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From John Hughes teen classics to one-of-a-kind science fiction adventures, the 1980s had something for everyone. The '80s in film might be most notable for the domination of the summer blockbuster, which began in the previous decade with Jaws. Action stars were made from scratch and introduced to audiences all over the world, from Schwarzenegger to Van Damme to Stallone. The John Hughes revolution continued in full force, with The Breakfast Club, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, and Sixteen Candles sweeping audiences young and old off their feet. Most importantly, however, independent cinema continued to deliver absolute gems for the truest of movie lovers. While these films might've failed to resonate with audiences, critics, or the box office at the time, they still absolutely deserve their flowers.

If fans search long and hard, unsung movies can be found in every corner of the industry. Independent cinema is a hit parade,...

Netflix generates more contemporary content than anyone, but they’re dipping into the past to curate the great movies from the ’70s. These are the films that people like myself discovered as kids in the early days of when HBO premiered on cable. Bravo, I say. Here’s the preliminary list.

Alice Doesn’T Live Here Anymore

A widowed singer and single mother starts over as a diner waitress in Arizona, befriending her coworkers and romancing a ruggedly handsome rancher.

Director: Martin Scorsese

Writer: Robert Getchell

Producers: Audrey Maas, David Susskind

Key Cast (Alphabetical): Ellen Burstyn, Jodie Foster, Diane Ladd, Alfred Lutter, Harvey Keitel, Kris Kristofferson, Vic Tayback

Distributed By: Warner Bros. Discovery

Initial Release Date: December 9, 1974

At the 47th Academy Awards, Burstyn won Best Actress

Black Belt Jones

High-kicking Black Belt Jones is dispatched to take down a group of Mafia goons trying to muscle in on a downtown karate studio.

1974 was quite a year for cinema; 50 years later, Netflix (of all places) is celebrating the golden jubilee.

In recognition of the anniversary, the streamer on Wednesday launched a new, dedicated content row (and direct URL link) with the first films being honored under its new “Milestone Movies: The Anniversary Collection” banner. Each of the 14 films came to Netflix this month by way of Warner Bros., Paramount, or Sony — the distributors that license content to Netflix.

The 1974 collection includes “Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore,” “Black Belt Jones,” “Blazing Saddles,” “California Split,” “Chinatown,” “The Conversation,” “Death Wish,” “The Gambler,” “The Great Gatsby,” “It’s Alive,” “The Little Prince,” “The Lords of Flatbush,” “The Parallax View,” and “The Street Fighter” (“Gekitotsu! Satsujin ken”).

Netflix doesn’t plan to stop with disco’s heyday. In April, the streaming service will do the same for films from 1984 (turning 40); July will celebrate 1994 movies (turning 30); and in October...

Tim Considine, the actor best known for the role of eldest son Mike on the long-running sitcom “My Three Sons,” died Thursday at his home in Los Angeles, according to a Facebook post from his co-star Stanley Livingston. He was 81.

Born in Los Angeles to a showbiz family –– his father, John Considine Jr. was an Oscar-nominated film producer for “Boys Town,” and his mother was the daughter of theater magnate Alexander Pantages –– Considine got his start as a child actor in the 1950s, playing characters in Disney Television’s “Mickey Mouse Club” serials. His roles included Frank Hardy in a “Hardy Boys” serial and Spin Evans in “The Adventures of Spin and Marty.” In 2000, he returned to make a cameo appearance in a TV movie reboot, “The New Adventures of Spin and Marty.” In 1959, Considine appeared alongside his future television father Fred MacMurray in the Disney film “The Shaggy Dog.

Tim Considine, one of the most popular young Disney actors of the 1950s before originating the role of the eldest brother on the 1960s sitcom My Three Sons, died Thursday at his home in Los Angeles. He was 81.

His death was announced by his son Christopher, and shared on Facebook by My Three Sons co-star Stanley Livingston, who played Chip Douglas to Considine’s Mike. “Tim and I have been friends for more than 70 years,” Livingston wrote, adding “He will be missed by all those who knew him. I love you Bro.”

