Wednesday, December 30, 2009

To Live Is To Fly | 2009 TCM Memorial to Our Stars in Heaven

Annual video tribute beautifully produced by Turner Classic Movies. The background song is "To Live Is To Fly" by Steve Earle. We do not have long to wait to compare to the 2010 Oscar Memorial.


Tuesday, December 29, 2009

iCheckMovies! Movies + Lists OCD Website

PERFECT! iCheckMovies! A website that combines my obsession for movies with my compulsion to lists and categorize!

TCManiacs's iCheckMovies.com Top 250 widget

TCManiacs's iCheckMovies.com iCM Most Favorite widget

TCManiacs's iCheckMovies.com iCM Most Checked widget

TCManiacs's iCheckMovies.com Oscar winners widget

TCManiacs's iCheckMovies.com AFI 100 movies widget

TCManiacs's iCheckMovies.com NYTimes 1000 widget

TCManiacs's iCheckMovies.com National Film Registry widget

TCManiacs's iCheckMovies.com 501 Must See widget

TCManiacs's iCheckMovies.com Criterion Collection widget

TCManiacs's iCheckMovies.com Cahiers du cinéma 100 widget

TCManiacs's iCheckMovies.com Leonard Maltin 100 widget

TCManiacs's iCheckMovies.com Golden Lions widget

TCManiacs's iCheckMovies.com Film-noir widget

TCManiacs's iCheckMovies.com Spaghetti Westerns widget

TCManiacs's iCheckMovies.com 100 Silent Era widget

Thursday, December 10, 2009

2009 TCManiacs Holiday Picks!

TCManiac's has picked favorite films that celebrate faith, family and festivity of the December holiday season.






TCManiacs Holiday Picks!

3 Thursday 8:00 PM Christmas Carol, A (1938)
In this adaptation of Charles Dickens' classic tale, an elderly miser learns the error of his ways on Christmas Eve. Cast: Reginald Owen, Gene Lockhart, Kathleen Lockhart. Dir: Edwin L. Marin. BW-69 mins, TV-G, CC
9:15 PM Little Women (1949)
The four daughters of a New England family fight for happiness during and after the Civil War. Cast: June Allyson, Elizabeth Taylor, Peter Lawford. Dir: Mervyn LeRoy. C-122 mins, TV-G, CC, DVS
11:30 PM Tenth Avenue Angel (1948)
A child of the tenements helps an ex-con find a new life. Cast: Margaret O'Brien, Angela Lansbury, George Murphy. Dir: Roy Rowland. BW-74 mins, TV-G, CC

12 Saturday
12:00 PM Christmas Carol, A (1938)
In this adaptation of Charles Dickens' classic tale, an elderly miser learns the error of his ways on Christmas Eve. Cast: Reginald Owen, Gene Lockhart, Kathleen Lockhart. Dir: Edwin L. Marin. BW-69 mins, TV-G, CC

13 Sunday 12:00 AM Ben-Hur: A Tale Of The Christ (1925)
In this silent film, a rebellious Israelite prince out for vengeance crosses paths with the Messiah. Cast: Ramon Novarro, Francis X. Bushman, Carmel Myers. Dir: Fred Niblo. BW-143 mins, TV-G

17 Thursday
8:00 PM Christmas In Connecticut (1945)
A homemaking specialist who can't boil water is forced to provide a family holiday for a war hero. Cast: Barbara Stanwyck, Dennis Morgan, Sydney Greenstreet. Dir: Peter Godfrey. BW-102 mins, TV-G, CC
10:00 PM Holiday Affair (1950)
A young widow is torn between a boring businessman and a romantic ne'er-do-well. Cast: Robert Mitchum, Janet Leigh, Wendell Corey. Dir: Don Hartman. BW-87 mins, TV-G, CC

19 Saturday
12:00 PM Meet Me In St. Louis (1944)
Young love and childish fears highlight a year in the life of a turn-of-the-century family. Cast: Judy Garland, Margaret O'Brien, Mary Astor. Dir: Vincente Minnelli. C-113 mins, TV-G, CC, DVS

