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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 1/17/12

5:00 PM Turner Classic Movies
Whatever Happened to Aunt Alice? (1969 USA): Not to be confused with cinematic queries regarding Baby Jane Hudson, this above average thriller stars Geraldine Page as a somewhat odd desert denizen who has a way of making her household help disappear permanently. Nicely photographed by Joseph Biroc, this thoroughly enjoyable suspenser also features the always wonderful Ruth Gordon, as well as Rosemary Forsyth, Robert Fuller, and Mildred Dunnock. It may not be quite up to par with Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?, but it’s head and shoulders above Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? in the "film titles that pose questions" sweepstakes.

9:00 PM Turner Classic Movies
Night in Paradise (1945 USA): Here’s a colorful and enjoyable Universal fantasy feature that hasn’t been seen on television in ages. Dapper Turhan Bey (who turns 90 this March) headlines as fable-spinner Aesop, here relating the story of ol’ King Croesus (Thomas Gomez) and his efforts to remove an ancient curse placed upon him by wicked witch Attosa (eternal Hollywood villainess Gale Sondergaard). The story is lighter on the supernatural elements than one might hope, but 1945 was a terrible year for fantastic cinema, so allowances must be made. Night in Paradise makes up for this oversight with a surprising amount of sexual innuendo (the Breen Office must have been closed the day Universal submitted the script for approval) and features a fine supporting cast, including Merle Oberon, Jerome Cowan, George "father of Mickey" Dolenz, and John Litel.

11:00 PM Showtime 3
The Cook, the Thief, His Wife, and Her Lover (1989 GB): If Night in Paradise got you in the mood for something a little racy, consider next this outrageous Peter Greenaway flick, which somehow grossed almost $8 million in U.S. arthouses. Blame (or credit) the film’s artwork, which focussed on Helen Mirren posing in a striking set of black undies. Sex plus art = catnip for critics and intellectual poseurs! Aw, I’m being too hard on my peeps — CTWL is quite worthy of attention for any number of reasons, including Michael Gambon’s magisterial performance as the thuggish host of a disgusting series of nightly revels. If you can imagine Pasolini’s Salo: the 120 Days of Sodom transported to Thatcher-era Britain, you’re almost there.

Wednesday 1/18/12

10:00 AM Fox Movie Channel
The Tomorrow Man (1996 USA): FxM, I hate you. That said, The Tomorrow Man is airing on the old "Fox Movie Channel," now relegated to the half of the day when the only people watching television are junkies, insomniacs, and security guards. It’s a surprisingly good made-for-TV sci fi effort headlined by Julian Sands as an android sent from the future to prevent humanity from making all sorts of bad mistakes. So, no Jersey Shore and no snuggies, then - thanks, Tomorrow Man! Well-written if a little skimpy on future fiction razzle dazzle, The Tomorrow Man co-stars Giancarlo Esposito, Obba Babatunde, and James Saito.

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