It's the end of January, and if I counted right, the 2024 TCM Classic Film Festival (TCMFF), April 18–21, 2024, is just12 weeks away away. 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 14 films have been announced so far, that's about 18% of the total number of films they screened last year. 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.
Just to prove myself wrong, last year, I ended up seeing three of my top five, and it might have been four had I not tested positive COVID and had to skip the rest of the Festival on Sunday.
Films announced so far:
Chinatown (1974) *
The Good Fairy (1935)
It Happened One Night (1934) *
Law and Order (1932)
The Mad Miss Manton (1938)
North by Northwest (1959) *
On the Waterfront (1954) *
Only Yesterday (1933)
Rear Window (1954) *
The Searchers (1956)
Sherlock Jr. (1924)
The Sin of Nora Moran (1933)
That's Entertainment! (1974)
White Heat (1949)
Different people like to experience TCMFF in different ways. Some have a favorite genre like Pre-Code or Film Noir and go out of their way to see every screening in their favorite genre. Others like rarities, and want to see as many films that they have never seen or are unlikely to see on the big screen except at TCMFF. Me, my picks usually skew toward old favorites, but I like to give precedence to films I've never seen on the big screen. The above list has many old favorites, but several (the ones marked with *) I have seen in the theater before.
With that in mind, I give you my top 5:
5. It Happened One Night
4. North by Northwest – Very tough call here between this and Rear Window.
3. Sherlock Jr.
2. White Heat
1. The Searchers
Thanks for listening to me ramble. I'd love to hear what you are excited for.
