WI: No Turner Classic Movies

In honor of the 25th Anniversary this past week...;)

What happens to Robert Osborn & Ben Mankiewitz? And all those old movies?
 
phx,

Don't scare me. I had to go to the television set and verify that TCM is still there. It is, tho sadly Robert Osborne is no longer with us.

Love the old movies and check frequently for favorites or those I've just heard about. Hope to see an old girlfriend whose one movie was a now apparently lost '52 SciFi post WW-3 cave person thing.

Guess everyone agrees that the original Merian C. Cooper "King Kong" is the best movie ever!

Dynasoar
 
phx,

Don't scare me. I had to go to the television set and verify that TCM is still there.
Sorry about that, Chief.:oops::oops: (It is a WI, tho....;))

I'm less a fan of the old movies, but it was good to see a few I'd never managed, & a few more it's been decades since I saw. (And apologies to Mr. O for spelling his name wrong.:oops::oops: )
 
You know, I'm sick of all these grimdark dystopias that keep popping up on the board.:winkytongue:

Seriously though, AMC preceded TCM with this idea. With the idea kicking around, seems like a great low-hanging fruit to put licensed film libraries on a channel to stick into a cable package. Even if AMC still changes, someone's going to pull a Turner on this one.
 

Driftless

Donor
Well, if there had been no TCM on cable, then I would have saved a few thousand dollars NOT retaining cable for the house over the last decades. Old fart rant: Cable TV has sucked swamp water in this millennium. I cut the cord two years ago and the only thing I really miss is TCM and the Milwaukee Bucks games.... The only redeeming virtues it had was live sports, the Disney Channel, and TCM, the rest is dreck IMO. AMC started well, then wandered.

When Cable as we know it finally crumbles - and it will, they(whoever they are...) will need a subscription streaming service to carry the torch for old movies and someone knowledgeable to offer historical & cultural context. That well educated commentary is what really separates TCM from other avenues showing old movies.
 
Well, if there had been no TCM on cable, then I would have saved a few thousand dollars NOT retaining cable for the house over the last decades. Old fart rant: Cable TV has sucked swamp water in this millennium. I cut the cord two years ago and the only thing I really miss is TCM and the Milwaukee Bucks games.... The only redeeming virtues it had was live sports, the Disney Channel, and TCM, the rest is dreck IMO. AMC started well, then wandered.

When Cable as we know it finally crumbles - and it will, they(whoever they are...) will need a subscription streaming service to carry the torch for old movies and someone knowledgeable to offer historical & cultural context. That well educated commentary is what really separates TCM from other avenues showing old movies.

It was called Filmstruck (literally TCM’s library plus the Criterion Collection) and it died last year. Criterion is back with a standalone service. The TCM library would make a tempting addition to a streaming platform if one of the big players wanted the license. Or if Warner goes off and makes its own. The problem with that is their offerings outside TCM are so eclectic.
 
Guess everyone agrees that the original Merian C. Cooper "King Kong" is the best movie ever!
I don't agree! ;)

King Kong is without a doubt a great film that influenced the development of Hollywood and world cinema. However, it must be admitted that the film isn't without flaws, and its attributes are reminiscent of a completely standard blockbuster (not surprising that Peter Jackson took a remake). Another thing "Nosferatu - Symphony of Horror" - this film is unique! :love:
 
It's a What If. I'm not advocating for it to be taken down.:eek: If it never existed, there's a bunch of movies I'd never have gotten to see, or even known about.:oops: (Unfortunately, I can't name them all...:oops: )

How you could even imagine such a foul thing? Are you trying to destroy what little TV watching I still enjoy? How monstrous, how fiendish. Splutter splutter growl. :)
 

Driftless

Donor
Other venues have long shown old movies, especially old horror and 50's sci-fi; but most often just as late night filler. Great fun, but limited.

I think you can give TCM a ton of credit for generating or extending interest in a variety of (usually) older movies to a new generation, that probably wouldn't have happened otherwise. From what I understand, that interest has also indirectly aided more funding for film preservation, that might not have been there. That boost in interest comes from seeing the films themselves, AND I think from the knowledgable explanations by Robert Osborne and the other hosts. The brief context setups for individual movies and the more extended conversations both help enhance the viewing. I know in my case, I have really enjoyed watching some of the silents: Buster Keaton, Harold Lloyd, Douglas Fairbanks Sr., etc. The stories are great and the choreography of the stunts was an eye-opener for me.

Surprisingly, I think you can make a case for TCM being an educational channel.

(Thus endeth the sermon for today....:biggrin:)
 
It's a What If. I'm not advocating for it to be taken down.:eek: If it never existed, there's a bunch of movies I'd never have gotten to see, or even known about.:oops: (Unfortunately, I can't name them all...:oops: )
you completely misread my post then :p
 
you completely misread my post then :p
It wouldn't be the first time.;)
Other venues have long shown old movies, especially old horror and 50's sci-fi; but most often just as late night filler. Great fun, but limited.

I think you can give TCM a ton of credit for generating or extending interest in a variety of (usually) older movies to a new generation, that probably wouldn't have happened otherwise. From what I understand, that interest has also indirectly aided more funding for film preservation, that might not have been there. That boost in interest comes from seeing the films themselves, AND I think from the knowledgable explanations by Robert Osborne and the other hosts. The brief context setups for individual movies and the more extended conversations both help enhance the viewing. I know in my case, I have really enjoyed watching some of the silents: Buster Keaton, Harold Lloyd, Douglas Fairbanks Sr., etc. The stories are great and the choreography of the stunts was an eye-opener for me.

Surprisingly, I think you can make a case for TCM being an educational channel.

(Thus endeth the sermon for today....:biggrin:)
I watch a lot of the setups Ben Mankiewitz & Eddie Muller do just for that, & don't watch the movies at all. (Just don't tell TCM. ;))
 
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