TCM & Starline Movie Locations Tour - Hollywood

Cue the Gilligan’s Island theme song! We’re going on... a three hour tour... a three hour tour.

On the morning before the TCM festival, members of the media hopped on board the TCM & Starline bus for a three hour tour of Hollywood and Los Angeles. We saw roughly 50 movie locations and 100 movie clips and made two stops: the Bradley Building and Union Station.

Ben Mankiewicz on the TCM Movie Locations Tour

 To kick off the tour TCM’s Ben Mankiewicz made a brief appearance on the bus and talked to us about the merits of the tour and the bus including its stadium seating and panoramic views. There were also pre-recorded talks from Mankiewicz shown on the monitor throughout the tour which introduced each of the four areas we visited: Hollywood, 2 parts of Downtown LA and LA neighborhoods.

Michael our tour guide

This tour is curated by both TCM and Starline. Note that this is not called a classic movie locations tour. There are contemporary movies featured and I would say there was a 50/50 split between older movies and newer movies. It’s good to know this beforehand because if you expect only old movies to be discussed then you will be disappointed. I think it was necessary for them to show the newer movies especially because locations change over time and it’s easier to compare the location in person to the location in a more recent film. Would I have liked for it to be a classic movie locations tour with a strict date cut-off? Sure. However, I think the mix of old and new is the new normal for TCM and it’s something we’ll have to start getting used to.

The bus tour runs on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays at 12:30 PM and meets at the Starline pick-up area next to the TCL Chinese Theatre IMAX. There is also a New York City tour as well.

Formosa Cafe

Paramount Studios 

The entrance where they shot a scene from Sunset Blvd.

Driving through the 2nd Street Tunnel while watching a clip of someone driving through the 2nd Street Tunnel. Very meta!

The Biltmore Hotel

Other locations included:
Roosevelt Hotel
Hollywood High School
old location for Chaplin’s Studio (Sunset Blvd)
The Lot
Gilmore Gas Station
Red Studios Hollywood
Ravenswood Apartment Building
RKO
Raleigh Studios
Wiltern
Wilshire Boulevard Temple
old location for the Cocoanut Grove
The Talmadge
Bullocks Wilshire
Park Plaza Hotel
Asbury Apartments
old location for the Warner Bros. Theatre
Mayan Theatre
Orpheum Theatre
Tower Theatre
State Theatre
The Palace
The Los Angeles Theatre
City Hall
Angeleno Heights
Music box steps (from afar)
Silver Lake
Vista Theatre
Hollywood sign & Griffith observatory (from afar)
Newman’s Drugstore
Mayer Building
Pantages Theatre
Capitol Theatre Building

Films featured include:
Intolerance (1916)
Safety Last (1923)
Battling Butler (1926)
Blotto (1930)
The Miracle Woman (1931)
The Music Box (1932)
She Done Him Wrong (1933)
Topper (1937)
The Great Dictator (1940)
Double Indemnity (1944)
Road to Utopia (1945)
He Walked By Night (1948)
D.O.A. (1950)
Sunset Blvd. (1950)
Union Station (1950)
Cry Danger (1951)
A Star is Born (1954)
Rebel Without a Cause (1955)
The Graduate (1967)
Chinatown (1974)
Ghostbusters (1984)
La Bamba (1987)
The Grifters (1990)
Pretty Woman (1990)
Barton Fink (1991)
Bugsy (1991)
Chaplin (1992)
Ed Wood (1994)
L.A. Confidential (1997)
Catch Me If You Can (2002)
The Aviator (2004)
Spider-Man 2 (2004)

Stops on the tour include:
The Bradbury Building
Union Station

Bradbury Building

Posing with the Charlie Chaplin statue

The famous Bradbury staircases

Angela of Hollywood Revue

Palm trees outside Union Station

Union Station sign

Inside Union Station

Information desk at Union Station

Union Station

My thoughts:

I had a lot of fun on this tour and would definitely do it at least one more time. The experience also made me want to go on the New York City tour. My favorite location we saw was the Art Deco apartment building on the corner of Orange Drive and Romaine Street used in the film Cry Danger (1951). This might seem totally random but I had just walked past that building the previous evening, oblivious to its importance in film history and I just plain love anything Art Deco.

From what I understand, the guide will playfully pick on one person calling them out several times throughout the tour. On this trip it was me and I had fun with it. He also kept calling out Jessica of Comet Over Hollywood who was sitting next to me. Some folks wouldn’t like this sort of attention so I hope the tour guides pick their targets wisely.

