TCM Sked Second Classic Film Fest
Turner Classic Movies (TCM), which successfully staged its first TCM Classic Film Festival will hold a second edition of the festival, in Spring 2011.
TCM primetime host Robert Osborne revealed the network’s plans, prior to the North American premiere of the restored Metropolis (1927). “It’s been a thrill for all of us at TCM that our first classic film festival has been such a success, so we’re definitely going to do it again,” said Osborne, the official host of the festival. “It’s been great fun bringing together so many legendary stars and movie fans in a place where they could interact and, at the same time, see great films. To paraphrase Bogart in Casablanca, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful tradition.”
The first TCM Classic Film Festival proved to be a destination event, with attendees traveling from 45 states and 10 countries and territories, including Italy, Romania, Argentina and Guam. The four-day event included screenings of more than 50 films, celebrity appearances, panel discussions and more. It also provided movie fans with a rare opportunity to experience some of cinema’s greatest works as they were meant to be seen – on the big screen.
The stars who appeared at the festival included Mel Brooks, Luise Rainer, Ernest Borgnine, Alec Baldwin, Eva Marie Saint, Tony Curtis, Jean-Paul Belmondo, Martin Landau, Anjelica Huston, Danny Huston, Buck Henry, Eli Wallach, Esther Williams, Betty Garrett, Peter Bogdanovich, Stanley Donen, Norman Lloyd, Nancy Olson, Tim Roth, Illeana Douglas, Tab Hunter, Susan Kohner, Juanita Moore, Darryl Hickman, Curtis Hanson, John Badham, Richard Rush and special effects artist Douglas Trumbull.
The festival also featured numerous restored films, including the opening-night event, the world premiere of the restored A Star Is Born (1954).
“The TCM Classic Film Festival was a powerful reminder that TCM truly is the leading authority on classic film,” said Dennis Adamovich, senior vice president of brand and digital activation/general manager of festivals for TCM, TBS and TNT.
TCM built up to the TCM Classic Film Festival with a set of five local events. Attended by enthusiastic fans, the pre-festival Road to Hollywood celebrations featured free screenings in New York, Chicago, Boston, San Francisco and Washington, D.C., with appearances by TCM host Robert Osborne, weekend daytime host Ben Mankiewicz, Oscar®-winning actress Eva Marie Saint, filmmaker Peter Bogdanovich, Broadway legend Elaine Stritch and others.
Not only was the TCM Classic Film Festival a successful live event, it also provided TCM with abundant video pieces with stars that will be featured on-air throughout the year. In addition, TCM scheduled an on-air festival to coincide with the Hollywood event, covering many of the themes featured during the festival.
Turner Classic Movies is a Peabody Award-winning network that presents great films, uncut and commercial-free, from the largest film libraries in the world. Currently seen in 85 million homes, TCM features the insights of veteran primetime host Robert Osborne and weekend daytime host Ben Mankiewicz, plus interviews with a wide range of special guests. As the foremost authority in classic films, TCM offers critically acclaimed original documentaries and specials, along with regular programming events that include The Essentials, 31 Days of Oscar and Summer Under the Stars. TCM also stages special events and screenings, such as the TCM Classic Film Festival; produces a wide range of media about classic film, including books and DVDs; and hosts a wealth of materials at its Web site, www.tcm.com. TCM is part of Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., a Time Warner company.
