The Classic/Retro Pop Culture Thread

RJDiogenes · Aug 24, 2018

The Old Mixer said:
OMFG...I think I'm losing Decades! I was checking the cable schedule and saw a bunch of different shows starting on Sept. 3. Googling around, I found that the line-up matches this:

http://blog.sitcomsonline.com/2018/07/new-multicast-network-start-tv-launches.html

https://www.starttv.com/

Damn. I think it may be happening across the board. Their website says they're on channel 930 on Comcast in Boston, which is where Decades is. The site only lists major cities, so it doesn't say anything about Quincy or East Bridgewater, but the writing appears to be on the wall. No more binges.

The Old Mixer said:
Stuff that I'll readily agree sounds like leftover '50s business.

I'm winning you over. :rommie:

"So Much in Love," The Tymes

Not too bad, not great.

"Martian Hop," The Ran-Dells

I never heard this one before, I don't think. It seems to be an homage to the old novelty songs. It doesn't really have that spark that a novelty song needs.

This seems like one too many monsters/haunted house episodes...and not even seasonable in January.

You can never have too many monsters.

The Monkees sleeping downstairs? They've got a bedroom up that spiral staircase, we've seen it.

Sometimes it's just too much effort to go upstairs. I can vouch for that. :rommie:

"The Monkee's Paw"

There are too few references to "The Monkey's Paw" out there. Unfortunately, they're not using it correctly.

Cerealization contemplation: Whatever happened to Kellogg's Puffa Puffa Rice? [Googles.] A short-lived product that came out in '67 and was discontinued in 1975.

I don't remember it, but all I care about is Quisp, anyway.

"The Devil and Peter Tork"

Hmm. More supernatural stuff and another classic reference.

This time the excuse for getting Davy's shirt off is Zero snapping it away as a demonstration of his power.

Not much of a demonstration, since it usually happens by itself anyhow. :rommie:

Troy and the Allied commander trick Dietrich into leaving with what he thinks are top secret plans, which actually concern intercompany baseball games. Then, after Dietrich realizes that he's been fooled, his superior insists that the papers are actually coded. I guess they're trying to make Dietrich look like less of a tool by shifting the ineptitude.

"Ver ist on zuerst?"

TREK_GOD_1 · Aug 24, 2018

RJDiogenes said:
Yes, most artists lose their edge over the years, some slowly and some abruptly. McCartney's decline was rather abrupt for my taste. He did a handful of entertaining songs over the late 70s and 80s, but nothing comparable to his early work.

Aside from "Maybe I'm Amazed", what do you consider McCartney's best solo work?

Well, his early years would have been when he was manufactured if he had been manufactured. But he could only have been rebranded in the 60s if he had been an anti-establishment success in the 50s.

Pre-army, Elvis had a crafted image, but it was not like the full-on, safe-for-all identity created in the 60s.

The Old Mixer said:
The Monkees
"The Monstrous Monkee Mash"
Originally aired January 22, 1968

This seems like one too many monsters/haunted house episodes...and not even seasonable in January.

I think its best of the horror episodes, with a wealth of the second season's strange humor, edits and breaking the fourth wall.

Pop culture alert: Don Post's famed monster maks were a staple of American culture for a generation, with the company hitting it big during the "monster boom" of the 1960s, as seen in this ad from Famous Monsters of Filmland--

--with the Lugosi-based Dracula mask being a popular item--

...showing up in this episode @1:04--
How to be a vampire

The Monkees sleeping downstairs? They've got a bedroom up that spiral staircase, we've seen it.

Shot that way for quick, money saving production purposes of covering all "pad" scenes on one set./scene.

Climactic song sequence: "Goin' Down" (20:22+)

One of their best. The group felt free to explore any musical style successfully.

I was struck by the end credits song, "In This Generation," which I wouldn't have been hearing on Antenna.

You mean "For Pete's Sake". I wonder how Tork felt about his co-written song being selevted for the end credits. That's a high-profile position that was only reserved for their theme, one even beyond the prolific Nesmith's reach.

"The Monkee's Paw"
Originally aired January 29, 1968

Micky and Mike play Mendrek and a lama in a flashback.

Its funny--Mike was not an actor at all (at least when the series was created), but his humor and timing was better than Davy, who was a trained actor. Mike & Micky always played well off of the other.

Easy-to-miss gag: Mike takes an implied call from the President, inviting Mendrek to a barbecue.

The LBJ/ranch/BBQ type jokes were so overused on 60s TV. You would think that writers--after hearing 300 other people use the gag--would think of something new.

Cerealization contemplation: Whatever happened to Kellogg's Puffa Puffa Rice? [Googles.] A short-lived product that came out in '67 and was discontinued in 1975.

I was around in part of that period, but I cannot recall ever seeing Puffa Puffa Rice in stores. I wonder if it was only distributed in certain regions of the country?

"The Devil and Peter Tork"
Originally aired February 5, 1968

Solid episode all around. Top five of the series, if I had to rate it on the spot.

Apparently the harp instrumental at 5:11+ is "Pleasant Valley Sunday," though I wouldn't have recognized it.

Really? I always recognized it--and "I Wanna Be Free" in the final act. Lovely harp arrangements of both, BTW.

Hellish montage song: "Salesman" (7:35+), featuring Mike on lead vocals.

Unidentified clip alert: during the "Salesman" segment, there's a quick cut of Davy and Peter performing shoulder-to-shoulder, but it does not appear to be part of the "Salesman" session. It would be interesting to see the entire performance video for the song, but its yet to be unearthed.

The Old Mixer · Aug 25, 2018

_______

50 Years Ago This Week

August 26–August 30 – Police clash with anti-war protesters in Chicago, Illinois, outside the 1968 Democratic National Convention, which nominates Hubert Humphrey for U.S. President, and Edmund Muskie for Vice President. The riots and subsequent trials were an essential part of the activism of the Youth International Party.

Dan Rather and Walter Cronkite inside the convention hall.

August 28 – John Gordon Mein, US Ambassador to Guatemala, is assassinated on the streets of Guatemala City. First US Ambassador assassinated in the line of duty.
August 29 – Crown Prince Harald of Norway marries Sonja Haraldsen, the commoner he has dated for 9 years, in Oslo.

