TiVoPlex
TiVoPlex
By John Seal
April 23, 2012
BoxOfficeProphets.com
Tuesday 4/24/12
3:00 AM Fox Movie Channel
The Man Who Wouldn’t Die (1942 USA): Surprisingly, this film does not feature Boris Karloff, star of such manly motion pictures as The Man Who Changed His Mind, The Man They Could Not Hang, and The Man with Nine Lives. Instead, Lloyd Nolan returns as P.I. Michael Shayne in this above average Fox second feature. In this outing, Shayne gets involved with Catherine (Marjorie Weaver), the beautiful daughter of suspicious oligarch Dudley Wolff (Paul Harvey), who spends his time appearing before Senate committees when he isn’t traipsing around spooky cemeteries under mysterious circumstances. This surprisingly atmospheric billfiller was written by a gent named Arnaud D’Usseau, who would later pen screenplays for two firm fan favorites of ‘70s horror, Psychomania and Horror Express.
5:00 AM Turner Classic Movies
Night Fighters (1960 GB): A passel of Irishmen star in this two-fisted tale of IRA shenanigans during World War II, originally released in Britain as A Serious Beauty and directed by Tay Garnett. Honorary Mick Robert Mitchum headlines as Dermot O’Neil, an Ulsterman recruited by pal Don McGinnis (Dan O’Herlihy, born in County Wexford) to help liberate his land from perfidious Albion. Dermot, unaware that the provos are being used by the Nazis to divert British military resources from the main event, goes along to get along until people start getting killed and then starts listening to calmer folk, including best pal Jimmy (Cyril Cusack) and brother Ned (Dublin native Niall McGinniss). Also on hand: Richard Harris (County Limerick), T.P. McKenna (County Cavan), and Harry Brogan (County Down). Sure and begorrah, where’s Barry Fitzgerald when you need him!
Wednesday 4/25/12
1:45 PM Turner Classic Movies
Picture Mommy Dead (1966 USA): This movie aired over and over and over and over and over and over again on local television back in the day. It aired A LOT. In fact, I can’t think of another film that showed up as frequently as this one did...until the early ‘80s, when it completely disappeared. Now Picture Mommy Dead is back on TCM, and I’m about to relive those happy - and frequent - childhood memories! Directed by our beloved Mr. B.I.G., Bert I. Gordon, the film stars Gordon’s daughter Susan (who, sadly, recently pre-deceased her dad) as Susan Shelley, a sensitive young thing newly released from a mental hospital. Susan’s been institutionalized since the gruesome burning death of her mother (Zsa Zsa Gabor, seen in flashback) but has now recovered - or has she? Co-starring Don Ameche as Shelley pere and grumpy old Wendell Corey as a grumpy old man, the film treads similar ground to William Castle’s Homicidal, and is surprisingly gruesome stuff for 1966. Is it too late to ask Zsa Zsa and Bert to get back together for a sequel?
6:30 PM Turner Classic Movies
Jalna (1935 USA): Okay, I’m only mentioning this film because I’d never heard of it before, and it’s title sounds like it should be attached to a Bollywood musical. It’s actually a drama about a Canadian family, and offers promise thanks to its fine cast, which includes C. Aubrey Smith, Nigel Bruce, Ian Hunter, and, erm, Willie Best. How come I’ve never heard of Jalna before now?
Thursday 4/26/12
8:10 AM Starz in Black
Life, Above All (2010 SAF): The travails of a poor South African family in the age of AIDS are examined in this sensitive drama directed by Oliver Schmitz. Khamotso Manyaka headlines as Chanda, a wise beyond her years 12-year-old struggling to get by on less than nothing with mother Lillian (Lerato Mvelase) and worthless step-dad Jonah (Aubrey Poolo). Lillian is ill with an unnamed disease, and the neighbors are neither happy nor sympathetic about it - in fact, they do their best to drive the beknighted family out of town. It’s up to young Chanda to reach a rapprochement with them, and the results are mixed, to say the least. Though a tad too predictable, Life Above All is a gripping, beautifully shot film with a remarkable performance by the youngster.
