A Tivo weekend

Knocked six films off the list this weekend! At this rate, I'll be done by, mm, March of next year. If I watch six movies a day. Oy.

Imitation of Life (1959) Pretty melodramatic by today's standards, but probably pretty progressive for 1959. Could Sandra Dee be any more annoying? Then again, her character is supposed to be 16, so, yeah, annoying works. Nicely shot.

Captains Courageous (1937) It wasn't until the kid gets rescued by the fishing boat that I realized I'd read the book as a child. The captain's name -- Disco -- stuck out in 1976, for some reason. Freddie Bartholomew deserved the Oscar, even though Spencer Tracy's performance was impressive as well. In an era when child actors were SO over the top, Bartholomew shows a considerable arc.

In Old Chicago (1937) Ok, so I'm a student of film. Or at least like to pretend that I am. But some of these pre-1940 films are pretty unbearable. Sappy beyond belief, with blubbering children crying over the deaths of noble dads, utterly predictable storylines, but, in all fairness, a very nice job at special effects for 1937. But I simply have to mix some newer stuff in with these TCM-captures from the 20s and 30s, or I'm never going to finish this project.

Dr. Jekly and Mr. Hyde (1931) ..then again, every once in a while you stumble across an old gem. By now we all know the story, but doggone it if Frederic March doesn't pull off the job. Very clever use of filters and makeup to create the transition. I especially liked how March's speech was so slurred due to the dental work -- seemed authentic. Interesting how they pronounced it "Jee-kel" vs. "Jeh-kel." I wonder which is right?

Wag the Dog (1997) Before there was Harry Turtledove, there was SNL and "What if Napolean had a B-52?" So here we are with "What if Robert Altman directed The West Wing?" Can't believe it took me this long to see this film. Politics and Hollywood, does it get any better? Well no, unless Willy Nelson strums his Martin and sings "Albania, Albania..." "Hey, it rhymes."

Nell (1994) So this mountain woman who's never been out of her cabin and has only seen two people in her entire life still finds the time shave her pits and legs. Suspension of disbelief, I know, I know.

Next up: Some more oldies from TCM. Better brew some coffee...