Silent Films on TCM for June 2026

 

Hello my friends. Since I know some of you, like me, love both silent films and TCM, here is a list of silent films that will be on TCM this June. 

Sunday June 7th

Our Dancing Daughters (1928) Director: Harry Beaumont. Starring Joan Crawford and Johnny Mack Brown. 9:30pm Pacific. 12:30am Eastern. 

Sunday June 14th 

A Modern Musketeer (1917) Director: Allan Dwan. Starring Douglas Fairbanks and Marjorie Daw. 9:15pm Pacific. 12:15am Eastern. 

Tuesday June 16th

The Crowd (1928) Director: King Vidor. Starring James Murray and Eleanor Boardman. 12:30am Pacific. 3:30am Eastern. 

Thursday June 18th 

The Phantom of the Opera (1925) Director: Rupert Julian. Starring Lon Chaney and Mary Philbin. 6:30pm Pacific. 9:30pm Eastern

Friday June 19th

The Lodger: A Story of the London Fog (1927) Director: Alfred Hitchcock. Starring Ivor Novello and June Tripp. 3:00am Pacific. 6am Eastern

Sunday June 21st

Downhill (1927) Director: Alfred Hitchcock. Starring Ivor Novello and Ben Webster. 9pm Pacific. 12am Eastern. 

Sunday June 28th 

The Iron Mask (1929) Director: Allan Dwan. Starring Douglas Fairbanks and Belle Bennett. 9pm Pacific. 12am Eastern. 

Silent Films on TCM for May 2026

 

Hello my friends. I know many of you like me are fans of both TCM and silent films. So here is a list of silent films that will be on TCM this May. 

Sunday May 3

Are Brunettes Safe (1927) Director: James Parrott. Starring Charley Chase and Lorianne Easton. 9:15pm Pacific. 12:15am Eastern.

Forgotten Sweeties (1927) Director: James Parrott. Starring Charley Chase and Anita Garvin. 9:40pm Pacific. 12:40am Eastern. 

Bigger and Better Blondes (1927) Director: James Parrott. Starring Charley Chase and Jean Arthur. 10:05pm Pacific. 1:05am Eastern. 

Tuesday May 5th 

 Häxan: Witchcraft Through the Ages (1922) Director: Benjamin Christensen. Starring Clara Pontoppidan and Oscar Stribolt. 3am Pacific. 6am Eastern. 

I Was Born But... (1932) Director: Yasujirō Ozu. Starring Tatsuo Saitō and Tomio Aoki. 7:30pm Pacific. 10:30pm Eastern. 

Wednesday May 6th 

A Story of Floating Weeds (1934) Director: Yasujirō Ozu. Starring Takeshi Sakamoto and Chōko Iida. 1:15am Pacific. 4:15am Eastern. 

Sunday May 10th

Habus Corpus (1928) Director: James Parrott. Starring Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy. 9:30pm Pacific. 12:30am Eastern.

Putting Pants on Phillip (1927) Director: Clyde Bruckman. Starring Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy. 10pm Pacific. 1am Eastern. 

Two Tars (1928) Director: James Parrott. Starring Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy. 10:30pm Pacific. 1:30am Eastern.

You're Darn Tootin' (1928) Director: Edgar Kennedy. Starring Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy. 11pm Pacific. 2am Eastern. 

Sunday May 17th 

The Rag Man (1925) Director: Edward F. Cline. Starring Jackie Coogan and Max Davidson. 9:30pm Pacific. 12:30am Eastern. 

Friday May 22nd 

Body and Soul (1925) Director: Oscar Micheaux. Starring: Paul Robeson and Mercedes Gilbert. 3am Pacific. 6am Eastern. 

Flesh and the Devil (1926) Director: Clearnce Brown. Starring Greta Garbo and John Gilbert. 5am Pacific. 8am Eastern.  

 

Sunday May 24th 

The Big Parade (1925) Director: King Vidor. Starring John Gilbert and Renée Adorée. 10:45pm Pacific. 1:45am Eastern. 

Sunday May 31st

Strike (1925) Director: Sergei Eisenstein. Starring Grigori Aleksandrov and Maksim Shtraukh

Bugs Bunny is TCM's Star of the Month for February

 

As a massive fan of both Looney Tunes and TCM, I have long been hoping that these two would cross paths more often. After all cartoons are an important part of film history as there was a time when cinema goers couldn't image a trip to the movies without a cartoon. Recently I found some amazing news that I am very excited about. Starting February TCM will now host the classic Looney Tunes shorts. This is being kicked off by making Bugs Bunny, February's star of the month. From February 2nd to the 9th, the channel will be showing 45 selected Bugs Bunny shorts, that include many long-time favorites of Looney tunes fans.  In the spirit of a classic night at the movies these shorts will be grouped by themes and will be followed by a live action feature of the same theme. For instance, Rabbit of Seville (1950) and What’s Opera Doc (1957) will play before the Marx Brothers classic, A Night at the Opera (1935). And this is only the beginning doc; classic Looney Tunes cartoons will become a staple of the channel for the foreseeable future. 

