Machine Age

Comments (0) By Joy Press Tuesday, May 4 2004

WHOLE
May 17 at 11 on Sundance Channel

We've become rather blasé about human perversions, but Melody Gilbert has found one that still freaks us out: the desire to amputate a perfectly healthy limb. This amateurish but fascinating documentary, which made the film festival circuit last year, takes an uncritical look at a bunch of articulate men who dream of lopping off a leg, or have already done so and feel pleased with the stumpy result.

LEWIS BLACK: BLACK ON BROADWAY
May 15 at 10 on HBO

Lewis Black's truculent brand of political comedy works as a perfect counterpoint to Jon Stewart's more subtle style on The Daily Show. In this hour-long special, though, he's like a white Chris Rock gone to seed. Angry white liberals, stand up and be counted!

HELTER SKELTER
May 16 at 8 on CBS

No, we probably don't need another television movie about Charles Manson and his psycho-hippie minions. But here it is all the same, just 28 years after the original movie of the week that creeped out so many of us in our impressionable youth. This one stars Jeremy Davies (so sweet in movies like Spanking the Monkey and CQ) and former Kate & Alliechild actor Allison Smith as Patricia Krenwinkle.