May 10, 2006

This Week on TV

So last week I managed to watch 3 of the 5 films I mentioned (I think it was 5, anyway). Splendor in the Grass, Flashdance and Footloose. Splendor was divine! It helps that it had Natalie Wood and Warren Beatty for cryin' out loud. A. Flashdance was delightful toe-tapping fun with killer music. You could definitely tell that Jennifer Beals was a Joe Eszterhas heroine. Alex Owens reminded me a lot of another dancing vixen from this delightful slosh. B. The last one, Footloose was so hilarious that I have decided to hire our the DVD some time soon and do a live-blogging. That movie was made for it, seriously. Woolen sweaters were really popular in the '80s, huh? B-

This week there are a couple of interesting titles.

Saturday:
The Year of Living Dangerously (1982) is on late at night on Saturday. I've never seen this film by Peter Weir so I'll definitely try to at least tape it. It stars Mel Gibson (back when he a sexy fox) and Sigourney Weaver (who is always a delight to watch) as well as Linda Hunt in what I believe is the only performance of a person of one gender to win the Oscar for playing a character of the opposite gender (er, that made sense right). So ya know... it was popular before Lynette Scavo made it hip!

Saturday also brings us a rare television airing of Elia Kazan's 1955 classic East of Eden. I own the DVD so I won't watch it on tv, but it's still a good thing for them to show! And then there is Mel Gibson and Jodie Foster together in Maverick (1994) from Richard Donner. Cast also includes the original James Garner, Alfred Molina, James Coburn, Graham Greene and Dan Hedaya.

Sunday:
Platoon (1986) gets a bizarre Sunday-night screening. That won't stop me from checking in though. I've never seen this so I might as well. I always find myself saying that I don't particularly like war films yet I do... well, Full Metal Jacket and Saving Private Ryan are good and there's a couple of others I've seen. You can throw City of God and The Battle of Algiers in there too if u think they count. Anyway.

Monday:
Faithful (1996) is Paul Mazursky's classic... er, what? I'd never heard of this movie before today but it stars CHER! She's totally one of my favourite actresses so I'll watch it. Even though I'm sure it's absolutely terrible. Also stars Chazz Paliminteri and Ryan O'Neal. Oh lordy.


Tuesday:
San Quentin (1937) - The only reason I'm interested in this is because it's directed by Lloyd Bacon (42nd Street) and it stars Humphrey Bogart. It's not a musical, but a prison drama...? I dunno. Could be really awful. It only goes for 70 minutes so if it's bad it's only short torture (compared to stuff like DW Griffith!). On right before that movie however is William A Seiter's Life of the Party. I've already seen this one - I only watched it because I knew it had Ann Miller doing some toe-tapping. She's barely in it though, and the movie itself is fairly weak. It's on at Midnight though so if you're having trouble sleeping it's a fine mild diversion.

Wednesday:
Confessions of a Nazi Spy (1939) - Interesting that this was made during the war. I dunno... it sounded interesting and is supposed to be alright. Might check it out.

Not that interesting of a week, really. Blah. BigPond is sending me The Color Purple. And I also have Malcolm X sitting there. I had no idea X was three hours long. Holy Moses!