Tonight, I noticed that TV Land is playing an old TV Movie: It's called "An Early Frost" and it was made in 1985...

Here is the description and partial cast listing:

"New England parents react to news that their son, a young lawyer, is gay and has AIDS.

Cast: Aidan Quinn, Ben Gazzara, Gena Rowlands, Sylvia Sidney, D.W. Moffett, John Glover, Sydney Walsh. "


Can someone explain why this particular movie is being shown? Are any member of the cast big stars today? I've heard of Ben Gazzara, but what is the point of putting this movie on?

I saw that the other TV movie they're showing tonight starred Lindsay Wagner (a/k/a The Bionic Woman)... yip yip yip yahoo What's so great about that??

Way to go, TV Land... another bulls-eye!

They must be mind readers over there at TV Land...I know I'VE been dying to see this movie, since I missed it when it was on 20 years ago... and I'm sure you all feel the same way out there, right? ... right? ....anyone? ....anyone?

Whatever happened to TV Land???? To whom are they catering their programming ? You can't tell me there are more than about 20 people out there who've ever HEARD of these two movies, let alone seen them, or would want to see them today....

What the heck, I just looked it up...the movie staring Wagner is called The Taking of Flight 847: The Uli Derickson Story (1988), and is described as follows:

"A flight attendant saves lives during the 1985 Athens/Beirut/Algiers terrorist hijacking."

As Archie Bunker would say... "whoopdee doo!"

Again, let us all thank God for DVDs!

god, are you naive?

An Early Frost was a very groundbreaking tv movie. Or are you one of those types who thinks that Tickled Pink special was "TV Land getting too filthy" (I'm sorry, the violence on Hunter is more offensive than a few queens talking about Bewitched and The Golden Girls)? It's one of the most famous tv movies of all time because it was the first time network television actually dared to take on the subject of AIDS.

It belongs in a list of "the most famous and important tv movies of all time", or do you think 1985 is too recent? It was an important TV movie for it's time and scored high ratings because at the time, people had no idea what AIDS was for the most part except for the fact that it was a disease among gay men. It's definately as worthy of being on this as The Day After and Sybil.

This is one of the greatest tv movies of all time. I'm glad TV Land is airing some different things this summer.

thank you. I find it funny somebody would be asking "why is TV Land airing this?", I'd say after The Day After, An Early Frost is definately the second most famous tv movie of the 1980's, and was incredibly groundbreaking due to its sensitivity towards AIDS (it's weird looking back at it now considering how much times have changed since 1985) and also with homosexuality.

I am SO glad that TV Land is airing these movies all week. These are just some of the greatest and most famous TV movies of all time. It's just too bad that it isn't possible to show "Roots" since it has multiple parts. I can't wait to see "The Day After," "Sybil," and "Helter Skelter."

I think Tweety is one of those people who assume that classic TV always equals AITF and Lucy and MTM etc.

People. Classic TV.

Classic TV Sitcoms.
Classic TV Dramas.
Classic TV Soaps.
Classic TV Game Shows.
Classic TV Movies.
Classic TV Commercials.
Classic TV Children's Shows.
Classic TV Porn.

TVLand can air anything that damn well please as long as it goes under the heading of classic TV.

I am SO glad that TV Land is airing these movies all week. These are just some of the greatest and most famous TV movies of all time. It's just too bad that it isn't possible to show "Roots" since it has multiple parts. I can't wait to see "The Day After," "Sybil," and "Helter Skelter."


I would love it if they could show some mini-series like Roots or Rich Man Poor Man. Another one I remember when I was young was Backstairs At The Whitehouse. I haven't seen that one since it originally aired.

For crying out loud it is just for this week. All of these movies are classics. I've enjoyed this week so far, it's a nice change. TV Land June has been their best month in many years. They're NOT TV Land Movies, they are tv-movies from the 70s and 80s.

I am actually really glad TVLand decided to do this! I am catching up on some of the greats that I'd never before seen.

By the way, when do they air Sybil? I am most looking forward to that.

speaking of "has anybody even heard of these movies?"