Selections from Billboard's Hot 100 for the week:

1. "People Got to Be Free," The Rascals
2. "Born to Be Wild," Steppenwolf
3. "Light My Fire," Jose Feliciano
4. "Hello, I Love You," The Doors
5. "Sunshine of Your Love," Cream
6. "You Keep Me Hangin' On," The Vanilla Fudge
7. "Harper Valley P.T.A.," Jeannie C. Riley
8. "You're All I Need to Get By," Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell
9. "I Can't Stop Dancing," Archie Bell & The Drells
10. "Stay in My Corner," The Dells
11. "Turn Around, Look at Me," The Vogues
12. "1, 2, 3, Red Light," 1910 Fruitgum Co.
13. "Classical Gas," Mason Williams
14. "Hush," Deep Purple
15. "Love Makes a Woman," Barbara Acklin
16. "Journey to the Center of the Mind," The Amboy Dukes
17. "Soul-Limbo," Booker T. & The MG's
18. "The Fool on the Hill," Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66
19. "Sealed with a Kiss," Gary Lewis & The Playboys
20. "The House That Jack Built," Aretha Franklin
21. "Dream a Little Dream of Me," Mama Cass w/ The Mamas & The Papas
22. "Stoned Soul Picnic," The 5th Dimension
23. "Hurdy Gurdy Man," Donovan
24. "Do It Again," The Beach Boys
25. "I Say a Little Prayer," Aretha Franklin
26. "Please Return Your Love to Me," The Temptations
27. "Alice Long (You're Still My Favorite Girlfriend)," Tommy Boyce & Bobby Hart
28. "Pictures of Matchstick Men," The Status Quo
29. "Slip Away," Clarence Carter

31. "Lady Willpower," Gary Puckett & The Union Gap
32. "Magic Bus," The Who

34. "The Eyes of a New York Woman," B.J. Thomas

37. "Tuesday Afternoon (Forever Afternoon)," The Moody Blues
38. "(Love Is Like a) Baseball Game," The Intruders
39. "Special Occasion," Smokey Robinson & The Miracles

42. "I've Gotta Get a Message to You," Bee Gees

46. "On the Road Again," Canned Heat

48. "Sky Pilot," Eric Burdon & The Animals

60. "Girl Watcher," The O'Kaysions

65. "The Snake," Al Wilson
66. "In-a-Gadda-da-Vida," Iron Butterfly

69. "Little Green Apples," O.C. Smith

71. "Time Has Come Today," The Chambers Brothers
72. "(The Lament of the Cherokee) Indian Reservation," Don Fardon

74. "Midnight Confessions," The Grass Roots

76. "Down on Me," Big Brother & The Holding Company

80. "Piece of My Heart," Big Brother & The Holding Company

83. "Hey, Western Union Man," Jerry Butler
84. "The Weight," The Band

91. "Light My Fire," The Doors

Leaving the chart:

"Autumn of My Life," Bobby Goldsboro (9 weeks)
"Grazing in the Grass," Hugh Masekela (12 weeks)
"The Horse," Cliff Nobles & Co. (14 weeks)
"Indian Lake," The Cowsills (13 weeks)
"Jumpin' Jack Flash," The Rolling Stones (12 weeks)

Re-entering the chart:

"Light My Fire," The Doors (15 weeks in 1967)

New on the chart:

"The Weight," The Band
(#63 US; #21 UK; #41 on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time)
See the 50th Anniversary Album Spotlight for Music from Big Pink upthread.

"Down on Me," Big Brother & The Holding Company
(Released in Mar. 1967; #43 US)

"(The Lament of the Cherokee) Indian Reservation," Don Fardon
(#20 US; #3 UK in 1970)

"Hey, Western Union Man," Jerry Butler
(#16 US; #1 R&B)

"Piece of My Heart," Big Brother & The Holding Company
(#12 US; #344 on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time)

"Midnight Confessions," The Grass Roots
(#5 US)

_______

This week's scheduled catch-up viewing:

The Monkees, "The Monkees Race Again" (Feb. 12, 1968)
The Rat Patrol, "The Field of Death Raid" (Feb. 12, 1968)
The Monkees, "The Monkees in Paris" (Feb. 19, 1968)
The Rat Patrol, "The Double Jeopardy Raid" (Feb. 19, 1968)

_______

RJDiogenes said:
Damn. I think it may be happening across the board. Their website says they're on channel 930 on Comcast in Boston, which is where Decades is. The site only lists major cities, so it doesn't say anything about Quincy or East Bridgewater, but the writing appears to be on the wall. No more binges.

Have you checked your cable info for Sept. 3+? I imagine that Decades is still continuing somewhere, hence still having programming listed in their online schedule (including a Beverly Hillbillies Binge Sept. 8-9). But it seems that Weigel may be pushing their new channel at the expense of the one that's shown signs of floundering (multiple drastic format changes to their weekday programming).

If they want to swap around their channels, I wish they'd swap MeTV back into my lineup somewhere.

I'm winning you over.

I'm just providing the exceptions against which to contrast all the other stuff that sounds perfectly early '60s...and setting things up for next week.

Hey, you didn't mention that the name of the song is "For Pete's Sake"....

TREK_GOD_1 said:
I was around in part of that period

Only part? I was under the impression that you were closer to RJ in age than to me.

Solid episode all around. Top five of the series, if I had to rate it on the spot.

It was a pretty distinctive one, getting relatively serious in tone in places, especially the climax (which was a nice change from the usual gig of solving all their problems by running around doing nonsensical things during a song).

Unidentified clip alert: during the "Salesman" segment, there's a quick cut of Davy and Peter performing shoulder-to-shoulder, but it does not appear to be part of the "Salesman" session. It would be interesting to see the entire performance video for the song, but its yet to be unearthed.

You mean at 9:09 where they're on the set where they did unconnected song sequences for this season like "Daydream Believer"? Seems like that could have been an unused bit of business from anywhere, not necessarily shot for this song.

RJDiogenes · Aug 25, 2018

TREK_GOD_1 said:
Aside from "Maybe I'm Amazed", what do you consider McCartney's best solo work?

My personal favorite is "Junior's Farm," but I'd say his best is either "Band on the Run" or "Live and Let Die."

Pre-army, Elvis had a crafted image, but it was not like the full-on, safe-for-all identity created in the 60s.

Sure, all performers have a crafted image to some degree, but he rose to fame on his authenticity.

Pop culture alert: Don Post's famed monster maks were a staple of American culture for a generation, with the company hitting it big during the "monster boom" of the 1960s, as seen in this ad from Famous Monsters of Filmland--

Oh, how I always wanted those. :rommie:

The Old Mixer said:
"The Weight," The Band

A great song-- not only are the lyrics quirky and wonderful, but the music and vocal inflections are such a perfect match.

