A Personal Look at the TCM Classic Film Festival 2013

Friday I started the day bright and early with Burt Lancaster in The Swimmer, which was the film I was looking forward to the most this festival. It did not disappoint and remains my favorite new-to-me film of the festival. Allison Anders introduced the film, then a great discussion with actress Marge Champion preceded the screening.

Me with filmmaker Allison Anders

I followed that with a little-seen Mitchell Leisen film called Suddenly, It’s Spring, which was fabulous. I then saw four films in a row in auditorium six of the Chinese Multiplex (I wound up seeing 12 films in that auditorium over the four days): Ruggles of Red Gap, The Razor’s Edge, Gimme Shelter and Plan 9 From Outer Space. I decided this year to (mostly) see films I have never seen before and it was so wonderful because not only did I get to discover new favorites, I discovered them on the big screen, just as the original filmmakers had intended!

Technically, this photo is from Sunday, but I *did* see 12 films here in four days.

I then slept. Sort of.