Screening: On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (1969) At The TCM Festival.

George Lazenby will introduce my favorite James Bond movie, On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (1969), during the TCM Film Festival in March. This was just announced, so there’s no date or time yet.

There are so many things that make this a special Bond film. Lazenby himself, who I wish had stuck with the franchise. A great Blofeld (Telly Savales) and a terrific Bond girl (Diana Rigg). John Barry’s best Bond score. Peter Hunt’s tight direction. The incredible ski and bobsled sequences. The 1969 Aston Martin DBS. And a mean streak a mile wide (a guy falls into the path of a snow plow). It seems weird to call a James Bond picture a cult film, but this one fits the bill.

The Stalking Moon offers up a great blog post on the many merits of OHMSS.

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TCM Alert: That Old Sinking Feeling.

Grab a life vest, a bowl of popcorn and a box of Raisinets. Because tonight, TCM is going down with the ships.

The Poseidon Adventure (1972) was a huge deal when I was growing up. I remember the TV spots and poster (“Hell, upside down”) hanging outside the theater in Thomasville, Georgia. I couldn’t wait to see it. It begins as a soap opera, then puts the entire cast through absolute hell. Movies don’t get much more entertaining than this one.

A Night To Remember (1958) did more on its modest budget more than the newer Titanic picture accomplished with an endless supply of cash. (Don’t get me started on that thing.) A Night To Remember masterfully combines history, social commentary, excitement, heartbreak and suspense — even though we know how it’s gonna end — and made me the Titanic geek I am today. There are so many incredible touches in this film, courtesy of Roy Ward Baker’s assured direction. For instance, the serving cart that appears throughout to illustrate the listing of the ship — it sails across the room and crashes into the wall just as all hell breaks loose among the passengers still on board. Of course, the events of April, 1912 are a great story — and this is a great example of storytelling on film. One of the most powerful movies I’ve ever seen. (The public library here in Raleigh had a gorgeous 16mm print of A Night To Remember that I checked out several times. Heard later that all those prints were pitched into the dumpster.)

DVR Alert: Tonight On TCM.

Three great 70s road movies, tonight on Turner Classic Movies.

Howard Zieff’s Slither (1973, below) remains one of my favorites films. Richard B. Shull has a great couple scenes before the credits.

 

DVR Alert: Jack Webb On TCM And MeTV.

Hold the phone! As The Jack Webb Blogathon approaches, I wanted to point out that three Jack Webb pictures will appear on TCM tomorrow (10/8):
The D.I. (1957) 8 AM (EST)
30- (1959) 10 AM (EST)
The Last Time I Saw Archie (1961) 11:45 AM (EST)

Pete Kelly’s Blues (1955) will air on the 16th at 9 AM (EST).

Of course, let’s not forget that Dragnet, Adam-12 and Emergency! air weekdays on MeTV (and on DVD from Shout Factory).