Watching Classic Movies Podcast: TCM Classic Movie Festival Memories with Karen Burroughs Hannsberry and Aurora Bugallo

One of the best decisions I ever made was to attend the TCM Classic Film Festival, and there are thousands of movie fans who feel the same way. I've attended for several years. This one-of-a-kind event is as much about the community it draws as it is its films, panels, guests, and welcoming TCM hosts. I have spent many hours at the festival with my guests Aurora Bugallo, who writes the Once Upon A Screen blog and who is active on social media as Citizen Screen and Karen Burroughs Hannsberry who writes the Shadows and Satin blog, is editor of the bi-monthly film noir publication the Dark Pages Newsletter and is author of Femme Noir: Bad Girls of Film and Bad Boys: The Actors of Film Noir. We had a lot of laughs and even got a bit emotional reminiscing about the many ways our days together in Hollywood were memorable, heartwarming, and even life changing. 

Available on Apple, Spotify, Amazon Music, and PocketCasts!

More about Aurora: 

Tumblr 

Instagram 

Once Upon a Screen 

More about Karen: 

Shadows and Satin 

All That Noir 

Maureen O’Hara, interviewed by Robert Osborne at TCMFF 2014:

TCM Classic Film Festival 2022 Back to the Big Screen, Woo Hoo!

 

I had to fly in late for TCM Classic Film Festival 2022, but getting there on Friday ended up being a great thing. From being on a plane for the first time since 2019 and around more people than I had been for the past two years to re-connecting with several friends and seeing so many films and guests, three days was exactly what I could take. 

It was good to be back. I’ve never been more grateful to be able to cover this festival. While it wasn’t lacking in any way, TCMFF felt appropriately more subdued this time around. There was a feeling of TCM getting its feet wet again as it moved back into the complicated task of producing a film festival. All the essentials were in place though.

I saw ten films, the lowest number I’d seen for a TCMFF, and I liked the easier pace. It was good to sleep in a couple of mornings and take time for meals and relaxing at Club TCM, the gathering space in the Blossom Room of the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel. 

It’s been interesting, and a bit bittersweet, to see the roster of guests change over the years. When I first started going to the festival, I would see stars like Maureen O’Hara and Christopher Plummer. But time moves on and now there are many newer films on the program because they feature the stars that are still with us.

For that reason, the only pre-1970s films I saw were Queen Bee (1955), Cocktail Hour (1933), and After the Thin Man (1936). I loved the first because I forgot how campy it is and the film was new to a lot of the audience so it was fun to hear the astonished reactions. I found the pre-Code Cocktail Hour a little dull, though star Bebe Daniels is always wonderful to see; it was my one mild disappointment of the festival. I’d never seen a Thin Man flick in a theater before and now I’d love to see all of them. All films play differently in a movie theater compared to home viewing, but this one was especially rich because there’s always so much going on in this series and you can easily miss little details. 

As for the rest of my schedule, I focused on Midnight screenings and guests I wanted to see. Otherwise I could have easily filled my time with studio-age films; that kind of film still made up the bulk of what was on offer.

I always make a point of seeing the Midnights. There’s a fun party atmosphere in the theater and these kinds of flicks are always my go-to in daily life. Miracle Mile (1988) is an odd movie: it’s so bleak and yet it has the sweetest emerging romance at its core. I’ll admit it was a rough watch after having been awake for almost 24 hours, but given the anxiety in our current world, it was a perfect choice.

Polyester (1981) was a more light-hearted and raunchy affair. Mink Stole and Mario Cantone struck the perfect tone before the screening. I love how Stole has been in all these wild films for John Waters and yet her vibe is solidly fun aunt. 

The crowd was a lot rowdier than in past Midnights. People shouted out and talked often; it felt a bit like everyone was letting off steam after being away for so long. I was sleepy, but this is one of my favorite Waters films because he’s so good at puncturing the domestic American Dream and the cast is hilarious, especially Divine and Tab Hunter.

Cooley High (1975) 

My festival highlight came early with the cast and director reunion of this funny and heartbreaking independent classic. I started tearing up almost as soon as the panel began because I was so overcome by the charisma and chemistry up on the stage. 

It was wonderful to finally see the Hollywood Legion Theater. I’d missed seeing anything there when it was first a part of the festival in 2019. It’s a gorgeous old theater with beautiful classic details and seeing a film there felt almost intimate despite it being spacious and open in the auditorium. I was sad to not have time to see the basement speakeasy. Next time!

This incredible reunion included director Michael Schultz and cast members Cynthia Davis, Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs, Garrett Morris, Glynn Turman, and Steven Williams. Jacqueline Stewart did an excellent job giving everyone a chance to speak, while letting them run a little wild at the same time. Williams in particular was a character! Such a funny man, trash talking and cutting up like a born performer. 

Overall there was such a warm feeling to this gathering. All of the cast members have remained friends and their mutual respect was truly touching to see. 

I hadn’t seen the movie for a while and had forgotten how fun and funny it is. It has some gut-wrenching moments, but for the most part it’s about kids growing up, having fun together, dancing, and enjoying their youth despite the challenges around them.

The Last of Sheila (1973) 

While I’d recently reviewed the Blu-ray of this twisty, amusing film, I couldn’t miss the chance to see Dave Karger interview Richard Benjamin. I’ve admired him for a long time and having recently heard a great episode of Gilbert Gottfried’s (RIP) podcast in which he and longtime wife Paula Prentiss were guests, I knew he would be sharp and entertaining. 

