Today’s movie is a horror film with a scene that happens on April 30. Watch it tonight and enjoy.
DRACULA
On April 30, 1897 [1:32 to 6:49] Renfield a British solicitor ignores warnings by the local inhabitants and journeys to the ruined castle of Count Dracula to deliver papers relating to Dracula’s lease of Carfax Abby in England. Renfield, a complete idiot, soon becomes Dracula’s slave. The pair journey to England, arriving on a ship where everyone has died, except for the insane Renfield. Renfield is committed to Dr. Seward’s Sanitarium, which is next to Carfax Abbey. Dracula arranges an introduction to Dr. Seward, his daughter Mina, her fiancé Jonathan Harker and her friend Lucy Weston. Dracula turns Lucy into a vampire like himself. Dr. Van Helsing confronts Renfield and thinks he might be a vampire. Dracula attacks Mina and drinks her blood. When Dracula visits the sanitarium, both Van Helsing and Harker notice he has no reflection in a mirror and Dracula flees. Lucy, risen from the dead is attacking children. Van Helsing tries to protect Mina with wolfsbane. Dracula confronts Van Helsing, but he resists Dracula’s control. Mina attacks Harker, but Van Helsing saves him. Dracula hypnotizes the nurse who removes the necklace of wolfsbane that Mina wears and Dracula abducts Mina. Van Helsing and Harker track Dracula to the Abbey, where Dracula kills Renfield thinking he led the two men there. While Dracula rests in his coffin during the day, Van Helsing kills him with a stake to the heart, freeing Mina from the vampire’s control.
In the film at 1:58, we are told it’s Walpurgis Night, whichis this date as per EuropeanMythology by Jacqueline Simpson (Peter Bedrich Books, New York, 1987) at page 120
Producers - Tod Browning and Carl Laemmle, Jr.
Director - Tod Browning
Screenwriter - Garrett Fort
Runtime – 1 hour 15 minutes
Released – February 12, 1931
Starring –
Bela Lugosi as Count Dracula
Helen Chandler as Mina Harker
David Manners as Jonathan Harker
Dwight Frye as Renfield
Edward Van Sloan as Abraham Van Helsing
Herbert Bunston as Dr. John Seward
Frances Dade as Lucy Westenra
Joan Standing as Nurse Briggs
Charles K. Gerrard as Martin, Renfield's attendant
Today’s movie is an action/adventure film with a scene happening on April 29. Watch it tonight and enjoy.
MASTER OF THE WORLD
On April 29, 18__[10:22 to 13:30] US government agent John Strock, along with Professor Prudent, his daughter Dorothy Prudent and her fiancé, Philip Evans fly the professor’s balloon into a mountain crater to investigate a mysterious bible quoting voice emanating from there. Their balloon is shot down and the quartet end up on the Albatross, a fantastic aerial ship whose captain is Robur. The Albatross crosses the Atlantic Ocean, and on the way attacks and sinks an American navy ship.Robur tells the captives that he has declared war on war and he plans to attack and defeat all the armed forces of the world in turn. After Strock betrays an escape attempt that he feels cannot succeed to Robur, the others wonder where Strock’s loyalties lie until Strock saves Evans’ life. Robur attacks and sinks a large part of the British navy when the British government refuses his demand to disarm. Robur attacks the French and Spanish also. The captives decide to destroy the Albatross, even if it means they must die.Robur acts to end a war in Arabia, but flies so low he is injured by shrapnel from one of his own bombs. The ship almost crashes in the mountains, as Dorothy and Strock develop an attraction for each other. When the Albatross stops at an island to affect repairs, Strock and Evans rig the armory to explode.Evans cowardly knocks Strock out and leaves him to die, but Strock revives and escapes in time. The bomb cripples the Albatross
and it crashes, killing Robur and his crew.
http://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/3809/pg3809.txt gives the date Strock tried to enter the crater.
Producers - Samuel Z. Arkoff, Anthony Carras and James H. Nicholson
Today’s movie is a disaster film that happens on April 28. Watch it tonight and enjoy.
MIRACLE LANDING
On April 28, 1988 on an inter-island flight in Hawaii a section of the fuselage roof suddenly rips away. The pilot and co-pilot flash back to earlier incidents in their lives while struggling to fly the crippled plane. They are successful in bringing the plane into the airport. [12:30 to 1:21:16]
A film that manages to keep the level of drama up on this true story. Even though you know how it turns out, you’re kept on the edge of your seat and biting your nails.Good performances by Rogers and Sellecca.
Collision Course by Ralph Nadar & Wesley J. Smith (McGraw Hill, New York, 1994) at page 160 and the film at 13:19 give this date for the accident
Producer - Dick Lowry
Director - Dick Lowry
Screenplay - Garner Simmons
Running Time - 1 hour 25 minutes
Released - February 11, 1990
Starring -
Connie Sellecca as “Mimi" Tompkins (First Officer)
Wayne Rogers as Robert "Bob" Schornstheimer (Captain)
Ana Alicia as Michelle Honda (Flight Attendant)
Patty Toy as Jane Sato-Tomita (Flight Attendant)
Nancy Kwan as “C.B." Lansing (Chief Flight Attendant)
Today’s movie is a science fiction film with a scene that happens on April 27. Watch it tonight and enjoy.