11:30 PM Turner Classic Movies
The Double Man (1967 GB): It’s Yul Brynner day on TCM and amongst the usual suspects is this obscure espionage thriller, which makes its widescreen television debut this evening. Directed by Franklin J. Schaffner (Patton, Papillon), The Double Man features Brynner as Dan Slater, a CIA agent diverted to the Alps when his son is reported dead in a skiing accident. Convinced the accident was anything but, Dan begins making inquiries, whilst East German intelligence schemes to kidnap him and replace him with doppelganger Kalmar (also Brynner, in case you’re wondering). The closer Dan gets to the truth, the more dangerous the game becomes - especially after beautiful witness Gina (Britt Ekland) gets involved. Co-starring Anton Diffring as a baddie, The Double Man is followed at 1:30 AM on 4/27 by Flight From Ashiya (1964 USA), a rather unexceptional adventure story that maintains a place in my heart due to its serving as inspiration for a classic piece of psychedelia.
Friday 4/27/12
9:00 PM Sundance
Cortex (2008 FRA): You know, I could have sworn I wrote about this film on an earlier occasion, but I can’t find the evidence to prove it. As this is a film about a man suffering from Alzheimer’s, that somehow seems appropriate. The man in question is Charles Boyer (not portrayed by the late Charles Boyer, but by Micmac’s Andre Dussollier), an ailing detective who gets his second wind amidst a series of mysterious deaths in his nursing home. It’s an unusual set up for a thriller, and a good one. Now if only I could remember the name of that nice man who plays the main character in this film. And where did I leave the remote?
Saturday 4/28/12
9:00 AM Turner Classic Movies
The Perils of Pauline(1933 USA): Here’s something a bit odd: TCM is airing Chapters 2, 3, and 4 of this serial, but Chapter 1 is AWOL. It didn’t air on a previous Saturday, either, so I’m not sure what’s up, as the episode definitely still exists (and has, in fact, previously been released on VHS). Anyhoo, I’ll still be tuning in for this Universal chapter play, which features Evelyn Knapp as the titular heroine and John Davidson as her deadly enemy, Dr. Bashan.
10:05 AM Encore Westerns
A Barrel Full of Dollars (1971 ITA-ESP): Spaghetti western fans, rejoice: here’s a rarely seen Euro-oater that’s never been released on Region 1 VHS or DVD. The great Klaus Kinski stars in A Barrel Full of Dollars as Hagen, leader of a group of bandits raising Hell down New Mexico way. When Hagen’s brothers are killed during a raid, he vows revenge against the responsible parties and sends right-hand man Tamayo (Hunt Powers) to take care of business, but hasn’t figured on the granite-jawed presence of former Confederate soldier George Hamilton (Jeff Cameron), who’s equally determined to take down Hagen’s gang. As low-budget as it is, the film is thoroughly enjoyable and it’s always a pleasure to see Kinski chew scenery.
3:30 PM Sundance
A Film With Me In It (2008 IRE): If you’re in the mood for a quirky Irish comedy with a touch of the meta, check out A Film with Me In It. Directed by Ian Fitzgibbon (Perrier’s Bounty, the best movie ever made about pistachios), it stars Mark Doherty and Dylan "Shaun of the Dead" Moran as a pair of aspiring filmmakers who find themselves working a series of unfortunate real-life deaths into their fictional screenplay. Look for a cameo from director Neil Jordan as one of the lads’ sniffy mentors.
7:30 PM The Movie Channel
Dark Fields (2009 USA): Nothing spells quality like the name "David Carradine." Well, John Carradine, Keith Carradine, and Robert Carradine all come pretty close, but you get my point. This gothic horror flick features the late David C. as Clive Jonis, a grizzled old farmer who digs up a cursed piece of millinery as it travels a deadly path through the ages. It’s neither the best nor the worst low budget horror flick you’ve ever seen, but it scores points for originality and Carradine is as good as ever. Also airs at 10:30 PM.
Sunday 4/29/12
11:00 PM Turner Classic Movies
Diary of a Chambermaid (1964 FRA): Jeanne Moreau stars as the titular household help in this surprisingly linear Luis Bunuel feature. Moreau plays Celestine, a maid starting a new position in the countryside after spending years working in Paris. Her employer, M. Monteil (Michel Piccoli), is a rabid horndog, whilst Madame (Francoise Lugagne) is a shopping junkie, but Celestine's real problem is gardener Joseph (Georges Geret), a hyper-nationalist bigot who can't stop ranting about Jews, immigrants, and other untermenschen. The film is decidedly unflashy by Bunuel's usual standards; it is, perhaps (and appropriately), a chamber piece about one woman and the adaptations she makes in order to survive. As such, it's much less immediately accessible than the director's usual visually striking efforts, and descends more from the tradition of Renoir than Dali.