TiVoPlex
By John Seal
July 31, 2007
From the obscure to the obscurest to the merely overlooked or underappreciated; they all have a home in the TiVoPlex! All times Pacific.
Tuesday 07/31/07
2:00 AM Turner Classic Movies
The Spanish Earth (1937 USA): Since time immemorial, the rich and famous have used various causes celebres to assuage the guilt of — well, being rich and famous. Today the cause is Darfur, ten years ago it was Tibet, and during the 1930s it was the Spanish Civil War, in which that nation's elected left-wing government was threatened by a German-backed fascist insurrection led by Generalissimo Francisco Franco. The out-gunned Republican government appealed for international support, and received it in the form of volunteers representing many countries and a wide range of political viewpoints, from anarchists and doctrinaire communists to liberals of various stripes. In 1937, a group of American intellectuals — including Ernest Hemingway, John Dos Passos, and Lillian Hellman — formed a production company to produce this salute to the Republican forces, and by extension the fortitude of the Spanish people. Consisting of crudely shot handheld footage woven together by narration supplied by Hemingway and Orson Welles, The Spanish Earth was directed by Dutch documentarian Joris Ivens, and remains one of the primary cinematic documents of both the Civil War and the flowering of air power, a tool of terror which would play an increasingly important role in wars from Vietnam to Iraq. It's not on a par with Hearts and Minds, Fahrenheit 9/11, or any of the other classic anti-war docs, but The Spanish Earth is a unique film about a critically important if now almost forgotten piece of 20th century history.
10:00 AM Cinemax
Psycho II (1983 USA): Tony Perkins returns as troubled Mama's boy Norman Bates in Psycho II, the first and best sequel to Alfred Hitchcock's classic proto-slasher from 1960. Convicted of the murder of Marion Crane, Norman has spent the preceding decades confined in a mental institution, but — apparently cured — has earned his release and returned to live at the Bates Motel. Of course, the motel is no longer a going concern, so Norman is forced to take a job washing dishes at a local beanery, where he meets waitress Mary (Meg Tilly), a trusting sort who decides to share expenses by moving into the motel with her new friend. Can Norman's fresh start help him find peace and contentment — or will a new series of grizzly murders commence, with our hero instantly becoming suspect number one? I don't want to spoil things too much for you, but let's just say that Norman and his mother still have some quality time to spend together. Also airs at 1:00 PM.
8:00 PM IFC
Reel Paradise (2005 USA): Ever had the urge to chuck it all in and relocate to a remote tropical island? Movie producer John Pierson did just that, handing in his keys to the executive washroom in favor of running a movie theater for a year in the South Pacific nation of Fiji. His adventure is depicted in this excellent documentary from the estimable Steve James, earlier responsible for such first rate features as Hoop Dreams and Stevie. Pierson moved his family to the Fijian island of Taveuni, where the 180 Meridian Cinema was in need of a new manager to help bring film culture to the natives. From Buster Keaton to Jackass, Pierson screens ‘em all, but must contend with an inadequate power supply, a drunken projectionist, and a nasty case of dengue fever. Trouble in paradise, indeed. Also airs 8/1 at midnight.
Wednesday 08/01/07
12:10 AM More Max
El Habitante Incierto (2004 ESP): Fans of all things suspenseful will want to make time for this Spanish thriller, which failed to get an Anglophone theatrical release but is now available on DVD as The Uninvited Guest. The film stars Andoni Garcia as Felix, a young architect who has split up with gal pal Vera (Monica Lopez), leaving him in sole possession of the huge house they had once shared. When a stranger shows up one night begging to make an emergency phone call (what, no mobile?), Felix admits him to the house - and never sees him again. When strange noises start to unnerve him, he convinces himself that the stranger is hiding somewhere in the building, and even the return of Vera can't put a stop to the eerie goings on. An obsessed Felix is determined to discover the identity of his unseen roommate, ultimately leading to some hide and seek hijinks at a neighbor's house. Writer-director Guillem Morales does a nice job of ratcheting up the tension and his screenplay doesn't tip its hand too early, though it does get a bit confusing during the final reel.
7:05 PM Showtime Extreme
Alice Sweet Alice (1976 USA): Originally released as Communion, this creepy thriller features Paula Sheppard as Alice, a teenager suspected of murdering her younger sister (Brooke Shields, in her film debut) after attending the aforementioned Catholic ritual. These days, of course, the parish priest would be the primary suspect, but young Alice and her Don't Look Now-style raincoat attract the attention of Detective Spina (Michael Hardstack) and the rest of the Paterson, New Jersey Police Department. Shot on location by director Alfred Sole, Alice Sweet Alice is a surprisingly effective low budget meller, and makes its widescreen television debut this evening.
Thursday 08/02/07
5:45 AM The Movie Channel
Honky Tonk Freeway (1981 USA): John Schlesinger directed this Nashville knockoff about a backwoods town anxious to get its own highway off-ramp. Led by Mayor Kirby Calo (William Devane), the residents of Ticlaw, Florida will try anything to get access to the freeway — including offering tourist temptations such as a water-skiing elephant at the local safari park. A cornucopia of oddball characters are introduced on the freeway, including children's book author Ricky (Beau Bridges), trying to recover from the rejection of his manuscript Ricky the Carnivorous Pony; couple Sherman and Carol (Hume Cronyn and Jessica Tandy), heading south in an effort to put a drinking problem behind them; and disco dancing nun Sister Magdalena (Deborah Rush), uncertain of her chosen vocation as a Bride of Christ. The film is an uncomfortable blend of screwball comedy and outdated social observation, but the cast — which also includes Howard Hesseman, Geraldine Page, Teri Garr, and George Dzundza — makes it all worthwhile. Honky Tonk Freeway airs in letterboxed format and repeats at 8:45 AM and on 8/3 at 2:35 AM and 5:35 AM.
10:30 PM Turner Classic Movies
Rosebud (1975 USA): It's poorly regarded by most critics, and certainly doesn't compare well with director Otto Preminger's best efforts, but there's something oddly appealing about this overlong and thoroughly racist intriguer. Perhaps it's the presence of the always excellent Peter O'Toole as a secret agent hired to solve the mystery of five (white) heiresses held for ransom by a group of swarthy Palestinian revolutionaries, or perhaps it's the jaw-dropping, one of a kind performance of former New York City Mayor John Lindsay as a United States Senator. There's definitely a hint of Eurotrash layered atop this very strange film, which also features Adrienne Corri, Isabelle Huppert, Peter Lawford, Raf Vallone, and the film debut of Kim Cattrall. Whatever it is, however, Rosebud is never boring, even at a generous 128 minutes. Unavailable on home video, it makes a very rare widescreen television appearance tonight.
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