I watched "Cool Hand Luke," "Somebody Up There Likes Me," and "Butch Cassidy and Sundance Kid."

I Couldn't say which one I like the most. But I think I give the edge to BC & SK. Fabulous movies. Respectively 8/10, 8/10 and 9/10.

Afs, you get TCM in Esfahan? Sweeeet!

I need to revive this thread with some reviews but I've been soooo busy of late with my neeeeew job!

(Thanks to SC and others for keeping it going)

Via Satellite of course. But I didn't watch them on the TCM, since they are classics, I mention them here.

Ahh, so then you do get to watch the Robert Osbourne? Eeeexcellent.

I'll start manifesting some of my thoughts into more reviews, then. I know you and I both like a lot of the Musicals from the age.

As far as Newman goes, you MUST watch he and Liz Taylor in Cat On A Hot Tin Roof. A favorite of mine, SC, and Pizzaboy for sure.

I just watched "Payment Deferred" (1932) with Charles Laughton as a bank clerk who is having financial problems. He ends up meeting and killing a rich nephew (played by a young Ray Milland). What follows is one helluva great movie!

Maureen O'Sullivan plays Laughton's daughter and the ending (a bit of a surprise) will leave you wondering about the human spirit.

I guess it could be classified as early film noir, and if you want to see Laughton in a wonderful role (as most of his are) you MUST check this movie out!!

(First time I saw it).

Laughton is my favourite Hitchcock villain, in Jamaica Inn.

Charles Laughton was a WONDERFUL actor!!

He had so many great roles. My personal favorite was Quasimodo in "The Hunchback of Notre Dame" but you can't forget Captain Bligh in "Mutiny on the Bounty" and him in "Witness for the Prosecution" too.

I just happened to tune in to TMC and am watching a movie with Joan Crawford, called "Queen Bee"

I love the movie's desciption:

"Joan Crawford stars in a role she practically patented...a domineering woman who uses all means to get her way." In other words, a real bitch. Mommie Dearest at her best.

I checked on line to see the cast for any familair names I don't recognize. I saw Betsy Palmer, who I know but also I see Fay Wray is in it, but can't tell who she is? Anyway, I forgot just how bitch Crawford could be.

TIS

Frank Miller was the programmer this week, and the last picture he presented was the really great action-thriller THE TAKING OF PELHAM ONE TWO THREE from ole 1974.

It's a pure genre exercise, as pure as heroin up to the climax, that didn't bullshit around and definately alerted you to this fact with that badass opening theme music. Real slick in being economical without once ever feeling tired or make us go into a cycle (i.e. If you seen enough films of a genre, you usually have a concept of what probably will happen), and while I've never been to New York City, nor was around for the 1970s, PELHAM does authentically feel like a movie for that time and place, like Walter Hill's THE WARRIORS would be 5 years later.

PELHAM has influenced such robbery thrillers from RESERVOIR DOGS (notice the robbers' coding system, like "Mr. Green") to Spike Lee's INSIDE MAN (which probably owes more to PELHAM than DOG DAY AFTERNOON, but since PELHAM isn't as well known or well-respected, nobody seems to bring this up.)

Random note, but Tony Scott is remaking PELHAM with Denzel Washington and John Travolta, for 2010 I believe. No idea of which will be the hero transit cop or the villain hijacker, but how about Denzel as a villain for once? I know he's made a wealthy career from being the straight calm hero and shit, but lets see him be a baddie, just to change things up?

Also, if Travolta is the hostage-taker again, what with Tony Scott's ADD-editing, wouldn't this shit become another (lame) SWORDFISH?

THE TAKING OF PELHAM ONE TWO THREE (1974) - ****1/2

Denzel as a villain FOR ONCE?? Um, Training Day?? Where he was so disturbingly evil that I've never been able to look at him the same way again?

That said, Pelham is a really great film, exactly as you described.

I was somewhat disappointed in the movie ("Pelham 1-2-3") but only because the book was so much better!!

SC, I vaguely remember reading the book, but it didn't make much of an impression on me at the time. The film, however, stuck with me. That is unusual for me, because I tend to be the exact opposite and favor the book.

Edit: I just checked on imdb.com. The remake is expected out in July. Denzel will be playing Lieutenant Garber and Travolta will be Ryder. It also says that John Turturro and James Gandolfini will be in it but doesn't say what parts they have.