So, Overture, curtain, lights. This is it tonight of nights. No more rehearsing and nursing a part. We know every part by heart. Overture, curtain, lights. This is it; we'll hit the heights and oh what heights we'll hit. On with the show this is it. Tonight, what heights we'll hit. On with the show, this is it.

Happy National Silent Movie Day

 Hello everybody. It is once again that wonderful holiday, National Silent Movie Day. 

Let us start this holiday themed post with the most famous name in silent movies, Charlie Chaplin. 

Charlie Chaplin is considered to be one of the big four of the silent film comedians. The other three are considered Buster Keaton, Harold Lloyd and Harry Langdon. 

Of course there are other great silent movie comedians including Mabel Normand, Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle, Laurel and Hardy and of course the Keystone Cops. 

Of course there were some great dramatic filmmakers during the silent era such as D.W. Griffith, Lois Webber and F.W. Murnau. 

I am a big fan of J.B. Kaufman and Russell Merritt's book, Walt in Wonderland: The Silent Films of Walt Disney. 

Now for some of Walt Disney's silent films themselves. 

Of course I am an avid watcher of TCM's Silent Sunday Night. 

My favorite place to watch silent movies is Old Town Music Hall in El Segundo, California, where all silent films are accompanied by the Mighty Wurlitzer Pipe organ. 

 

Summer Movies (2021)

 

This book from TCM explores the tradition of the summer movie. Author John Malahy takes a very broad approach to this subject. Such lighthearted summer fun as Gidget (1959), The Parent Trap (1961) and Beach Blanket Bingo (1965) co-exist with the likes of Ingmar Bergman's Smiles of a Summer Night (1955), Alfred Hitchcock's Rear Window (1954) and Spike Lee's Do the Right Thing (1989). Also included are the part-silent part-talkie Lonesome (1928), the Andy Hardy movie You Only Live Once (1937), Jaques Tati's Monsieur Hulot's Holiday (1953) and of course the original summer blockbuster Steven Spielberg's Jaws (1975) as well as many more. This broad approach makes this book a must for both causal movie fans and hard boiled cinephiles (who might even discover a film or two from this book). 

The writing style and format of this book makes it a light and breezy read, while still having quite a bit of substance. Malahy's tone is warm, causal and inviting. Yet at the same time he offers some great critical insight and historical background for these films that causes us to look at movies we have seen before in a new way. 

A nostalgia-soaked introduction by Film Historian and Critic Leonard Maltin only adds to the great fun of this book. 

Video Link: Celebrating Judy Garland On Her Birthday (Compilation) | TCM

The Great Movie Shorts (1972)

 

Leonard Maltin's The Great Movie Shorts is a seminal book on classic short subjects. While this book is still incredibly enjoyable and informative today, to truly appreciate it, you must put into the context of the time it was written. At this time most writings about movie focused on "important" films, nearly all of which were feature length. A whole book long study of the live action short subject of the 1930's and 40's was something virtually unheard of. Today there have been many books written about classic short subjects (Leonard Maltin would even co-write another on (with Richard W. Bann), The Little Rascals: The Life and Times of Our Gang). As such this could have been a very basic history and still been an important book. That this is such a well-researched and incredibly informative (even today) book at this time makes it all the more impressive. 

This book is broken up into multiple different sections. The first of these is brief history of each major (and some not so major) Hollywood studio and their output in the short subject field. The second is a survey of many of the classic short subject series. This section makes up the bulk of the book and as well as the surveys each series gets a filmography giving you a list of each film, acting and directing credits and a plot summary. This section includes the most popular and famous series such as Laurel and Hardy, The Three Stooges, Our Gang (AKA The Little Rascals), Joe McDoakes, Pete Smith (whose shorts play on TCM regularly) and Charley Chase. Also included are the sound shorts of the beloved silent comedians Buster Keaton and Harry Langdon (the talkie work of legendary silent comedy producer Mack Sennett is even chronicled in this book). Here you get a great picture of an overlooked part of the work of some true Hollywood legends. There are also many series here that even the most avid cinephiles will not have seen or maybe even heard of. Not all the series listed here are comedies as we also get a look at such series as Crime Does Not Pay, John Nesbit's Passing Parade and Screen Snapshots. After this comes surveys of various genres that were not talked about in depth elsewhere in this book (newsreels, travelogues, musicals and sports). 