Pros
lots of history and facts provided for context
plenty of movie clips shown simultaneously as we drove by their related locations
an inexpensive way to see a lot of Hollywood and Los Angeles
Michael was for the most part a funny tour guide, he was a fan of TCM and knew his stuff
Not an open air bus, enclosed and air-conditioned
Newer films are mostly historical pieces
L.A.’s gorgeous weather made sightseeing very easy

Cons
A few sexist jokes by tour guide
You don’t get a view of sites on the opposite side of the bus
Aisle seats are not as good as window seats
Some clips were incredibly loud, especially the ones from action films
One minor projection error
Tour guide made a location error (this was pointed out by someone else)
Bus size does not allow to drive by famous Music Box steps

Jessica of Comet Over Hollywood and I on the bus tour

Overall I thought this was a great tour and I had a lot of fun. On the flip side, I did speak to another person who was on the same tour and he said he hated it. It’s not for everyone but seeing as there are so many crappy Hollywood bus tours I figure this one is probably the best of the best. And the fact that TCM is involved means the quality level goes up exponentially. I hope I’ve provided you enough information to pique your interest in this excellent bus tour.

A Wacky Warner Bros. Tour in Pictures

It's become an annual tradition to go on a tour of the Warner Bros. lot every time we go to the TCM Classic Film Festival. So far we’ve done three different tours. Our first was an official Warner Bros. VIP tour, our second was with Rob of Dear Old Hollywood (read about it here)  and this year we took a wacky tour with my good friend Matt. Each tour was completely different from the others and we had a blast at each one.

The tour group included myself, my husband Carlos, Jill from The Black Maria, Jessica from Comet Over Hollywood and her parents, Laura from Laura’s Miscellaneous Musings and her husband Doug and KC of A Classic Movie Blog.


Matt entertained us with lots of fun facts about the lot and we walked around for a couple of hours. Did you know even the Warner Bros. office buildings are used for filming? Everything is made to look as generic as possible so locations can be dressed up or stripped down. Different areas on the lot are in the style of different geographical regions but can be repurposed to represent any city or suburb.

Note that tours, even wacky ones like this, have to be conducted by a Warner Bros. employee. Visitors need security clearance to get onto the lot. Don’t assume you can just wander on to the Warner Bros. lot and explore on your own.

Here are a few pictures from our wacky tour.

We thought the "Stop. Do Not Enter" sign was merely a suggestion. We were kicked out shortly after this photo was taken.

Your typical American suburb. These houses double as offices for Warner Bros. script writers.

This Warner Bros. building could easily stand in for Corporate America. There were several bus stops on the lot but according to Matt he's never seen a bus actually stop at any of them.

My favorite location on the Warner Bros. lot is the church used in Ocean's 11 (1960). I really wanted to see the interior so I asked Matt if we could sneak inside for a look.

Was this where they shot the funeral scene? 

Where to next?

The most important building on the lot as far as classic film buffs are concerned. This is where they do all the restoration work on our beloved classics. Did you know Warner Bros. vault of originals and prints is not on the Burbank lot? The films are buried in salt caves in Kansas. This protects them from moisture and keeps them safe from possible accidents or theft.

A generic subway entrance. Where does this go to?

It goes nowhere. We had fun exploring the "end of the line".

Selfie time!

A gigantic Warner Bros. sign. You get dizzy just looking at it.

New York? Paris? Baltimore?

The oldest part of the lot. James Cagney roamed these fake streets.

A view from inside one of the buildings. Exploring interiors was a lot of fun. Everything gets stripped from production to production from the light fixtures to the furniture to the signs out front.

And here is the happy bunch after that awesome and wacky tour. Thanks Matt for showing us around!

TCM Classic Film Festival 2015: Days Three & Four Recap

Yours truly at Robert Mitchum's star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame

On my first trip to Hollywood I took an obscene number of photos of the stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The novelty has since worn off. However, I always make a point to stop by Robert Mitchum's star and to pose for a photo. A few years ago Mitchum's grandson Bentley Mitchum sent me the details of where to find the star and each year I've made a pilgrimage to it. Mitchum has no grave or memorial so this is my way of paying my respects to my favorite actor.

Set up for A Conversation with Norman Lloyd

A few blocks away was the Montalban Theatre where TCM was filming two long format interviews for television. I attended the first one which was A Conversation with Norman Lloyd. Ben Mankiewicz conducted the interview. Of all the special events taking place at TCMFF, this one was the one I was most looking forward to and it did not disappoint. I got emotional listening to the wonderful Norman Lloyd discuss his career, his beloved wife, his friendships, the Great Depression and working with top directors. More on this interview to come.

Ben Mankiewicz & Norman Lloyd - TCMFF 2015

Characters 101 - Club TCM - TCMFF 2015

I wasn’t feeling too well but I was determined to attend more events. I headed over to Club TCM for the Character Actors 101 presentation hosted by Bruce Goldstein. This was terrific fun and it made me realize how much I love character actors and how little I know about them. We got to see lots of clips and learned why character actors were such a part of the Hollywood system in the 1930s and 1940s. Goldstein ran a reel for the audience and we had to place names with faces. It was a lot tougher than I thought!

Author Scott Eyman - TCMFF 2015

TCM partnered with Larry Edmunds, the famous cinema bookshop on Hollywood Boulevard, and hosted three book signings in the Roosevelt hotel lobby. I went to Scott Eyman’s signing and purchased two copies of Print the Legend: The Life and Times of John Ford; one for myself and one for my friend Frank. It was great to meet Eyman and chat with him for a bit. He was wearing a Robert Osborne fan club pin!

