preview: role model- gene wilder

I know today is probably not a typically happy day for some people. April 15th isn't known for it's levity. However, I have good news for those of you mired knee deep in W2s, 1040s, receipts and a whole bunch of other forms that I am sure are just between you and your accountant. Tonight Turner Classic Movies debuts a new series entitled Role Model, and it's initial offering features none other than actor, author and director Gene Wilder. The idea behind Role Model is to feature an actor or actress in conversation with someone they consider a role model. In tonight's special actor Alec Baldwin has a one on one conversation with the legendary Gene Wilder. In the introduction of the special Baldwin says, "I’m so grateful that Turner Classic Movies asked me to be a part of this project. I’m a big fan of the network, so I jumped at the chance when I was asked, ‘What movie star would you like to have a conversation with?" Filmed at Waveny House in New Canaan, located in Wilder’s home state of Connecticut, the conversation is relaxed, funny and at times very revealing.

The thing that struck me most about the special is how much this is a conversation, rather than a typical interview. With good reason as well. TCM Executive Producer Robert Trachtenberg has experience in this regard, having producer several excellent "conversations" for TCM including The Dick Cavett Show with Mel Brooks and directed several other great specials and documentaries such as Cary Grant: A Class Apart and Gene Kelly: Anatomy of a Dancer. But it's cozy, engaging feeling is also due to how comfortable Wilder is with Baldwin and how well the two get along. Baldwin has good instincts in this conversation/interview and is able to pull Wilder into deeper territory in talking about his life with Gilda Radner, his working relationship and friendship with Mel Brooks and Richard Pryor, and the two even banter a bit about marriage and first wives. (Uh, we won't go there.)

During the hour long special, Wilder and Baldwin talk about the theater, comedy, directing and film and Wilder's long career and current projects. Some of the most interesting parts of the conversation are Wilder discussing the early part of his career, like his experience filming Bonnie and Clyde and working with the late Lee J. Cobb on a television production of Death of a Salesman. I also enjoyed learning some behind the scenes information on his work on Young Frankenstein, especially his experience in writing the screenplay. Interesting too, was how he developed the Willy Wonka character that millions have come to know and love. Wilder says that he insisted on doing the physical bit with Wonka the limp and the cane in his first scene, or he wouldn't do the film. The director gave in and Wilder brought a classic character to the scream. When asked why it was so important to do that scene in that manner, Wilder responds, "Because after that, you don't know if he is a liar or not."

Wilder has many memories to share about Mel Brooks, Richard Pryor, Madeline Khan (who he describes as one the three greatest actresses of all time) and others. And Baldwin shares some of his own experiences too, in commiserating with Wilder over the difficulties of directing and acting in the same film, working at comedy and the joys of an audience, although Wilder says he prefers film over theater: "The thing I love about making movies is the peace of mind that I know I don’t have to be perfect the first time. I can be perfect the second time or the third time." But I don't want to reveal everything! You need to check out Role Model tonight and not only laugh, but learn about the man behind so many classic comedy roles.

Role Model leads off an entire night of Gene Wilder classics on TCM. Here is tonight's schedule:
(all times are EST- check local listings)
8 pm - Role Model: Gene Wilder
9:15 pm- The Producers
11 pm - Blazing Saddles
1 am - Encore presentation of Role Model: Gene Wilder
2:15 am - Start the Revolution Without Me

TCM continues to produce first rate original programming that is right in line with the TCM mission to show Classic Films. Shows like this and Private Screenings and others, only enhance the film lover's experience and knowledge. One can only hope to see more Role Models in the future. So put down that calculator and stubby pencil. Slip that envelope in the mail early. Then unwind and relax with Gene Wilder and TCM. Oh, yeah- don't forget to breathe. Just breathe easy. It'll be April 16th before you know it.




For what we are about to see next, we must enter quietly into the realm of genius.

happy 85th warner brothers!

This year marks 85 years of movie making for Warner Brothers Studios. They've come a long way from small beginnings with 4 brothers to the special effects blockbusters of today. They were one of several innovators and investors in sound technology, helping to push Hollywood towards sound features. Recently, WB announced they were going strictly Blu-Ray, turning another page in the ongoing changes in technology in entertainment. While the future may hold something different for us in how we watch movies, I'm fairly certain they will include great films and animation made by the many stars, animators, directors and producers of Warner Brothers.
To celebrate Warner Brothers has announced their plans for 2008, which include some re-releases and new to DVD titles and box sets. Each quarter is themed in a way, and will see the release of certain titles. Here is how the quarters will break down:

