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Post by beccabear67 on Dec 11, 2018 20:28:42 GMT -5
I used to watch TCM more often, but still get it. I even used to watch Silent Sundays most weeks, and years ago Ben Mankiewicz used to do a morning show with a lot of the more obscure b&w cartoons. I also think they used to run more foreign films. Lately it seems there have been a lot more run-of-the-mill Hollywood oldies and I just haven't been too interested, though it helps get me interested if there is a vaudeville, jungle or other theme linking them.
I wish they would run old serials, or someone on a channel I can get would. Way back in the early '70s there was a station out of Washington State that ran serials all the time (KTNT, 13?). I remember King Of the Rocketmen and Captain America on a motorcycle most vividly. I guess you can buy a lot of them on DVD but not sure I'd ever watch most of them more than once.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 11, 2018 21:04:59 GMT -5
I wish they would run old serials, or someone on a channel I can get would. Way back in the early '70s there was a station out of Washington State that ran serials all the time (KTNT, 13?). I remember King Of the Rocketmen and Captain America on a motorcycle most vividly. I guess you can buy a lot of them on DVD but not sure I'd ever watch most of them more than once. They did that about 5-7 years ago and many of the members that goes to TCM Film Festivals complained about that and that's why they stopped doing that. It's anger me and I used to belong to another forum and the members blasted me for not understanding TCM decision and that's made me dropped from that forum and haven't posted there for 7 years now. Some members still send me Private Messages (even today) urging me to come back with no luck at all.
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Post by Hoosier X on Dec 11, 2018 22:28:43 GMT -5
I used to watch TCM more often, but still get it. I even used to watch Silent Sundays most weeks, and years ago Ben Mankiewicz used to do a morning show with a lot of the more obscure b&w cartoons. I also think they used to run more foreign films. Lately it seems there have been a lot more run-of-the-mill Hollywood oldies and I just haven't been too interested, though it helps get me interested if there is a vaudeville, jungle or other theme linking them. I wish they would run old serials, or someone on a channel I can get would. Way back in the early '70s there was a station out of Washington State that ran serials all the time (KTNT, 13?). I remember King Of the Rocketmen and Captain America on a motorcycle most vividly. I guess you can buy a lot of them on DVD but not sure I'd ever watch most of them more than once. I think TCM shows the old serials on Saturday morning. One episode at a time, so its just like the old days when you had to wait a week to find out what happened. I watched Batman and Robin (1949) in this manner a few years ago. If they've stopped, they stopped very recently because I'm sure it was only a few weeks ago that I watched one episode of Mandrake the Magician. It didn't do much for me, so I only watched that one episode.
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Post by Prince Hal on Dec 11, 2018 22:56:46 GMT -5
I used to watch TCM more often, but still get it. I even used to watch Silent Sundays most weeks, and years ago Ben Mankiewicz used to do a morning show with a lot of the more obscure b&w cartoons. I also think they used to run more foreign films. Lately it seems there have been a lot more run-of-the-mill Hollywood oldies and I just haven't been too interested, though it helps get me interested if there is a vaudeville, jungle or other theme linking them. I wish they would run old serials, or someone on a channel I can get would. Way back in the early '70s there was a station out of Washington State that ran serials all the time (KTNT, 13?). I remember King Of the Rocketmen and Captain America on a motorcycle most vividly. I guess you can buy a lot of them on DVD but not sure I'd ever watch most of them more than once. I think TCM shows the old serials on Saturday morning. One episode at a time, so its just like the old days when you had to wait a week to find out what happened. I watched Batman and Robin (1949) in this manner a few years ago. If they've stopped, they stopped very recently because I'm sure it was only a few weeks ago that I watched one episode of Mandrake the Magician. It didn't do much for me, so I only watched that one episode.Me too. The last couple of serials they've shown haven't been that good. I think it was Tailspin Tommy a couple of months ago.
