TCM Classic Film Festival: Day #5 Recap

The Saturday of the TCM Classic Film Festival was packed with amazing events and movies. I still had plenty of energy and by sheer luck made it to everything on my schedule.

I got up early and headed to Grauman's Egyptian Theater for the 90th Anniversary of Vitaphone presentation.

Me and Joel of TCM Party

This was the only time I got to see Joel during the festival. Sometimes the chaotic schedule prevents you from seeing the people you want to see and that's where waiting in line comes in handy. You can spot familiar faces in the crowd. Joel and I took a selfie for Vanessa of Stardust who wasn't at the festival but was there in spirit. While waiting in line I also met Ray, one of the TCMFF volunteers who regaled me with stories of Robert Mitchum.

My only TCMFF Snapchat. Me at the Vitaphone screening.

The Vitaphone presentation was hosted by Ron Hutchinson, co-founder of the Vitaphone Project. It included a 30 minute lecture with slideshow on the history of Vitaphone, the technology and the films and soundtracks too. Then Hutchinson screened 7 Vitaphone shorts, one of which was my favorite short of all time Shaw and Lee's The Beau Brummels (1928).

The Beau Brummels at Grauman's Egyptian

All seven shorts were a hit but the most talked about after the festival was The Beau Brummels. It was also the one short out of the bunch that received the most laughs. I'll have a full report on the experience here soon. If you want to watch this short, it's available on Vimeo and also as an extra on The Jazz Singer (1927) Blu-Ray set. I was so excited to watch The Beau Brummels on the Egyptian's giant screen that I discreetly took the above photo to memorialize the event (if you must take a photo during a screening keep your phone to your chest, turn off the volume and make sure the brightness is at it's lowest setting). I really wanted to sing along with Shaw and Lee but held back so as to not annoy my neighbors.

There was a Q&A after the films but I had to skip out early to grab a unch. And I'm glad I did because my stinky McDonald's meal (sorry Jay!) ended up keeping me full until late in the evening. Making time for food is always an issue at these festivals and I was very lucky to fit in meals when I could. As I said before, luck was on my side during this trip!

The line for An Afternoon with Carl Reiner and featured screening of Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid (1982) at the TCL Chinese Theater was already super long. It snaked all the way from the courtyard, through the Hollywood and Highland mall and around to the other side of Madame Tussaud's. I was in line with Jay and we had a good long chat. We were so engrossed in conversation that we forgot to take a picture. He's a fascinating guy, very intelligent and your go-to expert if you have any questions about the James Bond series.

Carl Reiner and Ileana Douglas in conversation

TCL Chinese Theater was packed with eager fans excited to see Carl Reiner. Once we got our seats I headed to the bathroom and of courses who did I see? Carl Reiner himself! Previous TCMFF bathroom trips have put me in the vicinity of stars such as Mickey Rooney, Margaret O'Brien, Tippi Hedren and producer Walter Mirisch among others. I now use the hashtag #alwaysgotothebathroom when I tweet about these encounters!

I'll have a full report about this event soon but what I'll say for now is that it did not disappoint. Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid was hilarious, the tribute video was great and I loved Ileana Douglas' 45 minute interview with Carl Reiner himself. But the best part was...

Karen shaking hands with Carl Reiner

The book signing! It was held in the foyer of the TCL Chinese Theater which probably wasn't the best choice. I stood in line for a while, even though I had already purchased my book, and was worried I'd miss my next screening. Those of us at the beginning of the line got to take pictures with Carl Reiner. 

Millie taking a selfie with Carl Reiner

Carl Reiner autographed my copy of his memoir I Remember Me (which I read on audio shortly before heading to TCMFF). I asked him for a selfie and he was eager to take one. He said "get in closer!". I told him how much I enjoyed listening to the audiobook version of I Remember Me and he thanked me for that. I shared my selfie on Twitter and Facebook and it was my most popular social media share. Millie wrote to me on Facebook saying that everything before this moment should be labeled BC (Before Carl). It really was a life changing moment.

My selfie with Carl Reiner

I met a really nice lady from Boston while in the book signing line and we had a good chat. She's been to all seven festivals! I gave her my card at the closing night party and I hope she contacts me soon.

I hoofed it over to the Chinese Multiplex to get in line for Harold and Lillian: A Hollywood Love Story (2015). I had 20 minutes to spare and they were already seating passholders. I got there just in time and even proclaimed to one of the TCMFF volunteers "this is my number one pick!".