Q1 - Oscars and Warner Gangsters
Special Editions, Ultimate Collector's Editions:
Bonnie and Clyde UCE, Special Edition
GoodFellas: Special Edition
Heat: Special Edition*
Once Upon a Time in America: Special Edition
True Romance: Special Edition
Re-released box sets:
Film Noir Classics Collection: Volume 1
Film Noir Classics Collection: Volume 2
Film Noir Classics Collection: Volume 3
Film Noir Classics Collection: Volume 4
Warner Bros. Gangsters Collection Vol.1
Warner Bros. Gangsters Collection Vol.2 (formerly tough guys)
New sets:
Bette Davis Collection Vol.3
Joan Crawford Vol. 2
Warner Brothers Gangster Collection Vol. 3

Q-2 Sinatra and Dirty Harry
Special Editions, Ultimate Collector's Editions
All of the Dirty Harry films in an Ultimate Collector’s Edition set
Dirty Harry 2-Disc Special Edition (1971)
Magnum Force Deluxe Edition (1973)
The Enforcer Deluxe Edition (1976)
Sudden Impact Deluxe Edition (1983)
Dead Pool Deluxe Edition (1988)
also a bonus Disc: Clint Eastwood: Out of the Shadows
Rat Pack Ultimate Collector’s Edition
(Ocean’s Eleven, 4 for Texas, Robin and the 7 Hoods and Sergeants 3 with with an exclusive music CD and rare collectibles)
Repackaged or Re-released sets:
Frank Sinatra & Gene Kelly Collection:
(Take Me Out to the Ball Game, On the Town and
Anchor’s Aweigh)
New Sets
2 Frank Sinatra Box Sets:
Frank Sinatra:The Golden Years & The Early Years
(Containing the films: The Man with Golden Arm, None But the Brave
Some Came Running, The Tender Trap, Marriage on the Rocks
Double Dynamite, Step Lively, It Happened In Brooklyn and
The Kissing Bandit)

Q3 – Superheroes, Musicals, Westerns
Special Editions, Ultimate Collector's Editions:
Batman Begins Limited Edition Gift Set
Batman Anthology BD
How The West Was Won UCE, Special Edition
An American in Paris SE
Gigi SE
New Box sets:
Errol Flynn Westerns
Western Classics Collection
Classic Musicals From The Dream Factory Volume 3
(Including: Hit The Deck, Kismet,Deep in My Heart, Broadway Melody of 1936, Broadway Melody of 1938, Born to Dance, Lady Be Good, Nancy Goes To Rio and Two Weeks With Love)

Q4 - Horror/Sci-Fi and Holiday
Special Editions, Ultimate Collector's Editions:
A Christmas Story Ultimate Collector’s Edition
New Box sets:
Classic Horror collection with Boris Karloff and Peter Lorre
A New Warner Bros Holiday Collection

Warners also announced that there will be 50 new to DVD titles to come out this year including: All This And Heaven, Too, The Beast With Five Fingers, Black Legion, Brother Orchid, Deception, Flamingo Road, Gold Diggers Of 1937, Inside Daisy Clover, Kid Galahad, Lady Killer, The Mayor Of Hell, Night Nurse, None But The Brave, Pete Kelly’s Blues, San Antonio, Thank Your Lucky Stars, Three On A Match, Virginia City and Watch On The Rhine.

There will also be additional titles released from other film catalogs that Warners owns such as films from RKO and MGM.

To top it all off, Warner, in partnership with the American Masters series on PBS is presenting a new six hour documentary about the 85 years of Warners entitiled: You Must Remember This: The Warner Bros. Story produced, written and directed by Richard Schickel and narrated by Clint Eastwood. You Must Remember This will first be presented on American Masters in September, 2008. The documentary will be released on DVD in September 2008 alongside a 550-page full-color companion book written by Schickel and George Perry, with an introduction by Eastwood.

Although this press release comes from Warner Brothers, and I've confirmed the contents of some of the sets with them, that doesn't necessarily mean that there can't be surprises along the way. As always, we'll keep you informed. So plan accordingly and stay tuned!



Thank God for film. It can capture a performance and hold it right there forever. And if anyone says to you, "Who was he?" or, "Who was she?" or, "What made them so good?" I think a piece of film answers that question better than any words I know of.

the man is back

The trailer for Indiana Jones 4 is up and all over the net. It made your Uncle Loophole squeal like a true fanboy. The music alone and the sight of the hat made the heart race. I am all in for this one. I know Indy's getting up there and stuff, but I am, for one, glad they've incorporated that in the storyline instead of going with a different actor (impossible!) or doing a goofy "prequel". The official website for the movie is up also at this link.
Of course, I have to share the trailer with Shelfers everywhere all over the world (we do have regular readers in Europe, Asia, South America and Australia and elsewhere!). May 22nd can not get here soon enough!
Here's the trailer courtesy of Yahoo! and the official site for Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.




