Each April, Hollywood rolls out the red carpet to welcome thousands of movie lovers,
filmmakers and legendary stars from around the globe for the TCM Classic Film Festival.Marking its third year, the TCM Classic Film Festival is the place to experience classic movies as they were meant to be seen: on the big screen, in some of the world’s most iconic venues, with the people who made them. The four-day festival, which takes place Thursday, April 12
– Sunday, April 15, features more than 70 screenings, plus events and appearances starting early in the morning and going into the late evening.
Turner Classic Movies (TCM) will open the 2012 edition with the world premiere of a new 40th anniversary restoration of Bob Fosse’s Cabaret (1972). TCM’s own Robert Osborne, who serves as official host for the festival, will introduce Cabaret to kick off the four-day, star-studded event. Also on opening night, the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel will be the site of a poolside screening of the lavish Cole Porter musical High Society (1956), starring Grace Kelly, Frank Sinatra and Bing Crosby.
The 2012 TCM Classic Film Festival will honor actress Kim Novak with a multi-tiered celebration of her extraordinary career. Among the events, Novak will have her hand and footprints enshrined in concrete in front of Grauman’s Chinese Theater. She will also join TCM host Robert Osborne for an in-depth conversation to be taped in front of a live audience for airing on TCM later. And she will introduce a screening of Alfred Hitchcock’s suspenseful classic Vertigo (1958).
“From thrillers like Hitchcock’s Vertigo, to romantic dramas such as Picnic, noirish classics likeThe Man with the Golden Arm, comedies such as Bell, Book and Candle and musicals like Pal Joey, Kim Novak has made us fall in love with her time and time again,” Osborne said. “Our celebration of Kim Novak and her career is certain to be one of the highlights of the 2012 TCM Classic Film Festival.”
Novak and Osborne’s conversation will air on TCM next year as an original special entitled Kim Novak: Live from the TCM Classic Film Festival. The chat will be taped Friday, April 13, at The Avalon (1735 Vine Street), the latest venue to join the festival lineup. Built in 1927, the historic landmark has hosted the likes of Bob Hope, Jerry Lewis, Judy Garland, Bing Crosby, The Beatles, Fred Astaire, Jimmy Durant and Merv Griffin’s iconic talk show.
Kim Novak: Live at the TCM Classic Film Festival follows in the footsteps of previous “Live from the TCM Classic Film Festival specials”. At last year’s festival, Osborne interviewed Peter O’Toole for a special airing Wednesday, April 11, at 8 p.m. (ET). And in 2010, Osborne interviewed two-time Oscar® winner Luis Rainer, who was 100 at the time.
Novak’s hand and footprints ceremony will take place Saturday, April 14, in front of
Grauman’s Chinese Theater. This marks the second consecutive year TCM has featured hand and footprint ceremony at Grauman’s Chinese Theater. Last year, Peter O’Toole was the honoree.
• Actresses Maud Adams and Eunice Gayson will attend a 50th Anniversary screening of the James Bond classic Dr. No (1962) and participate in a conversation about being “Bond Girls.”
• Filmmaker Mel Brooks will be on hand to introduce his brilliant parody Young
Frankenstein (1974).
• Filmmaker John Carpenter will introduce his favorite film, the seminal horror classic
Frankenstein (1931).
• Actress and filmmaker Illeana Douglas will return for her third TCM Classic Film Festival, this time to present Counsellor-at-Law (1933), starring John Barrymore, Bebe Daniels and Douglas’ grandfather, Melvyn Douglas.
• Actress Carla Laemmle will participate in a screening of Dracula (1931) as that film’s only surviving cast member.
• Filmmaker John Landis will introduce the horror sequel Son of Frankenstein (1939).
• Three design giants will join TCM’s celebration of Style in the Movies, with Bob Mackie
appearing at a screening of Cecil B. DeMille’s Cleopatra (1934), Barbara Tfank discussing the Otto Preminger drama Bonjour Tristesse (1958) and Todd Oldham basking in the opulence of The Women (1939) and Auntie Mame (1958).
• Michael Murphy will introduce the visually compelling sci-fi thriller Phase IV (1974).