And guess what. I had to go to the bathroom again. And I had another #alwaysgotothebathroom moment. On my way back I saw director Daniel Raim, producer Jennifer Raim, film researcher Lillian Michelson and actor and executive producer Danny DeVito at the entrance of the theater. DeVito was a surprise guest and he introduced the documentary.

Danny DeVito introducing Harold and Lillian at TCMFF

Harold and Lillian: A Hollywood Love Story is one I've seen before when I reviewed it for my blog. But seeing it on the big screen with an audience was magical. At the end of the documentary there was nary a dry eye in the house. We were all wiping away our tears when director Daniel Raim and film researcher Lillian Michelson came out onto the stage for an interview and brief Q&A. And of course there was a standing ovation.

Director Daniel Raim and film researcher Lillian Michelson at TCMFF

I'll have a more detailed report about this screening soon. Watch the Harold and Lillian website for details on upcoming screenings. If you have a chance to see this, do so. You'll thank me later.

The Chinese Multiplex was my home base for the rest of the evening. I got in line for
another documentary The Endless Summer (1966) which is a new-to-me favorite. I had seen it for the first time a few weeks before the festival and was happy for an excuse to watch it again and hear more about the film from director Bruce Brown.  It happens to be a personal favorite of TCM staffer Marya and it was fun to hear her wax poetic about the film and what it meant to her.

Me with Bruce Brown, director of Endless Summer

After the screening Bruce Brown was kind enough to hang around in the lobby of the Chinese Multiplex for a meet-and-greet with fans. I got my picture taken with him and congratulated him on making such a wonderful film. He replied "it's old!". And I said, "it doesn't seem old. It's timeless." I don't think he believed me but seemed to appreciate what I said. Besides some comments made in the film that were deeply rooted in the period (price of gas, references to race and sex, etc.), the film really does transcend time. More on my experience to come!

When I thought the day couldn't get any better, it was time to see actress Anna Karina and The Band of Outsiders (1964). Karina superfan Kate Gabrielle had camped out at the multiplex hoping to get the #1 queue ticket. Some rude passholders beat her to it even though that number should have been hers.

I really did think that this screening would sell out but it didn't. It was about 75-80% full at the largest of the multiplex' theaters which was still a good turnout. Kate Gabrielle, KC, Jandy and I sat in front for the interview then moved to the far back to join Jessica, Angela and others for a better view of the screen.

Anna Karina and Ben Mankiewicz at TCMFF

Again, luck was on my side and I was able to say "we love you Anna!" to her as she was getting a standing ovation from the audience. I thought I had dreamed it but she looked right at me and said thank you. I didn't quite believe it had happened until Kate confirmed it to me later. Much more on this special screening to come.

One last TCMFF recap, my opinion post as well as in-depth coverage of specific events are coming soon!

TCM Classic Film Festival: Day #4 Recap

TCL Chinese Theater

The first full day of the TCM Classic Film Festival started with one of my favorite events: a hand and footprint ceremony at Grauman’s Chinese Theater (now the TCL). This time around the honoree was legendary director Francis Ford Coppola. This is the fourth imprint ceremony I’ve been to and the third I’ve covered as a member of the media. These ceremonies are always a fun opportunity to celebrate an important person’s contribution to the entertainment industry. There are several of these events held every year and some of the selections are questionable. The imprint ceremonies hosted by the TCM always feature someone classic film fans will appreciate.

Set-up for Coppola's imprint ceremony

This year we got a much better spot for photography. Some of the bloggers covering this event with me included Paula, Jessica, KC, Anne Marie and Carrie. Carlos got in line early and managed to get a decent spot in the general viewing area. He’s gone to all four imprint ceremonies with me and was the most excited about this one. He was hoping to spot some special guests (basically he really wants to see Al Pacino in person) but there weren’t many of them there.

Carlos hanging out beneath the I Love Sugar sign trying to get a better view

I’ll have a full report of the event soon.

KC, Raquel and Jessica and the Coppola ceremony

Francis Ford Coppola after imprinting his hands in cement

Afterwards, Carlos and I headed over to 25 Degrees, the restaurant in the Roosevelt Hotel, for a quick meal. During lunch we spotted Salvatore Cascio, the child star of Cinema Paradiso, having a drink at the bar. I love the intimacy of the festival. You see familiar faces everywhere.