Stick around - we've got contest winners, a new contest and a DVD review of El Cid coming your way this weekend!



It's not the years, honey, it's the mileage.

preview: private screenings with norman jewison

You know, an awful lot of my articles begin with some sort of personal anecdote about a movie I discovered when I was a kid, and what I thought. I can't help it; I connected to movies at an early age and they fueled my imagination. Sometimes it's only years later when I learned that a bunch of films I like have a director, actor, actress, cinematographer or writer in common. Case in point: Norman Jewison. Some years ago, I learned that Jewsion was at the helm of In the Heat of the Night as well as Fiddler on the Roof. And Moonstruck, and A Soldier's Story and a great Carl Reiner satire: The Russians Are Coming, The Russians Are Coming. It wasn't until recently that I learned that he also directed a couple of great Doris Day movies that I enjoy: The Thrill of It All and Send Me No Flowers.

With some directors it's not too difficult to see patterns or preferred choices in subject matter. Jewison is a little different - he's really worked in several different genres and started out in television as well. He's tackled sensitive subjects like race and prejudice. He's deftly handled satire as well as romantic comedy. He boldly took on transferring not one, but two Broadway hit musicals to the screen. So what drives a guy like Norman Jewison? How does he pick his material? He's a great director and he's brought a lot of classic and modern classic films to the screen. I mean, In the Heat of The Night and Fiddler alone make him stand out.

As with any subject, when you look at a person's life and examine their work closely, you learn a lot about them. It's another thing altogether to listen to them in an interview with someone who knows how to ask questions, and when to back off and let them answer. Such an opportunity presents itself tonight in the form of Robert Osborne hosting another edition of TCM's great original series: Private Screenings. Tonight's episode will be an interview with Norman Jewison, which was recorded in front of a live audience at the Sarasota Film Festival this past April.

Jewison talks about his career, which began in television- first at the BBC in London, then the CBC in Canada and finally in New York. His first big break came when he was asked to direct Judy Garland's first television special, the legendary television show that had Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin as guest stars. Tony Curtis saw the show and asked Norman if wanted to direct his next film, 40 Pounds of Trouble. From there, he landed a contract with MGM, where he would direct several comedies, including several Doris Day pictures. Eager to not be typed as director of light comedies, he didn't "renew" his contract (one of his funny stories that he tells in the interview) and was able to tackle meatier films and subjects. The Cincinnati Kid, with Steve McQueen and Edward G. Robinson proved he had the mettle. Soon the follow would be The Russians are Coming, the Russians are Coming, a satire that he fought to make, and one which ended up being screened in the Soviet Union. Jewison's next project was tackling the sensitive subject of race in the great film In the Heat of the Night. It was a topic he would come back to several times in his career (notably with A Soldier's Story and Hurricane).

Jewison got a chance to work with his friend Steve McQueen again in The Thomas Crown Affair, in which he cast a then unknown Faye Dunaway, who also hit the screen that same year in Bonnie and Clyde. In the 70s, Jewison was offered the chance to direct the screen version of Fiddler on the Roof. When he took the job, he insisted on filming in Europe and cast more European actors. The result was much more authentic feel and atmosphere to the now classic film. He would also follow that up with another Broadway hit, Jesus Christ, Superstar. His career continued well into the 80s and 90s with films like Agnes of God, Best Friends, In Country and Only You. Of course, his biggest hit of that time was probably the Academy Award winning film, Moonstruck. Norman Jewison also recently wrote a book about his life and career entitled: This Terrible Business Has Been Good to Me.

This past April, Jewsion was honored during the Sarasota Film Festival. Turner Classic Movies sent host Robert Osborne to talk to him about his work and his career. The result- another great TCM special. Tonight, Sept.13th, on Turner Classic Movies, Robert Osborne will be interviewing filmmaker Norman Jewison in an installment of their original series, Private Screenings. Wolf and I recently sat down and watched the episode and really enjoyed it. Let us give you both of our takes on the interview.

Wolf's Take:
For those of you who don't know, TCM spells class. That's just what you get from the Private Screenings series. The newest episode is no exception. Norman Jewison is the subject of Mr. Osborne's interrogation this time around and it is well worth watching. Mr. Jewison's history in movies is impressive with such projects as The Cincinnati Kid and Fiddler on the Roof.

