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More Exciting News From 2025 TCM Classic Film Festival

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Posted by Larry Gleeson

2025 TCM Classic Film Festival Reveals Additional Star-Studded Guests: Michael Mann, Rob Reiner, Kathy Bates, Aaron Sorkin and More to Attend

New York, NY – April 3, 2025 – Turner Classic Movies (TCM) today announced additional talent and programming for this year’s 16th annual TCM Classic Film Festival running April 24 – 27, 2025 in Hollywood, including a Closing Night 30th anniversary special screening of 1995’s epic crime drama Heat, in conversation with director Michael Mann. In addition to previously announced titles, the festival line-up will also include:

  • Director Rob Reiner in conversation with screenwriter Aaron Sorkin to introduce a 30th anniversary of The American President (1995)
  • Misery (1990) with star Kathy Bates and Rob Reiner
  • Keir Dullea in attendance to present 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
  • Director Alexander Payne will introduce Ben Hur (1959)
  • The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975) with star Barry Bostwick
  • Blade Runner (1982) with star Sean Young
  • Danny Huston will attend to present Heaven Knows, Mr. Allison (1957)
  • Paul Schrader will join the festival to introduce Hud (1963)
  • Sound effects artist Ben Burtt and visual effects artist Craig Barron will return to the festival with a special presentation of Colossus: The Forbin Project (1970) with a guest appearance by star Eric Braedon.

 

Ben Burtt on the 2023 TCM Classic Film Festival red carpet (Photo by L. Gleeson)

 

For the first time since the 1950s, the TCM Classic Film Festival, in collaboration with Paramount Pictures, will host screenings of VistaVision films. Unlike standard 35mm film, which runs vertically through the camera, VistaVision shoots the negative horizontally, exposing the image across two 35mm frames. Using VistaVision projectors specifically installed for the festival, TCM will showcase two rare VistaVision prints: Gunfight at the O.K. Corral (1957) and We’re No Angels (1955) and will feature this year’s Academy-award winning cinematographer Lol Crawley. These screenings present an exceptionally rare opportunity to see VistaVision as it was meant to be experienced: on the big screen, in stunning clarity and with Perspecta audio.

The festival will also be honoring the 90th anniversary of the British Film Institute’s National Archive, one of the most important film and TV collections in the world. Titles presented by the BFI in this celebration include Blithe Spirit (with an introduction from Christine Ebersole), Edge of the City, Mildred Pierce (a rare original 1945 nitrate release print), the premiere of new 35mm prints of To Be or Not To Be and The Private Life of Henry VIII (with an introduction by BFI Head of Conservation Kieron Webb), plus Jaws (a pristine original 1975 Technicolor dye-transfer British release print, with a special appearance by Lorraine Gary.) The treasures in the BFI National Archive’s will also be showcased in a special in conversation event as part of Club TCM, titled Across the Pond: Sights & Sounds of the British Film Institute to dive into the BFI’s archive with their CEO, Ben Roberts.

Not to be missed Club TCM Presentations will include:

Conversation with Michael Schultz
The TCM Classic Film Festival is proud to pay tribute to the work of prolific and award-winning director and producer Michael Schultz. A veteran of stage, film and television, Schultz has created memorable works for decades, working longer than any other African-American director. From films like Cooley High (1975) and the Cannes award-winning CAR WASH (1976) to television, from Starsky and Hutch and The Rockford Files to Ally McBeal and Black-ish, his talents have shone in multiple productions. Schultz also has an eye for new talent, casting Al Pacino in his first Broadway play, Does a Tiger Wear a Necktie?, winning the actor a Tony Award, and also cast Denzel Washington and Samuel L. Jackson in their first feature films. Join TCM for an in-depth conversation with Michael Schultz about his remarkable career and life.

The TCM Classic Film Festival, April 24-27, 2025, in Hollywood California,  has selected Michael Schultz as this year’s honoree.

Fantastic Footage and Where to Find It: Surprise and Delights from the
World’s Film Archives
“Just when I thought I’d seen it all…”  That familiar phrase might come to mind in this one-of-a-kind presentation. Among the millions of film and video works collected within the world’s archives, there exists an unseen tapestry of remarkable, astonishing and often unseen gems found on a multitude of sources—film and video formats of all shapes and sizes. From film fragments, blooper reels and outtakes, home movies, extraordinary commercials, even local news footage, and some things that just defy explanation, this curated presentation will reveal curious and eclectic wonders tucked away within the globe’s vast archival holdings.
In Attendance: Brittan Dunham and Ashley Swinnerton

