turner classic movies-related stories
Posted Nov 4th 2009 8:02PM by Bob Sassone
Filed under: Programming, Reality-Free
If we lived in a world where we could only watch five TV networks on our televisions (I don't know what type of world that would be but it sounds like one of those bleak futures you often see in sci-fi movies), I would definitely choose Turner Classic Movies as one of those networks. That's a no-brainer. I think I'd have a harder time choosing which major networks(s) I'd want on that list too.
The movie network has announced that they're doing a
classic film festival in April 2010.
Continue reading TCM's Classic Film Festival is coming in 2010
Posted Oct 24th 2009 11:02AM by Jane Boursaw
Filed under: Other Reality Shows, Programming, OpEd
It's that time of year when we get all the deliciously creepy shows and movies haunting our TV sets as we head into Halloween. Turner Classic Movies is airing some great ones this weekend, including
Poltergeist,
Dr. X, and
The Blob. Check out
their schedule to see when they're airing.
I have to agree with John that sometimes
the ghost hunter shows don't always deliver. Then again, sometimes just the idea of where they're going is frightening. Last night, I watched an episode of
Ghost Adventures on the Travel Channel, and the guys took their gear into the bowels of an abandoned insane asylum. I happened to grow up in a town with an abandoned insane asylum (converted to very nice retail/business now), and I know firsthand that these places are pretty creepy.
Continue reading Ghost Adventures: Asylums and castles and prisons, oh my!
Posted Jul 16th 2009 10:25AM by Bob Sassone
Filed under: Programming, Reality-Free
This is one of the many reasons I love Turner Classic Movies.
They're celebrating the 40th anniversary of the moon landing on Monday, July 20 with classic, revered movies you'd expect, like
The Right Stuff and
From The Earth To The Moon, but they also have the sense of humor to also show
They Came From Beyond Space, a ridiculous (but entertaining), low-budget 60s sci-fi movie about aliens who come to take over Earth but can't control one scientist because he has a metal plate in his head.
Here's the full schedule for the all-day TCM marathon.
Posted Jul 9th 2009 12:38PM by Bob Sassone
Filed under: Programming, Celebrities, Reality-Free
No, don't worry, it's not going to be a two-hour live funeral. Turner Classic Movies is going to show
three of Karl Malden's best movies in a mini-marathon starting at 8PM. Here's the lineup:
8PM:
On The Waterfront10PM:
A Streetcar Named Desire12:15AM:
Birdman of AlcatrazThis will be a good chance for people who only know Malden from
The Streets of San Francisco or American Express ads to see what he was like as an actor on the big screen. I think they should be showing more though. TCM
must own more movies that feature Malden.
Posted Jan 3rd 2009 11:03AM by Allison Waldman
Filed under: OpEd, Daytime, Breaking Bad, Reality-Free
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It was the best of times, it was the worst of times ... and a lot of it happened right on our TV screens. As we look forward to 2009, here's one more glimpse back at what was good and what was really NOT in the year gone by.
Overall, it seems like the Writer's Strike really hurt the business. Shows that might have survived, didn't. New shows have been stuck in development longer than usual. But despite all that, there were moments that were thrilling, shows that are terrific ... and those that weren't.
Continue reading Best and Worst of 2008: Allison's list
Posted Dec 17th 2008 1:01PM by Bob Sassone
Filed under: Programming, Reality-Free
If I were to enroll at TCM University, I think I'd major in film noir.
I'll get my chance to enroll at such a school this February, when
Turner Classic Movies presents its annual "31 Days of Oscar" film schedule (there aren't 31 days in February - maybe it leaks into March?). This year
the festival will be devoted to a "classroom" of 350 different films, hosted by Robert Osborne. Each day Osborne will introduce each movie theme and tell us a little bit about the theme and the movies.
The "courses" include Mass Media, Nuclear Physics, Farm Planning and Management, Military Law, Reproductive Biology, and other courses that will be represented by classic Oscar-winning movies, from
My Fair Lady and
The China Syndrome to
Hannah and Her Sisters and
The Caine Mutiny. Other movies will include
Network,
Yankee Doodle Dandy,
Casablanca,
Poltergeist, and
The Great Escape.
