TiVoPlex
By John Seal
May 29, 2007
11:00 AM Fox Movie Channel
Guns At Batasi (1964 GB): Richard Attenborough stars as a hard-nosed Regimental Sergeant Major in this film about the decline and fall of the British Empire. Set in an East African colony on the cusp of independence, the film depicts the denizens of a British military outpost who find themselves at the wrong end of the gun barrel when the native troops they've been training turn against them. Hunkered down in their base and unable to escape, Her Majesty's finest find themselves little more than pawns in the political awakening of a new nation. Shot almost entirely on the back-lot at Pinewood, the film lacks authenticity, but still looks quite good thanks to Douglas Slocombe's widescreen cinematography. The cast also features Jack Hawkins as base commander Colonel Deal, pop star John Leyton as Private Wilkes, and 19-year old Mia Farrow as love interest Karen.
9:00 PM IFC
Creepshow (1982 USA): George Romero's anthology tribute to EC Comics makes its widescreen television debut this evening courtesy IFC's Grindhouse. Written by Stephen King, the film collects five tales of terror under one roof: Father's Day, in which a family gathers to celebrate the memory of their murdered pater familias; The Lonely Death of Jordy Verril, featuring King himself as a backwoods hick who has an unfortunate encounter with a meteorite; Something to Tide You Over, in which Leslie Nielsen vows revenge against his cheating wife; The Crate, in which a deadly packing case wreaks havoc on a college campus; and the best of the lot, They're Creeping Up On You, in which a rich hypochondriac (Hal Holbrook) finds his antiseptic apartment under siege by an army of unpleasant insects. It's far from prime Romero, but it's good fun nonetheless. Also airs 6/2 at 12:15 AM.
Saturday 06/02/07
Too Many Crooks (1959 GB): Fans of the great Terry-Thomas will not want to miss this crime comedy from the same team who went on to produce the uproarious Make Mine Mink (1960). He plays Billy Gordon, a tax-dodging millionaire whose fortune is enviously eyed by four hapless villains (Sid James, Bernard Bresslaw, George Cole, and Joe Melia). The baddies decide the easiest way to acquire his riches is to kidnap Gordon's daughter and hold her for ransom, but they mistakenly snatch his wife (Brenda de Banzie) instead-and Billy is not to keen to get her back! Michael Pertwee's screenplay is frankly a bit underdone, missing a number of comedic possibilities, but Terry-Thomas is always fun to watch, and James, Bresslaw, and John Le Mesurier (as a frustrated judge) deliver the laughs, too.
Sunday 06/03/07
5:00 AM Sundance
House (1980 ISR): Amos Gitai's trilogy of films about the Palestinian 'troubles' air in succession this evening, beginning with 1980's House, one of the first Israeli films to depict Israel's treatment of its Palestinian subjects. The film depicts the 'requisitioning' of an Arab-owned domicile by the misnomered Israeli Defense Forces, and its upfront honesty got it banned from Israeli television for many years. Gitai revisited the subject, 7 Up-style, in 1998's A House In Jerusalem (which follows at 5:50 AM) and in 2005's News From Home (which follows at 7:20 AM).
Monday 06/04/07
5:00 PM Turner Classic Movies
Algie the Miner (1912 USA): I always though Algie was actually Biggles' best friend, but apparently he also spent as much time underground as above it. I can't tell you much about this two-reel comedy, but THIS Algie is a milquetoast trying to impress his future father in law with a display of spelunking masculinity. It features forgotten comic Billy Quirk in the title role and was directed by Alice Guy, the first woman to establish a career as a filmmaker. Look her up on IMDb-she has 249 films to her credit!
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