From Here to Eternity: A Visit to the Final Resting Places of Hollywood’s Legends
Movies, by their nature, are intangible and ghostly projections conjured out of roughly equal portions of light and personality. So, it’s fitting that our favorite stars usually leave us with very little physical evidence of their existence – beyond their final resting places that is. Join renowned film historians and celebrity-cemetery sleuths Karie Bible and Steven Bingen for this all-access, whirlwind virtual tour of Hollywood’s most famous celebrity gravesites, many of which are as mysterious, inspirational, and eccentric as the legends they commemorate. Filled with personal stories, historic and contemporary photos and explicit directions about how you can find and visit scores of celebrity graves yourself, this reverent/irreverent presentation is a must for anyone interested in connecting the dots, and the last dot in particular, behind the lives of those fascinating faces on the screen.
In attendance: Karie Bible, Steven Bingen.

The full 2025 TCM Classic Film Festival Programming Schedule of films, participating talent, special talks and presentations are now available. For all information, please visit http://tcm.com/festival.

About 2025 TCM Classic Film Festival
Movie lovers from around the globe will descend upon Hollywood for the 16th edition of the TCM Classic Film Festival, set to take place Thursday, April 24 – Sunday, April 27, 2025. Over four packed days and nights, attendees will be treated to an extensive lineup of great movies, appearances by legendary stars and filmmakers, fascinating presentations and panel discussions, special events, and more.

Ben Mankiewicz attends the 40th Anniversary Screening of E.T. The Extraterrestrial (1982) at the TCL Chinese Theatre during Opening Night of the 2022 TCM Classic Film Festival.

TCM Primetime Host Ben Mankiewicz will serve as official host of the TCM Classic Film Festival, alongside Jacqueline Stewart, Dave Karger, Alicia Malone, and Eddie Muller.

The festival’s official hotel and central gathering point will be The Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, which has a longstanding role in movie history and was the site of the first Academy Awards® ceremony. The Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel will also offer special rates for Festival attendees. Screenings and events during the festival will be held at the TCL Chinese Theatre IMAX®, the TCL Chinese 6 Theatres, the Egyptian Theatre, and a return to the historic El Capitan Theatre.

This year’s festival theme is “Grand Illusions: Fantastic Worlds on Film.For the latest news and information, follow on social media at #TCMFF.

About Turner Classic Movies (TCM)  
Turner Classic Movies (TCM) is a two-time Peabody Award-winning network that presents classic films, uncut and commercial-free, from the largest film libraries in the world highlighting “Where Then Meets Now.” TCM features insights from Primetime host Ben Mankiewicz along with hosts Alicia Malone, Dave Karger, Jacqueline Stewart and Eddie Muller, plus interviews with a wide range of special guests and serves as the ultimate movie lover destination. With three decades as a leading authority in classic film, TCM offers critically acclaimed series like The Essentials and Reframed along with annual programming events like 31 Days of Oscar® and Summer Under the Stars. TCM also directly connects with movie fans through popular events such as the annual TCM Classic Film Festival in Hollywood and the TCM Classic Cruise. In addition, TCM produces the wildly successful podcast “The Plot Thickens,” which has had more than 9 million downloads to date. TCM hosts a wealth of material online at tcm.com and through the Watch TCM mobile app. Fans can also enjoy a classic movie experience on the TCM hub on Max.

Larry Gleeson attending his first TCM Classic Film Festival.
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TCM to Honor Michelle Pfeiffer with Hand and Footprint Ceremony

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Posted by Larry Gleeson

TCM Pressroom Press Release

TCM to Honor Michelle Pfeiffer with Hand and Footprint Ceremony and Screening of The Fabulous Baker Boys at 2025 TCM Classic Film Festival

 

New York, NY – March 6, 2025. Turner Classic Movies (TCM) has revealed that legendary actress Michelle Pfeiffer will be celebrated with a hand and footprint ceremony at the renowned TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood on Friday, April 25th as part of the 16th annual TCM Classic Film Festival. During the festival, Pfeiffer’s acclaimed performance in THE FABULOUS BAKER BOYS (1989) — for which she was nominated for an Academy Award and won the Golden Globe for Best Actress — will be showcased.

“There’s an undeniable quality to any part played by Michelle Pfeiffer,” said Ben Mankiewicz, TCM Primetime Anchor and Official Host of the TCM Classic Film Festival. “She blends — seemingly effortlessly (though it surely isn’t effortless) — elegance with depth, capturing the complexity in every character she plays. For example, take the two times she’s portrayed the wife or girlfriend of a criminal kingpin, opposite Al Pacino in Brian De Palma’s violent drama ‘Scarface,’ then leading the cast of Jonathan Demme’s romantic comedy ‘Married to the Mob.’  In ‘Scarface,’ she could’ve been nothing but an objectified prize to the two men in her life.

