Television

Rare Musicals on TCM — October 2013

Some interesting stuff this month, partly owing to a “Bob’s Picks” day with some great selections, and partly owing to the fact that I actually read the synopses and cast lists this month. Picking through my DVR I’ve been surprised a few times by something I’d start watching, only to discover that one of my favorite actors or actresses had a bit part in it that I never expected. And I’d let out a grateful sigh, extremely lucky that I hadn’t just deleted it into the ether. Knowledge is power!

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That's Entertainment

A Date with Judy (1948)

One of the loveliest surprises in watching vintage movies is picking something at mostly-random–a poster, or an actor, or a general feeling–and having it turn out to contain something much deeper than your original shallow intentions.

That’s what happened to me and A Date with Judy, a choice I plucked somewhat randomly from the Netflix queue–mostly because I recognized the title from scouring theĀ That’s Entertainment list, and when I saw that it combined the forces of Elizbaeth Taylor and Jane Powell, my subconscious lizard brain took over, and the next thing I knew, I was inserting the disc into my DVD player.

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Film In Depth

Watching “Dated” Movies… The Tender Trap (1955)

It’s funny how, no matter what year a movie actually came out, it can only take a few lines to cement its place as a timeless classic–or damn it as a dated time capsule. Not that there’s anything inherently wrong with a movie being “dated,” but it can be yet another barrier for modern viewers trying to enjoy a film in as much of its original context as possible.

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Film Reviews

The [Plural Nouns] of [French Town] (1964, 1967)

I’m taking a step back from a somewhat overwhelming stockpile of musicals in my DVR to get back to the basics, continuing on my “That’s Entertainment” list and just generally being open to watching new things, without the threat of Warning! Your DVR is currently 98% full!. That’s not the most conducive environment for watching films, so I’m going to go through my list and identify those that are most important to my overall education.

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