Best Classic Movies on TV This Week: July 28 – August 3
With the dozens of movie channels included in a standard cable package, your favorite classic movies are surely airing somewhere this week. But how the heck are you supposed to find them?! Nothing is more disappointing than flipping through the channels and finding out your favorite film is airing … and started 45 minutes ago.
Our weekly guide gives you a day-by-day breakdown of some of the best classic and nostalgic movies showing during primetime on broadcast networks and cable channels this week, plus other notable programming highlights. Check out the week ahead, and see if you can catch your favorite classic movie!
Classic Movies on Monday, July 28
The Sea Hawk
TCM, 7:30am
Everett Collection
One of the most memorable of the classic swashbucklers for which star Errol Flynn remains famous, this 1940 adventure film directed by Michael Curtiz (the 10th collaboration between the director and star) finds Flynn playing an English privateer defending his country’s interests just ahead of Spain’s launch of their infamous Armada with plans to invade England (although a historical period piece, the movie also served as a pro-Britain propaganda piece during the first year of World War II as the nation faced the prospect of a different enemy invasion). Erich Wolfgang Korngold’s rousing, Oscar-nominated musical score boosts the action of the film, which costars Brenda Marshall, Claude Rains and Flora Robson.
Paramount/Everett Collection
5:08pm The Player (1992) HBO
5:15pm The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie (2004) NICK
5:20pm Behind Enemy Lines (2001) FXM
5:30pm Henry V (1945) TCM
5:45pm The Hunt for Red October (1990) SHO
6pm Lethal Weapon 4 (1998) BET
6pm Rocky IV (1985) AMC
6:30pm Blade (1998) SYFY
6:30pm Crocodile Dundee (1986) BBCA
7pm White Men Can’t Jump (1992) ENCORE
7:30pm Tombstone (1993) FXM
8pm Compensation (2000) TCM
8pm Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) PARMT
8:30pm Crocodile Dundee II (1988) BBCA
9pm Bulletproof (1996) ENCORE
10pm Bad Day at Black Rock (1955) TCM
10:10pm Tombstone (1993) FXM
10:35pm Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984) PARMT
11:15pm The Untouchables (1987) SHO
11:30pm Ship of Fools (1965) TCM
11:30pm Species (1995) SYFY
Classic Movies on Tuesday, July 29
Star of the Month: ’80s Ladies
TCM, beginning at 8pm
Turner Classic Movies’ celebration of some of the terrific performances by actresses in memorable 1980s movies concludes tonight with The Color Purple (1985), starring Best Actress nominee Whoopi Goldberg, and Best Supporting Actress nominees Oprah Winfrey and Margaret Avery; Places in the Heart (1984), led by Best Actress winner Sally Field; Out of Africa (1985), featuring Best Actress nominee Meryl Streep; and Heart Beat (1980), with Sissy Spacek.
Warner Brothers/courtesy Everett Collection
5pm Blade II (2002) SYFY
5pm The Green Mile (1999) AMC
5:19pm All About the Benjamins (2002) ENCORE
5:25pm Forrest Gump (1994) SHO
5:30pm Carefree (1938) TCM
5:30pm Rocky V (1990) BBCA
6:05pm Star Trek: First Contact (1996) EPIX
6:05pm Star Trek: First Contact (1996) MGM
6:20pm Spider-Man: No Way Home: Extended Version (2021) STARZ
7pm The Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Story (1951) TCM
7pm The Truman Show (1998) VH1
7:30pm Blade: Trinity (2004) SYFY
8pm Fight Club (1999) BBCA
8pm Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984) PARMT
8pm Star Trek: Insurrection (1998) EPIX
8pm Star Trek: Insurrection (1998) MGM
8pm The Color Purple (1985) TCM
8pm The Princess Bride (1987) HBO
9pm Poetic Justice (1993) ENCORE
9pm Signs (2002) AMC
9pm The Exorcist: Believer (2023) STARZ
9:30pm Wayne’s World (1992) VH1
9:45pm Star Trek: Nemesis (2002) EPIX
9:45pm Star Trek: Nemesis (2002) MGM
9:50pm The Devil’s Rejects (2005) CINEMAX
10pm The Day After Tomorrow (2004) SYFY
10:35pm Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989) PARMT
10:45pm Places in the Heart (1984) TCM
10:53pm Don’t Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood (1996) ENCORE
11:30pm 28 Days Later (2002) AMC
Classic Movies on Wednesday, July 30
Pet MOVIES!
