The 2024 Turner Classic Film Festival offered a variety of programming options focused on the central theme of “Most Wanted: Crime and Justice in Film.” What makes this festival special is the range of films available over four days including world premiere restorations, popular classics, and newly discovered gems. I was able to coordinate screenings of all of these options resulting in another wonderful movie-watching experience.
My festival experience began with a media reception on Wednesday evening. It is always a treat to see the TCM hosts that will be conducting the interviews of the special guests in each screening. Ben Mankiewicz, Eddie Muller, Jacqueline Stewart, Alicia Malone, and Dave Karger were in attendance to discuss those films and guests they were most looking forward to.
Thursday officially kicked things off with the panel “So You Want to Put On a Classic Film Festival” featuring past and present TCM staffers Darcy Hettrich (Talent Producer), Gina McKenzie (Vice President of Public Relations), Genevieve McGillicuddy (Festival Director), and Charlie Tabesh (Programmer) moderated by Scott McGee. This was an extremely entertaining and interesting event with inside stories about the challenges involved with not only the first festival but a few that followed. Hettich was the highlight with her trials and tribulations wrangling the talent and all of their demands ranging from Jerry Lewis asking for more money after committing to Burt Reynolds worn out after a very long walk when his golf cart wouldn’t fit on the elevator.
Buy Clue Blu-rayClue (1985) was my first movie and provided my first opportunity to attend a poolside screening at the Roosevelt Hotel. It was an absolute blast. Having seen this movie many times, including seeing it three times with my dad when it was initially released in theaters. This was done in an attempt to see all three alternate endings, but we got the same ending each time. Luckily, all three endings are now part of the film. The still-gorgeous Lesley Ann Warren was interviewed by Karger, providing behind-the-scenes information such as Carrie Fisher being originally cast in her role as Miss Scarlett and that the cast didn’t know any of the endings until they were shot.
Friday
The El Capitan Theater is always a fun experience. With the incredible organ player and curtain show, it provided a perfect start to the day. Animator Floyd Norman shared making of stories of One Hundred and One Dalmatians (1961). This Disney classic is the second most successful animated film of all time, adjusted for inflation. Cruella De Vil remains one of the best villains ever created and still leaps of the screen.
The Silence of the Lambs (1991), the next movie in my lineup, offered dramatic change in tone from the previous crime story. Mankiewicz interviewing Jodie Foster was a big part of my decision in attending, having been a big fan since Freaky Friday (1976) and her latest role in True Detective was phenomenal. Her insights on how the film came together were fascinating. Gene Hackman was originally set to direct but he dropped out since he felt it was too violent. When he was replaced by Jonathan Demme, she knew Michelle Pfeiffer would be his first choice. She met with him in hopes that something might change, and when Pfeiffer dropped out, she was in. Her humility and intelligence shined through and my only wish was that the interview had been longer. Not having seen the film in years, it still stands up as an intense thriller as Clarice Starling (Foster) matches wits with incarcerated Hannibal “the Cannibal” Lecter (Anthony Hopkins) while trying to catch a serial killer.
The Prisoner of Shark Island (1936) was my first opportunity to visit the much sought after, small Theater 4, which is the only one that plays 35mm prints at the Chinese Theaters. I had originally planned to see Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977) due to the rare chance to see Steven Spielberg. The lack of desire to see the movie itself drove my decision, which I do not regret. It is based on the story of Dr. Samuel Mudd (Warner Baxter), who was wrongly charged and convicted of being a co-conspirator of the assignation of Abraham Lincoln with John Wiles Booth. He ends up imprisoned off the Gulf of Mexico where he deals with a hostility from a villainous guard (John Carradine). Directed by John Ford, this was the first collaboration of eleven with Carradine. His son Keith Carradine was the special guest and the stories about his dad also made this an excellent choice.
David Fincher was the one special guest I was determined to see along with the IMAX world premiere restoration screening of Se7en (1995). It has always felt strange to say I enjoy this film with its intensely dark, dystopian serial killer storyline. However, Fincher creates beauty in the darkness and this restoration highlights his incredible visuals and sound elements. This was the only time I was able to see Eddie Mueller who I always enjoy; he mentioned how much he hates these types of films but this one has something unique about it that makes it watchable. Ned Beatty was originally slated to play the role that ended up with Kevin Spacey, but he said this script was the most evil thing he had ever read and couldn’t do it. I had several conversations with people in line who had never seen the film before and I would guess half of the theater was in the same boat. The theater experience definitely enhanced this viewing and solidified that there is nothing like seeing a movie on a huge screen with an engrossed audience.
