2019 TCM Classic Film Festival Celebrates STAR WARS And Love At The Movies

For the tenth consecutive year, thousands of movie lovers from around the globe descended upon Hollywood for the TCM Classic Film Festival. The 2019 festival took place Thursday, April 11 – Sunday, April 14, 2019. Over four packed days and nights, attendees were treated to an extensive lineup of great movies, appearances by legendary stars and filmmakers, fascinating presentations and panel discussions, special events and more.

Our favorite festival, WAMG attended the screening of Steel Magnolias on Friday and it was fantastic! In attendance to speak before the film was screenwriter Robert Harking, who based the original play on his sister (the character “Shelby” portrayed by Julia Roberts in the film). He talked about his many inspirations for the characters – mostly women he knew growing up in the South. Fun fact: He also mentioned that Julia Roberts wasn’t the first choice for Shelby. Meg Ryan was originally cast but then dropped out because she was offered When Harry Met Sally – and the rest is history.

TCM Primetime host Ben Mankiewicz served as official host of the TCM Classic Film Festival. The festival’s official hotel and central gathering point for the tenth consecutive year was The Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, which has a longstanding role in movie history and was the site of the first Academy Awards® ceremony.

WAMG spent day 2 at the TCM Film Fest, and there was lots of great movies to  choose from!First was WORKING GIRL, the 1988 classic starring Melanie Griffith, Harrison Ford and Sigourney Weaver. In attendance to speak before the film was famed casting director Juliet Taylor, who has been the force behind casting movies for famed directors such as Woody Allen, Steven Spielberg, Martin Scorsese and Mike Nichols (Working Girl). She commented about the current challenges that face casting directors and what exactly the job entails. Host Ileana Douglas even asked her about the idea of having “CASTING DIRECTOR” be a category at the Oscars. Taylor whole heartedly agrees, as she views casting as one of the things that can make or break a film.As for Working Girl, director Mike Nichols and the studio were unsure of Melanie Griffith, but Taylor pushed for her and it paid off in the form of an Oscar nom for Griffith and a Golden Globe win.

Later in the evening we channeled our inner-Jedi and went to STAR WARS: A NEW HOPE (1977) – the one that started it all. It was a huge thrill being able to see it in the same theater (TCL – formerly Mann’s Chinese Theater) where it famously debuted to lines of fans back in 1977. 

TCM Host Ben Mankiewicz was on hand to lead a discussion with famed Star Wars special effects team Richard Edlund, Dennis Muren and Ben Burtt. It was great fun listening to them talk about working on the project before anyone knew what blockbuster and cultural touchstone it would become. Working out of the old Goldwyn Studio just down the street from the theater, they would often drive by the theater just to see the lines. One other especially fun anecdote came from Ben Burtt, who talked about the source of the sound effect for the light saber. He used to work as a projectionist at USC and remembered the hum/buzz of the old projector they had, and voila!, light saber! The already amped-up crowd in the theater went nuts, and off we went to a galaxy far far away.

Follow Your Heart: Love At The Movies: Whether it’s in the afternoon, at first sight, or in the air, the TCM Classic Film Festival celebrated love in all of its forms. As we come together for the 10th annual Festival, and the 25th anniversary of TCM, there will be many-splendored moments to revel in romance and obsessions, delight in faithful friendships and surrender to the enduring allure of the silver screen with fellow classic movie lovers.