With all this the book marks a perfect introduction to those who wish to get further into classic short subjects, letting you know all aspects of the classic live action short subject, so that whatever your interests may be, you will know when to start. Maltin's writing also often fully reflects his passion for the subject and will make you want to seek out many of the films he has written about. Yet this book is equally essential to seasoned movie buffs. It's in-depth filmographies, look at obscure films (as well as the better-known ones), surprisingly in-depth histories and especially its quotes from many of those who worked on these films (many of whom Maltin talked to firsthand) make this just as essential reading for true cinephiles. Beyond this the book is simply a lot of fun to read. 

This book would be reissued and updated in 2015, when it would be retitled Selected Short Subjects" From Spanky to the Three Stooges. 

This book should have a treasured place in every movie buff's library. It certainly has a very cherished place in mine. 

TCM Imports: Timeless Favorites and Hidden Gems of World Cinema (2025)

 

One problem I often have with a lot of American writings about international cinema is that often these writings are too academic and aimed at intellectuals or film scholars. Though these writings can often be very well written and insightful, they unfortunately perpetuate the idea that these films can only be enjoyed by intellectuals and are not accessible to the average movie goer. This is a fully false perception as international cinema is just as accessible to those who loved modern Hollywood blockbusters and can be enjoyed by anyone who likes movies.

 TCM host, Alicia Malone's new book takes an unpretentious and wholly accessible look at films from all over the world. This book would be a perfect introduction to anyone who has never seen a foreign film. Here she selects 52 movies including well established classics and little-known gems that even well versed cinephiles have never seen. While it is impossible to ever make a list of the 52 greatest international films, this is a very well-made list that includes many wonderful films that every movie fan should experience. It is also a very well-rounded list that is sure to have something to please any movie fan. The movies included range from the silent era to just a few years ago, from art films to fun genre flicks and from a wide variety of countries. 

I have never read Alicia Malone's previous books and am most familiar with her as a TCM host. As such I was very impressed by her writing style. Her writing style is a lot of fun to read, while being quite insightful at the same time. The way she writes about each movie here will make you automatically want to watch it as her joy and love of movies can easily be felt. At the same time, she provides a very insightful look at each of these films. She provides background information about the filmmakers and how these movies came to be. She also often puts the film into their context in film history and their roles in various film movements. Yet she does so in a way that never alienates newcomers. As such she creates a book that it a lot of fun for those unfamiliar with international cinema, while also being a great read for cinephiles. 

Mae West: TCM Star of the Month for May

 

After having Red Skelton as the Star of the Month for April, TCM has another star that is right down this comedy-lover's alley this month. For May, the Star of the Month is none other than the great Mae West. Known for her way around an innuendo Mae West is just as funny as she is sexy. Few of her movies were as great as the comedian herself but all of them are extremely entertaining and I am looking forward to revisiting them this month. 

Here is a list of the Mae West films that will be playing on TCM this month. 

Sunday May 4th

Night After Night (1932) 5pm Pacific. 8pm Eastern. 

She Done Him Wrong (1933) 6:30pm Pacific. 9:30pm Eastern

I'm No Angel (1933) 7:45pm Pacific. 9:45pm Eastern

Sunday May 11th

Belle of the Nineties (1934) 5pm Pacific. 8pm Eastern.

Klondike Annie (1936) 6:30pm Pacific. 9:30pm Eastern. 

Go West, Young Man (1936) 8pm Pacific. 11pm Eastern. 

Sunday, May 18th

Every Day's a Holiday (1937) 5pm Pacific. 8pm Eastern.

My Little Chickadee (1940) 6:30pm Pacific. 9:30pm Eastern

The Heats On (1943) 8pm Pacific. 11pm Eastern

  

Silent Films on TCM for May 2025

 Hello my friends, since plenty of you, like me, probably love both silent movies and TCM, here is a list of silent films playing on TCM this month. 

                                                                        Thursday May 1st

The Passion of Joan of Arc (1927) Director: Carl Theodore Dreyer. Starring Maria Falconetti and Euguene Silvain. 12am Pacific. 3pm Eastern

The Great Train Robbery (1903) Director: Edwin S. Porter. Starring Broncho Billy Anderson and Marie Murray. 5pm Pacific. 8pm Eastern.  

The Invaders (1912) Directors: Thomas Ince and Francis Ford. Starring Ethel Grandin and Ann Little. 5:15pm Pacific. 8:15pm Eastern. 

The Squaw Man (1914) Director: Cecil B. DeMille. Starring Dustin Farnum and Monroe Salisbury. 6pm Pacific. 9pm Eastern

The Iron Horse (1925) Director: John Ford. Starring George O'Brien and Madge Bellamy. 7pm Pacific. 10pm Eastern. 

