Hello Movie Lovers,
For anyone who loves classic cinema, there are few better feelings than sitting in a grand old movie palace, waiting for the lights to dim and a beloved film to begin. That is exactly the magic I found this year at the 17th TCM annual Turner Classic Movie Film Festival, which felt even more special because it fell on my birthday weekend.
What better way to celebrate than by watching classic films? I indulged my cinematic heart by sitting in iconic theaters like The Egyptian Theatre and Grauman’s Chinese Theatre, watching movies that have meant so much to me over the years. There are four different tiers of passes for the festival: Spotlight, Essential, Classic, and Palace.
This year, I purchased the Classic pass, which suited me well. Next year, I may upgrade to the Essential pass, since it offers a few more privileges than the Classic and Palace levels.
For the past 17 years, TCM has brought this festival to Hollywood, the very place where so much film history was made. It brings classic film fans together to revisit beloved movies or discover them for the first time.
One of the festival’s greatest pleasures is its special guests, who introduce the films and share their personal insights. This year’s guests included Sharon Stone, Carol Burnett, Dana Delany, Tony Shalhoub, Tina Sinatra, and Jane Fonda, among others.
The lineup of films was rich and wide-ranging. One standout was Letty Lynton, a 1932 pre-Code Joan Crawford film shown on nitrate film stock, a highly flammable film stock. Because of a copyright battle that helped shape copyright law in the United States, the film had not been seen on the big screen in 90 years; its last screening was in 1936.
Another wonderful aspect of the festival is the diversity of its audience. People come from all over the United States, from many age groups, and even from overseas. There is something special about sharing these films with such a varied and passionate crowd making each a night to remember!
The festival featured an amazing selection of movies. There were many films I already loved, while others were completely new to me, and I had only partially seen. I was also able to attend the hand-and-footprint ceremony for Glenn Close, as she and her dog, Pip, added their prints to the famous concrete sidewalk. I was surprised Glenn had not already been honored in this way, but I was happy to see her finally receive that recognition. She also sat down with Ben Mankiewicz to discuss Dangerous Liaisons before the screening of one of my absolute favorite films.
This year’s theme was “The World Comes to Hollywood.” It celebrated the global artists, creators, and immigrants who helped shape the film capital and highlighted talent from around the world.
One example was Cobra Woman, starring Dominican actress Maria Montez. It was my first time seeing the film, and campy as it was, I absolutely loved it. The range of movies I attended was impressive, stretching from some of the best film noirs ever made to some of the funniest comedies and musicals.
The one frustrating thing about the festival is that the movies I most want to see often overlap, so you must choose carefully. My advice is simple: if the festival offers a film you have never seen, see it. You may not get another chance to experience it on the big screen, and for some titles, this may be your only opportunity. Another highlight of the festival is that many contemporary stars attend and participate in pre-show conversations with TCM hosts, adding even more context and excitement to the screenings.
Auntie Mame was another first for me. I had heard of it countless times but had never actually seen it. Seeing Rosalind Russell reprise her Broadway role on screen was a delight, and it quickly became one of my favorite films of the festival. One of the things I love most about older films, especially something like Auntie Mame, is the visual elegance: the costumes, the set design, the scenery, all of it. The dresses were gorgeous, the suits immaculate, and the interiors stunning. There is a kind of sophistication there that you rarely find in modern films, and as someone who appreciates that aesthetic, I was in absolute heaven.
Another thing I love about the festival is being in an audience full of fellow movie lovers. It is always striking when the host asks who has never seen the film, and so many hands go up.
There is something wonderful about watching people experience a great movie for the first time and hearing their laughter, gasps, or sniffles as the story unfolds. The festival also introduces modern audiences to actors they may never have seen before, or encourages them to explore performers they have only encountered once. I love knowing that those discoveries still happen. For example, I had heard of Maria Montez but had never really watched any of her work. After seeing her in Cobra Woman, I became an instant fan and now plan to seek out more of her films. She had a tragic life and, unfortunately, made only 26 films. Still, she was one of the very few Latina actresses working in Hollywood at a time when people of color were far less visible in film.
