WHY….

There is a trend on American TV, I don’t know if it’s the same in Europe, where people “discuss” the movies before the film screens and during the commercial breaks. When I see this hideous extra pasted on any film it’s an immediate skip for me. So it was with some sadness and perhaps ambivalence that I happened upon Robert Osborne and, of all people, Rose Mcgowan “discussing” Paper Moon just before it aired. It is such a wonderful film and anyone with their channel pointed there is there to watch the movie, trust me. Why do we necessarily have to listen to a chat about it? She exhibits, perhaps, unexpected depth and/or intelligence, which maybe was the point? Is she there to draw the young crowd?¬†¬† Do they think we’re all incapable of googling the movie to find out more info? Oh, wait – I get it now. She was actually there for a reason:

As co-host of THE ESSENTIALS, the network’s signature movie showcase. McGowan will take a chair opposite TCM host Robert Osborne, just as she did during TCM’s recent Guest Programmer month in November. Starting Saturday, March 8 at 8 p.m., Osborne and McGowan will introduce “must see” movies each week with an eye toward helping viewers better understand why these films are important and the impact they had on audiences and the culture at large.

Oh, okay. Oh and…

“During our many shoots with Guest Programmers this year, we encountered a lot of celebrities who impressed us with their knowledge and love of classic film,” said Tom Brown, vice president of original programming for TCM. “But Rose really stood out, because she was so passionate and insightful. We thought it would be great for her to share her passion with the audience by co-hosting THE ESSENTIALS in 2008.