• Walter Mirisch will talk about Fall Guy (1947) at a screening of the first film he eve
produced.
• Actor Ron Perlman will introduce one of his favorite films, the Preston Sturges classic
Sullivan’s Travels (1941).
• Oscar®-winning screenwriter Robert Towne will join Robert Evans for a screening of
Roman Polanski’s Chinatown (1974).
• Actor William Wellman Jr. will help celebrate the 85th anniversary of Wings (1927),
directed by his father.
• Don Lynch, author of two books on the sinking of the RMS Titanic, will discuss the tragic story at a screening of A Night to Remember (1958).
TCM is happy to announce that Leonard Maltin and Cari Beauchamp will return this year to introduce a number of screenings across the four-day festival. During each of the past two festivals, they have each conducted interviews and introduced a wide variety of films.One of today’s most revered film critics, Maltin is known for his invaluable Leonard Maltin’s Movie Guide, which is updated annually. Maltin, a noted film historian, has penned numerous books on the industry, including a history of Disney films. He recently provided a video introduction for TCM and Sony Pictures Home Entertainment’s “UPA: The Jolly Frolics Collection” DVD set.
Beauchamp is the award-winning author and co-producer of TCM’s Without Lying Down: The Power of Women in Early Hollywood. She has previously conducted interviews and panel discussions, including a fascinating panel on Hollywood casting agents at the first TCM Classic Film Festival.
In addition to Maltin and Beauchamp, historian and author Foster Hirsch will return this year to introduce a few screenings.
As part of TCM’s ongoing commitment to supporting film preservation, the festival will
showcase several new restorations, including three Best Picture Oscar winners, one of the greatest movie musicals of all time and a nearly forgotten gem ready to be rediscovered:
Wings (1927) – 85th Anniversary Restoration, featuring live appearances by William
Wellman Jr. and long-time Paramount producer A.C. Lyles
Charles “Buddy” Rogers, Richard Arlen and Clara Bow star in William A. Wellman’s high-flying World War I melodrama, the first movie ever to take home Oscar® for Best Picture. Wings set the gold standard for Hollywood when it comes to shooting aerial dogfights. Longtime producer A.C. Lyles, who originally saw Wings in 1927, when he was 10 years old, will be joined by actor William Wellman Jr., the son of the director, to provide the introduction.
A Night to Remember (1958) – U.S. Premiere of Restoration, commemorating the 100th Anniversary of the sinking of the RMS Titanic and followed by a discussion with author and historian Don Lynch
Decades before James Cameron swept moviegoers away with star-crossed lovers aboard a doomed ship, British director Roy Ward Baker presented a starker, less romanticized version of the sinking of the the “unsinkable” Titanic. This Golden Globe-winning docudrama, based on Walter Lord’s definitive book, stars Kenneth More as the ship’s dutiful second officer. The cast also includes David McCallum, Jill Dixon, Laurence Naismith, Frank Lawton and Honor Blackman. Don Lynch, author of Titanic: An Illustrated History and Ghosts of the Abyss: A Journey into the Heart of the Titanic, will introduce the screening, following which he will discuss the sinking of the vessel and its depiction in the movies.
All Quiet on the Western Front (1930) – World Premiere of New Restoration
Topping many lists as the greatest war movie of all time, All Quiet on the Western Front is director Lewis Milestone’s groundbreaking masterpiece based on the World War I novel by Erich Maria Remarque. Lew Ayres heads the cast in this Oscar-winning Best Picture.
Call Her Savage (1932) – World Premiere of 80th Anniversary Restoration
Clara Bow stars as a sexy Texas gal in this saucy pre-Code drama, one of only 11 talkies
made by the actress who had previously personified the Roaring Twenties as Hollywood’s leading sex symbol.
Casablanca (1942) – 70th Anniversary Restoration
Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman star in Michael Curtiz’s Oscar-winning drama, widely regarded to be one of Hollywood’s crowning achievements. The impeccable cast includes Paul Henreid, Claude Rains, Conrad Veidt, Sydney Greenstreet, Peter Lorre, S.Z. Sakall and Dooley Wilson.