Tumbleweeds (1925). Directors: William S. Hart and King Baggott. Starring William S. Hart and Barbara Bedford. 10:15pm Pacific. 1:15am Eastern.

The Winning of Barbara Worth (1926) Director: Henry King. Starring Ronald Colman and Vilma Banky. 11:45pm Pacific. 2:45am Eastern. 

                                                                            Friday May 2nd

Sky High (1922) Director: Lynn Renyolds. Starring Tom Mix and J. Farrell MacDonald. 1:30am Pacific. 4:30am Eastern.

                                                                               Sunday May 4th

The Adventures of Prince Achmed (1926) Director: Lotte Reiniger. 9:30pm Pacific. 12:30am Eastern. 

                                                                                  Sunday May 11th

Mary, Queen of Tots (1925) Director: Robert McGowan. Starring Our Gang. 9:30pm Pacific. 12:30am Eastern.

A Lady of Chance (1928) Director: Robert Z. Leonard. Starring Norma Shearer and Lowell Sherman. 10pm Eastern. 1am Eastern.

                                                                                    Wednesday May 14th

The Melies Mystery (2021) Director: Eric Lange. Documentary about silent film. 2am Pacific. 5am Eastern. 

Metropolis (1926) Director: Fritz Lang. Starring Alfred Abel and Bridgette Helm. 3:15am Pacific. 6:15am Eastern. 

                                                                        Sunday May 18th

Straightforward Boy (1929) Director: Yasujirô Ozu. Starring Tatsuo Saitô and Tomio Aoki. 9:30pm Pacific. 12:30am Eastern.

I Graduated But... (1929) Director:  Yasujirō Ozu. Starring Minoru Takada and Kinuyo Tanaka. 9:45pm Pacific. 12:45am Eastern.

                                                                        Sunday May 25th

Shoulder Arms (1918) Director: Charlie Chaplin. Starring Charlie Chaplin and Edna Purviance. 9:15pm Pacific. 12:15am Eastern. 

A Sailor-Made Man (1921). Director: Fred C. Newmeyer. Starring Harold Lloyd and Noah Young. 10pm Pacific. 1am Eastern. 

  

 

Happy Birthday to Me

Guess what my friends, today is my birthday. I am officially 33 years old. 

I celebrated my birthday yesterday with a small group of good friends. We all went to my personal favorite place in the world, Old Town Music Hall to see the classic silent Alfred Hitchcock film, The Lodger (1927). Though this was Hitch's third film as a director, it is the movie that the master of suspense would refer to as the first real Hitchcock film. Not only is it his first suspense movie but it is the film that would introduce many of the themes that would play a major role in his most popular work. The film was accompanied live on the Mighty Wurlitzer Pipe Organ, which was being played by the wonderfully talented musician, Robert York. Some of my friends had never seen a silent movie before and I am very happy to report that they very much enjoyed it. 

Of course, I have long been a fan of Hitch's British films, many of which hold their own with his more famous Hollywood work. 

As someone who is passionate about both movies and country music, I love that I share my birthday with both Turner Classic Movies and Loretta Lynn. 

On the topic of Loretta Lynn, I still consider Coal Miner's Daughter (1980) to be the best musical biopic. 



Also mentioning TCM, I am extremely excited about the TCM Film Festival, later this month. The schedule is already up and there are tons if great films lined up. /

Though TCM is still my favorite TV channel. However, METV Toons is now running a close second. This new channel is truly a godsend for cartoon fans everywhere. This is the type of cartoon channel; I have wanted to exist for my whole life. Rather than being aimed at kids, this channel is aimed at an audience that I fall perfectly into. This is the audience of film buffs who love cartoons. It is filled with cartoons that range from beloved classics to compete obscurities. 

On the subject of animation, lately I have also been on a real Disney kick, especially old school Disney. 

I am of course always on a silent comedy kick. 



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What is a better way to end this post than with one of the greatest short comedies ever?

 

Red Skeleton: TCM's Star of the Month

 

As a fan of classic film comedy, I am always very happy when TCM has a comedian as their star of the month. For this month, the star of the month is none other than Red Skelton. Starting every Monday at 5pm Pacific, 8pm Eastern, TCM will be playing a block of Red Skelton movies. 

Though many know Red best for his work on radio and TV, he had a very impressive film career as well. Like many classic movie comedians, though he was in some great films most of his filmography is made up of programmers that simply provide a fun way to spend an hour and a half. However not every movie needs to be Casablanca and sometimes a fun vintage programmer is exactly what I want to watch, and I plan on watching as much of Red Skelton as I can. 

Below is a list of the Red Skelton movies that will be playing.