"Down on Me," Big Brother & The Holding Company

An okay song, but elevated by that Janis voice.

"(The Lament of the Cherokee) Indian Reservation," Don Fardon

I never knew this cover existed, but it's pretty nice. I love the song.

"Hey, Western Union Man," Jerry Butler

I forgot about this. I keep waiting to hear "Western Union-on-on-on-on." :rommie:

"Piece of My Heart," Big Brother & The Holding Company

Now we're talking (and I even like the album cover).

"Midnight Confessions," The Grass Roots

I always loved this one, too.

Have you checked your cable info for Sept. 3+? I imagine that Decades is still continuing somewhere, hence still having programming listed in their online schedule (including a Beverly Hillbillies Binge Sept. 8-9). But it seems that Weigel may be pushing their new channel at the expense of the one that's shown signs of floundering (multiple drastic format changes to their weekday programming).

My schedule doesn't go that far ahead, but I'll check Mom's when I go for breakfast today. Maybe they're just moving it to another slot on their lineup (they've done that before). It's a little ominous, though, that Grit disappeared and you lost MeTV, and now maybe Decades is gone. I hope all the retro channels aren't going to vanish.

I'm just providing the exceptions against which to contrast all the other stuff that sounds perfectly early '60s...and setting things up for next week.

Oh, I see. :rommie:

The Old Mixer · Aug 25, 2018

RJDiogenes said:
My personal favorite is "Junior's Farm," but I'd say his best is either "Band on the Run" or "Live and Let Die."

I wouldn't have thought "Junior's Farm" was anyone's favorite Paul song, but that is generally the peak artistic period of his sprawling solo career. But I'm a nut, I've always enjoyed the much-reviled Wild Life album....

I never knew this cover existed, but it's pretty nice. I love the song.

It is technically a cover, but it's also the first hit single version, predating the better-known and higher-charting Raiders single by three years. And it's Don Fardon's sole hit.

I forgot about this. I keep waiting to hear "Western Union-on-on-on-on."

You mean, "DEE-de-dee-de-dee, dee-de-dee-de-dee, DEE-de-dee-de-dee, dee-de-dee-de-dee"?

Now we're talking (and I even like the album cover).

You'll be seeing more of it, as it's next in line for the album spotlight after the Grateful Dead. I'll have to try to find a larger image of the cover art (which I read was originally intended for the back cover), as it's not terribly readable at iTunes scale.

This would be Big Brother & the Holding Company's only Top 40 hit, though Janis has a solo #1 a few years ahead of her (also on the RS list).

I always loved this one, too.

A good bit of classic '60s pop, as with all of the Grass Roots' sporadic string of hits.

My schedule doesn't go that far ahead, but I'll check Mom's when I go for breakfast today. Maybe they're just moving it to another slot on their lineup (they've done that before). It's a little ominous, though, that Grit disappeared and you lost MeTV, and now maybe Decades is gone. I hope all the retro channels aren't going to vanish.

Well, I've still got Antenna, Cozi, H&I, and This is part retro TV, part retro movies. As for Decades, I'm particularly peeved that I won't get to see the rest of Decades Presents 1968, or a 1969 follow-up if they're healthy enough to make that.

Oh, I see.

In the interest of full disclosure, I will be resorting to bringing in an iconic bit of '60s music business from across the pond, months ahead of its arrival on our shores.

Another entry that I might have included in my "sounds like the '50s" pack is this instrumental cover of a 1959 Chuck Berry song...

"Memphis," Lonnie Mack
(Charted June 8, 1963; #5 US; #4 R&B)

...though Johnny Rivers's 1964 vocal rendition would use pretty much the same instrumental arrangement.

RJDiogenes · Aug 26, 2018

The Old Mixer said:
I wouldn't have thought "Junior's Farm" was anyone's favorite Paul song, but that is generally the peak artistic period of his sprawling solo career. But I'm a nut, I've always enjoyed the much-reviled Wild Life album....

Well, personal favorites are quirky, while best is about quality, so I always try to differentiate. "Junior's Farm" might or might not be my favorite because I'm a junior, but I also like those wacky lyrics about sea lions and Ollie Hardy.

It is technically a cover, but it's also the first hit single version, predating the better-known and higher-charting Raiders single by three years. And it's Don Fardon's sole hit.

Oh, yeah, I didn't even think about the timeline.

You mean, "DEE-de-dee-de-dee, dee-de-dee-de-dee, DEE-de-dee-de-dee, dee-de-dee-de-dee"?

That's the one. :rommie:

You'll be seeing more of it, as it's next in line for the album spotlight after the Grateful Dead. I'll have to try to find a larger image of the cover art (which I read was originally intended for the back cover), as it's not terribly readable at iTunes scale.

That turns out to be easy to do, especially if you specify Large in Google image search.

A good bit of classic '60s pop, as with all of the Grass Roots' sporadic string of hits.

Indeed, Grass Roots did some good stuff.

Well, I've still got Antenna, Cozi, H&I, and This is part retro TV, part retro movies. As for Decades, I'm particularly peeved that I won't get to see the rest of Decades Presents 1968, or a 1969 follow-up if they're healthy enough to make that.

I forgot about Antenna. I'm not sure if it's still there or not. We never did get H&I. But Decades is indeed disappearing around the first of the month-- it's hard to tell exactly when, since there seems to be a Police Woman binge that weekend.

Another entry that I might have included in my "sounds like the '50s" pack is this instrumental cover of a 1959 Chuck Berry song...

"Memphis," Lonnie Mack

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(Charted June 8, 1963; #5 US; #4 R&B)

...though Johnny Rivers's 1964 vocal rendition would use pretty much the same instrumental arrangement.

Yeah, covers would be likely to have that sounds, but I think there's a lot of early 60s stuff that still sound like the 50s. Also a lot of early 70s stuff that falls into the category of what we think of as 60s music. It's just that artistic fashion isn't as cleanly demarcated as the calendar (plus, when it comes to the 50s, there's my own age and experience in the mix).

The Old Mixer · Aug 27, 2018

RJDiogenes said:
Oh, yeah, I didn't even think about the timeline.

This thread is ALL ABOUT the timeline! :lol:

But Decades is indeed disappearing around the first of the month-- it's hard to tell exactly when, since there seems to be a Police Woman binge that weekend.

Looks like they're switching at 6 a.m. Labor Day morning, to kick off the new channel with Touched by an Angel.