“Instead, she brought this steely toughness to the role, humanizing Elvira in unexpected ways. In ‘Married to the Mob,’ she took a similar character type, turned it entirely upside down and served as the film’s emotional anchor. After those two performances, there was little doubt a major talent was on the scene in Hollywood. And she’s made good on that promise over the last three-plus decades in film after film, including ‘The Fabulous Baker Boys,’ ‘Dangerous Liaisons,’ ‘Russia House,’ ‘Catwoman,’ ‘Hairspray,’ her critically acclaimed turn as Betty Ford in ‘The First Lady’, and as Bernie Madoff’s compellingly detached wife Ruth in the HBO movie ‘Wizard of Lies.’ No matter the character, Michelle Pfeiffer’s performances are consistently nuanced and convincingly authentic.”

This marks the 12th hand and footprint ceremony as part of the TCM Classic Film Festival. In 2011, Peter O’Toole was the honoree, followed by Kim Novak in 2012, Jane Fonda in 2013, Jerry Lewis in 2014, Christopher Plummer in 2015, Francis Ford Coppola in 2016, Carl and Rob Reiner in 2017, Cicely Tyson in 2018, Billy Crystal in 2019, Lily Tomlin in 2022 and Jodie Foster in 2024.

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – APRIL 22: <> attends the Hand and Footprint Ceremony honoring Lily Tomlin during the 2022 TCM Classic Film Festival at the TCL Chinese Theatre on April 22, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Presley Ann/Getty Images for TCM)

http://For more information, please visit http://tcm.com/festival.

About Turner Classic Movies (TCM)

Turner Classic Movies (TCM) is a two-time Peabody Award-winning network that presents classic films, uncut and commercial-free, from the largest film libraries in the world highlighting “Where Then Meets Now.” TCM features insights from Primetime host Ben Mankiewicz along with hosts Alicia Malone, Dave Karger, Jacqueline Stewart and Eddie Muller, plus interviews with a wide range of special guests and serves as the ultimate movie lover destination. With three decades as a leading authority in classic film, TCM offers critically acclaimed series like The Essentials and Reframed along with annual programming events like 31 Days of Oscar® and Summer Under the Stars. TCM also directly connects with movie fans through popular events such as the annual TCM Classic Film Festival in Hollywood and the TCM Classic Cruise. In addition, TCM produces the wildly successful podcast “The Plot Thickens,” which has had more than 9 million downloads to date. TCM hosts a wealth of material online at tcm.com and through the Watch TCM mobile app. Fans can also enjoy a classic movie experience on the TCM hub on Max.

 

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The 2025 TCM Classic Film Festival Presenting GRAND ILLUSIONS

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Posted by Larry Gleeson

The 2025 TCM Classic Film Festival will open in Hollywood, California, from April 24–27. The festival’s theme is:

GRAND ILLUSIONS: FANTASTIC WORLDS ON FILM

The festival will include films such as:

GEORGE STEVENS: A FILMMAKER’S JOURNEY (1984)

George Stevens, Jr., produced and narrates this look at his father’s life and work. It includes interviews with Katharine Hepburn, Fred Astaire, Hermes Pan, Frank Capra, John Huston, Alan J. Pakula and Fred Astaire, and features previously unreleased footage of Stevens’ cinematic efforts during World War II; found only after his death, this footage is the only full-color film ever shot during the war. Stevens will be bestowed with this year’s Robert J. Osborne Award, given annually at the TCM Classic Film Festival honoring those who preserve classic film. The award is named after Robert Osborne, a longtime host of Turner Classic Movies.

 

Car Wash (1976)

A groundbreaking comedy directed by 2025 TCM CLASSIC FILM FESTIVAL HONOREE, Michael Schultz, that follows a day in the lives of a group of employees at a Los Angeles car wash played by a “who’s who” cast of notable entertainers including Richard Pryor, George Carlin, Franklyn Ajaye, and The Pointer Sisters.

 

Beau Geste (1926)

A silent adventure drama starring Ronald Colman as a man who joins the French Foreign Legion . World premiere restoration presented with live accompaniment by the Mont Alto Motion Picture Orchestra.

Ben-Hur (1959)

An epic starring Charlton Heston as a Jewish prince, Judah Ben-Hur, who is betrayed and enslaved by a Roman friend. World premiere restoration.