Saturday
Diane Lane drove my attendance at A Little Romance (1979). This was her first film, which told the story of a con man (Lord Laurence Olivier) who aids her character in a great romantic adventure until it is thwarted by the mom (Sally Kellerman). Lane was as beautiful and charming as I imagined. Starting her career at the young age of six, she had to lie about being older which is not something women often have to do. She was 13 when she was cast in this role and knew the importance of who she as performing with. The screening started late and the interview ran long, which resulted in me having to skip the movie itself. I hope to be able to find it in the near future.
The Mad Miss Manton (1938) was the reason for my quick departure. Donald Bogle is a must see for me every festival and this was the only film he was introducing. This comical, murder mystery stars Barbara Stanwyck and Henry Fonda as contentious love interests; this was the first of three films they were in together. Hattie McDaniel plays Stanwyck’s wisecracking maid and lights up the screen each scene she is in. Bogle discussed how McDaniel was often criticized for always playing maids but she always took the roles in a different direction using dialogue to combat her subservient position.
Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman were on hand to discuss the 30th anniversary presentation of The Shawshank Redemption (1994). I have seen this wonderful prison drama too many times to count so I didn’t intend to stay for it but couldn’t pass up the chance to see the two of them. Their bond and lasting friendship was evident as they reminisced about the unlikely prisoner alliance between a convicted murderer (Robbins) and a contraband smuggler (Freeman).
The 40th anniversary presentation of Footloose (1984) was my second poolside screening, providing even more fun than the first. What I enjoy about these screenings is that people first and foremost are there to watch the movie. As was evidenced by the crowd shushing and shaming a group of people near the bar that were drinking and talking loudly. Secondarily, this crowd is about enjoying themselves, which resulted in singing and dancing during many of the songs. Dean Pitchford, who wrote the screenplay based on the true story of banned dancing in a small town, along with all of the song lyrics, was the special guest. He had the opportunity to make this film off of his success with the hit song “Fame”. No one expected it to be successful and it was considered a write-off, being dumped in the theaters in February. It was anything but a failure with the soundtrack knocking Michael Jackson’s Thriller from the top of the charts. My appreciation of John Lithgow’s performance as the strict town preacher has grown over time along with the understated role of Dianne Wiest as his struggling wife. Kevin Bacon still shines as the dancing rebel and his friendship with Chris Penn is a highlight.
The midnight movies tend to offer something unknown and quirky. Heavenly Bodies (1984) was no exception. This Canadian cult favorite hit the theaters off of the success of Flashdance (1983) and follows a single mom who dreams of owning her own aerobics studio. It was originally dismissed as “the world’s longest music video,” which is not far from the truth, featuring songs from Bonnie Pointer, The Tubes, and Sparks. It is a fun romp full of the ’80s nostalgia. It was a treat to have Millie De Chirico, the former curator of TCM Underground, back for the introduction.
Sunday
Billy Dee Williams was one of the festival honorees and seeing him before The Bingo Long Traveling All-Stars & Motor Kings (1976) was my last event. The vignette before the film highlighted his illustrious career. I didn’t realize how many films he has been in as I just remember him as the immensely charismatic and charming Lando Calrissian in The Empire Strikes Back (1980). Williams is at his best as Bingo, whose character is inspired by Leroy “Satchel” Paige. Set in the 1930s, Bingo gathers together other players from the Negro League in hopes of making more money after being taken advantage by team owners. James Earl Jones and Richard Pryor join him along with some of the original members of the Indianapolis Clowns whose routines were the basis for some of the team antics in the film. It is entertaining and informative with a history worth understanding.
Each year feels like the best festival yet with an anxiousness for the next one! In 2023 when the restructuring and layoffs at TCM happened, there was a lot of concern about how it would affect the festival or if it would continue at all. It is such a special experience to meet fellow passionate movie lovers from all across the country and share the joy of being in a theater together watching great films. Having attended 13 festivals, there are many familiar faces that I look forward to seeing each year and chatting about the best things we have seen. This year seemed very successful and I would be curious if attendance was higher as it felt like it. While dashing from movie to movie, it seems I am getting in lots of movies but on the drive home I am always filled with regret for those that I didn’t get to.