He proves to be a great story teller with the many entertaining anecdotes he shares in this interview which takes place at the Oslo Theater in Sarasota, Florida. We find that he has worked with many wonderful actors and he provides us with great images of his experiences with them. Mr. Jewison proves to be quite an entertainer and a down to earth guy. Mr. Osborne shows his skill as a wonderful interviewer, knowing when to ask questions and when to let Mr. Jewison explain and excite the audience with his great memories of his days in Hollywood. As always, Private Screenings does not disappoint and provides us with another great evening of enjoyment for classic film fans.

Loophole's Take:
One of the things that struck me initially was Jewison's self-effacing sense of humor. It was wonderful to listen to him talk about his work, but also to tell humorous stories about his career and those he has known. I found him to be very down to earth man in the interview and candid about not only how much he enjoyed his work, but how often others played special roles in furthering his career.

During the interview, several clips from his films were shown and I was surprised to discover that there was only one the films discussed that I had never seen and that was one of his most recent: Hurricane with Denzel Washington. Jewison discussed how powerful an actor Washington is, and discussed a scene that they then showed. It was indeed a powerful moment, and while Jewison is right in praising the work of the many actors he's worked with, it also takes a special talent and guiding touch to be able to nuance those performances out of those actors.

I particularly enjoyed his discussions of the filming of In the Heat of the Night, and just how groundbreaking that film was, and The Russians are Coming, the Russians are Coming. He told about how much he fought to get it made, and a funny tale of how the film wound up being screened in the Soviet Union during the height of the cold war to great acclaim.

The Bottom Line
This episode of Private Screenings was great, and Wolf and I highly recommend that you don't miss it. If you've got to set the DVR, TiVo, heck VCR- don't miss it. It's a great show and as always, Robert Osborne demonstrates why he is one of the best in the business.



Private Screenings with Norman Jewison is hosted by Robert Osbourne and premieres tonight, September 13th, at 8pm est. Afterwords TCM will feature a mini-marathon of some of Jewison's films including Moonstruck, The Cincinnati Kid and The Russians are Coming, the Russians are Coming! Don't miss the interview and be sure to catch those films.



I thought all the nuts went home on Labor Day.

dvd news: tlc shows on dvd

I don't know about you, but given the fact that we have three boys at home who are fascinated by animals, engineering marvels, and all manner of myths that require busting, we watch a lot of the Discovery channel spectrum of television. That would include channels like Animal Planet, Science Channel, TLC, Discovery, etc. My oldest son and his grandfather (my father) are big fans of some of these shows like Mythbusters, Survivorman, etc. I've found that some of these shows do an excellent job of adding an element of entertainment to what would otherwise be straight forward, science class stuff. I am interested in the Meerkat Manor series, as is my youngest who is a 9 year old expert in all things involving animals. Boy, it's tough living with a bunch of know-it-alls. So, on behalf of my brood and in our quest to always bring you DVD news and reviews you can use, we bring you some announcements of DVD releases of some TLC shows on DVD. The DVDs are being released by TLC and Genius Products Partners; release info from TLC and Genius and Box art are included:

Merekat Manor: Season One (Release date: Oct.9)
Showcasing the real-life comedy and drama inherent in the daily activities of an unorthodox animal “family,” the Emmy®-nominated series “Meerkat Manor” Season One arrives on a two-disc DVD set October 9, 2007, from Genius Products and Animal Planet. Produced by Oxford Scientific Films for Animal Planet, the eye-opening docu-drama series follows the social dynamics of a group – or “mob” – of meerkats, utilizing ground-breaking fiber-optic technologies that allow full, 24-hour tracking of the highly-developed and complex daily lives of the fascinating furry creatures. Winner of the 2007 Parent’s Silver Choice award and the #1 show on Animal Planet, Meerkat Manor is narrated by Academy Award nominee* Sean Astin (The Goonies, The Lord Of The Rings trilogy) and features the exploits of an extraordinary family of South African meerkats – known as the Whiskers – living in the Kalahari Desert. Together, these remarkable animals face the full spectrum of the life experience with all of the joys, triumphs, comedy and sorrow that come along the way. Featuring births and deaths, love and loss, youthful indiscretions and divided loyalties, Meerkat Manor is the ultimate all-access reality show; from dealing with predators and inclement weather to internal social politics and external threats from rival gangs, the Whiskers present an intimate and exhilarating real-life look at life in the wild. Small members of the mongoose family, meerkats are burrowing animals with a tendency to form strong social networks within their communities. Always looking out for one another, their human-like behavior also includes active education of their young – a social trait unique among non-human mammals – as well as playful wrestling matches and foot races. The two-disc Meerkat Manor Season One DVD collection includes 13 episodes.

