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9:15 PM Flix
Hot Dog - The Movie (1984 USA): I don't have an excuse. I just love the idea of there being a movie entitled Hot Dog - The Movie.

Sunday 04/05/09

11:00 PM Turner Classic Movies
Carnival in Flanders (1935 FRA): Ah, here's something a bit more TiVoPlexy! This obscure Jacques Feyder frock farce about the battle of the sexes in 17th century Flanders makes its TCM debut this evening. When Spain invades the small Lowlands town of Boom (curiously bereft of Liz and Dick), the menfolk all go into hiding, and it's up to the ladies—led by mayor's wife Cornelia (Francoise Rosay) — to stymie the invaders plans. Filled with risqué humor (certainly for the time, and definitely by contemporaneous American standards), Carnival in Flanders ended up being banned by the Nazis in 1940, who considered it a dangerously subversive picture. It all looks pretty tame now, but is essential viewing for fans of French cinema.

Monday 04/06/09

5:45 AM HBO Signature
Mahogany (1975 USA): Do you know where you're going to, do you like the things that life is showing you? Where are you going to? Do you know? Those are some of the weighty questions posed by this soapy rags to riches Diana Ross vehicle, which stars the Motown songbird as Tracy, a fashion designer sucked into the maelstrom of continental high life, including a love affair with European nobleman Christian (Jean-Pierre Aumont). But there's more: fashion shutterbug pal Sean (Anthony Perkins) has some dirty secrets which are about to make young Tracy's life even more complicated. Luckily, righteous Brian (Billy Dee Williams) is also around to keep our heroine grounded — and happily tethered to the apron strings, which, as Mahogany's screenplay won't let us forget, is woman's natural state. Needless to say, Tracy does not burn her bra.

10:00 AM Showtime Extreme
3:10 to Yuma (2006 USA): James Mangold's excellent if totally unnecessary remake of this classic western makes its widescreen television debut this morning. Russell Crowe is the ostensible star of the show, portraying bad guy with a tarnished heart of gold Ben Wade, but for my money the most fun to be had here is via Peter Fonda's performance as mad old coot Byron McElroy. Not only is it a great performance, it's also an astonishing transformation for Fonda, who doesn't look anywhere near this decrepit in real life. Also airs at 8:35 PM.

6:00 PM Sundance
The Forgotten Woman (2008 CAN): This eye-opening and heartbreaking documentary explores a guilty secret of India Rising: the plight of that nation's 20-45 million strong (estimates vary wildly) contingent of widows. Stigmatized by society, these widows are forced to surrender their husband's property and turn to street begging or prostitution to make ends meet. Directed by Dilip Mehta, The Forgotten Woman is the non-fiction alter ego of Deepa Mehta's 2006 Best Foreign Language Film Academy Award winner Water. (Deepa and Dilip are sister and brother.)

8:30 PM Turner Classic Movies
The Wild Angels (1966 USA): Remember when this biker classic used to air on the old Speedvision Channel? Gosh, that was a great channel. Not only did they show biker movies, they also showed hot rod movies as part of their Lost Drive-In series hosted by a rather decrepit looking Bruce Dern. And though we don't have Speedvision anymore, The Wild Angels is now airing, uncut and in widescreen, on good old Turner Classic Movies. Though 1954's The Wild One was the Granddaddy of biker pics, The Wild Angels was the one that brought the genre into the counterculture mainstream (so to speak), and features iconic performances by Peter Fonda (him again!) and Nancy Sinatra. Just remember, kids - we wanna be free! We wanna be free to do what we wanna do. We wanna be free to ride. We wanna be free to ride our machines without being hassled by The Man!

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