TiVoPlex
By John Seal
August 3, 2009
5:00 PM HBO 2
Boy Interrupted (2008 USA): I haven't seen this documentary yet, but it sounds interesting, if grueling. Focussing on the issues of childhood depression and teen suicide, Boy Interrupted was produced by Dana and Hart Perry (Hart was one of the cameramen on Barbara Kopple's Harlan County, U.S.A.), whose 15-year-old son Evan killed himself by leaping from the window of the family apartment. Boy Interrupted, which drew good notices on the festival circuit, also airs at 8:00 PM.
8:00 PM Sundance
Fraulein (2006 SUI-GER): Surprise, surprise....Fraulein is definitely a women's picture! Directed by Andrea Staka, a Swiss femme of Balkan descent, Fraulein tells the story of three Bosnian ladies who have fled their war-torn homeland for the sanctuary of Zurich. There's young Ana (Marija Skaricic), newly arrived in town without a penny to her name; middle-aged Ruza (Mirjana Karanovic), who runs a cafeteria; and elderly Mila (Ljubica Jovic), an employee of Ruza, and the film examines their relationships with each other as well as their struggles to adapt to a new society. If you enjoy character studies and George Cukor films, you'll probably also enjoy Fraulein. Airs again 8/6 at 2:00 AM.
Thursday 08/06/09
5:00 PM Fox Movie Channel
Wizards (1977 USA): Ralph Bakshi just ain't my bag. Fritz the Cat is, frankly, one of the most disgusting films I've ever seen, and American Pop, while it has its moments, is only worth watching for Bakshi's rotoscoping innovations. And then there's Wizards. Released in 1977 to great fanfare amongst the sword and sorcery crowd, it's an animated fantasy about a battle amongst mages to control Earth, post apocalypse. Like most of Bakshi's work, it's as ugly as sin, with characters even more distended and distorted than those in a Frank Frazetta poster, but it does feature some good voice talent (Susan Tyrrell, Richard Romanus) as consolation. Wizards makes its widescreen television debut tonight, so if you're into all things D&D, you might want to give it a look.
5:20 PM IFC
Caddyshack (1980 USA): All my jock buddies (yes, I have some) can't believe I've never seen Caddyshack. Amongst certain circles, it's regarded with gob-smacked awe, much as we effete intellectuals consider Last Year at Marienbad the bee's knees. All I know is there's a gopher in it, and it's another film making its first small screen appearance in its correct aspect ratio this week. Are my buddies and the AFI — who rank this as the seventh greatest sports film of all time — correct? I'll be tuning in to find out. Also airs at 11:05 PM.
Friday 08/07/09
3:15 PM Turner Classic Movies
Convicted (1950 USA): Glenn Ford is Joe Hufford, innocent victim of a flawed justice system, in this decent if unspectacular Columbia drama. Joe has ended up in stir thanks to a wrongful conviction on murder charges. Prosecutor Knowland (Broderick Crawford) is now (by amazing coincidence) warden of Joe's prison, and soon becomes convinced that his charge is not guilty — but when an inmate in Joe's cell ends up dead, Knowland's efforts to help him win his freedom get sidetracked. Though a pretty decent film, Convicted is burdened with a happy ending ridiculous even by the standards of early ‘50s Hollywood — but if you like Ford or Crawford, you're advised to give it a look anyway.
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