Wednesday, July 29, 2015

July 29 - Top Gun

Today’s movie is a drama with a scene that happens on July 29. Watch it tonight and enjoy.

TOP GUN

After an incident where US Navy pilot “Maverick” Mitchell defies orders and saves another F-14, he and his RIO officer are sent to the Top Gun school in San Diego. There, at a bar, Mitchell meets, but is rejected by Charlotte "Charlie" Blackwood, who turns out to be one of his instructors. Mitchell’s reckless flying style both impresses and annoys his fellow students, but he and Charlie start a relationship. The chief instructor Viper teaches Mitchell a lesson about the value of teamwork over individual ability. On July 29, 198__ [1:03:58 – 1:09:15] while Mitchell and fellow student Iceman are mock dogfighting with Jester, Viper’s wingman, Mitchell flies through Iceman’s jet wash and when both engines flameout, Mitchell’s RIO, Goose has to eject. Goose is killed in the ejection, but Mitch is cleared of responsibility. Mitchell overcomes his doubts about his flying ability and graduates from Top Gun. He and fellow students Iceman and Hollywood are sent into a hostile situation that resembles the accident that led to Goose’s death, but this time Mitchell avoids catastrophe and with the help of Iceman, saves the day. Mitchell returns to Top Gun as an instructor and renews his relationship with Charlie.

The date is given in the film at 1:14:26

Producers - Don Simpson and Jerry Bruckheimer

Director - Tony Scott

Screenwriters - Jim Cash and Jack Epps, Jr.

Awards – The film won the Best Original Song Oscar. It was also nominated for Best Sound Editing, Best Film Editing and Best Sound at the 59^th Academy Awards

Runtime – 1 hour 50 minutes

Released – May 16, 1986

Starring -

Tom Cruise as LT Pete "Maverick" Mitchell

Kelly McGillis as Charlotte "Charlie" Blackwood

Val Kilmer as LT Tom "Iceman" Kazanski

Anthony Edwards as LTJG Nick "Goose" Bradshaw

Tom Skerritt as CDR Mike "Viper" Metcalf

Michael Ironside as LCDR Rick "Jester" Heatherly

John Stockwell as LT Bill "Cougar" Cortell

Rick Rossovich as LTJG Ron "Slider" Kerner

Tim Robbins as LTJG Samuel "Merlin" Wells

Whip Hubley as LT Rick "Hollywood" Neven

James Tolkan as CDR Tom "Stinger" Jardian

Meg Ryan as Carole Bradshaw

Tuesday, July 28, 2015

July 28 - Cyrano De Bergerac

Today’s movie is a dramedy with a scene that happens on July 28. Watch it tonight.

CYRANO DE BERGERAC

Cyrano de Bergerac, poet and swordsman stops a play and ends up killing Vicomte de Valvert. Cyrano confesses he loves Roxanne, but feels he has no hope of winning her since Cyrano feels his enormous nose disfigures his face. Cyrano helps fellow poet Ragueneau evade a plot to kill him. Cyrano has decided to tell Roxanne he loves her, but before he can, Roxanne tells Cyrano she has fallen in love with Christian de Neuvillette. Cyrano agrees to help Roxanne win him. Cyrano learns Christian loves Roxanne, but is too shy to woo her. Cyrano writes love letters for Christian to Roxanne and even imitates Christian’s voice at an in person meeting. Cyrano prevents Christian’s commander from marrying Roxanne, and Roxanne and Christian get married. Christian and Cyrano go off to fight Spain and Cyrano continues to write letters to Roxanne for Christian. A visit from Roxanne convinces Christian that she really loves Cyrano and he gets Cyrano to agree to tell Roxanne the truth and let her pick between them. Then Christian is killed in action. Cyrano visits Roxanne for years, without confessing his feelings. Then on June 28, 1655 [1:39:20 to 1:52:28] Cyrano is fatally injured in an ambush by those who tired of his mocking poems. He visits Roxanne who finally realizes Cyrano was the man who actually wrote her the letters, just before Cyrano dies.

Producer - Stanley Kramer

Director - Michael Gordon

Screenwriter - Carl Foreman

Awards – Jose Ferrer won the Best Actor Oscar at the 23^rdAcademy Awards

Runtime – 1 hour 52 minutes

Released – November 16, 1950

Starring –

José Ferrer as Cyrano de Bergerac

Mala Powers as Roxane

William Prince as Christian de Neuvillette

Morris Carnovsky as Le Bret

Ralph Clanton as Antoine, Comte de Guiche

Lloyd Corrigan as Ragueneau

Virginia Farmer as Roxane's duenna

Edgar Barrier as Cardinal Richelieu

Elena Verdugo as the Orange Girl

Albert Cavens as the Viscount de Valvert

Arthur Blake as Montfleury

Don Beddoe as The Meddler

Percy Helton as Bellerose

Monday, July 27, 2015

July 27 - Who is Clark Rockefeller?

Today’s movie is a biography with a scene that happens on July 27. Watch it tonight and enjoy.

WHO IS CLARK ROCKEFELLER?