The Big Combo (1955)

A film noir starring Cornel Wilde as a police detective determined to take down a crime boss. World premiere 4K Ignite Films restoration created by the UCLA Film and Television Archives with funding from the Film Foundation.

2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)

Stanley Kubrick’s science fiction epic about humanity’s evolution and the mysteries of space and time.

Festival passes are on sale: Click here

 

Stay tuned!

 

Larry Gleeson, left, with Hollywood starlet, Angie Dickinson. (Photo credit: HollywoodGlee)

 

 

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Michael Schultz 2025 TCM Classic Film Festival Honoree

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Posted by Larry Gleeson

The TCM Classic Film Festival, April 24-27, 2025, in Hollywood California,  has selected Michael Schultz as this year’s honoree

Michael Schultz’s work has consistently drawn praise for its humane qualities, humor, warmth, and life-affirming optimism.

Michael Schultz

Mr. Schultz achieved a distinguished career in the New York theater in the late 1960s early ‘70s. He began directing regional theater at the McCarter Theatre in Princeton, New Jersey, with critically acclaimed productions of Waiting for Godot and The Emperor Jones. His off-Broadway debut in 1968 was in the world-famous Negro Ensemble Company’s inaugural season. A founding member of the company, he directed Kongi’s Harvest by renowned Nigerian author Wole Soyinka and Song of the Lusitanian Bogey by Peter Weiss (for which he won the Obie Award for Best Director).

Mr. Schultz also directed plays at New York Shakespeare Festival, Lincoln Center, The Public Theater, the Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles, and the World Theatre Festival in London and Rome. One such production had a command performance in Munich during the Olympic Games in 1972.

In 1991, he directed Mule Bone for Lincoln Center on Broadway, the world premiere of a 60-year-old literary treasure written by Zora Neale Hurston and Langston Hughes.

He made the transition from theater to film in 1972, adapting and directing the off-Broadway play To Be Young, Gifted, and Black for PBS television.

His first feature, Together for Days (1972), was followed quickly by a romantic adventure filmed in Beirut, Lebanon: Honeybaby, Honeybaby (1974). He also directed Ceremonies in Dark Old Men (1975) for ABC Theater, which won him the Christopher Award.

His Hollywood career began in 1975 with Cooley High for American International Pictures, which became a cultural classic and a landmark film in Black cinema. It was also the hit of the 1976 Dakar Film Festival and the 1978 Telluride Film Festival. The critical and box-office success of Cooley High firmly launched Mr. Schultz’s film career.

Car Wash

CAR WASH, another classic for Universal Pictures, followed in 1976. It, too, was a critical and box-office success. In 1977, it was the first film directed by an African American to be accepted to compete at the Cannes Film Festival. The film won the Best Music award for Norman Whitfield and a Technical Grand Prize for Mr. Schultz, as well as competing for the Palme d’Or.

In 1977, he directed Greased Lightning for Warner Bros. and another box-office hit for Universal, Which Way Is Up? Both of these films were star vehicles for Richard Pryor.

He then directed Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (1978); Scavenger Hunt (1979); Carbon Copy (1981), the film debut of Denzel Washington; and Bustin’ Loose (1981), another Richard Pryor vehicle. In 1985, he directed THE LAST DRAGON for Tri-Star Pictures and the Warner Bros. rap musical film Krush Groove, which introduced LL Cool J and Blair Underwood. In 1987, Mr. Schultz produced and directed the Warner Bros. comedy Disorderlies.

The Last Dragon

Mr. Schultz and his wife Gloria formed Crystalite Productions, Inc., to develop film and television properties. Through this company, he financed, produced, and directed Earth, Wind & Fire in Concert (1982). His latest feature film, Woman Thou Art Loosed (2004), won the Panavision Spirit Award for Independent Cinema at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival.

For more information on how to attend click here.

Robert Osborne Award, TCM Classic Film Festival

George Stevens Jr., set to Receive the Robert Osborne Award

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Posted by Larry Gleeson

Turner Classic Movies pays tribute , Robert Osborne, the late and long time host, with the Robert Osborne Award, presented annually at the TCM Classic Film Festival. The award is bestowed upon an individual whose work has helped preserve the cultural heritage of classic film for future generations. In 2025, TCM honors writer, director, producer and author George Stevens, Jr. in recognition of a career that has celebrated and championed American film. Past recipients have included: Martin Scorsese, Kevin Brownlow, Leonard Maltin, Donald Bogle, and Jeanine Basinger.