Little People BIG WORLD: Season One
(Release date: Oct.2)
Follow little people Matt and Amy Roloff and their endearing family when Little People, Big World Season 1 arrives on DVD October 2nd from Genius Products LLC. Praised as “enthralling” by LIFE magazine and hailed by critics as “irresistible” and “engaging,” this TLC series is viewed weekly by nearly 9 million viewers and has ranked as the #1 cable show in its timeslot. Little People, Big World is a relatable family documentary series about an ordinary family in every way but one. Dealing with myriad issues from sibling rivalry and teen angst to financial stress, “... Little is as much about humanity as height” (TV Guide). Standing just over four feet tall, the Roloff parents offer a unique perspective on how little people deal with life’s everyday problems in a world that wasn’t made for them. With three average height children – 15 year-old Jeremy, 12 year-old Molly and 9 year-old Jacob – and one little person son, Jeremy’s twin brother Zachary – life on their 34-acre Oregon farm is never dull. Capturing the highs and lows of the family’s struggles and successes, Little People, Big World contains three discs with the first season’s 20 aired episodes as well as two special “lost” episodes that fans won’t want to miss.

Miami Ink: Season One
(Release date: Oct.30)
Commitment, tradition and passion are the basic principles that guide the artists of Miami Ink, a Florida tattoo parlor that’s become a permanent South Beach fixture and an enduring TV icon. Currently in its third season, Miami Ink has become a surprise hit among the inked and the uninitiated alike. Miami Ink Season One comes to DVD October 30 from TLC and Genius Products, timed to the premiere of the second half of season three. Reuniting five friends – Ami James, Chris Nuñez, Darren Brass, Chris Garver and Yoji Harada, each a world-class artist in his own right – Miami Ink follows the pursuit of a shared dream, exploring the motivations and the profound impulses that inspire their diverse customers to seek out their indelible art. From the stress of running a business to the sublime satisfaction of the art itself, the series charts the triumphs and prevails of its subjects, with a steady stream of eccentric clients to keep things colorful. The customer base includes a mother/daughter duo in search of matching ink, a man hoping to memorialize a wife lost to cancer, a woman seeking to mark her escape from the depths of addiction into the joys of sobriety and more.

Be back with more reviews, roundup, rants and our radio show!
Don't forget to tune into our show tomorrow: The Shelf on the Air. Call in with your comments and questions at (646) 716-8261. You can go to our show page at this blogtalkradio link. If you prefer email before or during the show at randomshelf@hotmail.com.







You are going Uruguay, and I'm going my way.

preview: spielberg on spielberg

I will never forget my 6th grade year. It was the year that I discovered Steven Spielberg. I wasn't the only one. Millions of kids my age older did the same. There were several genuine "phenomenons" during that time, and in some ways, I don't think they have ever been equaled in terms of impact and number. Star Wars was a real empire of money, toys, cartoons and imagination. Garfield was everywhere. In fact, I could go over to any of my friend's houses and be assured to find at least several of the following: Star Wars action figures, Garfield comic strip books, puffy stickers, empty Reese's Pieces bags under the bed, a handheld electronic football game, a 3 inch high G.I. Joe (if you were cool you had Snake Eyes) and perhaps an Atari 2600 near the television. With all that stuff, what were we most likely doing? We were outside with some sort of hat and rope or twine fashioned like a bullwhip arguing over who was going to be Indiana Jones and who was going to be the bad guy Nazi.

Raiders of the Lost Ark was the first movie I went to without my parents. It was PG, which made the outing even more "grownup". I went with my cousins and a couple of other kids from their neighborhood; and there we sat, eyes transfixed on the screen, hands only moving from the popcorn bucket to our mouths and not even whispering to each for fear of missing something important. During the scene where Indy and Marion were tied up and the Nazis were opening the Arc, the music cued me to hid my eyes. Even though I saw the movie in the theater several times, I always closed my eyes during that scene. I never saw what happened until years later when I watched on video. We loved the movie. I loved the movie. All of the sudden carrying a bullwhip and walking around in a Fedora was hip. If you dressed up as Indiana Jones for Halloween and you actually had a homemade costume with an actual Fedora and something resembling a whip, you were uber-cool. The plastic costume did not cut the mustard, and all of the kids in kidworld knew better. Homemade was way better. If you couldn't do that, you didn't dare try to imitate with cheap plastic costume and mask. It was better off leaving the Indy costume to the professional kids with costume making moms who had grandparents with old Fedoras, or relatives who lived on a farm that had need for bullwhips. The rest of us stuck with the standard Star Wars or superhero costume.

