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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 5/8/12

Midnight Turner Classic Movies
The Purple Gang (1960 USA): Isn’t this the bunch Elvis was singing about in Jailhouse Rock? Maybe not - these guys don’t play any instruments, unless you count those gats they carry in their violin cases. In real life, The Purple Gang were infamous Jewish hoodlums who bootlegged and murdered their way through Roaring ‘20s Detroit; in the film version, they’re deracinated baddies led by a vaguely psychotic character named Honeyboy Willard (Little Bobby Blake, in one of his most memorable performances). Eager to muscle aside the city’s established gangs, Honeyboy takes on Motor City criminal bigwig Eddie Olsen (Joe Turkel), but must also contend with Bill Harley (Barry Sullivan), a police lieutenant eager to the put the Purples permanently out to pasture. A fairly typical gangster period piece, The Purple Gang is worth a look for Blake’s ripe effort and Ellis Carter’s evocative black and white cinematography.

Wednesday 5/9/12

1:35 AM Sundance
My Kidnapper (2010 GB-COL): Ah, nothing like a reunion of old chums to rekindle happy memories of days and glories past. Then there’s the get-together documented in this film: that of kidnapped filmmaker Mark Henderson, seized along with seven traveling companions by FARC revolutionaries whilst on a backpacking holiday in Colombia. Held captive for over three months, Henderson was eventually released and returned to the UK - where months later he received an e-mail from one of his captors, beginning a new and unusual relationship that eventually culminated in an invitation to his old chum’s wedding! And that’s not all - one of Henderson’s fellow captives was Facebook-friended by another FARC soldier. My Kidnapper records the ensuing reunion, proving conclusively that social networking really is the greatest thing since sliced bread.

2:20 AM More Max
Duel (1971 USA): Steven Spielberg's made-for-TV movie Duel is as good as its reputation suggests, featuring an at the top of his game Dennis Weaver in a tall tale of a man being pursued by a mysterious and murderous stranger in a truck. The concept was unashamedly appropriated in John Dahl's Joy Ride (2001), a decent film that occasionally bogged down in hormonal overdrive. This is presumably the slightly expanded version Spielberg cut for theatrical release outside the US, but either way, it's worth watching.

Thursday 5/10/12

3:00 AM Fox Movie Channel
Wild on the Beach (1965 USA): For those looking for a Beach Party knock-off shot in black and white, look no further! This Fox cheapie stars Frankie Randall and Sherry Jackson as Frankie and Annette — er, Adam and Lee — two young people fighting over possession of a beach house. One wants to rent its rooms to boys, the other to girls and before you can say Eric von Zipper, battle (and, eventually, romance) commences. Musical highlights are provided by Sonny and Cher, The Astronauts, and Sandy Nelson. Dramatic highlights are provided by no one.

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