Monday April 7th

Whistling in the Dark (1941) Director: S. Sylvan Simon. 5pm Pacific. 8pm Eastern

Whistling in Dixie (1942) Director: S. Sylvan Simon. 6:30pm Pacific. 9:30pm Eastern

Whistling in Brooklyn (1943) Director: S. Sylvan Simon. 8pm Pacific. 11pm Eastern

Maisie Gets Her Man (1942) Director: Roy Del Ruth. 9:45pm Pacific. 12:45am Eastern. 

Panama Hattie (1942) Director: Norman Z. McLeod. 11:30pm Pacific. 2:30am Eastern

Monday April 14th

Ship Ahoy (1942) Director: Edward Buzzell. 5pm Pacific. 8pm Eastern.

I Dood It (1943) Director: Vincente Minnelli. 7pm Pacific. 9pm Eastern. 

Du Barry Was a Lady (1943) Director: Roy Del Ruth. 9pm Pacific. 12am Eastern.

Merton of the Movies (1947) Director: Robert Alton. 11pm Pacific. 2am Eastern. 

Monday April 21st

Bathing Beauty (1944) Director: George Sidney. 5pm Pacific. 8pm Eastern.

Neptune's Daughter (1949) Director: Edward Buzzell. 7pm Pacific. 10pm Eastern.

Texas Carnival (1951) Director: Charles Walters. 8:45pm Pacific. 11:45pm Eastern. 

Three Little Words (1950) Director: Richard Thrope. 10:15pm Pacific. 1:15am Eastern.

Tuesday April 22nd

A Southern Yankee (1948) Directors: Edward Sedgwick and S. Sylvan Simon. 12:15am Pacific. 3:15am Eastern.

Watch the Birdie (1951) Director: Jack Donahue. 2am Pacific. 5am Eastern. 

Monday April 28th

The Fuller Brush Man (1948) Director: S. Sylvan Simon. 5pm Pacific. 8pm Eastern.

The Yellow Cab Man (1950) Director: Jack Donohue. 6:45pm Pacific. 9:45pm Eastern

Excuse My Dust (1951) Director: Roy Rowland. 8:30pm Pacific. 11:30pm Eastern

 





 

Silent Films on TCM for April 2025

 

As I know many of you, like me, are fans of both silent movies and TCM. Here is a list of silent films that on playing on TCM this April.

Wednesday April 2nd

Sherlock Jr. (1924) Director: Buster Keaton. Starring Buster Keaton and Kathryn McGuire. 1am Pacific. 4am Eastern. 

Sunday April 6th

The New Klondike (1926) Director: Lewis Milestone. Starring Thomas Meighan and Lila Lee. 9pm Pacific. 12am Eastern. 

Sunday April 13th

The Oyster Princess (1919) Director: Ernst Lubitsch. Starring Ossi Oswalda and Harry Liedtke. 9pm Pacific. 12am Eastern. 

Thursday April 17th

The Life and Passion of the Christ (1907) Director: Ferdinand Zecca. 4am Pacific. 7am Eastern. 

Sunday April 20th

Ben Hur: A Tale of the Christ (1925) Director: Fred Niblo. Starring Ramon Novarro and May McAvoy. 9pm Pacific. 12am Eastern. 

Sunday April 27th

Dogs of War (1923) Director: Robert F. McGowan. Starring Our Gang. 8:30pm Pacific. 11:30pm Eastern. 

The Temptress (1926) Director: Fred Niblo. Starring Greta Garbo and Antinio Moreno. 9pm Pacific. 12am Eastern. 

Monday April 28th 

The Mysterious Island (1929, part talkie) Director: Lucien Hubbard. Starring Lionel Barrymore and Jacqueline Gadsden. 11:45am Pacific. 2:45pm Eastern. 

Silent Films on TCM for August 2024

 

Hello my friends since I know many of you like me love both silent movies and TCM, here is a list of silent films playing on TCM this August. Since August is TCM's Summer Under the Stars, there is no Silent Sunday Night. However, Anita Paige and John Gilbert are two of the stars being celebrated, so some of their silent films will air. 

Monday, August 12th

The Flying Fleet (1929) Director: George Hill. Starring Ramon Novarro and Anita Paige. 6am Pacific. 9am Eastern. 

Speedway (1929) Director: Harry Beaumont. Starring William Haines and Anita Paige. 7:30am Pacific. 10:30am Eastern. 

Our Dancing Daughters (1928) Director: Harry Beaumont. Starring Joan Crawford and Johnny Mack Brown. 10:30am Pacific. 1:30pm Eastern. 

Our Modern Maidens (1929) Director: Jack Conway. Starring Joan Crawford and Rod La Rocque. 12pm Pacific. 3pm Eastern. 

