My second experience at TCMFF 2015 surpassed 2014 in nearly every way. That's saying a lot, considering that I decided to return two hours into the festival last year.
There's a reason classic film fans keep coming back for more every year. Deepening friendships with blogging and Twitter pals, increased savvy about how to navigate a hectic festival schedule and the prospect of new and exciting guests, events and films are enough to make you want to plan for next year's event the moment you set foot in your hometown again.
I've yet to really unpack all the events of this year's festival. It's overwhelming how much happens in the four days of TCMFF. I'm going to have lots to post about, but I thought it would be fun to share a few quick peeks at the highlights. As Grace Kelly called it in Rear Window: a preview of coming attractions.
Pre-Fest Fun
Warner Brothers studio tour
Pre-fest party at Formosa
Film book shopping
Italian food and singing waiters
Day One
TCM bus tour
Red carpet (guess who's under the umbrella?)
Queen Christina (1933). My first film of the festival. Greta Garbo on the big screen!
My Man Godfrey (1936). One of my favorite comedies. It played to a packed house.
Day Two
The Christopher Plummer hand and footprint ceremony
Films & Facts: Whose Responsibility? panel at Club TCM with legendary film historian, professor and author Jeanine Basinger
Ann-Margret in the lobby of the Roosevelt Hotel and introducing The Cincinnati Kid (1965)
The world premiere of composer/conductor Carl Davis's Steamboat Bill Jr. (1928) score at the Egyptian Theater
Entertaining cad and Bond number two George Lazenby makes Ben Mankiewicz blush before a screening of On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969).
The insanity of midnight movie Boom! (1968) just about breaks my weary brain.
Day Three
Beginning the day with flapper fun and Colleen Moore in Why Be Good? (1929)
Seeing Busby Berkeley routines for the first time on the big screen in 42nd Street (1933)
Gripping my armrest in John Ford's airplane drama/thriller Air Mail (1932)
Shirley MacLaine, Leonard Maltin and The Apartment (1960) in the TCL Chinese Theater
The thrill of watching films presented via hand-cranked projector, the way they were 100 years ago
Struggling to stay awake for a midnight movie that can't be seen anywhere else--for now.
Day Four
Forgoing caffeine for a Doris Day wake-up call.
Making the brilliant last minute decision to see French Revolutionary noir Reign of Terror (1949), AKA The Black Book
Waiting in a long line to watch Illeana Douglas and Madeline Stowe introduce The Philadelphia Story (1940) and wondering if I can make it through two more films
Waiting in an even longer line to see Sophia Loren charm an audience of over 900 people before watching the restoration of Divorce Italian Style (1961)
Drinking Bogart gin and saying goodbye to friends at the closing night party in Club TCM.
And above all else, spending time with friends new and old!
I'll have lots more details and photos to share in the days to come. Stay tuned!
All photos but the last group shot, the screenshots and posters are the property of A Classic Movie Blog.
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