It was amusing to see this gentle, kind man after he’d played a dramatically different role in the movie. Dyan Cannon’s role in the film was based on the agent Sue Mengers, who was also Benjamin’s agent. Apparently she accepted the role for him before he had a chance to read the script (she also did that for Westworld, so the woman had good instincts). Fortunately he wanted the part! 

It was touching to hear Benjamin talk about his five-decade marriage with Prentiss. What a rarity in any case let alone Hollywood. How lucky that they found each other.

Somewhere in Time (1980) 

I’ve got a soft spot for this swoony romance and seeing Alicia Malone interview Jane Seymour was on the top of my list for the festival that was cancelled, so I was glad she was able to reschedule her appearance for this year. She was every bit as elegant and charming as I expected. 

Seymour had a wonderful time during the production of the film. She and costar Christopher Reeve even fell in love, though he broke her heart when a girlfriend announced her pregnancy with him and he had to break up with Seymour. The two remained friends throughout the years though and he was never far from her thoughts. I was moved that real life had mirrored the film in some ways. 

I thought that I was going to be an emotional wreck watching this movie on the big screen, but I left completely dry-eyed. Not sure why, but I am guessing it just hits different when viewed with a crowd. Still, I loved seeing it in a theater and it was as great a moment as I’d hoped.

Heaven Can Wait (1978) 

I hadn’t seen this remake of Here Comes Mr. Jordan (1941) for years and couldn’t remember if I liked it (the soundtrack was distractingly dated, but it was charming overall), but I wanted to make sure I saw at least one film in the grand and gorgeous Chinese Theater and I thought it would be great to see Warren Beatty. 

One of the things I love about Beatty is that at a certain point he put aside his career to enjoy his personal life. With a thriving marriage and grown sons, he expressed his happiness at taking the time to be with them. Despite not making many films for an actor, director, and producer of his stature, he certainly hasn’t missed out as far as making great work and finding artistic satisfaction. 

I’ve always had an image of the young Beatty in mind; the mischievous guy who constantly chased women. It was interesting to see the mature man, full of wit, wisdom, and a knack for living life. 

Drunken Master II (1994) 

The second-to-last film on Saturday night is generally when I start to lose my mojo at TCMFF (it's always the day I see the most films), so it was fantastic to see a flick so full of energy. 

I used to watch Kung-Fu movies in theaters all the time in the 90s when Jackie Chan became a US sensation with Rumble in the Bronx (1995) and Super Cop (1992). It was great to see Hong Kong action on the big screen again and I hope TCM will program more genre classics like these at future festivals.

I took it easy on Sunday, but made sure to go to Alicia Malone’s book signing since I hadn’t been in town to say hello to her at the media mixer. It was great to chat. She’s been one of my favorite podcast interviewees so far. Such a wise and kind person! 

We posed in this goofy way in memory of how much the Zoom froze when we did the interview. Of course she looked fabulous every time she froze! 

Afterwards I caught a bit of the panel Reframed: Exploring the Complex Topic of Art vs. Artist in Club TCM. The discussion with Jacqueline Stewart, Ben Mankiewicz, Nancy Wang Yuen, and Roxane Gay was fascinating, but predictably the chat offered more questions than answers. Still, this was a productive conversation and I especially appreciated Gay’s balanced perspective. She is a great thinker.

Coffy (1973) 

WOW. What a fantastic way to end the festival. Just when I’m ready for a long winter’s nap, Pam Grier comes in literally dancing (to James Brown no less) and blows everyone away with an everything-but-the-kitchen sink interview. Jacqueline Stewart wisely let Grier go for it as she was all over the place, but was also often profound and had some fascinating life stories to share. 

After Coffy I had another chance to spend time with friends and soak up that last bit of festival atmosphere at the closing night party. I’ve always found this event to be crowded and stressful, but moving it to poolside completely changed the experience me. I lingered much longer, was able to see people I wanted to catch up more easily. It was all more purely enjoyable. 

I’m glad I went back to TCMFF in these strange times. I came home healthy, happy, and ready for next year!

Going to TCM Classic Film Festival! What I Plan to See and How to Follow Me

 

I'm excited to return to the TCM Classic Film Festival after two years away! I'm flying in a bit later this time, Friday morning, but I will have the opportunity to see plenty. 

My priorities: 

Friday-- 

Queen Bee 

Cooley High 

Miracle Mile 

Saturday-- 

The Last of Sheila 

Somewhere in Time 

Heaven Can Wait 

Drunken Master II 

Polyester 

Sunday-- 

After the Thin Man 

Coffy 

TBA? 

I'm going to keep the rest of my schedule fluid. Lots of free time for mask breaks outside, getting meals, etc. 

Here's where to follow me during the festival: 

Instagram 

Twitter

Watching Classic Movies Podcast Special Episode: How I Navigate TCM Classic Film Festival

Every year before the TCM Classic Film Festival, I see festival newbies planning and speculating about their first visit and I think I'd like to give them the benefit of my experience, but in a more thorough way than can be achieved with a Tweet. So I recorded this short episode with a few words of experience that I hope will be helpful. I also compiled several of my photos from the 2014-19 festivals to make it more of a video essay for my YouTube channel:

   

Transcript: 

I attended the TCM Classic Film Festival for the first time in 2014 and almost immediately I knew I would return. And I have for every festival since. My first year had some bumps. It took a bit of time and a lot of trial and error to learn how to enjoy this event to the fullest. 

With so many options, I found it was easy to burn out. But I did learn. 

This is how I navigate the TCM Classic Film Festival. 

Since it’s a festival made specifically for classic film fans, there’s always going to be a lot you want to see. The first time you look at the schedule can be overwhelming. So many options! Some people will watch a movie in every time block. I quickly learned that was too much for me. 