Singin’ in the Rain (1952) – World Premiere of 60th Anniversary Restoration
Stanley Donen and Gene Kelly’s delightful musical about Hollywood’s transition to talkies features Kelly, Debbie Reynolds and Donald O’Connor, along with the scene-stealing Jean Hagen and the sensuous Cyd Charisse. This movie will be presented in celebration of the 100th anniversary of Gene Kelly’s birth.
Three classic horror films: Dracula (1931) – Featuring a live appearance by 102-year-old Carla Laemmle Reprising the role that made him famous on Broadway, Bela Lugosi plays Bram Stoker’s hypnotic vampire. Directed by Tod Browning, this horror classic also features Dwight Frye,Helen Chandler and Edward Van Sloan. Actress Carla Laemmle, the niece of producer Carl Laemmle, speaks the first lines of the film and will be on hand to help introduce the screening.
At 102, she is the only surviving member of the cast.
Frankenstein (1931) – Introduced by filmmaker John Carpenter
Horror director John Carpenter will introduce his favorite movie of all time, a film he calls, “a seminal work of horror.” James Whale’s wonderfully atmospheric version of Mary Shelley’s horror classic stars the one-and-only Boris Karloff as the creature, with Colin Clive as Dr. Frankenstein, Dwight Frye as Fritz, Edward Van Sloan as Dr. Waldman, Mae Clarke as Elizabeth and truly memorable makeup by Jack Pierce.
Son of Frankenstein (1939) – Introduced by filmmaker John Landis
Basil Rathbone stars as the title character in this third film in Universal’s Frankenstein
franchise. Boris Karloff plays as The Monster for the last time, with Bela Lugosi particularly memorable as the deformed Ygor. The film features a tongue-in-cheek script by Wyllis Cooper, visually striking sets by Jack Otterson and spooky cinematography by George Robinson.
The central theme of the 2012 festival will be Style in the Movies. From fashion to architecture to production design, the theme will touch on both the influence that movies have on popular styles and the impact that current trends have on the movies.
Style in the Movies: Architecture in Film, Presented by Vanity Fair
Official festival partner Vanity Fair presents this collection of films that showcase architectural design in cinema. Matt Tyrnauer, Vanity Fair’s special correspondent covering architecture
and design, has curated the collection and will introduce each film.
Trouble in Paradise (1932) – Introduced by Matt Tyrnaeur
Ernst Lubitsch’s sparkling comedy stars Herbert Marshall and Miriam Hopkins as a pair of crooks out to swindle a rich socialite, played by Kay Francis. Beautiful art deco designs complement Travis Banton’s lush gowns.
Bringing Up Baby (1938) – Introduced by Vanity Fair’s Matt Tyrnauer
This Howard Hawks’ screwball comedy, considered by many to be the greatest of the genre, stars Cary Grant as a befuddled zoologist and Katharine Hepburn as the leopard-owning socialite making his life miserable. Among the architectural gems is the beautifully designed country cottage where much of the action takes place.
Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House (1948) – Introduced by Vanity Fair’s Matt
Tyrnauer
Cary Grant and Mrna Loy play a city couple determined to build their dream home in the
country, with hilarious results all around. Melvyn Douglas and Reginald Denny co-star in this delightful comedy based on Eric Hodgins’ autobiographical novel.
The Fountainhead (1949) – Introduced by Vanity Fair’s Matt Tyrnauer
Ayn Rand’s controversial philosophy known as Objectivism gets full play in this stark but
fascinating drama. Gary Cooper stars as a brilliant architect whose designs are rejected by the establishment. Patricia Neal plays the daughter of one of those establishment demagogues who finds herself both attracted to and repulsed by Cooper’s individualism. King Vidor directs the film from a script by Rand herself.
My Architect (2003) – Introduced by Vanity Fair’s Matt Tyrnauer, with a live appearance by filmmaker Nathaniel Kahn
In this powerful and insightful documentary, director Nathaniel Kahn seeks to understand his father, acclaimed architect Louis Kahn, who despite a distinguished career died bankrupt and alone. Nathaniel Kahn won a Directors Guild Award for his film.