MOVIES!, beginning at 4:20pm
Everett Collection
You don’t have to be a pet lover to enjoy this lineup of four films featuring memorable domestic animals, which begins with My Friend Flicka (1943), a Western based on Mary O’Hara’s children’s novel and starring young Roddy McDowall as a boy who strives to nurse an injured filly back to health. Preston Foster and Rita Johnson costar. The three leads returned for the film’s sequel, which airs next: Thunderhead: Son of Flicka (1945). As the title suggests, this one follows McDowall’s character as he tries to train the titular white colt, the son of his beloved Flicka, to be a champion racehorse. The equine theme continues in the following movie, National Velvet (1944), which finds a jaded former jockey (Mickey Rooney) helping a young girl (Elizabeth Taylor in an earlier role) prepare a wild but gifted horse named “The Pie” (played by a thoroughbred named King Charles, who was given to Taylor for her birthday after filming) for England’s Grand National Sweepstakes. Best Supporting Actress Oscar winner Anne Revere costars. The lineup concludes with a different sort of beloved animal that has developed a close bond with humans — the dog — in Lassie Come Home (1943). This film also stars McDowall, along with Taylor in a smaller role (it was her second film), with Donald Crisp, May Whitty and Edmund Gwenn costarring. Based on Eric Knight’s novel, it was the first in the series of seven films starring the beloved collie (played by a male Rough Collie named Pal, billed here as “Lassie”).
Everett Collection
5pm Unforgiven (1992) AMC
6pm Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) SHO
6pm The Mask (1994) TNT
6:30pm Spider Baby (1967) TCM
6:55pm Weekend at Bernie’s (1989) FXM
7pm Mr. Deeds (2002) VH1
7pm The Rock (1996) USA
8pm Ace Ventura: Pet Detective (1994) TNT
8pm Down to Earth (1947) TCM
8pm Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984) SHO
8pm The Mask of Zorro (1998) EPIX
8pm The Mask of Zorro (1998) MGM
8pm Top Gun (1986) PARMT
8:50pm Me, Myself & Irene (2000) FXM
9pm Monster-in-Law (2005) VH1
9:30pm Old School (2003) FX
10pm Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls (1995) TNT
10pm Black Orpheus (1959) TCM
10pm Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989) SHO
10pm The Rock (1996) USA
11pm The Fifth Element (1997) AMC
11:30pm Old School (2003) FX
11:48pm Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (2001) SYFY
Classic Movies on Thursday, July 31
AFI Life Achievement Award: Francis Ford Coppola
TCM, beginning at 8pm
United Artists/ Courtesy: Everett Collection
Filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola received the prestigious Life Achievement Award from the American Film Institute at this ceremony that took place in April. According to Kathleen Kennedy, chair of the AFI board of trustees, “Francis Ford Coppola is a peerless artist — one who has created seminal works in the canon of American film and has also inspired generations of filmmakers who now embody his artistry and his independent spirit.” The program celebrates Coppola’s career, featuring tributes from actors who have appeared in his legendary films, and friends and fellow filmmakers, including Al Pacino, Robert De Niro, Adam Driver, Harrison Ford, Morgan Freeman, Ron Howard, Diane Lane, Spike Lee and more. Following the airing of the ceremony, TCM will present one of Coppola’s most iconic works: the Vietnam War drama Apocalypse Now (1979), led by Martin Sheen, Robert Duvall and Marlon Brando. Following that is a replay of the AFI special, after which Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker’s Apocalypse will make its TCM premiere. This Emmy-winning 1991 documentary chronicles how the extraordinary script, shooting, budget and casting problems that plagued Apocalypse Now during its production nearly destroyed Coppola’s life and career. The evening ends with The Rain People (1969), a road drama written and directed by Coppola, and starring James Caan, Shirley Knight and Duvall.
Paramount/courtesy Everett Collection
5:45pm Police Academy (1984) AMC
5:50pm What Lies Beneath (2000) EPIX
5:50pm What Lies Beneath (2000) MGM
6pm Coming to America (1988) BET
6:30pm Airplane! (1980) TMC
7pm Big Daddy (1999) VH1
7pm Road House (1989) BBCA
7:25pm Gladiator (2000) SHO
8pm Caddyshack (1980) AMC
8pm I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997) EPIX
8pm I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997) MGM
8pm The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! (1988) TMC
8pm Top Gun: Maverick (2022) PARMT
8:30pm Overboard (1987) E!
