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11:10 PM Encore Action
Truck Turner (1974 USA): The coolest man ever born, Isaac Hayes, stars in this rip-roaring black action feature from director Jonathan Kaplan. Hayes plays Mac Turner, a bounty hunter who completes a job, then finds himself targeted in turn by his victim's girlfriend. The plot particulars are irrelevant, but there's action aplenty, as well as a terrific supporting cast, including Yaphet Kotto, Nichelle Nichols, Sam Laws, Paul Harris, Dick Miller, and Scatman Crothers.

Wednesday 07/15/09

5:00 PM Turner Classic Movies
The Quare Fellow (1961 GB): Patrick McGoohan stars as prison guard Thomas Crimmin in this superb British drama, written and directed by unlikely Arthur Dreifuss, who would later helm such anti-masterpieces as Riot on Sunset Strip and The Love-Ins. Hey, I love both of those films to death, but neither of ‘em can hold a candle to this one, which is based on a Brendan Behan novel. Shot in and around a Dublin lock-up, the film follows Crimmin's evolution from wide-eyed idealist to staunch death penalty opponent. His change of heart is spurred on by an older, experienced fellow guard (Walter Macken) and the wife (Sylvia Sims) of a death row inmate. It's powerful and visceral stuff, shot through a bleak, damp prism by cinematographer Peter Hennessey.

7:00 PM Turner Classic Movies
Johnny Got His Gun (1972 USA): Love it or hate it, you've never seen another film quite like Johnny Got His Gun. Written and directed by Hollywood Ten victim Dalton Trumbo, the film is told from the unique perspective of Joe, a horribly wounded World War I doughboy. Imprisoned in his hospital bed, a quadruple amputee who can no longer see, hear, or speak, Joe drifts in and out of nostalgic, pastoral reverie for what was and what might have been. This is quite simply one of the most horrifying films you will ever see, in turns stiflingly claustrophobic and deeply wrenching. If you're a heavy metal fan, you've seen excerpts of the film in Metallica's One video. It's followed at 9:00 PM by Overlord (1975), a well-regarded recreation of D-Day which I've never had the pleasure of seeing.

8:00 PM Sundance
Flight of the Red Balloon (2007 FRA): Remember that popular 1956 short subject, The Red Balloon? The one where the narrator stretches out the word "Balloon" the way Frank Black stretches out the word "Caribou" in the Pixies song of the same name? The one you probably saw in elementary school during recess one rainy day? Well, here's the sequel no one - well, at least not ME - was clamoring for. This time, it takes almost two hours to relate the tale of a young boy (Simon Iteanu) and his adventures with a plastic fantastic expandable bladder. It's not awful, and it does feature Juliette Binoche, but it's bizarre to see French cinema succumbing to some of the worst traits of American filmmaking. Also airs 7/16 at 12:30 AM.

11:00 PM Fox Movie Channel
The Touchables (1968 GB): Horribly obscure, or just horrible? Why not both! The Touchables is one of those overly arch, nudge nudge wink wink ‘60s films that tried to capture the buoyant mood of Summer of Love youth culture but ends up reducing it to a barren and depressing commodity. Directed by Robert Freeman - whose snapshots of The Beatles remain amongst the most iconic photographs of the era - the film features David Anthony (who??) as a rock star kidnapped by four nubile lasses who intend to have their way with him. The ONLY reasons to watch The Touchables are if you a) have an insatiable appetite for plotless '60s fashion shows masquerading as films, or b) you want to hear the terrific theme song by the (English) Nirvana. There's also a snippet of The Pink Floyd's Interstellar Overdrive used inexplicably as background music during a boat ride, but it's precious little consolation for sitting through this piece of ripe tripe.

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