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Post by codystarbuck on Dec 12, 2018 0:12:34 GMT -5
I used to watch TCM more often, but still get it. I even used to watch Silent Sundays most weeks, and years ago Ben Mankiewicz used to do a morning show with a lot of the more obscure b&w cartoons. I also think they used to run more foreign films. Lately it seems there have been a lot more run-of-the-mill Hollywood oldies and I just haven't been too interested, though it helps get me interested if there is a vaudeville, jungle or other theme linking them. I wish they would run old serials, or someone on a channel I can get would. Way back in the early '70s there was a station out of Washington State that ran serials all the time (KTNT, 13?). I remember King Of the Rocketmen and Captain America on a motorcycle most vividly. I guess you can buy a lot of them on DVD but not sure I'd ever watch most of them more than once. You can find a ton of serials on youtube; Republic, Monogram, Columbia, Universal and more. Since the vast portion of them are in the public domain, they are there, unmolested. Quality varies; but, most are in decent shape. I've seen rarer ones on there, including things like The Vigilante, based on the DC cowboy hero. Best thing to watch, though, is J-Men Forever, from Peter Bergman and Phil Proctor, of the Firesign Theater. It collected scenes from old Republic serials and a few features, as well as some other bits, into a goofy story of a radical DJ, out to control the world through rock 'n' roll music. His various disguises are the villains from several different serials, and the J-Men include The Caped Madman (Captain Marvel), Spy Swatter (Spy Smasher), Lone Star (Captain America) as well as the Masked Marvel and the Rocket Man (Commando Cody). Included are clips with Leonard Nimoy (from Zombies of the Stratosphere, the third Rocket Man serial) and John Wayne (from a serial or two and The Flying Tigers). The film was shown on USA Cable's Night Flight, back in the mid-80s and eventually made it to dvd, with interviews with Proctor and Bergman (more of a conversation between the two) and the actor from Commando Cody (Radar Men From the Moon).
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Post by beccabear67 on Dec 12, 2018 1:39:28 GMT -5
Interesting. I wonder if I've missed TCM showing serials as by west coast time I'm probably still copping the zzzzs? I'd like to see Blackhawk someday, and that Gene Autrey vs. martians thing again. I did see the 1943 Batman via some website, might've been youtube. That opening is still amazing to see too!
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Post by codystarbuck on Dec 12, 2018 3:40:32 GMT -5
Interesting. I wonder if I've missed TCM showing serials as by west coast time I'm probably still copping the zzzzs? I'd like to see Blackhawk someday, and that Gene Autrey vs. martians thing again. I did see the 1943 Batman via some website, might've been youtube. That opening is still amazing to see too! I was kind of disappointed by Blackhawk (they just couldn't do the aerial stuff justice); but, The Phantom Empire is one of the greatest serials ever done. it's filled with adventure, some good cliffhangers, a nice bit of sci-fi, the goofiest group of kids around, and the silliest concept that Gene Autry has to get back to the Radio Ranch by the appointed time to do his radio show or he loses everything. It's a great mix of singing cowboy, old school western, kids adventure and Flash Gordon sci-fi/fantasy, all in one insane package! It would later be homaged in NBC's Cliffhanger, with the Secret Empire segment, which featured Mark Lenard, as a sort of Ming the Merciless, while swiping cliffhangers from several serials, including the first chapter of the original Flash Gordon serial.
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Post by codystarbuck on Dec 12, 2018 15:00:34 GMT -5
Chapter 1 of The Phantom Empire...
Junior Thunder Riders!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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shaxper
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Post by shaxper on Dec 15, 2018 16:02:06 GMT -5
Watching a personal favorite of mine, Things To Come (1936) and wondering for the millionth time why the film isn't better remembered today. Is it more popular in Britain?