On July 27, 2008, in violation of a court order, ‘Clark Rockefeller’ kidnaps his daughter Reigh from the custody of his ex-wife. [3:30 to 17:08, 25:30 to 26:51] When the FBI stats searching for the pair they discover that Clark is not who he pretends to be. He is actually Christian Gerhartsreiter who pretended to be an art collector, a ship’s captain, a physicist, an international banker and an English aristocrat. In 1985, pretending to be a member of the Rockefeller family he met and married Sandra Boss, a successful businesswoman and lived off her income for the next decade, until she finally became fed up with her husband’s secretive and controlling personality. Sandra filed for divorce and got custody of their daughter. This led to Clark kidnapping his daughter during a supervised visitation.

www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2008/07/28/police_search_for_girl_abducted_during_fathers_visit gives the date of the kidnapping

Producers - Edithe Swensen and John M. Eckert

Director - Mikael Salomon

Screenwriter - Edithe Swensen

Released – March 13, 2010

Runtime – 2 hours

Starring –

Eric McCormack as Christian Gerhartsreiter/Clark Rockefeller

Sherry Stringfield as Sandra Boss

Regina Taylor as Megan, an FBI agent

Philip Akin as Det. Lewis Cook

Stephen McHattie as Mark, an FBI agent

Emily Alyn Lind as Reigh ("Snooks"),
Gerhartsreiter and Sandra's daughter

Sunday, July 26, 2015

July 26 - Guadacanal Diary

Today’s movie is a war movie with a scene that happens on July 26. Watch it tonight and enjoy.

GUADALCANAL DIARY

On July 26, 1942 [2:08 to 5:30] the American Marine invasion task force is sailing towards Guadalcanal. The Marines land on Guadalcanal with no initial opposition. They find an abandoned village and capture an airfield, which the Americans work to complete. Based on a tip from a Japanese deserter, a Marine platoon leaves by boat for the village of Matanikau, where there are supposedly a large number of Japanese troops who want to surrender. On the way one boat is destroyed by a Japanese sub before it is sunk by onshore Marine artillery. The Marines walk into a trap and they are all killed except for Private Soose Alvarez who makes it back to the American lines. The Marines then march on Matanikau in force and on the way, Private “Chicken’ Anderson is wounded by a Japanese soldier who only pretended to be dead. The Marines enjoy mail call, but suffer through Japanese air force bombing raids. Army troops land to support the Marines. They launch a campaign to root Japanese troops out of a series of caves. They try to listen to the results of the game two of the 1942 World Series, but static unfortunately prevents them from hearing the final score. (FYI, the St. Louis Cardinals beat the New York Yankees 4-3) The Marines are both shelled by the Japanese navy and bombed by their air force. A force of Marine fighter planes land on the island. All the marines write letters home. They launch an attack on the Japanese, during which Pvt. Alvarez is killed. The marines are relived and evacuated from the island.

A decent war film. Surprisingly, even though it was made during the War, it does not engage in blatant anti-Japanese demonization. You can tell the battle scenes were shot in California, not anywhere tropical.

Date given in film at 2:20-23

Producer – Brian Foy

Director – Lewis Seiler

Screenplay – Lamar Trotti and Jerome Cady

Runtime - 1 hour 33 minutes

Released – October 27, 1943

Starring –

Preston Foster as Father Donnelly

Lloyd Nolan as Sgt. Hook Malone

William Bendix as Corp. Taxi Potts

Richard Conte as Capt. Don Davis

Anthony Quinn as Pvt. Soose Alvarez

Richard Jaeckel as Pvt. Chicken Anderson

Roy Roberts as Capt. Cross.

Saturday, July 25, 2015

July 25 - Dallas Buyers Club ...

Today’s movie is a drama with a scene that happens on July 25. Watch it tonight and enjoy.

DALLAS BUYER’S CLUB

On July 25, 1985 [1:54 – 6:41] Ron Woodroof, a drug using gambler who hangs out at rodeos collapses. A few days later he gets an electrical shock at work. At the hospital he is told by Dr. Eve Saks that he has AIDS, with a six month prognosis to live. Woodroof starts taking AZT, but it makes his condition worse. Woodroof goes to Mexico and starts taking ddC and peptide T. Woodroof smuggles the two drugs into the USA. Along with Rayon, a trans woman whom he had met earlier, he sets up “the Dallas Buyers Club,” charging HIV positives $400.00 a month for the drugs. The FDA makes the two drugs illegal and then Rayon dies. Woodroof becomes more concerned with getting the drugs to HIV positive people than making money. Woodroof’s lawsuit to be allowed to take peptide T fails.

The date is given in the film at 1:55 on a newspaper.

Producers - Robbie Brenner and Rachel Winter

Director - Jean-Marc Vallée

Screenwriters - Craig Borten and Melisa Wallack

Awards – The film won the Best Actor(McConaughey), Best Supporting Actor(Leto) and Best Makeup and Hairstyling. It was also nominated for Best Picture, Best Original Screenplay and Best Film Editing at the 86^thAcademy Awards

Runtime – 1 hour 56 minutes

Released – September 7, 2013

Starring –

Matthew McConaughey as Ron Woodroof

Jennifer Garner as Dr. Eve Saks

Jared Leto as Rayon

Denis O'Hare as Dr. Sevard

Steve Zahn as Tucker

Michael O'Neill as Richard Barkley

Dallas Roberts as David Wayne

Griffin Dunne as Dr. Vass

Kevin Rankin as T. J.

