TiVoPlex
TiVoPlex for the week of April 9th 2013 through April 15th 2013
By John Seal
April 8, 2013
From the obscure to the obscurest to the merely overlooked or underappreciated; they all have a home in the TiVoPlex! All times Pacific.
Tuesday 4/9/13
3:30 AM Turner Classic Movies
The Revolt of the Slaves (1961 ITA): The slaves are revolting? Give ‘em a bath! Sorry, I had to get that tired old play on words out of the way quickly. This is actually one of the more enticing offerings in this week’s ‘Plex, a peplum “classic” that’s been unseen on television for many years and is airing this morning in widescreen. Rhonda Fleming headlines as Fabiola, a Roman woman of noble birth who falls in love with family slave Vibio (Lang Jeffries) shortly after he’s given a good whipping for insubordination. Kinky! Fleming and Jeffries were an item in real life and married shortly after Revolt of the Slaves wrapped, but it was not to last – they divorced two short years later. The film’s interesting supporting cast includes Fernando Rey and Serge Gainsbourg, the latter as a venal centurion who comes to a sticky end.
7:00 AM Turner Classic Movies
Three (1969 GB): Confession time: I’ve seen this film but cannot remember a blessed thing about it. This is a little surprising, as Three features TiVoPlex fave Charlotte Rampling as Marty, an English hitchhiker who establishes an odd relationship with two Yanks (Sam Waterston and Robie Porter) who give her a ride through the French countryside one summer. Based on a story by Irwin Shaw, this was the only film directed to date by Downhill Racer screenwriter James Salter, and features lovely English pop star Gillian Hills in a supporting role. Wish I could remember something about it, but at least I’m getting a second opportunity to scope it out.
Thursday 4/11/13
12:30 AM Starz In Black
Nat Turner: A Troublesome Property (2003 USA): Black History Month has come and gone again, but in case you missed this excellent documentary in February, here’s an encore screening. Directed by Charles Burnett, the film offers a succinct (57-minute) but dense multi-interpretative examination of Nat Turner’s impact on U.S. history. If you’re interested in a real-life Revolt of the Slaves, look no further.
4:05 AM Starz Citation
L’Enfant (2005 BEL-FRA): You know the routine with the Dardennes brothers: if you’re keen on Francophone neo-realism, you’ll love L’Enfant; if you’re disinclined to watch films featuring absolutely no music (not even of the diagetic variety!), you can safely give it a miss. I’m definitely in the former camp, and this is a particularly good example of the Dardennes’ work, with Jeremie Renier and Deborah Francois excellent as Bruno and Sonia, a struggling couple getting by on graft, theft, and child benefit allowance. In spite of their flaws, Bruno and Sonia are surprisingly likeable – well, as likable as characters in a Dardennes film can be – and the film is never boring.
11:30 PM HBO Signature
Elephant (2003 USA): I’ll be honest: this isn’t my favorite Gus Van Sant joint. The cast appear to have been dosed with downers and even at 81 minutes in length, Elephant is slow (perhaps that’s why it’s called Elephant, though I doubt it.) That said, the film does offer intriguing (if opaque) commentary on America’s love affair with guns. Set in a suburban high school, this was Van Sant’s response to the Columbine massacre, and features a no-star cast of amateurs (except for Timothy “That’s My Bush” Bottoms as an alcoholic parent). It’s no one’s idea of a good time, but masochists may appreciate the film’s ability to bring back their own horrible high school memories.
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