Considine was already known to television audiences — particularly youngsters — by the time he was cast for the 1960 debut on ABC of My Three Sons. He had played Spin Evans on the mid-’50s Mickey Mouse Club serial “The Adventures of Spin and Marty,” and, later in the decade, Frank Hardy (to Tommy Kirk’s Joe Hardy) on the...

Do audiences ever ask for a History Lesson? Robert Altman gives them a smart, if diffuse, image of America as a showbiz invention, commercialized and packaged. Paul Newman is the prepackaged white hero surrounded by a jolly circus; Buffalo Bill’s trick seems to be to get his colleagues, the dispossessed minorities and especially the vanquished Native Americans to cooperate with his self-aggrandizing fantasy. One of Altman’s better scattershot ensembles sketches an amusingly hollow Buffalo Bill in Paul Newman, but the director’s style keeps emotional involvement at arm’s length… make that telephoto lens’ length.

Buffalo Bill and the Indians

Region B Blu-ray

Powerhouse Indicator

1976 / Color / 2:35 widescreen / 124, 105 min. / Buffalo Bill and the Indians or Sitting Bull’s History Lesson / Street Date December 14, 2020 / available from Powerhouse Films UK / £15.99

Starring: Paul Newman, Joel Grey, Burt Lancaster, Kevin McCarthy, Harvey Keitel, Will Sampson, Allan F. Nicholls, Geraldine Chaplin, John Considine,...

1975: Ryan's Hope's Jack visited Sister Mary Joel.

1984: Santa Barbara's Jade ran into David Hasselhoff.

1986: Another World's Reginald had a fire started to stop a story.

2003: The Young and the Restless' John punched Victor."History speaks to artists. It changes the artist's thinking and is constantly reshaping it into different and unexpected images."

― Anselm Kiefer

"Today in Soap Opera History" is a collection of the most memorable, interesting and influential events in the history of scripted, serialized programs. From birthdays and anniversaries to scandals and controversies, every day this column celebrates the soap opera in American culture.

On this date in...

1941: On radio soap opera Life Can Be Beautiful, "Chichi" Conrad (Alice Reinheart) coped with heartbreaking news.

1967: CBS aired the first color broadcast of The Secret Storm.

1972: The Edge of Night began airing at 2:30 p.m. Et, moving from its usual 3:30 p.

1984: Guiding Light's Springfield celebrated Founders Day.

1985: Gh's Anna & Robert plotted to get the Aztec jewels.

1986: Another World's Felicia spoke at Zane's funeral.

1991: Days of our Lives' "Roman" reunited with Marlena."History speaks to artists. It changes the artist's thinking and is constantly reshaping it into different and unexpected images."

― Anselm Kiefer

"Today in Soap Opera History" is a collection of the most memorable, interesting and influential events in the history of scripted, serialized programs. From birthdays and anniversaries to scandals and controversies, every day this column celebrates the soap opera in American culture.

On this date in...

1977: On Guiding Light, Eve Stapleton (Janet Grey) was released from Cedars Hospital.

1979: On The Edge of Night, Elliott couldn't (Lee Godart) resist Raven (Sharon Gabet) even though he was aghast she left the baby alone.

1980: On Guiding Light, Nola (Lisa Brown) gave Morgan (Kristen Vigard) someone else's I.

1988: General Hopsital's Jake was back in Port Charles.

1994: All My Children's Laurel tried to expose Janet.

2002: Young and the Restless' Victoria slapped Victor.

2005: Kay talked to the mystery woman on Passions."The best prophet of the future is the past."

― Lord Byron

"Today in Soap Opera History" is a collection of the most memorable, interesting and influential events in the history of scripted, serialized programs. From birthdays and anniversaries to scandals and controversies, every day this column celebrates the soap opera in American culture.

On this date in...

1957: On The Edge of Night, the doctors realized that Mary Harper's (Anne Sargent) coma was a result of a drug overdose, rather than head injuries.

1972: Susan Brown debuted as Constance MacKenzie Carson in Return to Peyton Place.

1974: On Another World, Carol Lamonte (Jeanne Lange) met with Steve Frame (George Reinholt) to sound him out about Rachel.

1981: Luke and Laura were married on General Hospital."The best prophet of the future is the past."

