TCM Takes on Racism in Hollywood Again

I love Turner Classic Movies, duh, because they show great classic movies. Uncut, no commercials, with plenty of juicy tidbits about the films and the stars.

And because they have cool graphics on the air and on their web site. And because they do thoughtful, informative original programming like their examinations of African American images in film in 2006 and their look at gay images in film in 2007.

This June, a not-unexpected next step: Race and Hollywood: Asian Images in Film coming on Tuesday and Thursday nights, with Robert Osborne hosting experts and actors to discuss how Hollywood has depicted Asians from the silent era to comtemporary films. Each night will feature a marathon of films around a theme -- the civil rights era, movie detectves like Charlie Chan and Mr. Moto, the films of legendary actress Anna May Wong and the screen versions of Pearl Buck novels. Should be fascinating.

(One film I don't see is Breakfast at Tiffany's, a wonderful classic almost ruined by Mickey Rooney's ghastly caricature of a Japanese landlord. Ugh.)

Nancy Kwan on the DVD cover of Flower Drum Song