Crawdaddy's "Random Thoughts" about Home Video, Film & TV (4 Viewers)

[Robert Crawford]

I'm looking forward to this Blu-ray release. I preordered it from Vinegar Syndrome earlier this week. I'm hoping for a big improvement over the 2014 Universal Vault DVD pictured below.

 

[Matt Hough]

View attachment 170566

Yes, "Noir Alley" is back this weekend after its Christmas break. This weekend's movie is "Don't Bother to Knock" (1952) starring Richard Widmark, Marilyn Monroe, Anne Bancroft and James Cagney's kid sister Jeanne Cagney. A pretty good movie with one of Marilyn's better acting performances. I believe this was Bancroft's film debut. Anyhow, I haven't seen this movie since the Twilight Time Blu-ray was released back in March 2018, so I'll be revisiting that disc either later today or early tomorrow morning.


Updated TCM's Noir Alley 2023 Schedule:


01-07-23: Don't Bother to Knock
01-14-23: Thunder Road
01-21-23: The Two Mrs. Carrolls
01-28-23: Highway 301
02-04-23: Hangover Square
02-11-23: Kiss the Blood Off My Hands
02-18-23: Lightning Strikes Twice
02-25-23: Hunt the Man Down

I'll be watching Eddie's intro and outro, but having seen the movie quite a bit, I'll decide if I want to rewatch in the moment. It will really depend on having something else I want to watch.

 

[Robert Crawford]

I'll be watching Eddie's intro and outro, but having seen the movie quite a bit, I'll decide if I want to rewatch in the moment. It will really depend on having something else I want to watch.

I think I've only watched the movie 3-4 times with my last viewing back in 2018. So, it's been about five years since then and with it only 76 minutes long, I'll watch it before the NFL games today.

 

[Matt Hough]

I did end up watching Don't Bother to Knock. I was a bit disappointed that Eddie didn't mention some key supporting players like Verna Felton and Don Beddoe, but I guess when you've got Marilyn's first starring role, she has to receive the lion's share of the attention.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Tonight on TCM as Eddie and Paula Zahn team up for three "real" crime movies.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Noir Alley​

THUNDER ROAD ('58) was an impressive achievement for Robert Mitchum.

He wrote the original story, produced the film, and starred in it. He also wrote the song "Whippoorwill," sang the film's title song on a 45 single, and chose his son Jim to play HIS BROTHER in the film.

See it Saturday and Sunday on #NoirAlley hosted by Eddie Muller.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Noir Alley​

A fast-driving moonshiner locks horns with a Chicago gangster in THUNDER ROAD ('58). See it Saturday at midnight ET with an encore presentation Sunday at 10am on #NoirAlley with Eddie Muller.

 

[Robert Crawford]

I never cared for "Thunder Road" for some reason. It's been several years since I last watched it so I'll give it another try this weekend. I thought I had the DVD of it, but I have no record of it on my DVD Profiler. It might have been the VHS tape I had of it at one time.

 

[Robin9]

I never cared for "Thunder Road" for some reason. It's been several years since I last watched it so I'll give it another try this weekend. I thought I had the DVD of it, but I have no record of it on my DVD Profiler. It might have been the VHS tape I had of it at one time.

I have the DVD and I'll probably watch it today. The leading lady is played by Keely Smith, one of my favorite singers. It's notable that Robert Mitchum cast another singer, Julie London, as the female lead in the next movie he produced.

 

[Matt Hough]

I've never seen it, so I'll be there with bells on Sunday afternoon.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Noir Alley​

The role of Robin was offered to Elvis Presley, who showed interest, but the idea was reportedly nixed by Presley's manager, Tom Parker. The role became the feature film debut for James Mitchum, Robert Mitchum's 16-year-old son.

See THUNDER ROAD this weekend on #NoirAlley.

 

[Robert Crawford]

I disagree with Eddie here, it's western noir to me. Anybody else agrees with me?

 

[Matt Hough]

I've never considered it such, but I can understand other reasoning.

 

[Robert Crawford]

This weekend's "Noir Alley" movie is "Thunder Road" (1958) starring Robert Mitchum, Gene Barry, Jacques Aubuchon, Keely Smith and James Mitchum. This movie was a labor of love for Mitchum, who was intimately involved in the film's production. It's been several years since I last watched this movie. I didn't care for the movie, but I didn't hate it either so it will be interesting to see if my opinion changes with this weekend's viewing and Eddie's comments.

Updated TCM's Noir Alley 2023 Schedule:


01-07-23: Don't Bother to Knock
01-14-23: Thunder Road
01-21-23: The Two Mrs. Carrolls
01-28-23: Highway 301
02-04-23: Hangover Square
02-11-23: Kiss the Blood Off My Hands
02-18-23: Lightning Strikes Twice
02-25-23: Hunt the Man Down

 

[Capt D McMars]

Nice, looking at the poster, the last car you'd think of a a"muscle" car is a Ford Edsel. It was dsigned for women drivers, LOL!!!

 

[Robert Crawford]

View attachment 171317


This weekend's "Noir Alley" movie is "Thunder Road" (1958) starring Robert Mitchum, Gene Barry, Jacques Aubuchon, Keely Smith and James Mitchum. This movie was a labor of love for Mitchum, who was intimately involved in the film's production. It's been several years since I last watched this movie. I didn't care for the movie, but I didn't hate it either so it will be interesting to see if my opinion changes with this weekend's viewing and Eddie's comments.

Updated TCM's Noir Alley 2023 Schedule:


01-07-23: Don't Bother to Knock
01-14-23: Thunder Road
01-21-23: The Two Mrs. Carrolls
01-28-23: Highway 301
02-04-23: Hangover Square
02-11-23: Kiss the Blood Off My Hands
02-18-23: Lightning Strikes Twice
02-25-23: Hunt the Man Down

Yup, I enjoyed Thunder Road much more this time than my previous viewing. I must have been in a different kind of mood during my previous viewing.

 

[Matt Hough]

Ready to fire it up at lunchtime.

 

[lark144]

Nice, looking at the poster, the last car you'd think of a a"muscle" car is a Ford Edsel. It was dsigned for women drivers, LOL!!!

Yes, I remember the Edsel very well. It was fairly mocked when it first came out, and as I recall, sales were slow, though it was a terrific car, well made with a surprising heft and adaptability. One of my parents' neighbors had an Edsel, and I remember going for a ride it in and liking it a lot. Seeing it used during the chases in THUNDER ROAD--which I first saw at a drive-in, naturally--was a real eye-opener.

 

[Matt Hough]

Enjoyed Thunder Road despite some inconsistent acting among the cast. I remember when I was a kid, my parents used to take my brother and me to the movies with them all the time, but not when they went to see this. My dad thought it would be too rough (seeing it today, it wouldn't have been).

Eddie also confirmed what I'd long known; the movie may have had urban critics turn their noses up at it, but it was a smash in the South. It played five or six weeks at our local small town theater which was rare in those days.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Elvis would've been perfect as Mitchum's younger brother. It would have given him a chance to work with one of the greats and perhaps get some acting tips.