Mankiewicz, Vanderbilt, Mapes, Bradlee Jr. and Singer

We attended the Club TCM panel From Headlines to Ticket Lines: Journalism on the Big Screen. It was moderated by TCM host Ben Mankiewicz and included James Vanderbilt, the director of Truth (2015), Mary Mapes, portrayed by Cate Blanchett in Truth, Josh Singer, screenwriter of Spotlight (2015) and Ben Bradlee Jr., formerly of the Boston Globe and portrayed by John Slattery in Spotlight. Carlos and I had seen both films recently and were excited to check out this panel. Most of the discussion revolved around the portrayal of journalism on film, the state of the business today and what films like Network (1976) and All the President’s Men (1976) represent in the overall narrative of the business. I was particularly interested in what Mapes and Bradlee had to say about the actors who portrayed them. Mapes said meeting Cate Blanchett was a bit unnerving because she gave Mapes an “emotional MRI”. Blanchett observed Mapes carefully in order to mimic her mannerisms and gestures on screen. I’d be unnerved too if someone gave me an emotional MRI! Bradlee Jr. is a big fan of Mad Men so he seemed pretty happy with John Slattery. Or he could have been being nice. I thought Slattery’s performance was ok, more like a serious version of Roger Sterling.

Signage for Mark A. Vieira's book signing

I left the panel early to get in line for author Mark A. Vieira’s book signing in the Roosevelt Hotel lobby. There were no lobby interviews this year and this made room for a lot more book signings, all of which were run by Larry Edmunds bookshop. It was nice to see TCM support a local independent bookstore instead of selling the books themselves. I purchased Vieira’s newest book Into The Dark: The Hidden World of Film Noir, 1941-1950. I’ll be reviewing it on my blog in the near future. I told Vieira how much I enjoyed his Cecil B. DeMille book and he seemed to appreciate that. I was suffering from “festival brain” (forgetfulness enduced by heightened emotion) and neglected to bring my copy of Harlow in Hollywood for him to sign. Oh well! I did ask him if he was working on any new projects and he said he’s shopping around possible books on Norma Shearer and Mae West.

Mark A. Vieira signing his book Into the Dark

I made my over to the Chinese Multiplex for a special screening of Tea and Sympathy (1956). It’s not a film I wanted to see but I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to hear Leonard Maltin’s interview with actor Darryl Hickman. On this viewing I appreciated the movie in a way I wasn’t able to before. It was an important film in Hickman’s career and the discussion was fantastic. I’ll have a full report about this screening on the blog soon.

Leonard Maltin and Darryl Hickman

Pre-Codes were really popular at the festival this year as anyone who got shut out of Double Harness (1933) will tell you! I was happy to make it into the sold out Pleasure Cruise (1933), a wacky pre-code starring a bunch of popular character actors and introduced by historian Cari Beauchamp. The highlight for me was watching Una O’Connor as the “sex-crazed heiress” chasing after Roland Young. Danny of Pre-Code.com has a lot to say about this film which stars his favorite actress Genevieve Tobin. You should check out his review as well as his TCMFF recap of when he attended the event (and read all of his recaps which are wildly entertaining). There were a lot of familiar faces at this screening, I chatted with Em of Vintage Cameo and I didn’t even realize I was sitting to New York Post film critic Lou Lumenick until the film started! I’ll have a full review of the film here soon.

There was another Pre-Code 6 Hours to Live (1932) showing immediately after but I opted to skip it to get in line for The Manchurian Candidate (1962). Angela Lansbury was going to be interviewed before the film and there is no way, no how that I was going to miss seeing her. A lot of people felt the same way so getting in line early was a must. Carlos and I met after the screening of Boyz in the Hood (1991) he attended (yes some people actually went to that and that’s okay!) and got in line at the TCL Chinese Theater. We had a nice long chat with Jay of The James Bond Social Media Project before we headed in. I had tweeted my queue number and Jay happened to see it and met us in line. I love how social media connects people in real life!

My number for the Manchurian Candidate screening.

Jay and Carlos in line for The Manchurian Candidate

I cannot tell you what a delight it was to see Angela Lansbury in person. It was annoying that most folks didn’t stay for the movie. Our aisle cleared out pretty quickly. We stayed for the entire screening even though we drifted in and out of consciousness. There will be more on my experience here soon. 

Angela Lansbury and Alec Baldwin

I regret not going to the midnight screening of Roar (1981) which looks like a crazy film. The folks who did go developed a bond that continued well after the festival ended. Why couldn’t I be one of the Roar people?! Alas, I’m a morning person and needed some sleep for what would be another epic day. Stay tuned for my next TCMFF recap!

TCM Classic Film Festival 2016: Day #3 Recap

Thursday was the opening day of the TCM Classic Film Festival but day number 3 in my festival adventures. I spent the morning locked in my hotel room anxiously studying my notes, writing down questions, doing my hair and make-up and generally getting ready for my first red carpet event as a member of the media.

