Sometimes we want to gather up a bunch of older movies in our arms and hold them to our heart and comfort them with soothing words.
Why? Because films of a certain vintage are wrongly -- we'll say it, wrongly -- considered cobwebby set pieces in some suspect circles. Some people, not you, but some people consider them to be full of posing, stark lighting, and arch dialogue.
We can only hope these opinions stem from a grave lack of popcorn consumption and nothing more sinister.
But give thanks: The TCM Classic Film Festival regularly takes that judgy judgment -- older movies are cobwebby -- and sends it to the nearest curb at hand. Would you call "Airplane!" cobweb-bedecked? No, you wouldn't, because you know every line and adore it. Nor would you say that about "It Happened One Night" -- sassy sexy banter aplenty, if you please -- or "It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World."
All three flicks will roll during the Hollywood-based movie extravaganza, an extravaganza that happens at the TCL Chinese Theatre, the El Capitan, the Egyptian, and other spots 'round those parts. The dates are Thursday, April 25 through Sunday, April 28.
"It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World" screens at the Cinerama Dome, by the way, on Sunday, April 28. Call it the perfect marriage of movie and venue, era- and style-wise. If you don't go, just know that you're breaking the 1960s' heart.
This is all to say that older movies are not cobwebby, nor are they all black-and-white; we're seeing 1980s-flavored treats pop up more and more at classic film festivals.
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This is also to say that if you love movies, you should hit at least one screening, because several of them will include discussions with actors and filmmakers. Yummy.
One last thing: The Hollywood Roosevelt is doing some HQ duties for the fest. There's a really nice little pop-up shop in the lobby, full of books and such. Film fanatic, you know you want to browse. It's near the hotel bar, too, so picture yourself all swanky, cocktail in hand, thinking about filmy things.
This is totally how you normally see yourself in your head anyway, right? Live it.
