This is the second of my two-part series wherein I recap my time at the 2013 TCM Film Festival.

Day 3 – Four!

Saturday morning cartoons were a staple of my rearing and today would be no different. So again at a time that I would not typically be attending the cinema (8:30 or so to queue up) I was entertained by a series of Looney Toons shorts, featuring the one, the only Bugs Bunny, who was celebrating his 75th birthday! The shorts were introduced by Jerry Beck and Leonard Maltin.

I swiftly moved from Chinese Multiplex 1 to 4, prepared for my second Hitchcock screening, The Lady Vanishes that was introduced by Norman Lloyd (age 98), who skipped his weekly tennis game to present this (and several other) film.

The wonderful thing about attending events like this is that they provide a rarefied opportunity for us in the present to listen to people who provide first hand accounts of people of the stature of Alfred Hitchcock, people who in seem so distant and removed from us.

The Big Parade: I have to admit; this film was not on my radar as I made my preliminary viewing plan, but I am SO glad that I changed my mind at the last minute. Admittedly I am not a huge fan of silent cinema, but it is a format that I am gradually coming around to. So what better way to continue my silent cinema education than by watching the World Premier Digital Restoration of the WWI classic, directed by King Vidor, and introduced by film historian Kevin Brownlow. What fascinated me above all else with this movie is that it predates the silent epic Wings which until this point was my gold standard in the capturing “the war to end all wars” on film. This response to The Big Parade does not diminish in any way the impact and significance of Wings but it does help inform my further understanding of the canon of silent film. In the simplest of terms, this film was sublime.

The Tall Target: Check out my previous blog post on this.

What a way to round out the day! As the evening crept in, a feeling of sadness swept over me … I knew my time at the festival was drawing to a close and it made me sad I said hellos (and goodbyes) to the wonderful array of friends I made and ventured back to my hotel to ready myself for my eastbound flight the next afternoon.


Day 4 – No movies, just taking it all in. 

But I enjoyed living vicariously living through my fellow festival goers as to their whereabouts. I did a walk-by of the Cinerama dome prior to the showing of Cinerama Holiday (really wanted to see it).

Other films I wanted to see if given the time were:

Never in a million years did I think I would utter the phrase – how I hate to leave Los Angeles – but this weekend I did. But the time came sooner than I wanted. I spent that morning prior to departure wandering down the boulevards of legend (H’wood and Sunset) pass through a lovely farmer’s market.

OH I did also take the time to show my #noncynicalnewyorker stripes and took way too many pictures of some of my favorite stars’ star on the Walk of Fame.

But now as I write this, LA and Hollywood are in my rearview as I am settled and safely nestled in my East Coast domicile, ready for it to start all over again. See you in 2014!

This is the first in a two-part recounting of my four days in the heart of Hollywood where I attended the fourth annual Turner Classic Movie Classic Film Festival (TCMFF for short).

Day 1 (or Nought Point Five if you will) – Arrival.

I touchdown a bit late but I touch down (#ThankGoodnessForSmallFavors) and shuttle to my hotel on Hollywood and Vine (nice!). But I did not have too much time to enjoy it – I simply drop my bags, freshen up and head straight down the Boulevard to the Roosevelt Hotel to pick up my credentials and meetup with a couple of folks. I connected with my blogging buddy Paula (@TCM_Party) in Club TCM and attend my first event  – a presser where we are introduced to the new TCM/Bonhams auction house collaboration of classic Hollywood memorabilia.

I also had the pleasure of playtesting a TCM app that is currently in development. My reward was a $5 GC that I quickly used as a credit for purchasing quite a few items in the TCM Boutique. My question is: how did they know I am a shopaholic? After spending a few minutes poolside at the Opening Night Party, I prepare myself for a double bill of classic movie goodness.

My first screening The Killing features one of my personal favorite actors, Sterling Hayden. I cannot exactly pinpoint it but I think it has something to do with his varied career as an actor and pursuer of many interests that draws me in.

The evening came to a close with the viewing of a pre-Code gem – William Wellman’s Safe in Hell, introduced by film historian Donald Bogle and William Wellman’s son.

After that it was an ‘interesting’ walk down Hollywood Boulevard to my hotel. Here I would like to offer a bit of advice: don’t walk it at night – hop on the Metro – it’s one stop and clean.

I pick up a slice of pizza (my first meal in LA) and promptly relax myself as I look forward to the day ahead – no time could be spared, the next day started at 9:15AM, sleep and jet lag be damned.

Day 2 – Three Films, One Completely New

Like I said above, I had to get up rather early, took the Metro (advice heeded) and queued up for my first film on a Friday morning. Just typing being at a film at 9 in the morning feels weird.  The way I justify it (if I HAVE to) is simple – it’s early afternoon at home. I Know Where I’m Going! is a British/Scottish gem and a film that I have always wanted to watch but never quite gotten round to. All I can say is that I am SO happy that my first experience is seeing was on the big screen. Did I mention I thought the film was absolutely LOVELY?

As soon as the end credits rolled, I allowed myself a moment to take in the aforementioned loveliness and swiftly headed down the street to Grauman’s Egyptian to get on another line, this time to screen a repeater for me, the noir classic The Narrow Margin, introduced by one of the film’s surviving stars, Jacqueline White. It had been some time since I had last seen this film so I had forgotten a lot of the plot and subsequently many of the plot twists that I had totally forgotten about.

My next film was also in the Egyptian. For the first of two Hitchcock films I would see over the weekend, the incomparable Notorious. Introduced by former TCM Essentials host Rose McGowan, I must say I never tire of seeing this sensual thriller.
It’s my iPhone wallpaper, ya’ll!

What a satisfying way to end my day.

Stay tuned tomorrow for the concluding two days of my Hollywood adventure!

As I prepare to hang out on the #LeftCoast, I thought you might like to check out what is already taking place in Hollywood ahead of the TCM Film Festival!