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!