Style in the Movies: Deco Design
The TCM Classic Film Festival will feature several films bathed in the art deco style that was
popularized throughout the world and especially onscreen in the 1920s and 1930s. In addition
Our Dancing Daughters (1928), featuring an appearance of Linda Snyder-Sterne, daughter of Anita Page This silent romance made Joan Crawford one of the first stars to personify an art deco look. Her boyish, athletic body was a perfect match for the angular modernistic sets while her flair for wearing clothes made her late ’20s flapper dresses seem like royal robes, as is clear in this dazzling new print. The story was perfect for her, too. With her large, expressive eyes, she embodies the party girl with a heart of gold, turning to the wild life to compensate for her distant parents and her loss of young millionaire Johnny Mack Brown to hard-drinking rival Anita Page.
Counsellor-at-Law (1934) – Featuring an appearance by Ileanna Douglas, granddaughter of Melvyn Douglas This vivid adaptation of an Edgar Rice play stars John Barrymore in one of his best roles as a Jewish lawyer who rises from poverty to become a success, only to have his past come backto haunt him. Bebe Daniels and Mevyn Douglas co-star under the direction of William Wyler.
Swing Time (1936)
Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, who defined style, grace and even humor for Depression-era audiences, dance their way through glorious art deco sets while singing such memorable Jerome Kern-Dorothy Fields songs as “A Fine Romance” and the Oscar-winning “The Way You Look Tonight” – plus Astaire’s show-stopping “Bojangles of Harlem” production number.
The Women (1939) – New Print
Norma Shearer, Joan Crawford, Rosalind Russell and Paulette Godard lead an all-female case in George Cukor’s hilarious film version of the popular Clare Boothe Luce play. The Women isa treasure trove of Hollywood style, from its sleek art deco sets to its glamorous gowns
(including a full-color fashion show in the middle of the movie). Designer Todd
Oldham will appear to discuss The Women (1939).
Style in the Movies: The Legendary Costumes of Travis Banton
One of the most important costume designers of classic Hollywood, Travis Banton was the man who taught Edith Head and dressed the likes of Mae West, Claudette Colbert, Carole Lombard and a host of other glamorous Paramount stars. The festival will feature seven films showcasing Banton’s work, several introduced by Oscar®-nominated costume designer Deborah Nadoolman Landis. The latest to join the list is Cecil B. DeMille’s grand epic Cleopatra (1934).
Cleopatra (1934) – Introduced by costume designers Deborah Nadoolman Landis and Bob Mackie
Cecil B. Demille’s lavish epic stars Claudette Colbert in the title role, with Warren William as Julius Caesar and Henry Wilcoxon as Marc Anthony. Fine performances, an intelligent script=and Victor Milner’s Oscar®-winning cinematography highlight this larger-than-life spectacle.
The Essentials
Sullivan’s Travels (1941) – Introduced by actor Ron Perlman
This sharp and witty Preston Sturges comedy follows a highly successful director as he
prepares to make a message picture by ditching Hollywood and living the life of a hobo. Joel
McCrea stars as the director, with Veronica Lake as the stray he picks up along the way.
Auntie Mame (1958) – featuring a live appearance by designer Todd Oldham
Rosalind Russell plays the part of a lifetime as an eccentric and worldly aunt suddenly saddled with an orphan nephew. Patrick Dennis’ enormously popular novel makes a successful transition to film by way of Jerome Lawrence and Robert Edwin Lee’s stage adaptation. Forrest Tucker, Coral Brown, Fred Clark and Roger Smith co-star, with Morton DaCosta directing.
Dr. No (1962) – 50th Anniversary screening, featuring a live appearance by Eunice
Gayson and Maud Adams, who will participate in a conversation about “Bond Girls”
Strange happenings in Jamaica draw James Bond into the clutches of the notorious title
character in this first big-screen outing for 007. Sean Connery makes the role of Bond all his own. Joseph Wiseman plays Dr. Julius No, with Eunice Gayson as Syvia Trench and UrsulaAndress making a memorable entrance as Honeychile Ryder.