Sometimes you also don’t have a choice about seeing a film. It hasn’t happened to me much, but a theater can fill up before you get in. Be prepared to adjust. 

My best strategy has been to pick my must-see films and guests and make sure I line up an hour ahead of time for them. Generally, that is enough time. Once I have made my choices, I try to keep it easy with the rest of the schedule. Having a sense of spontaneity at this festival can lead to wonderful surprises. 

Anyone in this fandom knows how bittersweet it can be when it comes to the performers we love. So many of the guests I saw in my early years at the festival have now left us. Taking the time to queue up for them has always been worth it. 

In fact, one of the best aspects of the festival is meeting fellow film fanatics in line. As introverted as I am, I’ve had some amazing conversations over the years. This isn’t the grocery store, these are your people, and they all want to talk movies. 

My priorities: must-see guests, seeing at least one film in the magnificent Chinese Theater, and catching the wild party that is the Midnight screenings. This framework ensures I get what I want most out of my festival experience. 

I’ve always had a lot of snacks with me at the festival, and that’s kept my energy up and my stomach from grumbling in packed screenings, but I’ve learned I need to take time for at least one meal away from the theater each day, both for a break and to have something more substantial than protein bars. The Hollywood and Highland mall has many quick and delicious options. I’m obsessed with the rice bowls at Jinya Ramen Express. 

There are a lot of other ways to take a break from screens during the festival too. You can queue up to get a view of the stars from the stands on the red carpet opening night, or line up to watch the honoree of the year put their hand and footprints in cement for the forecourt of the Chinese Theater. I’ve had incredible moments at both events. 

I love to spend time at Club TCM in the Roosevelt Hotel because it’s such a calm environment compared to the chaos of Hollywood Boulevard and the multiplex. If only there were a club like this I could go to year round! In addition to the great programming, there’s always lots of art, costumes and film artifacts to admire. 

On the other hand, it pays to branch out into the neighborhood. Look for your favorites on the walk of fame, buy way too many books and stills at Larry Edmunds Bookshop, check out the bizarre contraptions and beautiful costumes at the Hollywood Museum. 

I like to give my schedule some breathing room so I can wander. One year I decided to get a flattened penny from every machine on Hollywood Boulevard, there were a lot. At the end of my journey, I even taught a trio of Japanese tourists how to use one of the machines. 

One of the things that fascinates me about this festival is that there are so many ways to approach it. When my friends and I compare schedules it always blows my mind how different our experiences have been. 

The best years, I’ve gone in with a plan and enjoyed the various diversions instead of resisting them. There’s so much going on that there is always something to compensate for the disappointments. It’s always an amazing time. 

I’ve made some of my best memories here and that’s why I keep coming back.

TCM Classic Film Festival Home Edition: What to Watch

 

This year the remote edition of the TCM Classic Film Festival will run from May 6-9. As with the in-person event, there will be multiple venues: the channel, HBO Max, and ZOOM. 

While I enjoyed the Home Edition of the festival the network was able to pull together on short notice in 2020, I’m excited about what TCM has created with a lot more lead time. Overall this is a great opportunity for many people who have not been able to attend the annual event in Hollywood to experience a bit of what the fest has to offer. 

Of course, that also means experiencing the familiar festival conundrum of what to see when there are so many great choices. 

It pays to plan ahead and determine must-see events ahead of time when there are so many options. This year that means balancing between three possibilities: the live broadcast on TCM, a list of options on HBO Max that will be available from May 6-9, and attendance at free ZOOM events (some of which are now full) which require registration. 

I wanted to share my game plan as a sort of guide to navigating all these options:

Club TCM 

When TCMFF is in Hollywood, the Blossom Room at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel serves as Club TCM. This is a popular place to gather for a rest, a drink, and a chat, in addition to being a venue for special guests and presentations. While there isn’t a bar at the ZOOM Club TCM, there are events scheduled each day. Among them are the traditional Meet TCM panel which offers extra insight into the network, an opening night toast with the hosts, and a Mother’s Day chat with a trio of children of the stars. 

My must-see is Sight and Sound Makers: A Chat With Ben Burtt & Craig Barron. These two Oscar-winning sound and visual effects artists are well-loved among festival regulars for their amazing talks about the process of making sound for the movies. 

If you think you might want to check out a talk, be sure to sign up as soon as possible as events are already filling up. Also keep in mind that a chat link isn’t a reserved ticket, the event can still fill up, so be sure to log in a little early. 

On TCM

Thursday 

Opening night film West Side Story, 8pm ET (also available on HBO Max with additional special features) 

One special element of TCMFF at home is that the audience for the opening night film isn’t limited to Spotlight passes and VIPs. This is going to be a special one too, with the still vibrant, still active trio of Rita Moreno, Russ Tamblyn, and George Chakaris appearing together as special guests before a showing of the musical that they will forever be associated with. 

Doctor X, 1:30am ET 

I’ve had a look at the restoration of this classic 2-strip Technicolor horror flick directed by Michael Curtiz and it is stunning. The improved look and sound of the film boosts the mystery and ghoulishness of the proceedings. There’s nothing like a gorgeous 2-strip-colored moon. 

Friday 

The Whistle at Eaton Falls, 10:00am ET 

Each year of the festival, I go into at least one film with as little knowledge beforehand as possible. I know that Flicker Alley did the restoration of this drama and that is enough reason for me to give it a try. 

Live from the TCM Classic Film Festival: Sophia Loren, 4:00PM ET 

I've already seen this chat with Loren and her son Eduardo, but it is so charming that I watch it any chance I get.

