The Not-Quite-Broke Person's Guide to the TCM Film Festival

Last Saturday we went to the annual TCM Film Festival in Hollywood! This was our fifth year going, and every year that we've gone we've been without festival passes (wah wahhh). The festival passes allow you priority access to all of the screenings (based on which one you get). Being that we can't get the time off work to properly attend the entire festival, we usually take one day to enjoy the city, catch a couple screenings, and chat with fellow cinephiles in the very long wait in the standby line!

I was super stoked to arrive and jump in line for Rebel Without a Cause! (OMG note to self...it may have been 85 degrees in the afternoon but the second screening was late at night and I was really regretting wearing shorts. Next year, pants!)

First in line, woo! Last year we waited hours in line for Blazing Saddles, but this screening was less crowded. All the rich people were at another theater seeing special guest Sophia Loren, but our expectations were realistic. We showed up early, chatted with people in line, met a guy who's been blogging about Carole Lombard for seven years, and got into the screening no problem.

Ah, Hollywood! Beautiful weather, and plenty of time between our screenings to enjoy good walking around, checking out bookstores (Larry Edmunds bookshop is a treasure!), and pigging out!

We always go to Miceli's every year for dinner during the festival. It's really close to the Egyptian and it has the yummiest Italian food. Craig's texting our pal screenwriter Larry Karaszewski who was also enjoying the festival; he stopped by to say hello. We also chatted with fellow diners, also there for the festival (and passholders, damn them!). 

Sorry 'bout it, Gregory Peck!

Hello Egyptian! You're beautiful and I love you! Our second and final screening (we're wimps, what can I say?) was Adam's Rib at the Egyptian, with an intro by Greg Proops for his podcast Greg Proops Film Club. Craig had never seen the film but we both loved it, of course. And I feel like I could love just about any movie in a theater that beautiful.

Goodbye, TCM Film Fest! Until next year!

Hollywood Costume Exhibit in LA

It's not too late! If you're near Los Angeles, there is still time to check out the amazing Hollywood Costume exhibit that Craig and I finally made our way to last weekend. We had been meaning to go for some time, and when we found ourselves with a free day, we made up our minds to finally go. And let me tell you, I had goosebumps on top of goosebumps. The costumes are all amazing, from Chaplin's tramp suit (!!!) to Dorothy's gingham dress and ruby slippers,  Marilyn's white halter dress, all of the gorgeous Elizabethan style gowns, the ladies of Indiana Jones, the Addams Family's gothtastic garb, and so so so so so much more.  I was continuously picking my jaw up off the floor. This exhibit is an absolute MUST for film fans. Everything was exquisite. The show closes March 2nd so get on it!

Kurt and Allison Love To Rock

Few filmmakers merge music and film as well as Allison Anders and Kurt Voss. While other filmmakers have dabbled with the occasional rockumentary here or there, Allison and Kurt have made a careers out of it with films like Grace of My Heart and Down and Out with the Dolls. They make films about musicians, starring musicians and scored by musicians. Together and separately they have worked with everyone from Burt Bacharach and Sonic Youth to Lemmy Kilmister and Ice-T. They just can't help it. Film and music are simply essential parts of their souls.

Which is why (when they're not busy making films) they're busy watching them. Here are two "Top-5 Movies That Rock" lists created by Allison and Kurt exclusively for This Cinematic Life!

Allison Anders

• A Hard Day's Night
• The T.A.M.I. Show
• Two-Lane Blacktop
• Loving You
• Ladies and Gentlemen, The Fabulous Stains

Kurt Voss

• Unknown Passage: The Dead Moon Story
• Dig!
• Metallica: Some Kind of Monster
• The Filth and the Fury
• Lord Don't Slow Me Down

And now that you've seen their credentials, come on out to beautiful downtown Santa Ana this Saturday, July 12th to see their most recent collaboration, Strutter at The Frida Cinema! Allison and Kurt will be there in person to answer your questions!

Get Tickets HERE!

This Cinematic Screening: Strutter (2012)

At 7:30pm on Saturday July 12th, Filmmakers Allison Anders and Kurt Voss will be in attendance for a Q&A following this 

one night only screening!

An aspiring rocker loses his band and his girl but gains the friendship of his idol in this sweet and humanistic comedy that completes the Southern California musicians trilogy from longtime collaborators Allison Anders and Kurt Voss. The first film in the series, Border Radio (1987), is part of the Criterion Collection and published on DVD by Janus Films; the second, Sugar Town (1999), was the “centerpiece premiere” at the 1999 Sundance Film Festival.