One of my friends who was BORN in 1985 (that's right, he was being born when this movie aired) was upset he missed An Early Frost tonight, because he had been wanting to see it, so there!

I agree with JT, there are more things to "classic TV" than just Lucy and Archie.

The "TV Movie Of The Week" is a lost art form. They just don't make em the way they used to.

A reviewer from the Daily News suggested that TVLand should make this a weekly special - have a host introduce each film ala "Masterpiece Theater"
Not a bad idea.

I am SO glad that TV Land is airing these movies all week. These are just some of the greatest and most famous TV movies of all time. It's just too bad that it isn't possible to show "Roots" since it has multiple parts. ..

why should THAT stop them?

god, are you naive?



No

I think Tweety is one of those people who assume that classic TV always equals AITF and Lucy and MTM etc.

TVLand can air anything that damn well please as long as it goes under the heading of classic TV.


Don't know if you realize it, but the folks who created TV Land were obviouisly among "those people" who "assumed" the same thing.

And of course I'm well aware that TV Land can air anything that they "damn well please", as you put it... and I trust that you are aware that I can say anything I damn well please about what they are airing?

Don't know if you realize it, but the folks who created TV Land were obviouisly among "those people" who "assumed" the same thing.

And of course I'm well aware that TV Land can air anything that they "damn well please", as you put it... and I trust that you are aware that I can say anything I damn well please about what they are airing?


When TV Land was set up it advertised itself as the network that would air all types of programs not just the same old sitcoms. Thats why in the beginning it had sitcom. dramas and variety shows and many of those shows hadn't been seen in years. Then as soon as it got an audience it changed directions like so many other cable channels. At least for one summer TV Land is going back to its roots.

why should THAT stop them?


I'd rather see Roots then Chasing Farrah 3 or 4 times a week.

I think it would be an excellent idea for Saturday nights to do a TV movie each week.

I would love it even more if they did miniseries as well. They could easily do it so that the miniseries airs its parts each week, for example 1985's "Hollywood Wives" has three 120-minute parts. They could easily air one part each week, like WE does when they air it.

But yeah, this would be a really great idea, IMO! It would be very different from what most people are used to, and I think TVLand needs to show some of these things to help people understand. If hear one more time that schizophrenia means you have multiple personalities (it does NOT), I will scream!

I agree with everyone; I've really enjoyed these movies this past week. And as TJL said, they just don't make 'em like they used to.

It would be a great idea for TV Land to make "Movie of the Week" a regular feature and air a classic movie every week.

And as for those who DON'T like this type of thing: DON'T WATCH. Why spend all your time complaining. I realize this is a discussion forum and everyone can speak their mind, but it just wastes so much time complaining. If you don't like it, ignore it and enjoy whatever it is you do like to watch.

im upset i missed helter skelter, was it good?

im upset i missed helter skelter, was it good?
You didn't miss it. I think it only airs during the weekend marathon...

So far, "Brian's Song", "Bill", "The Boy in the Plastic Bubble", "The Execution of Private Slovik", "An Early Frost", and "The Taking of Flight 847: the Uli Derickson Story" have aired. Tonight is "The Day After" and tomorrow is "Sybil".

ohh good

I don't really like TV movies, they always seem to preachy. But if they were to air once a week, I wouldn't mind. I would however, like to see Roots again. I remember back in 2001 or 2002 some network aired it, and it was a big event, I think for the 25th anniversary. I think I missed one of the episodes.

Im actually looking forward to watching these movies, since most of them are from before my time.

For those of you who weren't around when The Day After originally aired, here's a little background info to put this movie in context:

The TV Land cable channel, on Thursday night, will provide an
opportunity to re-live early 1980s left-wing propaganda at its zenith when
the channel airs The Day After, a 1983 ABC television movie about the
impact of nuclear war as seen through people in Lawrence, Kansas. The film
aired at the height of the "nuclear freeze" movement in protest of
President Reagan's move to deploy new missiles in West Germany. The movie,
which starred Jason Robards, originally aired on Sunday, November 20, from
8-10:35pm, followed by a discussion show which featured Carl Sagan and
William F. Buckley Jr.

