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8:30 PM Turner Classic Movies
They Came to Rob Las Vegas (1968 ESP-BRD-FRA-ITA): Here’s one of those international co-productions that clogged television schedules during the mid-70s but have since been seen but infrequently. I loved this film back in the day, and expect to love it again tonight—commercial free and in its original aspect ratio!. The title says it all, as a gang of hoods descend on Sin City with their eyes on an armored car laden with casino takings. Problem: the armored car has machine guns and is generally considered invulnerable. Solution: lead baddy Tony’s (Gary Lockwood, soon to be seen in 2001: A Space Odyssey) girlfriend (Elke Sommer) is also secretary to the armored car company’s boss! Attractively shot on location and in the deserts of southern Spain, They Came to Rob Las Vegas features a terrific Georges Garvarentz score and an excellent supporting cast, including Jean Servais, Jack Palance and Lee J. Cobb.

Saturday 5/5/12

9:00 AM Turner Classic Movies
Perils of Pauline (1933 USA): Chapters 4, 5, and 6 of this Universal serial, in which our feisty heroine is first trapped by the enemy and then pursued by savages, screen this morning.

5:00 PM Showtime
Source Code (2011 USA): This Inception-flavored thriller directed by Moon man Duncan Jones makes its American television debut this evening. Jake Gyllenhaal stars as Colter Stevens, a man who wakes up on a commuter train and discovers himself engaged in conversation with a woman (Michele Monaghan) he doesn’t know but who seems to know him, and with a face he doesn’t recognize. And then it happens again...and again. Without giving too much away, Colter has been sent on a special mission by scientist Colleen Goodwin (Vera Farmiga), and as the film continues the layers of mystery are slowly peeled away. It’s not quite as good as Moon, but I did find Source Code more satisfying than the overrated Inception. Added bonus: you don’t have to listen to Edith Piaf warble Non, Je Ne Regret Rien over and over again. I like that song, but enough is enough. Also airs at 8:00 PM.

Sunday 5/6/12

10:40 AM Fox Movie Channel
Legions of the Nile (1959 ITA): Good news: this sword and sandal epic hasn’t been seen on TV in many years. Bad news: this is the dubbed, pan and scan print we all grew up watching on the late, late show. Which for nostalgics like me, of course, isn’t entirely bad news. Even more interestingly, the only reason Fox ended up distributing this picture was because they bought the US rights in order to prevent it from competing with their own epic of ancient Egypt, 1963’s Cleopatra. How’s the film? In two words, historically inaccurate—but Linda Cristal is easy on the eyes as the legendary lady pharaoh.

11:00 PM Turner Classic Movies
Rocco and His Brothers (1960 ITA): Alain Delon, hair nary out of place, headlines this classic example of Italian neo-realism directed by Luchino Visconti. Delon plays Rocco Parondi, one of five brothers who move to Milan with their newly widowed mother and have trouble adjusting to big city life. For Rocco’s part, the trouble begins when he starts canoodling with Nadia (Annie Girardot), a sex worker who also has a relationship with brother Simone (Renato Salvatori). There’s much, much more to this three hour long film, including a superb performance by Katina Paxinou as the boys’ long-suffering mama.

Monday 5/7/12

12:00 PM Flix
Blue in the Face (1995 USA): This improvisational Wayne Wang confection isn’t for everyone, but it probably wasn’t intended to be. Shot in only six days, the film portrays the episodic misadventures of a Brooklyn cigar store manager played by Harvey Keitel. Amongst his customers are Mira Sorvino, Michael J. Fox, Lou Reed, and Roseanne Barr, whilst Madonna pops up as a singing telegram and Victor Argo portrays the shop’s owner. Some of it works, some of it doesn’t, but you’ll want to tune in for Ru Paul’s song and dance number.

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