This Weeks Essential Movies for Free T.V Guide

Flicking through the movie line-up for this week one particular thought question dominated my mind: what has happened to Gene Hackman these days? He appears in that gripping 1995 Tony Scott submarine thriller CRIMSON TIDE tonight on BBC1 at 11pm. Recalling his show-stealing performance as an erratic head-strong submarine captain I wonder how Hollywood could of ever grown tired of this two time Oscar winner? For a while he seemed to be in everything; making nine movies between 2000 and 2004. In 2001 alone, approaching the age of 70, he made welcome cameos in THE MEXICAN and HEARTBREAKERS, brought David Mamet's twisty script to life with his seasoned world-weary mannerism as head thief Joe Moore in HEIST, stole the show as a scheming but loveable grandfather figure in Wes Anderson's whimsical THE ROYAL TENENBAUMS (where was the Oscar nomination?) and nurtured John Moore's routine actioner BEHIND ENEMY LINES into something almost plausible. He was at his classic best as a corrupt jury consultant in John Grisham thriller - playing opposite real life former room mate Dustin Hoffman €“ in 2003's RUNAWAY JURY. But since the major flop that was the turbid WELCOME TO MOOSEPOINT the same year, Hackman has fallen off the map and has been seemingly blacklisted by producers. Please somebody give this man another film project. Perhaps an up coming western requires an seasoned old gun-slinger, or a comic book adaptation needs a charismatic villain, or another John Grisham adaptation requires a deceitful lawyer, senator or judge...God knows he could play them all! He may be 77 now but the last we saw him he was still fighting fit (touch wood) so I don't think he's quite over the hill just yet. And all his fellow contemporaries: Dustin Hoffman, Donald Sutherland, Robert Duvall and the like, are still getting those juicy supporting roles. Give this actor another chance before he is forced (reluctantly) into permanent retirement. SATURDAY 19.40€“BBC4, PASSPORT TO PIMLICO (1949) Charming Ealing comedy about residents declaring independence when they discover an old treaty. 19.45-ITV4, FLASH GORDON (1980) Cult classic fantasy comic book adventure with a scene-stealing turn from Brian Blessed. 21.00-FILM4, BATMAN RETURNS (1992) Tim Burton ups the gothic tones and villainess stakes in his highly entertaining sequel. Pitting Michael Keaton's, now decidedly diminutive Batman, up against a leather clad Michelle Pfeiffer as Catwomen, Danny Devito's blood-sucking Penguin and Christopher Walken's corrupt businessman Max 'Nosferatu' Shreck. 21.00-SCI-FI, MARY SHELLEY€™S FRANKENSTEIN (1994) Kenneth Branagh's ambitious adaptation of the famous novel has aged well despite original conceptions of free-wheeling depravity. Robert de Niro stars as the monster, while Branagh himself is the titular scientist alongside Helena Bonham Carter and a host of British character actors. 21.45€“ITV2, THE MUMMY (1999) CGI overload in the original largely dumb but great fun action adventure. 21.05€“C4, SLEEPY HOLLOW (1999) Featuring a slew of veteran British Thespians (Richard Griffith, Ian McDiarmid, Michael Gough and Christopher Lee), Tim Burton's bleakly beautiful gothic tale finds Johnny Depp's detective Ichabod Crane tracking the case of the feared apparition The Headless Horseman, who is blamed for horrific decapitations in a small town. 22.00€“BBC3, A TIME TO KILL (1996) Joel Schumacher's absorbing John Grisham court room adaptation, concerning a young lawyer (Matthew McConaughey), defending a black man accused of murdering two men who raped his young daughter. 22.00-ITV4, FORTRESS (1992) Brainless but exciting violent futuristic thriller with Christopher Lambert as a man locked up in a maximum security prison after attempting to smuggle an illegal baby past US emigration. 23.00€“Five US, CRASH (1996) Not the Paul Haggis Oscar winning drama, but David Cronenberg€™s brooding, controversial adaptation of J.G Ballard€™s cult novel. Two ex-car crash victims discover an underground culture of car crash fetishism which rejuvenates their sex lives. 23.00€“BBC1, CRIMSON TIDE (1995) Denzel Washington and Gene Hackman go head to head in this thrilling submarine drama from director Tony Scott. A young first officer stages a mutiny to prevent his captain from possibily starting World War 3. 01.10-SCI-FI, NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD (1990) Descent colour update of the original George A Romero classic, directed by DAWN OF THE DEAD make-up man Tom Savini. 01.35€“FILM4, THIEF (1981) James Caan stars in Michael Mann's intelligent heist thriller directorial debut about a professional safe-cracker who agrees to do a job for the Mafia. SUNDAY 12.45-ITV4,FLASH GORDON (1980) See Saturday 19.45 18.25-FIVE, FOR A FEW DOLLARS MORE (1965) Lee Van Cleef teams up with Clint Eastwood for the second instalment in Sergio Leone's primal Spaghetti Western trilogy, playing bounty hunters who track down a Western outlaw. With Klaus Kinski. 