Yeah, covers would be likely to have that sounds, but I think there's a lot of early 60s stuff that still sound like the 50s. Also a lot of early 70s stuff that falls into the category of what we think of as 60s music. It's just that artistic fashion isn't as cleanly demarcated as the calendar (plus, when it comes to the 50s, there's my own age and experience in the mix).

Another one currently on the 55 Years Ago playlist that qualifies, also being doo-wop:

"Denise," Randy & The Rainbows
(Charted June 15, 1963; #10 US; #18 R&B)

RJDiogenes · Aug 27, 2018

The Old Mixer said:
This thread is ALL ABOUT the timeline!

But I am personally unstuck in time. :rommie:

Looks like they're switching at 6 a.m. Labor Day morning, to kick off the new channel with Touched by an Angel.

I'll have to scan the channels to see if they show up elsewhere, though I'm not optimistic. And Comcast is never good about sharing news.

Another one currently on the 55 Years Ago playlist that qualifies, also being doo-wop:

"Denise," Randy & The Rainbows

Oh, yeah, definitely that 50s sound. This one was also covered by Blondie on one of their early albums.

The Old Mixer · Aug 28, 2018

Think I'll post this ahead of the catch-up reviews, as today is the anniversary of our featured news item....

_______

Selections from Billboard's Hot 100 for 55 years ago this week:

1. "My Boyfriend's Back," The Angels
2. "Hello Mudduh, Hello Fadduh! (A Letter from Camp)," Allan Sherman
3. "Fingertips, Pt. 2," Little Stevie Wonder
4. "Candy Girl," The Four Seasons
5. "Blowin' in the Wind," Peter, Paul & Mary
6. "If I Had A Hammer," Trini Lopez
7. "Judy's Turn to Cry," Lesley Gore
8. "Mockingbird," Inez & Charlie Foxx
9. "More," Kai Winding & Orchestra
10. "Denise," Randy & The Rainbows

12. "The Monkey Time," Major Lance
13. "Surfer Girl," The Beach Boys
14. "(Love Is Like a) Heat Wave," Martha & The Vandellas
15. "Hey Girl," Freddie Scott

17. "(You're the) Devil in Disguise," Elvis Presley
18. "Wipe Out," The Surfaris
19. "Frankie and Johnny," Sam Cooke
20. "Then He Kissed Me," The Crystals

22. "So Much in Love," The Tymes

24. "Green, Green," The New Christy Minstrels
25. "Surf City," Jan & Dean

27. "Wait 'Til My Bobby Gets Home," Darlene Love
28. "Twist It Up," Chubby Checker

31. "I (Who Have Nothing)," Ben E. King

33. "Martian Hop," The Ran-Dells
34. "The Kind of Boy You Can't Forget," The Raindrops
35. "Wonderful! Wonderful!," The Tymes

39. "Mickey's Monkey," The Miracles
40. "Hey There Lonely Boy," Ruby & The Romantics
41. "Easier Said Than Done," The Essex

47. "Just One Look," Doris Troy
48. "Memphis," Lonnie Mack

50. "Little Deuce Coupe," The Beach Boys

62. "Only in America," Jay & The Americans
63. "Sally Go 'Round the Roses," The Jaynetts

66. "A Walkin' Miracle," The Essex feat. Anita Humes

69. "Cry Baby," Garnet Mimms & The Enchanters

84. "Wham!," Lonnie Mack

90. "Be My Baby," The Ronettes

Leaving the chart:

"Ring of Fire," Johnny Cash

55 Years Ago Spotlight

Wiki said:
August 28 – Martin Luther King Jr. delivers his "I Have a Dream" speech on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial to an audience of at least 250,000, during the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. It is, at that point, the single largest protest in American history.

New on the US chart:

"Be My Baby," The Ronettes
(#2 US; #4 R&B; #4 UK; #22 on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time)

And just as fresh across the pond:

"She Loves You," The Beatles
(#1 UK the weeks of 12 Sept. through 3 Oct. and 28 Nov. through 5 Dec., 1963; Best-selling single of the decade in the UK; #64 on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time)

So...starting to feel at all like the '60s yet...?

_______

RJDiogenes · Aug 29, 2018

The Old Mixer said:
"Be My Baby," The Ronettes

One of the classicest of classics. And it does kind of sound like the 50s to me.

"She Loves You," The Beatles

"Yeah, yeah, yeah" may have been the emblematic slogan of that era. :rommie:

So...starting to feel at all like the '60s yet...?

It seems like everything in the early 60s sounds like it belongs either earlier or later. :rommie:

The Old Mixer · Aug 30, 2018

RJDiogenes said:
And it does kind of sound like the 50s to me.

A song doesn't get that high on the Rolling Stone list by having sounded out of date in its time.

_______

Selections from Billboard's Hot 100 for 51 years ago this week:

1. "Ode to Billie Joe," Bobbie Gentry
2. "All You Need Is Love," The Beatles
3. "Reflections," Diana Ross & The Supremes
4. "Light My Fire," The Doors
5. "Baby, I Love You," Aretha Franklin
6. "Come Back When You Grow Up," Bobby Vee & The Strangers
7. "Cold Sweat, Part 1," James Brown
8. "Pleasant Valley Sunday," The Monkees
9. "You're My Everything," The Temptations
10. "I Was Made to Love Her," Stevie Wonder
11. "Words," The Monkees
12. "Heroes and Villains," The Beach Boys
13. "Thank the Lord for the Night Time," Neil Diamond
14. "Apples, Peaches, Pumpkin Pie," Jay & The Techniques
15. "The Letter," The Box Tops
16. "A Whiter Shade of Pale," Procol Harum
17. "A Girl Like You," The Young Rascals
18. "Carrie-Anne," The Hollies
19. "Funky Broadway," Wilson Pickett
20. "(I Wanna) Testify," The Parliaments
21. "Silence Is Golden," The Tremeloes
22. "Brown Eyed Girl," Van Morrison
23. "Fakin' It," Simon & Garfunkel
24. "There Is a Mountain," Donovan
25. "San Franciscan Nights," Eric Burdon & The Animals
26. "To Love Somebody," Bee Gees
27. "(Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher and Higher," Jackie Wilson
28. "You Know What I Mean," The Turtles
29. "I Had a Dream," Paul Revere & The Raiders feat. Mark Lindsay

31. "Mercy, Mercy, Mercy," The Buckinghams

33. "Groovin'," Booker T. & The M.G.'s
34. "Let the Good Times Roll & Feel So Good," Bunny Sigler
35. "Can't Take My Eyes Off You," Frankie Valli
36. "Twelve Thirty (Young Girls Are Coming to the Canyon)," The Mamas & The Papas
37. "Things I Should Have Said," The Grass Roots
38. "I Dig Rock and Roll Music," Peter, Paul & Mary
39. "Hypnotized," Linda Jones
40. "Gettin' Together," Tommy James & The Shondells