Since Border Radio Allison and Kurt have together or separately written and directed 20 films and various other writing and directing gigs including hit TV shows like Sex and the City, The L Word and Orange Is The New Black. They have between them directed everyone from Terrance Stamp and Salma Hayek to Ice-T and Madonna. They also co-wrote the screenplay for the Peabody Award winning film Things Behind The Sun which Anders directed.

Featuring a score by Dinosaur Jr. front-man J. Mascis and catchy pop from several great local bands, this Kickstarter funded love letter to the Southern California music scene is not to be missed!

Get Tickets Here!

Old Town Music Hall

We recently took a trip to El Segundo to check out the Old Town Music Hall. Craig's aunt has been trying to get us to go for ages, and we finally decided to check it out. From their website:

"Old Town Music Hall is a treasured cultural landmark located in El Segundo, California, not far from the Los Angeles International Airport. Since 1968, Old Town Music Hall has been showing vintage silent and sound films, and presenting live concerts by some of the world's finest performers of jazz, ragtime, and popular music from the past. Silent films are accompanied by the Mighty Wurlitzer, a massive 1925 wind-powered pipe organ that has been meticulously preserved so that silent classics can be experienced with live musical accompaniment, just as they did when they were first shown. It's something you really have to see and hear to believe."

The place was tiny and absolutely darling. The organist was seated by the door and greeted us as we walked in. There were framed portraits of classic film stars and statues of Laurel and Hardy. Inside the theatre was an impressive looking organ, a player piano, and two chandeliers rigged up to flash like lightning during specific parts of the show. For just ten dollars, we were treated to a medley of old tunes by the organist, an audience sing-along, a short film (we saw High and Dizzy from 1920 starring Harold Lloyd) and, after the intermission, they showed the Marx Brothers' Duck Soup! It was a charming evening full of that special kind of joy that only classic comedies can bring. We all had a great time, and if you're in the area and you like early cinema, I highly recommend you check it out!

TCM Classic Film Festival 2013

Another year, another TCM Film Fest! Unfortunately, once again Craig's work schedule only permitted us to attend the last day, and once again we were not passholders. The good news is that if you get there early enough, you can hop in the standby line and get in without too much trouble, which is how Craig and I found ourselves outside the Egyptian at 8:30 in the morning. I can't think of anywhere else I'd rather be at 8:30 in the morning, really.

Kubrick at LACMA

For Craig's birthday last Sunday we decided to check out the Kubrick exhibit at LACMA. The timing seemed perfect, especially considering the fact that we've been doing our monthly Kubrick movie parties this year. Anyways! The exhibit was amazing, and being around all the photos and lenses and clapperboards and costumes and props and note-covered scripts made me want to steal everything and spend the rest of my life cackling in my home, petting and talking to all of my stolen Kubrick swag like a crazy person. 

Luckily for everyone, we're not crazy, nor are we thieves (that would be rude), so we just took photos instead. Enjoy!

Zombie Walk 2012!

What began in May 2009 and was limited to a single city block has now grown into a full scale epidemic. Of course I'm talking about the now annual Long Beach Zombie Walk! which is coming up this Saturday October 27th. It's insane how much this thing has grown. We were there for the rather sparsely attended inaugural one that wasn't even held in October! But from the moment a few people decided to jaywalk from one side of 4th to the other and a trail of dead followed suit, you knew it was destined to get bigger. And boy has it! This year the "walk" is an all day event occupying a 9.5 acre park to celebrate music, art, film and...BRAINS!

Need some zombie inspiration? Event organizer, Long Beach Cinematheque founder and all around good guy Logan Crow has given us an exclusive list of his favorite zombie films that you can watch for inspiration!

1. Dead-Alive (Braindead)
2. Shaun of the Dead
3. Night of the Living Dead (1968)
4. 28 Days Later
5. Nightmare City
6. Cemetery Man
7. Undead
8. The Happiness of the Katikuris
9. Day of the Dead (1985)
10. The Beyond

Seriously not to be missed. Need even further proof? Check out this awesome schedule! You get all that for ONLY $15 and  don't forget that zombies 12 and under get in absolutely FREE!

John Williams at the Hollywood Bowl

Last Saturday I was fortunate enough to see "The Maestro of the Movies" John Williams perform at the Hollywood Bowl! And yeah, it was awesome.

Confession time: I lost my program! So I'm going off my memory here. Bear with me!

TCM Classic Film Festival 2012

I had an amazing weekend! Living in southern California definitely has its perks! No, I’m not talking about Coachella. I’m talking about the TCM Classic Film Festival in Hollywood! I wasn’t a passholder (I’m a girl on a budget!) but I did manage to make it into three screenings.

Back To The Beach!

