2016 TCM Film Fest Survival Kit

I As the TCM Film Fest approaches next week, I began to think about the long days I'll be spending out and about with little time to rest between events, and I realized "I'm going to need a bigger bag." Hopefully, you get that reference. So for all of you in the same boat, here's a helpful list of items you might want to consider carrying on those long, event-filled days.

1. A collapsible water bottle. You can fill it up at any water fountain, clip it onto your bag strap, and fold it down when empty. It's better for the environment and it's better than paying overpriced amounts for a bottle of water.

2. Some kind of snack. You might end up in a position where you have back to back events that you want to attend and you won't have much of a chance to eat, other than popcorn at the concession stand. I like to carry around Kind bars, just in case I need a quick energy boost to keep me going.

3. Sunglasses, obviously. On the topic of the sun, it probably wouldn't hurt to have a small tube of sunblock too. You never know how long you'll be standing outside in line.

4. Cell phone and portable charger. You're most likely going to have very little time or opportunity to recharge your phone with all of the events going on, so be sure to carry a portable charger that you charged over night along with the charging cord so you can recharge at your seat during a film.
5. Comfortable shoes! Not only will you be standing in line waiting to get in to the venues, but you may also end up standing for some events, especially at Club TCM. Seating in the club is limited, the events are popular, and a good number of people usually end up standing through the events, which can sometimes last over an hour.

6. Camera. If you have a phone that takes incredible photos, great, otherwise I always carry a separate camera. The problem with a camera phone is that they usually don't have great zoom and don't take very good pictures in low light. Considering you never know if you'll be able to get close to get a good shot or if the lighting will be good, I want to make sure I have something I can take good pictures with.

7. Notebook and pen. I have this Moleskine Film Journal that I carry to keep track of what I see at the festival, and I've been lucky to get some autographs that I have in the back of the book. 

8. Of course, the TCM app! The app is back this year and, in addition to the schedule and other basic info, it has a great new feature to allow festival attendees to connect socially through Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, and Google+ so they can meet up during the fest and hopefully maintain their friendships beyond the festival.

Trivia Tuesday: Orson Welles

Born on this date in 1915

Wanted, and was considered for the role of Don Vito Corleone, but Marlon Brando was already cast

Founded The Mercury Theatre in 1937 with John Houseman; their first production was a modernized version of Julius Caesar

Was the voice of Lamont Cranston in the radio version of The Shadow 

Nominated for an Oscar for his first screen performance, Citizen Kane

Interviewed with Merv Griffin and died just a few hours later

A body double was used for several long shots of Welles in The Third Man because he arrived two weeks late for filming

Considered John Ford the greatest American director

Used most of his own money to finance his projects

Once ate 18 hot dogs in one sitting at Pink's Hot Dogs in Los Angeles

Classic Film Gifts - Experiences

I've always loved coming up with unique gifts for people, and with the holidays quickly approaching I have a ton of ideas for the classic film fan! Experiences are always a great thing to give, and if you're in LA or visiting LA there's a lot of "experiences" that you could give to a friend or loved one. 

A membership with The American Cinematheque makes a great gift, and you get some really great perks at both The Aero and The Egyptian for a year! You get discounted tickets to shows, free passes to use during your birthday month, restaurant discounts, and many, many other things depending on the membership level that you choose. One of the best perks are the guest speakers they have at most of the screenings. Most recently, I was able to see a 3D screening of Creature From The Black Lagoon and they had a Q & A with Julie Adams after the film.

Near the corner of Hollywood and Highland in the Max Factor building, The Hollywood Museum displays thousands of props and memorabilia from Hollywood past and present including rare still photographs of lost scenes from The Mummy (1933), costumes from Ben Hur, and their "Dungeon of Doom" featuring Hannibal Lecter's jail cell from The Silence of the Lambs. The ground floor of the museum also features an extensive exhibit of items used by Factor in his many makeovers of movie stars. Some of his most famous undertakings was the creation of Jean Harlow as a platinum blonde and Lucille Ball's red hair. Currently, the museum has an expanded display of Marilyn Monroe pieces on display as a tribute to the 50th anniversary of her death; this is in addition to the extensive collection they normally display. In late November they will be setting up their "Holiday Hollywood Style" display featuring eighteen Christmas trees, each one inspired by a different holiday film, along with props and costumes from those films. Below are a few pictures from the visit I made during the holidays last year.

If you don't live in Los Angeles, you're not out of luck! If you're a fan of road trips, why not follow old Route 66 and see the places where Easy Rider was filmed? Along the way you could stop at the El Rancho hotel, which served as a getaway for many of old Hollywood's elite.

San Francisco can be seen in many Hollywood films such as Escape From Alcatraz and Vertigo, and places like Alcatraz, the Golden Gate bridge, or Fisherman's Wharf all make great destinations. Depending on where you live, you might have something close to home to visit, like the Jimmy Stewart museum in PA, the Empire State Building in New York or, if you're overseas, there's the Marlene Dietrich museum in Berlin, the Greta Garbo museum in Sweden, and the National Museum of Cinema in Turin, Italy.

Big or small, the possibilities for a great film "experience" are endless! Here are a few other suggestions:

Passes for the TCM Film Festival
Mark Klaus' "Holly"wood Christmas Movieland
New Orleans Movie Tour


More gift guides with various themes will be posted in the coming weeks!