46. "Gimme Little Sign," Brenton Wood
47. "My Mammy," The Happenings

55. "Knock on Wood," Otis & Carla

57. "Get on Up," The Esquires
58. "Love Bug Leave My Heart Alone," Martha Reeves & The Vandellas
59. "Never My Love," The Association

63. "Run, Run, Run," The Third Rail

70. "I Make A Fool Of Myself," Frankie Valli
71. "Little Ole Man (Uptight, Everything's Alright)," Bill Cosby
72. "The Cat in the Window (The Bird in the Sky)," Petula Clark

83. "Expressway to Your Heart," The Soul Survivors
84. "The Ballad of You & Me & Pooneil," Jefferson Airplane

88. "Get Together," The Youngbloods

93. "Purple Haze," The Jimi Hendrix Experience

96. "The Look of Love," Dusty Springfield

Leaving the chart:

"Baby You're a Rich Man," The Beatles

"Bluebird," Buffalo Springfield

"I Take It Back," Sandy Posey

"Lady Friend," The Byrds

"Little Bit o' Soul," The Music Explosion

"More Love," Smokey Robinson & The Miracles

"Soul Finger," The Bar-Kays

"White Rabbit," Jefferson Airplane

"Windy," The Association

_______

51st Anniversary Cinematic Special

_______

In the Heat of the Night
Starring Sidney Poitier, Rod Steiger, Warren Oates, Lee Grant, Larry Gates, and James Patterson
Directed by Norman Jewison
Premiered August 2, 1967
Winner of 1968 Academy Awads for Best Picture, Best Actor in a Leading Role (Rod Steiger), Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium (Stirling Silliphant), Best Sound, and Best Film Editing (Hal Ashby); 1968 Grammy Award for Best Original Score Written for a Motion Picture or Television Show (Quincy Jones)

Wiki said:
It is based on John Ball's 1965 novel of the same name and tells the story of Virgil Tibbs, a black police detective from Philadelphia, who becomes involved in a murder investigation in a small town in Mississippi.

In 2002, the film was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".

First, a title theme spotlight:

"In the Heat of the Night," Ray Charles
(Charted Aug. 26, 1967; #33 US; #21 R&B)

In addition to the cast listed above, we get familiar faces such as Peter Whitney, whom I know from many period shows, especially Westerns, as Courtney, the officer manning the police station desk; and the ubiquitous William Schallert as the Mayor of Sparta, Mississippi. Love all the old soda machines and soda bottles and the downtown storefronts. And speaking of, assuming the label of Delores's Pepsi bottle was more visible on the big screen, excellent product placement! :techman:

(Note that while the character was supposed to be 16 in the film, Quentin Dean would have been 22 during filming.)

This is a film that should be more sign o' the times than it is, with its exploration of the casual racism rampant in the South at the time...but the circumstances of Virgil's arrest at the beginning of the film remains woefully relevant in modern times. Note, however, the lack of Miranda rights...the law establishing them was passed in 1966, between the book and the film.

When she'd see Sidney Poitier on TV, my ex would break into "They call me MISTER TIBBS!," and I had no idea what she was talking about at the time. I'd love to post the clip, as it's one of the film's two most iconic moments, but it has a specific epithet in it, so I'm erring on the side of caution. It's Fandango Movie Clip (4/10) on YouTube.

I like how Gillespie plays to Tibbs's ego to get him to stay and help with the case...and then, after the film's other most iconic scene...
...Gillespie provides the ah-ha moment that Tibbs is just as prone as the small-town police to jumping on a suspect without ample evidence. (We never did learn how Colbert picked up that fern root.)

On a lighter note, I thought that the original song "Foul Owl" (performed by Boomer & Travis) had some character:
The intro reminds me of "Li'l Red Riding Hood" by Sam the Sham & the Pharaohs.

They did a good job of hiding the killer in the credits, though I might have known who it was because he's a character actor that I know from here and there, though I couldn't have named him. He was also conspicuously placed as the first person we clearly see in the film, IIRC.

I was surprised that the first real bonding scene between Tibbs and Gillespie, in the latter's home, came so late in the film...literally within the last 15 minutes.

Overall, I found the film quite watchable. Poitier gets a good share of the credit for that, of course. Nowadays I increasingly find getting through two-and-a-half-plus-hour big, dumb action blockbusters to be a chore. This film, by contrast, I watched through in one sitting the first day, and then, because it was a 48-hour rental, watched through in one sitting again the second. Definitely recommended immersive retro viewing!

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RJDiogenes · Aug 30, 2018

I think the folks at MeTV are reading this thread-- well, maybe not, but I mentioned Quisp the other day and this page was in their latest email.

The Old Mixer said:
A song doesn't get that high on the Rolling Stone list by having sounded out of date in its time.

Maybe the problem with Rolling Stone is that they don't consult with me. Or maybe not.

In the Heat of the Night

Ahhhh.....

"In the Heat of the Night," Ray Charles

Here's a classic. It could have come out in the 50s.

This is a film that should be more sign o' the times than it is, with its exploration of the casual racism rampant in the South at the time...but the circumstances of Virgil's arrest at the beginning of the film remains woefully relevant in modern times.

Well, despite any backsliding and exploitation of social media, things are still drastically different than they were fifty or sixty years ago. The current generation is a mess, but the progress of the Civil Rights Era can't be undone. It can be compromised and ongoing progress can be slowed, but there's no going back.

When she'd see Sidney Poitier on TV, my ex would break into "They call me MISTER TIBBS!," and I had no idea what she was talking about at the time.

One of the all-time great movie quotes.

...Gillespie provides the ah-ha moment that Tibbs is just as prone as the small-town police to jumping on a suspect without ample evidence.

A beautiful, humanistic moment that marks the divide between truth and propaganda. Not something you'd likely see today.

The intro reminds me of "Li'l Red Riding Hood" by Sam the Sham & the Pharaohs.

The whole song does, really, enough to make me wonder if they couldn't get the rights to "Riding Hood"-- or maybe they just wanted all original music, so they needed something in that style.

I was surprised that the first real bonding scene between Tibbs and Gillespie, in the latter's home, came so late in the film...literally within the last 15 minutes.

It was a long road. :rommie:

Poitier gets a good share of the credit for that, of course.