The greatest thing about a blockbuster movie like Raiders or Star Wars back then, is that it was such a shared experience. The movies would play for months on end, and movie theaters, which only had one, two or at the maximum three screens, didn't worry about business. They proudly proclaimed "In it's Fifth Month! Don't Miss the Hit of the Year!" Movie theaters knew that they could show a blockbuster for several months, because the kids kept coming. Today, a movie that lasts a month in a 16 screen megaplex is considered long in the tooth. But Indy was on the big screen, no- a huge screen, and the music and sound effects blared across the theater. You could hear kids, as if on cue at the right moment, singing the theme song: "Duh-da Dun duhhh, Dun da Duhhhhhhh- Dun da Dun Duhhhhhh- Dun Da Dun Dun Duhhhhh!"

I didn't know that the director of the film was Steven Spielberg, I just knew that who ever made this movie had better make some more. Then, one day at school the E.T. kids on the playground crossed paths with the Indiana Jones kids. It was quite by accident actually. We were fighting the Nazi's of course (we decided that Indiana Jones had a lot of brothers or something- that way we could all be Indy. My name was Cleveland Smith), and we turned a path in imaginary Cairo when we saw a bunch of girls and some of the boys in class who were trading the plastic E.T. figurines and stickers. One of them even had a E.T. doll. This was a dangerous situation. You see, as part of the Indy crowd, we were serious adventures. We had to save the world from Nazis and keep them from recovering biblical relics for their nefarious purposes. This was important business. We didn't have time for bobble headed aliens and flying bicycles. The E.T. kids thought that we were always in the way of their space and I guess, were expressing fears of government seizure and probing. We were about to kick these kids out of Cairo when one of the 8th grade kids started laughing at us from their side of the playground. "Look at the dorks! What a bunch of dorky kids!" We all looked at each other. Certainly he was referring to the opposing faction. Wasn't he? Then the 8th graders came over to make fun of ... all of us. And I heard one of them say- "The same movie dude that made Indiana Jones, made E.T. dork! Didn't you know that!" Heresy! I didn't believe it! Later I asked a reliable source and it was confirmed. I couldn't believe it! How could the same person make both of these films? At the time, to me, E.T. seemed like a boring film that adults liked. Sure Reese's Pieces were great, but it wasn't Nazis and bullwhips and Fedoras and adventure! Was it?
Fortunately, I kind of grew out this myopic view of the movies; and I grew to love more and more movies, and more kinds of movies. Although today I'm still not that fond of E.T., I still admire it for it's technique and vision. I also grew to really love Steven Spielberg's work. We talk a lot about Classic films here at The Shelf, in many ways that identifies a movie in a certain timeframe: pre-late 1960s. What you may not realize is that we love a lot of movies, including so-called "modern films." To me there are many modern day classics that deserve repeated viewing as well. And I have several directors that I admire and enjoy their work, like Martin Scorsese, Peter Jackson, Ridley Scott and, of course, Steven Spielberg. To me, these guys are the link between the classic and the modern. They all have a love for classic films and film history, and they are as serious students of film as they are producers of it. And Steven Spielberg has either directed or produced many of my favorite modern day classics: The Indiana Jones series, Saving Private Ryan, The Terminal, Empire of the Sun, Schindler's List, Goonies, Back to the Future series (producer), Who Framed Roger Rabbit?, Amistad, and Poltergeist are all modern day classics that I watch often. Even some of the films like Young Sherlock Holmes, Always, Used Cars, An American Tail and the television show Amazing Stories, which may not be masterpieces, are wonderful in their own right. To me they all bring an amazing amount of inspiration, storytelling and imagination to the screen. I've often thought that if I were a film maker and true to myself, my films would look more like Spielberg than Orson Welles. There are repeated themes of childhood lost, childhood found, hope lost and found, growing up, adventure and imagination, survival and endurance throughout his body of work. And often I've wanted to talk to great directors, like Spielberg, to figure out what they were thinking, what their inspiration was and whose films they looked up to. Sometimes you can get some of that from DVD commentaries or interviews. But Spielberg is more elusive than that.

Steven Spielberg has never recorded a director's commentary for any DVD of any of his films. And tonight is the best way you will be able to get a director's eye view and commentary from Spielberg himself, that you're likely to get. It's a new documentary entitled Spielberg on Spielberg, and it premieres tonight, July 9th at 8pm/ET (eastern time, not the alien). The 90 minute documentary was produced by Richard Schickel (producer of the recent documentary, Bienvenue à Cannes that we also previewed). The format is pretty much a long interview with Spielberg- without the interviewer. And it works. Spielberg discusses his beginnings, his career, his mistakes, his heroes, critics, his triumphs and his highs and lows. There is a thread to the discussion that is easy to follow, and without any narrator or omniscient voice guiding us, it actually works better here, than say in Schickel's Cannes doc.