Bradford Cox as "Sunflower"

Scott Takeda as Mr. Yamata

Friday, July 24, 2015

July 24 - When Worlds Collide

Today’s movie is a science fiction film with a scene that happens on July 24. Watch it tonight and enjoy.

WHEN WORLD COLLIDE

Dr. Emery Bronson discovers that the planetary body Zyra will pass close to the Earth and planetary body Belus will destroy the Earth. Although the Earth is initially disbelieving, eventually the world comes to accept the news. Hendron accepts money from self-centered industrialist Stanton to build rockets to carry 40 people to Zyra as a new home. Coastal areas are evacuated. On July 24, 19___ [35:24 – 40:40] Zyra passes and causes mass destruction and flooding . Meanwhile Joyce Hendron ends up in a love triangle with Tony Drake and David Randall. Randall refuses to participate in the lottery to select who goes. However, Drake fabricates a heart condition for the pilot, making a co-pilot necessary, and Randall is the only choice. On the last day, some of the lottery losers try to force their way on board, but the ship gets safely away. Belus destroys the Earth. The ship reaches Zyra, where Randall pilots it to a rough landing. The survivors leave to start over on a new planet.

Date given in the film at 17:14

Director - Rudolph Maté

Producer - George Pal

Screenwriter - Sydney Boehm

Awards – The film won the Best Special Effects Oscar at the 24^th Academy Awards

Released – November 22, 1951

Runtime – 1 hour 23 minutes

Starring –

Richard Derr as David Randall

Larry Keating as Dr. Cole Hendron

Barbara Rush as Joyce Hendron

John Hoyt as Sydney Stanton

Peter Hansen as Dr. Tony Drake

Alden Chase as Dr. George Frey

Hayden Rorke as Dr. Emery Bronson

Frank Cady as Harold Ferris

Thursday, July 23, 2015

July 23 - The Music Man (1962)

Today’s film is a musical with a scene that happens on July 23. Watch it tonight and enjoy.

THE MUSIC MAN

On a train to River City, Iowa a group of traveling salesmen both condemn and are in awe of Harold Hill, a con man who thrives by selling a town band instruments, but after collecting the money, skips town, leaving them with instruments they can’t play. When they reach the town, it is revealed that Hill was on the train as he exits. In River City he meets a former associate of his Marcellus Washburn, who now lives there. Hill convinces the citizens that the arrival of a pool table in town will cause an increase in juvenile delinquency, but that a boy’s band will avoid this problem. He dodges a request to produce his credentials by the school board by convincing the four men they are a fantastic singing quartet. Hill starts signing up townspeople to buy instruments and uniforms. He tries to worm his way into the affections of Marian, the town’s librarian, her mother and her lisping brother Winthrop. She discovers evidence that he is fraud, but just then the instruments arrive and the usually withdrawn Winthrop becomes very effusive. Marian hides the evidence as Hill tells his pupils that if they think about the music they want to play they will be able to do so. Hill also encourages romance between the mayor’s daughter and Tommy Djilas, who’s from the wrong side of the tracks. On July 23, 1912 [1:28:23 to 1:39:52] Prof. Harold Hill gets his overdue hotel bill and deflects another request for his credentials. Marian realizes she’s falling in love with Harold. Charlie Cowell, an anvil salesman shows up and convinces the citizens that Hill is a fraud. Marian and Marcellus beg him to leave, but Harold realizes he’s in love with Marian and won’t run out on her. The townspeople want to tar and feather him but at a town meeting were Marian speaks in his defense minds are changed. The boys band has learned to play Beethoven’s Minuet in G (very badly) on their instruments, but their parents are ecstatic. Harold stays in town and with Marian’s help the band becomes first rate.

A piece of pure musical fluff. The songs are all right, but the long dance numbers seem somewhat dated today. Still if you’re looking for pure escapist entertainment, this film will certainly fill the bill.

Date given in film on bill at 1:37:40

Awards – The film won the Best Musical Score Oscar. It was also nominated for the Best Picture, the Best Color Costume, the Best Color Art Direction, Best Sound and Best film Editing Oscars at the 35^thAcademy Awards

Producer - Morton DaCosta

Director - Morton DaCosta

Screenwriter - Marion Hargrove

Runtime - 2 hours 31 minutes

Released - June 19, 1962

Starring –

Robert Preston as Harold Hill

Shirley Jones as Marian Paroo

Buddy Hackett as Marcellus Washburn

Paul Ford as Mayor George Shinn

Hermione Gingold as Eulalie Shinn

Pert Kelton as Mrs. Paroo

Vern Reed as Jacey Squires

Al Shea as Ewart Dunlop

Ron Howard as Winthrop Paroo