TCM Schedule for Saturday, December 10, 2016 -- What's On Tonight - Stop-motion Animation

[Staph]

Last edited Thu Dec 8, 2016, 03:54 PM - Edit history (1)

Tonight's not-really-the-Essentials films are a trio of films that display the best of stop-motion animation, including the granddaddy of them all - King Kong (1933). Enjoy!


6:30 AM -- ON BORROWED TIME (1939)
An old man and his grandson trap Death in a tree.
Dir: Harold S. Bucquet
Cast: Lionel Barrymore, Sir Cedric Hardwicke, Beulah Bondi
BW-99 mins, CC,

The original Broadway production of "On Borrowed Time" by Paul Osborn opened at the Longacre Theater on February 3, 1938, closing in November 1938 after 321 performances. The major players (with their character names) were Dudley Digges (Julian Northrup - Gramps), Frank Conroy (Mr. Brinks), Dorothy Stickney (Nellie - Granny), Jean Adair (Demetria Riffle) and Peter Miner (Pud).


8:19 AM -- OVER THE ANDES (1943)
This short film takes the viewer to the Andes mountains.
C-9 mins,


8:30 AM -- BLITHE SPIRIT (1945)
A man and his second wife are haunted by the ghost of his first wife.
Dir: David Lean
Cast: Rex Harrison, Constance Cummings, Kay Hammond
C-96 mins,

Won an Oscar for Best Effects, Special Effects -- Tom Howard (visual)

David Lean and cinematographer Ronald Neame decided not to use double exposure to create Elvira's ghostly appearances. Instead, Lean created an enormous set that allowed Kay Hammond to move freely in each shot. Hammond wore fluorescent green clothes, makeup, and a wig, with bright red lipstick and fingernail polish. Each time she moved, a special light would be directed on her, allowing her figure to glow even in dimly-lit scenes, and giving her an otherworldly appearance.


10:09 AM -- AT HOME WITH JOAN CRAWFORD (1953)
In this short film, Joan Crawford urges the audience to donate to the Jimmy Fund to end childhood cancer.
BW-4 mins,


10:19 AM -- ROMANTIC NEVADA (1943)
This short film takes the viewer to Nevada, with looks at the natural wonders of the state and the city of Reno.
C-9 mins,


10:30 AM -- CRASHING LAS VEGAS (1956)
When an electric shock turns one of them into a psychic, the Bowery Boys invade Las Vegas.
Dir: Jean Yarbrough
Cast: Leo Gorcey, Huntz Hall, Mary Castle
BW-62 mins, CC,

This was the first film that Leo Gorcey made after the death of his father Bernard Gorcey (who played Louis). Leo left the series and this became his last starring role.


11:34 AM -- SO YOU WANT TO BE A GAMBLER (1948)
This comedic short takes a look at the pitfalls of gambling. Vitaphone Release 1630A.
Dir: Richard Bare
Cast: George O'Hanlon,
BW-11 mins,


12:00 PM -- VIVA LAS VEGAS (1964)
A race-car driver falls for a pretty swimming instructor who wants him to slow down his career.
Dir: George Sidney
Cast: Elvis Presley, Ann-Margret, Cesare Danova
C-85 mins, CC, Letterbox Format

The Japanese cartoon character Speed Racer's appearance was partly based on Presley's character Lucky Jackson, complete with a pompadour hairstyle and gadget filled car.


1:34 PM -- MEETING THE CHALLENGE: INTERNATIONAL VELVET (1978)
This promotional short for the film "International Velvet" (1978) offers a behind-the-scenes look at how actress Tatum O'Neal prepared for her role.
Dir: Ronald Saland
C-9 mins,


1:45 PM -- COAL MINER'S DAUGHTER (1980)
Musical autobiography of Loretta Lynn, who fought poverty and pills to become a country western star.
Dir: Michael Apted
Cast: Sissy Spacek, Beverly D'Angelo, Levon Helm
C-124 mins, CC, Letterbox Format

Won an Oscar for Best Actress in a Leading Role -- Sissy Spacek

Nominated for Oscars for Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium -- Thomas Rickman, Best Cinematography -- Ralf D. Bode, Best Art Direction-Set Decoration -- John W. Corso and John M. Dwyer, Best Sound -- Richard Portman, Roger Heman Jr. and James R. Alexander, Best Film Editing -- Arthur Schmidt, and Best Picture

According to Loretta Lynn, her husband Doolittle wanted nothing to do with Tommy Lee Jones, who was playing him, until shortly before shooting began in Butcher Holler. Jones rented a Jeep, got drunk on moonshine and went tearing through the town in the vehicle, only to get arrested for drunk driving, beat up for resisting arrest and jailed. Doolittle liked him immediately after that.


