TiVoPlex
By John Seal
July 2, 2012
BoxOfficeProphets.com
Tuesday 7/3/12
5:00 AM HBO Signature
Habana Eve (2010 CUB-VEN-FRA): The Cuban economic embargo continues to be one of the most pointless of U.S. government policies (and there’s plenty to choose from), but thankfully films from the island can now be seen a little more easily on American shores than in days past - 20 years ago, for example, you could only see Tomas Alea’s Oscar-nominated Strawberries and Chocolate on the festival circuit or via illegal bootleg videotapes. Now you can see such films on premium cable, and Habana Eve comes with an added bonus: it’s a co-production from three countries patriotic Americans instinctively know to be the amongst the most evil in the world - Cuba, Venezuela, and France! Too bad North Korea and Iran didn’t chip in. The end result is a pleasant romantic comedy about a Havana seamstress (Prakriti Maduro) with some rather capitalistic aspirations: to become a successful fashion designer. The film does have some political subtext - Fidel’s 2008 retirement from office looms large - but is most definitely a lighter piece of work than one might expect from the Caribbean worker’s paradise.
Wednesday 7/4/12
1:00 AM Turner Classic Movies
The Gentle Sex (1943 GB): It’s ladies first in this low-key drama about British dames doing their bit for the war effort. Directed by Leslie Howard with an uncredited assist from Maurice Elvey, The Gentle Sex tells the tale of seven lovely lasses who take off their aprons and start manning (so to speak) anti-aircraft guns. Though coming from different backgrounds, the women - including Joan Greenwood, Rosamund John, and Lilli Palmer - are all united by their opposition to Hitler and overcome whatever challenges fate, sexism, and the Third Reich put in their path. Beautifully shot by Robert Krasker, the film also features a few fellas in its cast, including John Laurie and Miles Malleson - neither of whom, you won’t be surprised to learn, is a love interest. Howard died shortly after completing this feature, shot down near Portugal by the Luftwaffe. The Gentle Sex is followed at 2:45 AM by The Lamp Still Burns (1943), in which Stewart Granger plays a wounded engineer being nursed back to health in a London hospital by Rosamund John.
7:00 PM The Movie Channel
The Howling: Reborn (2011 USA): Here’s a horror franchise we could all probably live without. The seventh film in the Howling series, Reborn relates the misadventures of high school student Will (Landon Liboiron) who discovers he’s actually a werewolf. Late puberty, I guess. Will tries to contain the beast within whilst keeping his ugly secret from affecting his relationship with gal pal Eliana (Lindsey Shaw). Needless to say, it’s a struggle, and the fur, blood, and body parts are soon flying. To be honest, The Howling: Reborn is far from terrible: as one IMDb wag put it, the film "could have been significantly worse." Faint praise be damned! It’s a classic! Also airs at 10:00 PM.
Thursday 7/5/12
12:15 AM Sundance
The Trial Begins (2007 ITA): Back in the 1970s, political corruption was one of Italian cinema's most popular themes. When the industry collapsed in the '80s, however, the theme disappeared with it - but thanks to 2007's The Trial Begins, it's apparently on the comeback trail. Written and directed by Vincenzo Marra, the film stars Michele Lastella as Filippo, an eager beaver young cop looking to make his mark by cracking down on corrupt businessmen and bent politicians. When he meets vivacious (and rich) older woman Caterina (Fanny Ardant), however, he finds himself being pulled into her world of back-scratching and under-the-table deal-making. Marra's film provides brilliant and searing commentary on both the state of Italian governance and the profligate oligarch whose hands were, until quite recently, in every pot.
5:00 PM Showtime
Thunder Soul (2010 USA): This exhilarating music documentary takes a look at the alumni of a Texas high school band and their efforts to pay tribute to their now nonagenarian mentor. Back in the day, Houston music teacher Conrad Johnson took the bull by the horns and turned Kashmere High’s meek jazz band into a tear the roof off the sucker funk outfit that recorded and released a few regional hits. Thunder Soul recounts the band’s illustrious history and includes footage of a reunion concert attended by Mr. Johnson - known to his students as "the prof." In addition to some great music, the film also provides a cogent and timely reminder of the value of a high school arts curriculum. Also airs at 8:00 PM.
