The 2017 TCM Classic Film Festival: Day 2 (Kick-Off)

The first day of the festival is a whirlwind of celebrity meetings and movies, including a special appearance by Martin Scorsese.

The official kick-off to the 2017 TCM Classic Film Festival is Thursday, so it is a rather muted experience for many. Though there were a few panel events, ranging from trivia to a Hitchcock meet-up, I was up early for a press-only TCM Studios Location tour. Or, at least that was the plan. Unfortunately the early morning stretched into the afternoon as the tour bus suffered a flat tire, turning a 15 minute wait into an hour. I finally jumped ship but realized I had missed the Remember Robert Osborne panel I wanted to go to.

Thankfully I was able to pick myself up, “dust myself off, and start all over again” (as Ginger Rogers would say) and decided to pop by the Hollywood Museum on Hollywood Blvd. If you’ve never attended the Hollywood Museum you’re missing out on some amazing Hollywood treasures. Located in the old Max Factor building, the Hollywood Museum boasts clothes from the likes of Marilyn Monroe, all the way to modern-day costumes from shows like Modern Family and How to Get Away With Murder. However, I was there to see the museum’s new exhibit about Jean Harlow. The pre-Code starlet is commonly known for her platinum blonde hair and dying at the tender age of 26. But this beautifully curated exhibit is a Harlow-lovers dream!

TCM Red Carpet

After hanging around in there it was finally time to check in for the TCM Film Festival red carpet! The opening night film was Sidney Poitier’s In the Heat of the Night (1967), celebrating its 50th anniversary. And though press like myself didn’t get to watch the film – I’ve seen it several times and it’s amazing – we were able to talk to several people about the film. Sidney Poitier didn’t walk the carpet due to health, but slipped in through the back and surprised several fans partaking of the red carpet from the bleachers.

The stars that appear on the TCM red carpet aren’t household names to many. In fact, several of the more prominent journalists around me had no idea who anyone was, but that’s what makes attending so special. I was fortunate to talk to Wyatt McCrea, grandson of Joel McCrea, about his grandfather’s comedic timing; I praised Diane Baker for being my favorite part of Alfred Hitchcock’s Marnie (which she was surprised to hear). Illeana Douglas, rocking her ’60s chic in honor of the film, talked about the film’s staying power and how the ’60s is a prescient time for us today.

Hitchcock

It wasn’t until the sun set that I saw my first film: Hitchcock’s 1934 thriller, The Man Who Knew Too Much. This was one of first films TCM was screening in rare – and highly flammable – nitrate. A special guest had been touted all day and it turned out to be the film preservationist himself, Mr. Martin Scorsese! Scorsese discussed why nitrate is so special; it’s shimmery in black and white, while highly vivid in color. His passion for film in general came through beautifully, and he was especially proud that nitrate was making a return. As for the film itself, it’s a solid early Hitchcock piece. Edna Best steals the show as the frantic mother trying to find her daughter.

The first night was a beautiful blur, but the real fun begins on day 3. That’s the first full day of the TCM Classic Film Festival.

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