Here's their description of this year's comedy theme.
"Join us for the 2017 TCM Classic Film Festival, exploring COMEDY IN THE MOVIES. From lowbrow to high, slapstick to sophisticated comedies of manners—we will showcase the greatest cinematic achievements of lone clowns, comedic duos and madcap ensembles."
Don't miss the chance to attend. I know every year I've learned things direct from the source - seeing many stars and film makers telling us all their secrets. Ok maybe not ALL their secrets, but some really great morsels! FYI if Angie Dickinson or Mitzi Gaynor attend DO NOT miss a interview with them. Those ladies are hilarious and love to share.
Until you've seen a classic film in an audience full of true classic film fans you can't believe what a difference it makes. Also seeing films you may have seen 100 times in your own home will have so many more details on the big screens of Hollywood's movie palaces.
Just in case you haven't heard about this series, GOOD GIRLS REVOLT, starting on Amazon tomorrow 10/28. If you have Amazon Prime you can see the pilot now.
For all the Nora Ephron fans you should know she is a character in this show. She's played by Grace Gummer, whose mother Meryl Streep also played Nora Ephron in the film HEARTBURN. The show is the fictional telling of women working for a news magazine, News Of The Week, in the late 1960s.
Mad Men fans may recognize Bethany Van Nuys (Anna Camp) too.
Tom Hiddleston and Elizabeth Olsen both give outstanding performances as Hank and Audrey Williams in the new film, I Saw the Light, opening March 25th. Hiddleston's performance as the influential 1940s and 50s singer Hank Williams is, of course, central and it is truly standout. This is in no small part because he sings Williams' songs with complete commitment, as well as convincingly disappearing into the character.
The film is written and directed by Marc Abraham and shot by Dante Spinotti, best known for his work on LA Confidential and The Last of the Mohicans. Like those films, I Saw the Light is imbued with a strong visual sense which informs the audience of time and place. The costuming and sets are all perfectly on point and make the setting utterly believable. The light is diffuse, the color scheme in yellow filtered, mid-century earth tones broken by occasional pops of red and vivid green in the few outdoor scenes. The film mostly takes place inside small spaces, which allows the audience a sense of the internal pressures of the domestic lives being played out-even the venues feel small.
I Saw the Light avoids the glitz of most biopics of entertainers, though it follows a traditional linear path in its telling of the story. It's a full two hours and sometimes the film, like Hank Williams' alter ego Luke, does drift, but it didn't feel slow. It doesn't seek to illuminate the hard scrabble childhood and then follow the artist to dizzying heights filled with wealth and chaos, before charting a hard fall. Rather, in this film, the career arc is secondary to Williams tumultuous relationships to the multiple women in his life during his short career. This likely wouldn't work at all were it not for the excellent turns by all of the actors. Because of this focus on his life, even more so than other films in this genre, it pays off to have a working knowledge of the basics of Hank Williams' career going in.
While there are a number of excellent musical performances (and the film could have done with even more), the movie doesn't generally hit the audience over the head with the relationship between the music and unfolding events. While it is clear that his financial situation is improving, his growing popularity is not the central focus of the film nor the means of his downfall. It's a low-key telling of a dramatic life, with the goal of greater authenticity than the average biopic. In a pivotal scene, Hank Williams explains to a reporter the appeal of his music; Hiddleston delivers the lines quietly, but with such intensity that the central role of music in our lives, and specifically Williams' music, seems undeniable.
Roadies has announced it will premiere June 26th on Showtime!!!!!
With Manhattan being cancelled on WGNA this couldn't have come at a better time. I know it is very different in subject matter and tone but I'll bet it will be high quality television and that's all I care about.
I have been dying to see this show since it was announced last year. It comes from writer director Cameron Crowe, who I love, and chronicles the life of the people who make the rock shows we love. If you've spent anytime back stage at a show you know there is a lot of story to tell there.
Starring Luke Wilson, Carl Gugino, and a great supporting cast including Luis Guzman.
They just released the trailer with a song by Eddie Vedder and quote by Tom Petty. ENJOY
Hail, Caesar! opens this Friday and like any good classic movie/Coen Brothers fiend I can barely contain myself. I do see, that here in LA, it is opening Thursday night in several theatres. So, if you are on pins and needles, like me, check here for your local theatres.
The trailers promises all the usual Coen Brother's odd hiliarity set in the films of the middle of the last century.
George Clooney plays a sort of Charlton Heston type actor.
I look forward to deciphering all the classic Hollywood Easter eggs. Just from the ads you can tell who some of the lead actors seem to be spoofing.
Channing Tatum plays a Gene Kelly type actor
Scarlett Johansson plays an Esther Williams type actor
Here's the trailer, just to get us through these last hours...