Anyway, for anyone interested, here's the link. Pelham Remake

Alright, a VILLAIN in a HOSTAGE picture for once.

I mean Denzel was the cop in INSIDE MAN, and was the sympathetic hostage-taker in that lame JOHN Q., so how about Denzel as an outright badass bad mother fucking villain who doesn't need 24 hours with Ethan Hawke to be vile in comparison?

Thanks SB.

Anyway, that casting sounds basically what I expected. So it'll be SWORDFISH but in a subway, or INSIDE MAN underground, or JOHN Q without the fucking terminal-ill kid.

hehe

Well shit, the book really is better than the film?

Interesting.

Both great in my opinion. Give it a read, Ronnie. You'll like it.

This is definitely a film that I won't miss, as both John Travolta and Denzel Washington are on The List.

Just finishing up watching "King Kong" (1933). What an awesome movie!!

Coming up at 10:00 (Eastern) is "Them". I'd rate the first 30 minutes as among the most suspenseful, "building up to storyline" minutes I've seen in ANY movie. If you've never seen it before - check it out!!

TCM has a "thing" going this January in which it'll be showing NYC/L.A. movies back-to-back on Thursday nights.

I'm watching it too SC. It's been a long while since I've seen it. Although I was interrupted by a phone call at the start of the movie, you're right about the suspensful beginning thus far.

Also,I did see the cast in the beginning and noticed that Fess Parker has a minor role. Remember him? I haven't seen him yet though and could have missed him.

TIS

He hasn't appeared yet... he plays a patient in a hospital (a pilot that everyone thinks is crazy).

DVR ALERT - "The Devil and Daniel Webster" is being aired on TCM tonight (8:00 Eastern). It's well-worth watching and saving (since it's rarely shown).

It's a "fantasy" film about a farmer who makes a deal with the devil and how he deals with the situation when it comes time for him to pay up.

It's a gem of a movie and I highly recommend it!

That's a goody, SC.

I haven't seen it in years, so I'll be watching tonight. I love Walter Huston, especially in THE TREASURE OF THE SIERRA MADRE. In "Webster" he plays the Devil (Mr. Scratch) with such flair, he was almost likeable.

A very enjoyable film.

i looked ahead, and there's going to be a heston movie on with chaplin's daughter.

Right now TCM is showing a blond-haired Sterling Hayden in, Johnny Guitar(1954), also starring Joan Crawford, as part of today's Western theme.

And TCM's "31 Days of Oscars" was incredible as always. I got to see various Oscar winners from a wide scope of genres and periods, many for the first time, and some that I had previously viewed (China Town) but got to watch again a little more critically.

Another I watched fully for the first time was Gone With The Wind (1939), which I pretty much declared as one of the top 10 Smash-Hit, Can't-Miss Blockbusters EVER, here on Capo's board. A must watch for anyone even remotely interested in cinema. And I know it might disappoint some of you ladies to know this, but, the hopeless romantic in me held out hope all the way that Scarlett would get her wish and end up with Ashley,.. NOT Big-Ears.

Some Judah Ben Hur (1959) going on tonight with Alec Baldwin as the "Turner Classic Movies Guest Programmer."

We used to watch this every yr in Latin class. It's a great educational tool for Roman culture in that time period. I learn something new each and every time I watch it.

You sound like the pilot (Peter Graves) in "Airplane".

Speaking of "having to watch" filmes in class. I remember in High School, literature, we had to go to the theater to see Hamlet with Richard Burton.




TIS

I can't wait for airing of The Robe around Easter along with the Greatest Story Ever Told. I'm surprised that they didn't wait another week or so to show Ben Hur. I wonder when The Passion of the Christ will become regular Easter fare.

I haven't seen The Robe in years. I know it's been on but I have never watched it. It's not been quite as long since I've seen The Greatest Story Ever Told or Ben Hur.

I don't know about Passion of the Christ. Do you think they'd put it on regular tv? Maybe cable. I liked the movie, but really haven't wanted to watch it again since it first came out. It is very draining don't you think?


TIS

Yes TIS, it is draining. But it portrays Christ's passion much better than any other Easter movie. Maybe they could edit it.