Alright, so it looks like we’ve got a few other members who are addicted to the wonderful channel as I am, so why not finally get a topic going on here?
For starters, do you remember when you were first introduced to the channel?
As for me, I remember running into the station back in about '94 when I noticed in the TV guide that a marathon of Al Jolson’s blackface movies was about to come on this particular network (Always wanted to see these to believe them) Then in that same year, the channel got more of my attention when they showed the (Then) ultra-rare JEKYLL & HYDE version with Frederic March. (I could go on about why this version should be a TCM Essential and not the Spencer Tracy version, but I’ll save that for later)
I lost some interest in the channel when I was without it for a couple of years after I graduated high school and moved elsewhere (The channel wasn’t in my area yet) Once I got the channel back, I got a rejuvenated blast when TCM had a month long marathon of spaghetti westerns in the early 2000’s. Haven’t ditched the channel since.
Also, I’d figure TCM was the place where I could catch up on so many “masterpieces”
(I was really getting annoyed by looking at critics/writers lists on “The greatest movies ever made” and how 90% of the selections were movies from the 30’s-50’s. Finally had to see for myself how great these movies are. While there’s some that I agreed/disagreed on, the process of going through the vast collection of movies in their library has really been a film-nut’s dream.
Go ahead and share your recollections,your favorite movies shown,and anything else TCM-related.
Thanks for starting this. I am a total TCM addict. Robert Osbourne makes it so cool to have those intros at the beginning of all the movies.
The best part has to be their “theme” weeks and days featuring directors and actors. I saw a whole lot of movies that way, in order, the way they were meant to be seen. HAHA. And it’s so cool to discover new movies and filmmakers you would never have come across if it hadn’t been for them showing it.
I’ll never forget when I fell in love with the channel though. I was just flipping through channels and they were about to start The Desperate Hours. i saw it had Bogart in it and decided to check out the first couple of minutes. I couldn’t turn it off. The movie ended up becoming one of my faves and I’ve been a loyal fan ever since. I even went and bought a TCM mug, travel bag, and a bobble head of Robert Osbourne (so gay, but I love it).
But it’s just so great. Movies, uncut, in there original aspect ratio, non-stop all day long. It’s like a revival house in my fucking house! Your right, it is a film-nuts dream.
Speaking of “non-stop all day long”. What’s the longest, continuous marathon you’ve yet to have with the channel? I just so happened to beat my record this past weekend with their war marathon:
Back To Bataan
Pride of the Marines
They Were Expendable
Battleground
A Walk in The Sun
(I posted my reactions to all the movies over at The Deuce)
I believe I watched more movies one day when TCM had a Bowery Boys/Dead End Kids marathon. I watched about 7 of those, but since they’re only about 50-60 minutes long, I’m not including them.
My previous record was on October 25th, 2007 (Some dates I can never forget) when they had a zombie jamboree:
Voodoo Island
Zombies On Broadway (This was actually my favorite of this marathon)
Revenge Of The Zombies
King Of The Zombies
I’m always ready for more and it looks like TCM will continue to keep them going. Even tomorrow, they’re having a Johnny Weismuller (Jungle Jim) marathon. I’ll likely tune in for a few.
I sometimes watch the german pay-TV Channel Turner Classic Movies (but not nearly as much as I should), I don’t know how similar the programme is compared to the US station. It’s all classics, B&W, some 80’s movies too…
here is the programme, the original titles are in bold.
<LINK_TEXT text=“http://www.turnerclassicmovies.de/docum … 6.2009.pdf”>http://www.turnerclassicmovies.de/documents/20.05.%20-%2002.06.2009.pdf</LINK_TEXT>
[quote=“Col. Crazy Kenneth”]
I sometimes watch the german pay-TV Channel Turner Classic Movies (but not nearly as much as I should), I don’t know how similar the programme is compared to the US station. It’s all classics, B&W, some 80’s movies too…
[/quote]
Sounds about the same. (If I recall correctly, I think Canada and The UK joined up too) But up untill the past few years, the American station has decided to let a few 80’s & 90’s movies slip in (1988’s Stand and Deliver is currently playing as I’m typing) they’ve even had a Miyazaki double feature one night!
a zombie marathon and a Miyazaki double feature? Damn, the american TCM sounds a lot better than the german one.
Yes, the range is crazy. From DeMille to Russ Meyer to Ozu to Beaudine to Woody to Leone. I’m also hyped for tonight’s late-night showing of Boulevard Nights, which is still missing in action on DVD.
…And there actually was a few more zombie movies lined up afterwards, (Zombies of Mora Tora & White Zombie) but I had already seen those before and passed on them.
It was a while back but i got damn sick one day and couldn’t even be bothered to get up off the couch. I ended up sitting through a little mini marathon of Hitchcock. Let me see if I can remember the titles…
Saboteur (this movie really got me hooked and in the mood for some Cock, Hitchcock that is! ;D Terrible I know, just had to say it :laugh:)
Shadow of a Doubt
Rear Window
The Man Who Knew Too Much (remake)
Vertigo
Otherwise I only watch two maybe three at a time. The channel is so good at selecting there movie line up that I can set up double and triple features for myself that are appropriate to the movies playing. So much fun.
