TCMFF – Top 5 Pics

 It's about that time. TCM has announced the groups of films for the 2023 TCM Classic Film Festival (TCMFF), April 13–16, 2023. At this point, I like to do a post of my top 5 picks of the films announced so far. Bear in mind, that this is purely an academic exercise. 

There's a very remote chance that more than a couple of these five will end up being films I see at TCMFF. Why? Well, with the exception of midnight movies, figure that at any given time during TCMFF, there are between four and six films playing opposite each other. Only 18 films have been announced so far, that's about 20% of the total. Also, as luck usually has it, often at least two of my favorites end up playing opposite each other. Finally, the very fact that I post a list like this almost guarantees that TCM will announce more films within a day or two of me posting that will negate at least part of this list. If that happens, you're welcome.

Announced so far:

Amadeus (1984)

American Graffiti (1973)

Batwoman (1968)

Casablanca (1942)

Clash of the Wolves (1925)

Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1931)

East of Eden (1955)

Enter The Dragon (1973)

The Exorcist (1973)

Footlight Parade (1933)

House of Wax (1953)

The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1923)

Peyton Place (1957)

Rio Bravo (1959)

Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (1954)

Shadow of a Doubt (1943)

Six Degrees of Separation (1993)

The Wild One (1953)

In addition to my top five, I have two honorable mentions. The way it worked out is that in the above list, there were four that stood out head-and-shoulders above the rest. Then, there were three others that I would really want to see. To separate out the No. 5 from the honorable mentions, I just imagined that all three were playing against each other, and the choice got real easy.

Honorable Mentions

• American Graffiti (1973) – This is easily my favorite George Lucas film. Really? Yeah. More than Star Wars? Yep. I have a love–hate relationship with Star Wars, but I'll save that for another day. American Graffiti feels real, like that's what it really was like to be a teenager in a place like Modesto in 1962. I really think it's a much better film than Star Wars, even Star Wars before Lucas started messing with it.

• Enter The Dragon (1973) – I love Enter the Dragon. It's such a cool film. Bruce Lee is amazing, but I did see it in the theater about five years ago, which often makes a difference at TCMFF. This brings me to my Top 5.

Top 5

5. Casablanca (1942) – Casablanca is my all-time favorite film, hands down, no question. I have seen Casablanca quite a few times in the theater, including once at, I think, my first TCMFF in 2014. I almost never would turn down an opportunity to see it in the theater, except at TCMFF, when it's opposite something else I might never get to see in the theater period. Still, seeing Casablanca in a mostly full huge theater like the Chinese, where the entire audience loves just as much as you do is an amazing experience, and not something I turn away from lightly.

 

4. Rio Bravo (1959) – I'm not a huge fan of Westerns, and I've never done the math on my all-time favorite Westerns, but I'm pretty sure Rio Bravo would fall in the top 5. It's a great film, and I think it's best thing that Dean Martin ever did. Dean Martin is just charming in almost everything, but here, fighting his own demons, as Borochon (Spanish slang for drunk), he's amazing. He really could act. The rest of the cast, John Wayne, Angie Dickinson, Walter Brennan, Ward Bond, and Ricky Nelson aren't too bad either.

 

3. Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (1954) – Seven Brides for Seven Brothers is one of my absolute favorite musicals. Yes, it is a bit sexist with the whole Sobbin' Women thing, okay, more than a bit. Still, the dance numbers are amazing and some of the best ever put on film, and with Russ Tamblyn as one of the guests, I'm Team Gideon all the way.

 

2. Footlight Parade (1933) – When you think of Pre-Code films, Busby Berkeley's seem to get lost in the mix, and it just doesn't get much better than Footlight Parade. The "By a Waterfall" number is amazing. Plus, I have a huge thing for Joan Blondell. She's absolutely gorgeous at this point in her career, and when she trades barbs with rivals for her love interest, James Cagney, she can sling insults with the best of them.

 

1. Shadow of a Doubt (1943) – This is by far my top pick. Shadow of a Doubt was Alfred Hitchcock's personal favorite of his own films. I saw it on the big screen just once back in the 80s, and I'd dearly love to see it again. The film moves from wholesome and funny to awkward and chilling with a finesse that only Alfred Hitchcock could pull off. Joseph Cotten is great as the black sheep brother of a very normal family and hides a very sinister secret, and Teresa Wright is every bit as good as his namesake niece, who's determined to unravel his secret. There's an amazing closeup where Joseph Cotten is railing against silly rich useless woman and then he turns and addresses the audience directly. Seeing this on the big screen, where his face fills the entire screen just sends chills down your spine.