TCM Classic Film Festival moves from Hollywood to your living room
The TCM Classic Film Festival is dead. Long live the TCM Classic Film Festival!
The coronavirus pandemic killed the channel’s plans to hold its annual multi-venue Hollywood fan event. Instead, Turner Classic Movies will adapt to the social shutdown with a “Special Home Edition” over the same four-day stretch this week (ThursdaySunday), broadcasting some of the films intended for the live festival along with a greatest hits of sorts from the festival’s 10-year history.
While fans won’t have the chance to shake hands with the on-air personalities, hosts will live-tweet some movies using the hashtag #TCMParty, and fans can win TCM swag through Twitter.
On-air host Ben Mankiewicz said, “When I recorded the announcement that we were going to cancel the festival … I’m amazed I got through the first one without getting completely choked up. There was a huge pit in my stomach. As soon as I started talking, I said, ‘Oh, my God, I’m going to cry.’ I didn’t expect that.
“We’re not doctors, nurses, researchers, scientists — those are the most important people in the world right now — but this matters to people. You hear people who’ll say, ‘I was sick for eight months; TCM got me through,’ moments where people sat for weeks, months with a dying parent and watched TCM together.
“Most of the world doesn’t care. But those who do, care a lot.”
The home edition will include highlights from previous years, such as clips with Eva Marie Saint, Tony Curtis, Debbie Reynolds and the cast and director of “Deliverance.” The interviews are conducted by Mankiewicz and the late Robert Osborne. The channel has also prepared 30 new videos it will post on YouTube during the festival.
General Manager Pola Changnon said the home version will include tribute videos they’ve made over the years.
A TCM spokesperson said the Twitter giveaways would happen with @TCM posting prompts throughout the festival calling for fans to post a particular GIF. Winners will be randomly selected.