12:01
The government has shut down the super-accelerator at the UTREL Corp. where they are trying to use it to accelerate particles to FTL speed. On April 27, 1993 Barry Thomas, who works in personnel there, finally meets Dr. Lisa Fredericks, who he’s had a crush on for six months, at lunch. He gets his courage up and goes to see her, but gets rebuffed. When leaving work Lisa gets shot and killed. Barry gets hit by lightning at 12:01 a.m. When he wakes up he gradually realizes that yesterday is repeating and he’s the only one who’s aware of it. He figures out that the ‘time bounce’, a possible effect of the super-accelerator that had been discussed had in fact occurred. He has lunch again with Lisa and discusses the time bounce with her, but she doesn’t believe him. He follows her back into the restricted area and gets fired for this. Lisa gets shot again and he gets arrested as an accessory, since he had called the police earlier and asked about her murder before it happened. The day repeats. He invites Lisa to lunch and afterwards hides in Lisa’s office and sees Denk; head of the technical side of things take documents from her office. He’s fired again for being in a restricted area. He overhears Denk warning Lisa to stay out of his business. Barry warns Lisa that Moxley, head of UNTREL is planning on firing off accelerator illegally. He saves Lisa from being shot after being chased by the bad guys. Barry and Lisa have a sexual encounter and she gives him personal details about herself.When the day repeats he tells Lisa at the start and she believes him. She copies info on a disc, but Moxley finds out and Barry is arrested. Lisa bails him out. They are accosted by the killers, but escape to find Moxley at Barry’s house. Denk says he’s undercover for the Feds but Barry doesn’t believe him. Moxley convinces them that Denk is going to fire the accelerator since Denk’s name was the authorizing party in the computer. However, once Barry gives Denk’s gun to Moxley, he shoots all three of them. When the day repeats, Barry meets Denk early, as Barry realizes he really is undercover for the Feds. Moxley gets suspicious and has Denk killed, so Denk’s plan to stop the firing collapses. Lisa and Barry sneak into the lab and after a struggle with Moxley stop the firing and prevent the time bounce. [1:00 to 17:28 and 18:10 to 1:28:35]
This is an exciting science fiction movie. Well thought out, but as usual it’s highly coincidental that the one person who’s aware of the bounce works where the cause is located! Still worth watching though.
Date given in film at 5:55 on Barry’s desk calendar
Director - Jack Sholder
Screenplay - Richard Lupoff, Jonathan Heap and Philip Morton
Runtime - 1 hour 32 minutes
Released - July 5, 1993
Starring -
Jonathan Silverman as Barry Thomas
Helen Slater as Lisa Fredricks
Nicolas Surovy as Robert Denk
Martin Landau as Dr. Moxley
Today’s film is a science fiction movie with a scene that happens today. Watch it tonight and enjoy.
2001:A SPACE ODYSSEY
A tribe of early humans is driven from their waterhole by a different tribe. A mysterious black monolith appears and telepathically implants the idea of using items as tools in some of the tribe. With these tools, they reclaim the waterhole.Many, many years later a spacecraft caries a single passenger, Dr. Heywood Floyd to an orbiting space station, where we are told that an epidemic has been reported at the United States’ Clavius Moonbase. Floyd travels on to the Moon, where we learn that the epidemic is just a cover story to hide the discovery of a 4 million year old monolith buried on the Moon. Floyd visits the monolith, where on April 26, 2001 as it is first bathed in sunlight after 4 million years, it transmits a signal towards Jupiter. [45:32 to 54:35] A spacecraft, the Discovery is built to travel to Jupiter to investigate. On board are Dave Bowman, Frank Poole and the sentient computer HAL 9000. After HAL incorrectly predicts the failure of a critical part and murders Poole, as well as three other passengers in suspended animation, Bowman is forced to disconnect HAL. Bowman learns that the true purpose of the mission was to investigate why the monolith sent a signal to Jupiter. When the craft reaches Jupiter, Bowman uses a space pod to investigate a larger monolith orbiting the planet. He is pulled through a wormhole to a holding area, where the aliens who brought him there transform him into a more advanced form of life.
One of the classic science fiction movies. Full of provocative ideas and beautiful cinematography. Interesting in that the first 20 minutes and the last 20 minutes have no dialogue at all.
Screenwriter - Stanley Kubrick and Arthur C. Clarke
Awards – The film won the Best Visual Effects Oscar. It was also nominated for Best Director, Best Original Screenplay and Best Art Direction at the 41st Academy Awards.
Today’s movie is a drama with a scene that happens on April 25. Watch it tonight and enjoy.
TWO OF US
Paul McCartney, on tour with his band Wings, arrives unexpectedly at the Dakota apartment building in New York City to visit his old pal John Lennon. John’s wife is away so the two spend the day together. They talk, argue and play music together. The pair don disguises, walk through Central Park and confront a few fans in a cafe.That evening they see Lorne Micheals on Saturday Night Live offer the Beatles $3,000.00 to perform on the show. Johnand Paul decide to go and play on the show as a lark. Just after midnight on April 25, 1976 [1:24:25 to 1:27:32] Paul goes to get his guitar out of his car. When he returns to the apartment, John is on the phone with his wife Yoko Ono, so Paul leaves.
Fab: An Intimate Life of Paul McCartney by Howard Sounes (DaCapo Press, Cambridge, MA, 2010) at page 327 gives the date of the show.
Producers - Robert Aaronson, Leon Falk and Deborah Ann Henderson
Today’s movie is a period drama with a scene that happens on April 24. Watch it tonight and enjoy.
