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clas·sic [ klas-ik ]
1. a. Belonging to the highest rank or class. b.
Serving as the established model or standard.c.
Having lasting significance or worth; enduring.
2. n. An artist, author, or work generally considered to be of the highest rank or excellence, especially one of enduring significance
(source yourDictionary.com)
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it is a well known fact that i am a night owl. from time to time, i use the late hours to do something constructive, like paying bills online, or starting yet another of my seemingly infinite supply of screenplays that will never be finished. there are great things that can be begun and abandoned in the wee hours of the morning. but, most nights, i flip through channel after channel of infomercials and late night movies, hoping that something will spring up to make my insomnia a little more bearable.
well, the other night, was one of these nights. it was the perfect night to "channel-surf." i have a general stable of channels which i normally look to first, then a second tier, a third, and so on. channels can often be bumped from tier to tier over the course of years depending on programming direction, renewal or cancellation of current shows, my personal ever-changing interests, etc. for instance when i was in high school and college, i used to watch movie channels, especially the old black and white ones, more so than any other channels. i loved old movies. heck, i studied them in college and even got a degree…in…old…movies... anyway, i loved turner classic movies and american movie classics (or AMC to it's friends.) these were the channels out there that i could rely on to show me a great movie, like "casablanca," or "breakfast at tiffany's." you know, the classics.
a few years ago
AMC started playing commercials during their programming. an issue with which,
at the time, i had a huge problem. it's not just that it's selling out to
interrupt some of the greatest movies ever made to sell "all temperature
cheer," but it's just annoying to break up the flow. HBO would never
air commercials during they're movies. why AMC? why now?
as time passed, i forgave AMC for this, and moved on toward other interests in television, mostly cartoons and baywatch reruns. but my forgiveness was about to be completely and unequivocally retracted. late at night just a few nights ago, to my HORROR, on the once grand american movie "classics," i channel-surfed to...
"harry and the hendersons." "HARRY AND THE FRICKIN' HENDERSONS!!!"
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clas·sic [ klas-ik ]
Syn: Characterized
by enduring excellence, appeal, and importance: classical, vintage.
See also: good.
An: Deplorable,
filthy, insipid, ponderous, rude, shoddy, terrible, unfortunate, unpleasant,
unspeakable
See also:
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i have an ENORMOUS problem with this movie being considered a "classic."
i like john lithgow. i think he has a definite place in american cinema. but
a move about a family and their 7 foot sasquatch living in suburban america
circa 1987, does not belong next to "some like it hot."
the worst part is that i have done some research and discovered that it's not an isolated case. AM"C"s schedule is full of these kind of movies. i realize that there is a need to contemporize, but hasn't anyone heard of "braveheart" or "dead poet's society?" the list of movies currently carried on AM"C" is so startling; i can't even bring myself to notate them here.
are you kidding me?
suffice it to say that "classic" apparently doesn't mean quite what it did even a few years ago. at this rate, the classic movies of the olsen twins should be queued for their chance to be seen by the countless film aficionados who enjoy the simpler, dignified stories of generations past on a once dignified television channel. at least there is still TMC. i never thought i would say this, but, thank you ted turner for getting it right.