Well it looks like we won't have to sublet This Cinematic Life HQ for the summer to attend the Alamo Drafhouse's Summer of '82 series -

'CAUSE THE LONG BEACH CINEMATHEQUE IS DOING SOMETHING EQUALLY AWESOME  AND FREE!

They'll be screening classics like Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, Grease, Casablanca, E.T., Annie Hall and Jaws RIGHT ON THE BEACH! Obviously it costs something to put on an event like this, so please do your cinematic duty and head over to their Kickstarter to chip in a couple bucks to help make this happen!

The Year of the Tiger

Throughout cinema history, there are certain years that people look back on in awe over the amount of legendary films released within those 365 days. 1939, 1975 and 1999 leap most readily to mind. If you are geekily inclined, the summer of 1982 also belongs in that pantheon. This is the year that brought us Conan the Barbarian, The Road Warrior, Rocky III, Poltergeist, Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, E.T., John Carpenter's The Thing, Tron and Blade Runer!

To commemorate the 30th anniversary of this crazy summer, the fine folks of The Alamo Drafthouse are going to be showing all of these films in 35mm on the weekend of their original release! This is so cool it almost has me contemplating moving to Austin, Texas for the summer. Anyone got a couch to surf?

For ticket information, click this link. And as if you needed to be sold on the amazingness of this all any more than you already certainly are...

Screening: Harold and Maude

Don't have Valentine's Day plans yet? Well then spend it with one of the greatest cinematic couples of all time, Harold and Maude! The fine folks over at Mondo Celluloid will be screening the rom-com classic at Long Beach's historic Art Theatre on Tuesday February 14th at 9:30pm! The perfect place to give your film-geek lover their perfect film-geek gift!

Advance tickets are available here.

The Man Who Changed The Movies

My love of Roger Corman has been well documented. So it should go without saying that I am over the moon excited for this upcoming documentary Corman's World: Exploits of a Hollywood Rebel! And guess what?There's even going to be a screening of it tomorrow at LACMA!

Unfortunately I am going to have to miss it due to work. But luckily for you, the fine folks over at Badass Digest are giving away 2 pairs of tickets! So I highly recommend you get your asses in gear and try to win those babies. I on the other hand will have to content myself with watching this trailer on an endless loop...

Who Is Pablo Ferro?

Hey there cats and kittens!

Looking for something to do tomorrow night? I highly recommend you swing over to The Silent Movie Theatre for an amazing tribute to/Q&A with the legendary Pablo Ferro! Don't know who Pablo Ferro is? Check out this video!

Tickets are only $12!

Crazy 4 Cult

Last Saturday, the Cinema Nerds (along with our awesome friends Aaron, Becky, and Chris) went up to LA to see the 5th annual Crazy 4 Cult art show at Gallery 1988. The drive was long and hot, but certainly worth it!

Last year was our first time going, where we bought these fabulous prints by Dave Perillo:

Aren't they are faaabulous?

Anyways! We were determined to buy some art again this year, even if we weren't quite sure where to fit it in our groovy pad (more on that in a future post!)

The art was amazing as always. Cheeky and artistically breathtaking, sometimes you forgot there was even a film being referenced. Of course, nothing beats that superior little chuckle that comes out when you "get it". Nerds are so cool, dontcha know?

We were torn between a few pieces, including a piece by Dyna Moe (of ""Mad Men Yourself"" fame) inspired by Ed Wood (one of my favorite movies EVER), and all of the "Showdown" pieces by Scott Campbell.

Still undecided, I thought I'd look at the prints for sale near the register.

And oh! There he was!

This adorable Iron Giant print by Mike Mitchell was on display last year. While we ended up going with the Perillo prints, I always regretted not getting the Giant too. I love him! My mind was made up. We were taking him home!

Had a good laugh with the owner Jensen Karp about how The Iron Giant is easily the best thing that Vin Diesel has ever done, and we were on our way.

Awww I love it!

The moral of the story is: GET YOURSELF TO THAT ART SHOW!  Or at the very least, browse the art on the website and see if something strikes your fancy! Being Cinema Nerds means that we have a lot of film-based art in our home, and filling your home with things you love makes you SO much happier!

(photos by Craig Duffy)

Summer on the Beach

Starting July 11th, Long Beach is THE place to be on Monday nights! Our good friends at Mondo Celluloid have done it again with an AMAZING lineup of film screenings on the beach!

• A Rebel Without A Cause
• Pee-Wee's Big Adventure
• The Good, The Bad & The Ugly
• Woodstock
• Roller Boogie
• Grease 2
• THE SHINING!

All of the screenings are FREE so there is absolutely no reason to miss a single one. For more information, check out the Facebook events page and be sure to befriend Mondo Celluloid so that you can be up to date on everything coming down the pipe.