Friday 7/6/12
1:15 PM The Movie Channel
Tomorrow, When the War Began (2010 AUS): A bit reminiscent of both Red Dawn and the British feature Attack the Block (in the case of the latter, minus the sci-fi trappings), Tomorrow When the War Begins is a solid if not terribly original adventure flick aimed at the young adult audience. Directed by Pirates of the Caribbean writer Stuart Beattie, the film tells the story of a group of Australian teenagers who return from a camping trip only to discover that the land down under has been invaded by another (unnamed) country. Based on a popular novel by John Marsden - well, popular in Australia, at least - the film exceeds expectations with solid character development and excellent cinematography. There’s a sequel in the works, and with seven novels in the series to date we can probably expect more. Also airs at 4:15 PM.
3:55 PM Showtime Extreme
The Deer Hunter (1978 USA): It’s been a long time since I’ve seen The Deer Hunter, and to be honest, it’s never been one of my favorites: as with all Michael Cimino films, there’s more than a touch of portentousness to the proceedings, and it’s pretty dang long, too. That said, any film featuring Robert De Niro, Christopher Walken, George Dzundza, John Savage, and Shirley Stoler definitely has a lot going for it. This is, I believe, the first time the film has appeared on Showtime Extreme, and I’m hoping it’ll be screening it in its correct 2.20:1 aspect ratio (to the best of my knowledge, The Deer Hunter has never been seen on U.S. television in letterboxed format).
Saturday 7/7/12
9:00 AM Turner Classic Movies
The Green Hornet (1940 USA): A new Saturday morning serial begins today with the first three chapters of this Universal chapter-play inspired by the radio show of the same name. It’s not the best serial you’ve ever seen, but trust me...it’s better than Michel Gondry’s Green Hornet.
Sunday 7/8/12
2:00 AM Fox Movie Channel
Just Off Broadway (1942 USA): Lloyd Nolan returns as private investigator Michael Shayne in this top-notch Fox second feature. This time, Shayne is serving on the jury charged with determining the guilt or innocence of Lillian Hubbard (Janis Carter), the woman accused of murdering leading citizen Harley Forsythe. Naturally, the ever curious Shayne oversteps his bounds in his search for the truth, leading to a denouement that stretches credulity even by Hollywood standards. Nonetheless, it’s great fun, and is enlivened by the presence of Phil Silvers as a fellow juror.
8:00 PM Turner Classic Movies
Crime Wave (1954 USA): You can’t go far wrong with Andre de Toth behind the camera and Sterling Hayden in front of it, and Crime Wave is no exception to the rule. Directed by the eye-patched Hungarian, the film also features Gene Nelson in a rare non-musical role as Steve Lacey, a parolee who finds himself in the uncomfortable position of sheltering a wounded escaped con at the behest of Police Lieutenant Sims (Hayden). Can Steve trust Sims...or will he find himself back behind bars for the crime of cooperating with the police? Look for cinema wildman Timothy Carey in a small supporting role.
Monday 7/9/12
1:00 AM Turner Classic Movies
Crime and Punishment, U.S.A. (1959 USA): Yes, this really is a stateside version of Fyodor Dostoevsky’s classic novel. Adapted for the screen by Walter Newman, Crime and Punishment, U.S.A. stars newcomer George Hamilton as Robert Cole, a Santa Monica law student who murders a pawn shop owner and then tries to justify the killing to himself and, eventually, others. Hamilton is surprisingly good - his performance even earned him a BAFTA nomination - and the film benefits tremendously from Floyd Crosby’s cinematography, which captures the southern California beachfront at its seediest. All in all, this is a pleasant surprise and one of the better Allied Artists productions.
6:00 PM HBO
Hard Times: Lost on Long Island (2012 USA): I haven’t seen this HBO original documentary yet, but it looks interesting. Only an hour long, the film examines six months in the lives of four Long Island families still in the grips of the Great Recession that began in 2008. Director Marc Levin’s previous film was the outstanding garment industry doc Schmatta: Rags to Riches to Rags. Also airs at 9:00 PM and throughout the month.