Elvis Mitchell: Under the Influence

The first (and only) time I met movie reviewer/critic Elvis Mitchell, I was so tongue-tied that I said something doofy – so doofy that I’ve blocked it from my memory. After this cringy experience, there is something comforting in seeing Mr. Mitchell appear somewhat starry-eyed in his very own one-on-one interview show, Elvis Mitchell: Under the Influence on TCM (Turner Classic Movies). For those familiar with Mitchell from NPR, he brings the same genial and erudite approach to this chat show, but this one focuses on a solitary guest. Sidney Pollack and Bill Murray were early guests. Laurence Fishburne and Quentin Tarantino are on deck.

What makes this show so engaging is that Mitchell is thoroughly prepared (as usual), yet does not sound so rehearsed as to make the conversation wooden (my only complaint with James Lipton, who hosts Inside the Actors’ Studio on Bravo). As each guest talks about his favorite films, clips and stills are shown when possible, giving some extra oomph to the chat, and giving some intriguing insight into how the guest/artist thinks. This is not an overview of the guest’s career (as in Actor’s Studio); it’s an overview of the films he saw, the actors, writers, and directors he admired, and how he works in the present day “under the influence” of those works.

Missed the Pollack interview. The first episode I happened upon featured Bill Murray. I’m ambivalent about Murray, but I found myself mesmerized by his interview — so much so, I watched the episode twice! That’s a rare occurrence for someone who rarely watches anything live and erases episodes as the credits are rolling. I wasn’t so surprised that Murray was a Marx Brothers fan and admired Cary Grant’s versatility, but hearing that he got weak-kneed over funny women (Gilda Radner made him swoon) was downright endearing.

Only a handful of episodes are scheduled, according to the TCM website. Hopefully, many, many more are on their way. Elvis Mitchell: Under the Influence airs Mondays at 7pm on TCM. Encores occur at 9:30pm.