The Turner Classic Movies Appreciation Thread

I cut the chord years ago but I used to watch it all the time when I had cable. 31 Days of Oscar is always a great time to catch up on staple cinema and I remember they used to dedicate late Sunday nights to silent films, not sure if they do that anymore.  

I loved these too.

Those videos are great.

Yeah, their 31 Days of Oscar is must see TV. And yeah, AMC was exactly like TCM. Sometimes it was better. I'll never forget when Tim Burton hosted their Halloween marathon.

This May, Orson Welles is the subject for TCM's Friday Night Spotlight. Tomorrow night they're playing Citizen Kane, The Magnificent Ambersons, Jane Eyre (which he starred in), and Too Much Johnson (which seems an interesting work). I'll probably pass on Jane Eyre and Too Much Johnson, and I own Kane, but I'm thinking I'll revisit The Magnificent Ambersons. Wasn't too fond of it my first time around, but I get the feeling I misjudged it.

Saturday night Ninotchka is playing. After I've seen that, I'll have seen all of the Best Picture nominees from 1939.

I watch it, but I get the Scandinavian version.

Missed it. I was watching Arrow and Supernatural instead.

Last Friday, TCM continued their spotlight on Orson Welles with his noirs; Touch of Evil, The Lady from Shanghai, Mr. Arkadin, and Journey Into Fear (which Welles directed at least some of). I passed on Touch of Evil, which I'd already seen, but I did give the other three a watch. The Lady from Shanghai and Mr. Arkadin both had their moments, but both were heavily re-edited by the studio and that does show. Still, I'd recommend both for a handful of strong elements. The former has an amazing climax, while the latter is shot with a lot of style and with a great performance from Welles. Journey Into Fear was more of a serviceable, but forgettable thriller. I like the villain and the climax, but there isn't much there.

Tonight, TCM is highlighting Welles' Shakespearean works with Chimes at Midnight and Othello. Originally, they were supposed to play Welles' Macbeth as well, but I guess something happened because they're showing Citizen Kane at midnight instead. However if you do need that Shakespeare fix, Akira Kurosawa's Macbeth adaptation, Throne of Blood, will be playing following Kane at 2 in the morning. Plus, after that is more Kurosawa with Yojimbo.

Maybe it's because I'm in Canada then, I don't know. In any event, it said Citizen Kane was playing when I went to record Macbeth.

I watch TCM more than any other movie channel I have. I'm afraid I'll lose it when I get a smaller cable plan.

Despite missing Macbeth, I really enjoyed the spotlight on Welles' Shakespeare adaptations. Othello was a very solid film with a great atmosphere and score, and Chimes at Midnight was even better. Both films were very stylish, memorable, and Chimes features one of Welles' best performances. Both had their share of issues (especially Othello), but I did enjoy both and would recommend them. It's funny, I expected to really respond to Welles' noirs, but it's his Shakespearean films that have been the real treat.

This Friday, we've got The Stranger, The Trial, The Immortal Story, and F for Fake. I'm not really sure what the unfying theme between the four is, at least beyond the fact that Welles directed them. Maybe it's just a miscelanous collection of his directorial works, or maybe a theme will emerge through viewing them. I'll probably be skipping The Immortal Story due to TV movie snobbery, but I'll be recording the others. Especially excited for F for Fake.

I remember in high school an English teacher made us watch a century old Othello movie with a white guy painted in black. There's nothing better than starting the day with good ol' fashioned racism.

No problem.  I'm probably just going to skip it and move on to Chimes.  #AspectRatioPurest