20.15-ITV2,THE MUMMY (1999) See Saturday 21.45 21.00-ITV3, DOLORES CLAIBORNE (1995) Another Stephen King adaptation featuring a show-stealing performance by Kathy Bates as a maid accused of murdering her elderly boss. 21.00-FILM4, THE CIDER HOUSE RULES (1999) Michael Caine won his second Oscar for his supporting role as an American man who runs an orphanage which performs illegal abortions. 00.00-ITV2, ELECTION (1999) The tables are turned on Matthew Broderick aka Ferris Bueller, who plays a school teacher who's personal life becomes complicated when he gets involved in the student elections. 22.50-C4, ALIEN (1979) A crew of a commercial space vessel get more than they bargin for when they answer a distress signal on a distant, unknown planet. Ridley Scott's textbook example of how to create fear and suspense out of remote claustrophobic space and a shrouded gruesomely realised creature. 01.15-FILM4, THE BEDROOM WINDOW (1987) Intriguing 'Rear Window' type Hitchcockian thriller staring 80s wonder Steve Guttenberg as a man who lands himself in trouble after he pretends to be a witness to an attack he never actually saw. Shame its scheduled so late though! MONDAY 22.00-ITV2, MISSION:IMPOSSIBLE (1996) Brian De Palma's gadgetry spy thriller is still the best in the series. 22.50-C4, BROKEN ARROW (1996) John Woo directed this exciting action thriller that gave a twist to John Travolta's acting persona. Two U.S Air Force pilots steal nuclear warheads in an attempts to foil terrorist plans. Co-staring Christian Slater. 21.00-MORE4, TO DIE FOR (1995) Comedy drama from director Gus Van Sant. Nicole Kidman stars as an ambitious weather girl who may have murder in mind. 21.00-FILM4, CLEAR AND PRESENT DANGER (1994) Harrison Ford's second and possibly final turn as Tom Clancy's CIA analyst Jack Ryan in Phillip Noyce's thriller boasts intelligent thrills if you absord yourself within the complex plot. 23.00-E4, PHONE BOOTH (2002) Colin Farrell stars as a stuck-up sales exec who's very existence is tested by a sniper when he is hauled up in a phone booth, in this gripping thriller. 23.05-FIVE, INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE (1994) Another classic adaptation which has aged like a well-kept fine wine. A vampire tells his remarkable epic life-story to a sceptical reporter. 00.10-ITV4, THE THIN RED LINE (1998) Terrence Malick's powerful war drama is an adaptation of James Jones' autobiographical 1962 novel, about the conflict at Guadalcanal during WW2. Nick Nolte leads an exceptional cast. TUESDAY 21.00-ITV2, MISSION IMPOSSIBLE See Monday 22.00 21.00-E4, EVOLUTION (2001) GHOSTBUSTERS' director Ivan Reitman's comedy sci-fi sees scientists David Duchovny and Julianne Moore attempt to thwart an alien organism from evolving into something far more monstrous. 22.00-ITV2, THE THIN RED LINE See Monday 00.10 WEDNESDAY 21.00-SCI-FI, MARY REILLY (1996) I am looking forward to what could be a promising an interesting take on the Dr Jekyll, Mr Hyde tale. Directed by Stephen (DANGEROUS LIASONS, THE QUEEN) Frears, and with guaranteed charisma from the likes of John Malkovich and Michael Gambon, its sure to be an intriguing drama. 22.00-FIVE, PAYBACK (1998) An update on the classic 1967 Lee Martin revenge thriller POINT BLANK, this time staring Mel Gibson and James Coburn. 00.40-ITV4, PLAY MISTY FOR ME (1971) Clint Eastwood directs and stars in this suspenseful psychological thriller that pre-dates FATAL ATTRATION. A one-night stand with an obsessed fan turns nasty for a radio DJ, when another women enters the picture. THURSDAY 22.00-ITV4, PLAY MISTY FOR ME See Wednesday 00.40 00.00-SCI-FI, CHILD'S PLAY (1988) Before the series went hell-bent in self-parody the original concept of a demonic murderous kids doll was truly terrifying. This, the original creepy 'Chucky' outing, is by far the most chilling instalment. 01.20-FILM4, IF... (1968) Lindsay Anderson's powerful and potent take of the staging of a revolt against a strict public school. FRIDAY 21.00-FILM4, LITTLE VOICE (1998) Jane Horrocks is breathtaking as a timid and reclusive singer who gets the opportunity to air her powerful vocals. Hilarious and affecting in equal measure. 22.10-ITV3, DANGEROUS LIAISONS (1988) John Malkovich and Glenn Close excel as scheming aristocrats embarking in a vicious plot of seduction and revenge, in Stephen Frears' masterful period drama which also stars Michelle Pfeiffer. 22.35-E4, THE NAKED GUN (1988) Spoofing numerous cop shows and noir thrillers, Leslie Nielsen is Frank Drebin the clumsy cop out to stop Ricardo Montalban's drug baron in the original slap-stick comedy.