Automatic search for TV listings for an obscure movie?

Cafe Society
1

Back in 1983, my wife and I were very lucky to catch “The Pirates of Penzance” in the theater. It played for one week in one theater, then disappeared. It fell victim to the movie studio’s plan to release films to theaters and to pay-per-view at the same time, and the theater owners boycotted the film by not advertising the film and showing it the contractually minimum number of times. Since then, it was released on VHS and Beta and then later on LaserDisc. But it’s never come out on DVD. The film had an aspect ratio of 2.35:1, and all the home video versions are pan’n’scan.

So I would love to catch this one on a TV showing in widescreen. So the question is this:

Where is a web site where I set an alert that will let me know when the film will show on a movie channel?

I have a ReplayTV, and have “Penzance” as a search term, but have had no luck. The problem is that it won’t look at listings for channels I don’t currently receive. I’d happily subscribe to a movie package to get this film…for that month.

2

Thank you Twixter. Board farted.

3

It sure did. Frustrating for all of us.

Hopefully now someone will come along with an answer to your question.

4

You can watch it here for free: http://www.imdb.com/video/hulu/vi1481703961/

5

Thank you for the link.

I’m still curious if there is anything like Google Alerts to let me know when a show will appear on TV?

6

I would definitely like to know something like this as well. There are a handful of movies that I am dying to see, but I wouldn’t know if they ever came on, chief among them being the Tony Curtis movie “The Great Impostor” (which came on two times about 12 years ago in the middle of the night on TMC or something, but my taping efforts were thwarted both times, and I still have never seen it), “The Pigeon Egg Strategy” (which I’m not even sure has ever had a release, but I heard about it once and it sounded right up my alley), the Robert Altman curiosity “HealtH” (which I saw on Encore or something 10 years ago, and I wouldn’t be surprised if that was the only public showing the movie has ever seen), and “Brain Smasher…A Love Story”.

7

Get Tivo. Key in the name of the movie, and it’ll be recorded whenever it airs. I’ve done this many times.

8

I’d give my left nut to find a copy of John Goldfarb, Please Come Home, and Arrivederci Baby.

9

You can check TV Guide for the next 14 days.

10

I’m not sure how much left nuts go for but you can use it to bid on eBay:
Arrivederci Baby or buy it from Amazon for $44.92

I’ll let you check on the other one.

11

That’s the problem. You have to check it every 14 days. And I have a ReplayTV, Tivo’s less reputable cousin, but it only provides listings for the channels to which I subscribe. I want to know if it’s going to appear on Starz or some other channel, so I can have that channel added to my subscription and catch it.

I wish Google would have their own TV listings. Maybe someone will make a Waves application for this?

12

This might help: http://www.locatetv.com/movie/pirates-of-penzance

13

That looks like exactly what I need! Thanks!

14

Ardy checked. VHS and too spensive. When I say I’d give my left nut, that’s because I’m broke and I can’t afford actual money. I’d give my left nut to find them available on DVD at not-collectors’ prices.

15

My pleasure, I hope this goes to erasing my asshiolishness,.

16

Eh? Not at all. You’ve been very helpful with both your links. Thanks again.

17

You can set up a Google alert for any search, including one for a specific site, such as a TV listings site. So you could set an alert for “Pirates of Penzance” site:zap2it.com.