Thursday: 10 Feb
The Truth About Cats and Dogs [e.tv.20.30]
Ragtime [SABC3.00.30]
Swashbuckler [SABC3.02.30]
Friday: 11 Feb
The Sugarland Express [SABC3.22.00]
Married Life [M-Net.02.00]
Saturday: 12 Feb
Last Chance Harvey [M-Net.20.40]
Pretty Woman [SABC3.21.30]
The World According to Garp [SABC3.01.30]
The Muppets Take Manhattan [e.tv.14.00]
Shining Through [e.tv.22.05]
Sunday: 13 Feb
Elvis Has Left the Building [SABC3.22.00]
MAKING HASTE-THE ROAD RUNNER
The Bugs Bunny/ Road Runner Movie [SABC3.14.00]
All About Steve [M-Net.20.05]
Somewhere In Time [SABC1.22.00]
Monday: 14 Feb
Dirty Dancing [SABC2.22.00]
The Majestic [SABC3.01.15]
Tuesday: 15 Feb
Last Chance Harvey [M-Net.01.50]
AN INSPIRATION FOR MANY A MOVIE
All film plots come from somewhere from someone’s imagination; adaptations of television shows, hit stage shows from Broadway, London and elsewhere. There are stories reflecting true life, often from the probing pens of investigative journalists or sometimes, just an outline, scribbled on a piece of loo paper at the moment an idea takes hold. But, by enlarge; the majority of ideas come from novels; ancient and modern.
AMERICAN WRITER E.L. DOCTOROW
There are several movies this week, transferred from the pages of novels, including three of my all time favourites. Two of the movies are highly regarded; the third holds a special sentimental place in my heart.
CAGNEY WAS 81 WHEN HE STARRED IN RAGTIME
E. L. Doctorow published Ragtime [SABC3.Thursday.00.30] in 1975, a vast saga of intertwining emotions; set firmly in the first decade of the 20th century. Milos Foreman scored quite a coup when he managed to entice Jimmy Cagney out of retirement to play one of the leads.
MILOS FOREMAN AS A YOUNG BLOOD
Foreman, behind the camera in Ragtime, is at his overblown best; that’s how he works. Some of his work gels, some doesn’t. Even if you don’t like him, he is a difficult man to ignore, One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Hair and Amadeus are among his checkered list of achievements. To me, he is Polanski with more than a hint of Ken Russell- Ragtime, as a movie, may meander but doesn’t stray.
HOWARD ROLLINS WAS ONLY 46 WHEN HE DIED
In many ways the film is given structure by Randy Newman’s wonderfully emotive score- Jenny Warnes sings Newman's Oscar nominated song One More Hour.See the movie and then find a copy of the novel. On a purely personal level, Ragtime was, sadly, the finest cinematic moment of Howard E. Rollins.
GOLDIE HAWN WATCHES WILLIAM ATHERTON MAKE A POINT
I see that The Sugerland Express is on [SABC3.Friday.22.00]; with Goldie Hawn giving one of her best early performances. This story was based on fact, all about unconventional young parents trying to reunite with their biological child.
NOTE THE T-SHIRT
It was directed by one Steven Spielberg, right at the very beginning of his long and illustrious career. The feel is very 70s in style and execution, but well crafted; there are definite signs of things to come.
GLENN CLOSE WITH HER SON
Against all odds, John Irving’s life changing novel, The World According to Garp [SABC3.Saturday.01.30] translated into a humdinger of a movie. Robin Williams has never given a better performance and Glenn Close, on debut here, plays his mother; she embodies everything Jenny Fields was in the novel and more. Look out for Jessica Tandy and Hume Cronyn, as well as John Lithgow,
marvellous as Rebecca.
AMANDA WITH HER DAD; REMEMBER HER AS LENNIE'S GIRLFRIEND IN L. A. LAW?
A moment of Trivia Time: Amanda Plummer, very young in 1982, is the real life daughter of Christopher Plummer. By the way, whatever happened to Mary Beth Hurt?; funny how some turn into stars, while others, just as talented, don’t. Getting back to the movie, I’m not inclined to gush, but Garp isn’t a film; it is an experience.
KRISTIN AND JEFF
Robin Williams never really topped his title role in Garp. Never daunted; he has been playing variations on our funny bones for years and years. And, yes, he is very popular. He isn’t bad in RV [e.tv.Saturday.20.00 and 02.45], as the harassed camping father; but the film is both obvious and fragmented. The best thing about it is Jeff Daniels and Kristin Chenowoth, who are very funny as the traveling companions from hell.
ONE OF MY 'DESERT ISLAND' BOOKS
I remember reading Richard Matheson’s Bid Time Return many years ago, mainly because I was fascinated by The Incredible Shrinking Man. I wasn’t expecting one of the best love stories I’d ever read. The film version was made in 1980, and retitled Somewhere in Time [SABC1.Sunday.22.00].
SEYMOUR AND REEVE WERE GREAT FRIENDS IN REAL LIFE-ONE OF HER SONS IS NAMED FOR HIM
The unlikely stars were Chris Reeve and Jane Seymour; both very popular at the time. Actually, they both acquit themselves rather well and Christopher Plummer makes a stupendous villain. There is such a feeling of longing and intense inevitability that I weep whenever I see it. Better still, read the novel, it is a cracker.
