The other day here, we linked to a video of clips from the print of Li'l Abner that runs on Turner Classic Movies. As any fool can plainly see, it's improperly cropped so you see a lot of stuff — like boom microphones and the tops of backdrops — that you aren't supposed to see.
I'm pleased to report that several dedicated TCM staffers keep an eye on this site and every time I've complained about something on their fine network, it gets fixed, a.s.a.p. Sure enough: Tom Brown, V.P. of Original Productions at TCM writes to inform me that they've arranged for Paramount to make a new master in 4×3 letterbox format with a matte covering that which should not be on the screen. Now, that's service!
Tom told me to let him know if I'd spotted anything else that needs tweaking. This isn't exactly a tweak…but it's been quite a while since they reran Role Model, which is an original special they did. It's an hour-long conversation that Alec Baldwin conducted with Gene Wilder and it's one of the best interviews I've ever seen about an actor's work.
I'm not asking for me. I still have it on my TiVo and I rewatch it every month or three…but I'd like to be able to recommend it to folks who read this blog and haven't seen it. Mr. Wilder is an extraordinary man.