THE JEWEL IN THE CROWN
Daphne Manners arrives in Mayapore, India to work as a nurse in the hospital. She stays with an Indian friend of her Aunt, Lady Manners, where at a cocktail party given on April 24, 1942 she meets Hari Kumar, an Indian who was raised in England and feels more English than Indian, but has learned since his return that all English in India look down on him. [Episode 1 17:48 to 23:58] At the club, she meets Ronald Merrick, the district superintendent of police.Daphne and Hari see each other several times, but he feels there is a divide between them because of their race and nationality. Both start working in a clinic for the poor run by Sister Ludmilla. Hari was trying to learn Hindi from Pandit Baba a leader in the Congress party. Daphne gives Hari her photo and Merrick tries to warn her off Hari, as he doesn’t like him, both personally and professionally. Daphne and Hari go to a temple together. On the day Gandhi is arrested, Daphne and Hari meet in the Bibighar gardens where they make love. Afterwards a group of rowdies tie Hari up and rape her. She tells Hari to say they have not seen each other and both stick to this story. Merrick arrests six men and tries to beat a confession out of Hari. Daphne gets pregnant and has a little girl, but dies in childbirth. Pavrati is taken in by Lady Manners on her houseboat in Kashmir. The Laytons are staying on the next boat. The father Col. Layton is a POW in Germany. His daughter Susan is to marry Teddie Bingham. The mother Mildred doesn’t get along with her step-mother-in-law Mabel or her companion Barbie Batchelor because they live in Rose Cottage, while Mildred and her two sisters and her daughters live in a smaller place. Teddie gets a new roommate, Ronald Merrick, who has joined the Army. He is watched by Congress because they don’t like how he handled the Manners case. When Teddie’s marriage has to occur fast because he’s going on active duty, Merrick suggests getting married in Mirat, a princely state where the palace guest house will accommodate a wedding guests. When his best man gets sick, he asks Merrick to stand in. The Nawab of Mirat’s premier is Count Bronowsky, a Russian émigré. He also employs Ahmed Kasim, whose father is a jailed Muslim leader in Congress. Pandit Baba has moved to Mirat. Sarah Layton, Susan’s sister goes riding alone with Kasim, shocking some.On the wedding day a stone is thrown at Merrick, but hits Teddie. At the reception a discussion between Bronowsky and Merrick leads to our suspicion that both might be gay. When leaving Mirat, Hari’s aunt throws herself at Merrick’s feet to beg mercy at the instigation of Pandit Baba to try and embarrass Merrick. Merrick later visits Sarah Layton. Lady Manners goes with Nigel Rowan, a representative of the governor to interview Hari in prison. He tells of the beatings and is released. Barbie gives silver spoons to Susan as a wedding present, but at a party to show off the presents they’re not there. Teddy and Merrick serve together in Burma. When Teddy goes forward to try and convince two members of the INA (a force composed of Indian army officers who went over to the Japanese) to surrender, he is killed and Merrick is severely injured. Susan takes Teddies death very hard.On D-day, Sarah goes to Calcutta to see Merrick, who suffered an eye injury and lost his left arm. While there she is seduced by Major Clark. Mabel dies and Barbie upsets Mildred by saying Mildred wanted to be buried with her husband, but Mildred refuses to allow this. On leaving Calcutta Sarah meets Count Bronowsky and Rowan, who is now the British government agent in Mirat.Ahmed Kasim’s father, Muhammed is released. Susan has a baby boy, who she names Edward. People say that Barbie and Mabel were lesbians, greatly upsetting Barbie. Susan goes crazy and tries to burn her baby alive. While she’s institutionalized, Mildred returns the spoons to Barbie, who decides to donatethem to the regiment. She goes to take them to Capt. Oley and accidentally sees him and Mildred Layton having sex. This upsets her so that she drops her hat, and in the monsoon weather gets very sick. Mildred has learned Sarah is pregnant and she goes to Calcutta to get an abortion. Barbie meets Merrick at Rose Cottage, has an accident and is hospitalized. Merrick is interrogating captured INA prisoners. At a party in Bombay Sarah meets Count Boronsky, Merrick and Sgt. Perron, whom Merrick drafts as his assistant. Perron is attracted to Sarah, who is in Bombay to meet her recently released father.Barbie dies. Rowen, Merrick and Perron travel to Punkat together. Merrick kills an INA prisoner who Col. Layton wanted to meet by making it look like suicide. Rowen meets with Muhammed Kasim aboutthe future of India.Susan and Ronald Merrick get engaged, but Sarah wants to stop it. As Japan surrenders, Merrick is recalled to Dehli and Rowan learns how Merrick blackmailed a gay clerk to get a look at Susan’s medical files. Perron goes to Mirat, staying with Rowen and dines with the Laytons.Muhammed Kasim meets with Merrick about his son who had joined the INA and is now jailed.Perron gets de-mobbed and he and Sarah make love. Two years later, Perron returns to Mirat and learns Susan and Merrick did marry. While married Merrick carried on a series of homosexual relationships with young Indian boys. Perron learns Merrick was murdered, but it is passed off publicly as an accident. The Leytons, Perron and Ahmed Kasim travel from Mirat to Punkat, but the train is stopped by Hindu extremists and Kasim is killed.Perron tries to findHari, but can’t and leaves India.
A good historical drama of thesoap opera variety. The characters are interesting. Does a good job of trying to explain some of the complexity of life in British India.
The Bomber Offensive by Anthony Verrier (The MacMillan Company, New York, 1969) at page 145 gives date Rostock was bombed
Producer - Christopher Morahon
Director – Jim O’Brien and Christopher Morahon
Screenplay - Kenneth Taylor
Runtime - 7 hours 30 minutes
Released - January 9, 1984
Awards - The film won the Outstanding Limited Series Emmy. It was also nominated for the Outstanding Art Direction for a Limited Series or a Special; Outstanding Costume Design for a Limited Series or a Special; Outstanding Directing in a Limited Series or a Special; Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or a Special (Ashcroft); and Outstanding Writing in a Limited Series or a Special
Starring - Peggy Ashcroft as Barbara Batchelor, Derrick Branche as Ahmed Kasim, Charles Dance as Sgt. Guy Perron, Geraldine James as Sarah Layton , Rachel Kempson as Lady Ethel Manners, Art Malik as Hari Kumar, Wendy Morgan as Susan Layton , Judy Parfitt as Mildred Layton, Tim Pigott-Smith as Ronald Merrick, Eric Porter as Count Dmitri Bronowsky, Susan Wooldridge as Daphne Manners, Ralph Arliss as Capt. Samuels, Geoffrey Beevers as Capt. Kevin Coley, James Bree as Maj. /Lt. Col. Arthur Grace
Today’s movie is a biography with a scene that happens on April 23. Watch it tonight and enjoy.
THE DIVING BELL AND THE BUTTERFLY
Jean-Dominique Bauby wakes up from a three-week coma after he has had a stroke that has given him locked-in syndrome, where he is totally paralyzed, but totally aware. Bauby had been editor of the French edition of Elle magazine. His speech therapist devises a method of communication where she reads the letters of the alphabet and he blinks when she reaches the letter he is thinking of.The doctors have to sew his right eye shut, but he recovers sufficiently to use a wheelchair. He is visited by Celine, the mother of his children, to whom he is not married and Roussin, a friend to whom Bauby once gave up his seat on an airliner. The plane ended up being hijacked and Roussin was held hostage for four years. At first Bauby considers suicide to escape, but later uses his memory and imagination to escape the confines of his body. Bauby had a book contract to write a female version of the Count of Monte Cristo, but he now writes a memoir describing his life. Bauby remembers his 92-year-old father, who is trapped in his apartment because he can’t go down four floors to the street. Bauby’s children visit him. He imagines an erotic interlude with his secretary. Although not a believer, Bauby has a network of people praying for him. He recalls a trip that he took to Lourdes and imagines an encounter with the Empress Eugenie. Then Celine learns about his mistress. On April 23, 1996 [1:35:20 to 1:35:41] his friends and family celebrate Bauby’s birthday. Bauby remembers his last visit to see his children and his stroke. The book is finished, but he dies ten days later.