I was racked with nerves for a few weeks beforehand but once I got onto the red carpet my nervousness was gone and I was in my element. It's been my dream for years to be on the red carpet and interview people. Last year I begged my husband to get me a professional camera for my birthday. I wanted it so I could start filming more videos for my blog and to take it with me to TCMFF to capture some of the amazing moments I would experience there. The camera came in handy to film my interviews and to snap photos of stars on the red carpet. I'll be sharing full details on my red carpet experience here soon.

In the meantime, here are some photos of me on the red carpet taken by some friends who were sitting in the bleachers. Several friends were really supportive and said many encouraging things to me before and after the event. I appreciate all their kind words because I really needed them. Marya, now social media maven at TCM, helped us bloggers out a lot on the red carpet and directed talent our way. She was great!

Setting up for the Red Carpet along with Nora, Kim and Kristen (Photo Credit: Laura)

I was privileged enough to interview the following people:

Coleman Breland and Jennifer Dorian of TCM
Actor Darryl Hickman
Film Critic Leonard Maltin
Film Critic Sr. Rose Pacatte
Actor Chris Lemmon (son of Jack Lemmon)
Actress Gina Lollobrigida
Film researcher Lillian Michelson, Harold and Lillian director Daniel Raim and producer Jennifer Raim

Interviewing Gina Lollobrigida (Photo credit: Jessica)

Interviewing Leonard Maltin (Photo credit: Laura)

Interviewing Lillian Michelson (Photo Credit: Karen)

There were other people I saw but didn't get a chance to interview. These include:

Actor Alec Baldwin

Journalist Carl Bernstein

Actor Salvatore Cascio

Actor Keith Carradine

Director Roger Corman

Actor James Cromwell

Actor Ted Donaldson

Actress Illeana Douglas

Actor Lou Gossett Jr.

Actress Anna Karina and Director Dennis Berry

Producer, Actor and Director Norman Lloyd

Producer and Actor David Ladd (son of Alan Ladd)

TCM Host Ben Mankiewicz 

Actress Lee Merriwether

Writer and Director Edoardo Ponti (son of Sophia Loren)

Actress Ann Robinson 

and more.

Norman Lloyd on the TCMFF red carpet

I had a special moment on the red carpet with 101 year old actor/director/producer Norman Lloyd. I saw him walking past and knew he wouldn't be stopping for an interview. I called out to him and said "we love you Norman!" He stopped and looked around trying to find the face that matched the voice. I repeated "we love you Norman!". He spotted me and said "beautiful!". Then I replied "you're beautiful!" and blew him a kiss. And you know what, he blew me a kiss right back! It was such a delightful moment. A brief flirtation with one of the most fascinating entertainers in the history of film and television. I've had the pleasure of seeing Norman Lloyd multiple times at previous festivals but this encounter with him is my favorite by far.

Poolside screening of The Freshman at TCMFF 2016

I spent the majority of my time at the red carpet and missed the first block of movies. I wandered over to the Roosevelt Hotel pool where I caught the introduction to the silent film The Freshman (1925) which included Eddie Muller of the Film Noir Foundation interviewing Suzanne Lloyd, granddaughter of actor Harold Lloyd.

Eddie Muller and Suzanne Lloyd

Did you know that Harold Lloyd lost a thumb and forefinger when a prop exploded in his hand? After the incident he would wear a prosthetic glove in his films.

The Freshman (1925) screened at TCMFF 2016

I couldn't stay for the whole film but enjoyed what I did see. I heard some complaints about the live music which was very modern. Personally I enjoy when contemporary music is matched with classic movies. I'm also the type of person who enjoyed all the contemporary pop and hip-hop included in the film The Great Gatsby (2013).

I headed over the Chinese Multiplex to get in line for the Argentine noir Los Tallos Amargos (1956) andhung out with some friends in line. A fire alarm went off and the multiplex had to be evacuated. Some festival goers were enjoying the last few minutes of One Potato Two Potato (1964), Dark Victory (1939) and A Tree Grows in Brooklyn (1945) when we all moved out into the courtyard. It was a funny moment that generated some chatter and gave us all an opportunity to socialize outside. There was no real fire from what I understand and we had photos and a story to share later.

Jessica and Raquel during the evacuation (Photo Credit: Jessica)

I sat with Paula, Karen, Jessica, Danny and Carlos for Los Tallos Amargos (English translation: Bitter Stems). I was quite tired and not fully awake for the film. I'll have to watch it again later for my review.

Paula, Karen, Jessica and Raquel

Raquel, Carlos and Danny

Thursday was a fantastic start to the festival. Stay tuned for more TCMFF recaps!

