The all-in-one THE TROUBLE WITH AMC thread (1 Viewer)

[Michael*K]

Am I the only one scratching his head over American Movie Classics' recent slate of films? I don't get TCM on my cable system and AMC's selections leave a lot to be desired. Tonight is a good example. While I'm a big fan of both James Caan and Mandy Patinkin and I enjoyed the film, Alien Nation is hardly what I'd call a "classic." What's next? Good grief.

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--Mike


Amazon Hot 100 DVD's

 

[Gary Kellerman]

Films and/or film packages travel around an assortment of networks. These networks have to have something to show.

 

[Peter Kline]

Unliike TCM which has a large library of classic MGM, WB, RKO and early pre-50s Paramount films, AMC is an independent org. They purchase films, as stated above, in packages and obtain movies from studios other than the above. They have always been slightly below TCM in films available to them. However, they do produce excellent documentaries and original shows and are in the forefront, for a commecial enterprise, in supporting film preservation. It's quite amazing that they have actually stayed in business methinks.

Peter



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[Marianne]

It was mentioned in another thread that they might be having ads DURING movies in future! I sure hope not.


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Marianne
"Gentlemen, you can't fight in here,
this is the War Room Home Theater Forum!"

 

[Gary Kellerman]

On Monday morning at 8 AM EDT, AMC was showing an old THREE MESQUITEER western. During the presentation, they broke for a commercial for Dell Computers and some upcoming events. This was the first time I have scene this cable station do this. True, they have had commercials before and after showing a film for some time. If they start this BUSINESS up, it will not be too long before they would be showing commercials during a film up to the "kazoo".

 

[TonyD]

disney channel has been doing this for years. amc also edits movies for content and language so does turner classic movies i think.

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[Robert Crawford]

To the best of my knowledge, TCM doesn't edit the movies they're showing. As far as AMC, after years of watching and taping old classic films on that particular channel those habits will now come to an end. I have stopped watching AMC for movies and will only watched their back story segments. I've started to watch Fox Movie Channel more and more since AMC started their policy of commercials during movies. Right now, besides their back story segments, AMC isn't much better than TNT or TBS. TCM is now my main channel of classic movie watching.


Crawdaddy

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Peter Staddon: "I didn't say you can put 'Monkeybone' back!"

 

[Coressel]

I think even the AMC Backstory shows are cheesy and way too commercially produced. I've given up totally on AMC.

"Restoration Station" my ass. The other day, I happened to flip by AMC and saw Leslie Nielsen and Anna Nicole Smith. WTF? What are they thinking?

 

[TonyD]

i don't agree about TCM not being edtited i have seen movies on that channel that mute out words (mostly the F-word) that should be there. don't ask me for examples because i don't watch that often and can't remember the exact movies. but they do, do it.

 

[Michael Reuben]

They vary enormously. The recent one on The Verdict was quite good, mostly because they had what appeared to be new interviews with Newman.

M.

 

[Marty M]

TCM will edit/censor movies mainly because they are a 1st or 2nd tier of channels on most cable systems. This channel is not a Premium Channel like HBO, Starz, Cinemax, etc. The only non-premium channel that I know that doesn't edit or censor movies is The Independent Film Channel.

 

[Evan Case]

Well this is certainly a ridiculous turn of events. No matter, TCM gets most of my classic movie time anyway.

BTW, I've seen plenty of unedited films on TCM (Jaws, Close Encounters and Manhattan, to name but a few). Usually, though, they don't run until after midnight.

Evan


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"* * * * * * * * * * * * *" - Buster Keaton
S&S: 16 films left
Most recent: Paisan

 

[Ken_McAlinden]

I saw "Rosemary's Baby" on TCM a while back, and the "This isn't a dream, this is really happening" sequence was substantially edited.

Regards,

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Ken McAlinden
Livonia, MI USA

 

[Gabe D]

TCM does often edit movies, as does AMC. However, I was very surprised to see AMC show a completely unedited version of Alfred Hitchcock's Frenzy about a year ago. It was very late at night and was preceded by a warning- "the following presentation contains scenes that may be objectionable... viewer discretion is advised," or something like that.

I don't know if that's a regular middle-of-the-night policy, or if it was just a one time thing.

-Gabe

 

[Johnny Angell]

I'm wondering if this progression of no commercials, then commercials between movies, now commercials during the movie doesn't indicate a deteriorating bottom line. If true, in the end, I think showing the commercials will hurt their bottom line even more.

Has anyone noticed if the commericals occur during all times of day, or are restricted to part the day? I just watched 'The Naked Jungle' with Charelton Heston, and it showed from 11-1pm CST. It had a commercial break.

This is an old movie from the fities, but I do remember one scene, that was not in this airing. It could be the scene was lost to the ravages of time, or to the need for time for the commercials.

I have always liked AMC for their movies, their uninterupted movies. If people stop watching, and the cable and satellite companies realize this...well that will be a short death spiral for AMC.

This could be a case of having to improve the immediate cash flow of the company. To save the company they kill it.

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Johnny

 

[Gary Kellerman]

Thank you for your comments. I found them quite interesting particulaly on those networks I do not get. I think I will call up the Fisher Funeral Home from SIX FEET UNDER and ask them if they have a package deal to bury networks that pull editing and commercial stunts which are now added to the notorious network LOGO insanity.Since we pay good money to cable-satellite services we really should be getting our money's worth.

 

[Jack Briggs]

Is AMC doing this to all films it shows? Haven't watched a film on that channel in a month or so. I was hoping tonight's presentation of that schlocky 1964 horror flick, Black Sabbath, would be commercial-free.

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[Dick]

First, IFC lost my business by adding a permanent bug on the bottom corner of the screen. Now AMC has ruined their channel for movie collectors by interrupting their films for commericals. I will now no longer use AMC. That leaves TCM as the sole outlet (short of premium channels, which do not letterbox movies often), so I hope they aren't planning to go the same route...

 

[AdrianJ]

I left AMC when they screwed up their website to where you couldn't see a full days schedule without 4 different pages loading and no monthly schedule available. I guess there is no reason to go back.

TCM used to edit movies, but I haven't noticed any movies being edited lately. But then again, the movies I watch on TCM don't need to be editied.

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Adrian Jones

 

[GerardoHP]

I recently noticed that AMC started running commercial breaks during their movies. I wrote them an email and received your typical computerized response ("AMC started this practice months ago...")

Then it dawned on me that none of their film broadcasts seem to be letterboxed anymore, even very late at night. Have they completely sold out to the other side? This from a channel that regularly dares invoke the importance of film preservation!

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Gerardo