Friday, May 3, 2013

Who I met, Who I saw and My Thoughts on the TCM Classic Film Festival

One of the best things about the TCM Classic Film Festival was getting to meet so many of the great classic film bloggers who I talk to on a regular basis online but hadn't met in real life. Here are some I subjected to my iPhone selfies.







Me and Aurora of Once upon a screen...


Me and Carley of The Kitty Packard Pictorial


Me and Jessica of Comet Over Hollywood


Me and Raquel of Now Watching (Two Raquels together!)


Me and Trevor of A Modern Musketeer and TCM Party


Me and Matt from Warner Archive (blogger, tweeter and podcaster extraordinaire!)


Me and Paula of Paula's Cinema Club and TCM Party 
(with Laura of Laura's Miscellaneous Musings)


Me and Ariel of Sinamatic Salve-ation 
(picture by Matt from Warner Archive)


I met a whole lot more including Kristen from Sales on Film, Diane from Classic Movie Blog, Drew from Cultural Transmogrification Magazine, Karen of Shadows and Satin, Marya of Diary of a Film History Fanatic and many more.

In addition to these wonderful bloggers, I got to see TCM hosts Robert Osborne and Ben Mankiewicz several times as well as Leonard Maltin (I got to shake his hand!). And then there were the classic film stars, directors and producers:

Theodore Bikel - TCM promo taping
Ann Blyth - TCM promo taping and Mildred Pierce screening
Barrie Chase - It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World screening and on my way to the bathroom
Jane Fonda - Handprint Footprint Ceremony (from very far away)
Mitzi Gaynor - Poolside South Pacific Screening
Tippi Hedren - On my way to the bathroom
Kathleen Hughes - River of No Return screening
Marvin Kaplan - TCM promo taping, It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World screening and The Lady Vanishes screening
Karen Sharpe Kramer - It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World screening and on my way to the bathroom
Norman Lloyd - So You Think You Know the Movies Trivia and The Lady Vanishes screening
Walter Mirisch - On my way to the bathroom and The Great Escape screening
France Nuyen - Poolside South Pacific Screening
Mickey Rooney - It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World screening and on my way to the bathroom
Stanley Rubin - River of No Return screening
Eva Marie Saint -  Eva Marie Saint: Live from the TCM Classic Film Festival
Max von Sydow - Conversation with Max von Sydow and Three Days of Condo Screening
Jane Withers - TCM promo taping

TCM Photo

Here I am at the Ann Blyth TCM Promo taping trying not to freak out because OMG Ann Blyth was right there.


Here are some of my thoughts on the festival:

What I Liked
  • The lines for events and screenings were well managed by TCM volunteers. Good job!
  • We got really close to the stars but they were protected at all times by various staff members. This made for an intimate experience while also keeping the stars safe from crazies.
  • Almost everything started on time. TCM was very punctual, there were very few delays.
  • All the lovely surprises. Seeing Ann Blyth at the TCM promo taping was by far my favorite surprise.
  • All the classic film stars I got to see!
  • Seeing Robert Osborne, Ben Mankiewicz and Leonard Maltin numerous times. 
  • Meeting people who have read my blog (woah)
  • The variety of classic films, the decades and genres covered. There was literally something for everyone. You could easily customize your schedule
  • The quality of the interviews before the screenings. They were only 15 minutes (a few were a bit longer) but they were always top notch.
  • The TCM Festival iPhone app. It was a bit buggy to start but I loved that it sent me reminders before each of the films I had chosen.
  • The Info desk was amazing! The staff there was super helpful and friendly. They gave me buttons to reward me for all my social media activity.
  • The TCM Classic Film Festival tote bag, my favorite new accessory.
  • Getting press photos after the events because some of my pictures didn't come out so good.
  • Being on TV and having my mom call me because she saw me on TCM.


What I Didn't Like

  • Not enough places to charge my iPhone
  • Crazy lady who seemed to haunt the Roosevelt Hotel bathroom
  • All the walking I had to do. I'm not against walking but I brought the wrong shoes! Next time I'll bring sneakers.
  • L.A. Cab drivers
  • Having to leave screenings to get into other ones. Can they please have shuttles for the far away venues next time?
  • Opening Night Party crowdedness 
  • Not knowing I had to RSVP to the Jane Fonda Handprint Footprint Event. I probably misread an email.
  • There was breakfast at Club TCM? How did I not know this?!
  • Not having enough access to food in general and healthy food specifically. I hope TCM will consider food trucks or some kind of concession stand for Club TCM in the future.

My favorite moments:
  • River of No Return (1954) screening with Stanley Rubin, I cried
  • Ann Blyth TCM promo taping, I cried
  • Chatting with Matt from Warner Archive, I cried (just kidding)
  • Playing a trivia game hosted by Alex Trebek
  • Shaking Leonard Maltin's hand
  • The Lady Vanishes (1938) screening with Norman Lloyd
  • Meeting classic film bloggers galore
Bear with me. Up next are some more detailed posts about some of the events I attended.

9 comments:

  1. Fantastic! I'd love to chance to meet so many bloggers in real life. Jealous!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Mark - You'll have to go to the next TCM festival! Would love to meet you in person.

      Delete
  2. This is great and I'm kicking myself for not knowing Diane from Classic Movie Blog was there! Foot!
    This is such a great post and so much fun to see everyone you ran in to :) I loved loved loved meeting you! It's wonderful to find folks we have things in common with!
    Also, I laughed out loud at the "lady who haunted the Roosevelt bathroom." I had a lady who just plain gave running commentary during films including shouting "No!" when the movie started.
    I hope to see you at another Film Festival soon!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you! I didn't know that you knew Diane. Are you sure you are not thinking of K.C.? They both have blogs with the same name. Diane is so nice and I'm really glad I got to meet her at the festival.

      And you are a doll! I am so happy we got to hang out poolside to see Mitzi Gaynor and South Pacific. That was so much fun.

      Sorry to hear that you had to sit near that crazy lady during some of the screenings. The only bad incident I had, other than the Roosevelt bathroom lady who tried to convince me she had a plastic surgeon boyfriend who was adored by many super models (yeah right), was with a guy who was a little too close behind me at the TCM promo taping with Ann Blyth. At one point I thought he was going to give me a hug. Eww!

      I hope to see you at another festival soon too! <3

      Delete
  3. Thank goodness even stars have to go to the restroom :)

    Good reporting on a cool TCM event.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. LOL. None of those stars were actually in the bathroom. I just saw them at entrances or lobbies on my way to the bathroom. The stars were always well protected with multiple TCM staff members helping them to get from place to place.

      Thank you! It was a lot of fun.

      Delete
  4. Thanks for posting the photos of other classic movie bloggers. It's great to see what everyone looks like.

    I've really enjoyed your posts on the festival. Thanks for sharing your experiences.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I'm glad you made it out to the Formosa! I'm sorry we didn't get to chat though! Next time, next time.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Even if I haven't read your previous posts, I could feel how the event was just by the smile you have in the pictures. The festival surely had many highlights!
    It's so good to put a face on every friend I have on the Internet. It's surprising how much love we put on a long-distance friendship.
    Kisses!

    ReplyDelete

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