Crawdaddy's "Random Thoughts" about Home Video, Film & TV (2 Viewers)

[Robert Crawford]

The Criterion Channel's September Schedule:

The Criterion Channel’s September 2020 Lineup

Documentaries lead the charge this month on the Criterion Channel, with a wide-ranging offering of nonfiction films as formally imaginative and emotionally riveting as any scripted drama.

www.criterion.com

 

[Robert Crawford]

The Hunchback of Notre Dame. My No-Noir-Alley B&W TCM viewing was this classic I hadn't seen since I can remember. Man, does the camera love Maureen O'Hara's face. I lost count of the extreme close ups of her. What a deliberate Beauty and the Beast contrast to Charles Laughton's Quasimodo (excellent makeup that holds up even in a crisp HD print).

I forgot what a spectacle this is, with thousands of extras filling the square, and getting either bludgeoned to death by stones or scalded to death by molten metal. Quasimodo's deafness or pure cluelessness comes into critical play for the plot when you consider the townspeople were rushing Notre Dame to rescue and protect the girl, and the king's soldiers were going to rush Notre Dame to capture and hang her under the new "No Sanctuary" decree. Yes, even in those days a King thought his whims could easily be above the law by signing a quickie Executive Order.

I hope it's no spoiler (c'mon filmgoers, even Disney redid this story) to surprisingly discover again that Quasimodo doesn't die. Or that Esmeralda ends up with the poet (he's a writer not a fighter!) instead of the dashing soldier. And how could I not immediately see the poet is Edmund O'Brien? I noticed the resemblance early on but still didn't suspect until the final credits. Isn't it nice that these two young O'Irish folks ended up together?

View attachment 77721

Finally, I question my youthful collection of Aurora's Monster Model Kits (Dracula, Frankenstein, the Creature, the Mummy), but wonder why the gentle, not-an-evil-hump-in-his-body Quasimodo was included among those more notorious monsters. Just because he was ugly? Talk about shallow prejudices. Oh, well, I guess Disney figured that out, as well, and history was rewritten and repaired. Long live Quasimodo! (How come there was never a sequel?)

View attachment 77719

(When it was vociferously protected by the gargoyles and
still intact upon my visit)

One of my earliest recollections of watching a movie on TV was this 1939 movie. I had to be about 5 or 6 years old as I remembered the room I watched it in and we moved from that place, the year I turned six years old. The particular scene I recollect is when Maureen O'Hara is dancing and she spots Quasimodo looking at her and the crowd grabs him and names him "King of the Fools". For some strange reason that scene scared the crap out of me!

 

[Robert Crawford]

This past weekend I was in the mood for some more Stanwyck and George Raft. Of course, I'm always in the mood to watch Barbara.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Today, I watched some Audie Murphy on Peacock:

By the way, I always had a thing for Susan Cabot. Unfortunately, this pretty, petite actress had a troubled life and was murdered by her own son.

 

[AnthonyClarke]

What an awful fate. Such a dramatic looking woman!

 

[Robert Crawford]

What an awful fate. Such a dramatic looking woman!

Yeah, she had a sad life. I felt terrible after first reading about her life and what happened to her.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Looks like this fine movie will be released on Blu-ray next month as I just got done watching a beautiful video presentation of this Technicolor classic on HBO Max. Fans of this movie will be very pleased with this upcoming Blu-ray. I always loved this movie with William Powell giving one of his best acting performances. However, I never liked what Irene Dunne did with her normal speaking voice, other than that, she was outstanding too in this movie. They really played up young Elizabeth Taylor in this movie as she received third billing. Everytime, Jimmy Lydon appears in this movie, I want to yell out Henry, Henry Aldrich.

 

[Robert Crawford]

TCM's September Schedule:

TCM Monthly Schedule - View the Full TCM TV Schedule

Find TCM's full month schedule and learn what classic movies will be airing on Turner Classic Movies. A printable schedule organized for the current month's programming is also available here.

www.tcm.com

 

[David Weicker]

Looks like this fine movie will be released on Blu-ray next month as I just got done watching a beautiful video presentation of this Technicolor classic on HBO Max. Fans of this movie will be very pleased with this upcoming Blu-ray. I always loved this movie with William Powell giving one of his best acting performances. However, I never liked what Irene Dunne did with her normal speaking voice, other than that, she was outstanding too in this movie. They really played up young Elizabeth Taylor in this movie as she received third billing. Everytime, Jimmy Lydon appears in this movie, I want to yell out Henry, Henry Aldrich.

I understand that a new version on HBO Max indicates that a Blu-Ray is probably coming, but have you seen something to indicate it is actually 'next month'? Or are you going by the 'I just watched it so of course it will be announced'

 

[Robert Crawford]

I understand that a new version on HBO Max indicates that a Blu-Ray is probably coming, but have you seen something to indicate it is actually 'next month'? Or are you going by the 'I just watched it so of course it will be announced'

It's just my opinion which I express quite often in this thread. One way or another, we'll find out around September 15th.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Last evening, I finished watching the following on HBO Max: A terrific 1960 biographical movie about FDR, his wife Eleanor and his battle with polio and how he overcame his affliction to become the only person to be elected four times as POTUS. Great performances and this HD digital really outshines WA DVD. I suspect this movie will be release shortly on Blu-ray.