Monday August 19th

The Show (1927) Director: Tod Browning. Starring John Gilbert and Renee Adoree. 6am Pacific. 9am Eastern. 

Bradley's the Magnificent (1926) Director: King Vidor. Starring John Gilbert and Eleanor Boardman. 12:15pm Pacific. 3:15pm Eastern. 

The Merry Widow (1925) Director: Erich Von Stroheim. Starring John Gilbert and Mae Murray. 2pm Pacific. 5pm Eastern. 

A Woman of Affairs (1928) Director: Clerance Brown. Starring Greta Garbo and John Gilbert. 6:15pm Pacific. 9:15pm Eastern.

Love (1927) Director: Edmund Golding. Starring Great Garbo and John Gilbert. 8pm Pacific. 11pm Eastern. 

Flesh and the Devil (1926) Director: Clerance Brown. Starring Great Garbo and John Gilbert. 9:30pm Pacific. 12am Eastern.

The Big Parade (1925) Director: King Vidor. Starring John Gilbert and Renee Adoree. 11:30pm Pacific. 2:30am Eastern.

Tuesday August 20th

La Boheme (1926) Director: King Vidor. Starring Lillian Gish and John Gilbert. 2:15am Pacific. 5:15am Eastern. 

The Cossacks (1928) Director: George Hill. Starring John Gilbert and Renee Adoree. 4am Pacific. 7am Eastern. 

 

Silent Films on TCM for July 2024

 

Hello my friends. I know many of you, like me are fans of both TCM and silent movies. As such here is a list of silent films that will air on TCM this July.

Sunday, July 7th

The Flag: A Story Inspired by the Tradition of Betsy Ross (1927) Director: Arthur Maude. Starring Johnny Walker and Alice Calhoun. 9:45pm Pacific. 12:45am Eastern. 

A Sailor-Made Man (1921) Director: Fred Newmeyer. Starring Harold Lloyd and Mildred Davis. 10:05pm Pacific. 1:05am Eastern.

Sunday, July 14th

Tell it to the Marines (1927) Director: George Hill. Starring Lon Chaney and William Haines. 9pm Pacific. 12am Eastern. 

Sunday, July 21st

West Point (1928) Director: Edward Sedgwick. Starring William Haines and Joan Crawford. 9:15pm Pacific. 12:15am Eastern. 

Sunday, July 28th

Across to Singapore (1928) Director: William Nigh. Starring Ramon Novarro and Joan Crawford. 9:30pm Pacific. 12:30am Eastern.  

Silent Films on TCM for June 2024

 Hello my friends. Since I know many of you like me love both TCM and silent movies, here is a listing of the silent films that will be on TCM for June, 2024.

Sunday June 2nd

The Cossacks (1928) Director: George Hill. Starring John Gilbert and Renee Adoree. 9pm Pacific. 12am Eastern.

Friday, June 7th

Sherlock Jr. (1924) Director: Buster Keaton. Starring Buster Keaton and Kathryn Mcguire. 6am Pacific. 9am Eastern

City Lights (1931) Director: Charlie Chaplin. Starring Charlie Chaplin and Virigina Cherrill. 7am Pacific 10am Eastern. 

Sunday, June 9th 

Our Modern Maidens (1929) Director: Jack Conway. Starring Joan Crawford and Rod La Rocque. 9pm Pacific. 12am Eastern. 

Wednesday June 11th

It (1927) Director: Clarence Badger. Starring Clara Bow and Antiono Moreno. 5pm Pacific. 8pm Eastern.

Thursday June 13th

Speedy (1928) Director: Ted Wilde. Starring Harold Lloyd and Ann Christe. 10am Pacific. 1pm Eastern. 

Sunday, June 16th

Wolf Lowry (1917) Director: William S. Hart. Starring William S. Hart and Margery Wilson. 9pm Pacific. 12am Eastern.

Bad Buck of Santa Ynez (1915) Director: William S. Hart. Starring William S. Hart and Bob Kortman. 10pm Pacific. 1am Eastern.

Sunday, June 23rd

The Red Lilly (1924) Director: Fred Niblo. Starring Enid Bennett and Ramon Novarro. 10:30pm Pacific. 1:30am Eastern. 

Sunday, June 30th

Matrimony's Speed Limit (1913) Director: Alice Guy-Blaché. Starring Fraunie Fraunholz and Marian Swayne. 9:15pm Pacific. 12:15am Eastern. 

The Crowd (1928) Director: King Vidor. Starring James Murray and Eleanor Boardman. 9:30pm Pacific. 12:30am Eastern. 

Silent Films on TCM for May 2024

 

Hello my friends. Since I know many of you like me love both silent movies and TCM, here is a list of all the silent films on TCM in May. 

