Just some film musings of a more succinct, spontaneous and sometimes seditious nature:
Tuesday, October 13, 2026
Today on TCM:
Fans of film noir who haven't seen John Brahm's 1946 The Locket do not want to miss the opportunity to experience this hypnotically mesmerising drama. A previous recommendation here, The Locket is a dream-like journey crying out to be discovered.
Read MoreJust some film musings of a more succinct, spontaneous and sometimes seditious nature:
Monday, October 5, 2026
#Note: Due to my extensive travels, Dish of the Day will be suspended until Monday, October 12th. For further TCM recommendations until then, please see this month’s “Now Listen to Me… “ column.
Also, I am currently highly distressed to discover so many movie stills and photos (including actors, directors, c.d. and blu-ray covers) have been automatically removed from this site without a warning or contact from anyone. This comes on the heels of The Cinema Cafe Facebook Chat Room (in existence for over a decade with well over 200k members) being shut down completely because of members posting images from movies. I believe it was an automated service that conducted this blitzkrieg on this site on behalf of the studios: part of a recent crackdown on any and all internet sites using their stills… even though there is not only no financial incentive to be found here, they (the photos) can only serve to promote their product (DVDs, TCM showings etc) and develop further interest in classic cinema.
Currently available at Watch TCM (until October 9th):
This next offering I would not necessarily recommend except perhaps for its Jerry Goldsmith score: The Swarm (1978) which has, along with its soundtrack, been briefly reviewed here.
Read MoreJust some thoughts on current happenings:
Read MoreJust some film musings of a more succinct, spontaneous and sometimes seditious nature:
Friday, October 2, 2026
This weekend on TCM:
In the U.K. town of Midwich, strange children with mysterious origins are behaving badly. Find out just how bad when the chilling Village of the Damned (1960), previously reviewed here, airs Saturday, October 3 at 3:15 am PDT.
Read MoreJust some film musings of a more succinct, spontaneous and sometimes seditious nature:
Friday, September 25, 2026
This weekend on TCM:
Ace in the Hole (1951) is Billy Wilder's scathing examination of American opportunism and moral depravity via cocky newspaper reporter Chuck Tatum, portrayed with unrelenting cynical ferociousness by Kirk Douglas.
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Just some film musings of a more succinct, spontaneous and sometimes seditious nature:
Wednesday, September 23, 2026
Today on TCM:
Alfred Hitchcock's Vertigo (1958) is loaded with multi-faceted insights and hidden rumination on human relationships providing viewers with much to ponder long after this tale of romantic obsession ends.
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Just some film musings of a more succinct, spontaneous and sometimes seditious nature:
Tuesday, September 22, 2026
Tomorrow on TCM:
TCM is having a rare presentation of some very special Warner Bros. Looney Tunes cartoons this month. One of the studio’s absolute creative best also happens to be Hidden Gem #39: One Froggy Evening (1955) showing Wednesday, September 23 at 6:50 pm PDT.
Read MoreJust some film musings of a more succinct, spontaneous and sometimes seditious nature:
Monday, September 21, 2026
Tomorrow on TCM:
My next TCM recommendation is 1947’s Nora Prentiss portrayed by Ann Sheridan.
Read MoreJust some film musings of a more succinct, spontaneous and sometimes seditious nature:
Thursday, September 17, 2026
Today on TCM:
Immediately following Armored Car Robbery is another film noir bonafide classic directed by Richard Fleischer: The Narrow Margin (1952), a previous TCM recommendation here.
Read MoreJust some film musings of a more succinct, spontaneous and sometimes seditious nature:
Wednesday, September 16, 2026
Tomorrow on TCM:
“Imagine a dish like this married to a mug like Benny McBride... the naked and the dead.”
Next up is Richard Fleischer’s little powder keg of a film noir Armored Car Robbery (1950), previously recommended here and set to explode Thursday, September 17 at 11 am PDT.
Read MoreJust some film musings of a more succinct, spontaneous and sometimes seditious nature:
Friday, September 11, 2026
This weekend on TCM:
One of the Top Ten: World Cinema Treasures is The Battle of Algiers a.k.a. La battaglia di Algeri (1966).
Read MoreJust some film musings of a more succinct, spontaneous and sometimes seditious nature:
Thursday, September 10, 2026
Today on TCM:
There have been quite a few movies centred around boxing over the years from 1937’s Kid Galahad to 2018’s Creed II with plenty of standouts in-between such as 1947’s Body and Soul, 1956’s Somebody Up There Likes Me, 1962’s Requiem for a Heavyweight, 1972’s Fat City and 1980’s Raging Bull. None of these, however, get as straight to the punchline as 1949’s knockout noir The Set-Up, previously reviewed here and happening again Thursday, September 10 at 10 am PDT.
Read MoreJust some film musings of a more succinct, spontaneous and sometimes seditious nature:
Tuesday, September 8, 2026
Today on TCM:
In 1966, one of the more challenging films to face off against the Production Code (mentioned in Exploring the Artefacts #3: Code Breakers) was that year’s Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, reviewed here, remarkably delivering all of the guttural force of its theatrical origin while creating a more intimate, and cinema appropriate, dynamic all its own.
Read MoreJust some thoughts on current happenings:
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