Donald Bogle on the red carpet at the 2023 TCM Classic Film Festival (Photo cr. Larry Gleeson)

On January 4, 2025, President Joe Biden awarded Stevens the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the Nation’s highest civilian honor. The White House recognized Stevens for his “dedication to preserving and celebrating American film and the performing arts…and his creativity and vision that have helped redeem the soul of a nation founded on the power of free expression.” 

Stevens forged his own unique path in film, public service, and the arts during the Kennedy Administration as the director of the Motion Picture Service at the United States Information Agency (USIA). His productions established what has been called the “golden era” of USIA filmmaking. 

Stevens recounts his creative life in MY PLACE IN THE SUN: Life in the Golden Age of Hollywood and Washington, an intimate account of his show business family spanning five generations, and his own career in Hollywood and Washington. Historian Michael Beschloss praised Stevens “…for not only writing a great book but for being a great artist, a great statesman, and a great friend of democracy in a time that needs it.” Steven Spielberg observed: “George Stevens, Jr. created his own place in the sun and has stood the test of time through his contribution to the culture of the motion picture and all forms of the creative arts.” Stevens’ memoir, recently released in paperback, is also available on Audible and Amazon as recorded by the author. 

George Stevens, Jr. receives honorary Oscar

Stevens has earned 15 Emmys; two Peabody Awards for Meritorious Service to Broadcasting; the Humanitas Prize; 8 awards from the Writers Guild of America; National Board of Review’s William K. Everson Award for contributions to film history; the Paul Selvin Award for writing that embodies civil rights and liberties; the 2009 Spirit of Anne Frank Award for work upholding Frank’s ideals of hope, justice, and equality; and the Legion d’honneur presented by the Government of the Republic of France. In 1997 Stevens received an Honorary Life Achievement Award from The American Film Institute and in 2012 the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences presented him with an Honorary Oscar for “extraordinary distinction in lifetime achievement.” 

Photo from AFI.com

Stevens’ appointment in 1967 as the Founding Director of the American Film Institute (AFI) placed him at the forefront of culture, politics, and film preservation. During his tenure, more than 45,000 irreplaceable American films were rescued to be enjoyed by future generations. In 1969 he established the AFI Conservatory which gained a reputation as the finest learning opportunity for aspiring filmmakers. 

George Stevens, Jr. is a writer, director, producer, playwright, author, and champion of American film. He has achieved an extraordinary creative legacy spanning more than 60 years, encompassing enduring cinematic and artistic productions that have enlightened audiences worldwide, and enriched the nation’s cultural heritage.

You don’t want to miss this event!

*For more information on attending the Robert Osborne Award Program click here

 

 

 

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TCM Classic Film Festival 2025

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Posted by Larry Gleeson

GRAND ILLUSIONS: FANTASTIC WORLDS ON FILM

APRIL 24-27, 2025

 

Movie lovers will once again descend upon Hollywood Boulevard for one-of-a-kind programming event themed “Grand Illusions: Fantastic Worlds on Film” at the TCM Classic Film Festival on April 24 – April 27, 2025. Over four packed days and nights, attendees will be treated to an extensive lineup of great movies, appearances by legendary stars, panel discussions, special events, and more.

The festival also welcomes George Stevens Jr.  as the Robert Osborne Award recipient, which recognizes an individual who has helped keep the cultural heritage of classic film alive for future generations. Stevens – a writer, director, producer, playwright, author, two-time Peabody Award recipient and Founding Director of the American Film Institute (AFI) – will be the sixth honoree to receive this award and will present the Hollywood premiere of the 4K restoration of GEORGE STEVENS: A FILMMAKER’S JOURNEY, the acclaimed film he wrote and directed about his Oscar winning father.

Additionally, each year the event pays tribute to a select group of individuals whose work in Hollywood has left a lasting impact on film. This year’s tributes will include filmmaker and producer Michael Schultz, with special presentations of CAR WASH (1976) and THE LAST DRAGON (1986). The festival’s final tribute will be announced at a later date.

Featured films announced thus far include:

  • World premiere restoration of BEAU GESTE (1926)
  • World premiere restoration of THE BIG COMBO (1955)
  • World premiere restoration of THE ENCHANTED COTTAGE (1945)
  • World premiere restoration of SPLENDOR IN THE GRASS (1961)
  • World premiere restoration of THE WIZ (1978)
  • THE DIVORCEE (1930)
  • THE TIME MACHINE (1960)
  • 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY (1968)
  • SUPERMAN (1978)
  • JAWS (1975) 50th anniversary
  • BLACKBOARD JUNGLE (1955)
  • SUSPICION (1941)
  • BRIGADOON (1954)
  • GUNMAN’S WALK (1958)
  • THE TALK OF THE TOWN (1942)
  • BEN-HUR (1959)
  • RHAPSODY IN BLUE (1945)
  • BRINGING UP BABY (1938)
  • SERVANTS’ ENTRANCE (1934)
  • HUD (1963)