SF Sketchfest Presents Plan 9 From Outer Space Table Read – Adapted by Dana Gould, 8:00pm ET 

It’s impressive how quickly the art of ZOOM dramatics has advanced in the past year. We’ve gone from straight table-read style events to this stylishly-produced spoof of Ed Wood’s goofball sci-fi classic. From the black and white “cinematography” to amusing backgrounds and miniatures, this is a great-looking production. The cast of players, led by Gould, perfectly balances camp with straight-faced fidelity to the script. Laraine Newman is a highlight as the bemused narrator. 

Plan 9 from Outer Space (1957), 9:30pm ET 

You’ll definitely want to watch the real deal after the table read just to see that yes, those were the real lines from the movie and they were performed with dead seriousness. 

TCM Underground Presents: Grease 2 (1982), 11:00pm ET 

As I first saw this movie when I was twelve, no one will ever convince me it isn’t genius. This follow-up to the original box office sensation is a lot of fun and a perfect Midnight flick. From young and gorgeous Michelle Pfeiffer and Maxwell Caulfield, to the classic film connection via Judy Garland’s daughter Lorna Luft, the cast itself is enough of a draw, but the songs are also incredibly catchy. 

let me come in (2021), 3:15am ET 

If you can stay up, this Bill Morrison (Dawson City: Frozen Time [2016]) short is a wonderfully mesmerizing experience. Made from decaying footage from a German silent, it is the mysterious story of a man and a woman, lost in waves of disintegrating nitrate. 

Underworld U.S.A. (1961), 4:00am ET 

Another film I’m going into with little previous knowledge. Bill Hader’s introduction to this is a must-see; he always provides valuable insight into movies because he’s well-attuned to the tone of a film and the details that contribute to its overall mood. 

Saturday 

Tex Avery: The King of Cartoons (1988), 6:00am ET/ Tex Avery at MGM (1943-1955), 7:00am ET 

There’s no better time to learn about the life and career of a subversive and mischievous cartoon great than a Saturday morning! This brief documentary will be followed by some of the best of Avery’s work (though I have never warmed up to that devious little Screwball Squirrel…). 

I Love Trouble (1948), 8:00am ET 

I saw and loved this lighter take on the detective movie at a Noirfest many years ago. It was the first time I enjoyed Franchot Tone, who seems to be having the time of his life as a snarky investigator.

Nichols and May: Take Two (1996), 11:45am ET 

The best part of this episode of American Masters about the comedy team of Elaine May and Mike Nichols is that it includes full-length performances of some of the pair’s best routines. The intelligent and lightly erotic charge of these two has never been matched. 

Bullitt (1968), 5:45pm ET 

One of the biggest disappointments of TCMFF 2019 was that Jacqueline Bissett was unable to make her planned appearance before a screening of this slick crime flick at the Chinese Theatre. It was still a transformative experience, but I am glad she’s getting another chance to chat about one of her most memorable films. 

They Won’t Believe Me (1947), 8:00pm ET 

This film noir starring Robert Taylor is another new film for me and a draw because it is newly restored in 4k from a nitrate print of the film. 

Lady Sings the Blues (1972), 10:00pm ET 

Diana Ross was the first actress to win an Oscar nomination playing Billie Holiday. I’ve never seen this and I’m looking forward to seeing how Ross approached the part. 

Sunday 

Her Man (1930), 8:45am ET 

It’s just not TCMFF without a Pre-code. Watching Helen Twelvetrees starring as a bar girl in Havana sounds like a great way to start the day. 

Princess Tam Tam (1935), 12:45pm ET 

This restoration of Josephine Baker’s best film performance is a festival must-see. While film was a small part of this multi-talented artist’s career, she had a unique, vivacious effect on the screen. Worth a watch for her uninhibited and artful climactic dance performance alone. 

Hollywood Home Movies: Stars at Work and Play, 7:00pm ET 

This has been a popular annual feature at Club TCM, but I have never had the chance to attend. Now that I know what this presentation has to offer, I recommend it highly. There’s all sorts of goodies here, but the highlight is the films presented by the special guests: Tony Nicholas describes videos of his famous father and uncle, the Nicholas Brothers and Shirley Jones talks about footage of her on the set of her first film, Oklahoma (1955). They’re both incredibly charming and insightful. Also, you can’t miss the sight of Frank Morgan playing tennis in a hairnet. 

So This is Paris (1926), 8:00pm ET 

All I remember about this silent is that when I saw it for the first time at TCMFF a few years ago I laughed so loud that I snorted. Enough reason to check it out again, especially now that this early Ernst Lubitsch film has been restored. 

Fame (1980), 11:45pm ET 

Debbie Allen has been my pandemic angel, because the free dance classes she started giving on Instagram Live last Spring helped me to deal with a lot of the stress and confusion of the first days of being homebound. I can’t wait to see her again in her most famous film even though I can't keep up with her dance routines. 

News From Home (1977) 4:15am ET/ La Chambre (1972) 6:13am ET 

If I can stay awake, I plan to finish the fest with this dreamy, drifting pair of films directed by Chantal Akerman. News From Home is a remarkable time capsule of a New York long gone. I especially love the scenes Akerman captures on the subway, where the wary passengers seem unsure of the lady with the camera, but unwilling to confront her. La Chambre is a perfect after-hours short as it consists of the camera’s slow journey around a peaceful bedroom. 

HBO Max 

I suspect that if I miss something I want to see at TCMFF this year, it will be on the HBO Max channel. There is so much amazing content scheduled, though the benefit of being able to see it at any time from May 6-9 helps. 