 

[bujaki]

Starting at 3PT-6ET today and everyday through Labor Day at the same time, check cinecon.org for free streaming of rare prints from private collections. That's where I'll be and shall be reporting on my daily viewings.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Today, I finally revisited "The Barretts of Wimpole Street" (1934) starring Norma Shearer, Fredric March, Charles Laughton and Maureen O'Sullivan. It's been some years since my last viewing of this fine film, but I was in the mood for some Charles Laughton as I found his character in this movie despicable in every way. The censors influenced the screenplay regarding the subject matter of 'incest", but it still comes through with Laughton's great performance. Since, I was a kid, I never figured out how Una O'Connor would seemingly glide across the room as Wilson in this movie. One of my favorite character actresses. The iTunes HD digital is far from pristine, but for $4.99 it was worth that investment.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Another iTunes HD digital that I watched today was "Pony Express" that I purchased today for $4.99. Another video presentation that is not pristine, but it's an improvement over the 2012 DVD. The movies stars Charlton Heston, Rhonda Fleming, Jan Sterling and Forrest Tucker. It's about the founding of the Pony Express with Buffalo Bill and Wild Bill Hickok involved with that undertaking. Not a great western, but I always thought it was a good, entertaining western with a fine cast. Seeing Rhonda Fleming in Technicolor is always a treat. This Paramount picture was released in May, 1953, but was filmed during the summer of 1952, so that aspect ratio is 1.33

 

[Mark-P]

Funny thing, I skipped over Pony Express in iTunes because I thought I had a Blu-ray from Twilight Time! Turned out to be Pony Soldier.

Also just noticed Pony Express is on Prime Video for anyone who wants to sample before you buy.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Funny thing, I skipped over Pony Express in iTunes because I thought I had a Blu-ray from Twilight Time! Turned out to be Pony Soldier.

Also just noticed Pony Express is on Prime Video for anyone who wants to sample before you buy.

I initially skipped over it because I thought I bought it from Vudu and also thought the OAR was wrong. After double-checking I didn't buy it on Vudu and according to AFI, the aspect ratio is correct.

 

[Robert Crawford]

A reminder that TCM's Noir Alley starts tomorrow on Sunday at 10:00 a.m. ET.

Updated TCM's Noir Alley 2020 schedule:

03-07-20: Ride the Pink Horse (1947)
03-14-20: I Wake Up Screaming (1941)
03-21-20: Elevator to the Gallows (1958)
03-28-20: Crime Wave (1954)
04-04-20: Address Unknown (1944)
04-11-20: Beyond a Reasonable Doubt (1956)
04-25-20: Wicked Woman (1954)
05-02-20: Fallen Angel (1945)
05-09-20: Mildred Pierce (1945)
05-16-20: The Crimson Kimono (1959)
05-23-20: Cornered (1945)
05-30-20: A Kiss Before Dying (1956)
06-06-20: The Underworld Story (1950)
06-13-20: Murder by Contract (1958)
06-20-20: Underworld U.S.A. (1961)
06-27-20: The Lady from Shanghai (1947)
07-04-20: The Sign of the Ram (1948)
07-11-20: Bodyguard (1948)
07-18-20: Three Strangers (1946)
07-25-20: The Breaking Point (1950)
09-06-20: Night Editor (1946) "Sunday at 10:00 a.m. Only"
09-12-20: Danger Signal (1945)
09-19-20: Gilda (1946)
09-26-20: They Won't Believe Me (1947)
10-03-20: Where the Sidewalk Ends (1950)
10-10-20: The Racket (1951)
10-17-20: Destination Murder (1950)
10-24-20: Macao (1952)
10-31-20: The Seventh Victim (1943)
11-07-20: Nightfall (1957)
11-14-20: Fear (1946)
11-21-20: Kiss Me Deadly (1955)
11-28-20: Suspense (1946)
12-05-20: Tomorrow is Another Day (1951)
12-12-20: The Burglar (1957)
12-19-20: The Unsuspected (1947)
12-26-20: Detour (1945)

 

[Matt Hough]

Thanks for the reminder. I did remember as I saw it when perusing the monthly calendar for next week's selections that Night Editor was only showing on Sunday morning.

 

[bujaki]

Today, I finally revisited "The Barretts of Wimpole Street" (1934) starring Norma Shearer, Fredric March, Charles Laughton and Maureen O'Sullivan. It's been some years since my last viewing of this fine film, but I was in the mood for some Charles Laughton as I found his character in this movie despicable in every way. The censors influenced the screenplay regarding the subject matter of 'incest", but it still comes through with Laughton's great performance. Since, I was a kid, I never figured out how Una O'Connor would seemingly glide across the room as Wilson in this movie. One of my favorite character actresses. The iTunes HD digital is far from pristine, but for $4.99 it was worth that investment.

View attachment 78023

John Gielgud bests Laughton's performance in the remake, imo. And yes, how did O'Connor glide instead of walk?

 

[Robert Crawford]

John Gielgud bests Laughton's performance in the remake, imo. And yes, how did O'Connor glide instead of walk?

Matter of opinion as I never compared Gielgud to Laughton's. TBH, I enjoy the 1934 movie more than the remake. As to O'Connor just watch her especially early in the movie how see moves across Ba's room.