THE WESTERN FAN’S GUIDE
TO THE TCM CLASSIC FILM FESTIVAL!
The 10th
Annual TCM Classic Film Festival arrives in Hollywood this Thursday, April 11th,
for four days and nights of wonderful movies seen as they should be, on big
screens, introduced by knowledgeable and often famous guests, and attended by
folks who love movies - and know as much about them - as you and I do. This
year’s theme is Follow Your Heart – Love At
The Movies, and there are films for all interests. I’ll have a link below to connect you to the
entire schedule, but for this report I’m focusing on Westerns and attendees of
Western interest. You can’t see
everything, because so many films are screened simultaneously, so it’s wise to
plan ahead, and make sure you give yourself enough time to get from theatre to
theatre. Rather than skip movies to eat meals, I often carry a briefcase full
of Smuckers Uncrustables.
TICKETS: The various
festival passes, which run from $2,149 down to a paltry $299, are all sold out.
But, individual passes are available
for most movies on a first-come, first-served basis, for twenty buck a pop,
with the Sunday evening screening of Gone
With The Wind for $30. Lots of
movies do fill up, so your advised to get to movies at least a half-hour early.
VENUES: The vast majority
of films are screened at the Chinese complex, either the historic Chinese
Theatre IMAX or the Chinese 6 Theatres Multiplex, on Hollywood Blvd., near
Highland. Some films are shown a few blocks East on Hollywood Blvd., at the equally
historic Egyptian Theatre. You may need to drive to films at Arclight Cinema’s
Cinerama Dome on Sunset Blvd. A few movies are screened poolside at the
Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, across the street from the Chinese Theatres. A new venue added this year is the American
Legion Theatre at Post 43, chartered in 1919 by World War I film-industry
veterans, and now with a stunningly renovated theatre. It’s about a fifteen-minute
walk from the Hollywood Roosevelt, and click HERE to get more details.
THURSDAY NIGHT begins
with an invitation-only, Chinese IMAX Theatre 6:30 pm premiere, of a
restoration of WHEN HARRY MET SALLY (not a Western), whic director Rob Reiner
and stars Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal (of CITY SLICKERS) will attend.
At 7:30 pm, Poolside at
the Hollywood Roosevelt, the original OCEAN’S 11 will screen, preceded by a
discussion with lovely Angie Dickinson (RIO BRAVO, among others).
At 8 pm at the Legion Theatre
at Post 43, SERGEANT YORK will be presented, with a discussion beforehand with
two of Sgt. York’s sons!
FRIDAY MORNING at 10:30
am, in the forecourt of the fabled Chinese Theatre, Billy Crystal will follow
the long Hollywood tradition of placing his handprints and footprints in
cement!
At 12 noon at the Legion
Theatre at Post 43, there’s WHAT’S NOT TO LOVE ABOUT REPUBLIC SERIALS? It’s a
program of shorts hosted by Andrea Kalas, Paramount Pictures Archivist –
Paramount now owns the Republic library.
At 9:30 pm, in Chinese
Multiplex #1, WINCHESTER ’73! The premiere of a new restoration, done with the
input of Martin Scorcese and Steven Speilberg, the brilliantly dark Anthony
Mann Western starring James Stewart will be introduced by author Jeremy Arnold.
Do it Jimmy! Dan Duryea's got it coming to him!
SATURDAY MORNING, at 9:45
am, THE LITTLE COLONEL, starring Shirley Temple, Bill ‘Bojangles’ Robinson, and Lionel Barrymore, plays at the Legion Theatre at Post 43, introduced by film critic Tara
McNamara.
At 2:45 pm at the Legion
Theatre at Post 43, a double-feature of rarely seen Tom Mix Westerns, THE GREAT
K&A TRAIN ROBBERY, and OUTLAWS OF RED RIVER, will be introduced by N.Y.
Museum of Modern Art Film Curator Anne Morra. The films will be presented with a live musical score by famed Silent Film
Organist Ben Model.
At 6:30 pm at the Chinese
Theatre IMAX, BUTCH CASSIDY AND THE SUNDANCE KID will be introduced by composer
Burt Bacharach, who won Oscars for both the Original Score, and Best Song, “Raindrops
Keep Falling On My Head.”
At 9:45 pm at the Chinese
Multiplex #1, Director John Carpenter and star Kurt Russell will present ESCAPE
FROM NEW YORK.
SUNDAY morning, April 14th,
at 11:30 am at the Legion Theatre at Post 43, the Henry Fonda and Lucille Ball
comedy YOURS, MINE AND OURS will be presented with stars Tracy Nelson, frequent
TV Western guest star Kevin Burkett, BONANZA’s Jamie Cartwright, Mitch Vogel,
and film historian Leonard Maltin.
At 2:30 pm at the Chinese
Multiplex #1, Don Seigal’s and Ernest Hemingway’s THE KILLERS will screen. Star
Angie Dickinson will speak before the film, which co-stars Western stalwarts
Lee Marvin, Clu Gulager, John Cassavetes and, in his final screen role before
moving on to another demanding job, Academy Award Winner Ronald Reagan.