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Post by Deleted on Dec 15, 2018 16:40:02 GMT -5
shaxper ... Things To Come (1936), is a very popular film and back in 1936 an poll was conducted (learned this watching TCM) that this made the top ten most popular film -- the reason for that this film is an unique film that deals with issues of anarchy, rebuilding civilisation, and attempted space travel. It was partly an inspiration to Space Odyssey and that's why I believe that this film was pique the imagination of British Filmgoers. That's the reason why it is and on the other side of the Coin, the American Audiences embraced this film too; but it's was not warmly received by (Americans) us. That's what I was told and I had skepticism about that claim. It's a great film and I do enjoy it very much and thinking of watching it too ... and this is my own opinion and might not be the right one here.
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Post by codystarbuck on Dec 16, 2018 0:02:23 GMT -5
Watching a personal favorite of mine, Things To Come (1936) and wondering for the millionth time why the film isn't better remembered today. Is it more popular in Britain? The film was highly regarded, at the time; but, remember, it was 1936, at the height of the Depression. Filmgoers looked more for escape. Dramas did well, in many cases; but, this film is a pretty dark one and I don't think it had the same appeal as a Shirley Temple film. The first Flash Gordon serial appeared the same year; but, was aimed at the Saturday matinee crowd (kids) and was a heck of a lot more lively. The film is highly regarded in the UK and I used to have a small book from the British Film Institute series, about it. We did get to revisit it, in the 70s, with The Shape of Things To Come.... Or not....... Woof; was that thing bad! For those who haven't (blessedly) seen it, it was an early Star Wars rip-off, trading on Wells' name. There is a character named Cabal in the film; but, that is the only connection to the original. That French dubbing is way better than the original acting, especially Palance. They also edited out a lot of very cheap looking footage. Roger Corman did better than that, with Battle Beyond the Stars.
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shaxper
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Post by shaxper on Dec 16, 2018 9:06:27 GMT -5
We did get to revisit it, in the 70s, with The Shape of Things To Come.... Or not....... Woof; was that thing bad! For those who haven't (blessedly) seen it, it was an early Star Wars rip-off, trading on Wells' name. There is a character named Cabal in the film; but, that is the only connection to the original. That French dubbing is way better than the original acting, especially Palance. They also edited out a lot of very cheap looking footage. Roger Corman did better than that, with Battle Beyond the Stars. WOW. I love bad movies nearly as much as great ones, so I will definitely be checking this one out for a good laugh. Thanks!
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Post by codystarbuck on Dec 16, 2018 12:06:16 GMT -5
We did get to revisit it, in the 70s, with The Shape of Things To Come.... Or not....... Woof; was that thing bad! For those who haven't (blessedly) seen it, it was an early Star Wars rip-off, trading on Wells' name. There is a character named Cabal in the film; but, that is the only connection to the original. That French dubbing is way better than the original acting, especially Palance. They also edited out a lot of very cheap looking footage. Roger Corman did better than that, with Battle Beyond the Stars. WOW. I love bad movies nearly as much as great ones, so I will definitely be checking this one out for a good laugh. Thanks! Be warned; this doesn't even rise to "So bad it's good!" levels. Star Crash is a more watchable film and its terrible.
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Post by Farrar on Dec 16, 2018 13:31:27 GMT -5
Watching a personal favorite of mine, Things To Come (1936) and wondering for the millionth time why the film isn't better remembered today. Is it more popular in Britain? As a balletomane I'd wanted to see this movie for ages, as I'd read that Vic-Wells (London-based) ballerina Pearl Argyle had a role in this (she played the daughter in the last part of the film). I finally got around to watching it a year or two ago--wow! It was worth it just for Ralph Richardson alone, but I found myself drawn in by the rest of the film too. Mesmerizing, touching and sobering.
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Post by codystarbuck on Dec 18, 2018 1:14:34 GMT -5
We just watched It's A Wonderful Life, last night. Always an excellent film. Then my wife wanted to watch The Wizard of Oz, which neither of us had seen in a long time. We're watching the Munchkins, when I noticed something I had never realized; the Munchkins are fascists!!!!!!
They're goosestepping!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This is an old style of marching, common across 19th and early 20th Century Europe; but, this was 1939!!!
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