9pm Little Nicky (2000) VH1
9pm Wild Things (1998) ENCORE
9pm Wild Things (1998) STZENC
9:15pm Apocalypse Now (1979) TCM
9:30pm A Bronx Tale (1993) BBCA
9:30pm The Naked Gun 2 1/2: The Smell of Fear (1991) TMC
9:45pm From Dusk Till Dawn (1996) EPIX
9:45pm From Dusk Till Dawn (1996) MGM
10pm Godzilla vs. Kong (2021) TNT
10pm National Lampoon’s Vacation (1983) AMC
11pm Naked Gun 33 1/3: The Final Insult (1994) TMC
11:05pm Gladiator (2000) PARMT
11:10pm Four Brothers (2005) SHO
Classic Movies on Friday, August 1
2025 Summer Under the Stars: Lana Turner
TCM, beginning at 6am
Courtesy of Everett
Turner Classic Movies’ annual August programming favorite returns, with the network again devoting each day this month to films from a particular actor or actress, beginning today with 12 films led by Lana Turner, including celebrated dramas like Green Dolphin Street (1947), Imitation of Life (1959) and The Bad and the Beautiful (1952), and classic films noir like Johnny Eager (1942) and The Postman Always Rings Twice (1946), featuring Turner in an iconic femme fatale role alongside John Garfield.
5pm Ocean’s Eleven (2001) TNT
5pm The Waterboy (1998) FREEFORM
5:20pm Alien (1979) FXM
5:28pm Coming to America (1988) WE
5:30pm Pretty Woman (1990) E!
6pm National Lampoon’s Vacation (1983) AMC
6pm The Postman Always Rings Twice (1946) TCM
6:30pm 13 Going on 30 (2004) BRAVO
7pm Billy Madison (1995) ENCORE
7pm Billy Madison (1995) STZENC
7pm I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997) VH1
7:45pm Aliens (1986) FXM
8pm Beverly Hills Cop (1984) EPIX
8pm Beverly Hills Cop (1984) MGM
8pm Gladiator (2000) PARMT
8pm Imitation of Life (1959) TCM
8pm Notting Hill (1999) CINEMAX
8pm Pretty Woman (1990) E!
8pm Uncle Buck (1989) AMC
8:33pm Happy Gilmore (1996) ENCORE
8:33pm Happy Gilmore (1996) STZENC
9:30pm I Still Know What You Did Last Summer (1998) VH1
9:45pm Beverly Hills Cop II (1987) EPIX
9:45pm Beverly Hills Cop II (1987) MGM
10:05pm Speed (1994) CINEMAX
10:08pm Mr. Deeds (2002) ENCORE
10:08pm Mr. Deeds (2002) STZENC
10:10pm Rosemary’s Baby (1968) TMC
10:15pm The Bad and the Beautiful (1952) TCM
10:15pm The Great Outdoors (1988) AMC
10:30pm My Best Friend’s Wedding (1997) E!
10:35pm Alien 3 (1992) FXM
11pm 13 Going on 30 (2004) BRAVO
11:30pm The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! (1988) EPIX
11:30pm The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad! (1988) MGM
11:33pm Rocky III (1982) PARMT
11:45pm Hostage (2005) SHO
> Celebrate TCM’s 2025 Summer Under the Stars First Timers!
Classic Movies on Saturday, August 2
2025 Summer Under the Stars: Christopher Plummer (First-Timer)
TCM, beginning at 6am
TM & Copyright ©20th Century Fox Film Corp. All rights reserved/courtesy Everett Collection
The acclaimed Academy Award winner is such an obvious choice for inclusion in Summer Under the Stars it’s hard to believe this is his inaugural season! Christopher Plummer will make his premiere with 11 quality titles, including three network premieres: the classic 1965 musical The Sound of Music, the 1976 war film Aces High and 2009’s The Last Station, which garnered Plummer one of his three Oscar noms, for playing Russian author Leo Tolstoy. Among other highlights today are the first two movies in which Plummer appeared as he began his film career after a decade in stage and television dramas: Stage Struck and Wind Across the Everglades, both from 1958, and three Plummer favorites from 1975: The Spiral Staircase, The Return of the Pink Panther and The Man Who Would Be King.
Svengoolie Classic Horror & Sci-Fi Movie: The Black Scorpion
MeTV, 8pm
Everett Collection
Sven introduces the 1957 creature feature The Black Scorpion, about gigantic prehistoric scorpions that threaten Mexico City after being released by volcanic activity. The monsters were brought to life through the stop-motion wizardry of Willis O’Brien (who also created the effects for the original King Kong). Richard Denning and Mara Corday lead the (human) cast.
Everett Collection
5pm A Time to Kill (1996) POP
5pm Dirty Harry (1971) SUNDANCE
5:20pm Mr. Deeds (2002) ENCORE
5:20pm Mr. Deeds (2002) STZENC
5:30pm Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008) CMT
5:45pm Weekend at Bernie’s (1989) IFC
6pm The Return of the Pink Panther (1975) TCM
6pm The Wedding Planner (2001) E!
6:04pm Triple 9 (2016) CINEMAX
6:30pm Pet Sematary (1989) BBCA
6:45pm Monsters, Inc. (2001) FREEFORM
7:15pm Magnum Force (1973) SUNDANCE
8pm Armageddon (1998) EPIX
8pm Armageddon (1998) MGM
8pm Bring It On (2000) BET
8pm Monster-in-Law (2005) E!
