Haunting ‘Fahrenheit’ on TV

Published 9:00 pm Thursday, June 9, 2005

Lighter-than-air contraptions and a man dressed as a bat help this week’s movies on TV take flight.

Today

“Fahrenheit 451,” 9:15 p.m., Turner Classic Movies. In the future, firemen burn books to protect society from dangerous ideas – Ray Bradbury’s novel becomes a strange but haunting film under the direction of Francois Truffaut. Oskar Werner and Julie Christie star. 1966.

Saturday

“Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines,” 11 a.m., Fox Movies. Good family fun about a great air race in 1910, and the international pilots who participate. 1965.

“Leaving Las Vegas,” 8 p.m., Channel 11. Nicolas Cage won an Oscar for his all-out performance as a drunk who goes to Vegas to quietly drink himself to death; he meets Elisabeth Shue there. 1995.

Sunday

“Back to the Future Part II,” 1:45 p.m., TBS. On the one hand, this is a sequel to one of the blockbuster movie franchises. On the other hand, this is one of the weirdest films of the 1980s. Have you ever really watched this thing? Bizarre. 1989.

“Destry Rides Again,” 7 p.m., Turner Classic Movies. Delightful comedy western that pairs James Stewart with dancehall diva Marlene Dietrich (whose performance gave Madeleine Kahn something to spoof in “Blazing Saddles”). 1939.

Monday

“Pillow Talk,” 3:30 p.m., American Classic Movies. Doris Day and Rock Hudson, paired in a typically tortured ’50s situation comedy. 1959.

Tuesday

“Batman Returns,” 8 p.m., Family. The Caped Crusader actually does return next Wednesday, with “Batman Begins.” This one has Michael Keaton going up against Michelle Pfeiffer’s Catwoman and Danny DeVito’s Penguin. Not much of a story, but Tim Burton makes it look incredible. 1992.

Wednesday

“Gangs of New York,” 8 p.m., Encore. Martin Scorsese’s sprawling take on immigrant gangs of the 19th century is an overreaching mess, but it certainly stays entertaining. With Daniel Day-Lewis, Leonardo DiCaprio. 2002.

“Lovely &Amazing,” 9 p.m., Oxygen. A well-written comedy that doesn’t try to make its family of women into especially likable characters. Catherine Keener leads the fine cast. 2002.

Thursday

“Baby Doll,” 10 p.m., Turner Classic Movies. A once-scandalous movie based on Tennessee Williams’ works, this is still a wicked serving up of Southern stew. Elia Kazan directed. 1956.

– Robert Horton