HOFFMAN AND THOMPSON GENERATE A SPECIAL MAGIC
Another impressive, more modern love story is Last Chance Harvey [M-Net.Saturday.20.40 and Tuesday.01.50] with an exquisite performance from Dustin Hoffman; who is mainly playing character roles these days. On that note; let’s not mention The Little Fockers, shall we!
LOVE CAN COME TO ANYONE...
Here, as a lonely man snatching at a last chance of happiness, he is met and matched by Emma Thompson, who is better now than she ever has been. The movie is affirming, joyous and quite, quite glorious.
LOTS OF FUN WITH UMA AND JANEANE
The Truth About Cats and Dogs [e.tv.Thursday.20.30] is for all those who love radio and animals; not necessarily in that order. An added attraction is Uma Thurman coupled with a sweetly winning performance from Janeane Garofalo.
JENNIFER WARNES SHARES A RECORD WITH FRANK SINATRA. THEY HAVE BOTH SUNG THREE ACADEMY AWARD WINNERS
There are quite a few reruns this week, including perennials Pretty Woman [SABC3.Saturday.21.30], Dirty Dancing [SABC2.Monday.22.00] etc.Both Pretty Woman and Dirty Dancing have terrific soundtracks-Jennifer Warnes sang the Oscar Winning (I'm Having) the Time of My Life with Bill Medley in Dirty Dancing.
THE WHOLE CAST SHINES-COOPER TOASTS PIERCE BROSNAN, CLARKSON AND RACHEL MCADAMS
I thought that Married Life [M-Net.Friday.02.00], based on John Bingham’s Five Roundabouts to Heaven was worth another mention. In this rather pleasing little film noir, set three years after WW2 ended, there are standout performances from all, especially Chris Cooper and Patricia Clarkson.
IF THIS STILL LOOKS FAMILIAR...
Susan Isaacs is not a Mills and Boon writer; for the main part, her plots are stronger and less predictable. Shining Through [e.tv.Saturday.22.05] stars Michael Douglas and Melanie Griffith (almost as delightful as she was in Working Girl.)
IT SHOULD BE- BOGIE WITH BERGMAN
Spies and undercover drama set during WW2 are a little hard to swallow, but the supporting cast, mainly British, are wonderful to watch. There are steely performances from Liam Neeson, his sister in law; the very lovely Joely Richardson, John Guilgud and Sylvia Sims.
JIM CARREY EVEN MANAGES TO WALK LIKE JIMMY STEWART.MARTIN LANDAU SMILES ON HIS LEFT
Of course, History (the cap is mine) has provided movie makers with screen fodder for ages, the events often manipulated to beef up reality and provide unlikely things like happy endings. The Majestic [SABC3.Monday.01.15] is not bad at all, echoing as it does, Hollywood writing during the McCarthy era.
MARTIN LANDAU AS BELA LUGOSI
Jim Carrey is very James Stewart in this one, and Martin Landau is a stand out as the cinema owner who thinks Carrey is his long lost son. Remember Landau as Bela Lugosi in Ed Wood? Or better still, when he trod on Cary Grant’s fingers in North by NorthWest?
ELVIS NEAR THE END OF HIS CAREER
Elvis Presley is as much part of American History as the Gettysburg Address. After his death in 1977, all sorts of strange cults began to spring up—one of the most endearing and enduring is that of the Elvis Impersonator.
A PRESLEY OF ELVIS'S?
I often dream I’m stuck in a room full of paunchy men in white cat suits. See how Kim Basinger manages after she accidentally wipes three of them out in Elvis Has Left the Building [SABC3.Sunday.22.00].Do they hunt in packs…?
all_about_steve_sandra_bullock_1.jpg)
SANDY IS A SWEETIE-MAKES SOME STRANGE CAREER CHOICES THOUGH!
I think All About Steve [M-Web.Sunday.20.05] is meant to be a comedy, but audiences were laughing for all the wrong reasons. Sandra Bullock set a record which is unlikely to be challenged in her lifetime; or anyone else’s, come to that.
A FORTUITOUS OSCAR LAST YEAR
She won a Rassie for All About Steve on the Sunday and an Oscar for The Blind Side on the Monday. This says something about awards in general and the Oscars in particular.
ERROL IN HIS SWASHBUCKLING PRIME
I don’t know where Swashbuckler [SABC3.Thursday.02.30] came from; it dates from 1976, so maybe somebody thought it was a classic. Wrong! Although it stars Robert Shaw, James Earl Jones, Anjelica Huston, Beau Bridges etc., etc.; it is an unmitigated load of rubbish and an insult to the memory of Errol Flynn and Douglas Fairbanks, both pere and fils!
KERMIT AND FRIENDS
I’m going to end on a really funny note, I love Kermit and Miss Piggy and the whole bang shoot. This week, The Muppets Take Manhattan [e.tv.Saturday.14.00] with aplomb.
WHATS UP DOC?
The Bugs Bunny/ Road Runner Movie [SABC3.Sunday.14.30] was put together from classic Warner Bros footage from yesteryear. This is an ideal opportunity to enjoy cartoons from a golden era. The artform is a difficult and demanding one, all power to the talented people who create them; then and now.
DUSTIN HOFFMAN IS A FINE ACTOR; BETTER THAN MOST
My pick, leaving my little pets aside is Last Chance Harvey [M-Net.Saturday.20.40 and Tuesday. 01.50]