The 2015 TCM Classic Film Festival in Review
The 2015 TCM Classic Film Festival ended last night, and it was as wonderful as anticipated!
Once again classic film fans from around the country, not to mention places like Canada, Scotland, and Japan, came together to celebrate wonderful movies.
You know you're in the right place when there's a packed morning audience for a late silent like WHY BE GOOD? (1929) and the audience applauds when Grady Sutton appears on screen!
Though Robert Osborne was greatly missed this year, the festival carried on in fine style without him, with pros like Leonard Maltin, Eddie Muller, and Illeana Douglas introducing many of the movies.
Again this year the schedule was packed with many appealing options and hard choices; as Lou Lumenick wrote in the New York Post, "There are no bad choices at the TCM Classic Film Festival."
I largely stuck to my originally outlined plan, though I switched up a couple of time blocks which had been questionable and also substituted REBECCA (1940) for APOLLO 13 (1995).
This year I saw 16 films, one more film than I saw in 2014; in 2013 I only saw 11 films. I also saw an hour of home movies presented by Jane Withers, Bob Koster (son of director Henry Koster), and Neile Adams McQueen.
Eight of this year's films were completely new to me, a diverse group of titles including a pair of silents, an Italian film, an animated movie, a Greta Garbo historical romance, a Sirk melodrama, a Western, and a pre-Code John Ford aviation drama. It was also great to revisit familiar favorites; MY DARLING CLEMENTINE (1946) and CALAMITY JANE (1953) never looked better!
Beyond the movies, though, for me the very best part of the festival is the chance to reconnect in person with so many people from the classic film blogging community who have become "real life" friends thanks to the festival. The festival has the feel of a very happy family reunion, with friends on hand to enjoy every single screening. I can't express strongly enough what a positive and upbeat experience the festival is thanks to so many great people being there to share it.
This year it was especially wonderful to meet Kristina and Stephen for the first time; I shouldn't have been surprised that my longtime pal Kristina and I ended up picking an identical schedule for the entire festival! I also loved the chance to get to know people like Casey and Annmarie better this year, and having extra time to spend with Raquel, Aurora, and Kendahl. I could keep on going -- I hate to leave anyone out!
It's also fun to "talk movies" with folks met while standing in line. Anyone considering attending for the first time next year, particularly those contemplating coming alone, should rest assured they will find a very congenial atmosphere.
As has been my practice for past festivals, in the coming days and weeks I'll be breaking down my coverage into an overview of each day, along with individual reviews of several of the films which have not been reviewed here previously.
As my posts go up I plan to add links to the bottom of this introductory post, as I have also done in years past, so all of the festival coverage can be easily found in one place.
In the meantime, here's a series of photo Tweets from TCM and the classic film blogging community, including yours truly.
I also have several non-festival posts coming in the near future, including a look at Turner Classic Movies in April and a preview of the 17th Annual Noir City Film Festival, which opens this Friday, April 3rd.
TCM 2015 Festival Posts: The 2015 TCM Classic Film Festival: Day One; The 2015 TCM Classic Film Festival: Day Two; The TCM Classic Film Festival: Day Three; The TCM Classic Film Festival: Day Four; The TCM Classic Film Festival: Day Five; Tonight's Movie: Queen Christina (1933) at the TCM Classic Film Festival; Tonight's Movie: The Proud Rebel (1958) at the TCM Classic Film Festival.
Previous 2015 coverage: TCM Announces 2015 Festival Dates and Theme; TCM Classic Film Festival Announcements; The Sound of Music (1965) to Open 2015 TCM Classic Film Festival; The Latest TCM Classic Film Festival Announcements; Sophia Loren to Appear at 2015 TCM Classic Film Festival; The 2015 TCM Classic Film Festival Schedule; Coming Soon!
Update: I have also written about the 2015 TCM Classic Film Festival for the ClassicFlix site.
Past festival coverage: The 2013 TCM Classic Film Festival in Review and The 2014 TCM Classic Film Festival in Review.
posted by Laura @ 11:50 PM
6 Comments:
You obviously had a fantastic time, Laura, and I am most envious. Wish I could have been there!
I really look forward to the resulting upcoming posts - lots of interesting and fun reading ahead!
And now you have the Noir festival about to start. My, you are a busy (and lucky) girl!! I'm green.....
Best wishes,
Jerry
The home movies sound as grand as the features. So very nice to hear of your lovely time. Looking forward to more.
Laura, broken record time but here goes: it was so much fun to meet you, I can't even (as the kids say nowadays), and a great time being at all those movies together!
Great thing about the fest is also what you wrote here, that friends are everywhere you look, and you can talk to complete strangers about Richard Barthelmess for example!
Enjoyed everything I went to, and every minute of it. :)
Wow, Jane Withers home movies! Love the applause for Grady Sutton.
Looking forward to your upcoming posts.
Can't wait to read all your reports. Sounds like you all had a fabulous time. Classic Hollywood fans are the best!
I'm green too but happy to hear every little detail.
Thank you all so very much! I'll have more coverage as soon as possible, juggling blogging with a post vacation work load. :)
Wish all of you could have been there -- Kristina and I had such a great time getting to enjoy movies together at long last! What a fantastic few days.
Best wishes,
Laura
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