TCM Classic Film Festival 2016: Day 1 and 2 Recap

Little did I know this would be a trip of a lifetime.

Carlos and I arrived on the Tuesday before the festival and I came with a packed schedule filled with things to do. On Tuesday evening I was filmed by the TCM crew for their promo videos. I was a bit nervous even though I had been mentally preparing for the filming for about a week. I didn't think any of my footage would be used but lucky for me something I said off the cuff made it into the TCM Friday Festival Update Video. In that same video you can also catch a glimpse of me interviewing Leonard Maltin on the red carpet. More on that to come!

Kim, Raquel and Carrie

The TCM crew filmed me, Carrie of Classic Film Fan and Kim of I See a Dark Theater. I had a blast working with these two lovely ladies and getting to know them better. Carlos was there too as official schmoozer and purse wrangler. He also took some behind-the-scenes photographs.

On Wednesday Carlos and I made a pilgrimage to the 101 Coffee Shop in the Hollywood Hills. It's a fantastic diner and happens to be one of the shooting locations in the film Swingers (1996).

Along the way we found Carlos Ave!

Around the corner from Hollywood and Vine, you can find Robert Mitchum's star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. I make the pilgrimage every year to see it and commemorate the event with a few photos. There was a lot of construction happening on that same block and some of the stars were obscured by partitions. It was sheer luck that Mitchum's star was one of the few that was still visible. It was one of several lucky occurrences for me on this trip.

As we walked down Hollywood Boulevard I took a quick photo of the iconic Capitol Records building which is just up the hill.

Capitol Records building

While we were waiting for the Larry Edmunds Bookshop to open, we stopped by a souvenir shop. Here Carlos is thanking the Academy for his Best Husband Oscar.

Visiting Larry Edmunds Bookshop is a treat as well as a major strain on the wallet. On this trip I purchased Harlow in Hollywood by Darrell Rooney and Mark A. Vieira as well as an out-of-print bio on Telly Savalas plus some prints of Murder by Death (1976) for a friend. I also attended two TCMFF book signings that were run by Larry Edmunds.

Larry Edmunds' slogan could be: come for the film books, stay for a chat. Jeff who runs the store and Sean who helped me find some prints are super friendly and I had a blast talking to them at the bookshop as well as at the festival.
 

Afterwards I headed to the Roosevelt hotel which is the central hub of the festival. There I picked up my media pass which unfortunately didn't have any film themed design. However the excellent goodie bag they gave us more than made up for it.

The media received a TCMFF tote bag, a copy of TCM The Essentials: 52 Must-See Movies and Why They Matter by Jeremy Arnold, a TCMFF 2016 booklet, the latest Now Playing guide, a bottle of Francis Ford Coppola's Zoetrope wine and a complimentary subscription to TCM Backlot, their new exclusive fan club service.

Raquel and Laura of Laura's Miscellaneous Musings

 Then I was off to a press conference hosted by TCM that included Charles Tabesh, Jennifer Dorian, Ben Mankiewicz and Genevieve McGillicuddy. It's also when I got to see some friendly faces for the first time during the fest including one of my best friends Laura! Make sure you check out my full coverage of the  TCMFF 2016 Press Conference.

 

Left to right: Tabesh, Dorian, Mankiewicz & McGillicuddy

After the press conference a few of us stopped by the TCM Boutique which was not at the Roosevelt this year. Instead it was situated in the Sweet! shop in the Hollywood & Highland mall. If you attend any of the Chinese Multiplex screenings during the festival you inevitably pass by the boutique so it was conveniently located. The set up was beautiful but I didn't end up buying any merchandise. I was more interested in spending my money on books.

Several of us headed to the Roosevelt hotel pool for what ended up being several meet-and-greets happening at the same time. I had two delicious mojitos which calmed some of my nerves and had some good chats with friends. It was a bit chaotic and I didn't end up getting any pictures.

However, a group of us opted to go out to dinner at the famous Miceli's for what proved to be a convivial and more relaxed evening. I had such a blast talking to my friends I forgot to eat my dinner!

Left to right: Casey, Kate, Meg/Millie, Lindsay, KC, Laura and Raquel

Stay tuned as I'll have more recaps as well as detailed posts on my 2016 TCMFF adventures.