Spielberg talks about his youth, in which he made amateur movies and demonstrated a deep love for movies even as a teenager. On discovering the joys of filmmaking Spielberg said, " I was infatuated with the control that movies gave me in creating a sequence of events or a feeling or a train wreck with two Lionel trains that I could then repeat and see over and over again. I think it was just the realization that I could change the way I perceived life through a funnel or another medium to make it come out better for me. And I realized I could make life better for me through this little 8mm rinky dink medium, I felt really good about my life, myself and possibly bringing some other people into this amazing medium to enjoy what I was putting together."

He also tells about a time when, as a he was on a Universal Studios Tour, and during a bathroom break, hid in the bathroom til everybody left and then had his own self guided tour. He eventually ended up in the film library where he so impressed the film librarian, he got a signed three day pass for Universal. He ended up spending that whole summer at Universal observing film making. He eventually was able to get a contract directing television on the strength of a student film entitled, Amblin' (yes, that's where the name of his production company comes from) and the went to on to direct his first feature length film Duel.

Althought Sugarland Express was what made him a director on the rise, it was the success of Jaws that made him a blockbuster director. Jaws led the way for what we now refer to as the Summer Blockbuster. From that point on, Spielberg has gone on to direct many blockbuster films, but even more serious films that betray the influence of some of his heroes like David Lean. Empire of the Sun, Saving Private Ryan, Schindler's List and other films all stand out from the blockbuster adventure films, but they all come from the imagination and heart of the director or producer, Steven Spielberg.

Spielberg on Spielberg is a unique opportunity to look into that heart and imagination of the director. You may not agree with some of his politics, you may not agree with some of his ideas about childhood or life or even his own heritage, but I believe that the man and artist is an American film classic and many of his films will stand the test of time. Yeah, you may have thought War of the Worlds stunk, and you wouldn't be alone. You may have thought that Minority Report wasn't that great. I do know that many are excited about the possibility of a fourth Indiana Jones (if it's done right) and that many of you will probably be rewatching your favorite Spielberg film, again, after you see this documentary.

Spielberg on Spielberg is a great documentary and an great insight into the work of Spielberg. This is why TCM remains one of my all time favorite networks, as this is just another in a long line of great original shows and documentaries that celebrate and examine the movies and why we love them. Be sure not to miss tonight's premiere of Spielberg on Spielberg. It's a Shelf Classic. And then come back here to our comments section and tell us about your favorite Steven Spielberg movie and why you love it (or why you don't like another one- we don't care, we just love talking about films).

Spielberg on Spielberg

Directed by Richard Schickel

Premieres Monday, July 9th, at 8pm et

(check local listings for times)

Features rarely seen footage and photos

from the Directors early days of filmmaking.

Spielberg on Spielberg premieres on

Turner Classic Movies

The Home for Classic Movies

Don't miss it! We'll back with this week's roundup, a DVD box set review and more. Stay tuned!

Snakes. Why does it have to be snakes?

showing some class

Just a few items and a couple of previews of some classic film DVD that I know will be marked on your calender. We'll return with another DVD review later.

Roundup Update:

John Wayne DVDs:

The Top Shelf picks for the work have finally had a closer look for review, and here's the lowdown. Both box sets are repackaging of the previous editions of the titles. The Quiet Man DVD, for example, is the previous Collector's edition disc. This maybe good news for anyone who could not find these releases on the shelves, but if you are hoping for any kind of special edition or new discs with extras, you are out of luck. If you own any of the titles, you might be better off finding the previous individual releases. I know I have found them in some bargain bins of some of the big box stores. Either way, the films are great and worthy of a Saturday afternoon or two.

Previews:

Two previous MID (Missing in DVD) films coming out soon:

Scarface

You've probably seen Scarface, right? Al Pacino? Well, you may not have seen the original classic starring Paul Muni. Thankfully, that problem will be remedied in two weeks. Universal Studios will be releasing this 1932 Howard Hawks classic on May 22nd. This is probably the first great "talkie" gangster film and probably one of the most explosive of the genre, aside from The Public Enemy. I've been waiting for years for this film to hit DVD. The film also stars George Raft and Ann Dvorak. Scarface was notorious in it's day for it's non-to-subtle allusion to incest between Paul Muni's main character, Tony and his sister. Extras will include an introduction from TCM's Robert Osborne. original trailer and an alternate ending. More information to come in the roundup.