8pm The Sound of Music (1965) TCM
8pm Trading Places (1983) IFC
8pm Vanilla Sky (2001) TMC
8pm Zoolander (2001) VH1
8:05pm Wedding Crashers (2005) PARMT
8:30pm Pet Sematary Two (1992) BBCA
8:30pm Top Gun (1986) CMT
9pm The Waterboy (1998) BRAVO
9:10pm Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story (2004) FXM
9:45pm The Enforcer (1976) SUNDANCE
10pm Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome (1985) VH1
10pm The Wedding Singer (1998) VICE
10:20pm Event Horizon (1997) TMC
10:30pm Coming to America (1988) IFC
10:30pm Maid in Manhattan (2002) E!
10:30pm Signs (2002) BBCA
10:35pm King Kong (2005) EPIX
10:35pm King Kong (2005) MGM
10:57pm This Is 40 (2012) ENCORE
11pm The Waterboy (1998) BRAVO
11:05pm Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story (2004) FXM
11:20pm Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005) FREEFORM
11:45pm Heartbreak Ridge (1986) SUNDANCE
Saturday, August 3
2025 Summer Under the Stars: Audrey Hepburn
TCM, beginning at 6am
Everett Collection
Audrey Kathleen Ruston, eventually better known to movie fans worldwide as Audrey Hepburn, remains one of the most iconic female stars of the silver screen, thanks to her talent, charisma, elegant beauty and trendsetting fashion sense. So it’s no surprise that she returns to Turner Classic Movies’ annual Summer Under the Stars programming event. Throughout today’s lineup of 11 Hepburn films, you’ll see her range in everything from dramas to romantic comedies to musicals and even a thriller that remains one of her most famous movies: 1967’s suspenseful Wait Until Dark, which earned the star her fifth and final Best Actress Oscar nomination for her portrayal of a blind woman terrorized by criminals who believe a cache of heroin is hidden somewhere in her apartment. You’ll also see Hepburn deliver Best Actress-nominated performances in two famed romantic comedies: as the title character of Best Director nominee Billy Wilder’s romantic comedy/drama Sabrina, alongside Humphrey Bogart and William Holden, and as Holly Golightly, one of Hepburn’s most iconic roles, in Breakfast at Tiffany’s (1961). Among today’s other highlights are My Fair Lady (1964), the beloved, Best Picture-winning musical featuring Hepburn in another iconic role, as Eliza Doolittle alongside Best Actor winner Rex Harrison as Professor Henry Higgins; Green Mansions (1959), a romantic adventure film directed by Hepburn’s then-husband, Mel Ferrer; John Huston’s 1960 Western The Unforgiven, which kicks off the lineup; Two for the Road, a 1967 romantic comedy costarring Albert Finney; and more.
Series Finale! Live Aid: When Rock ’n’ Roll Took on the World
CNN, 9pm
MTV/Courtesy: Everett Collection
The final episode of this four-part docuseries looks at how Live Aid cofounder Bob Geldof joined forces with Bono to stage Live 8 — a global concert aimed at pressuring the rich to tackle poverty in Africa.
Season Finale! Hazardous History With Henry Winkler
History, 9pm
Season 1 finishes with “Occupational Hazards,” which uncovers the downright dangerous gigs of the past — from mercury-poisoned hat makers to kids crawling through chimneys to projectionists fleeing fiery blazes — and explores the shocking risks behind everyday jobs that were once accepted without question.
Everett Collection
5:30pm Bring It On (2000) BET
5:30pm Misery (1990) BBCA
5:30pm Monster-in-Law (2005) E!
5:30pm The Matrix (1999) TNT
6pm Jaws (1975) AMC
6pm The Fugitive (1993) CMT
6pm Wait Until Dark (1967) TCM
6pm Zoolander (2001) VH1
6:10pm Days of Thunder (1990) TMC
6:30pm Rambo: First Blood (1982) SUNDANCE
7pm Bad Boys II (2003) CW
8pm Breakfast at Tiffany’s (1961) TCM
8pm Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome (1985) VH1
8pm Maid in Manhattan (2002) E!
8pm Signs (2002) BBCA
8pm The Wedding Singer (1998) VICE
8:30pm Rambo: First Blood Part II (1985) SUNDANCE
8:33pm Freaky Friday (2003) ABC
10:15pm How to Steal a Million (1966) TCM
10:30pm Belly (1998) BET
10:30pm Misery (1990) BBCA
10:30pm Rambo: First Blood (1982) SUNDANCE
11:24pm Jaws 2 (1978) AMC
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July/August 2025
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