4:00 PM -- LASSIE COME HOME (1943)
A faithful collie undertakes an arduous journey to return to her lost family.
Dir: Fred M. Wilcox
Cast: Roddy McDowall, Donald Crisp, Dame May Whitty
C-89 mins, CC,

Nominated for an Oscar for Best Cinematography, Color -- Leonard Smith

Elizabeth Taylor replaced Maria Flynn for the role of Priscilla. Some sources say Flynn was afraid of the dog on the set. Others say that she grew taller than Roddy McDowall or that the strong Technicolor lighting caused her eyes to water. In any case, production was halted. The producer was walking the 600 block of North Foothill Road in Beverly Hills doing his nightly patrol as an air raid warden when he met Francis Taylor, who patrolled the 700 block. Knowing he and Sara wanted to get their daughter into the movies, he asked him to bring Elizabeth to the studio. There she was introduced to Lassie and the production resumed.


5:45 PM -- GUNGA DIN (1939)
Three British soldiers seek treasure during an uprising in India.
Dir: George Stevens
Cast: Cary Grant, Victor McLaglen, Douglas Fairbanks
BW-117 mins, CC,

Nominated for an Oscar for Best Cinematography, Black-and-White -- Joseph H. August

Sabu was first choice to play Gunga Din; when it became clear he was unavailable, Sam Jaffe was hired in his place. In an interview years later, Jaffe (a Jewish Russian-American) was asked how he so convincingly played an Indian Muslim. Jaffe replied he kept telling himself to "Think Sabu."


7:51 PM -- HOME EARLY (1939)
In this short film, a businessman goes home early to surprise his family and is treated with suspicion by his wife's bridge club.
Dir: Roy Rowland
Cast: Jimmy Lydon, Robert Benchley,
BW-9 mins,



TCM PRIMETIME - WHAT'S ON TONIGHT: STOP-MOTION ANIMATION



8:00 PM -- KING KONG (1933)
A film crew discovers the "eighth wonder of the world," a giant prehistoric ape, and brings him back to New York, where he wreaks havoc.
Dir: Merian C. Cooper
Cast: Fay Wray, Robert Armstrong, Bruce Cabot
BW-104 mins, CC,

The trees and plants in the background on the stop-motion animation sets were a combination of metal models and real plants. One day during filming, a flower on the miniature set bloomed without anyone noticing. The error in continuity was not noticed until the film was developed and shown. While Kong moved, a time-lapse effect showed the flower coming into full bloom, and an entire day of animation was lost.


9:50 PM -- A LOOK INTO THE 23RD CENTURY (1976)
This promotional short gives a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the science fiction classic "Logan's Run" (1976).
Dir: Ronald Saland
C-9 mins,


10:00 PM -- CLASH OF THE TITANS (1981)
A Greek hero fights a series of monsters, including the dreaded gorgon, to win the woman he loves.
Dir: Desmond Davis
Cast: Laurence Olivier, Harry Hamlin, Claire Bloom
C-118 mins, CC,

The final feature film of producer Charles H. Schneer, actor Donald Houston and actresses Flora Robson and Freda Jackson, who played two of the three Stygian Witches. This big budget 1981 release also became the last feature film for which Ray Harryhausen created the special effects. It was also the only one in which he had assistants.


12:06 AM -- THE "SHE" STORY (1965)
This short documentary provides a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the epic "She" (1965).
BW-7 mins,


12:15 AM -- ONE MILLION YEARS B.C. (1966)
A rebellious caveman leaves his tribe in search of a better life.
Dir: Don Chaffey
Cast: Raquel Welch, John Richardson, Percy Herbert
C-100 mins, CC,

It is interesting to note that, in the 26-year partnership between producer Charles H. Schneer and special effects artist Ray Harryhausen, "One Million Years B.C." is one of just two films (the other being The Animal World (1956)) of Harryhausen's work during that time frame which Schneer did not produce.


2:00 AM -- DEATHWATCH (1980)
A man has camera implanted in his brain and is hired by a television producer to film a documentary of dying woman without her consent.
Dir: Bertrand Tavernier
Cast: Romy Schneider, Harvey Keitel, Harry Dean Stanton
C-150 mins,

At one point of the film, the character played by Max von Sydow tells some historical facts about the Medieval French composer Robert De Bauleac while listening to one of his work on a record player. When the film was released, a good number of music lovers tried to get a copy of the very same record in specialized stores which could never provide any for a very good reason: Robert De Bauleac has never existed and the composition heard in the film is none other than Antoine Duhamel's work. However this piece of music, "Robert De Bauleac's Lament", has been since available as part of the complete movie soundtrack.


4:19 AM -- THE COMEDIANS IN AFRICA (1967)
A behind the scenes short film detailing the making of "The Comedians" (1967).
Dir: Peter Glenville
C-11 mins,


4:30 AM -- THE SORCERERS (1967)
A great hypnotist develops a technique for controlling minds.
Dir: Michael Reeves
Cast: Boris Karloff, Catherine Lacey, Ian Ogilvy
C-86 mins, CC,

In the scene with the exploding car, the fire apparently got so out of control that the real police and fire brigade were on their way. The film crew had to get the shot and leave in a hurry, as they had not obtained any permission from anyone to shoot the scene.