Though I would like to see all of the conversations with the filmmakers and performers that will be posted there, I’m going to make sure I see the talk with documentary director Barbara Kopple, because she has such a perceptive and affectionate way of talking about her work and her subjects. 

I’m also going to make time to watch Chain Lightning (1950) an action adventure drama starring Humphrey Bogart and Eleanor Parker. I recommend the Ben Burtt and Craig Barron special feature about the sounds in the film. As usual, they’re hilarious together and there’s a lot of interesting history here, including the frequent use of a single jet sound in several projects. 

There are three stunning features in the Special Collections category that are worth making a priority: 

One is the LA Rebellion collection, featuring the work of a trio of filmmakers who were students together at UCLA in the nineties. Jacqueline Stewart conducts a fascinating interview with directors Charles Burnett and Billy Woodbury about their work. The films in the collection: Julie Dash’s Daughters of the Dust (1991), Woodbury’s Bless Their Little Hearts (1983), and Burnett’s To Sleep with Anger (1990) are diverse in subject matter, but similar in their attention to detail, strong characters, and realistic world-building. This is a truly magnificent collection. 

Another can’t-miss: the premiere of the documentary The Mystery of Méliès (2021) which explores the life and work of the pioneering filmmaker in a lively, inventive way. 

There’s also a collection of Powell and Pressburger films: Black Narcissus (1947), The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp (1943) and The Red Shoes (1948), which is accompanied by a deeply touching short featuring Thelma Schoonmaker, who was married to Powell for the last ten years of his life. 

There’s so many other films in this collection that there’s sure to be something to please all tastes and the special features for each of them are a great way to emulate the festival experience. 

As with the TCMFF on Hollywood Boulevard, you’re not going to be able to see everything, but what you do see will be memorable.

All photos courtesy of TCM.

TCM Classic Film Festival Home Edition: Memories and Plans

Nothing can match the feeling of community and excitement about classic films you find at the TCM Classic Film Festival. When I first attended in 2014, I decided almost right away that I had to return the next year. The glow you get from this event stays with you throughout the rest of the year.

While I am disappointed that I will not be spending my seventh festival in Hollywood, I'm impressed by the Special Home Edition that TCM has put together. The schedule, which you can find here, is a beautifully-crafted collection of films and interviews which serve as a sort of greatest hits of the past ten years of the festival.

For those who have not attended, it offers a taste of what the event has to offer. For past attendees, it is a bittersweet brew of nostalgia, full of happy events, though many of the guests featured here are no longer with us.

At a media roundtable this morning, TCM General Manager Pola Changnon said that they will be closely monitoring the response to the home edition to gauge whether it may possibly continue alongside the Hollywood event, which is an exciting possibility for those who cannot make it to California for the festival.

I'm planning to have TCM on throughout the four days of the event, but there are a few things that I am going to make a point of watching with extra attention.

On first glance at the schedule, I decided I had to revisit these moments:

Friday, 4/17, Grey Gardens (1975): One of first films I saw at the festival. I had the magical opportunity to see Albert Maysles who was was physically frail, but still had a razor sharp mind and memory.

Saturday, 4/18, Mad Love (1935): Witnessing Bill Hader's Peter Lorre impression made this screening one of the best of 2019. I also adore this absolutely bonkers horror flick.

Saturday, 4/18, Vitaphone Shorts: As Ron Hutchinson of the Vitaphone Project has now passed, I am especially glad I got to see him present this entertaining program of shorts at the 2016 festival. His passion for these groundbreaking sound films thrilled the audience.

Sunday, 4/19, Red-Headed Woman (1933): I will watch any pre-code, but watching this film at the Egyptian was one of my favorite festival experiences just to hear the reaction of the crowd to Jean Harlow's audacity as a home-wrecking secretary.

New to me picks:

I'm pleased that several of the selections were things that I didn't have the chance to see at previous festivals. These are films and interviews I am especially excited to see for the first time:

Thursday--
I still haven't seen the version of Metropolis (1927) with the restored footage found in Argentina, so this is a must-see.

I have seen a recording of Luise Rainer: Live from the TCM Classic Film Festival (2011), but it's such a remarkable interview: her hearing aid wasn't working, but Robert Osborne and Ms. Rainer made it all work. 

I'm seriously considering watching Neptune’s Daughter (1949) in the bath since this was a poolside screening at TCMFF 2010.

Friday--
As festival guest Max von Sydow has recently passed, I want to pay tribute by watching The Seventh Seal (1957), which I haven't seen for a long time.

I was disappointed to miss the screening of Sounder (1972) at TCMFF 2018, so that is another must-see.

The one-two punch of Eva Marie Saint:  Live from the TCM Classic Film Festival (2014) and North by Northwest (1959) should be great. I saw Ms. Saint at another festival and she is a witty and charming interview subject.

After hearing raves about Harold and Lillian: A Hollywood Love Story (2015) for years, I'm looking forward to finally watching this documentary.

I also can't wait to see the pre-code Night Flight (1933), followed by Kim Novak: Live from the TCM Classic Film Festival (2013). I saw Ms. Novak before a screening at the 2014 festival and appreciated her refreshing honesty about Hollywood and the life of a film star.

Saturday--
The pre-code Double Harness (1933) is notorious among TCMFF regulars for having two screenings with overflow crowds. Lots of humor in making this programming choice.

I nearly passed out when I realized Norman Lloyd was behind me at a screening of Panique in 2017. I've never been able to make one of his interviews before though, so I am looking forward to Norman Lloyd: Live from the TCM Classic Film Festival (2016).

