Monday, March 02, 2015

The 2015 UCLA Festival of Preservation

Opening night of the 2015 UCLA Festival of Preservation is this Thursday evening, March 5th.

The Festival of Preservation is a biennial month-long series celebrating the work of the UCLA Film and Television Archive. The screenings take place at UCLA's Billy Wilder Theater at the Hammer Museum in Westwood.

I thoroughly enjoyed the 2011 and 2013 festivals. In 2011 I saw two films, and in 2013 I attended four different screenings, seeing a total of seven films. All of the festival screenings have been terrific experiences, and I particularly appreciate that the festival has introduced me to a couple of favorite films, the Dick Powell film noir CRY DANGER (1951) and Joan Leslie's noir fantasy REPEAT PERFORMANCE (1947).

The festival will kick off Thursday with a screening of Anthony Mann's MEN IN WAR (1957), starring Robert Ryan and Aldo Ray. Cast member L.Q.Jones will appear that evening to discuss the film with Archive director Jan-Christopher Horak.

This year I hope to again attend several screenings, starting with the film noir double bill of TOO LATE FOR TEARS (1949) and THE GUILTY (1947) this Saturday, March 7th. I saw TOO LATE FOR TEARS at last year's Noir City Festival, and it was so much fun I'd enjoy seeing it again. The late Lizabeth Scott stars along with Dan Duryea, Arthur Kennedy, and Don DeFore. I've never seen THE GUILTY, which stars Bonita Granville, Don Castle, and Regis Toomey. The Film Noir Foundation's Alan Rode will be on hand Saturday night to introduce the movies.

I also hope to attend a pre-Code double bill on Sunday afternoon and a great-looking double bill of Bing Crosby in THE BIG BROADCAST (1932) and Harold Lloyd in THE MILKY WAY (1936) later in the month.

Hopefully I'll also be able to see Arianne Ulmer Cipes introduce HER SISTER'S SECRET (1946), which I thoroughly enjoyed at last year's TCM Classic Film Festival. The TCM Fest movies sometimes blur a bit in memory due to seeing so many in such a short time frame, so I would love the chance to take a second look at this very good film, which stars Margaret Lindsay and Nancy Coleman. There's an excellent review of this movie by Moira Finnie at Silver Screen Oasis.

Kenneth Turan of the Los Angeles Times has many more details on what promises to be an exciting festival.

Please visit UCLA's Festival of Preservation schedule for a complete list of titles and times.

There's much more great stuff ahead for classic film fans in Southern California. I will again be credentialed media at this year's TCM Classic Film Festival, which takes place from March 26th through 29th, and I'll be providing complete coverage here at Laura's Miscellaneous Musings.

The weekend after the TCM Fest it's time for the 17th Annual Noir City Hollywood Festival, which takes place at the Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood the first three weeks of April. Meanwhile in early April UCLA will kick off what's sure to be a spectacular three-month-long William Wellman Festival!

A look back: The 2013 UCLA Festival of Preservation and The 2011 UCLA Festival of Preservation.

Update: Here are reviews of THE GUILTY (1947), BACHELOR'S AFFAIRS (1932), SOCIETY GIRL (1932), THE BIG BROADCAST (1932), and THE MILKY WAY (1936), plus an account of a very special screening of HER SISTER'S SECRET (1946).

2 Comments:

Blogger john k said...

Hi Laura,

I'm forty shades of green knowing that you will see THE GUILTY on the
big screen. It's a wonderful Noir,albeit a very mean spirited one.
Really like Don Castle who should have had a far bigger career,so sad that
he could not shake off his demons in real life.
Recently saw John Reinhardt's HIGH TIDE with Castle and was a tad
disappointed,must give it another try.
I do hope that THE GUILTY gets a DVD release soon.

5:33 AM  
Blogger Laura said...

Hi John!

I'm really looking forward to this. I enjoyed some of the same cast in HIGH TIDE, which wasn't especially memorable but went down easily when I saw it at the Festival of Preservation in 2013. :)

I believe that THE GUILTY will also play at Noir City Hollywood, but I'm hoping to take advantage of seeing it this weekend, especially as some Noir City nights will be programmed against UCLA's Wellman fest. I foresee some tough choices ahead in April LOL.

Best wishes,
Laura

12:19 AM  

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