Matt from Warner Archive always stops by TCMFF with some goodies. He brought a box of Warner Archive DVDs and some shirts to giveaway to attendees.

At this point I was really sick. The thought of standing in line for 2 hours just to get into the screening of The Apartment (1960) made me want to faint. I made an executive decision to go back to my hotel room to rest. This was a smart move on my part because it gave me time to recuperate. It did mean I had to miss The Apartment and The Loved One introduced by Robert Morse but I did end up having much more energy for the following day.

I skipped the first Sunday time slot to have breakfast with Rob of Dear Old Hollywood and his adorable daughter! She’s a budding classic film fan and Rob tells me she loves the Wizard of Oz (1939).

Bonham’s Appraisals

The first event I caught was Bonham’s Appraisals in the lobby of the Roosevelt Hotel. TCM’s Sean Cameron was the MC.

Illeana Douglas, Millie Perkins and Diane Baker - TCMFF 2015

I only caught two films on Sunday. I’m okay with this because my goal for this trip was to attend more special events. I attended a screening of The Diary of Anne Frank (1959) at the Chinese Multiplex. Illeana Douglas interviewed actresses Millie Perkins and Diane Baker beforehand. I really didn’t want to miss this film because it’s one of the few movies from my childhood that I hold near and dear to my heart.

Shirley MacLaine & Leonard Maltin - TCMFF 2015

I had missed Shirley MacLaine speak at the screening of The Apartment and my heart just couldn’t take a viewing of The Children’s Hour. I really wanted to hear Shirley MacLaine speak about her career so A Conversation with Shirley Maclaine at Club TCM was a must. When I was walking from the Chinese Multiplex to the Roosevelt Hotel, I walked passed Shirley MacLaine herself as she was signing autographs for a group of fans!

Larry Edmunds

No cinephile can visit Hollywood without a trip to the famous Larry Edmunds cinema bookshop.

Sophia Loren & Ben Mankiewicz - TCMFF 2015

The grand finale of the TCM Classic Film Festival always ends with a film at the Grauman’s Chinese Theatre and this year it was Marriage Italian Style (1964). A very nervous Ben Mankiewicz interviewed the still stunning Sophia Loren before the screening. It was perfect event to cap off another fantastic festival.

Sophia Loren & Ben Mankiewicz - TCMFF 2015

It was sad to say goodbye to friends at the closing night party but left with the hope that I will be seeing everyone again in 2016

I’ll be writing dedicated posts on some of the events I attended and movies I saw at this year’s festival. Stay tuned!

TCM Classic Film Festival 2015: Day Two Recap

Christopher Plummer's hand and footprints in cement.

Sleep? Who needs sleep? I got up early on Friday to attend the Christopher Plummer Hand and Footprint Ceremony at the Grauman's Chinese Theatre courtyard. Last year's event with Jerry Lewis was so much fun so I was looking forward to this one. Ben Mankiewicz was the MC and actress Shirley MacLaine and actor William Shatner gave speeches before Christopher Plummer made his imprints in cement. We all had a great time and were grateful for being in the shade on a hot day.

Christopher Plummer setting his footprints in cement

After the ceremony I went to see Reign of Terror (1949) at the Chinese Multiplex. Ileana Douglas introduced the film calling it the French Revolution meets film noir. After the film, Eddie Muller of the Film Noir Foundation interviewed Norman Lloyd who was in the film. I had the worst seat for viewing the film but the best for seeing Norman Lloyd up close. He walked by me twice and on his way out I said "thank you" and he replied back to me "thank you". I can't believe THE Norman Lloyd looked me in the eyes and spoke words to me. I'm still on cloud nine.

Eddie Muller interviewing Norman Lloyd

After Reign of Terror, I ran over to the Roosevelt hotel for a glimpse of Ann-Margret as she was being interviewed by Ben Mankiewicz. She looked absolutely stunning.

Ben Mankiewicz interviewing Ann-Margret

Then we quickly headed over to the Grauman's Egyptian theatre to get in line for The Cincinnati Kid (1965) where I would see Ann-Margret again. The movie looks fantastic on such a big screen. The cinematography and that gorgeous cast was meant to be seen in a proper theatre. It's also one of the sexiest screenings I've ever been to. I'm glad my husband was there to share the experience with me.

Quick shot of Carlos meeting Peter Fonda

I meant to attend a Peter Fonda event at Club TCM but hunger and low blood sugar won out. I did catch a little of his talk about his dad Henry Fonda. Also, Carlos got a chance to meet Peter Fonda. He noticed Fonda was writing with his left hand so he went up to him and said "from one leftie to another" and shook his hand.

Ben Mankiewicz interviewing George Lazenby

Afterwards, we mosied on over to the Chinese Multiplex to catch On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969). Ben Mankiewicz interviewed Bond star George Lazenby before the screening started. Lazenby is quite the cad and regaled us with some hilarious and rather sexy stories.

Stay tuned as I'll be doing in-depth posts about the various events I attended!