Movies for the Day, Tuesday, October 1, 2019

Today's movies mark Nigeria's National Holiday and the birthdays of Julie Andrews and Walter Matthau.

Which of today's movies would you watch?






Daybreak in Udi (1949) is an
early documentary set in Nigeria.
It won an Oscar for Best Feature
Documentary.  Nigeria's National Day
is October 1.  Its flag is pictured right.


Daybreak in Udi






Thoroughly Modern Millie (1967) is
a roaring 1920s spoof and a musical comedy.
It won an Oscar for Original Music Score.
Star Julie Andrews was born October 1, 1935.





Thoroughly Modern Millie













Charley Varrick (1973) is a thrilling
movie about a bank robber who wrongs the
Mob.  It stars Walter Matthau, born October
1, 1920.





Charley Varrick

Movies for the Day, Monday, September 30, 2019

Today's movies mark a Flintstones anniversary and the birthdays of Truman Capote and Deborah Kerr.

Which of today's movies would you watch?





The Man Called Flintstone (1966) is a
spy spoof based on the popular TV series, The
Flintstones, which premiered September
30, 1960.  Animation.






The Man Called Flintstone

Tru (1992) is an episode of American
Playhouse (season 12, episode 1) about two
days in the life of Truman Capote.  It won
an Emmy for Lead Actor, to Robert Morse.
Capote was born September 30, 1924.







Tru












Anna and the King (1999) is about a
schoolteacher and the King of Siam
(Thailand) in the 1860s.  See also Anna 
and the King of Siam (1946) which won
Oscars for Cinematography and Interior
Decoration followed by the classic musical
The King and I which stars Yul Brynner and
Deborah Kerr, born September 30, 1921.



Anna and the King

Movies for the Day, Sunday, September 29, 2019

Today's movies mark the birthday of Horatio Nelson, World Animals Remembrance Month, and Botswana Independence Day.


Which of today's movies would you watch?

The Divine Lady (1929) is about a
romance between Vice Admiral Lord
Horatio Nelson, born September 29,
1758, and Emma Hamilton.  The movie is set
during the Napoleanic Wars.  This movie won an
Oscar for Direction, to Frank Lloyd, born
February 2, 1826.  A silent movie.



The Divine Lady

Gates of Heaven (1978) is a
documentary about a pet cemetery
in California.  September is World
Animals Remembrance Month.
A very good movie.






Gates of Heaven










The Gods Must Be Crazy (1981) is
about the Bushmen in Africa's Botswana.
It is comic and poignant and a clash of
cultures.  See also The Gods Must Be Crazy
II (1989).  September 30 (1966) is Botswana
Independence Day.




The Gods Must Be Crazy

Movies for the Day, Saturday, September 28, 2019

Today's movies mark Hunting and Fishing Day.

Which of today's movies would you watch?

The Wetback Hound (1957) is about
a hunting dog that is easily distracted.
September 28, 2019, is National Hunting and
Fishing Day (fourth Saturday in
September).  This movie won an Oscar as
Best Live Action Short Subject.





The Wetback Hound










The Wide Blue Road (1957) is about
a Italian fishing village and a man who
uses illegal dynamite for his catch.
September 28, 2019, is National Hunting and
Fishing Day (fourth Saturday in
September).  A very good movie.





The Wide Blue Road












A River Runs Through It (1992) is about
fly fishing, Montana, and fathers and sons.
It won an Oscar for Cinematography.  September
28, 2019 (fourth Saturday in September) is
National Hunting and Fishing Day.





A River Runs Through It

Movies for the Day, Friday, September 27, 2019

Today's movies mark the birthday of Arthur Penn, National Wilderness Month, and a Jack the Ripper anniversary.

Which of today's movies would you watch?

Arthur Penn, 1922:  Themes and Variants
(1970) is a TV documentary about the acclaimed
director and producer of film, television, and
theater.  This movie won an Emmy for Outstanding
Achievement in Cultural Documentary Programming.
Arthur Penn, pictured in 2007, was born September
27, 1922.