TCM Classic Film Festival Press Conference

Left to right: Tabesh, Dorian, Mankiewicz & McGillicuddy

On Wednesday April 27th, TCM held a press conference before the start of their classic film festival. The conference panel consisted of Charles Tabesh, senior VP of programming, Jennifer Dorian, Ben Mankiewicz, host of TCM and Genevieve McGillicuddy, VP of brand activations and partnerships and festival director. Tabesh and McGillicuddy oversee the logistics of the festival and Mankiewicz is taking a bigger role this year, as he did last year, in the absence of Robert Osborne. He'll be conducting most of the big interviews that will happen during the festival.

Here are some key takeaways from the press conference:

• Mankiewicz, who is introducing the opening night film All the President's Men (1976), gets emotional every time he sees the movie because of the connection to his father. NY Post's Lou Lumenick has a great article with more details.
• According to McGillicuddy the projected number of attendees this year is 26,000 which includes passholders and standby attendees. I didn't realize it was that many people!
• TCM is launching FilmStruck (think of it like "awestruck"), a new subscription service. They've teamed up with Criterion, who will end their current partnership with Hulu, and together will be curating arthouse films, indie and cult classics and other more obscure films. Jennifer Dorian says this fills a need in the marketplace. It's important to note that this is not a standalone streaming TCM service. While it was not said at the conference, TCM's relationships with cable TV companies most likely prevents them from having such a service. Read Will McKinley's post for more details about FilmStruck.
• TCM is launching TCM Backlot, an official fan club. The membership costs $87 a year and comes with a variety of perks. There will be meet-ups across the country, exclusive content for subscribers, etc. The Backlot will give members a behind-the-scenes look at TCM and an opportunity to share feedback.  Dorian says "early members will help us build the club of our dreams." I have a membership and will be following up with my thoughts on this blog.
• Based off feedback, The Manchurian Candidate (1962) will be the most sought after event at the festival. Tabesh says Angela Lansbury, who will be at the screening, is always a big hit with TCM fans.
• McGillicuddy says they've been really working hard on curating Club TCM events and she's proud of the offerings this year.
• On sought after guests, Tabesh says Olivia de Havilland almost made it to the festival one year and their number one pick Doris Day is unlikely to ever be a guest. McGillicuddy said Sidney Poitier is someone they've tried to get multiple times are still hopeful he will come. Tabesh says Barbra Streisand is interested but hasn't been able to make it work with her schedule.
• Ben Mankiewicz said "The success that the previous six festivals have had has unquestionably played a role in smoothing it over for some people because their friends and colleagues and other big stars have told them this is a worthwhile thing..." Having several successful festivals under their belt has opened up opportunities to feature other special guests. For example, this was key in getting Faye Dunaway to attend this year. Although it was not said during the conference, I do believe having Sophia Loren last year really made a difference. I can imagine that opened an opportunity to feature Gina Lollobrigida.
• Spotlight and Essentials passes sold out in 14 minutes. They won't be expanding the festival to add more venues, screenings and days. They want to keep the intimate atmosphere of the festival.
• Tabesh says the industry is moving towards digital. Access to 35mm prints and the ability to show them becomes more and more restricted over time.

My Top Picks for the 2016 TCM Classic Film Festival

It’s that time of year again when classic film fans from all over the world flock to Hollywood to enjoy a weekend packed with once-in-a-lifetime experiences. The TCM Classic Film Festival is something I look forward to all year round. When you go to this festival you feel like you’re part of something important. You develop a deeper and richer connection with the past while being part of history in the making.

This will be my fourth time attending the festival and I’ll be covering it once again as a member of the media. I’m very grateful to TCM for the opportunity to once again be a part of the fantastic team of individuals who painstakingly and lovingly capture and share each of every moment of the festival. It is truly an honor.

Now that the full festival schedule is posted I can share my top picks with you (fun fact: I was the first to tweet about it). It was much easier in 2015 to put together a schedule. This year there were some major conflicts and some difficult decisions had to be made.

Here are my selections. I’ve included a bonus video of me discussing my top five picks.

Wednesday 

TCM Press Conference – I’ll be live tweeting and providing full coverage on this press conference which will include Ben Mankiewicz, Charles Tabesh, Genevieve McGillicuddy and Jennifer Dorian. Sadly no Robert Osborne this year. He was the highlight of the first two press conferences I attended.
(2014 Press Conference with Robert Osborne)

Thursday

Red Carpet for All the President’s Men (1976) Opening Night Gala – I was a spectator for last year’s Red Carpet and had a blast. I hope this year I can do more extensive coverage. Stay tuned!
(2015 Red Carpet at the TCM Classic Film Festival)

Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner (1967) or Los Tallos Amargos (1956) – It’s a toss up between these two. Katharine Houghton will be at the Guess Who’s Coming To Dinner screening and it would be great to hear her discuss the film. But it’s hard to turn down watching an obscure Argentine film noir!