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Black Narcissus awes with production values, stuns with narrative

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Written and reviewed by Larry Gleeson during the annual TCM 31 Days of Oscar

The first time I saw Black Narcissus was the Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood, California, during the TCM Classic Film Festival. Martin Scorsese introduced the film. While introducing the film, Scorsese informed the audience the Egyptian had been recently retrofitted to allow for silver nitrate film stock to be safely screened and tonight’s screening of Black Narcissus would be from a 35mm silver nitrate film reel. It was my first and, as far as I know, the only time I’ve seen a film on 35mm silver nitrate film stock. As most of you probably know, the film industry moved away from the stock as it had the propensity to combust when not stored properly. Nevertheless, the screening was majestic with a vibrant array of grays, deep blacks, and shimmering silver, unparalled in my filmic experience. Technicolor added rich and saturated color palette, as well.

Black Narcissus, adapted from a novel by Rumer Godden, was written, produced and directed by Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger. The narrative revolves around a group of nuns sent to an old, dilapidated Palace of Nopu to establish a school and a hospital for the natives. Sister Clodagh, young and not considered experienced enough by the Reverend Mother Superior (Nancy Roberts), was selected to be the Sister Superior at Nopu. To accompany Sister Clodagh, the  Reverend Mother selected four other nuns: Sister Briony (Judith Furse), picked for her strength; Sister Philippa (Flora Robson), picked for her gardening skills; Sister Honey (Jenny Laird), the most popular nun in the order, picked to help with popularity among the local populace; and Sister Ruth (Kathleen Bryon), who is ill but in need of challenge and a sense of importance.

A voice-over informs the audience of the contents of the letter from the General. The Palace of Nopu is perched on a mountain shelf had been where a General had housed his ladies (harem) and was locally known as the House of the Women. The wind blows constantly. The natives live below. The men are men, the woman are women, and the children are children. In addition, a holy man sits above the palace day and night and the locals revere him with food and drink. A caretaker, Angu Ayah (May Hallatt) lives in the palace by herself imagining what life must have been like in its heyday.

As the nuns arrive and make the palace home, the audience is treated to majestic views of the populace and the stunning vistas. The air is clear and fresh. Soon, however, Sister Briony and Sister Clodagh begin having flashbacks of their lives before taking their vows. Both are troubled by these memories. The tension in the environment is so thick a butter knife could cut through it. There’s tension between the Sisters. There’s tension between Mr. Dean and two of the Sisters. Lastly, Sister Ruth does not renew her vows. What unfolds is a cold and stark reality of the environment. Lessons are learned. Lives are lost.

Nevertheless, the production design (Alfred Junge) of Black Narcissus is magnificent. The mise-en-scen underscores the palace history and helps reveal the narrative. The costuming works in establishing time and place. The Oscar-winning cinematography, by Jack Cardiff ,adds an artistic dimension with various camera angles allowing for power, something awry, god shot perspectives and character emotionality. Continuity editing (Reginald Mills) is evident and used to great effect in more than one scene  In addition, Kerr and Bryon turn in stellar performances. Roberts is very convincing as Mother Superior. Meanwhile, Farrar fills the scene with masculinity in his scenes throughout the film. Furse, Robson, and Laird more than hold their own. With a runtime of one hour and forty-one minutes there is nary a dull moment. This is a production that awes! Highly recommended.

 

 

 

 

 

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The Bad and The Beautiful (Vincente Minnelli, 1952): U.S.A.

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Written and reviewed by Larry Gleeson during the annual TCM 31 Days of Oscar

The Bad and the Beautiful (1952), directed by Vincente Minelli and music by David Raskin, tells the story of an ambitious producer, Jonathan Shields, portrayed by Kirk Douglas. Minelli utilizes flashbacks with voice over narration from the individuals who had worked with Shields; Writer James Lee Bartlow, portrayed by Dick Powell, a star Georgia Lorrison, portrayed by Hollywood starlet, Lana Turner, and Director Fred Amiel, portrayed by Barry Sullivan.

Kirk Douglas and Lana Turner

Interestingly, The Bad and The Beautiful seems to loosely imitate Akira Kurasowa’s Rashomon, winner of the 1951 Golden Lion, the top prize at the oldest and one of the most prestigious film festivals in the world. The film world was taken awestruck by Kurasowa’s work and style. Furthermore, the use of the voice-over-narration, especially in the first act of The Bad and The Beautiful, Minelli employs the technique in a fashion closely resembling Billy Wilder’s use in Double Indemnity.

