TiVoPlex

By John Seal

March 9-15, 2004

Tiger Woods is trying to kill me!!!

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

Tuesday 03/09/04

2:10am Cinemax
Idioterne (The Idiots) (1998 DEN): This misunderstood and wildly underappreciated film is up there with Riget (1994-1997 DEN) and Zentropa (1991 DEN) in the Von Trier canon, and is in my opinion better than the literally stomach-churning Breaking the Waves (1996 DEN-GB) . The film’s premise, that a group of smartasses can get in touch with their inner idiots whilst pushing against the conventions of society, no doubt led many critics to focus on the film's perceived cruel attitude towards the mentally handicapped. Viewed through a PC prism, those arguments may hold some water, but Idioterne is actually a very personal film about revolution, healing and Danish society's attitude towards the retarded. It’s an incredibly brave and moving film that will have you dabbing your eyes by the end, but whoever decided that American filmgoers could not be exposed to the sight of penises needs to lose his job. The absurdity of being exposed to full frontal female nudity while being protected by big black floating boxes whenever a John Thomas is on screen is an outrage. Did someone REALLY think this film would break through at the box office if these appendages were obscured? Were they concerned that Joe Six Pack was going to take the wife and kids to that new movie by that famed Danish director that's such a big hit with the arthouse crowd? And why are the black boxes still present on cable prints? The mind boggles. Also airs at 5:10am.

11:30am Turner Classic Movies
Tish (1942 USA) : This long-forgotten MGM comedy features three incomparable actresses who otherwise never worked together: Marjorie Main, Zasu Pitts, and Aline MacMahon. They’re reason enough to make time for this film, but the somewhat convoluted story - about three old friends meddling with the lives of their extended families - will keep your attention, too, as the film hurtles through a twisty and engaging series of subplots. Based on characters created by storyteller Mary Roberts Rinehart, Tish is an obscure delight, especially for fans of Main, best remembered by film fans as the irascible Ma Kettle.

Wednesday 03/10/04

8am Turner Classic Movies
The Half-Naked Truth (1932 USA) : More fun than a barrel of monkeys - or a carnival sideshow, for that matter - this RKO bill-filler stars the estimable Lee Tracy as a carny who hits the big time when he turns one of his acts, the aptly-named dancer Princess Exotica (Lupe Velez), into a Broadway star. Tracy was a unique actor, equally adept at essaying romantic roles as he was at playing sarcastic hucksters and newspaper reporters, and he’s truly in his element in this marvelous little picture. Directed by Gregory La Cava and featuring Eugene Pallette and Frank Morgan amongst the supporting cast, The Half-Naked Truth is a fast-paced whirlwind of pre-Code cinema entertainment.

6:45pm Encore Love Stories
Lonely Hearts (1982 AUS) : If you missed this Australian film when it aired back in January you should definitely set the recorder this evening. Starring Wendy Barrie as a spinster afraid of commitment - in part thanks to the smothering presence of her parents, played to perfection by Irene Inescort and Vic Gordon - and Norman Kaye as the balding bachelor who she reluctantly admits into her life, the film is a gentle but pointed romantic comedy-drama about the most basic of human needs: companionship. Intelligently and thoughtfully written by John Clarke and director Paul Cox, Lonely Hearts is a carefully paced but absolutely riveting film with a happy (and happily believable) ending. It’s the feel-good movie of the week, especially if, like me, you’ve spent some time in the world of amateur dramatics, an important meeting point for the film’s lovelorn twosome.

Thursday 03/11/04

6am Turner Classic Movies
Aggie Appleby, Maker of Men (1933 USA) : I haven’t seen this Depression-era comedy, but with a title like this, I simply couldn’t ignore it. Looking at the film’s pedigree, though, makes it all the more enticing: any film featuring Charles Farrell, Zasu Pitts, and Jane Darwell has to be worth a look. The title character, however, is played by Wynne Gibson, an actress with whom I am completely unfamiliar, her appearance in Gangs of New York (the 1938 Gangs of New York, that is) notwithstanding. Aggie, apparently, is a streetwise dame who provides personal advice to both the rich (Farrell) and the rough (William Gargan, here playing a boxer), allowing the two characters to switch personalities at will. Sounds like a lost screwball comedy begging for rediscovery.

9:15pm IFC
Maniac (1980 USA) : Here’s one that really made me arch my eyebrows. Is IFC REALLY going to show this video nasty, a slasher film par excellence? Their online schedule says yes, and it’s sandwiched in between a Dario Argento documentary and a re-airing of the quite fine horror doc American Nightmare, so the preponderance of evidence supports the case that yes, discerning viewers will get the opportunity to see Joe Spinell murderize a bunch of helpless victims in suitably gruesome fashion. Spinell, who died of a heart attack in 1989 at the age of 56, was an incredibly intense actor whose frequently small roles were always rendered memorable by his smouldering performances, similar in nature to the work of the late Timothy Carey. Maniac presented him with his one and only starring role, with Spinell playing the emotionally-damaged serial-killer son of a Manhattan prostitute. The film also features scream queen Caroline Munro, but it’s Spinell’s vehicle all the way. Directed by William Lustig, later responsible for the equally perverse Maniac Cop series, this isn’t a film for the faint of heart. If you like your blood deep red and your grue suitably graphic, however, Maniac is a must-see. Also airs 3/12 at 1am.

Friday 03/12/04

Midnight Turner Classic Movies
Hoop Dreams (1994 USA) : One of the few documentaries to make any kind of impact at the American box office, Hoop Dreams is the story of two young African-American high-school students trying to fulfill their life-long dream of escaping the projects and establishing themselves as NBA stars. At three hours, you’d think the film might be overlong, but it isn’t; though it’s certainly painful to watch these youngsters slowly come to terms with the reality of their situations and the incredible long shot they’re relying on to improve their lot in life. Somehow this film was overlooked by the Academy in 1995 - the winner that year for Best Feature Documentary was Maya Lin: A Strong Clear Vision - but this is riveting filmmaking on a par with the best of the Maysles Brothers or Errol Morris.

