Tonight’s TCM lineup is full of movies that dominated conversation in the early 1970s. This lavish biographical drama stars George C. Scott as Gen. George S. Patton, a military figure who was brazenly and proudly pro-war at a time (Patton was released in 1970) when “hawks vs. doves” was a major dividing point widening the so-called generation gap. Interestingly, the story and screenplay were co-written by Francis Ford Coppola, who would turn around and make The Godfather two ye

2015

Feb

MCCABE AND MRS. MILLER By David Bianculli

This 1971 Robert Altman film is a gorgeous piece of cinema, and a perfect representation of Altman’s vivid, visionary style of filmmaking. Warren Beatty stars as an Old West gambler who teams with a professional madam (Julie Christie) to offer their respective areas of expertise to the rubes in a remote Old West mining town. Think of it as an early version of Deadwood, if you like – but whatever you have to think to tune in, do it. This film is a distinctive, often underrated classic

2015

Feb

KLUTE By David Bianculli

This 1971 movie has a plot which has been examined, and re-examined, hundreds of times on film and TV. A detective, working on a murder case, falls in love with the beautiful young woman who’s in danger of being the killer’s next victim. The twist here, and even that isn’t so unusual, is that the woman is a prostitute – played by Jane Fonda, in the role that won her an Oscar, and a new patina of respectability from mainstream Hollywood. The detective, who actually has the

2015

Feb

SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE 40TH ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL By David Bianculli

Last Sunday, NBC devoted 3.5 hours of prime time to a live Saturday Night Live anniversary special. Tonight, it repeats that show, whittling it down to a mere three hours. The first thing I’d cut, even though I know NBC won’t? The “Californians” sketch, which went on so long, that was the only laughable thing about it. Best bits? Of the new stuff, Bill Murray’s “love theme from Jaws” song, which can be seen on Video Worth Watching. Of the vintage stuff,

2015

Feb

BUTCH CASSIDY AND THE SUNDANCE KID By David Bianculli

Three years ago, I wrote a blog about what I dubbed “Spider-Web” movies – films that ensnared me each time they were televised, no matter how many times I’ve seen them, and despite the fact that I own them on DVD. One of the very best examples of that is this 1969 Western, directed by George Roy Hill, written by William Goldman, and starring Paul Newman, Robert Redford and Katharine Ross. “Rules? In a knife fight?”

2015

Feb

AMERICAN MASTERS: “AUGUST WILSON: THE GROUND ON WHICH I STAND” By David Bianculli

August Wilson wrote 16 plays, most of which were elegant parts of an even more ambitious whole. His American Century Cycle featured 10 plays, almost all of them set in the Hill District of Pittsburgh (where the playwright was born and raised). Each takes place in a different decade – hence, the “Century Cycle” umbrella title. Many of the plays are famous, and lauded, as individual entities as well, including Fences and The Piano Lesson, which both won Pulitzer Prizes (Fences wo

2015

Feb

REAL TIME WITH BILL MAHER By David Bianculli

This ought to be a very funny outing. I don’t intend to slight the more serious contributors to tonight’s show, but the roundtable panelists tonight include Rob Reiner and Bill Maher, and the mid-show interview guest, joining the panelists for the last part of the show, is Fran Lebowitz.

2015

Feb

THE JACK AND TRIUMPH SHOW By David Bianculli

SERIES PREMIERE: Robert Smigel’s insulting canine alter ego, Triumph the Insult Comic Dog, always has been one of my favorite TV creations. This new incarnation of the character tries something new, by embracing something old: In this new Adult Swim multi-camera sitcom on Cartoon Network, Triumph the hand puppet plays himself, but as a past-his-prime canine actor who once starred on a Lassie-type family series, playing a real dog. His co-stars on that old series are played by Jack McBrayer

2015

Feb

AMERICAN IDOL By David Bianculli

All these years in, when this show works, it still works – and as with The Voice, among its most effective moments are the audition rounds, when contestants are told whether they’ll be going through to the competition round. Last night, when 16-year-old Tyanna Jones (pictured) got the nod, it was truly touching – and, thanks to her confident performance at the House of Blues in Los Angeles, totally deserved. The thinning of the herd continues tonight, which means more drama, mo

2015

Feb

THE BIG BANG THEORY By David Bianculli

She never got to be shown on screen, but Carol Ann Susi, the offscreen voice of Howard’s mother, was a very funny element of this show. The actress’ unexpected death last November left the producers with a sad quandary: How to note the character’s absence? Tonight’s episode does just that, while also making room for guest star Nathan Fillion, playing himself. As in, for these guys, the hero of Firefly, and perhaps even the villain of Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog.

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