― Lord Byron

"Today in Soap Opera History" is a collection of the most memorable, interesting and influential events in the history of scripted, serialized programs. From birthdays and anniversaries to scandals and controversies, every day this column celebrates the soap opera in American culture.

On this date in...

1971: On The Doctors, Dr. Althea Davis (Elizabeth Hubbard) warned Dr. Maggie Powers (Lydia Bruce) to keep her eyes wide open when it came to Dr. Karen Werner.

1979: On The Edge of Night, Steve Guthrie (Denny Albee) confessed to Deborah Saxon (Frances Fisher) he still loved her.

1981: On Another World, an argument ensued when Larry Ewing (Rick Porter) accused his wife, Clarice (Gail Brown), of leading Jerry Grove (Paul Tinder) on before her rape. Later, they made peace and comforted each other.

1984: Oltl's Asa wanted to stop Bo from marrying Didi.

1984: Dominic's identity was revealed on Santa Barbara.

1995: The gold balloon wedding of Oltl's Todd and Blair.

2000: AMC's Erica had Libidozone sex with David."The best prophet of the future is the past."

― Lord Byron

"Today in Soap Opera History" is a collection of the most memorable, interesting and influential events in the history of scripted, serialized programs. From birthdays and anniversaries to scandals and controversies, every day this column celebrates the soap opera in American culture.

On this date in...

1952: Jone Allison aired for the final time as Meta Bauer on The Guiding Light.

1957: On The Edge of Night, Mike (John Larkin) and Marceau (Carl Frank) arrived at the garage, just as Pike (Leon Janney) forced Mary (Anne Sargeant) into the car.

1969: On Another World, Rachel (Robin Strasser) was angry when Steve (George Reinholt...

1972: Emmerdale Farm premiered.

1985: Atwt's Holden introduced himself as the new stable boy.

1985: Theo died on Days of our Lives.

1992: Days of our Lives' Isabella died."The best prophet of the future is the past."

― Lord Byron

"Today in Soap Opera History" is a collection of the most memorable, interesting and influential events in the history of scripted, serialized programs. From birthdays and anniversaries to scandals and controversies, every day this column celebrates the soap opera in American culture.

On this date in...

1939: Irna Phillips' The Right to Happiness, a spinoff of popular radio soap opera The Guiding Light, premiered on the NBC Blue Network. The show initially focused on the character Rose Kransky from Guiding Light but eventually Carolyn Allen (played first by Eloise Kummer and then Claudia Morgan) took center stage. Carolyn remained the central character of the program until the series...

1975: One Live to Live's Tony and Pat got reacquainted.

1984: Guiding Light's Lillian and Phillip mourned Beth.

1995: Y&R's Victor vowed to prove Nick didn't shoot Matt.

2003: "Death" came for Sheridan Crane on Passions."The best prophet of the future is the past."

― Lord Byron

"Today in Soap Opera History" is a collection of the most memorable, interesting and influential events in the history of scripted, serialized programs. From birthdays and anniversaries to scandals and controversies, every day this column celebrates the soap opera in American culture.

On this date in...

1932: General Mills-sponsored Betty and Bob debuted on NBC Blue radio. It was the first daytime show to be produced by Frank Hummert and Anne Ashenhurst. Married in 1935, the Hummerts became known as the "King & Queen of Soaps". Betty and Bob was the first true network soap opera on the air, using melodrama at its core.

1986: Capitol's Clarissa found a voodoo doll in her bed.

1994: Gh's Bobbie & Tony mourned Bj on her birthday.

2010: The "Train Crash" episode of Emmerdale.

2011: One Life to Live's Cord & Tina revisited the past."The best prophet of the future is the past."

― Lord Byron

"Today in Soap Opera History" is a collection of the most memorable, interesting and influential events in the history of scripted, serialized programs. From birthdays and anniversaries to scandals and controversies, every day this column celebrates the soap opera in American culture.

On this date in...

1966: On Dark Shadows, Burke Devlin (Mitchell Ryan) told Carolyn (Nancy Barrett) that Roger Collins (Louis Edmonds) may have kept the expensive fountain pen for himself on the night Bill Malloy died.