Friday

Francis Ford Coppola Imprint Ceremony – If I get in this will be my fourth hand and footprint ceremony. These are so much fun and you feel like you are part of history in the making.
(Jerry Lewis Imprint Ceremony and Christopher Plummer Imprint Ceremony)

From Headlines to Ticket Lines: Journalism on the Big Screen – I’m from the Boston area so a chance to see Ben Bradlee Jr. and Spotlight (2015) screenwriter Josh Singer discuss journalism on film along with James Vanderbilt of Truth (2015) and journalist Mary Mapes is too good to pass up.

Mark Vieira signing Into The Dark: The Hidden World of Film Noir, 1941-1950 – One of the perks of TCMFF is the exclusive book signings. This one is at the top of my list to attend.
(My review of Mark Vieira's Cecil B. DeMille book)

Tea and Sympathy (1956) – Darryl Hickman has been on my wishlist for TCMFF special guests for a long time. He’s been at the festival before but not one I’ve attended. I can’t pass down the opportunity to see him in person when he presents his film Tea and Sympathy.

Two Pre-Codes – I’m glad I’ll be able to fit in two films from my favorite decade the 1930s. Pleasure Cruise (1933) and 6 Hours to Live (1932) are showing back to back and they are short enough that I can fit both screenings in before the major event of the evening.

The Manchurian Candidate (1962) – This might be the most sought after film screening of the festival because living legend Angela Lansbury will be there. I can’t pass up an opportunity to see her and watch this fantastic mind-bending film on the TCL Chinese Theater’s gigantic screen. I'll have a lot of competition though.
 
Saturday

90th Anniversary of Vitaphone – Ron Hutchinson, founder of the Vitaphone Project, will be hosting this presentation of the history of Vitaphone complete with Vitaphone shorts. My favorite short of all time The Beau Brummels (1928) with Shaw and Lee will be screened and I’m beside myself with joy.

An Afternoon with Carl Reiner/Dead Men Don’t Wear Plaid (1982) – This four part extravaganza is hard to pass up. Not only do you get to see this film at the TCL Chinese Theater there will also be a Carl Reiner tribute video, a conversation with the man himself and a book signing immediately afterwards.

Harold and Lillian : A Hollywood Love Story (2015) – This is my number one pick for the festival. I can’t believe my hero Lillian Michelson will be there along with director Daniel Raim. I had to give up seeing Buona Sera Mrs. Campbell with Gina Lollobrigida to watch this but it’ll be worth it.

(My review of the Harold and Lillian Michaelson documentary)

The Endless Summer (1966) – If you know me you know that I love documentaries and The Endless Summer is one of the most influential documentaries in film history. It’s a stunning color film narrated and directed by Bruce Brown, who will be in attendance, and follows two surfers as they travel the globe searching the best waves. I can’t wait to see the gorgeous colors of this film on the big screen.

Band of Outsiders (1964) – I dare anyone to stop me from seeing Anna Karina in person. This French New Wave icon will be touring to support the new restoration of this Jean-Luc Godard classic. It’ll be my first time seeing this film and wow what an experience it will be.

(Anna Karina comes to LA and New York City)

Sunday

The Art of the Film Score – I’ll miss the morning screenings but hope to catch this at Club TCM.

A Conversation with Gina Lollobrigida - I’m not kidding when I say Gina Lollobrigida is my favorite Italian. Conflicts will take me away from special screenings of Buona Sera Mrs. Campbell and Trapeze but that’s okay because I’m perfectly happy to sit and listen to Lollobrigida talk for a straight hour. This will be glorious!

The Russians Are Coming, The Russians Are Coming (1966) – I love madcap comedies and this one looks like a lot of fun. Eva Marie Saint will be on hand to present and maybe Carl Reiner, Walter Mirisch and/or Norman Jewison will surprise us with an appearance?

Network (1976) – Unless a TBD calls my name, I’ll be staying around the Egyptian to catch this contemporary classic. I saw Network for the first time last year and loved it.

Closing Night Party at Club TCM – This party is always bittersweet and usually I have to leave early. But this time I hope to stay longer for one last hurrah with my friends.

What are your top TCM Classic Film Festival picks?

