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2013 TCM Classic Film Festival – It’s A Wrap
The star-studded 2013 TCM Classic Film Festival was packed with a plethora of great films and special legendary guests. Each spring, the TCM Classic Film Festival welcomes 25,000 movie fans from around the globe to Hollywood to celebrate the art and history of cinema and this year did not disappoint.
Being as this was my third year at the Festival, I was thrilled to see Oscar-winner, Cher, join Turner Classic Movies host Robert Osborne as a surprise guest at the opening night gala to kick off the 4th Festival in Hollywood. She joined Osborne onstage at the TCL Chinese Theatre for a short conversation about her love of classic film, her favorite era of films and those that have inspired her prior to the world premiere screening of a brand new 45th anniversary restoration of the musical Funny Girl (1968).
TM & (C) Turner Entertainment Networks, Inc. A Time Warner Company. All Rights Reserved.
The 2013 TCM Classic Film Festival, which ran through Sunday, April 28, featured more than a hundred screenings of classic movies, along with appearances by legendary stars, live interviews, extensive panel discussions, special exhibits and more. The packed lineup for this year’s festival included tributes to Jane Fonda, Max von Sydow, Ann Blyth along with an extensive interview with Eva Marie Saint to air on TCM next year.
First up we attended a screening of the musical-comedy ON THE TOWN (1949), starring Gene Kelly (who co-directed with Stanley Donen), Frank Sinatra, Vera-Ellen, Betty Garrett, Jules Munshin and Ann Miller. Before the film, TCM’s Robert Osbourne introduced Rob Marshall and the CHICAGO director talked about his upcoming project (and the long awaited) Disney’s INTO THE WOODS – tentatively starring Meryl Streep and Johnny Depp. The film is the adaptation of the Stephen Sondheim Broadway musical.
Next up was Bugs Bunny’s 75th Birthday Bash. Hosted by Leonard Maltin, the audience was treated to Bugs’ official debut in “Porky’s Hare Hunt” through his induction into the National Film Registry in Chuck Jones’ “What’s Opera Doc?”. Maltin presented some of Bugs’ most distinctive, iconic and entertaining films.
My personal highlight of the festival was Saturday’s screening of DELIVERANCE. In a pre-screening discussion, stars Burt Reynolds (yes…BURT REYNOLDS!!), Jon Voight and Ned Beatty reminisced with director John Boorman about the difficulties in shooting the iconic film.
Another personal favorite that was screened Saturday night was the film noir classic, MILDRED PIERCE. Special guest Ann Blyth, who at 85 didn’t look a day over 60, delighted the audience with her Hollywood Royalty and her experience playing one of Hollywood’s most hated characters, Veda in MILDRED PIERCE, opposite the great Joan Crawford (“she was very kind to me and we were friends for a long time”).
Finally, the most anticipated film of the festival, IT’S A MAD, MAD, MAD, MAD WORLD, screened at the Cinerama Dome. The film originally opened there in 1963 and played there for 2 years! The theater was actually commissioned by director Stanley Kramer specifically for this film because he shot the picture in 70mm widescreen and at the time, there wasn’t a screen big enough in Hollywood to show it! Before the film there was a discussion with special guests Karen Kramer (Stanley’s widow) and stars Mickey Rooney, Barrie Chase and Marvin Kaplan. An empty chair was left to honor the late great Jonathan Winters, who scheduled to attend before his death on April 11th. They also began the screening with a film tribute to Winters.
The Festival will return in April 2014 and the TCM Classic Cruise returns this year, Dec. 8-13. (Click HERE for details).
Until then, check out all the videos HERE.
For more on the weekend:
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ph: Edward M. Pio Roda TM & (C) Turner Entertainment Networks, Inc. A Time Warner Company. All Rights Reserved.
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