1970: On Another World, Rachel (Robin Strasser) cried to Steve (George Reinholt) that their sick little boy, Jamie, would die as punishment for her sins.

1972: Search for Tomorrow's Jo and Tony were married.

1977: Days of our Lives' Marlena was locked in a sanitarium.

1997: General Hospital's Brenda was left at the altar.

1998: Y&R's Drucilla surprised Neil and Victoria."The best prophet of the future is the past."

― Lord Byron

"Today in Soap Opera History" is a collection of the most memorable, interesting and influential events in the history of scripted, serialized programs. From birthdays and anniversaries to scandals and controversies, every day this column celebrates the soap opera in American culture.

On this date in...

1955: On British radio soap opera The Archers, Grace died in the Brookfield stables.

1972: On Search for Tomorrow, Joanne Tate (Mary Stuart) married Dr. Tony Vincente (Anthony George).

Thanks to Susan for sending in the item above.

1977: On Days of our Lives, Marlena Evans (Deidre Hall) was trapped in the sanitarium, mistaken for her twin sister,...

1975: Ryan's Hope's Jack visited Sister Mary Joel.

1984: Santa Barbara's Jade ran into David Hasselhoff.

1986: Another World's Reginald had a fire started to stop a story.

2003: The Young and the Restless' John punched Victor."The best prophet of the future is the past."

― Lord Byron

"Today in Soap Opera History" is a collection of the most memorable, interesting and influential events in the history of scripted, serialized programs. From birthdays and anniversaries to scandals and controversies, every day this column celebrates the soap opera in American culture.

On this date in...

1941: On radio soap opera Life Can Be Beautiful, "Chichi" Conrad (Alice Reinheart) coped with heartbreaking news.

1967: CBS aired the first color broadcast of The Secret Storm.

1972: The Edge of Night began airing at 2:30 p.m. Et, moving from its usual 3:30 p.m. timeslot where it had been performing well in the ratings.

1969: Where the Heart Is premiered. 1983: Paul's fiancée

died on The Young and the Restless. 1986: Ilene Kristen

returned to Ryan's Hope as Delia. 2009: General

Hospital's Edward passed out at the wheel of his car as it

approached the carnival."The best prophet of the future is the past."

― Lord Byron

"Today in Soap Opera History" is a collection of the most memorable, interesting and influential events in the history of scripted, serialized programs. From birthdays and anniversaries to scandals and controversies, every day this column celebrates the soap opera in American culture.

On this day in...

1966: Star Trek premiered on NBC. Among the many memorable guest stars in the series that also starred on daytime soaps were Kathryn Hays, Michael Forest, Marj Dusay, Michael Zaslow, Glenn Corbett, Gary Pillar and Mary Linda Rapelye.

1967: On Another World, Walter Curtin (Val Dufour) raked Liz Matthews (Audra Lindley...

1984: Guiding Light's Springfield celebrated Founders Day.

1985: Gh's Anna & Robert plotted to get the Aztec jewels.

1986: Another World's Felicia spoke at Zane's funeral.

1991: Days of our Lives' "Roman" reunited with Marlena."The best prophet of the future is the past."

― Lord Byron

"Today in Soap Opera History" is a collection of the most memorable, interesting and influential events in the history of scripted, serialized programs. From birthdays and anniversaries to scandals and controversies, every day this column celebrates the soap opera in American culture.

On this date in...

1977: On Guiding Light, Eve Stapleton (Janet Grey) was released from Cedars Hospital.

1979: On The Edge of Night, Elliott couldn't (Lee Godart) resist Raven (Sharon Gabet) even though he was aghast she left the baby alone.

1980: On Guiding Light, Nola (Lisa Brown) gave Morgan (Kristen Vigard) someone else's I.D. so Morgan could get birth control pills.

As an supplement to our Recommended Discs weekly feature, Peter Labuza regularly highlights notable recent home video releases with expanded reviews. See this week’s selections below.

