 USA): More early Frankenheimer, and the third appearance in two weeks of a film with Shelley Winters. (No, I won't be recommending Purple People Eater next time it airs). Burt Lancaster plays a DA investigating a racially charged murder case. The subject matter bears similarities to Frankenheimer's The Young Stranger, his above average 'JD' feature from 1957.
7:00 AM Fox Movies
Whirlpool (1949 USA): I haven't seen this noir before, but considering the pedigree I'll definitely be tuning in for it. Directed by a still at the top of his game Otto Preminger, the film stars Gene Tierney, Richard Conte, and Jose Ferrer in a story about kleptomania, the power of suggestion, and the terrible things that can happen when a hypnotist goes bad.
7:00 AM More Max
The Glass Shield (1994 USA): If you can overlook the fact that Lori Petty has no hair in this film you'll be amply rewarded by a smartly written story of police corruption and racism. Michael Boatman is terrific as a young African-American policeman assigned in order to integrate a precinct with a bad reputation for, er, exclusiveness. He soon bumps heads with the precinct captain and most of the other white male officers who view him as an unwelcome outsider. The film has a number of subplots woven together by the end, and Ice Cube makes an early appearance as a youngster stopped for Driving While Black. Written and directed by Charles Burnett, this is an intelligent and exciting police thriller.
11:00 AM Fox Movies
People Will Talk (1952 USA): Another speculative pick, I'm intrigued by the apparent political undertones of this romantic comedy. Cary Grant plays Dr. Praetorius, a college professor whose out-of-step views lead to a witch-hunt by colleague Hume Cronyn. Praetorius is, of course, a variation on the name of the character played by Ernest Thesiger in Bride of Frankenstein, another medical man with some unorthodox views of his own. Also airs 11/20 at 1:00 AM.
5:00 PM Turner Classic Movies
Fistful of Dollars (1964 ITA): It's Sergio Leone night on TCM, and if you've never experienced his unique take on the western, you'll probably never have a better opportunity. Also airing are For A Few Dollars More(1965 ITA) at 7:00 PM, The Good, the Bad and the Ugly(1966 ITA) at 9:15 PM, and Once Upon A Time in the West(1969 ITA) at midnight. The first film introduces Clint Eastwood's famous man with no name character, the template for countless spaghetti western anti-heroes to come; the second adds Lee Van Cleef to the mix; and the third features Eastwood ('The Good'), Van Cleef ('The Bad'), and Eli Wallach as 'The Ugly'. Once Upon A Time In the West is a different kettle of fish and takes the theme of nation-building to mythic extremes. All four films are very entertaining but the latter two are also artistic triumphs, with Leone's visions being realized by stupendous camera work by Tonino Delli Colli and unforgettable and moving music by Ennio Morricone. All four films are being broadcast widescreen. Essential!
Wednesday 11/20/02
2:30 AM Encore Mystery
The Night Holds Terror (1958 USA): This is a minor but still interesting entry in the 'crime in the suburbs' subgenre. Written, produced, and directed by Andrew L. Stone, a competent if workmanlike fimmaker, and edited by his wife Virginia, the film encapsulates the paranoid fears of juvenile delinquency then rampant in America. John Cassavetes is on hand as the leader of a gang of young hoodlums on the run from the police, and it's his performance that will be of interest to most. The rest of the cast is decent, but the story can't quite overcome its tendency to lecture and moralize. Worth a look for fans of Cassavetes.
3:00 AM Sundance
Le Million (1931 FRA): My 20-year-old memories of this film prompted a recommendation last week. Now that I've seen it again, I can report that the film is every bit as charming and funny as it has ever been. The story of a misplaced lottery ticket, Le Million is a simple and cleanly told tale of greed, friendship, and loyalty. My eight-year-old loved it so much we frequently had to pause the film to read the subtitles in full. The songs are terrific, the print is in decent shape, and it's laugh out loud funny. If you see only one French language musical this year, let it be this one. Also airs 11/20 at 11:35 AM and 11/23 at 5:30 AM.
7:30 PM Turner Classic Movies
Marty (1955 USA): I know, I know…this is a film too sentimental for it's own good, an example of the Hollywood machine smoothing off the rough edges of life to make the feel-happy movie of the year. Nonetheless, I love Marty precisely because of its optimistic take on human nature. Adapted from Paddy Chayevsky's television play of the same name (which I've never seen), Ernest Borgnine's portrayal deservedly won him the Academy Award. You'll be bathed in a golden glow of goodwill after watching this.
Thursday 11/21/02
Midnight Showtime Extreme
Hand Gun (1994 USA): Hand Gun is about as original as its title, but it benefits from a reasonably well written screenplay and a simply outstanding cast: really, how can you go wrong when you have Seymour Cassel, Frank Vincent, Luis Guzman, Treat Williams, Michael Imperioli, and Paul Schulze all in the same film? Predictable? Yes. Enjoyable? Thoroughly. Mob movie fans need to catch this one. Also airs 11/23 at 10:30 PM.
