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10:45 PM Turner Classic Movies
My Name is Julia Ross (1948 USA): A decent if threadbare thriller from noir specialist Joseph H. Lewis, My Name is Julia Ross stars Nina Foch as the title character, a young woman hired for secretarial work by Cornwall widow Mrs. Hughes (Dame May Whitty). Julia's terms of employment include live-in accommodations, and after a day on the job and a good night's sleep, Julia awakens to discover that her wardrobe, possessions, and personality have all been sent down the memory hole — and that she is actually Marian, wife of Ralph (George Macready), the oily smooth heir to the Hughes estate. Is "Julia" a figment of Marian's imagination — or is she actually a pawn in a strange game being played by the Hughes family? Clocking in at barely more than an hour, My Name is Julia Ross plays like a prototype for the Alfred Hitchcock Presents television series, which is high praise in my book.

Thursday 07/09/09

2:30 AM Encore Action
Sheba, Baby (1975 USA): Pam Grier's career highlights — Coffy and Foxy Brown — are cable and satellite staples at this point, but this black action feature gets considerably less exposure. It makes a rare small screen appearance early this morning, and features the buxom Grier as Sheba Shayne, a Kentucky gal working as a private dick in Chicago until problems compel her return to the Bluegrass state. Sheba's dad (Rudy Challenger) is a successful businessman, but local thugs are trying to muscle in on his turf — and it's up to Sheba and beefcake sidekick Brick (Austin Stoker) to put righteous boot in gangster ass. Co-starring reliable D'Urville Martin as the main baddie, Sheba, Baby is neither as good nor as outrageous as Coffy, but is still required viewing for fans of the so-called "blaxploitation" genre.

3:05 AM IFC
Peppermint Frappe (1967 ESP): Here's something truly exciting: the American television premiere of an early film from Carlos Saura, later to achieve art-house fame in the '80s with Carmen and El Amor Brujo. Peppermint Frappe stars Geraldine Chaplin as Ana, a shy, withdrawn nurse working in the radiology lab of Doctor Julian (Jose Luis Lopez Vazquez). Julian visits his old chum Pablo (Alfredo Mayo), and discovers that he's married to Elena (Chaplin again), who bears a striking resemblance to Ana but is considerably more, ahem, outgoing. Inspired by a childhood memory of a woman beating a drum, Julian unsuccessfully tries to woo sexy Elena away from Pablo — and when he fails, refocuses his efforts on Ana, whose proximity and personality make her much more malleable. Often compared to the films of Bunuel (to whom Peppermint Frappe is dedicated) and to Hitchcock's Vertigo, Saura's film uses surreal imagery to undercut the pious mythology of Franco-era Spain. It's yet to earn a DVD release, so you really don't want to miss this broadcast. Also airs at 8:30 AM and 1:45 PM.

7:00 PM Sundance
The Killing of John Lennon (2007 GB): I missed The Killing of John Lennon during its cinema run, and judging from its pathetic box office take, you did, too. (In fact, it did so poorly that it likely won't turn a profit even AFTER taking ancillary income into account.) The film generally received scathing reviews and was described by critics as "fatuous", "exploitative", and "baffling", amongst other generous words of praise. Being a huge Beatles fan, however, I can't help but be drawn to director Andrew Piddington's Mark Chapman biopic, no matter how distasteful the subject matter. If you're another Fab Four or Lennon obsessive, chances are you'll probably also want to take a sideways glance. Also airs 7/10 at 12:30 AM.

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