Friday on TCM…

Updated on March 9, 2010 By Ken Begg 13 Comments

Chad Jones wrote and informed me of the following line-up on TCM this Friday. I’ll be hanging out with Sandy and no doubt being subjected to video devilment of his own, but this is highly good stuff. Them! is to me still my all-time favorite monster movie, and Monster that Challenged the World is a bit of a gem, especially since it isn’t that well known.

The only movie I haven’t seen below is Shanks, which (as you might suppose from the description below) is generally considered a very weird flick.

Sayeth Chad:

Been a while since I’ve had a chance to alert ya on something like this, but we’ve got some damn good stuff coming up Friday on TCM.

First, it’s “Mutants” night. More like giant rogue critter night, though. Not that I’m complaining.

7 pm CST: The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms. A true classic. Probably my favorite giant monster movie not featuring Godzilla or Gamera.
8:30 pm: It Came From Beneath the Sea. Not the best, but hey–giant octopus! We know you love that, Ken!
10 pm: Monster that Challenged the World. I don’t remember being overly impressed with it when I saw it years ago, but I know you’ve said pretty kind words about it, so I’ll give it another go.
11:30 pm: Them! Another classic; the best giant bug movie yet, and one I know you love. Giant ants vs. Joan Weldon and James Arness…hard to go wrong there.

Then, I’m guessing we’ve got TCM Underground, considering the next two movies…

1:30 am: Shanks. Yes, the movie with Marcel Marceau as the puppeteer who plays with dead people. I’ve never seen it, but that’s gonna change Friday.
3:15 am: Mr. Sardonicus. Just about the only William Castle movie I haven’t seen. I know it’s not considered his best, but come on…William Castle. I’m there.

Pin It



Related Posts

  • BeckoningChasm

    It’d be cool if they showed both endings to Mr. Sardonicus. Of course, not having cable and thus not having TCM, I wouldn’t know either way.

  • Brandi

    I don’t think the second ending was ever filmed. If you watch the bit when Castle is telling people to vote he very heavily encourages people to vote thumbs down and not-so-subtly mocks those who might vote otherwise.

    On a different note: anyone who has a DVD recorder and could record Shanks to a DVD please email me; I’d like to have a permanent copy of this one that’s not a videotape, and I will be happy to cover media and shipping charges.

  • No, Castle skipped it, working under the theory that the audience would always want blood. (And he was probably right.) They showed this at B-Fest one year, and did the whole fake vote. I exposed the lie, and got the audience to request the ‘nice’ ending. The guy on stage seemed a little put out at having to admit there wasn’t one.

  • in other news, we now have the final lineup for Tween Fest.

    Nightmare City
    Incubo sulla città contaminata
    City of the Walking Dead

    Nightmare of a Contaminated City
    La Invasion de los Zombies Atomicos
    Nightmare

    Sorry we only have 6 movies this time, but I couldn’t find any more alternate titles.

  • BeckoningChasm

    If you threw in War of the Robots, well, that’s like four or five movies right there. Just make sure there aren’t any sharp objects around.

  • The Rev. D.D.

    Once again my inside source comes through…the last two movies for Tween-Fest are:

    Großangriff der Zombies
    Zombi 3: Efialtis stin poli

  • GalaxyJane

    Well that will give me something to look forward to this week, since Dallas ain’t happening for me this time around. So what story should I make up to explain why I look more like death than usual in the ER on Saturday? Because, let’s face it, the truth will further mark my life as incredibly lame, and I don’t have a DVR, so I gotta see Shanks when it’s on :-)

  • GJ — I am incredibly sad! I hope we’ll see you this summer. Stay sweet.

  • The Rev. D.D.

    Aww, my buddy from last year can’t make it? Sadness!

    (Probably gladness for her. “Thank god I don’t have to pretend I’m listening to that windbag again!”) ;)

    Take care, hon. We hope to see you down this way again soon.

  • Actually, I do consider Sardonicus his best. As much as I love his other stuff, Sardonicus has an intelligent script by Ray Russell, creepy gothic cinematography worthy of Universal, and a brilliant performance by Oscar Homolka.
    It’s a shame I’m too poor for cable right now.

  • GalaxyJane

    Rev, I’ve been in the Army since 1995. I have “pretending to listen to windbags” down to an art ;-)

    And y’all never subject me to the dreaded Death by Powerpoint. Another reason I’ll be sorry to miss things this time around.

  • Then there’s the fact she hands around this site, and thus presumably has read an article or two of mine. So a fear of windbaggery does not seem to be an especial phobia of hers.

    As sad as Jane’s absence will be, I would like to point out this is why we’re doing an extra one this year (and hopefully in the future)–to give people another chance to get together. Hopefully the summer works out better for the various people who can’t make it this weekend.

  • The Rev. D.D.

    1. Your windbaggery is more interesting than mine, I’m sure.

    2. Yours is in print form; one can walk away from it at any time, have a beer, and come back later. THERE IS NO ESCAPING ME.

    MUWHAHAHAHAHAAAAAA!!!!

    *cough*

    I’m better now.