Arthur Penn, 1922: Themes and Variants











Seven Alone (1974) is a family
wilderness movie about seven children
who trek 2000 miles west in the
1860s after their parents die en route.
September is National Wilderness Month.






Seven Alone












From Hell (2001) is a Jack the
Ripper movie.  The anniversary of a famous
Jack the Ripper letter is September
27 (1888).






From Hell

Movies for the Day, Thursday, September 26, 2019

Today's movies mark the birthday of Winsor McCay and the premieres of La Boheme and The Brady Bunch.

Which of today's movies would you watch?







Little Nemo (1911) is animated short
based on Winsor McCay's comic strip,
Little Nemo in Slumberland.  It is on the
National Film Registry.  McCay was born
September 26, 1869.






Little Nemo











In the Shadow of the Stars (1991)
is a documentary about the San Francisco
Opera Company which was founded in 1923.
The first performance was La Boheme on
September 26, 1923.  This movie won
an Oscar for Best Feature Documentary.





In the Shadow of the Stars









The Brady Bunch Movie (1995) is
based on the very popular TV sitcom which
premiered September 26, 1969.






The Brady Bunch Movie

Movies for the Day, Wednesday, September 25, 2019

Today's movies mark the birthdays of William Faulkner, Michael Douglas, and Will Smith.

Which of today's movies would you watch?








 The Reivers (1969) is about a boy in turn
of the century Mississippi who takes off on a road
trip with two men.  This is a very good movie full
of Americana.  It is based on a novel by William
Faulkner, born September 25, 1897.





The Reivers











Wall Street (1987) is about Wall
Street and morality.  It features an
American Film Institute Villain, Gordon
Gekko.  It also features an AFI Quote:  "Greed,
for lack of a better word, is good."
This movie won an Oscar for Best Actor,
to Michael Douglas, born September 25,
1944.




Wall Street









Men in Black (1997) is about secret
agents protecting Earth from aliens.
This movie combines science fiction and
some comedy.  It won an Oscar for
Makeup.  It stars Tommy Lee Jones, born
September 15, 1946, and Will Smith, born September
25, 1968.


Men in Black

Movies for the Day, Tuesday, September 24, 2019

Today's movies mark International Rabbit Day and the birthday of F. Scott Fitzgerald.

Which of today's movies would you watch?








Bunny (1998) is a poignant cartoon about a
rabbit.  September 28, 2019 (the fourth Saturday
or Sunday of September) is International
Rabbit Day.  This movie won an Oscar as Best
Short Film- Animated.



Bunny











The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
(2008) is a romantic fantasy about a
man who lives life in reverse.  It won
Oscars for Art Direction, Visual Effects,
Makeup, and Best Picture.  It is based on a short
story by F. Scott Fitzgerald, born September
24, 1896.  Star Bard Pitt was born December
18, 1963.




The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

The Great Gatsby (2013) is about
the Roaring Twenties and the Jazz
Age and wealth on Long Island.
It is based on the classic novel by F.
Scott Fitzgerald, born September 24, 1896.
It won Oscars for Costume Design and
Production Design.



The Great Gatsby

Movies for the Day, Monday, September 23, 2019

Today's movies mark the birthdays of Mickey Rooney and Ray Charles.

Which of today's movies would you watch?









Girl Crazy (1943) is a musical
comedy about a girl crazy undergraduate.
This very good movie stars Mickey
Rooney, born September 23, 1920.





Girl Crazy











Eddie (1958) is an episode
of The Alcoa Theatre, a late
1950s anthology TV series.
Mickey Rooney, born September 23,
1920, plays a wheeler dealer.  It won
Emmys for Directing and Writing.
Rooney is pictured left in 1945.
Season 2, episode 4, 30 minutes.