Friday, May 3rd

The Circle (1925) Director: Frank Borzage. Starring Eleanor Boardman and Malcom McGregor. 2:15am Pacific. 5:15am Eastern. 

Sunday, May 5th

The First Auto (1927) Director: Roy Del Ruth. Starring Barney Oldfield and Patsy Ruth Miller. 9:15pm Pacific. 12:15am Eastern. 

Monday, May 6th 

The Cheat (1915) Director: Cecil B. DeMille. Starring Fannie Ward and Sessue Hayakawa. 5pm Pacific. 8pm Eastern. 

The Dragon Painter (1919) Director: William Worthington. Starring Sessue Hayakawa and Toyo Fujita. 6:15pm Pacific. 9:15pm Eastern. 

The Tong Man (1919) Director: William Worthington. Starring Sessue Hayakawa and Helen Jorome Eddy. 7:15pm Pacific. 10:15pm Eastern. 

Sunday, May 12th 

The Merry Widow (1925) Director: Erich Von Stroheim. Starring Mae Murray and John Gilbert. 9:30pm Pacific. 12:30am Eastern. 

Sunday, May 19th 

The Kiss (1929) Director: Jacques Feyder. Starring Greta Garbo and Conrad Nagel. 9pm Pacific. 12am Eastern. 

Love (1927) Director: Edmund Goulding. Starring Great Garbo and John Gilbert. 10pm Pacific. 1am Eastern. 

Sunday May 26th 

The Flying Fleet (1929) Director: George Roy Hill. Starring Ramon Novarro and Ralph Graves. 11pm Pacific. 2am Eastern. 

Tuesday May 28th 

Metropolis (1926) Director: Fritz Lang. Starring Brigitte Helm and Alfred Abel. 9pm Pacific. 12am Eastern. 

Modern Times (1936) Director: Charlie Chaplin. Starring Charlie Chaplin and Paulette Goddard. 11:45pm Pacific. 2:45am Eastern

 

TCM Film Festival 2024

 

This past weekend was one of the highlights of any movie fans year, the TCM Classic Film Festival in Hollywood, CA. 

While unfortunately it is impossible to see every film at this festival (as many of them play at the same time at different theaters), I am very satisfied with the great selection (and great variety) of films I saw this year. 

I started this festival on the right foot, watching one of the greatest crime movies ever made, White Heat (1949). This film (featuring one of James Cagney's best performances) looked simply incredible on the big screen at the historic Egyptian Theater. Speaking of looking incredible on the big screen, a new restoration of the great John Ford and John Wayne western, The Searchers (1956) on 70mm film was one of the most beautiful sights I have ever seen projected on a screen. As the film started my jaw dropped at how beautiful it looked. Having an introduction by one of the great modern-day directors, Alexander Payne made this only better, especially as he mentioned that members of the Wayne family were in the audience. That was not the only great western I saw there as I also saw the very underrated and unjustly obscure pre code western, Law and Order (1932) starring Walter Houston and Harry Carey. I had not seen this movie before and to say I was impressed, would be an understatement. If you stretch the definition of a western, I also saw a great 35mm nitrate print of the really fun musical Annie Get Your Gun (1950). I also saw a great 35mm nitrate print of the underrated film noir (starring Edward G. Robinson), The Night Has a Thousand Eyes (1948). Being a huge Hitchcock fan I had to see the two Hitchcock screenings. They were of two of his greatest classics, Rear Window (1954) and North by Northwest (1959). I was also pleased to see a classic foreign picture, Fredrico Fellini's La Strada (1954), one of my favorite movies of all time. 

Naturally for someone like me the highlights of the festival were the animation and silent film screenings. On the animation side there was Disney's 101 Dalmatians (1961) and a screening of various newly restored theatrical cartoon shorts. 101 Dalmatians was made more impressive by having an interview with the great classic Disney animator Floyd Norman. In my mind he is one of the coolest guys living today. His insights into the Walt Disney animation studio at this time period where simply fascinating to listen to. The classic cartoon shorts (mostly from the Fleischer studio) were introduced by Family Guy creator, Seth MacFarlane (who does sound just like Brian Griffin), whose passion for these classic cartoons (and film history in general) could be felt throughout. He also helped fund the restorations of these films. Speaking of the restorations they looked simply incredible. 

The first of the two silent film screenings began included the Edward Evert Horton short film, Dad's Choice (1928) and the Raymond Griffith feature Paths to Paradise (1925). To see such little-known silent gems on the big screen felt like heaven to me. The laughter of the audience during the climax of the feature showed why these films should be seen with a full audience. Great accompaniment by Ben Model didn't hurt either. The other silent film screening ended the festival on a high note for me. It had two classic Buster Keaton films, the short The Goat (1921) and the feature Sherlock Jr. (1924). These films had the whole audience in hysterics. Even though I have seen these films countless times, seeing it with such an appreciative audience made me laugh myself silly too. The live accompaniment by the Mont Alto Motion Picture Orchestra was simply beautiful and helped make these 100-year-old and 103-year-old films feel completely new and fresh. 