It's probably not possible to overestimate the contributions that Sidney Poitier has made to cinema and society. Everything from his almost-hypnotic sincerity to his undeniable classiness to his striking handsomeness contributed to the conciliation of the greatest period of change in history. When it comes to leading men in Hollywood, the cliche is that women want him and men want to be him-- and Poitier was the first Black guy to achieve that with a mainstream audience. Not to mention his knack for getting involved with really great material. It's safe to say that the world would be a very different place without him.

Nowadays I increasingly find getting through two-and-a-half-plus-hour big, dumb action blockbusters to be a chore.

I've pretty much given up, since falling asleep three times during the allegedly exciting climactic battle in the first Avengers movie. :rommie:

The Old Mixer · Aug 30, 2018

Sons of bitches! I just rented In the Heat of the Night...so of course, it pops up on This's schedule a couple weeks from now! :lol:

RJDiogenes said:
I think the folks at MeTV are reading this thread-- well, maybe not, but I mentioned Quisp the other day and this page was in their latest email.

That is strange. Maybe This is also checking my rental activity....

Maybe the problem with Rolling Stone is that they don't consult with me. Or maybe not.

If they had...

"(The Lights Went Out in) Massachusetts," Bee Gees
(Charted Nov. 11, 1967; #11 US; #1 UK; #1 on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time)

Well, despite any backsliding and exploitation of social media, things are still drastically different than they were fifty or sixty years ago. The current generation is a mess, but the progress of the Civil Rights Era can't be undone. It can be compromised and ongoing progress can be slowed, but there's no going back.

I was thinking most specifically of DWB and police shootings, which you hear a lot about in the news these days, in relation to Virgil's false arrest at the depot. The guy wasn't even out driving, he was waiting for a train in a town he'd never set foot in.

One of the all-time great movie quotes.

Ex-Mrs. Mixer certainly seemed to think so.

When it comes to leading men in Hollywood, the cliche is that women want him and men want to be him-- and Poitier was the first Black guy to achieve that with a mainstream audience.

That's something I hadn't thought of. His presence in a film certainly remains a draw for me today.

I've pretty much given up, since falling asleep three times during the allegedly exciting climactic battle in the first Avengers movie.

I'm scheduled to try watching Justice League sometime this weekend. I'm not particularly fond of the current DC films in the first place, but I get HBO in my current cable package and it came up. More looking forward to Black Panther, which is coming to Netflix next week.

Oh yeah...in case anyone thought I was kidding whenever I may have mentioned that Peter Frampton guested on Black Sheep Squadron:

GNDN18 · Aug 30, 2018

The Old Mixer said:
Oh yeah...in case anyone thought I was kidding whenever I may have mentioned that Peter Frampton guested on Black Sheep Squadron:

I remember my dad was really impressed by the period haircuts when this first aired.

The Old Mixer · Aug 31, 2018

_______

50th Anniversary Catch-Up Viewing

_______

The Monkees
"The Monkees Race Again"
Originally aired February 12, 1968

Wiki said:
Davy drives the Monkeemobile in an auto race when the British entry is sabotaged by Baron Von Klutz (David Hurst) and his Klutzmobile. Featuring a cameo appearance by co-producer Bob Rafelson as the "World's Oldest Flower Child".

Note: No laugh track

Featuring future TOS guest David Hurst as the Baron, and three-time Batman guest (including the film) Maurice Dallimore as the Butler.

Alas, this one didn't have enough good gags ("Curse you, Red Baron!") to make up for the corny German stereotype stuff that permeates the episode.

Anticlimactic song sequence: "What Am I Doing Hangin' 'Round?" (22:14+). It takes place in-story, but after the Monkees have already won the race.

_______

The Rat Patrol
"The Field of Death Raid"
Originally aired February 12, 1968

H&I said:
A German colonel, crippled in an earlier raid by the Rat Patrol, captures Troy's brother in a plan for revenge.

Guesting series star Christopher George's brother, Nick George, as his character's brother, Capt. David Troy. (I also learned when looking into this that future Mission: Impossible star Linda Day George was Christopher George's wife.)

Filling in for Justin Tarr as Tully is Darwin Joston as Pvt. Peterson. They briefly mention Tully having gotten shot up, suggesting that this was the first episode of his absence in production order.

And filling in for the often absent Hans Gudegast is Albert Paulsen as a German major whom we've never met, but who blames Sgt. Troy for his bad leg and apparently his bad complexion.

Troy says that he last saw his brother before the war, but the photo we see of them together has both in uniform complete with the sergeant's distinctive hat and a desert background.

Also, we get an accidental fourth wall-breaking moment in this episode to rival Dark Shadows:

_______

The Monkees
"The Monkees in Paris"
Originally aired February 19, 1968

Wiki said:
The Monkees take a vacation from the studio grind and are chased (on location) all over the French Capital by beautiful girls and gendarme.

Note: No laugh track

The whole premise of this episode is based on some early fourth wall breaking....

Mike said:
You've seen one Monkee episode, you've seen all the Monkees episodes.

He said it, I didn't!

I read that the wraparound segments of the Monkees shooting their show were the last material filmed for the series. They're done in the same sort of rough, documentary-ish quality as the Paris footage.

Once the boys are in France, we go straight into music video mode with "Love is Only Sleeping" (3:41+). As with the bits of NY location shooting that we get on That Girl, there's no dialogue in the Paris sequences, just music. Also breaking with the show's usual premise, we have the band being chased by girls...four of them, to be exact, and hired models. Sort of A Hard Day's Night Lite.

Mike's "Don't Call on Me" and the brief sequence for it (9:02+) is rather nice. Immediately following that is "Star Collector" (10:23+). The boys finally pick up a decent-sized mob of admirers in "Goin' Down" (13:19+). Davy takes his shirt off on location, and Micky joins him. For the last segment of Monkees music, we get a reprise of "Don't Call on Me" (18:34+).

Concluding the episode, the Monkees return home to find themselves doing a slightly rewritten version of the scene they'd been complaining about in the opening.

While it had little story to speak of, this episode was quite the refreshing departure from formula, and reminiscent of "The Monkees on Tour."

_______

The Rat Patrol
"The Double Jeopardy Raid"
Originally aired February 19, 1968

H&I said:
The Rat Patrol is at odds with a group of young partisans when the irregulars endanger the plans of an Allied offensive by attacking an SS camp.

This episode makes up for the lack of dialogue in the same night's Monkees installment by giving us a group of guest characters with French North African accents. The Patrol has to rescue the Partisan leader when he's captured with knowledge of an upcoming Allied offensive.