10:45pm Sundance
Pure (1995 GB) : Gillies MacKinnon is an underappreciated Scots filmmaker best known in the United States for the Kate Winslet road movie Hideous Kinky (1998 GB), but he’s also responsible for low-budget gems like 1996’s Small Faces and 1997’s Regeneration. This is his most recent and arguably successful effort, another entry in the drug-addiction sweepstakes, decidedly less flashy than Darren Aronofsky’s similar Requiem for a Dream (2001 USA) but effective nonetheless, with Canadian–born Molly Parker outstanding as a heroin-addicted single mother who passes her curse on to her son, played brilliantly by Harry Eden. Fans of Keira Knightley, please note: your heroine is featured here in a small pre-stardom appearance.

Saturday 03/13/04

7:30am Trio
Kes (1970 GB) : Ken Loach’s tale of a boy and his bird on the Yorkshire Dales has long been one of the most beloved of British films, with fan votes consistently placing it near or at the top of best of British lists. Unavailable on home video or DVD in the US, Kes is getting an extremely-rare American television airing this month thanks to Trio. Barnsley boy David Bradley stars as a youngster whose troubles at school and at home begin to fade into the background after he befriends a wild kestrel. If you think that setup sounds like a recipe for syrup and tears, you’re only partly right, as the masterful Loach made an easy transition from the BBC kitchen-sink dramas on which he cut his teeth, bringing to the big screen his unique blend of social realism, humor, and working-class warmth. Featuring gorgeous photography by future director Chris Menges, this is a wonderful film that will appeal to those who enjoyed the similarly-themed Ring of Bright Water (1969 GB) .

Noon Fox Movie Channel
Call Her Savage (1932 USA) : Intended as a comeback film for ingénue Clara Bow, Call Her Savage didn't do a lot for her career in 1932 but now serves as Exhibit A in the pre-Code naughty film evidence file. Bow plays a young Texan woman drinkin' and lovin' her way through life. Along the way she wears incredibly sheer outfits, engages in some S&M, and pays a visit to a gay bar. No wonder Will Hays had to crack down. Co-starring real-life bad girl Thelma Todd, as well as '30s stalwarts such as Mischa Auer and Gilbert Roland, this is a bizarre but fascinating time capsule. Also airs 3/14 at 2am.

5pm HBO
A Mighty Wind (2003 USA) : Christopher Guest’s delightful folk music mockumentary makes its television premiere this evening. Whilst the film isn’t as gutbustingly hilarious as This is Spinal Tap! (1984 USA) or even the uneven Best in Show (2000 USA) , it’s filled with some truly marvelous moments, including The Folkmen’s dead-on discussion of record company marketing tactics of the 1960s, The New Main Street Singers smily schtick, and the personal confessions of Bob Balaban’s ridiculously Type A theater manager. Filled with marvelous song parodies that are the equal of anything from Spinal Tap! - though nothing, of course, could top Stonehenge or Jazz Odyssey - A Mighty Wind will provide plentiful laughs, even if you didn’t grow up on a steady diet of Ian and Sylvia, Joan Baez, or Odetta. Also airs at 8pm and throughout the month of March.

11pm Turner Classic Movies
Caddyshack (1980 USA) : Okay, I’ve never seen this film and I probably never will. But one of my BOP compatriots would probably kill me if I didn’t mention it. Hey, at least it’s being shown letterboxed.

Sunday 03/14/04

9pm Turner Classic Movies
Stella Maris (1918 USA) : The first of three film versions of William Locke’s novel is the only one still widely available, and it stars Mary Pickford at the cusp of her greatest popularity as the eponymous poor little cripple taken in by a wealthy family. Cushioned from the cruel realities of the outside world, young Stella falls in love with handsome Conway Tearle, only to find that he is also the object of affection of another poor orphan girl, ALSO played by Pickford! To add to the terrible dilemma, Tearle’s character is already married, with a full-blown series of soap opera machinations resulting. Adapted for the screen by the fruitful and talented Frances Marion, this is a wonderful example of the long-lost art of silent melodrama, and - silly plot devices aside - is one of Pickford’s most satisfying films.

Monday 03/15/04

4:15am Turner Classic Movies
The Keyhole (1933 USA) : Fans of so-called “women’s pictures” will want to take a look at this enjoyable Warner’s feature. Starring Kay Francis as a blackmail victim who flees to Cuba in an effort to smoke out her persecutor, The Keyhole also features familiar Warner’s faces such as George Brent, Glenda Farrell, Allen Jenkins, and Ferdinand Gottschalk. The film looks great - director Michael Curtiz and art director Anton Grot made sure of that - and it flies by in a brisk 69 minutes. Much as I appreciated TCM’s “30 (plus) Days of Oscar” in February, it’s a pleasure to get back to their regular format, which allows forgotten little pictures like this one to briefly have their day in the sun, or at least their late night in the moonlight.

6pm Sundance
The Magical Life of Long Tack Sam (2003 CAN) : This delightful piece of genealogical investigation explores the life and times of a vaudeville magician, the great-grandfather of director Ann Marie Fleming. Long Tack Sam’s claims to fame included mentoring Orson Welles and opening for the Marx Brothers, but he also wove a great deal of myth and storytelling into the narrative of his life. Fleming’s film tries to unravel the myths and determine the truth of her long-dead relative’s life through interviews, snapshots, and animated sequences, and though the end result may not be entirely satisfactory - how much can we really know about a man dead for so many years? - the journey is nonetheless worth taking.

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