While The Bad and The Beautiful is typically regarded as a drama, I argue it is on the cusp of being a melodrama with the stereotypical characters, exaggerated emotions, and simplistic plot. Raskin’s musical score is impressive, and it supports the musical styles in melodramas such as Douglas Sirk’s All That Heaven Allows. What sets The Bad and The Beautiful apart is its cinematography by Robert Surtees, A.S.C., a three-time Oscar winner for Best Cinematography [King Solomon’s Mines (1951), The Bad and The Beautiful (1952), Ben Hur, 1960)]. Nevertheless, even the New York Times film critic, Bosley Crowther provides a melodramatic opening to his review:

“The widely circulated notion that there are monsters in Hollywood, aside and apart entirely from the grim and ghoulish get of Frankenstein, is given unqualified endorsement, with no reservations and no holds barred, in Metro’s “The Bad and the Beautiful,”…

Back to the film. After the beginning credits roll with Lana Turner and Kirk Douglas receive top billing – in that order, the film transitions to black and a diegetic ringing is heard. The opening frame is of a solitary black rotary phone, the camera slowly pulls out as a man in a gray suit moves towards the phone and answers it. Meanwhile, the camera continues to pull out to a high angle “god shot” revealing a row of light stands spread out across the top of a large shelving apparatus above the phone.

Boom

The man answers the phone with, “Stage Five…Mr. Amiel’s on a camera boom rehearsing right now.” The film cuts to a moving elevated lift (boom) mounted with a camera, and Mr. providing direction. Also, an entire crew comes into frame as the boom moves in for a close up of a blonde-haired woman in a vertical position. Amiel directs the woman to move her hand up around her throat.  The gray-suited man comes into frame with the phone announcing, “transatlantic, Paris, Jonathan Shield calling you. the camera moves into a tight-medium frame shot revealing a studio camera and Mr. Amiel operating it. Amiel doesn’t take the call and instead calls out direction for the next shot.

Camera Operator/Cinematographer

In my opinion, this is the film’s overwhelming strength. Minelli provides the viewer with an inside look at how films were made in the 1950’s and the people who are involved in the filmmaking process – everything from stories to scripts, producing, financing, make up, costuming, directing, and effectively handling the sensitivities of Hollywood stars in the era. The film is shot in black and white which helps with the idea of moral business ethics – one of the underlying themes of The Bad and the Beautiful. Stylistically, the film is very easy on the eyes with terrific lighting, attractive and alluring actors, and interesting mise-en-scen. Very warmly recommended, unless you’re a Lana Turner fan, then it’s highly recommended!

 

 

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The Life of Emile Zola (1937) kicks of the 2025 TCM 31 Days of Oscar

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Posted and written by Larry Gleeson

Paul Muni as a young, struggling Emile Zola.

The Life of Emile Zola (1937) kicked off the 2025 Turner Classic Movies annual “31 Days of Oscar,” with an introduction from TCM host, Ben Mankiewicz. The Life of Emile Zola is set in Paris, 1862, signified by an extraordinary opening frame coupled with a Gothic alphanumeric text overlay. For his work Anton Grot received an Oscar nomination for Best Art Direction. Moreover, the impeccable mise-en-scen follows the story’s timeline to a T within the trajectory of Zola’s life. The film stars Paul Muni {Scarface, 1932) in the title role and is directed by William Dieterle (The Life  of Louis Pasteur, 1936). The film opens inside an artist loft containing French impressionist painter, Paul Cezanne, portrayed by Vladimir Sokoloff, and Zola, with a whimsical, non-diegetic score from Max Steiner, (nominated for Best Score, Music). Zola is in love with Paris and intends to write about her. Cezanne, on the other hand is much more pessimistic saying, “it’s hopeless.”

The film leaps forward from where the opening loft scene ended with Alexandrine Zola, portrayed by Gloria Holden, announcing Zola came into a job that would allow him to marry. Zola imagined time to write, finishing his book and publishing it. After Alexandrine implores Emile to ask for an advance to meet the rent, Emile is questioned by a police officer over his new controversial book, “The Confessions of Claude,” as well as assaulting Emile’s critical writings about the current state of French society. The police officer orders Emile to stop writing as his writings have upset the prosecutor. The situation results in Emile’s discharge from his employer. Emile thanks his employer for now allowing him to write critically full-time and proclaims to continue his critical writings “until the stench is strong enough that something will be done about it.”