Producers - Kathleen Kennedy and Jon Kilik
Director - Julian Schnabel
Screenwriter - Ronald Harwood
Awards – The film was nominated for the Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Film Editing and Best Cinematography at the 80th Academy Awards
Today’s movie is a drama with a scene that happens on April 22. Watch it tonight and enjoy.
LORENZO’S OIL
The Odone family
consisting of Augusto, Lorenzo and Micheala lives in the Comoros islands where Augusto works for the World Bank.After they move back to Washington DC Lorenzo begins to have problems, such as blindness, hearing loss and violent behavior. On April 22, 1984 [11:51 to 13:20] his parents attend Easter services while Lorenzo is in the hospital, where he is diagnosed as having adrenoleukodystrophy, a disease that will kill him within two years. His parents refuse to accept this prediction and conduct their own research, question doctors and scientists and organize a symposium about the disease. They finally discover that using erucic acid will arrest the progress of the disease. Their attention then shifts to reversing the neurological damage already done to Lorenzo by the disease.Lorenzo later regains his eyesight.
Easter was on this date in 1984 as per The World Almanac and Book of Facts 2000 ed. by Robert Famighetti (Primedia Reference, Inc., New York, 2000) at page 697.
Producers - Doug Mitchell and George Miller
Director - George Miller
Screenwriters - George Miller and Nick Enright
Awards – The film was nominated for Best Actress(Sarandon)
and Best Original Screenplay at the 65th Academy Awards.
Today’s movie is a period drama with a scene that happens on April 21. Watch it tonight and enjoy.
SHŌGUN
The Erasmus, a Dutch trading ship under the command of John Blackthorne, an Englishman, arrives off Japan in a terrible storm on April 21, 1600. [3:40 to 8:53] He wakes up in the village of Anjiro, where he and his crew face a hostile reception from the local lord, Kasigi Yabu. Blackthorne, called Anjin by the Japanese is sent to Osaka to meet a regional feudal lord, Toranaga. On the way Anjin saves the life of Rodriguez, the Portuguese pilot of the ship he’s on. He meets with Toronaga and meets Mariko Toda for the first time as she interprets for him. Anjin is jailed briefly, but is released and tells Toranaga about the Spanish and Portuguese treaties that give Japan to them.This presumption angers Toranaga and Capt. Ferreira considers having Toranaga assassinated. Ninjas infiltrate the castle at Osaka and try to kill Anjin. As his opponent Ishido wants to keep him hostage, Toranaga smuggles himself out of the castle with the unplanned assistance of Anjin, who fakes madness diverting attention from Toranaga.They fight their way back to the ship and Toranaga announces his resignation from the Council of Regents, causing deadlock as the remaining four must agree on a successor and need five members to do anything. Ishido’s men have blocked the harbor entrance. Toranage buys guns from Ferreira to blast through. Ferreria agrees after the Father-visitor agrees to make him captain of the black ship for the next year also, which the Father-visitor agrees to after Toranaga agrees to let them build a cathedral. .The black ships carries all the wealth extracted out Japan by the Portuguese that year to Macau and its captain gets a share of the profits.Ferreira wants Anjin left as prisoner and Toranaga agrees, but Rodriguez throws him overboard as a return favor. Anjin is made a retainer of Toranaga. Anjin is taken back to the village and told if they can’t teach him Japanese with in six months the entire village will be killed. This upsets Anjin, who threatens to commit seppaku (ritual suicide) and has the edict cancelled. Anjin and Mariko begin an affair and tension is high when her husband visits. Anjin learns a painful lesson about the life and death power he now has over those in his household. Anjin saves Toranaga in an earthquake and is made a samuri as a reward. Toranaga is summoned back to Osaka and has to go. Anjin and Mariko follow and resume their affair. The Portuguese are upset that Anjin could use his ship to attack the Black Ship and send Rodriguez to kill him, but he can’t bring himself to do it. Anjin asks Toranaga to give Mariko a divorce, which annoys Toranaga.In Osaka, Ishido refuses to allow Mariko to leave, so she starts to commit sepakku, but Ishidio agrees to let her leave at the last second. Ishido turns Yabu, who kills the head of the Toranaga guards at Osaka castle and helps ninja infiltrate. Anjin and Mariko get into a secret room, but a ninja bomb kills her and blinds him.Brother Michael comes to escort Anjin to a ship, Ferreira want to burn him, but the Father-visitor protects Anjin with his own body and Brother Michael kills Ferria to protect the Father-Visitor. Rodriguez made captain of black ship. The Erasmus has been destroyed by fire.Yabu’s treachery is discovered and he is forced to commit seppaku. Anjin gets Anjiro as his fief. He starts building a new ship. Toranaga becomes Shōgun.
A complicated plot so you have to pay attention. An interesting introduction to Japanese culture. A great ‘political’ story.
Shōgun by James Clavell (Delacorte Press, New York, 1975) at page 8 gives the date of their arrival in Japan
Producer - Eric Bercovici and Ben Chapman
Director - Jerry London
Screenplay - Eric Bercovici
Awards - It won the Emmy for Outstanding Limited Series; Outstanding Costume Design for a Series (episode 5); Outstanding Graphic Design and Title Sequences (episode 1). It was also nominated for the Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or a Special (Chamberlain); Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or a Special (Mifune); Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or a Special (Shimada); Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or a Special (Rhys-Davies); Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or a Special (Meguro); Outstanding Achievement in Film Sound Editing (episode 3), Outstanding Art Direction for a Limited Series or a Special (episode 5); Outstanding Cinematography for a Limited Series or a Special (episode 4); Outstanding Directing in a Limited Series or a Special (episode 5); Outstanding Film Editing for a Limited Series or a Special (episode 5) and Outstanding Writing in a Limited Series or a Special (episode 5).
