TUESDAY
OCTOBER 29
2013

BIANCULLI’S BEST BETS

 

TCM, 8:00 p.m. ET

If you park your TV dial (or its modern equivalent) on TCM tonight, you’ll be treated to a quadruple feature of some of the best films of the Seventies. The action begins with 1973’s Badlands, the first movie effort by director Terrence Malick. It’s as visually evocative and moodily poetic as his later films, but it also boasts especially dynamic performances from its two young, then unknown leads: Martin Sheen and Sissy Spacek, playing young hedonists on a murder spree.

 
  
 
 

PBS, 9:00 p.m. ET

This is a warning, not a recommendation. Though the subject of this documentary – Orson Welles’ iconic 1938 radio adaptation of H.G. Wells’ War of the Worlds – is more than worthy of study and celebration, it’s already been treated very well by previous efforts, both nonfiction and dramatized. What does this new entry bring to the party? Nothing, except for lame fake black-and-white “interviews” with “witnesses,” in which actors (one is pictured here) quote lines from letters written at the time by those who experienced the original radio broadcast. These segments are tacky, and unconvincing, and entirely unnecessary and uninformative, making this entire Halloween special much more trick than treat. The original Welles broadcast? Always worth experiencing. This 75th-anniversary tribute? Not even close. Check local listings.

 
  
 
 

TCM, 9:45 p.m. ET

Another great entry in TCM’s salute the Seventies. This 1972 movie version of the Broadway musical, directed by Bob Fosse, is completely opened up and re-imagined for the movies, while staying true to the original story and music. And Joel Grey and Liza Minnelli, as the prewar Berlin master of ceremonies and his star attraction, are astoundingly good, with both of them winning Oscars for their efforts. John Kander and Fred Ebb provide the songs, which include lyrics that, at times, are as catchy as they are depressing: “Start by admitting from cradle to tomb / Isn’t that long a stay / Life is a cabaret, old chum…”

 
  
 
 

TCM, 12:00 a.m. ET

Another Seventies movie presented by TCM tonight, and yet another masterpiece by another innovative director. This time it’s Robert Altman, whose style of black-comedy filmmaking influenced not only some of the best films to come in the wake of this 1970 movie, but some of the best television, too. Not only the TV spinoff M*A*S*H comes from this, quite directly, but so does the camera and sound work on Hill Street Blues, from which most modern TV dramas germinated. Donald Sutherland, Elliott Gould star.

 
  
 
 

TCM, 2:00 a.m. ET

Roman Polanski’s 1974 modern film noir masterpiece is the perfect capper to tonight’s TCM salute to Seventies cinema. Jack Nicholson’s performance may be his career best – and given his career, there is no higher praise. Faye Dunaway, as the femme fatale, is unforgettable, as is Polanski’s brief turn as a switchblade-wielding thug, John Huston’s longer turn as a powerful patriarch, and a twist ending that you’ll never forget. Great script by Robert Towne. It’s Chinatown, Jake.

 
  
 
 
 
 
Read and add comments HERE for today's Best Bets!
 
 
 
 
Leave a Comment: (No HTML, 1000 chars max)
 
 Name (required)
 
 Email (required) (will not be published)
 
NOTPU
Type in the verification word shown on the image.
 