Do you have a MGM channel in the US as well? The german MGM channel is great, my favourite TV channel of them all. Our MGM channel sounds a little like your TCM channel…
[quote=“Col. Crazy Kenneth”]
Do you have a MGM channel in the US as well? The german MGM channel is great, my favourite TV channel of them all. Our MGM channel sounds a little like your TCM channel…
[/quote]
If we have one I don’t know about it. I doubt there is one. How does it work?
We do have an MGM Channel. I used to have it before I switched to sorry @$$ DirecTV. It’s cheaper to have in these tough times, but I’ve really been missing Dish Network lately. Drum (The Mandingo sequel) was one of the more memorable movies I remember seeing on the channel.
BTW, the Elvis Mitchell/QT episode just so happens to come back on tomorrow night. Followed by Guest Progammer, Tiny Lister Jr. His picks:
Angel & The Badman
Shane
The Professionals
It Happened One Night
I’ve seen the last 3 (Liked all of them) so I’ll catch Angel/Badman tomorrow. Good taste, Zeus!
[quote=“Laydback”]
We do have an MGM Channel. I used to have it before I switched to sorry @$$ DirecTV. It’s cheaper to have in these tough times, but I’ve really been missing Dish Network lately. Drum (The Mandingo sequel) was one of the more memorable movies I remember seeing on the channel.
BTW, the Elvis Mitchell/QT episode just so happens to come back on tomorrow night.
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Yeah I saw that on google and almost fell outta my chair. I’d been wanting to see it for a while and the one on the Archive won’t play on my computer. Very excited.
But HOLD ON! There’s a sequel to Mandingo! I’ve never looked or thought they would do one but I loved the first one! I’m gonna go looking around.
I liked Drum a lot more than Mandingo. Warren Oates kicks Perry King’s ass any day of the week, but I’m sure everyone knows that by now 8)
I remembered Death Rides A Horse aired on that channel too. But since this is a TCM topic, it’s no surprise that TCM aired it as well on that spaghetti marathon I mentioned in the first post. That was the first time I ever saw it in widescreen too.
[quote=“LT. Ordell Rodriguez”]
If we have one I don’t know about it. I doubt there is one. How does it work?
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It’s a pay-TV channel on digital TV, and I think it might be on german cable too. It plays movies owned by MGM (they own about 25 shitloads of movies. they bought a lot of movies from other companies) Everything from classics to exploitation. I’ve seen so many obscure and unknown movies on that channel, movies that have like 10 IMDb votes, haha
I think they play Mandingo on MGM here. I’ve seen a lot of “black movies” on that channel. Last one was J.D.'s revenge.
Oh, and original language is optional of course. Which is english, most of the time.
I think we have one of those in “french-canada”. 
Sounds cool but I am already paying too much for the damn cable. Anyway with an internet acces you can have access to pretty much every movie ever made ( I do doubt about the 10 votes IMDB ones thought ), so there is no point really. Torrents + wikipedia is the best combo. And you can actually rewatch them whenever you want. Good quality too. I ahve been doing this for 3 years and each time I am thinking it’s the best invention ever. Instant culture at your fingertips, on command. Life is good.
[quote=“Laydback”]
I liked Drum a lot more than Mandingo. Warren Oates kicks Perry King’s ass any day of the week, but I’m sure everyone knows that by now 8)
I remembered Death Rides A Horse aired on that channel too. But since this is a TCM topic, it’s no surprise that TCM aired it as well on that spaghetti marathon I mentioned in the first post. That was the first time I ever saw it in widescreen too.
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Wow, better than Mandingo ;D? I’ll have to check it out, I love me some southern movies.
I’ve been inspired a little. I usually just watch what’s on but I’m gonna go check out the monthly schedule and see what’s on. If something like Death Rides A Horse is gonna be showing there’s no way in hell I’m gonna miss that!
I’ve been watching TCM for about three years now, I think I first saw the show at around 2006 - on and off because I didn’t have cable TV, I was around 17 years old at the time. I mean come to think of it I developed my affinity for film after the Kill Bill movies.
But anyways, I think the first film I saw was Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, the remake version with Spencer Tracy, Ingrid Bergman, and Lana Turner. I loved Ingrid in that movie so much because she plays the role in a very racy manner - that and Gaslight are both very racy performances.
The show also premiered Johnny Guitar with Joan Crawford, and may I say she looked completely hideous in that role, but it was still a very good one. I was also turned to Judy Garland after watching The Harvey Girls and the George Cukor one called A Star is Born, where Judy rises to stardom in an epic musical.
White Zombie was really the first zombie film ever made by the Halperin brothers. I’ve seen the flick quite a few times and I think it’s too bad that the film has not been restored, I think the print of the film must have deteriorated by now, so any hopes of a restoration may be lost. And if you look at King Of The Zombies, there is a shot of the Lugosi eyes that appear in White Zombie.
The print that of White Zombie TCM has played in recent times (Courtesy of The Roan Group) is the best the movie will ever appear to be. Like you said, a restoration regarding the original negative is likely to be lost.
I was surprised at the climactic violence in Johnny Guitar. I’m just not used to seeing characters get shot in the head from films of this era!
yea, TCM is a great channel, sometimes i’ll just leave it on when i sleep or when i just need something playing in the background
[quote=“Movie_Villain”]
yea, TCM is a great channel, sometimes i’ll just leave it on when i sleep or when i just need something playing in the background
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It’s my background channel too.