Sunday--
On the last day of the festival I will be most attentive during Peter O’Toole, Live from the TCM Classic Film Festival (2012) and Floyd Norman: An Animated Life (2016), but as with the rest of the line-up, I will have a hard time tearing myself away from this amazing selection of films and interviews.

Check out the TCMFF Home Edition page for more information about the schedule and links to many opportunities to watch content by the TCM hosts and connect on social media with other fans. It is going to be a great four days!

TCM Classic Film Festival 2019: The Guests

There was such a reflective vibe at TCMFF 2019. I'm sure this was due in part to the celebration of the 10th anniversary of the festival and the 25th year of TCM, but I think it was mostly because we are living in chaotic times and are in constant need of getting our bearings. I found this mood in many of the conversations the festival guests had before screenings. There was a strong feeling of the past informing the changes we are seeing in some arenas today, in addition to a frustrating lack of change in other areas.

Susan King and Sara Karloff

After missing several opportunities to see Sara Karloff, the daughter of Boris Karloff, I was happy to finally be able to catch her interview with Susan King before a screening of Night World (1932), a pre-code starring Papa Karloff. Ms. Karloff was born on her father’s 51st birthday. She called herself an “expensive birthday present.” It’s clear she adored her dad, who despite a busy career seemed to make plenty of time to bond with his daughter.

Floyd Norman, Jane Baer and Mindy Johnson

Despite an uncooperative microphone, the author of Ink & Paint: The Women of Walt Disney’s Animation Mindy Johnson conducted a lively interview with animators Floyd Norman and Jane Baerbefore the Friday screening of Sleeping Beauty (1959) at the Egyptian Theater. Norman and Baer were an engaging pair, with Norman particularly seeming to enjoy cracking jokes and kidding his former co-worker.

It was a thrill to be in the presence of these animation legends and their stories were especially effective because of an accompanying visual presentation with photos of their days in the studio and the work they did. Baer mentioned that she had animated the flames on the candles of Aurora’s birthday cake, which amusingly led to the first time I’ve ever heard an audience applaud candles in a film.

Norman and Baer were right out of school when they started working at Disney. It’s remarkable what they were able to accomplish as art college graduates in a world where animation school was not yet an option. As a woman and a black man, they were also in the remarkable position of being accepted solely for their prodigious talents, because to Disney, that’s all that mattered.

Joie Lee, Ruth E. Carter, Robi Reed and Ben Mankiewicz 

It was overwhelming to absorb the beauty and power of Do the Right Thing (1989) at the Chinese Theater. The brand new restoration print that was shown arrived from Universal Studios just 24 hours before the screening. This movie has always ripped me to shreds, but to see it presented so beautifully is to appreciate its artistry in a completely new way.

As much as I wanted to see this unique film in my favorite theater, the biggest draw for me was having the chance to hear now Oscar-winning costume designer Ruth E. Carter speak. In her long career, she has created some of my favorite modern cinematic costumes. The other guests, casting director Robi Reed and actress and Spike Lee sibling Joie Lee, were equally intriguing in their conversation with Ben Mankiewicz. Though Ben did a great job leading the discussion, I felt that it would have been best to have a black journalist or film historian asking the questions before this particular screening. It was a fascinating talk, but I craved that perspective from the moderator.

Reed acknowledged how relevant the film’s message remains today, and how it also reflect its times. She said, “Spike was pretty much putting on the screen what was happening in real life…we were heated, it was a very intense time.” This was the horrific era of the murder of Yusuf Hawkins and the racist violence at Howard Beach, both of which were mentioned in the conversation.

Carter talked about how Lee wanted “heightened realism” in the costumes and “color saturation.” This approach not only increased the intensity of the film, but removes it enough from reality that the costumes, while of their time, are also timeless. Carter also talked about the nerve-wracking experience of being next to the stage on the night she won her Oscar, which made her think “why are we so close? That means something.” When she finally had her moment on the stage, winning after 32 years as a costume designer, she said “it just came to me that this was my time.”

I loved hearing about how Reed cast Rosie Perez, who had not acted before the film. She found her dancing in a nightclub and said, “she was raw and she was real….She was fearless.”

Joie Lee spoke affectionately about her brother Spike, making it clear that he’s a handful, but that she’s grateful for the opportunities he has given her. She said, “He’s very comfortable. There’s not too much about Spike that’s uncomfortable.”

The women also had what I found to be the most measured conversation I’ve heard so far about Green Book and its best picture Oscar win. Reed said that she still “gets worked up about Green Book,” partly because it made her recognize “the importance of us telling our own stories.” It was at this point that I realized how uncomfortable I was with Mankiewicz leading the conversation, good as he was. Carter thought Black Kkklansman and Black Panther audiences split the vote for Best Picture, opening it up for a Green Book win. I could see the logic behind that.

Shaken, but wide awake, I went right from Do the Right Thing to the first Midnight screening of the festival, the Mexican luchador flick Santo vs. the Evil Brain (1961). Archivists Viviana Garcia Besne and Peter Conheim spoke before the film. They provided great context for the movie we were about to see, emphasizing that if you go into it prepared to boo, hiss and cheer like it’s a silent film serial, it’s going to be a much better experience.

As always, the San Francisco Film Geeks: that is, husband and wife super-team Beth Accomando and Miguel Rodriguez, continued their tradition of bringing themed treats to the Midnight screening. They wore luchador masks and capes (no spandex), handed out cookies and chocolates with luchador designs, and gave everyone their own paper luchador mask as well. I love how these two make my favorite screenings of the festival even more fun.