Young Frankenstein (1974) – featuring a live appearance by Mel Brooks
Mel Brooks mastered the art of the spoof with this brilliant sendup of Universal’s long line of Frankenstein pictures. Gene Wilder, Teri Garr, Marty Feldman, Peter Boyle, Madeline Kahn,Cloris Leachman, Kenneth Mars and Gene Hackman give pitch-perfect performances, backed by an exceptional score by John Morris and terrific sets and laboratory equipment (much of it used in Universal’s original Frankenstein films).
The Paramount Renaissance
The TCM Classic Film Festival will mark the 100th Anniversary of Paramount Pictures with screenings of five films from the studio’s remarkable years under the leadership of Robert Evans. Screenwriter Robert Towne has agreed to participate in the screening of Chinatown (1974).
Chinatown (1974) – Featuring appearances by Robert Evans and screenwriter Robert Towne
Roman Polanski brought film noir into the 1970s with this mystery about murder, adultery and water rights. Jack Nicholson (who later directed the sequel, The Two Jakes), Faye Dunaway and John Huston bring Robert Towne’s tough-talking, Oscar®-winning script to life, while Jerry Goldsmith provides a wonderfully evocative score.
Discoveries
Fall Guy (1947) – Featuring a live appearance by producer Walter Mirisch
This appropriately moody film noir from Monogram Pictures marked Walter Mirisch’s first outing as producer. The story follows a man who tries to prove he is innocent of murdering an attractive woman, even though he has no memory of the night in question. Leo Penn, Robert Armstrong, Teala Loring and Elisha Cook Jr. star.
Bonjour Tristesse (1958) – Introduced by fashion designer Barbara Tfank
Otto Preminger directed this glossy, French Riviera-set drama based on a novel by Francoise Sagan. Jean Seberg plays a teenage girl determined to break up the romance between her father (David Niven) and his mistress (Deborah Kerr).
Phase IV (1974) – Featuring a live appearance by Michael Murphy
Michael Murphy stars with Nigel Davenport and Lynne Frederick in this unique and visually intriguing science-fiction thriller directed by famed title designer Saul Bass. The story follows a scientific team as it investigates a remarkable evolutionary development among ants that have them waging war on humans. For a complete list of Films go to-http://www.tcm.com/festival/programs/general/457410/films-index.html
TCM has partnered with D23: The Official Disney Fan Club to present two groundbreaking Disney Classic Events: the 75th Anniversary Screening of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937) and a Live Appearance by Kirk Douglas introducing a new restoration of “20,000 Leagues Under the Sea” (1954).
Named the greatest American animated film of all time by AFI in 1998, the film which brought realism to animation, received a special Academy Award® (bestowed on Walt Disney) recognizing Snow White as “a significant screen innovation which has charmed millions and pioneered a great new entertainment field.” Screening on Saturday, April 14 (1 PM) at the Grauman’s Chinese Theatre.
On Friday, April 13, at 2:45 p.m., Hollywood legend Kirk Douglas will be present at Grauman’s Chinese Theatre for the first public screening of the newly restored 1954 adventure film epic “20,000 Leagues Under the Sea,” the first live-action feature film shot at Walt Disney’s Burbank studios. Disney recruited an A-list cast including Kirk Douglas, James Mason and Paul Lukas, and a set budget of $9 million, the largest in Hollywood history at that time. To film the studio’s first CinemaScope production, Disney added a water tank and a third soundstage to his studio, rented additional space from 20th Century-Fox and Universal, and sent cast and crew to the Caribbean for underwater shooting. His technicians developed new equipment for the film’s many underwater scenes and created a two-ton squid for the film’s most impressive sequence. “20,000 Leagues Under the Sea” earned two Oscars®, one for the eye-popping visual effects and one for John Meehan and Emile Kuri’s art direction and set decoration.
D23: The Official Disney Fan Club celebrates the remarkable past, present and future of Disney, taking its name from 1923, the year Walt Disney founded his world-famous company. To learn more about the club which a host of exclusive benefits including publications, discounts and special offers; free gifts throughout the year and exclusive events created especially for its members, go to http://www.D23.com.
The TCM Classic Film Festival has teamed up with the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) to showcase a unique slate of programming that taps into Academy archives and distinguished membership to illustrate this year’s overall festival theme of Style in the Movies.