This week's substitute for Tully...Mac McLaughlin as "Andy".

Just when I thought from the last few episodes that they'd ditched the desert set in the 11th hour of the series, we get a coda shot on it.

_______

RJDiogenes · Aug 31, 2018

The Old Mixer said:
That is strange. Maybe This is also checking my rental activity....

We should start posting our wish lists. :rommie:

If they had...

"(The Lights Went Out in) Massachusetts," Bee Gees

From now on, we use the Alternate Universe version of the Top 500. :rommie:

I was thinking most specifically of DWB and police shootings, which you hear a lot about in the news these days, in relation to Virgil's false arrest at the depot. The guy wasn't even out driving, he was waiting for a train in a town he'd never set foot in.

That's true enough.

I'm scheduled to try watching Justice League sometime this weekend. I'm not particularly fond of the current DC films in the first place, but I get HBO in my current cable package and it came up. More looking forward to Black Panther, which is coming to Netflix next week.

Superhero movies tend to not interest me, despite my love of comics. Aside from the fact that they always change things, much of the appeal of comics was the distinctive styles of the artists and writers, which is lost in the generic movie format. I liked Captain America well enough because it was a period piece, and I'm interested in Wonder Woman for the same reason. The only other action-type movies I have any interest in are the Star Wars movies, and I'm about three behind at this point.

Oh yeah...in case anyone thought I was kidding whenever I may have mentioned that Peter Frampton guested on Black Sheep Squadron:

From the classic episode "Frampton Comes Back Alive."

The Old Mixer said:
The Monkees
"The Monkees Race Again"

"The World's Oldest Flower Child." I think that's me now. :rommie:

Troy says that he last saw his brother before the war, but the photo we see of them together has both in uniform complete with the sergeant's distinctive hat and a desert background.

That's a bit of a continuity error. Those time travelers are messing around again.

Also, we get an accidental fourth wall-breaking moment in this episode to rival Dark Shadows:

Wow, they must have all been drunk during the making of this one. :rommie:

Also breaking with the show's usual premise, we have the band being chased by girls...four of them, to be exact, and hired models.

Why are they running?

Davy takes his shirt off on location, and Micky joins him.

There's a lot of that in France.

The Old Mixer · Aug 31, 2018

_______

50 Years Ago This Week

September 6

Swaziland becomes independent.

150 women (members of New York Radical Women) arrive in Atlantic City, New Jersey to protest against the Miss America Pageant, as exploitative of women. Led by activist and author Robin Morgan, it is one of the first large demonstrations of Second Wave Feminism as Women's Liberation begins to gather much media attention.

Mark Lewisohn's The Beatles Day by Day said:
September 4 – The Beatles spend the day at Twickenham Film Studios taping promotional films for 'Hey Jude' and 'Revolution'. David Frost is also there to shoot an introduction to 'Hey Jude' which, together with the film, is transmitted on his London Weekend Television programme Frost on Sunday on 8 September.

Tune in Next Week--Same Fab Time...Same Fab Channel!

Selections from Billboard's Hot 100 for the week:

1. "People Got to Be Free," The Rascals
2. "Born to Be Wild," Steppenwolf
3. "Light My Fire," Jose Feliciano
4. "Harper Valley P.T.A.," Jeannie C. Riley
5. "Hello, I Love You," The Doors
6. "The House That Jack Built," Aretha Franklin
7. "1, 2, 3, Red Light," 1910 Fruitgum Co.
8. "You're All I Need to Get By," Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell
9. "I Can't Stop Dancing," Archie Bell & The Drells
10. "Stay in My Corner," The Dells
11. "Sunshine of Your Love," Cream
12. "You Keep Me Hangin' On," The Vanilla Fudge
13. "Hush," Deep Purple
14. "Turn Around, Look at Me," The Vogues
15. "Love Makes a Woman," Barbara Acklin
16. "Classical Gas," Mason Williams
17. "The Fool on the Hill," Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66
18. "Slip Away," Clarence Carter
19. "Journey to the Center of the Mind," The Amboy Dukes
20. "Soul-Limbo," Booker T. & The MG's
21. "Sealed with a Kiss," Gary Lewis & The Playboys
22. "Do It Again," The Beach Boys
23. "I Say a Little Prayer," Aretha Franklin
24. "Stoned Soul Picnic," The 5th Dimension
25. "Dream a Little Dream of Me," Mama Cass w/ The Mamas & The Papas
26. "Please Return Your Love to Me," The Temptations
27. "Magic Bus," The Who

29. "Tuesday Afternoon (Forever Afternoon)," The Moody Blues
30. "I've Gotta Get a Message to You," Bee Gees
31. "Pictures of Matchstick Men," The Status Quo
32. "The Eyes of a New York Woman," B.J. Thomas

35. "On the Road Again," Canned Heat

37. "Special Occasion," Smokey Robinson & The Miracles
38. "Girl Watcher," The O'Kaysions
39. "Alice Long (You're Still My Favorite Girlfriend)," Tommy Boyce & Bobby Hart

41. "Hurdy Gurdy Man," Donovan

44. "The Snake," Al Wilson
45. "Little Green Apples," O.C. Smith

51. "Time Has Come Today," The Chambers Brothers

59. "Piece of My Heart," Big Brother & The Holding Company
60. "Say It Loud - I'm Black and I'm Proud (Part 1)," James Brown
61. "(The Lament of the Cherokee) Indian Reservation," Don Fardon
62. "My Special Angel," The Vogues

64. "Midnight Confessions," The Grass Roots

66. "In-a-Gadda-da-Vida," Iron Butterfly

69. "Down on Me," Big Brother & The Holding Company

72. "Baby, Come Back," The Equals

76. "The Weight," The Band

79. "Hey, Western Union Man," Jerry Butler

81. "Fire," The Crazy World of Arthur Brown

83. "Street Fighting Man," The Rolling Stones

90. "Shape of Things to Come," Max Frost & The Troopers
91. "Light My Fire," The Doors
92. "Suzie Q," Creedence Clearwater Revival

99. "Fool for You," The Impressions

Leaving the chart:

"Lady Willpower," Gary Puckett & The Union Gap (13 weeks)
"(Love Is Like a) Baseball Game," The Intruders (9 weeks)
"Sky Pilot," Eric Burdon & The Animals (14 weeks)

New on the chart:

"Street Fighting Man," The Rolling Stones
(#48 US; #295 on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time)

"Baby, Come Back," The Equals
(#32 US; #1 UK)

