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Thursday 7/01/10

2:00 AM IFC
Coffin Joe: The Strange World of Jose Mojica Marins (2001 BRA): IFC has, from time to time, aired the films of Jose Marins, the bearded, top-hatted actor whose series of Coffin Joe (Zé do Caixão) horror films have been packing ‘em in in Brazil since the early 1960s. This, however, is the first time they’ve shown this excellent documentary about the Coffin Joe phenomenon. For fans and neophytes alike, The Strange World of Jose Mojica Marins is a great compendium of clips and interview footage that really captures the flavor and the feeling—not to mention the philosophy—of Coffin Joe, still a going concern after all these years.

9:00 AM Univision
El Zurdo (1965 MEX): I generally don’t recommend films that air on commercial channels, but we’ll make a brief exception here because this film is so, so obscure…at least for English-speaking film fans. Perhaps Mexican cineastes know it like the back of their hand, but I sure don’t! At any rate, the DirecTV program guide plot synopsis describes it thusly: Dos amigos comparten una enorme pasion por el juego, which I think translates roughly as ‘two friends share an enormous love’. The film features Mexi-horror veteran German Robles as well as Ofelia Montesco from Bunuel’s The Exterminating Angel, and was directed by Arturo Martinez, also responsible for such intriguing titles as La Muerte en Bikini (1967) and Los Vampiros do Coyoacan (1974). No way I’m going to miss El Zurdo…even though there won’t be any subtitles!

Friday 7/02/10

6:15 AM Turner Classic Movies
Flying High (1931 USA): Early Hollywood musicals were frequently amongst the strangest of major studio productions, and Flying High is no exception. The Cowardly Lion himself, Bert Lahr, stars as Rusty, an airplane mechanic who has invented an experimental vehicle called an aero-copter and is planning to give it a test flight at a prestigious air show. Also on hand are Charlotte Greenwood as Rusty’s loose-limbed gal pal Pansy, super Busby Berkeley choreography, a picture of Clark Gable, and some steamy pre-Code footage—none of it, thankfully, featuring co-stars Guy Kibbee and Hedda Hopper.

9:00 PM IFC
Hostel (2005 USA): Between this and Turistas, IFC has been on a bit of a torture porn spree lately. I can’t say I’m a huge fan of the genre (though I maintain a bit of a soft spot for the Saw series), but Hostel makes its widescreen television debut this evening and at least has the advantage of being superior to its repulsive sequel, 2007’s cleverly monickered Hostel: Part II. If you’ve ever considered spending your next holiday backpacking through Central Europe, this film may change your mind. Look for Japanese director Takashi Miike’s cameo appearance as himself.

Saturday 7/03/10

7:30 AM Turner Classic Movies
Blonde Dynamite (1950 USA): Slip, Sach, and pals take over the Sweet Shop and run an escort service from the back room whilst Louie vacations on Coney Island in Blonde Dynamite, the seventeenth Bowery Boys film. Adele Jergens stars as Joanie Marshall, a floozy fooling around with Gabe (Gabriel Dell) whilst fronting for a gang of bank robbers plotting to burrow their way into the bank next door. Hilarity and malapropisms ensue.

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