Farber on film: ‘David and Lisa’ @ TCM Fest 2017
Many out-of-town patrons attend the TCM Festival to catch the big productions with the big stars in attendance: In the Heat of the Night, The China Syndrome, Saturday Night Fever. Or they line up for perennial audience pleasers like Casablanca, which celebrated its 75th anniversary in the large Chinese Theatre. But for some of us, ...
Southern Californialand, here we come!
Native Southern Californian Charles Phoenix has been called the “King of Retro.” Now the King of Retro will make a personal appearance at one of our most distinctive historic properties to have been spared the wrecking ball, the still vital, still operating vintage beauty, Union Station. Phoenix’s presentation at Union Station, sponsored by Metro Art. ...
“Baby Jane” never better than at poolside screening, TCM Fest
Apr
8
2017
The highlight of our first day of this, our eighth TCM Turner Classic Film Festival, was hands down WHATEVER HAPPENED TO BABY JANE? (1964) screened poolside of the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel. We so enjoyed viewing the Gothic horror movie so smartly directed by Robert Aldrich and graced by the outre performance of Bette Davis and ...
Greek tragedy in Alphabet City: the death of Lee Morgan
Trumpeters have the most tragic lineage of any instrument in jazz history. Car accidents, mental illness, congenital defects, drugs and alcohol have claimed some of the greatest players. But the murder of trumpeter Lee Morgan in 1972 was a laceration on the music that never healed. That a great but floundering musician regained his footing ...
Critic Robert Koehler’s TCM Fest 2017 game plan
Despite the untimely death of its venerated, longtime host, film historian Robert Osborne, this year’s TCM Classic Film Festival isn’t likely to take on a funereal mood. Instead, it’ll probably be more like a wake. That’s because the overarching theme of the new edition is comedy, under the theme, “Make ‘Em Laugh: Comedy in the ...
Comedy-themed TCM Fest 2017 unfunny in oversight of women 2
Apr
1
2017
In our writing about TCM Classic Film Festival four years ago, we gushed in print, “We love the women of TCM Classic Film Festival 2013.” That year, the annual festival (we have covered TCM Fest since its inception in 2010) honored Barbra Streisand’s tour-de-force film debut in “Funny Girl.” Tippi Hedren, Eva Marie Saint, Mitzi ...
Triumvirate of critical talent to tackle TCM Fest
Mar
31
2017
It’s that time again. arts·meme is launching, for the eighth year running, its special coverage of TCM Classic Film Festival, a whopping four-day spectacular that would make Cecil B. DeMille proud. It’s when the popular television channel moves off the airways and into real time and space, taking over Hollywood Boulevard like the landing of ...
Bob Mackie for Barrie Chase, a collectible
This beautiful costume, a collectible, worn by a sensational and sultry dancer can be yours. The heavily embellished jumpsuit in autumn shades custom was made by Bob Mackie and worn by Barrie Chase on The Fred Astaire Show (NBC, 1968). Yes, you can buy it. Wow. But let’s just appreciate it for a moment. The ...
‘Googie World Expo’ slated to blast off at Corky’s
Mar
28
2017
If you think Obamacare is gonna ‘explode’ (or is it ‘implode’? … it keeps changing), watch out for the Googie World Expo. Wow! Heap-big explosion! The first of a two-day celebration of futuristic mid-century modern architecture and design is queued up for Sunday April 9. Its organizer is arts·meme‘s good friend Chris Nichols, the maven ...
Bujones blazes again, in new Herrault doc
If footage of the late Fernando Bujones (1955-2005) partnering Cynthia Gregory in Grand pas Classique, music by Daniel-Francois Auber, does not represent a pinnacle in American ballet, then what does? This outstanding pas de deux is on view [see 13:09] in a new online documentary about the amazing male dancer whose absence is still conspicuously ...