Runtime - 9 hours 7 minutes
Released - September 15, 1980
Starring -
Richard Chamberlain as Pilot-Major John Blackthorne (Anjin-san)
Toshirō Mifune as Yoshi Toranaga, Lord of the Kwanto
Yoko Shimada as Lady Mariko Buntaro-Toda
Damien Thomas as Father Martin Alvito
John Rhys-Davies as Portuguese Pilot Vasco Rodrigues
Today’s movie is a period drama
with a scene that happens on April 21. Watch it tonight and enjoy.
SHŌGUN
The Erasmus, a Dutch trading ship under the command of John
Blackthorne, an Englishman, arrives off Japan in a terrible storm on April 21,
1600. [3:40 to 8:53] He wakes up in the village of Anjiro, where he and his
crew face a hostile reception from the local lord, Kasigi Yabu. Blackthorne,
called Anjin by the Japanese is sent to Osaka to meet a regional feudal lord,
Toranaga. On the way Anjin saves the life of Rodriguez, the Portuguese pilot of
the ship he’s on. He meets with Toronaga and meets Mariko Toda for the first
time as she interprets for him. Anjin is jailed briefly, but is released and
tells Toranaga about the Spanish and Portuguese treaties that give Japan to
them.This presumption angers Toranaga
and Capt. Ferreira considers having Toranaga assassinated. Ninjas infiltrate
the castle at Osaka and try to kill Anjin. As his opponent Ishido wants to keep
him hostage, Toranaga smuggles himself out of the castle with the unplanned
assistance of Anjin, who fakes madness diverting attention from Toranaga.They fight their way back to the ship and
Toranaga announces his resignation from the Council of Regents, causing
deadlock as the remaining four must agree on a successor and need five members
to do anything. Ishido’s men have blocked the harbor entrance. Toranage buys
guns from Ferreira to blast through. Ferreria agrees after the Father-visitor
agrees to make him captain of the black ship for the next year also, which the
Father-visitor agrees to after Toranaga agrees to let them build a cathedral. .
The black ships carries all the wealth extracted out Japan by the Portuguese
that year to Macau and its captain gets a share of the profits.Ferreira wants Anjin left as prisoner and
Toranaga agrees, but Rodriguez throws him overboard as a return favor. Anjin is
made a retainer of Toranaga. Anjin is taken back to the village and told if
they can’t teach him Japanese with in six months the entire village will be
killed. This upsets Anjin, who threatens to commit seppaku (ritual suicide) and
has the edict cancelled. Anjin and Mariko begin an affair and tension is high
when her husband visits. Anjin learns a painful lesson about the life and death
power he now has over those in his household. Anjin saves Toranaga in an
earthquake and is made a samuri as a reward. Toranaga is summoned back to Osaka
and has to go. Anjin and Mariko follow and resume their affair. The Portuguese
are upset that Anjin could use his ship to attack the Black Ship and send
Rodriguez to kill him, but he can’t bring himself to do it. Anjin asks Toranaga
to give Mariko a divorce, which annoys Toranaga.In Osaka, Ishido refuses to allow Mariko to leave, so she starts
to commit sepakku, but Ishidio agrees to let her leave at the last second.
Ishido turns Yabu, who kills the head of the Toranaga guards at Osaka castle
and helps ninja infiltrate. Anjin and Mariko get into a secret room, but a
ninja bomb kills her and blinds him. Brother Michael comes to escort Anjin to a ship, Ferreira want to burn
him, but the Father-visitor protects Anjin with his own body and Brother
Michael kills Ferria to protect the Father-Visitor. Rodriguez made captain of
black ship. The Erasmus has been
destroyed by fire. Yabu’s treachery is discovered and he is forced to commit
seppaku. Anjin gets Anjiro as his fief. He starts building a new ship. Toranaga
becomes Shōgun.
A complicated plot so you have to pay attention. An
interesting introduction to Japanese culture. A great ‘political’ story.
Shōgun by James Clavell (Delacorte Press, New York,
1975) at page 8 gives the date of their arrival in Japan
Producer - Eric Bercovici and Ben Chapman
Director - Jerry London
Screenplay - Eric Bercovici
Awards - It won the Emmy for
Outstanding Limited Series; Outstanding Costume Design for a Series (episode
5); Outstanding Graphic Design and Title Sequences (episode 1). It was also
nominated for the Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or a
Special (Chamberlain); Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or a Special
(Mifune); Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or a Special (Shimada);
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or a Special (Rhys-Davies);
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or a Special (Meguro);
Outstanding Achievement in Film Sound Editing (episode 3), Outstanding Art
Direction for a Limited Series or a Special (episode 5); Outstanding
Cinematography for a Limited Series or a Special (episode 4); Outstanding
Directing in a Limited Series or a Special (episode 5); Outstanding Film
Editing for a Limited Series or a Special (episode 5) and Outstanding Writing
in a Limited Series or a Special (episode 5).
Runtime - 9 hours 7 minutes
Released - September 15, 1980
Starring -
Richard Chamberlain as Pilot-Major John Blackthorne (Anjin-san)
Toshirō Mifune as Yoshi Toranaga, Lord of the Kwanto
Yoko Shimada as Lady Mariko Buntaro-Toda
Damien Thomas as Father Martin Alvito
John Rhys-Davies as Portuguese Pilot Vasco Rodrigues
Today’s movie is a drama with a scene that happens on April 20. Watch it tonight and enjoy.