The next morning I slept in, but made sure I got in line early enough to get a good number for Academy Conversations with Ben Burtt and Craig Barron, featuring Tarzan and His Mate (1934). Burtt and Barron are always popular with TCMFF audiences, because they put so much joyful effort into uncovering the technical mysteries of classic films. They’re like a pair of cinematic detectives.

That morning, I remembered a fun moment I had with Burtt and Barron at TCMFF 2016. It had been so long since I’d thought of it! I was sitting in Club TCM one day, and they asked if they could sit in the empty seats next to me. I noticed they had programs from the Scent of Mystery Cinerama presentation and mentioned how disappointed I’d been to miss it. So these two lovely gentlemen told me all about it, props included, and made me feel like I’d been there after all. You could call it a mini Academy presentation.

Discussing smell-based cinema with Barron and Burrt at TCMFF 2016

After I got my line number, I went to talk to a couple of my friends who were sitting on a couch in the Chinese multiplex lobby. The gentleman next to them offered to make room for me to sit down. It took me a moment to realize it was Mr. Burtt, waiting to go in to do the presentation. As I had just dug it up to repost on Twitter, I showed him the picture of our meeting long ago and was amused that he tried to figure out the date based on what baseball cap Barron was wearing.

I also enjoyed his interaction with a teenage boy who was sitting nearby, clearly stunned to be in the presence of a man he admired. I couldn’t hear what Burtt said to him, but the kid said, “I’m just soaking it all in.” I thought he was very kind and gracious with this young man, understanding the idolatry, but remaining humble.

The presentation was as entertaining as always. I’m consistenly amazed by how much these men prepare for their intros; the presentations could stand alone as an event. They went deep into the sounds and effects in jungle films and shared shots which showed how a set in Culver City could look like deepest Africa, with the help of rear projection and back drops. The highlight was Burtt’s extensive research into the composition of the Tarzan yell, which he finally determined was a mix of a human voice and a clarinet.

Ronee Blakley, Jeff Goldblum, Joan Tewksbury, Keith Carradine and Dave Karger

I waited a long time to get into the screening of Nashville (1975). With a panel comprised of stars Ronee Blakley, Keith Carradine, Jeff Goldblum and writer Joan Tewkesbury, to be interviewed by TCM host Dave Karger, I knew that it was going to be a festival highlight. Lily Tomlin had also been announced to appear, but cancelled at the last minute. Honestly, there was enough star power in that group. Tomlin would have been almost too much.

Goldblum is the most active listener

Goldblum was clearly the big draw for this crowd. The intensity of the response to his appearance was unlike anything I’d experienced at TCMFF. I’d never seen personnel crowded along the aisles like that before, all of them frozen, watching Goldblum. With his fur-trimmed shirt and eccentric speech patterns, it’s clear he definitely understands his oddball image and plays up to it. Seeing him reminded me of a screening I once attended where Nicholas Cage was a guest, like him, Goldblum is almost a bit too much to absorb in person, a personality so big that he truly belongs in the movies.

Blakely, Carradine and Tewkesbury had a different vibe, more down-to-earth. Tewksebury gave a good perspective on the way Nashville was constructed, saying she ended up writing as many as 24 characters for this practically plotless, but richly-detailed film.

Carradine briefly became a pop star for performing his own composition I’m Easy for the film. Though he was deprived of gold record status because there were two versions of the song in release when it came out, he said “I think I have two bronzes,” Karger noted he also won an Oscar for best original song. Carradine said that stunned him when Diana Ross’ Mahogany was also a nominee. 

He also talked about how he hated his womanizing character and when he asked Altman for more direction, he simply told him he was doing fine. This was good non-direction, because he realized in the end he was “an actor who doesn’t like the guy he’s playing, but what the audience is getting is a guy who doesn’t like himself.”

It was also interesting to see how much Blakley had to do with the feel of the film because of the seven songs she contributed, in addition to her gut-wrenching performance as the troubled singer Barbara Jean. I was also fascinated to realize how much Altman is responsible for Goldblum’s Hollywood career, because he lured him from the New York stage to come to Los Angeles and appear in his films.

Anne Morra and Stephanie Rothman

The second Midnight screening was my favorite late night film of TCMFF 2019. The Student Nurses (1970) is a fascinating example of what happens when a woman directs an exploitation film. Instead of feeling like exploitation, it’s kind of sexy and it has heart.

Nurses Director Stephanie Rothman spoke with curator Anne Morra before the film. While it was interesting to hear Rothman speak about her career, I was a bit frustrated that Morra focused so much on why her career was not bigger. I think the fact that producers wanted a "Stephanie Rothman film," but wanted to hire a less-experienced man to direct says it all. I wish they’d acknowledged the patriarchy is the pits and move on to discussing her work. I know Rothman directed at least six films of interest and I wanted to know more about them.

My amusingly-labeled Rothman meds

It was a shame that San Francisco Film Geeks Beth and Miguel were held up at a screening that ran late and missed the beginning of the film, because they brought these great pill bottles filled with red hots to share with the audience. They did manage to hand them out after the film at least. I love these two and their creativity!

My favorite screening of the festival was the increasingly wild ride that is the horror film Mad Love (1935). While it was a blast simply to see this bizarre Peter Lorre flick at the Egyptian Theater, the experience was greatly enhanced by comedian and actor Bill Hader’s introduction. His first words: “you guys are like the hardcore nerds,” which you are if you show up at 9am on a Sunday morning for a film.