Also adding to the fun was a wonderful panel by Arthur Marx, grandson of Groucho Marx (on his dad's side) and songwriter Gus Kahn (on his mother's side). He not only talked about both of his great grandfathers but performed many of Gus Kahn's songs asking the audience to sing along with him. It is also wonderful to talk to many of the others at the festival. There is something about old movie fans when they meet. They have a true kinship with each other that shows just why these movies are so important. 

If you have not been to the TCM Film Festival yet, it is a must for every classic movie fan. 
    

Silent Films on TCM for April 2024

 

Hello my friends. I know many of you are like me and love both silent movies and TCM. So here is a list of silent films on TCM for this April. 

Monday, April 1st 

Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ (1925). Director: Fred Niblo. Starring Ramon Novarro and Betty Bronson. 3am Pacific. 6am Eastern. 

The Big Parade (1925) Director: King Vidor. Starring John Gilbert and Renée Adorée. 5:30 am Pacific. 8:30am Eastern. 

The Unholy Three (1925) Director: Tod Browning. Starring Lon Chaney and Mae Busch. 8:15am Pacific. 11:15am Eastern. 

The Cameraman (1928) Director: Edward Sedgwick. Starring Buster Keaton and Marceline Day. 10am Pacific. 1pm Eastern. 

The Crowd (1928) Director: King Vidor. Starring James Murray and Eleanor Boardman. 11:30am Pacific. 2:30pm Eastern. 

The Flesh and the Devil (1926) Director: Clarence Brown. Starring John Gilbert and Greta Garbo. 3pm Pacific. 6pm Eastern. 

Sunday, April 7th

The Cricle (1925) Director: Frank Borzage. Starring Eleanor Boardman and Malcom Mcgregor. 9pm Pacific. 12am Eastern. 

Sunday, April 14th 

The Wind (1928). Director: Victor Seastrom. Starring Lillian Gish and Lars Hanson. 9pm Pacific. 12am Eastern. 

Friday April 19th

The Kid (1921) Director: Charlie Chaplin. Starring Charlie Chaplin and Jackie Coogan. 4pm Pacific. 7pm Eastern. 

Sunday April 21st 

La Boheme (1926). Director: King Vidor. Starring Lillian Gish and John Gilbert. 9pm Pacific. 12am Eastern. 

Sunday April 28th

Sunnyside (1919) Director: Charlie Chaplin. Starring Charlie Chaplin and Edna Purviance. 9pm Pacific. 12am Eastern. 

A Dog's Life (1918) Director: Charlie Chaplin. Starring Charlie Chaplin and Edna Purviance. 9:30pm Pacific. 12:30am Eastern. 

The Knockout (1914). Director: Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle. Starring Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle and Charlie Chaplin. 10:02pm Pacific. 1:02 am Eastern. 

 

Silent Films on TCM for March 2024

 Hello my friends. I know many of you, like me, love both silent movies and TCM. Because of this here is a list of all the silent films playing on TCM this March. 

Friday, March 1st

The Divine Lady (1929) Director: Frank Lloyd. Starring Corinne Griffith and Victor Varconi. 1:30am Pacific. 4:30am Eastern. 

The Crowd (1928) Director: King Vidor. Starring James Murray and Eleanor Boardman. 5am Pacific. 8am Eastern. 

Tuesday, March 5th

The Racket (1928) Director: Lewis Milestone. Starring Thomas Meighan and Marie Prevost. 3:30am Pacific. 6:30am Eastern.

Sunday, March 17th 

The Johnstown Flood (1926) Director: Irving Cummings. George O'Brien and Florance Gilbert. 9:45pm Pacific. 12:45am Eastern. 

A Story of Floating Weeds (1934) Director: Yasujiro Ozu. Starring Takeshi Sakamoto and Chôko Iida. 11pm Pacific. 2am Eastern. 

Tuesday, March 19th

Weary River (1929) Director: Frank Lloyd. Starring Richard Barthelmess and Betty Compson. 3:15pm Pacific. 6:15pm Eastern. (part-talkie, part-silent)

Sunday, March 24th

The Boob (1926) Director: William Wellman. Starring George K. Arthur and Gerturde Olmstead. 9pm Pacific. 12am Eastern. 

Sunday, March 31st

 The Conquering Power (1921) Director: Rex Ingram. Starring Alice Terry and Rudolph Valentino. 9:45pm Pacific. 12:45am Eastern.