TV Land will air the movie from 8-11pm EDT/PDT tonight, Thursday. It
will air again next week, but the TV Land Web site doesn't say when.

TV Land's page about the Movies of the Week it is showing this week:
http://www.tvland.com/moww/index.jhtml

The Internet Movie Database's summary of the plot: "A graphic,
disturbing film about the effects of a devastating nuclear holocaust on
small-town residents of central Kansas."

Recognizable names in the cast: Jason Robards, JoBeth Williams, Steve
Guttenberg, John Lithgow and Amy Madigan.

For IMDb's page on the movie: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0085404/

IMDb also reported on the lack of advertisers and what ABC aired after
the movie: "The premiere of this TV movie was a major media event. No
sponsors bought commercial time after the point in the movie where the
nuclear war occurs, so the last half of the show was aired straight
through, without commercials.
"Immediately after the film's original broadcast, it was followed by a
special news program, featuring a live discussion between scientist Dr.
Carl Sagan (who opposed the use of nuclear weapons) and Conservative
writer William F. Buckley Jr. (who promoted the concept of 'nuclear
deterrence'). It was during this heated discussion, aired live on network
television, where Dr. Sagan introduced the world to the concept of
'nuclear winter' and made his famous analogy, equating the nuclear arms
race with 'two men standing waist deep in gasoline; one with three
matches, the other with five.'" See: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0085404/trivia

The Web site for the Museum of Broadcast Communication has this on the
historic impact of the movie:
"The Day After, a dramatization of the effects of a hypothetical
nuclear attack on the United States was one of the biggest media events of
the 1980s. Programmed by ABC on Sunday, 20 November 1983, The Day After
was watched by an estimated half the adult population, the largest
audience for a made-for-TV movie to that time. The movie was broadcast
after weeks of advance publicity, fueled by White House nervousness about
its anti-nuclear 'bias'. ABC had distributed a half-million 'viewer's
guides' and discussion groups were organized around the country. A studio
discussion, in which Secretary of State took part, was conducted following
the program. The advance publicity was unprecedented in scale. It centered
on the slogan 'THE DAY AFTER -- Beyond Imagining. The starkly realistic
drama of nuclear confrontation and its devastating effect on a group of
average American citizens...'"

For more from that article, go to:
http://www.museum.tv/archives/etv/D/htmlD/dayafterth/dayafter.

...And as for those who DON'T like this type of thing: DON'T WATCH. Why spend all your time complaining. I realize this is a discussion forum and everyone can speak their mind, but it just wastes so much time complaining. If you don't like it, ignore it and enjoy whatever it is you do like to watch.

I don't spend all of my time complaining...the folks on this thread put a lot more time in complaining about my original post than I did in actually posting the comment.

Of course, if someone doesn't like my posts, they don't have to read them. They should just do whatever it is that THEY enjoy, rather than complain about my opinions. Unless, of course, complaining about my opinions IS what they like to do...

A lot of nice folks here sure got awful worked up just because I wasn't as impressed with these TV movies as I apparently should have been.

The Day After is a very good movie. Very powerful. Catch it if you have never seen it.

Touche' (spelling? LOL) Tweety... I was a bit rude in my post. I apologize and you are right. It works both ways (in terms of complaining about things).

The "TV Movie Of The Week" is a lost art form. They just don't make em the way they used to.

A reviewer from the Daily News suggested that TVLand should make this a weekly special - have a host introduce each film ala "Masterpiece Theater"
Not a bad idea.

Unfortunately, it morphed into the "woman in peril" Lifetime Movie of the Week.

That would be cool, but they have to make room for the cheesy 70s Made-For's too. :D

The Day After is a very good movie. Very powerful. Catch it if you have never seen it.

I was watching it just before.
It is totally butchered- missing a lot and in turn a lot of its impact.

I just read in Leonard Maltin's book that in reruns it is 23 minutes shorter.

Rent the DVD- it is actually 6 minutes longer than the original broadcast.

If hear one more time that schizophrenia means you have multiple personalities (it does NOT), I will scream!