Eddie

Genius:  A Night for Ray Charles (2004)
is a TV special highlighting Charles'
music.  Charles was born September 23,
1930.  This special won an Emmy for
Sound Mixing.  Charles is pictured right
in the 1960s.




Genius: A Night for Ray Charles

Movies for the Day, Sunday, September 22, 2019

Today's movies mark the birthday of H.G. Wells.

Which of today's movies would you watch?

The Invisible Man (1933) is a horror/science
fiction movie about an invisible man.  It is based
on the story by H.G. Wells, born September 21,
1866.  A very good movie.  See also a followup,
The Invisible Man Returns (1940).





The Invisible Man













Quasi at the Quackadero (1975) is a
cartoon about two ducks and a robot
at an amusement park in the future
where time travel is exploited.  This
cartoon is on the National Film Registry.
The "father" of time travel fiction,
H.G. Wells, was born September 21, 1866.




Quasi at the Quackadero










Back to the Future (1985) is about
a teenager going 30 years into the past.
It is on the National Film Registry and won
an Oscar for Sound Effects Editing.  The "father"
of time travel fiction, H.G. Wells, was born
September 21, 1866.  See also Back to the
Future II (1989) and Back to the Future III
(1990) (Old West circa 1885).  There has also
been an animated TV series.



Back to the Future

Movies for the Day, Saturday, September 21, 2019

Today's movies mark the birthdays of H.G. Wells and Chuck Jones and Stephen King.

Which of today's movies would you watch?








Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956) is a
classic science fiction movie about alien
invaders who take over human bodies.  This
thrilling movie is on the National Film
Registry.  A father of alien invasion science
fiction was H.G. Wells, born September 21,
1866.  See also Invasion of the Body Snatchers
(1978).




Invasion of the Body Snatchers








One Froggy Evening (1955) is a cartoon
about a man who alone can see a frog
dance and sing.  This great cartoon was
directed by Chuck Jones, born September 21,
1912.  It is on the National Film Registry.




One Froggy Evening












Stand By Me (1986) is about boyhood
in the 1950s with a Stephen King
aura.  It is based on Stephen King's
novella The Body.  King was born
September 21, 1947.





Stand By Me

Movies for the Day, Friday, September 20, 2019

Today's movies mark National Wilderness Month and the birthdays of Sophia Loren and George R.R. Martin.

Which of today's movies would you watch?

White Wilderness (1958) is a Walt Disney
true life adventure in the Arctic region, especially
lemmings.  It won an Oscar for Best
Feature Documentary.





White Wilderness













La Ciociara (1960), aka Two Women,
is about a mother and daughter and
the horrors of World War II.  This
movie won an Oscar for Best
Actress, to Sophia Loren, born September
20, 1934.




La Ciociara











Game of Thrones (2011-2019) is a very
popular series about nine families fighting
over mythical lands and an ancient enemy
arising.  There are 73 episodes.  It was
created by George R.R. Martin, born September
20, 1948.  It has won many Emmys including
Supporting Actor, to Peter Dinklage (2011, 2015, 2018),
Art Direction (2012, 2014), Costumes (2012, 2014, 2016, 2018),
Sound Mixing (2012, 2015, 2016, 2018), Sound Editing (2012, 2015),
Special Visual Effects (2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2018),
Makeup (2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2018), Directing (2015, 2016), Writing (2015, 2016), Picture Editing (2015, 2016), Production
Design (2015, 2016, 2018), Casting (2015, 2016),
Outstanding Drama Series (2015, 2016, 2018), Stunt Coordination (2015, 2018), and Music Composition (2018).



Game of Thrones

Movies for the Day, Thursday, September 19, 2019

Today's movies mark Talk Like a Pirate Day and the birthday of William Golding.

Which of today's movies would you watch?










Against All Flags (1952) is a swashbuckling
pirate movie.  Today, September 19, is
Talk Like a Pirate Day.