20 Sunday
9:00 PM The King Of Kings (1961)
Epic retelling of Christ's life and the effects of his teachings on those around him. Cast: Jeffrey Hunter, Siobhan McKenna, Robert Ryan. Dir: Nicholas Ray. C-171 mins, TV-PG, CC, Letterbox Format
12:00 AM The King Of Kings (1927)
In this silent film, Cecil B. DeMille directs an epic retelling of the life of Christ. Cast: H.B. Warner, Dorothy Cumming, Ernest Torrence. Dir: Cecil B. DeMille. BW-157 mins, TV-G
22 Tuesday
10:00 AM Fiddler on the Roof (1971)
In Russia before the revolution, a Jewish milkman tries to marry off his daughters who have plans of their own. Cast: Topol, Norma Crane, Leonard Frey. Dir: Norman Jewison. C-181 mins, TV-G, CC, Letterbox Format

24 Thursday Christmas Eve 8:00 PM Remember the Night (1940)
An assistant D.A. takes a shoplifter home with him for Christmas. Cast: Barbara Stanwyck, Fred MacMurray, Beulah Bondi. Dir: Mitchell Leisen. BW-94 mins, TV-G
9:45 PM Christmas In July (1940)
An unemployed dreamer thinks he's won a big radio contest. Cast: Dick Powell, Ellen Drew, Raymond Walburn. Dir: Preston Sturges. BW-67 mins, TV-G
12:38 AM Short Film: Star In The Night (1945) A motel owner who has lost faith in more than just the humanity of mankind, is visited by a kindly stranger on Christmas Eve
1:00 AM Meet Me In St. Louis (1944)
Young love and childish fears highlight a year in the life of a turn-of-the-century family. Cast: Judy Garland, Margaret O'Brien, Mary Astor. Dir: Vincente Minnelli. C-113 mins, TV-G, CC, DVS
3:00 AM In The Good Old Summertime (1949)
In this musical remake of The Shop Around the Corner, feuding co-workers in a small music shop do not realize they are secret romantic pen pals. Cast: Judy Garland, Van Johnson, S.Z. "Cuddles" Sakall. Dir: Robert Z. Leonard. C-103 mins, TV-PG, CC, DVS
5:00 AM Shop Around The Corner, The (1940)
Feuding co-workers don't realize they're secret romantic pen pals. Cast: Margaret Sullavan, James Stewart, Frank Morgan. Dir: Ernst Lubitsch. BW-99 mins, TV-G, CC, DVS
25 Friday Christmas Day
7:00 AM Little Women (1933)
The four March sisters fight to keep their family together and find love while their father is off fighting the Civil War. Cast: Katharine Hepburn, Joan Bennett, Paul Lukas. Dir: George Cukor. BW-116 mins, TV-G, CC, DVS
9:00 AM A Christmas Carol (1938)
In this adaptation of Charles Dickens' classic tale, an elderly miser learns the error of his ways on Christmas Eve. Cast: Reginald Owen, Gene Lockhart, Kathleen Lockhart. Dir: Edwin L. Marin. BW-69 mins, TV-G, CC
10:15 AM The Man Who Came To Dinner (1942)
An acerbic critic wreaks havoc when a hip injury forces him to move in with a midwestern family. Cast: Bette Davis, Ann Sheridan, Monty Woolley. Dir: William Keighley. BW-113 mins, TV-G, CC, DVS
12:15 PM Christmas In Connecticut (1945)
A homemaking specialist who can't boil water is forced to provide a family holiday for a war hero. Cast: Barbara Stanwyck, Dennis Morgan, Sydney Greenstreet. Dir: Peter Godfrey. BW-102 mins, TV-G, CC
2:15 PM Little Women (1949)
The four daughters of a New England family fight for happiness during and after the Civil War. Cast: June Allyson, Elizabeth Taylor, Peter Lawford. Dir: Mervyn LeRoy. C-122 mins, TV-G, CC, DVS
4:30 PM Holiday Affair (1950)
A young widow is torn between a boring businessman and a romantic ne'er-do-well. Cast: Robert Mitchum, Janet Leigh, Wendell Corey. Dir: Don Hartman. BW-87 mins, TV-G, CC

Sunday, December 06, 2009

Frank Capra's World War II ``Why We Fight'' 8-part series Free Online


Why We Fight is a series of seven propaganda films commissioned by the United States government during World War II to demonstrate to American soldiers the reason for U.S. involvement in the war. Later on they were also shown to the general U.S. public to persuade them to support American intervention.