Schizophrenics have more than one personality.








:joke: ;)

A lot of nice folks here sure got awful worked up just because I wasn't as impressed with these TV movies as I apparently should have been.

well, you were acting like An Early Frost was some obscure TV movie that TV Land dug out from the cracks, and I pointed out to you that it wasn't. Do you at least understand why TV Land possibly wanted to air the movie now?

I was watching it just before.
It is totally butchered- missing a lot and in turn a lot of its impact.

I just read in Leonard Maltin's book that in reruns it is 23 minutes shorter.

Rent the DVD- it is actually 6 minutes longer than the original broadcast.

Wow, thantks for pointing that out. I think I'm going to buy the DVD. It definitely was a very good movie despite the fact that it totally scared the holy hell out of me, lol

I was only three when this movie originally aired. My mom says she remembered how they were making such a big deal out of it but didn't watch it because she was too chicken. She said when she went into work Monday EVERYBODY was talking about it.

Oh, and to troopoleon8897, Helter Skelter will air Saturday night at 8 PM. Later on all of these movies will be re-ran in a weekend-long marathon.

Warning about the Day After:This movie may not be good for those of you with weak stomachs so please, don't bring any food because the film is so intense and so, so true and real. But still, wonderful writing and acting as well as knowing that stuff like this could even happen for real.

So far I've LOVED "Bubble" and "Bill." I can't wait for "Sybil" and "Helter Skelter" and I plan on watching the rest this weekend...

Touche' (spelling? LOL) Tweety... I was a bit rude in my post. I apologize and you are right. It works both ways (in terms of complaining about things).


No problem, apology accepted....we cool ! :wave: :thumbsup:


I didn't watch the movie this time around (of course), but one thing I did wonder was how much the movie would be cut. Apparently, quite a bit, judging from a previous post...

It does suck they are edited, but that's to be expected, I guess.

And once again, it's been great to see these movies.

Did you know on the Day After, TV Land cut scenes where the people were being vaporized? Maybe if kids were watching it, they would get too scared.

Did you know on the Day After, TV Land cut scenes where the people were being vaporized? Maybe if kids were watching it, they would get too scared.

That was the first thing that tipped me off that it was edited- really edited.

The whole devastation scene lost it's impact because of the cuts.

well, you were acting like An Early Frost was some obscure TV movie that TV Land dug out from the cracks, and I pointed out to you that it wasn't. Do you at least understand why TV Land possibly wanted to air the movie now?

Yes, actually. An Early Frost, I don't remember at all... but I do remember when the others came on, although I don't think I watched any of them in their original runs...although now that I think of it, I think I did watch Sybil, and I remember seeing Brian's Song...

But An Early Frost was DEFINITELY obscure to me! :lol:

I don't watch as much TV Land as I used to, because I really do think that TV Land has gone downhill for the last, maybe 5 years or so... in fact, a few months back, I actually started a thread, the title of which was something like "Does anyone else think TV land is going down hill?"... and in less than a week it had something like 70 or 80 responses... a lot of people who loved TV Land 10 years ago dont like it as much anymore, for the same reason I don't really like Game Show Network anymore... because they switched from what made them unique to airing their own original programming...

Like most of the folks on these boards, I work during the week (I know a lot of you go to school as well) and I used to look forward to watching TV Land on SAturday mornings, because they aired a lot of my favorite old sitcoms... now, forget it... I don't need to see a TV Land Moguls show that's being run for the 50th time... or an Entertainment Tonight special for the 100th time...once might be interesting, but I can't watch shows like that repeatedly like I can reruns of my favorite shows... and man, don't even get me started on "Chasing Farrah" :sick

But, to answer your question, yes, I definitely understand the significance of these movie they've been airing... and of course, I hope all of you folks enjoyed watching them this week... even if they were "chopped" up.

At this point, the only other thing I want to say before I sign off is, Everyone out there have a great, and a SAFE, 4th of July weekend!! party:

That was the first thing that tipped me off that it was edited- really edited.

The whole devastation scene lost it's impact because of the cuts.

You took the words right out of my mouth my friend!!