Against All Flags












Lord of the Flies (1963) is about
boys stranded on an island.  It is based
on the classic novel by William
Golding, born September 19, 1911.
See also Lord of the Flies (1990).






Lord of the Flies










Paulie (1998) is a family movie
about a talking parrot.  Parrots and
pirates go together and today, September
19, 2019, is Talk Like a Pirate Day.






Paulie

Movies for the Day, Wednesday, September 18, 2019

Today's movies mark a US Air Force anniversary and the birthdays of Robert Blake and Agnes de Mille.

Which of today's movies would you watch?

Winged Victory (1944) is a World
War II saga about pilot training.  The
U.S. Air Force was established September
18, 1947.





Winged Victory













Baretta (January 17, 1975 to May 18,
1978) is a TV series about an undercover
NYC detective with a parrot.  It was on for four
seasons and 82 episodes.  It won Emmys for
Lead Actor, to Robert Blake (1975) and
Cinematography (1976).  Blake was born
September 18, 1933.




Baretta












Agnes, the Indomitable de Mille
(1987) is an episode of Dance in
America, Great Performances, profiling
the great dancer and choreographer.
It won an Emmy for Outstanding
Informational Special.  de Mille, pictured
right in 1941, was born September 18,
1905.





Agnes, the Indomitable de Mille

Movies for the Day, Tuesday, September 17, 2019

Today's movies mark the birthdays of John Ritter, Anne Bancroft, and Cheryl Stayed.

Which of today's movies would you watch?






Three's Company (March 15, 1977 to
September 18, 1984) was a popular sitcom
about a man and two women sharing an
a house.  It stars John Ritter, born September
17, 1948.  It was on for eight seasons and
172 episodes.




Three's Company









Deep in My Heart (1999) is a TV
movie based on a true story about a
1960s Boston rape of a white woman by a black
man and the baby given up for adoption
and a reunion after 34 years.  The movie mostly
follows the child's life.  Anne Bancroft, born
September 17, 1931, won an Emmy for Best
Supporting Actress.



Deep In My Heart

Wild (2014) is about Cheryl Strayed's
1100 mile solo hike.  It is based on
her memoir.  She was born September 17,
1968.






Wild

Movies for the Day, Monday, September 16, 2019

Today's movies mark Mexico's national day and the birthday of Alfred Noyes.

Which of today's movies would you watch?








La Cucaracha (1934) is about
dancers in Mexico.  This movie won
an Oscar for Short Films- Comedy.
Mexico's National Day is September
16.





La Cucaracha

Los Olvidados (1950) aka The Young
and The Damned is about juvenile
delinquents in the slums of Mexico with
some surrealism.  A very good movie.
Mexico's National Day is September 16.






Los Olvidados










The Highwayman (1951) is about an
aristocrat like Robin Hood in 1760s
England.  It is based on the poem by
Alfred Noyes, born September 16,
1880.





The Highwayman

Movies for the Day, Sunday, September 15, 2019

Today's movies mark the birthdays of James Fennimore Cooper and Tommy Lee Jones and a civil rights bombing.

Which of today's movies would you watch?








The Last of the Mohicans (1992) is an
adventure set during the French and Indian
War in the 1700s.  Author James Fennimore
Cooper was born September 15, 1789.  This movie
won an Oscar for Sound.  See also The Last of the 
Mohicans (1920) (silent and on the National Film
Registry), The Last of the Mohicans (1936), and
Last of the Redmen (1947).


The Last of the Mohicans










The Fugitive (1993) is about a doctor wrongfully
accused of murdering his wife searching for the
real killer while being pursued by United States
Marshalls.  It was originally on TV as a series.
Tommy Lee Jones, born September 15, 1946,
won an Oscar as Best Supporting Actor.  A very
good thrilling movie.



The Fugitive












4 Little Girls (1997) is a documentary about
the bombing of an African American church in
Birmingham, Alabama, on September 15, 1963,
during the civil rights movement in which four
little girls were killed.  An excellent film.




4 Little Girls