FATHERLAND
After the failure of D-Day the US withdrew from the war. In Britain Churchill fell from power and Edward VIII was restored to the throne. Germany engages in a continuous guerilla war in Russia. Joseph P. Kenndy, Sr. is elected president in 1960. In 1964 a body is found floating in a lake near Berlin. American journalists arrive to cover Hitler’s 75th birthday. Among them is Charlie McGuire, who’s passed an envelope. The body is that of Buhler who was involved in the Jews ‘resettlement’ in the east during the war. The envelope directs McGuire to Stukhart. Inspector March talks with the person who found the body and learns the head of the Gestapo was at the site where the body was found.McGuire goes to see Stukhart, but finds him murdered. March is told the Buhler case involves ‘state security’ and has been handed over to the Gestapo. March is assigned to the Stukhart case, but when he takes McGuire to where she found the body the Gestapo shows up.March’s boss and the Gestapo head meet and March is shown Buhler’s hidden collection of looted art.The witness who found Buhler’s body dies in mysterious circumstances. Following up on the photo she was passed, McGuire and March visit Wansee and learn the names of those who attended the Wansee Conference and that they’re all dead except for Luther. March tells McGuire to get out as he now realizes this is a plot at the very highest levels. The Gestapo shoots Luther, but March who is now worried for himself, blackmails a colleague to get Luther’s file. McGuire visits Luther’s mistress and gets his file that contains evidence of the holocaust that he collected. March plans to take his son from his ex-wife and get him out. The Gestapo shows up and kills March. McGuire slips the documents to the visiting US president on his way to the celebration of Hitler’s birthday on April 20, 1964. He then aborts his meeting with Hitler. [1:12:25 to 1:42:00]
An interesting look at a world that we fortunately don’t live in. Creates a realistic look at a world where the Nazis won.Some parts are far fetched though.
Hitler: A Biography by Ian Kershaw (W. W. Norton and Company, New York, 2008) at page 3 gives Hitler’s birthdate
Director - Christopher Menaul
Screenplay - Stanley Weiser
Awards - Nominated for Outstanding Individual Achievement - Special Visual EffectsEmmy
Today’s movie is an espionage thriller with a scene that happens on April 19. Watch it tonight and enjoy.
THE MAN WHO NEVER WAS
In the spring of 1943, the Allies need to devise a cover story to convince the Germans that they are not invading Sicily.Lt. Cmdr. Ewen Montagu and his associate, Lt. George Acres devise a plan to put a dead body into the sea near Spain, carrying secret fake documents that will fall into the hands of the Germans indicating the Allies are landing in Greece and Sardinia. The plan is approved; they get a dead body and create a persona for it as Maj. William Martin, Royal Marines. Montagu’s secretary, Pam gets her flatmate Lucy, who is in a relationship with a pilot, to write a very convincing love letter to Martin. Montagu and Acres prepare the body and drive it to a sub base. On April 19, 1943 [46:11 to 49:00] the HMSSeraph leaves the UK with the body of Major Martin on board. Montagu, Acres, Pam and Lucy use the theatre tickets, whose stubs had been put in Martin’s pocket. The body washes ashore in Spain and in spite of efforts by the British Consul, the Germans get copies of the documents. They send an agent, the Irish O’Reilly to London to investigate Martin.He approaches Pam, but is convinced by Lucy’s real grief over the death of her pilot boyfriend that Martin was real. Montagu convinces MI5 to not arrest O’Reilly, who sends a message confirming Martin and therefore the documents he carried were real. The invasion of Sicily is a success. Montagu gets a medal, which he leaves on Martin’s grave.
Operation Mincemeat: How a Dead Man and a Bizarre Plot Fooled the Nazis andAssured an Allied
Victory by Ben Mcintyre (Harmomy Books, New York, 2010) at page 175 gives the date of sailing
Today’s movie is a
dramatic mini-series with a scene that happens on April 16. Watch it tonight
and enjoy.
QB VII
On April 16, 1972 [00:03 to 3:50]
the plaintiff, Sir Adam Kelno and the defendant Abe Cady arrive at the
courtroom. We flashback to Kelno’s story. In 1945 he escaped from eastern
Europe and made it to England. He starts a medical practice and gets married.
The Polish government tries to get him extradited as a war criminal. Their
agent Zaminski, learns that Zbotnik kept a log of the operations at Jadwiga
Concentration Camp where Kelno was a prisoner doctor, but Zabotnik says the log
was burned. The effort fails because an eyewitness fails to identity Kelno as
the doctor who castrated him. After his release Kelno, his wife and child move
to Kuwait, where his medical activities eventually result in him being
knighted.The defendant, Abe Cady was
an AmericanJew and a volunteer pilot
in the RAF.When he was injured, he
started writing. After the war he marries his gentile nurse and moves to
California to write screenplays. After twenty years of success, he becomes a
jackass and starts committing adultery with other women. Cady separates from
his wife. When he travels to Israel to see his dying father,and visits the Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum,
this brings about a crisis with his disinclination to confront his Jewish
identiry. Cady decides to write a book about the Holocaust while living in
Israel. The book is a worldwide success. His son becomes an Israeli citizen and
joins the Israeli air force. Then Adam Kelno finds out he is named in Cady’s
book as a war criminal. Kelno decides to sue Cady for libel and gets Sir Robert
Highsmith to represent him again. Cady refuses to retract and renews his
relationship with Lady Margaret Wydman, who had previously been his lover.She persuades Tom Bannister to defend Cady.
On April 16, 1972 [2:58:35 to 3:16:55] the trial begins, with the parties
trading barbs.Sir Adam Kelno is the
first witness. He says he was ordered by the Germans to remove sexual organs
that had been destroyed by x-rays and that Dr. Tessler never saw him operate.
He says he always used anesthesia.However, on cross-exam he is pressed that he knew the purpose of the use
of x-rays on the prisoners and willingly cooperated with the Germans. Dr.
Lotaki comes from Poland and supports Kelno’s testimony in all regards.Dr. Parmentier and other survivors of the
experiments testify that Kelno operated on them without anesthesia, made racist
comments and operated in the presence of Dr. Tessler.She testifies that she refused to cooperate with the
Germans.Then word arrives that Dr.Tesslar
is dead. Cady, who has gone to Poland, with the help of Zaminski, tracks down
Zbotnik and takes him to Jadwiga. The Poles are going to expel Zbotnik, but
agree to let him return if he produces the register. The parties rest, but then
Zbotnik appears in the courtroom. The judge, over objection, allows the
register to be introduced. Dr. Kelno is recalled and his examination
establishes that he is a liar and that he collaborated with the Germans. His own
son turns against Kelno. When returning to court to hear the verdict Cady
learns his son was killed in battle. The jury finds for Kelno, but award him
only one half penny.
A very good adaptation of Uris’s novel. It does add some
melodramatic touches, but onlyadequately presents this powerful story.Hopkins is very good as Kelno.
