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It's more of a challenge than anything. Dear WGA, you've got some big shoes to fill, can't wait for you guys to get back on the job with proper compensation and creating something "worthy" of TCM's high standards.
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When I see a "joke" like this, I'm surprised there aren't torch bearing mobs marching through Burbank and up Beverly, looking for Studio execs to string up and make an example of. It gets to the point where you have to wonder if the only reason the Studios oppose a deal with WGA is because they're basically assholes, and they're doing it for assholey reasons.
Heck, while we're invoking the "classic" era of movies, I wonder why we don't just bring back the Red Scare. We could take care of them commies in the WGA with some well times congressional hearings. Suck on it, believers in the idea that workers deserve fair compensation!
Bring back the likes of Harry Cohn to set them straight. And this is not a joke.
Whatever TCM! I hear ya. I'm with ya.
What does it have to do with the internet, streaming, bloggers, and all new media (ie. content in cell phones, small screen, etc.)
Earth to TCM, classics for big screen written for BIG SCREEN. But hey, we know you are in solidarity, right? We are the renegades of the reel world.
After sitting through numerous crappy sequels movies last year and terrible TV shows .. TCM have a point.
But what point do they have, exactly?
The reason there are so many shitty sequels isn't because the writers are begging to do it. It's the studio, with their eye on turing a quick buck for minimum expense. Same reason they refuse to budge over 5 flipping cents. The writers want to make a living doing what it is they do, which is write. And that means, more occasionally than we'd like, writing utter shite. But that doesn't mean we're also not churning out some damned good movies these days.
Make no mistake, despite the tremendous quality of movies showcased by TCM, Ye Olden Times were as chock full of idiotic garbage and total cinematic BS as the modern era. They just spent less money making said garbage.
Here are the top grossing films for 1994:
1. The Lion King Disney $668,155,561
2. Forrest Gump Paramount $617,387,716
3. True Lies 20th Century Fox $378,882,411
4. The Mask New Line Cimema $351,583,407
5. Speed 20th Century Fox $350,448,145
6. The Flintstones Universal $341,631,208
7. Dumb & Dumber New Line Cinema $247,275,374
8. Four Weddings and a Funeral Gramercy Pictures $245,700,832
9. Interview with the Vampire Hollywood/Warner $223,664,608
10. Clear and Present Danger
Notice something that isn't on that list? I'm pretty sure we'll be talking abotu Pulp Fiction a long time after the Flintstones and Clear and Present Danger.
Same thing for Casa Blanca and Citizen Cane.
Oh man but Speed was sweet.
While I agree with you on the studios having very bland and derivative taste, I must take exception to your suggestion that TMC shows movies from 1994. I don't watch TV much, but when I do it is TCM and their films (in my experience) stop at 1968, and I have never seen a dud on their channel.
Power to the writers! but that their negotiating skills suck.
Speed was fun.
I remember loving Four Weddings and a Funeral, hoping it aged it well.
I think tens of millions of small children would differ on your opinion of Lion King.
Oh, I'm sorry if I wasn't clear - I was simply pointing out that TCM is able to review a large period of history, years and years of it, and filter out all the shitty movies made during the TCM era of movies. As a result, we see the era through a skewed lens.
Similarly, if we were only to look at 1994, a year I picked at random, we might assume more recent years have produced nothing but shit. However, 1994 was the year Pulp Fiction came out. And 20 years from now, we'll be filtering out all the shit and remembering '94 for that.
See?
Wow. Almost as classy as when Turner started colorizing all those old classic films to "update" them. Cause he owned them, he could change what he pleased. Studio knows best.
Weasels. The only reason that a good movie squeaks through the development machine every now and then is because of the talent.
Remember, studio execs are the ones who wanted to cast Ryan O' Neal as Michael Corleone in the Godfather, and Ronald Reagan as Rick in Casablanca. Their values and judgement haven't changed much.
Yeah notgoth, ...."Bedtime for Bonzo" was a classic. Why can't they make films like that anymore?
I seriously do not think the message in that letter accurately portrays the attitudes TCM. I could be completely wrong, but I believe TCM's mission is to embrace all forms of classic, whether they are the timeless gems of the past or new and/or unseen modern works. It may be rare to find more contemporary work on the channel, but they do pop up every now and then(especially during 31 Days of Oscar, going on now) and the sensibility expressed by the network is one of pure love, love of the art for the sake of art.
Let's face it, the real losers in this strike are the viewers. How long do you stand headstrong on your supposed principles before it starts to look to everyone else like you don't give a shit about your audience? I'm talking about both sides of this battle.
For the sake of us, the people who enjoy good film and television, people need to start getting their heads out of their asses, make some sacrifices, and bring back quality entertainment.