Cinecon Classic Film Festival Opens in Hollywood August 31st

The Cinecon Classic Film Festival opens in Hollywood next Thursday, August 31st.

The festival, held at the Egyptian Theatre, runs through Labor Day, September 4th.

This is the 53rd edition of Cinecon, which was founded in 1965. Cinecon "is dedicated to showcasing unusual films that are rarely given public screenings." Sounds like my kind of festival! And, as a matter of fact, this year will be my very first time to attend the Cinecon festival; I have passes for Saturday and Sunday.

Norman Lloyd and Patricia Morison will each be honored at this year's Cinecon. I won't be there to see Lloyd honored on opening night, but I was fortunate to see him earlier this year, interviewed at a very special screening of JAMAICA INN (1939), and he was also in the audience when I saw PANIQUE (1946) at the TCM Classic Film Festival. Incidentally, Lloyd turns 103 this November!

I'll be there when Patricia Morison (who is also, remarkably, 102 years old) is honored at a nitrate screening of UNTAMED (1940), a Paramount film costarring Ray Milland. It will be preceded by a Technicolor Bugs Bunny cartoon, also in nitrate!

Some of the other rarities I'm looking forward to Labor Day Weekend:

*THE ACCUSING FINGER (1936), a Paramount programmer with Marsha Hunt, Paul Kelly, Bob Cummings, Kent Taylor, and Harry Carey Sr. Marsha turns 100 on October 17th!

*MURDER AMONG FRIENDS (1941), a Fox mystery starring Marjorie Weaver.

*NORTH TO THE KLONDIKE (1942) with Broderick Crawford and Andy Devine, who played sidekicks in the delightful TRAIL OF THE VIGILANTES (1940), seen at the last Lone Pine Film Festival.

*LA CONGA NIGHTS (1940) starring Dennis O'Keefe.

*RIDERS OF THE SANTA FE (1944) starring Rod Cameron and Jennifer Holt.

*SPRING TONIC (1935) starring Claire Trevor and Lew Ayres.

That's just a small listing of the many films playing at the festival, which include several silent films with live piano accompaniment. If I can get there early enough on Saturday, I'll see a 1926 Hoot Gibson Western with a piano score.

If I have any energy left I may go back on Monday, for titles such as POWER OF THE PRESS (1936) with Lee Tracy and THE PRESIDENT VANISHES (1934) with Paul Kelly and Edward Arnold, but that's a big if! They will be long festival days, though hopefully the commute to Hollywood will be easier on a holiday weekend.

I'm very much looking forward to trying the Cinecon festival for the first time. Then stay tuned for my return visit to the Lone Pine Film Festival over Columbus Day Weekend!

Update: A Visit to Cinecon 53.