QB VII by Leon Uris (Doubleday & Company, Inc.,
Garden City, NY, 1970) at page 273 gives the trial’s start date
Director – Tom GriesProducer – Douglas S. Cramer
Awards – This movie won the
Outstanding Single Performance by a Supporting Actor in a Comedy or Drama
Special (Anthony Quayle), Outstanding Single Performance by a Supporting
Actress in a Comedy or Drama Special(Juliet Mills), Outstanding Film Editing
for Entertainment Programming for a Special, Outstanding Achievement in Graphic
Design, Outstanding Achievement in Music Composition for a Special and
Outstanding Achievement in Film Sound Editing Emmys. It was also nominated for
the Outstanding Special - Drama or Comedy, Outstanding Single Performance by a
Supporting Actor in a Comedy or Drama Special(Jack Hawkins), Outstanding Single
Performance by a Supporting Actress in a Comedy or Drama Special(Lee Remick),
Outstanding Directing in a Special Program - Drama or Comedy, Outstanding
Writing in a Special Program - Drama or Comedy – Adaptation, Outstanding
Achievement in Cinematography for Entertainment Programming for a Special and
Outstanding Individual Achievement in Art Direction or Scenic Design - For a
Single Episode of a Comedy, Drama or Limited Series Emmys at the 27th
Primetime Emmy Awards.
Screenplay – Edward AnhaltRuntime –
6 hours 30 minutes
Today’s movie is a musical comedy with a scene that happens
on April 15. Watch it tonight and enjoy.
THE UNSINKABLE MOLLY BROWN
Tomboy Molly becomes a saloon
singer and weds miner Johnny Brown. Although she accidentally burns the $300,000
he got for selling a silver claim, Johnny soon discovers a rich gold vein. They
move to Denver but are snubbed by society as being nouveau riche. They go to
Europe and return with some friends from the European elite who Molly plans to
introduce to Denver society. This plan is destroyed when Johnny’s rude and
uncouth pals crash the party. Molly returns to Europe alone and is wooed by
Prince Louis de Laniere, but decides to stay married to Johnny. She returns to
the USA, but unfortunately books passage on the RMS Titanic. When it
hits an iceberg, Molly becomes a hero, saving several other passengers before
the ship sinks early in the morning of April 15, 1912. [2:04:44 to 2:06:15].
Her bravery is international news and she returns home to be welcomed by both
Johnny and Denver society.
Pure entertainment.
Titanic on Trial by Nic Compton (Bloomsbury, New
York, 2012) at page 9 tells when the ship sank
Producer - Lawrence Weingarten
Director - Charles Walters
Screenwriter - Helen Deutsch
Awards – The film was nominated
for the Best Actress (Reynolds), Best Color Art Direction, Best Color
Cinematography, Best Color Costume Design, Best Original Score and Best Sound
at the 37th Academy Awards.
Today's movie is a biographical comedy-drama with a scene that happens on April 14. Watch it tonight and enjoy.
CHARLIE
WILSON’S WAR
In 1980, Charlie Wilson is a partying Congressman who
narrowly avoids being indicted by US Attorney Rudy Giuliani for cocaine
possession.A friend Joanne Hering asks
Charlie to get more help for Soviet –occupied Afghanistan. Charlie visits the
region and is moved by the people’s suffering and annoyed when Pakistani
leaders tell him they get no help from the US to oppose the Soviets. Charlie
works with CIA officers Gust Avrakotos and Michael Vickers to develop a way for
the mujahideen to fight back against the Soviets. The suggest supplying them
with stinger anti-aircraft missilies. This turns the Red Army from merely an
occupying force into one that is fighting and losing a guerilla war. Using covert
assistance to fight the Soviets evolves into a major US strategy in other parts
of the world. Charlie’s effort in Afghanistan pay off as on April 14, 1988
[1:27:10 to 1:27:26] Afghans celebrating the signing of the Afghan peace accord
which requires the Soviets to leave the country. However, Charlie now worries
about the law of unintended consequences in funneling arms into Afghanistan.
New York Times,
Friday, April 15, 1988, page 1 and in film at 1:27:13
Producers - Tom Hanks and Gary
Goetzman
Director - Mike Nichols
Screenwriter - Aaron Sorkin
Awards – Philip Seymour Hoffman was nominated for Best
Supporting Actor at the 80th
Academy Awards
Runtime – 1 hour 40 minutes
Released – December 21, 2007
Starring –
Tom Hanks as Charlie Wilson
Julia Roberts as Joanne Herring
Philip Seymour Hoffman as Gust Avrakotos
Amy Adams as Bonnie Bach
Ned Beatty as Congressman Clarence Long
Christopher Denham as Michael G. Vickers
Emily Blunt as Jane Liddle
Om Puri as Pakistani President Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq
Ken Stott as Israeli arms merchant Zvi Rafiah
John Slattery as CIA director of European operations Henry
Cravely
Today’s movie is a western with a
scene that happens on April 13. Watch it tonight and enjoy.
HEAVEN’S GATE
Jim Averill and
Billy Irvine graduate from Harvard together in 1870. Twenty years later in
Casper, Wyoming, Irvine is a rancher and Averill the new sheriff of Johnson
County. There is conflict between settler and cattle barons over land and
rustling. The cattle owners hire Nate Champion as their enforcer and plan to
kill 125 of their opponents. Irvine opposes these plans and tells Averill.The cattlemen’s posse comes to Johnson
County, but Champion distances himself from their actions after they rape Ella
Watson, a madam who is attracted to both Champion and Averill. The posse then
kills Champion. The settlers led by John Bridges attack, surround the posse and
are about to wipe them out. However on April 13, 1892[3:14:49 to 3:27:27] the US cavalry is ordered to, and does
rescue the bad guys, saving the cattlemen’s posse.Bridges, Ella and Averill prepare to leave the area, but the
posse kills Bridges and Ella before Averill kills their attackers. Averill
returns east and becomes a very wealthy man over the next thirteen years.