Most of the films were directed by Frank Capra, who was daunted yet also impressed and challenged by Leni Riefenstahl's propaganda film Triumph of the Will and who worked in direct response to it. The series faced a tough challenge: convincing an only recently isolationist nation of the need to become involved in the war and ally with the Soviets, among other things. In many of the films, Capra and other directors spliced in Axis powers propaganda footage – recontextualizing it so it promoted the cause of the Allies instead.

Made from 1942 to 1945, the seven films range from 40 to 76 minutes in length, and all are available on DVD or online.

In 2000 the United States Library of Congress deemed the films "culturally significant" and selected them for preservation in the National Film Registry. Created by the U.S. Army Pictorial Services, the films are in the public domain; all of them are available for download at the Internet Archive.


Friday, December 04, 2009

Edge of the City | My View

Edge of the City is a 1957 drama film directed by Martin Ritt, starring John Cassavetes and Sidney Poitier. It was Ritt's debut film as a director. Robert Alan Aurthur's screenplay was expanded from his original script, staged as the final episode of Philco Television Playhouse, "A Man Is Ten Feet Tall" [October 2, 1955], with Poitier recreating his original role of "Tommy".

I love the fact that this movie realistically portrays a black couple as any other decent married couple without any stereotypes and without completely whitewashing them. Great movie. Unfortunately, its never discussed as part of Poitiers repertoire. Much better than the movie he won an Oscar for. Great performances for John Cassavettes, Ruby Dee and Jack Warden, also. The Ellen character was inconsequential. No fault to Kathleen Maguire. I felt like the role was written in JUST to provide love interest for Axel, so the "white guy" wouldn't be a third wheel. If you enjoyed "On the Waterfront" you will love this film. I thank TCM for bringing it to my attention.

Join TCM for the December Podcast

Join TCM for the December Podcast, an entertaining and in-depth look at this month's films by the passionate movie-fan employees of TCM. December highlights include a month long tribute to the Hollywood legend and Star of the Month: Humphrey Bogart, an evening of films personally selected by singer-songwriter Neko Case, and a spotlight on the films by Director Frank Capra who brought an unquenchable optimism to the screen. Employee favorites for the month include Holmes for Christmas, Director John Hughes' Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986) part of our TCM Remembers, and New Year's Eve Thin Man Marathon.


Related Posts with Thumbnails

Who is the mysterious TCManiac?

First, I'll tell you who I am not. I am not affiliated with TCM. I am not some superbot created by software developers. I am not being paid by TCM or anyone else to dedicate my time to tweeting. I am a real flesh and blood human being. I am a real maniac for TCM. I really do keep my TV tuned to TCM 24-7. I created the TCManiacs twitter as a result of my sincere passion for watching Turner Classic Movies.

How I got started?
Well, I've been a fan of TCM since its inception. As I lay flat on my back recovering from a disabling health crisis unable to do little more than watch TV and surf the internet, I found refuge watching TCM round the clock. I soon developed an obsessive habit of keeping a browser tab open for the TCM schedule and beating Robert Osbourne's introductions to finding out facts for upcoming movies. My entire day and night became defined by the TCM line-up. At the beginning of 2009 I decided to check out twitter and lucked up on some fellow TCM fans to friend. During the 31 days Oscar I decided to dedicate a twitter just to share my TCM obsession by tweeting about every movie every day of February. I was totally overwhelmed by the number of fellow TCM maniacs that became my following. Its been a WIN WIN in everyway for me. I have had the opportunity to share fun stuff with some incredible fellow classic movie lovers and bloggers. With so many followers I became committed to maintaining the twitter schedule and finding fun stuff for upcoming TCM movies.
How may followers show appreciation?
As I mentioned before, I am not employed by anyone nor being paid for my time maintaining tweets and blog. However, you may express your appreciation for my labor of love by dropping a token of your appreciation in the hat. Simply click the Donate button below. Any amount your heart moves you to give no matter how small will be graciously accepted.
What you mean to me?
Even if you decide to skip tipping the hat, please take the time to comment or send a message with your thoughts and suggestions. Send ideas on more fun stuff you would like featured. Send me links to your own classic movie websites. I just want to hear from you! Let me know what sharing my little obsession is worth to you. Every follower is priceless to me!

Total Pageviews

Web Graphic Design by designables.net. Header background image compliments of MERiCG.DEViNART.com
 
View blog top tags