 
 Page: 1 of 227  | Go to page: 
4528 Comments
 
 
Wow, cool post. I'd like to write like this too - taking time and real hard work to make a great article... but I put things off too much and never seem to get started. Thanks though.
Sep 2, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
To start with You got an awesome blog .I will be keen on more comparative points. I see you got extremely exceptionally valuable themes, I will be continually checking your blog much appreciated
Sep 2, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
It is my first visit to your blog, and I am very impressed with the articles that you serve. Give adequate knowledge for me. Thank you for sharing useful material. I will be back for the more great post.
Sep 2, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
Really impressed! Everything is very open and very clear clarification of issues. It contains truly facts. Your website is very valuable. Thanks for sharing
Sep 2, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
This seller is in a class of his own. He delivers consistently high quality back links with exceptionally high DA.
Sep 2, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
I really enjoy simply reading all of your weblogs. Simply wanted to inform you that you have people like me who appreciate your work. Definitely a great post. Hats off to you! The information that you have provided is very helpful.
Sep 2, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
???? ?? ?? ?? ???? ?? ??????. ?? ??? ???? ????? ?? ? ???? ?????.
Sep 2, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
avss
[url=https://tagperfette.com]Orologi TAG Heuer Reissue[/url]It was fun streaming along, seeing if David knew what day it was, watching him build to a terrible pun. Every show ending with that Mickey Rooney grin. It was a minute or two with a friend, delivered every day to my inbox. For free!
Aug 31, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
I think your suggestion would be helpful for me. I will let you know if its work for me too. Thank you for sharing this beautiful articles. thanks a lot
Aug 29, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
That is a very good tip particularly to those fresh to the blogosphere. Brief but very precise info… Thanks for sharing this one. A must read post!
Aug 29, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
Hi there! Nice material, do keep me posted when you post something like this again! I will visit this blog leaps and bounds for more quality posts like it. Thanks…
Aug 29, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
you are really a excellent webmaster. The web site loading velocity is amazing. It seems that you’re doing any distinctive trick.
Aug 29, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
Boruto228
„Bianculli’s Best Bets“ je zaujímavý formát pre ludí, ktorí radi objavujú nové tipy a odporúcania zo sveta zábavy. Takéto prehlady môžu byt dobrým spôsobom, ako narazit na filmy, seriály ci iný zaujímavý obsah, ktorý by inak unikol pozornosti. Ak máte chut objavit aj nové online projekty, môžete navštívit [url=https://thorfortune.sk/]thorfortune[/url] a pozriet sa, co ponúka.
Aug 28, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
johnhargen2
Speaking of finding reliable information, I've been doing some research lately on platforms that are actually straightforward about their terms. It's amazing how much difference it makes when everything is clearly displayed upfront, especially with minimums and processing times. I came across https://thor-fortunes.org/ while comparing options, and the way they lay out their cashier details in EUR makes it easy to understand exactly what to expect before committing.
Aug 28, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
johnhargen2
Speaking of finding reliable information, I've been doing some research lately on platforms that are actually straightforward about their terms. It's amazing how much difference it makes when everything is clearly displayed upfront, especially with minimums and processing times. I came across https://thor-fortunes.org/ while comparing options, and the way they lay out their cashier details in EUR makes it easy to understand exactly what to expect before committing.
Aug 28, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
? !! ? ???? ?? ???. ?? ?? ?? ??? ???? ?? ??? ?????
Aug 27, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
It is a good site post without fail. Not too many people would actually, the way you just did. I am impressed that there is so much information about this subject that has been uncovered and you’ve defeated yourself this time, with so much quality. Good Works!
Aug 27, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
?? ?? ???. ??? ???? ???? ??? ?? ?????? ?? ??????? ?? ??????. ?? ???? ???? ??? ?? ??? ?? ???? ?? ????.
Aug 27, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
?? ??? ??? ?? ?????! ???? ??? ???? ?? ??? ?? ?????.
Aug 27, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
?? ??? ?? ? ??? ??? ? ??? ?? ?????. ??? ??? ?? ????? ??? ????? ??? ?? ?? ????? ?????! ????? ????? ??? ?? ??? ? ?? ????.
Aug 27, 2026   |  Reply
 
 
 
 Page: 1 of 227  | Go to page: 
 
 

David Bianculli

Founder / Editor

David Bianculli has been a TV critic since 1975, including a 14-year stint at the New York Daily News, and sees no reason to stop now. Currently, he's TV critic for NPR's Fresh Air with Terry Gross, and is an occasional substitute host for that show. He's also an author and teaches TV and film history at New Jersey's Rowan University. His 2009 Dangerously Funny: The Uncensored Story of 'The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour', has been purchased for film rights. His latest, The Platinum Age of Television: From I Love Lucy to the Walking Dead, How TV Became Terrific, is an effusive guidebook that plots the path from the 1950s’ Golden Age to today’s era of quality TV.