A Midsummer Night's Dream

James Cagney fans (and perhaps anyone who remembers watching this film in middle school) will be excited to learn that Warner Home Video will be releasing Max Reinhardt's 1935 classic film version of Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream. Many of Warner Brother's stock of famous stars were on hand for this one, including James Cagney, Mickey Rooney, Olivia de Havilland, Dick Powell and others. The film was nominated for four Academy Awards and won two. Word is that WHV has remastered the film and restored it to it's original roadshow length. Extras are abundant. The film will released as part of the Shakespeare Collection in August. The box set will also include Kenneth Branagh's 1996 version of Hamlet (a two disc special edition), Laurence Olivier's 1965 version of Othello, and MGM's 1936 production of Romeo and Juliet, starring Norma Shearer and Leslie Howard. This set looks to be a must buy. More info can be found at DVD Times.

Also coming soon from Warner Home Video:

TCM Spotlight Collection: Katherine Hepburn.

We're in the middle of a great Katherine Hepburn month on TCM. Just in time for her 100th anniversary celebration, Warner's is releasing several early Hepburn and a later film on it's TCM Spotlight series. This box set includes the films, Morning Glory, Undercurrent, Sylvia Scarlett, Without Love, Dragon Seed and The Corn Is Green. Fans of the Spencer Tracy and Hepburn pairings, such as myself, should be particularly happy to see Without Love. We look forward to seeing more Hepburn and Tracy on DVD. Word is the WHV is also working on a Spencer Tracy Signature Collection, possibly for release in 2008. Hopefully we'll see Test Pilot, Edison the Man and some other great Tracy films that haven't yet hit DVD. Either way we're very excited to see more Katherine Hepburn on DVD. The box set is due to be released May 29th. We hope to have a preview/review for you here on the Shelf, so stay tuned!

Myrna Loy/William Powell Collection:
In 2005, The Thin Man Collection Box set was released, much to the joy of classic film fans everywhere. no doubt you will remember our three part review. It has since become one of Warner Home Video's best selling classic film DVD sets. It was promised to fans that more was coming, and thankfully that day is near. On August 7, WMV will release the Myrna Loy/William Powell Collection including the films Manhattan Melodrama, Evelyn Prentice, Double Wedding, Love Crazy and I Love You Again. Extras will abound. All of the films are appearing on DVD for the first time, and this brings almost all of the Powell-Loy pairings out on DVD. The only exception being The Senator was Indiscreet, a William Powell film in which Myrna Loy had a short cameo. (Their other films The Great Ziegfeld and Libeled Lady have been previously released on DVD.) August is looking to be a busy month for classic films.

Get Animated!:

Animation fans will be excited to know this will be a fantastic year as several "holy grails" of animation on DVD will be hitting the Shelves this summer. The best news is that WB and others are really putting an effort to bring us this classic animation remastered, uncut and uncensored!

Tex Avery's Droopy - The Complete Theatrical Collection is set to hit the street next week! As many Shelfer's know, I have long bemoaned the lack of Tex Avery on DVD. Now things are starting to look up. This set includes all of the original theatrical shorts on two DVDs. Included are several extras, including a documentary on Tex Avery and one of best loved creations: Droopy.

Popeye The Sailor 1933-1938 Volume 1: featuring 60 of the original great Max Fleischer shorts, uncut and remastered, spread across four discs. Fans have been eagerly awaiting the real deal for a very long time, and now it appears all of the famous studio's shorts will be getting the treatment the deserve. It should also boost confidence that animation historian and cartoon guru, Jerry Beck, has been on hand to assist in the DVD setup. If you love the Looney Tunes Golden Collection sets, this Popeye set is a no-brainer. Popeye is set to be released July 31st. And if you love extras, this set will be a virtual treasure chest of features, documentaries and interviews. Don't miss it!

The Woody Woodpecker and Friends Classic Cartoon Collection will be available in July. This set features that famous laughing bird we all know and love in many of his shorts, all on 3 DVDs. The shorts are presented in order of release, and the is word there may be a volume 2 next year if the set sells. Also features are cartoons of some of Walter Lantz's other creations like Chilly Willy and Andy Pandy. The happy news is that these shorts will be uncut and have been remastered from the original master negatives.

Also coming out this year will be Looney Tunes, Golden Collection: Vol. 5 and a the complete series of The Archie Show from the 60s, that animated classic that actually brought the recordings of several songs from The Archie's including the hit, Sugar, Sugar.

Exciting stuff, right? Well budget accordingly. There are many more great DVD sets for classic film, television and animation this year. And as always we will have news, previews and reviews here on the Shelf. Stay tuned. And just so you can't say old Uncle Loophole never gave you anything, here are some radio adaptations of a couple of Myrna Loy and William Powell films.

Here's the Screen Actor's Guild radio adaption of: Love Crazy, which should be a featured extra on the DVD set. And, just cause I'm a sentimental guy, here is the Lux Theater radio adaption of: The Thin Man. Just right click and enjoy!



You be careful madam, or you'll turn my pretty head with your flattery.