Welcome to L.A. (Kino Lorber)

Alan Rudolph’s first major feature under the tutelage of his mentor and frequent collaborator Robert Altman demonstrates the filmmaker’s penchant for grooving interweaving narratives into intoxicating tones. Altman turned the City of Angels into a crashing melodramatic kaleidoscope in 1993’s Short Cuts, but Rudolph prefers jarring effects to come through more organic moments of minor gestures. Take the film’s opening shot: after establishing its cast of characters over the soulful tunes of Keith Carradine’s title song, Rudolph cuts to a shot looking up from the back of a cab, the palm trees barely visible over the cab’s leather seating. The camera pans over to Geraldine Chaplin’s ponderous face until she suddenly turns...

Director: Robert Altman Writers: Arthur Kopit (play Indians), Alan Rudolph (screenplay), Robert Altman (screenplay) Starring: Paul Newman, Joel Grey, Kevin McCarthy, Harvey Keitel, Allan F. Nicholls, Geraldine Chaplin, John Considine, Robert DoQui, Denver Pyle, Frank Kaquitts, Will Sampson, Pat McCormick, Shelley Duvall, Burt Lancaster Thanks to Kino Lorber Studio Classics, there’s now an excuse to revisit a film you […]...

Charlton Heston movies: ‘A Man for All Seasons’ remake, ‘The Greatest Story Ever Told’ (photo: Charlton Heston as Ben-Hur) (See previous post: “Charlton Heston: Moses Minus Staff Plus Chariot Equals Ben-Hur.”) I’ve yet to watch Irving Rapper’s melo Bad for Each Other (1954), co-starring the sultry Lizabeth Scott — always a good enough reason to check out any movie, regardless of plot or leading man. A major curiosity is the 1988 made-for-tv version of A Man for All Seasons, with Charlton Heston in the Oscar-winning Paul Scofield role (Sir Thomas More) and on Fred Zinnemann’s director’s chair. Vanessa Redgrave, who plays Thomas More’s wife in the TV movie (Wendy Hiller in the original) had a cameo as Anne Boleyn in the 1966 film. According to the IMDb, Robert Bolt, who wrote the Oscar-winning 1966 movie (and the original play), is credited for the 1988 version’s screenplay as well. Also of note,...

In Parts One and Two of our interview with Denise Alexander, the legendary actress spoke about her early career on radio and television, hear early soap roles including Days Of Our Lives, and her brilliant run on General Hospital. She also revealed how her guest appearance on the web series Pretty came about. In Part Three below, Alexander talks about leaving Gh, joining Another World, and returning to Port Charles many years later.

We Love Soaps TV: In 1984 the character of Lesley was killed off General Hospital. Was it your choice to leave at that point?

Denise Alexander: I had been working a long time. I had a very strong contract and the network was cutting back on a lot of people and guarantees where you were going to get paid even if you didn't do the episodes. They were letting people go but they offered me a raise.

While DVD companies like Anchor Bay and Blue Underground have slowed their output to a near crawl, we're happy to see some smaller guys picking up the slack and bringing some obscure genre stuff into the digital age. The folks at Scorpion Releasing have certainly got me excited for their upcoming releases!

On January 26, you'll be able to get your grubby little hands on Doctor Death: Seeker of Souls and Goodbye Gemini:

Meet the charming Doctor Death: Seeker of Souls from Scorpion Releasing! The flamboyant Dr. Death (John Considine), a 1,000-year-old man who has mastered the art of "selective reincarnation", promising to keep one's soul alive forever! The catch? He needs a fresh body to host it for you, and finding willing volunteers is an impossibility. When Fred's beloved wife dies, he refuses to believe she is gone forever. Dr. Death's loyal assistant, Tana (Florence Marly), offers a supernatural...

The Alamo Guide

for November 19th, 2009

It’s totally fall, you guys! I know this, because my allergies have exploded with this cold front, it was 40 something degrees last night, And I Get To Eat Turkey Next Thursday! Oh so much turkey will I eat! With extra dressing and gravy. I will be doing this with my biological family, which, if you consider the other options we have at the Alamo, actually sounds pretty boring. While I’ll be way too full falling asleep staring at the football game that I don’t really care about on my grandparents couch, You can be way too full, falling asleep, staring at the Ut vs A&M football game that you probably Do care about at the Alamo Ritz! Or you can be watching any movie at any of our theaters, because our annual tradition still stands. We’ll be your second...