Book Review: Conversations with Classic Film Stars

Conversations with Classic Film Stars: Interviews from Hollywood's Golden Era
by James Bawden and Ron Miller
9780813167107 - 440 pages
The University Press of Kentucky
April 2016



“We possessed a treasure trove of rare interviews with some of the greatest stars of Hollywood’s golden years.” – Bawden and Miller

When you find yourself sitting on a gold mine, what do you do?  Keep it to yourself? Share it? Lucky for us classic film fans James Bawden and Ron Miller decided to share theirs. New from one of my favorite publishers The University Press of Kentucky, Conversations with Classic Film Stars is oral history in book form. Within its pages are interviews with 34 of the most beloved stars, collected over a few decades by TV journalists Bawden and Miller. Each interview was conducted face-to-face with the individual and recorded on audio. Some of the interviews were one-time occasions whereas others were composites of several conversations. The interview questions are edited for clarity and continuity but the words themselves are directly from the stars. Each conversation gets its own chapter and includes background on the actor or actress, “setting the scene” which describes how Bawden and Miller came to interview the stars, the Q&A format of the interview plus a couple of black-and-white photos for good measure.

The 34 interviews are broken up into 7 categories: Silent film stars, Leading Men, Leading Ladies, Queens of the Bs, Singing Cowboys, Four Very Special Stars and Bob Hope gets his own category Giant of Comedy. Some of the featured stars include:

Jackie Coogan
Gloria Swanson
Cary Grant
Joan Fontaine
Joseph Cotten
Maureen O'Hara
Joan Blondell
Melvyn Douglas
Luise Rainer
Roy Rogers
Jane Greer
Keye Luke
Irene Dunne
and more

Even if you’re very familiar with the star being interviewed there is always some hidden jewel of information to discover. While I was taking notes for my review I picked out one interesting fact from each of the interviews. Here are some notable ones:

• Gloria Swanson was a champion for organic foods and loved to push her weird bean sprout diet on other people.
• Van Johnson was hit by a drunk driver and almost died because police were arguing over the jurisdiction of where the accident took place.
• A Letter to Three Wives (1949) was supposed to be four wives with Anne Baxter as the fourth.
• Douglas Fairbanks Jr. avoided doing action films while his father Douglas Fairbanks, whom he affectionately called "Pete", was still alive.
• Anna Lee referred to Fritz Lang as a "sadist".
• Glenn Ford got his stage name from Glenford in Quebec, his dad's hometown. His real name was Gwyllyn Ford.
• Rosalind Russell was MGM's back-up Myrna Loy.
• Keye Luke started out as a fine artist and helped paint one of the original murals in Grauman's Chinese Theatre.
• Jane Greer developed Bell's Palsy early on in life. This is why we rarely see her smile in her films.

You get a really good sense of the individual’s personalities. Rosalind Russell was fiesty, Van Johnson was very protective of his sexuality, Glenn Ford and Jane Wyman were very fussy, Joan Blondell was as charming as you'd image she'd be and Cary Grant talked about Cary Grant as though he were a separate person. My favorite interview was with Keye Luke, famous for playing Charlie Chan's #1 son. Harold Russell, of The Best Years of Our Lives (1946) fame, had a non-profit organization, Harold Russell Association Inc., which helped the disabled get job training and placement. After some research I discovered that the original office is on my daily commute to work!

All of the stars included in the book have passed on (the only exception at the time of this review is Kirk Douglas). There are several recurring themes I've noticed. Because many of the stars were interviewed later in their lives there is a lot of discussion about their TV work in addition to their film career. Most of the stars equated billing in film credits with their current level of success. There is plenty of information about what it was like behind-the-scenes, working with other actors and the challenges of the studio system.

For those of you classic film fans who hail from Canada, many of the interviews took place in Toronto!

I spotted some errors in the book. For example in Jane Wyman’s interview, a publicity photo of her with Ronald Reagan in Brother Rat and a Baby (1940). It incorrectly lists them as the parents in the film when it was really Eddie Albert and Jane Bryan. In the same interview the authors claim that Wyman is the only “movie actress” ever to be married to a president not realizing that Nancy Reagan was also a movie actress. In the intro to Gloria Swanson’s interview, the authors explain why she never married Joseph Kennedy. I don’t think the authors are giving the reader much credit here. We know why! I found the simplicity of the text and the assumption about the reader a bit frustrating but the quality of the content makes up for this.

Conversations with Classic Film Stars was a quick enjoyable read. This book is perfect for someone who doesn’t want to invest their time in full-scale biographies but still wants to learn something new and interesting about their favorite stars. And if you’re like me and just devoured a 900 page biography, a compilation of short interviews makes for a great palate cleanser.  Conversations with Classic Film Stars would make a great gift for someone who is just starting to develop a love for old Hollywood or for someone who has had  a life long passion for classic movies.

Thank you so much to The University Press of Kentucky for sending me this book for review!