They should hold classes in Space Exploration and Technology and show
Plan 9 From Outer Space.
Posted Oct 22nd 2008 3:01PM by Allison Waldman
Filed under: Casting, Reality-Free
Alec Baldwin is a very complicated, very smart, and very talented guy. In two interviews just a month or so apart this fall,
he was complaining about his career, contemplating
other things he wanted to do with his life ... and that was all before winning the Emmy for
30 Rock.
Whatever he envisions for a professional life away from acting, if that's to be the case,
Alec Baldwin has signed on to co-host Turner Classic Movies' The Essentials, a weekly analysis of a classic movie with co-host Robert Osborne. The show, which airs every Saturday at 8 p.m., most recently featured actress Rose McGowan, and before her Carrie Fisher and Molly Haskell shared the duties with Osborne.
It's one of my favorite TCM programs, giving the hosts a chance to set up a great movie, offer commentary and stimulate conversation. Considering the fact that Alec is very opinionated and pretty funny, he should add a lot to
The Essentials.
Continue reading Alec Baldwin to co-host TCM's The Essentials
Posted Sep 2nd 2008 12:05PM by Allison Waldman
Filed under: Programming, Reality-Free
While the Republicans are gathering in St. Paul for their national convention to confirm the candidacy of Senator John McCain as presiden,t and Governor Sarah Palin as his running mate,
Turner Classic Movies is presenting a night of alternative politics.
The cable channel going to present five movies about politics, and if you want to see how the world of running for public office has changed in the 20th century, these films are a fantastic reflection of the times.
On Wednesday, September 3, starting at 8 PM ET, the night begins with
The Last Hurrah, and includes
The Candidate (10:15 PM),
The Best Man (12:15 AM),
Nashville (2 AM) and
The Dark Horse (1932).
Like I said, these pictures are all really interesting choices.
The Candidate, released in 1972, for instance, is not so different from today's campaign pitting Senator Barack Obama versus Senator John McCain.
It's a young candidate espousing change, up against an experienced, wizened establishment candidate. Robert Redford plays Bill McKay, the up and comer, while Don Porter is the popular, long-time incumbent senator. Check out these photos, because Porter even looks like McCain!
Continue reading If you like politics, check out TCM's Wednesday lineup
Posted Jul 23rd 2008 2:42PM by Bob Sassone
Filed under: Industry, Programming, Reality-Free
Of course, every week is a great week to watch Turner Classic Movies. If you're not a regular viewer of TCM, you're really missing out.
But looking over their schedule for tomorrow, I noticed several movies are playing that you really must see, especially if you haven't seen them before. In fact, two of the movies are ones I haven't seen before myself, though I've always wanted to. Many of these movies aren't shown on TV that often, and when they are it's only on TCM, another reason to watch the channel regularly.
Continue reading This is a great week to watch Turner Classic Movies
Posted Jul 2nd 2008 8:02AM by Allison Waldman
Filed under: Celebrities, Brothers and Sisters, Reality-Free
Sally Field is a two-time Oscar winner, a three-time Emmy winner -- including last year at Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series for
Brothers and Sisters -- and she's bound to be in the running again this year when the nominations are announced on July 17.
Now she's taking on a new role;
she'll be guest programmer at Turner Classic Movies in July, and having gotten a look at her choices, I have to say to Sally, "I like you, I really like you" -- at least your taste in movies.
Sally will be joined by
TCM host Robert Osborne introducing and discussing her four films. The Field four are
Love With a Proper Stranger, The Awful Truth, All About Eve and
The Miracle of Morgan's Creek, and every one of them features great performances by women.
To those of you who aren't movie buffs, here's a bit more information about these films -- why I like them, and I mean, I really like them.
