Some of you may know that members Doris & Mark attended the 10th Annual TCM Classic Film Festival earlier this month. Here they share with us the memories they created not only through photos but a vivid recap in Doris's own words!
Mark and I are recently back from our TCM Film Festival experience...if it's on your bucket list here are three words: You must go!
First...navigating the Festival. While there are multiple venues for screenings, it is all within walking distance from most of the surrounding hotels. There are a total of five theatre complexes. This becomes important when you are trying to pick and choose your screenings and how long it will take you to hoof it to the next event!
Most of the social action takes place at the iconic Roosevelt Hotel; always something going on in the lobby and the surrounding areas--including Club TCM Programs. The main information counter is here and the staff running the Festival are amazing! No shortage of knowledgeable staff and everyone helpful as you queue up in line from one screening to another.
Eat your Wheaties! This Festival is not for the faint of heart. It is go, go and go some more and you have to be prepared to pick and choose when deciding what screening to attend or other event. Sometimes you might want to pick based on who is presenting the film or the discussions surrounding. You might want to pick to experience a certain theater, like the Egyptian Theater to see the decor. You might pick to see a pre-Code film, a restored film, your favorite genre, etc. So many films and so little time! One of the favorites for Mark and I was a Bogart film restored by the Library of Congress, ' All through the Night' with an introduction by Eddie Muller (Host of Noir Alley). Now that's the way to see a film!
Like anything, it is always the people that make an event. Find yourself surrounded by classic movie fans from all over the country, and even beyond. Many of these folks have attended every year, some a few years but we never felt out of place being a couple of the "Newbies". Everyone friendly and all there for the same reason: Lovers of film. The TCM hosts we visit in our living rooms are just as gracious and delightful in person. They truly appreciate their fans. For these two fans, it was a thrill to meet them and we hope to have the chance again along with some of our Atlanta film buddies.
Thank you so much Doris & Mark - this great gift was the next best thing to being there!
So glad you had a fabulous time, Doris and Mark!! It is definitely on my bucket list to attend one in the future. You make it sound even better than I thought. Like the Little Train going uphill (I think I can, I think I can), I say "I've gotta go, I've gotta go!!! Thank you so much for sharing! Looking forward to seeing y'all on Sunday, May 5th for True Grit.
Hello Doris and Mark!
So glad you guys came out to join Us this year in Hollywood for the TCMFF10! I wished I had a chance to meet up with you guys... If I had known some folks from Backlot ATL were in town I would have made a point to find you! But you are right it is go, go ,go when you're at the Festival... I hope to see you in #Hollywood next year for #TCMFF2020!
Now I really want to go! Thank you for sharing your experience!
Thanks for posting this. You capture the experience well and it makes me actually want to go.