"Fool for You," The Impressions
(#22 US; #3 R&B)

"Shape of Things to Come," Max Frost & The Troopers
(#22 US)

"Suzie Q," Creedence Clearwater Revival
(#11 US)

"Say It Loud - I'm Black and I'm Proud (Part 1)," James Brown
(#10 US; #1 R&B; #305 on Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time)

"My Special Angel," The Vogues
(#7 US; #1 AC)

"Fire," The Crazy World of Arthur Brown
(#2 US; #1 UK)

_______

This week's scheduled catch-up viewing:

The Monkees, "Monkees Mind Their Manor" (Feb. 26, 1968)
The Rat Patrol, "The Hickory Dickory Dock Raid" (Feb. 26, 1968)
The Monkees, "Some Like It Lukewarm" (Mar. 4, 1968)
The Rat Patrol, "The Tug Of War Raid" (Mar. 4, 1968)

_______

RJDiogenes said:
Superhero movies tend to not interest me, despite my love of comics. Aside from the fact that they always change things, much of the appeal of comics was the distinctive styles of the artists and writers, which is lost in the generic movie format. I liked Captain America well enough because it was a period piece, and I'm interested in Wonder Woman for the same reason. The only other action-type movies I have any interest in are the Star Wars movies, and I'm about three behind at this point.

In my book, there's nothing wrong with a good adaptation that weeds out the flotsam and jetsom of decades of shoddy continuity. Comic fans should be used to having alternate continuity versions of characters. It's the general storytelling style of these films that's wearing on me. I was a diehard follower of the MCU films up to a point, but even they have started to feel more like they're being made for Millennials and their kids than for me. Nevertheless, the MCU in general remains a very impressive achievement. I was skeptical at the time that they'd even get to The Avengers (which I did enjoy).

"The World's Oldest Flower Child."

The gag was funnier the first time when Alfred did it ("Catwoman's Dressed to Kill," Dec. 14, 1967).

Why are they running?

They weren't in some of the segments...particularly the nice first one for "Don't Call on Me".

TREK_GOD_1 · Aug 31, 2018

RJDiogenes said:
My personal favorite is "Junior's Farm," but I'd say his best is either "Band on the Run" or "Live and Let Die."

Great choices, but "Junior's Farm" is a surpise as your favorite in the McCartney catalog.

Sure, all performers have a crafted image to some degree, but he rose to fame on his authenticity.

Again, I was not questioning his authenticity during his initial breakout period, but his post army years in film (and music until 1968) where he was pretty much the equivalent of a mass produced toy hanging on a supermarket peg.

The Old Mixer said:
"In the Heat of the Night," Ray Charles

Overall, the Quincy Jones score was a standout for 1967, as he successfully captured a mix of what one might call "different faces of Southerners/southern life" with everything from blues to country, plus the dramatic cues that set such dark, threatening and occasionally bombastic tones that were so evocative of that nightmarish period for the region, such as "Peep-Freak Patrol Car", "Cotton Curtain" and "Shag Bag, Hounds & Harvey".

Today, some might question just how "real" the film's characters and situations were, but the filmmakers were under pressure right out of the gates, with the production shooting in Illinois, instead of Sparta, Mississippi because of alleged threats against the cast and crew. Shooting in Mississippi (even in 1966, when it was produced) would have been a risk no one would have accepted, as it was boiling with racial animosity from the dominant white culture, many still focused on the then-forthcoming Federal trial (in 1967) of the conspirators charged with violating the civil rights of the murdered Michael Schwerner, James Chaney and Andrew Goodman (United States v. Price, et al.). Needless to say, in that environment, publicity about a film about a northern black detective asserting himself against a southern white sheriff and a racist culture would have been like lighting an entire case of dynamite for the crew.

In addition to the cast listed above, we get familiar faces such as Peter Whitney, whom I know from many period shows, especially Westerns, as Courtney, the officer manning the police station desk

Whitney also tried to stop the Monkees from "walkin' down the street" as Mexican bandit leader El Diablo in the second season opener, "It's a Nice Place to Visit" (9/11/1967) and appeared in what would be the last role before his death--the scatter-toothed grave robber in "Deliveries in the Rear" (2/9/1972), one of the best remembered segments of Rod Serling's Night Gallery--

Gillespie provides the ah-ha moment that Tibbs is just as prone as the small-town police to jumping on a suspect without ample evidence. (We never did learn how Colbert picked up that fern root.)

Some black audiences felt that was trying to "even the scales" as not to offend certain members of the white audience. Personally, I believed it worked to show that Tibbs was not saintly and held his own set of prejudices--although nothing on the level of his white antagonists in Sparta.

Of this film's list of character actors, one you forgot was Scott Wilson (Harvey Oberst). In addition to In the Heat of the Night, Wilson starred in the landmark true crime adaptation of the Capote novel In Cold Blood (Columbia, 1967) and gained endless numbers of fans in recent years thanks to the role of Hershel Green on three seasons of The Walking Dead--

The Old Mixer · Aug 31, 2018

TREK_GOD_1 said:
Today, some might question just how "real" the film's characters and situations were

It all seemed grounded and naturalistic enough to me.

Some black audiences felt that was trying to "even the scales" as not to offend certain members of the white audience. Personally, I believed it worked to show that Tibbs was not saintly and held his own set of prejudices--although nothing on the level of his white antagonists in Sparta.

I thought it was a good payoff after multiple beats of the local police jumping to conclusions to be proven wrong by Tibbs, which was making them look like straw men.

Of this film's list of character actors, one you forgot was Scott Wilson (Harvey Oberst).

I didn't forget...I wasn't familiar with him.

ETA: Now they're showing commercials for the Start TV launch on my Decades channel. They also advise that you check "Where to Watch" on the Decades site to find out where Decades is going. Boston and New York both have listings for over the air providers "coming soon". Don't know if that'll do me any good. I'm completely dependent on cable, don't have an antenna, and I'm not sure if my cable-based DVR could record something OTA. I haven't watched OTA TV in...decades.

Ironically, messing around with changing channels on my TV, the only thing I found on the lower dial that I could get OTA was the current Decades channel...with a reception so lousy that I wasn't getting any sound but static.

Shaka Zulu · Sep 1, 2018

The Old Mixer said:
More or less. 2001 was only available in Cinerama in a small number of cities until its general release in Autumn.

I'm planning to take my time getting to both films, to give each the attention it deserves.

And I just saw it in IMAX at the Cinesphere theater located at Ontario Place last Friday here in Toronto.

The Classic/Retro Pop Culture Thread

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