Continue reading Sally Field picks four for Turner Classic Movies
Posted Jun 11th 2008 1:24PM by Allison Waldman
Filed under: Cable/Satellite, Celebrities, Reality-Free
Way back in the early 1970's, when I was a kid (I'm not that old!), I remember seeing some amazing movies on the
CBS Children's Film Festival. It was on either Saturday or Sunday afternoons and I vaguely recall my mother encouraging me to watch. Kukla, Fran and Ollie introduced the movies and to this day, I can still remember seeing classic foreign films that were made for children like
The Red Balloon (French),
Hand in Hand (British) and
Skinny and Fatty (Japanese). I think those movies may have been the first that really got be interested in film.
Turner Classic Movies seems to be providing a similar service for kids today, albeit by presenting great classics from Hollywood's golden era.
TCM started a new series called Essentials Jr. Grey's Anatomy star Chris O'Donnell (
Scent of a Woman) co-hosts with Abigail Breslin (
Little Miss Sunshine). Together, they provide introductions and discuss the films, movies that are picked to be just right for kids. According to TCM, "The chosen films are ones that any cinema-literate child should know about and be able to enjoy with family and friends including grown-ups."
Continue reading TCM presents movies for kids - The Essentials Jr.
Posted May 28th 2008 3:39PM by Allison Waldman
Filed under: Programming, Reality-Free
Recently, I wrote about why I respect, admire, and -- yes -- love
Turner Classic Movies. Well, today they've done something else to reinforce my feelings.
On June 2, TCM will air a salute to director Sydney Pollack, showing four of his films. The Oscar-winning director, who was also an actor and producer,
passed away on Monday following a short bout with cancer. It was only a few months ago that the word spread in Hollywood that he was seriously ill. Film critic
Joseph Morgenstern wrote a salute to him on February 2 in the
Wall Street Journal, honoring the man before his death.
Sadly, the cancer that fell
Sydney Pollack was one that didn't respond to treatment.
On Monday, TCM will show Sydney Pollack's directorial debut in features, 1965's
The Slender Thread starring Sidney Poitier and Anne Bancroft. In the same year, he won an Emmy for directing
The Game, part of the
Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theater anthology series. On TV, he'd also done
Ben Casey and
The Fugitive episodes, learning his craft.
Continue reading TCM schedules Sydney Pollack film retrospective
Posted May 18th 2008 5:02PM by Allison Waldman
Filed under: Programming, OpEd, Music and Variety, TV Squad Lists, Reality-Free
As much a I love TV -- and I do -- I'm also a real movie fan. I used to have a button that read "Movie Buff," and I actually wore it! So, it's without a bit of irony that I declare here and now that I love Turner Classic Movies. TCM is the definitive film fan destination on the entire cable/satellite/broadcast dial. Here's five reasons to back up my claim -- see if you don't agree.
1) Choice - Name another channel that you can watch from daybreak till midnight and not have to reach for the remote. TCM has thousands of movies, and as many as I've seen since I started really watching, they broadcast films that are new to me (and believe me, I've logged hudreds of hours watching films). The Turner library is stuffed with classics, A-movies, B's, two-reelers, shorts, silents ... MGMs, Warners, RKO's, and more -- they cover the spectrum. Ted Turner knew what he was doing when he created the channel in 1994. TCM promised to be "uninterrupted, uncolorized and commercial-free!" In 14 years they've stuck by the creed.
Continue reading Five reasons to love Turner Classic Movies
Posted May 1st 2008 9:02AM by Bob Sassone
Filed under: Programming, Web, Reality-Free
Besides being the day that the series finale of Seinfeld aired, May 14, 1998 was also the day that legendary singer and actor Frank Sinatra died at the age of 82. I remember spending an entire week listening to nothing but Sinatra songs, watching all the specials that aired that week, reading all of the obituaries and tributes. And now TCM is going to honor the man by airing a month long tribute starting today. In fact, they've launched a special web site for the event, Frank Sinatra: The Man and His Movies.
Continue reading TCM to air month long Frank Sinatra tribute starting today
Posted Feb 16th 2008 9:21AM by Bob Sassone
Filed under: Industry, Programming, Web, Celebrities
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