Saturday, October 25, 2008

TCM News

Alec Baldwin has been named the cohost of the next season of THE ESSENTIALS, TCM's Saturday night showcase of top classic movies.

The season starts in March.

You could say I'm unenthused about this pick, to put it mildly. Fortunately the movies shown in this series are so well-known that typically I've already seen those films which interest me.

Much more exciting news is a special coming up on TCM in December: THE AGE OF BELIEVING: THE DISNEY LIVE-ACTION CLASSICS. It premieres on TCM on Sunday, December 14th.

The Disney special will be narrated by Angela Lansbury. Participants include Dick Van Dyke, Kurt Russell, Lesley Ann Warren, Tim Conway, Dean Jones, and Disney/film historian Leonard Maltin.

TCM will devote Sundays in December to many Disney live-action films, including THE SWISS FAMILY ROBINSON, OLD YELLER, POLLYANNA, THE PARENT TRAP, 20,000 LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA, THE ABSENT-MINDED PROFESSOR, BEDKNOBS AND BROOMSTICKS, and many more.

2 Comments:

Blogger J.C. Loophole said...

I know. Alex is hard for me to swallow most times. But I will say this for him: when he stays away from politics he is a funny guy and can act.
Also I enjoyed the interview he conducted with Gene Wilder for TCM earlier this year. Underwhelmed, yes- but I can understand the pick. Like Rose McGowan, it is an attempt to contect to viewers who may not be knowledgable or as interested in classic films. It may make more people interested. IF Alec can stay away from shooting his mouth of, it might be interesting.
I, however, would be interested in a co-host who was perhaps a player in classic hollywood- maybe even a lesser known star. Can you imagine the picks and the stories. Or maybe even a Leonard Maltin?

One of these days they are going to coax Olivia DeHavilland away from Paris for a Private Screenings or something. I remember asking Robert Osbourne about that when I interviewed him, and he said it's one of those things that it is expensive to fly her in, etc. They would want to try and catch her when she is head here on schedule for other things as well.

11:00 AM  
Blogger Laura said...

I hope they catch DeHavilland before it's too late. :) I wonder if Joan Fontaine gives interviews anymore? She would be a great interview as well.

I've often wondered why he doesn't sit down with someone like Maureen O'Hara, too. She has a great memory and is very articulate.

I'd love Leonard Maltin chatting with Osborne...he knows so many great stories. That's the kind of pick that would entice someone like me, who's already familiar with the "Essentials," to watch. I hope you're right that cohosts like McGowan and Baldwin are drawing new viewers to these movies; in that case it might be worth it for the movies to get wider exposure.

Best wishes,
Laura

11:26 AM  

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