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From the obscure to the obscurest to the merely overlooked or underappreciated; they all have a home in the TiVoPlex! All times Pacific.

Tuesday 8/2/11

2:15 AM HBO
Koran by Heart (2011 USA): Nothing gets the blood flowing (sometimes quite literally) like a good old-fashioned competition. In the United States, school kiddies reach for the brass ring via spelling bees, team sports, debate tournaments, and a whole host of other academic tilts (Model U.N, anyone?). Overseas, the competitive spirit is also hale and hearty, but channeled in different directions: in the Muslim world, for example, children learn to recite the Islamic holy book by heart and have the opportunity to show off their skills at a Qu’ran reciting joust held annually in Cairo. This excellent new HBO original documentary follows the exploits of three gifted ten-year olds (one each from the Maldives, Senegal, and Tajikistan) who have their eyes on the big Cairo prize: an all expenses paid trip to Disneyland! No, I’m kidding - they actually just get a plaque. It’s probably only a matter of time until an uber-competitive American Muslim gets the fever for Qu’ran recitation and brings the prize home to the good ol’ U.S. of A., at which point we’ll probably start seeing the contest broadcast on ESPN 3 in between Texas Hold ‘Em tournaments and the X Games. Airs again at 5:15 AM and throughout the month.

3:00 AM Sundance
The Matador (2008 GB): Not to be confused with the Pierce Brosnan thriller of the same name, this is a documentary about Spaniard David Fandila, a man on a rather bloody mission. Following Fandila on his three-year quest to become Spain’s top-ranked bullfighter - a quest that can involve up to a hundred "matches" per season - The Matador offers fascinating insights into this traditional blood sport. It’s definitely not a film for the PETA-inclined, but is a riveting look at dedication and obsession - in one segment, Fandila defeats six bulls in one day, then heads to the hospital to have his gored abdomen repaired!

12:00 PM Fox Movie Channel
Raiders From Beneath the Sea (1965 USA): Fox Movie Channel understandably relies on a lot of reruns, but every now and then they pull something extra special out of the vault. Case in point: Raiders From Beneath the Sea, which I suspect hasn’t aired on television in a good 20 or 30 years. To call it "special," of course, is not to imply that it’s a quality picture - it’s pretty dreadful, actually - but fans of the esoteric and rare (like me!) will go ga-ga over the opportunity to scope it out. Directed by Maury Dexter (Maryjane, The Day Mars Invaded Earth), the film stars Ken Scott as a building super who gets the bright idea to rob a bank on Catalina Island and then swim across the Channel back to the mainland. Needless to say, things don’t go quite as planned. Merry Anders (Women of the Prehistoric Planet) co-headlines as Ken’s helpful spouse and the film was shot by Academy Award winning cinematographer Floyd Crosby, so at least there’s something nice to look at.

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