The American Heritage Book of Great Adventures of the Old
West (American Heritage Press, New York, 1969) at pages 374-375 gives the
date of the army’s attack
Director - Michael Cimino
Producer - Joann Carelli
Screenwriter - Michael Cimino
Released – November 19, 1980
Runtime – 3 hours 36 minutes
Today’s movie is a biographical
film with a scene that occurs on April 12. Watch it tonight and enjoy.
ELEANOR AND FRANKLIN: THE EARLY
YEARS
The film starts the day FDR dies
April 12, 1945. [01:40 to 11:33]Eleanor Roosevelt then recalls incidents of their lives. When she was a
small girl her family traveled to Europe. Her father was an alcoholic and after
her mother dies Eleanor is kept separated from her father, who she dearly
loved. Both her little brother and father die. She meets FDR. Eleanor is sent
to a girls school in England for three years.When she comes back to the USA, he begins courting her and finally
proposes to her the weekend of the 1904 Harvard-Yale football game.They are married on St. Patrick’s day 1905
with her uncle US President “Teddy’ Roosevelt giving her away. They are happy
for a while,but while Assistant Secretary
of the Nay, FDR begins an affair with Eleanor’s social secretary Lucy Mercer,
which she learns of from some letters in his suitcase when he returns from the
Versailles Peace Conference. His mother tells FDR she will disinherit him if he
divorces and Eleanor agrees to stay with him on condition that he never see
Lucy again. After FDR develops polio Eleanor steps in and tours in his
place.FDR is elected governor of New
York and later President.
A mainly realistic account of the
lives of this famous couple from the early years until 1932.Not too melodramatic. Mainly concentrates on
Eleanor and not Franklin.
Franklin Delano Roosevelt: Champion of Freedom by
Conrad Black (Public Affairs, New York, 2003) at pages 1109-1113 gives the date
of FDR’s death
Awards - The film won the
Outstanding Achievement in Art Direction or Scenic Design - Dramatic Special or
Feature Length Film Made for TV; Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography for
Entertainment Programming for a Special; Outstanding Achievement in Costume
Design for a Drama Special; Outstanding Achievement in Film Editing for
Entertainment Programming for a Special; Outstanding Achievement in Film Sound
Mixing; Outstanding Achievement in Make-Up; Outstanding Directing in a Special
Program - Drama or Comedy; Outstanding Individual Achievement in Any Area of
Creative Technical Crafts; Outstanding Single Performance by a Supporting
Actress in Comedy or Drama Special(Murphy); Outstanding Special - Drama or
Comedy; Outstanding Writing in a Special Program - Drama or Comedy - Original
Teleplay Emmys. It was also nominated for the Outstanding Achievement in Film
Sound Editing - For a Special Program; Outstanding Achievement in Graphic
Design and Title Sequences; Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama or Comedy Special
(Hermann); Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama or Comedy Special (Alexander);
Outstanding Single Performance by a Supporting Actress in Comedy or Drama
Special (Tedrow) and Outstanding Single Performance by a Supporting Actress in
Comedy or Drama Special (Skala) Emmys at the 28th Primetime Emmy
Awards.
Producers - David Susskind,
Audrey Maas and Harry R. Sherman
Today’s movie is a western comedy with a scene that happens
on April 11. Watch it tonight and enjoy.
THE LIFE AND TIMES OF JUDGE ROY BEAN
Outlaw Roy Bean
shows up at a bar in West Texas where he is assaulted by the patrons, who tie a
noose around his neck and plan to have a horse drag him to death. However the
rope breaks. A young Latina woman, Maria Elena finds him and gives him a gun.
Bean returns, kills all the patrons and takes over the bar.He sets himself up as a judge, armed with a
copy of the Texas statutes. A passing reverend helps him bury the dead. Bean names
the saloon ‘The Jersey Lilly’ after the famed English actress Lillie Langtry.
When a gang led by Big Bart Jackson arrives, instead of arresting them Bean
makes them marshals who get half of the property of those they arrest and Bean
hangs. Bean uses his half of the confiscated assets to build up a town and
later matches up his marshals with some ladies of the evening who are left
stranded there. Grizzly Adams visits, but only leaves a bear as a pet for Bean.
Outlaw Sam Dodd comes to town and is killed by Bean. Bean and Marie Elena get
married. An attorney, Frank Gass shows up and claims ownership of the area, but
changes his mind when Bean puts him in the bear’s cage. They make a deal where
Gass will represent those in Bean’s court and he and Bean will split his fees.
An assassin sent to kill Bean kills the bear instead. The former prostitutes,
now the wives of the marshals want the town’s image spruced up. Bean insults
them and very disingenuously apologizes to them. On April 11, 19___ [1:23:16 to
1:29:33] Bean goes to San Antonio to see Lillie Langtry, who is on tour in
America, but he is beaten up and mugged. Upon his return he learns Maria Elena
has died giving birth to his daughter Rose. Bean is so despondent he leaves
town. Gass, who was elected mayor in Bean’s absence, takes over the town. After
oil comes in, organized crime takes over the city that grows up around the
saloon. Rose runs the ‘Jersey Lilly’ but Gass threatens her with eviction.
However Bean returns to stand with his daughter and prevent the takeover. The
city burns down and the saloon is again left alone in the desert. Bean dies and
Rose marries a passing aviator. Then one day Lillie Langtry herself arrives at
the saloon and reads a letter Bean left for her.
A dry, almost surrealistic
comedy. Everything here is exaggerated for effect, but it’s still interesting.
Be warned this film does use the N word twice.
The date is given in the film at
1:22:03.
Director - John HustonScreenplay -John Milius
Awards – The song in the film “Marmalade, Molasses and
Honey” was nominated for the Best Original Song Oscar at the 45th
Academy Awards.
Runtime – 2 hoursReleased – December 18,
1972
Starring – Paul Newman as Judge Roy Bean, Victoria Principal
as Maria Elena, Anthony Perkins as Reverend LaSalle, Ned Beatty as Tector
Crites, Jacqueline Bisset as Rose Bean, Tab Hunter as Sam Dodd, John Huston as
Grizzly Adams, Ava Gardner as Lillie Langtry, Richard Farnsworth as Outlaw,
Stacy Keach as Bad Bob, Roddy McDowall as Frank Gass,Anthony Zerbe as Opera House hustler who mugs Bean
