Ep. 210-2024 TCM Classic Film Festival Recap

Brandon is back from Hollywood! This year’s Turner Classic Movies’ Classic Film Festival proved to be even more memorable than last year’s. Craig McFarland joins Brandon to break down each day of the Fest. From memorable screenings to the WB Studio tour, we’re taking a look back at a jam packed 5 days.

FEATURING: Brandon Davis and Craig McFarland

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Ep. 199- 50 Oscar Nights with Dave Karger

50 Oscar Nights

Front Row Classics welcome Turner Classic Movies host, Dave Karger, this week. Brandon and Dave are discussing his newest book “50 Oscar Nights: Iconic Stars & Filmmakers on Their Career-Defining Wins”. Dave sat down with 50 past Oscar winners to recount the details of their respective victorious evenings. Some stories are triumphant & celebratory. Others are poignant & complex. In this conversation, you’ll hear Dave recount stories from the likes of Steven Spielberg, Rita Moreno, Mel Brooks and Nicole Kidman among several others.

“50 Oscar Nights: Iconic Stars & Filmmakers on Their Career-Defining Wins” is available from Running Press and Turner Classic Movies wherever books are sold.

Dave Karger is an award-winning TV host, interviewer, journalist, and film expert. He is a host on Turner Classic Movies and has been the Oscars expert on NBC’s TODAY since 2000. He also spent over 15 years writing about the Oscars for Entertainment Weekly, has cohosted ABC’s Live from the Red Carpet pre-show, and served as the Academy’s official red-carpet greeter on Oscar night. In 2015, Dave received the Publicist’s Guild Press Award, honoring the year’s outstanding entertainment journalist. He has been called “this generation’s mass-media cinematic ambassador” by The Wrap and a “beloved entertainment guru” by The Hollywood Reporter.

FEATURING: Brandon Davis

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Ep. 195- The Power of Film with Doug Pray

Power of Film.

Brandon welcome filmmaker/producer Doug Pray to Front Row Classics. Doug, along with Laura Gabbert, has helmed the six-episode docuseries “The Power of Film”. The series stars UCLA Film Professor, Howard Suber, and shines a spotlight on film’s impact on the human experience. Suber tells us why certain films remain forever ingrained in our memories and psyches. Brandon and Doug discuss the origins of the series and why it will appeal to both veteran and novice film fans alike.

“The Power of Film” airs each Thursday night on Turner Classics Movies at 7pm est/6pm cst through Feb 8th. The series will eventually find a home on streaming as well.

FEATURING: Brandon Davis

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Ep. 184- Noirvember 2023 with Eddie Muller

Kitty Feral’s In a Lonely Place.

Happy Thanksgiving from Front Row Classics. We’re celebrating Noirvember with the Czar of Noir himself, Eddie Muller. Eddie has penned a new children’s book, “Kid Noir: Kitty Feral and the Case of the Marshmallow Monkey”. The book is a charming introduction to the world of classics film for younger kids. Brandon and Eddie discuss the inspiration behind the book and importance of introducing classic film to the next generation.

The conversation, then, turns to Eddie’s favorite film, Nicholas Ray’s “In a Lonely Place”. The film features what may be Humphrey Bogart’s most personal performance and a career-defining portrayal from Gloria Grahame. Eddie also makes a case for why 1950 just may be the greatest year in film.

“Kid Noir: Kitty Feral and the Case of the Marshmallow Monkey” is available wherever books are sold from Running Press Kids and Turner Classic Movies.

Eddie Muller, an authority on film noir, is the author of Dark City Dames as well as two mystery novels. He lives in the San Francisco area.

Jessica Schmidt is a writer and film noir-enthusiast living in Philadelphia with her husband Nathan and very own crime-fighting canine, Loki.

Forrest Burdett is an illustrator from New Jersey with a passion for vibrant colors and fairytales. His days are filled with drawings of faraway places and fantastical adventures. He studied illustration at FIT in Manhattan and now lives in Portland, Oregon.

BONUS-TCM Spotlight on B Movies with Jeremy Arnold

Celebrating B Movies.

Brandon recently had a chance to sit down for the fourth time with ,author and historian, Jeremy Arnold. On this special bonus episode, they’ll be previewing Jeremy’s latest stint on Turner Classic Movies. Jeremy, along with Ben Mankiewicz, will be presenting twenty B Movies every Thursday evening in July. Jeremy hand picked the twenty films which represent nine different studios. 8 of these films will also be making their TCM debut this month.

You can find the schedule and learn more by going to TCM.com

FEATURING: Brandon Davis

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Ep. 163- Interview with TCM’s Alicia Malone

Hooray for TCM!

Front Row Classics is delighted to welcome Turner Classic Movies’ host, Alicia Malone to the podcast for the first time. Alicia has been a long time wish list guest and she was worth the wait. She and Brandon discuss he classic film origin story as well as he background in media. We also cover topics such as her hiring at TCM, some favorite films and women finding their place in film study & criticism.

NOTE: This episode was recorded before the recent news about TCM’s re-structuring.

Alicia Malone is a host on Turner Classic Movies (TCM) and the host of TCM Imports, showcasing cinematic treasures from around the world each Sunday.