7:30 PM Turner Classic Movies
The Ox-Bow Incident (1943 USA): This noir western about cow-punchers being in the wrong place at the wrong time is blessed with another great performance by Henry Fonda as a good man trying to make the best out of a terrible situation. Based on a novel by Walter Van Tilburg Clark, which is one of only two western novels I've ever read (the other is Destry Rides Again by Max Brand), this is a decidedly grim film, especially for one made during World War II. Two wonderful character actors who are still alive, Harry 'Colonel Potter' Morgan and Marc Lawrence, add interest, and Jane Darwell is playing opposite Fonda again, this time much less sympathetically than in The Grapes of Wrath.
Friday 11/22/02
7:35 AM Cinemax
The Beast of War (1988 USA): This film seems to be in perpetual play on cable, and I've always been mildly intrigued by the premise: the story of a Soviet tank crew trying to survive during the Afghan Civil War of the '80s. I finally got around to watching it recently, and though not perfect, The Beast of War is an above average war flick, best compared perhaps to David O. Russell's Three Kings. Filmed in Israel, the Afghan mujahedeen are played by Israeli actors, whilst the Russians are played by Americans, notably Jason Patric and the excellent George Dzundza. Thankfully, unlike certain other films made by Americans about Russians, the actors speak in their normal voices instead of using potted movie accents. The film is quite relevant in light of all that has happened recently in Afghanistan, especially in an early scene of the film where the tank's educated (and Marxist) Pashtun crewmember explains the three principles of life in his country: hospitality, revenge, and sanctuary. Perhaps the Taliban weren't making silly excuses when they wouldn't hand over Osama Bin Laden. Also airs at 10:35 AM.
10:00 AM Turner Classic Movies
On Borrowed Time (1939 USA): The mother of all MGM weepies, this film features Lionel Barrymore as the world's greatest grampa and Bobs Watson as the world's most annoying grandchild. Sir Cedric Hardwicke plays Death, who's coming to town to claim Gramp's soul. Naturally little Bobs will have none of it, and all sorts of trickery takes place in order to keep the Reaper from the door. It's a great film to use when introducing children to the themes of death and departure, and a guaranteed Kleenex-box emptier for the rest of us.
5:30 PM Turner Classic Movies
One Is a Lonely Number (1972 USA): Another film with a reputation for wringing tears from its audience. I haven't seen it before but the cast-Janet Leigh, Melvyn Douglas, and Trish Van Devere-and the rarity of the film make this one a good bet. Music by Michel Legrand.
6:40 PM Black Starz
Def By Temptation (1990 USA): Dreadful title aside, this is actually a pretty decent and unusual horror film made by an African-American cast and crew, including cinematographer Ernest Dickerson, who went on to make the less successful Bones. Worth taking a flier on if you're a fan of the genre.
Saturday 11/23/02
5:00 AM IFC
The Hidden Fortress (1959 JAP): Now known mostly as The Film George Lucas Ripped Off to Make Star Wars, The Hidden Fortress is a genuinely entertaining and humorous adventure story about a snotty princess, a brave warrior, and two bumbling sidekicks. Yes, I'm afraid it really IS the film that Star Wars was based on, but that shouldn't stop you from enjoying it on its own terms. One of the frothier items in Akira Kurosawa's filmography, this thrilling light entertainment also has room for Toshiro Mifune (who plays neither the princess nor one of the sidekicks). Also airs at 10:15 PM.
12:05 PM Encore True Stories
Hellhounds On My Trail (2000 USA): I haven't seen this documentary on the life and times of bluesman Robert Johnson, but it should be an interesting look at the man who met the Devil at the crossroads. Also airs at 8:15 PM.
Sunday 11/24/02
3:00 PM Turner Classic Movies
Fail-Safe (1964 USA): 1964 was a paranoid year for Hollywood filmmakers. Besides Fail-Safe, moviegoers could also go and see Dr. Strangelove or Seven Days In May. All of these films were made and released in the shadow of the Kennedy assassination, and Fail-Safe has an air of dread and despondency that was undoubtedly prevalent at the time. The film features Henry Fonda as the President of the United States who tries desperately to prevent an accidental nuclear war with the Soviet Union. The story is stark and realistic, and the conclusion is depressingly downbeat. Not a popcorn movie.
5:00 PM IFC
Clockers (1991 USA): Spike Lee's adaptation of Richard Price's novel marked a turning point in Lee's career, as he started to move away from the misogynist underpinnings of films like Jungle Fever and School Daze. The shifting perspective of Price's novel-and the sheer length of it-make Lee's mostly successful film all the more impressive. Dennis Hopper and John Turturro are police partners trying to solve a ghetto murder; Mekhi Phifer is the young drug dealer who knows more than he's telling. Also airs at 9:00 PM.
9:00 PM Turner Classic Movies
Speedy (1928 USA): Not only is this a Harold Lloyd silent comedy (heck, I like his soundies, too), it's a Harold Lloyd silent comedy with a cameo appearance by Babe Ruth! With glimpses of Coney Island and the old horse drawn trams of New York, this is a marvelous time capsule as well as being a hilarious film.
11:30 PM Encore Love Stories
The Removalists (1975 AUS): I must plead absolute ignorance about this film, but that's what makes it so darn alluring. Starring Aussie film regular John Hargreaves, the film also features art direction by director Gillian Armstrong, a few years before she broke through with My Brilliant Career. The Australian industry was on the cusp of international success in 1975, and I'm excited about the opportunity to see one of the more obscure fruits of its flowering.