Finally, at 4:30 pm at
the Chinese Theatre IMAX, there’s GONE WITH THE WIND. Hope to see you there! You can get details on
all of the films programs, and all of the guests HERE.
THE SANTA CLARITA COWBOY
FESTIVAL SAT & SUN, APRIL 13TH & 14TH!
Held at silent-movie
cowboy legend William S. Hart’s own ranch in Newhall, now the William S. Hart
Park, this annual FREE event gives real and wanna-be cowpokes an opportunity to
immerse themselves in a world of western fun and entertainment.
While most of the action
occurs on the weekend, there are activities leading up, and on Thursday, April
11th, at 5 pm, on Main Street
in Old Town Newhall, three new inductees will be added to the Western Walk of
Stars: TV’s THE VIRGINIAN, James Drury; LARAMIE and WAGON TRAIN star Robert Fuller;
and posthumously, Western character actor – generally a villain – Dan White. Everyone is welcome!
Me and Bobbi Jean Bell
At Hart Park, on Saturday
from 10 am to 7 pm, Sunday from 10 am to 6 pm, visitors can roam the park and
hear 22 different Western music acts perform throughout both days, including Krystyn
Harris, John Bergstrom, Almeda Bradshaw, Shannon Rae and 100 Proof, The Hanson
Family, and Sourdough Slim. Also, be dazzled by gun-spinning virtuoso Joey
Dillon and rope twirling maestro Dave Thornbury!
Joey Dillon double-spinning!
You can also visit the
Buckaroo Book Shop and meet your favorite Western authors, visit a Native
American lodge, and shop for Western clothing and accessories. You can tour the
Hart Mansion, and test your skills at archery, tomahawk throwing, mechanical
bull-riding, gold panning and more.
And when it comes to food
many fans come year after year just for the Cowboy Peach Cobbler, but there’s
also barbecue, soul food, Thai food, sausage – you name it! There’s a special
parking area, and shuttle buses to take you to the venue. For details, click
HERE.
STARS TO PACK ‘WORD ON
WESTERNS’ LOOK AT OVERLOOKED WESTERNS!
On Tuesday, April 16th,
Western historian and raconteur Rob Word will present his free bi-monthly Western
film program at The Autry’s Wells Fargo Theatre. The program is dedicated to
the late, great character actor Morgan Woodward. The topic is Overlooked
Westerns, and the stars who plan to discuss their movies are Keith Carradine,
Tim Matheson, Donna Mills and Dennis Quaid. Rob always does well with his
guests, but I can’t remember when he had so much firepower in one program.
Doors open at 10:30 am,
and the program is from 11 am to 1 pm, after which most folks mosey across the
courtyard for lunch at the Autry’s Crossroads West Café. Don’t miss it!
‘UNION PACIFIC’ SATURDAY APRIL
13TH AT THE AUTRY
A beautiful 35mm print of
Cecil B. DeMille’s UNION PACIFIC will screen at the Autry’s Wells Fargo Theatre
at 1:30 pm, as part of their long-running What
is a Western? series. The film, from
a novel by STAGECOACH author Ernest Haycox, stars Joel McCrea, Barbara Stanwyck,
Robert Preston and Akim Tamiroff. It will be introduced by James D’Arc,
film historian and author of When Hollywood Came to Town: The History
of Movie Making in Utah. Admission is free with Museum admission.
MEMBERS’ NIGHT AT THE
AUTRY – SATURDAY, APRIL 20th!
The Autry celebrates its
loyal members (and up to four guests) with a great evening of fun, starting at
5 pm with games on the plaza, and an in-gallery scavenger hunt. Dinner is available
for purchase from Crossroads West Cafe (member discount applies!) There will be
free popcorn, snacks, lemonade, and soft drinks, complimentary beer and wine.
And at 6:30 pm, there
will be a special live performance by the delightful Bob Baker MarionetteTheater, followed by a screening
of Gene Autry’s 1941 classic, BACK IN THE SADDLE!
EXTENDED VERSION OF ‘MAJOR
DUNDEE’ APRIL 26 & 27 AT THE NEW BEVERLY!
Friday and Saturday nights
at 7:30 pm, an extended version of Sam Peckinpah’s heavily re-edited classic,
MAJOR DUNDEE will be screened. It stars
Charlton Heston, Richard Harris, Jim Hutton and James Coburn.
…AND THAT’S A WRAP!
Me and Morgan Woodward, who starred
in my first film, SPEEDTRAP!
Sorry the Round-up
appears so erratically; I’ve been up to my ears writing for True West Magazine!
The current issue features my interview with Kevin Costner (notice my name on
the cover for the first time!), and a look at the wonderful YouTube series THE
FORSAKEN WESTERNS. More good stuff
coming soon! Happy Easter and Passover!
Henry
All Original Content
Copyright April 2019 by Henry C. Parke – All Rights Reserved