Hader then proceeded to flash his own film nerd credentials. He first saw Mad Love late night at night on TCM and found it so unusual that he researched it for the rest of the night. I saw lots of heads nodding in the audience at that comment. He added, “It’s like the most Peter Lorre Peter Lorre performance” and then proceeded to joke about the odd trailer for the film, which consists of Peter Lorre sitting in a chair, having a phone conversation about the film. All of this was hilarious coming from a comedian like Hader, who does a crazy good Lorre impression. Film geek comics are the best at doing TCMFF intros.

Hader also noted that Cora Sue Collins, a child actress who retired at age eighteen and had the distinction of playing a Garbo character as a child, had a brief scene in the film and was in the audience that morning. He had her stand to enthusiastic applause. She was a rock star to this crowd.

If you are delicate when it comes to language, you might want to skip this clip from Hader's recent appearance on the Conan O'Brien Show, but I got a good laugh out of the uncomfortable experience he talks about having in the bathroom line at the Egyptian after the screening. His giggle makes me melt.

Barbara Rush was a pure delight before the screening of Douglas Sirk’s Magnificent Obsession (1954). She had a lot to say and interviewer Alicia Malone wisely gave her space to reminisce. Of Sirk she said, “He was so kind and so interesting….I thought he was fatherly.” While she had a good working relationship with the more experienced Jane Wyman, at first Rush was terrified of her. In an early scene she was carrying a cup of coffee on a saucer and it was rattling because it was shaking so much Wyman asked “What is that noise?”About which Rush though, “Oh my God it’s me.” Rush also enjoyed working with Rock Hudson. He called her Oona, dos, tres, eventually shortening it to just Oona, and he always kept her laughing on the set.

Rush was a good friend of Robert Osborne, as they’d both been under contract to Lucille Ball. She said they were walking buddies, part of a friendly group, and that “he was like a very dear brother to me.” She also said “he just knew everything” and he’d always help her with crossword puzzles. In thinking about his legacy she said, “I think it was Bob who really got this classic thing going.” He even invited her to an early screening of E.T. (1982), which blew her away. It was sweet to hear about the private Osborne, who was apparently as charming in person as in public.

Ben Mankiewicz and Angie Dickenson

Angie Dickinson is one of the most charismatic guests I’ve seen in six years of attending TCMFF. It was a thrill to catch her in an interview with Ben Mankiewicz before a screening of The Killers (1964). Not only is she funny, sharp and friendly, but she’s still so darn sexy. As she struggled a bit to climb up on her tall seat (honestly, I would have struggled too, it was really tall), she said “I’m old” and an audience member shouted, “But you’re so beautiful!” to which she said, “I know!” She’s just speaking the truth.

Dickinson loved her costars in The Killers, a film that was made for television, but then released in theaters when it was found to be too brutal for broadcast. When asked about screen love John Cassavetes, she said “what a Greek,” adding that she found him “so watchable.” She had a lot to say about Ronald Reagan, who played the villain to whom she was mistress in the film. Apparently he was upset to even have to pretend to slap her and apologized profusely. Dickinson also mentioned Clu Gulager, who I thought stole the film from a formidable cast in his performance as a quirky, but heartless hit man.

It was endearing how little interest Dickinson seemed to have in her own work. She loved talking about Brian DePalma (with whom she worked on Dressed to Kill [1980]) and other films she enjoyed. Eventually she did talk at length about the 91 episodes she filmed as the star of the television show Police Woman, a grueling experience she called “a hell of a grind.”

Despite the brutal work schedule, Dickinson felt she had to take the show because her other options for work seemed to have dried up. When asked why her promising start in films didn’t lead to greater roles she said, “I don’t think I had that much drive to tell you the truth. I also like life. It’s not an easy thing to answer. I certainly struggled to get bigger parts I didn’t get.” I could have listened to this fascinating woman for hours.

Carl Davis and the TCM Orchestra

Having just watched Greta Garbo and John Gilbert in A Woman of Affairs (1928) and finding it only mildly interesting, I probably wouldn’t have caught the TCMFF screening except for two factors: finally being able to see film preservationist and filmmaker Kevin Brownlow in person and watching the film with a live orchestra.

As Brownlow had been presented the Robert Osborne award earlier in the festival, TCM prepared a career retrospective short which it screened before he came out. This was useful, because Mr. Brownlow’s got one of those careers so full of accomplishments that even if you are familiar with his work, you’ll always forget something.

After the video, Leonard Maltin spoke with Brownlow about the film. While discussing the lasting appeal of Garbo with Maltin, he praised cameraman William Daniels for doing much to create her mysterious image. He then talked about the film, based on the scandalous novel The Green Hat, which studios were “ordered by [Hollywood censor] Will Hayes never to make.” Brownlow said, “MGM had to change the title. They had to change the character’s names and they had to change the plot. Otherwise it’s identical to the book.”

Among the challenges on the set: the once steamy love affair between Garbo and Gilbert had cooled, so despite their professionalism, the pair was not as hot as they’d been in Flesh and the Devil (1926). In addition to that, Brownlow said Gilbert “suddenly changed his acting style in the middle of the film.” He adopted an over-the-top approach which was his misguided response to the approach of sound film. Fortunately director Clarence Brown reigned him in.

John Gilbert's great grandson Dylan Hart played French horn in the TCM Orchestra

The musical accompaniment by the TCM Orchestra was stunning, sometimes drawing attention away from the film, which is something I hadn’t experienced before. Composed and conducted by Carl Davis, the director looked rightfully triumphant at the end of the performance. Maltin also noted that Gilbert’s great grand-son Dylan Hart was playing French horn in the orchestra.


What a great line-up of guests at the festival this year! I'm so grateful to have seen all of these brilliant people.