SMORGASBORD OF CLASSICS AT THE TCM FESTIVAL
You think the summer music festivals have expansive lineups? This may be the mother of all film festivals and it’s happening this weekend in LA.
For lovers of classic cinema, could there be no better place to experience the greatest hits of Hollywood on the big screen than at a selection of the most iconic screens in the United States That’s what’s going down this weekend in Los Angeles at the TCM Classic Film Festival from Thursday April 26th through Sunday April 29th at the legendary Chinese Theatre, the Egyptian Theatre and the Arclight Cinemrama Dome (originally built in the 60s to show It’s A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World). Films will also show poolside at The Roosevelt Hotel.
Dozens of special guests across the spectrum of film making will be in attendance for screenings and panels including Mel Brooks, Jeff Bridges, Star Wars sound designer Ben Burtt, John Carpenter, Veronica Cartwright, Mario Van Peebles, Martin Scorsese, Micheal York, Gillian Armstrong, Tim Robbins, Tyler Perry and way too many more to mention.
KISS ME DEADLY is regarded as one of the greatest Film Noir titles.
And the most important part; the movies. It’s a daunting lineup that reads like the schedule for a music festival the size of Coachella. Amongst the dozens of classics, we’ve circled our picks including THE ADVENTURES OF TOM SAWYER (1938), Carry Grants’ screwball caper HIS GIRL FRIDAY (1940), the quintessential film noir KISS ME DEADLY (1955), the Meryl Streep performance powerhouse KRAMER VS KRAMER (1979), a collection of vintage MICKEY MOUSE ANIMATED SHORTS including Steamboat Willie (1928) celebrating it’s 90th anniversary and Sidney Lumet’s original big screen adaptation of MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS (1974).
Stemaboat Willie, the first Mickey Mouse short, will ring its 90th birthday.
We also recommend the comedic duo of Jack Lemmon and Walter Mattheau in THE ODD COUPLE (1968), the cinematography magnum opus that is Sergio Leone’s ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE WEST (1968), the beyond iconic silent masterpiece THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA (1925), Franco Zeffirelli’s exquisite ROMEO AND JULIET (1968) with cast in attendance (!), the super gritty subway suspense thriller from NYC’s bad old days THE TAKING OF PELHAM ONE TWO THREE (1974) and the overly extravagant Cecil B. DeMille production of THE TEN COMMANDMENTS (1956). There's modern classics too including THE BIG LEBOWSKI (1998) and the college campus party rampage of ANIMAL HOUSE (1978).
Poster art for THE ODD COUPLE (1968)