AMPAS will exhibit Hollywood home movies, preserved by the Academy, featuring legendary stars and filmmakers, presented by Randy Haberkamp of AMPAS and Lynn Kirste of the Academy Film Archive with special guests Margaret O’Brien; Steve McQueen’s former wife Neile Adams McQueen Toffel; Henry Koster’s son, Robert Koster; and the daughter of Fred MacMurray, Kate MacMurray.
AMPAS will also present a discussion of how art directors use various items to aid in storytelling featuring members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Art Directors Branch as well an exhibit of sketches and behind-the-scenes photography that illustrate the work of costume designers such as Travis Banton and Edith Head, comprised of rarely seen archival material from the Margaret Herrick Library at AMPAS.
In addition, AMPAS will showcase the history of red carpet fashion at the Academy Awards®, in a presentation with Los Angeles Times fashion critic Booth Moore. AMPAS is among the many partners contributing to Club TCM, the central gathering point for the festival. Club TCM is set to feature a packed slate of appearances, presentations, panel discussions, music, special exhibits and much more.
Located in the Blossom Room at the historic Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, the site of the very first Academy Awards® ceremony, Club TCM will be open exclusively to passholders from noon to midnight each day during the festival, the beautifully decorated space will provide passholders with a place to relax, meet new friends and mingle with special guests. For A complete schedule of CLUB TCM events see http://www.tcm.com/festival.
Like the road shows of old, Turner Classic Movies “Road To Hollywood” made whistle stop’s in ten major cities, showing a Classic Film, with guest stars and moderators. From March 3 through April 21, the TCM gang visited Seattle, Cleveland, Tampa, Chicago, New York, St Louis, Long Island, Austin, San Francisco before tHe April 21st screening of “Here To Eternity”.
About the 2012 TCM Classic Film Festival
Taking place Thursday, April 12 – Sunday, April 15, 2012, in Hollywood, the third-annual TCM Classic Film Festival is produced by TCM and sponsored by Vanity Fair, host of the exclusive,opening-night party. Since launching in spring 2010, the TCM Classic Film Festival has quickly established itself as a destination event for film lovers, drawing more than 25,000 attendees from around the country and around the globe in 2011.
The Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, which has a longstanding role in movie history and was the site of the first Oscars® ceremony, will serve as the official hotel for the festival, as well as home to Club TCM, a central gathering point for passholders. Screenings and events will be held at Grauman’s Chinese Theatre, Chinese 6 Theatres, the Egyptian Theatre and The Music Box Theatre.
Festival Passes
Passes for the TCM Classic Film Festival will be available at four price levels. The number of passes will be limited, especially for top-level “Spotlight” passes.
• The “Matinee” Festival Pass: $299 – Includes access to all film programs starting prior to 6 p.m. (PT) at all festival venues Friday, April 13 – Sunday, April 15; admission to Club. TCM events and panels at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel until 6 p.m. daily, Friday, April 13
– Sunday, April 15; and a commemorative festival program.
• The “Classic” Festival Pass: $499 – Includes access to all film programs at festival venues Thursday, April 12 – Sunday, April 15 (does not include admittance to the opening night red-carpet gala screening at Grauman’s Chinese Theatre or the Vanity Fair opening night party); access to all Club TCM events, panels and poolside screenings at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel; an opening-night welcome reception at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel; Friday and Saturday evening passholder gatherings; the closing-night event; and a commemorative festival program.
• The “Essential” Festival Pass: $599 – Includes all privileges available to “Classic”passholders, plus entry to the opening-night red-carpet gala screening of Cabaret (1972) at Grauman’s Chinese Theatre and official TCM Classic Film Festival collectibles.
• The “Spotlight” Festival Pass: $1,199 – Includes all privileges available to “Classic” and “Essential” passholders, plus entry to an exclusive Vanity Fair opening-night party following the red-carpet gala screening of Cabaret (1972) at Grauman’s Chinese Theatre; priority entry to all events; meet-and-greet events with TCM friends hosted by Robert Osborne; and an official TCM Classic Film Festival poster signed by Osborne.
Additional information about the 2012 TCM Classic Film Festival is available online at http://www.tcm.com/festival.