Malone is an authority on classic, independent, and foreign films, and is passionate about supporting women in film. As an author, Malone’s three books – Backwards and in Heels, The Female Gaze, and Girls on Film: Lessons From a Life of Watching Women in Movies – explore the accomplishments and obstacles women have faced throughout cinema’s history. She has also given two TEDx talks on the subject.

Malone’s dedication to film history and supporting women filmmakers saw her named one of LA
Weekly’s People of 2019, and one of 100 #WorthyWomen of 2016. She can also be seen on the Criterion Channel and as the host of Focus Features ‘Reel Destinations’ series. Malone is on the board of directors of The Strand Theatre, a historic movie house in Rockland, Maine.

Previously, Malone was the host of FilmStruck, TCM’s streaming service for movie lovers, and was the host and creator of Fandango’s series ‘Indie Movie Guide.’

Malone began her television career two decades ago in her native Australia, working behind the scenes as a writer, producer, and editor for movie-centric television shows. Her expertise in film
saw her transition to host, interviewer, and film critic for television, radio, print, and online. In 2011, Malone moved to Los Angeles, and since then has appeared as a film expert on a variety of television channels and programs, including CNN’s ‘The Movies’ documentary series, MSNBC, Access Hollywood, E!, Entertainment Tonight, MTV, and ABC’s 2019 ‘Live from the Red Carpet’ Oscar pre-show.

In high school, Malone was voted “Most Likely to See Her Name Up in Lights.” She campaigned hard for that title because she thought it would look good in her future biography.

FEATURING: Brandon Davis

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Bonus Interview: TCM Film Fest with George Stevens Jr.

Let’s chat with George!

Many past Front Row Classics guests were in attendance at the 2023 TCM Classic Film Festival. Two-time guest, George Stevens Jr. was on hand to present his father’s 1941 film, Penny Serenade. The film was presented alongside director, Alexander Payne, in a brand new restoration. Brandon got to sit down with Stevens for a short discussion of the film and importance of film preservation.

FEATURING: Brandon Davis

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Ep. 155- 2023 TCM Classic Film Festival Recap

Brandon is back!

Brandon is back from Hollywood and ready to recap his time at the Turner Classic Movies’ Classic Film Festival. Craig McFarland joins Brandon to recall the memorable experiences and screenings he experienced. Being around so many other classic film devotees, including several Front Row Classics guests, made for one memorable four-day festival.

FEATURING: Brandon Davis

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Bonus Interview: TCM Film Fest with Ben Mankiewicz

Let’s chat with Ben!

Brandon is heading to the TCM Classic Film Festival! Earlier this week, he sat down with TCM Host Ben Mankiewicz for a preview of what is to come.Topics include the opening night presentation of Rio Bravo, Warner Brothers’ 100th anniversary celebration and some of Ben’s favorite aspects of the festival.

Ben Mankiewicz is the primetime host of Turner Classic Movies. When he made his TCM debut in September 2003, he became only the second host hired in the network’s history.

During his career at TCM, he has introduced thousands of movies on the air. Additionally, he’s become one of the best interviewers in the business, leading thoughtful and entertaining long-form conversations with more than two hundred of the industry’s top talents, including Mel Brooks, Bruce Springsteen, Sophia Loren, Martin Scorsese, Warren Beatty, Ava DuVernay, Annette Bening, Robert Redford, Quentin Tarantino, Jodie Foster, Brad Bird, Faye Dunaway, Lou Gossett, Jr., and Michael Douglas.

Mankiewicz is the host of TCM’s first podcast, The Plot Thickens. Each of the four seasons, I’m Still Peter Bogdanovich, The Devil’s Candy, Lucy and Here Comes Pam were met with outstanding reviews and industry awards.

Since 2019, Mankiewicz has served as a contributor to the Peabody and Emmy-winning news magazine, CBS News Sunday Morning, and has hosted the American Society of Cinematographers Awards since 2018.

Prior to TCM, Mankiewicz worked as a reporter and anchor in Charleston, SC, and Miami, FL, twice being named Best Anchor in South Florida by The New Times. Additionally, he contributes to The Young Turks, an online political show he co-founded with Cenk Uygur in 2002.

Mankiewicz moved to Los Angeles nearly 75 years after his grandfather, screenwriter Herman Mankiewicz (“Mank” to his all his friends), headed west to work in the movie business. Soon after arriving, Herman cabled his friend Ben Hecht in New York, “There are millions to be grabbed out here and your only competition is idiots. Don’t let this get around.” His grandson is now proudly one of those idiots.

He’s a graduate of the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism, Tufts University, and Georgetown Day High School in Washington, DC, the school with the worst mascot in recorded history: the Grasshoppers.

Mankiewicz lives in Santa Monica with his beautiful wife, their beautiful daughter, one perfect dog, and one other dog, who’s available for adoption at any time. Seriously, please take him

FEATURING: Brandon Davis

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Ep. 154 – TCM Film Festival with Scott McGee

Brandon is heading to Hollywood!

Front Row Classics is pleased to welcome Scott McGee back to the podcast. Scott is the Senior Director of Original Programming for Turner Classic Movies. Brandon and Scott discuss his journey up the ranks at TCM and the many projects he has been involved with including the TCM Classic Film Festival. The importance of the community surrounding classic film fans is also discussed. McGee also mentions some favorite moments from past TCM Film Festivals.

FEATURING: Brandon Davis

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