Zola, one of France’s most significant 19th century writers, enters a period of great literary productivity and comes to a point where he concludes his work is complete. He is well-respected having received a letter of admittance to the French Academy, a legendary council established in 1635 by Cardinal Richelieu to protect and purify the French language in all matters pertaining to the French. Without much ado, then with great consternation, Zola risks his own well-being as he sees his Cezanne portrait, and undertakes the cause of Alfred Dreyfus, portrayed by Joseph Schildkraut. Dreyfus is a French Army Captain falsely accused of treason and is serving out a life sentence on France’s infamous Devil’s Island (Papillon, 1973). With Zola’s pen what unfolds becomes known as the Dreyfus Affair, an historic, unjust moment in French history, that culminates in a restoration of France’s shining commitment to truth, liberty and justice.

The Life of Emile Zola is an exceptional work that stands the test of time. Zola is shot on 35mm black and white film stock, with a runtime of one hour and fifty-seven minutes and has the distinction of being the first Warner Brothers film to win an Academy Award for Best Picture as noted in Mankiewicz’s introduction.  In addition, Schildkraut garnered an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor as did the writing team of Norman Reilly Raine, Heinz Herald, and Geza Herczeg, for Best Screenplay. The film was nominated for ten Oscars, a record at the time, and is still considered one of the greatest biographical, big screen films of all time. Interestingly, the film uses dissolves in editing to show the passing of time. The make up and costuming support the narrative as well. But what really caught my eye was the film’s camera work and its subtle panning and tracking shots.  The Life of Emile Zola is a highly recommended film.

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NEWS: TCM Classic Film Festival Announces More Stars and Directors!

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Posted by Larry Gleeson

TCM Classic Film Festival Announces More Stars and Directors: Steven Spielberg, Mel Brooks, Nancy Meyers, David Fincher and More to Attend

Additional Talent and Programming Announced for 15th Annual TCM Classic Film Festival in Hollywood

(Courtesy of TCM Classic Film Festival)

Turner Classic Movies (TCM) today announced additional talent and programming for this year’s 15th annual TCM Classic Film Festival running April 18 – 21, 2024 in Hollywood, including a closing night screening of 1987’s comedy Spaceballs presented by writer and director Mel Brooks. The lineup for the weekend will also include:

  • Steven Spielberg in Q&A with UCLA Film School’s Howard Suber ahead of the director’s cut of Spielberg’s film Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)
  • A Little Romance (1979) with star Diane Lane in conversation with TCM Host Ben Mankiewicz
  • The Shawshank Redemption (1994) with stars Morgan Freeman and Tim Robbins in attendance
  • Filmmaker Nancy Meyers introduces the world premiere restoration of one of her favorite movies, North By Northwest (1959), completed by Warner Bros. and The Film Foundation
  • Director David Fincher presenting a world premiere restoration IMAX® screening of his 1995 thriller Se7en
  • A cast reunion for Little Women (1994) featuring Trini Alvarado, Samantha Mathis and Eric Stoltz
  • A world premiere restoration of The Searchers (1956), completed by Warner Bros. and The Film Foundation, introduced by writer/director Alexander Payne
  • Jeopardy! host Ken Jennings introduces a U.S. premiere restoration of The Small Back Room (1949), restored by The Film Foundation and courtesy of Rialto Pictures

In addition, TCM and Warner Bros. will present That’s Vitaphone!: The Return of Sound-on-Disc. For the first time in more 90 years, six hilarious, often outlandish, Vitaphone vaudeville shorts of the 1920s will be projected in 35mm, with sound played back from their original 16-inch discs on a turntable designed and engineered by Warner Bros. Post Production Engineering Department. In 1926, Warner Bros., with technology developed by Western Electric, introduced Vitaphone, a system of adding high fidelity synchronized sound to motion pictures, using discs mechanically coupled to the movie projector. Vitaphone would usher in the talking picture with the premiere of The Jazz Singer in October 1927.  By the early 1930s, though, sound-on-disc would be replaced industry-wide by the less cumbersome sound on film. This replica of a Vitaphone machine, the only in existence, marks the first time modern audiences will be able to experience these films as they did in the 1920s, using discs restored from the era. In attendance to provide context will be Bruce Goldstein, founder and co-president of Rialto Pictures, Warner Bros. post-production engineers Steve Levy and Bob Weitz, and Vitaphone expert Shane Fleming.

For more information,  please visit  http://tcm.com/festival.

Larry Gleeson, left, with Hollywood starlet, Angie Dickinson. (Photo credit: HollywoodGlee)