Some DVR Alerts for this upcoming weekend on Turner Classic Movies. All times Eastern.
Saturday, September 14:
8:00 PM: "Lifeboat" (1944) Alfred Hitchcock's story of survivors on a lifeboat after their ship was torpedoed by a German U-Boat. Wait 'til you see how Hitch works his cameo into this one.
12:00 AM (technically, Sunday morning): "Titanic" (1953) No, not the James Cameron, Leo DiCaprio blockbuster of a few years ago, but a black & white soap opera-ish story that stars Clifton Webb, Barbara Stanwyck (an actress whom I have really come to appreciate thanks to TCM), and a very, very young Robert Wagner. (By the way, I think that Clifton Webb played the same character in every movie he ever made; only the names were different.) The special effects in this one are pretty good, actually. Spoiler Alert: The boat does sink in the end.
Sunday, September 15:
8:00 AM: "King Kong" (1933) You all know the story. If you've never seen the original, you simply have to do so. And if it's been awhile since you've seen it, or even if you've seen it recently, watch it again. All kidding aside, Fay Wray really was beautiful, and this movie has one of the greatest final lines in the HISTORY of movies.
There then follows a whole gaggle of Hitchcock movies on Sunday:
11:15 AM "The Trouble With Harry" (1955) A dark comedy about rather inconvenient dead body. This was Shirley MacLaine's first movie, and it also starred a very young Jerry Mathers.
1:15 PM: "Family Plot" (1976) This was Hitchcock's last movie. To be honest, I saw it when it was released, have never seen it since, and can't recall if it's very good or not, but it's worth seeing because it's Hitchcock's Last Movie, for god's sake!
3:30 PM: "The Man Who Knew Too Much" (1956) James Stewart, Doris Day, the Royal Albert Hall, a sea of umbrellas, and "Que Sera, Sera". Not one of my all-time favorites, but worth seeing at least once.
5:45 PM: "Vertigo" (1958) James Stewart and Kin Novak. Many consider this the Best Movie Ever Made.
8:00 PM "Rear Window" (1954) James Stewart, Grace Kelly, Thelma Ritter, Wendell Corey, and Raymond Burr. Wheelchair bound Stewart witnesses a crime while observing his neighbors through his rear window. Or does he? Personally, this is my favorite Hitchcock movie. I've seen it dozens of times and watch it at least once a year. Has there ever been an actress as beautiful as Grace Kelly?
10:00 PM: "To Catch a Thief" (1955) Cary Grant and Grace Kelly on the French Riviera. Grant plays a famous "retired" cat burglar who must get back in the game in order to save his reputation. Don't ask, just watch. It's fun and how can you resist the charms of Grant and Kelly. In this one, they make fireworks - literally!
More good stuff on TCM later in the month, but this should keep you occupied for awhile!
Enjoy!
Saturday, September 14:
8:00 PM: "Lifeboat" (1944) Alfred Hitchcock's story of survivors on a lifeboat after their ship was torpedoed by a German U-Boat. Wait 'til you see how Hitch works his cameo into this one.
12:00 AM (technically, Sunday morning): "Titanic" (1953) No, not the James Cameron, Leo DiCaprio blockbuster of a few years ago, but a black & white soap opera-ish story that stars Clifton Webb, Barbara Stanwyck (an actress whom I have really come to appreciate thanks to TCM), and a very, very young Robert Wagner. (By the way, I think that Clifton Webb played the same character in every movie he ever made; only the names were different.) The special effects in this one are pretty good, actually. Spoiler Alert: The boat does sink in the end.
Sunday, September 15:
8:00 AM: "King Kong" (1933) You all know the story. If you've never seen the original, you simply have to do so. And if it's been awhile since you've seen it, or even if you've seen it recently, watch it again. All kidding aside, Fay Wray really was beautiful, and this movie has one of the greatest final lines in the HISTORY of movies.
There then follows a whole gaggle of Hitchcock movies on Sunday:
11:15 AM "The Trouble With Harry" (1955) A dark comedy about rather inconvenient dead body. This was Shirley MacLaine's first movie, and it also starred a very young Jerry Mathers.
1:15 PM: "Family Plot" (1976) This was Hitchcock's last movie. To be honest, I saw it when it was released, have never seen it since, and can't recall if it's very good or not, but it's worth seeing because it's Hitchcock's Last Movie, for god's sake!
3:30 PM: "The Man Who Knew Too Much" (1956) James Stewart, Doris Day, the Royal Albert Hall, a sea of umbrellas, and "Que Sera, Sera". Not one of my all-time favorites, but worth seeing at least once.
5:45 PM: "Vertigo" (1958) James Stewart and Kin Novak. Many consider this the Best Movie Ever Made.
8:00 PM "Rear Window" (1954) James Stewart, Grace Kelly, Thelma Ritter, Wendell Corey, and Raymond Burr. Wheelchair bound Stewart witnesses a crime while observing his neighbors through his rear window. Or does he? Personally, this is my favorite Hitchcock movie. I've seen it dozens of times and watch it at least once a year. Has there ever been an actress as beautiful as Grace Kelly?
10:00 PM: "To Catch a Thief" (1955) Cary Grant and Grace Kelly on the French Riviera. Grant plays a famous "retired" cat burglar who must get back in the game in order to save his reputation. Don't ask, just watch. It's fun and how can you resist the charms of Grant and Kelly. In this one, they make fireworks - literally!
More good stuff on TCM later in the month, but this should keep you occupied for awhile!
Enjoy!