At a time when AI may become more dominant in Hollywood, it feels especially meaningful to see the industry still preserving its history and honoring the movies and stars that came before.
These films must be protected for future generations because they are the foundation of so much that exists today. During the festival, I spoke with a fellow attendee about how modern celebrities may never possess the same kind of star power as the great legends of earlier eras.
There will never be another Robert Mitchum, Marilyn Monroe, Audrey Hepburn, Jack Lemmon, Maria Montez, Frank Sinatra, or Rita Hayworth. Each of these talented individuals were singular talents.
The films they left behind remain with us because of their elegance, beauty, humor, cinematography, art direction, costumes, and the lasting lessons they continue to offer.
The films I saw during the festival included Out of the Past, Breakfast at Tiffany’s, The Misfits, Victor/Victoria, Cobra Woman, Pal Joey, Ace in the Hole, Dangerous Liaisons, The Fortune Cookie, and Auntie Mame. Those were only some of the films I was able to catch; there were plenty of others I would have seen if the schedule had not overlapped so much. It was also a pleasure to see so many special guests in attendance.
At the Cobra Woman screening, for example, Leonard Maltin and writer Luis Reyes discussed the film and its star, Maria Montez. It was also fun to see Lon Chaney Jr appear in Cobra Woman, which I had not expected and was thrilled to discover. Having Luis on hand was wonderful because of his book Viva Hollywood: The Legacy of Latin and Hispanic Artists in American Film. His extensively illustrated, comprehensive history of Latino artists and craftsmen in American cinema, co-published with Turner Classic Movies (TCM), gave Maria insight many people might not have known.
One of my favorite films at the festival was The Misfits, starring Marilyn Monroe, Clark Gable, Eli Wallach, and Montgomery Clift, and directed by John Huston.
Sharon Stone and Eddie Muller were there to discuss the film and its place in cinema history, especially as Clark Gable’s final film and, in many ways, Marilyn Monroe’s as well. I found it profoundly moving, both because of its message and because of the story surrounding it.
The film is often described as Arthur Miller’s message to Marilyn during their marriage, which ended not long after its release. I also loved that TCM honored Marilyn this year, which would have marked her 100th birthday.
The Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, where many of the festival’s special events took place, featured a display from Julien’s Auctions with Marilyn memorabilia set to go on sale in June.
Another favorite that I absolutely did not want to miss was the musical Pal Joey, starring Frank Sinatra, Rita Hayworth, and Kim Novak, and filmed largely in San Francisco, my hometown. I love this movie not only because I am a devoted Frank Sinatra fan, but also because of the extraordinary wardrobe Jean Louis designed for Rita Hayworth and Kim Novak.
Both women looked breathtaking, and Sinatra was as magnetic as ever. The songs are among my all-time favorites, and the film works for me from beginning to end. The highlight, though, was seeing Tina Sinatra sit down with Eddie Muller to talk about Pal Joey: how much her father loved the film, how close he was with both Rita Hayworth and Kim Novak, how much he enjoyed making it, and what kind of man he was. Over the years, I have heard many stories about Frank Sinatra’s generosity toward his friends, and hearing that perspective made the screening even more meaningful.
On the closing night of the festival, May 3—my birthday—I treated myself to one of the most famous movies of all time, Breakfast at Tiffany’s, starring Audrey Hepburn, George Peppard, and Patricia Neal. I had seen it before, but watching it on the big screen—especially the opening image of Audrey Hepburn standing outside Tiffany’s in that iconic black Givenchy dress—felt magical. It was also wonderful to experience the audience’s reaction to such a beloved film. I was surprised by how many people had never seen Breakfast at Tiffany’s, considering how popular it has remained over the decades.
My final film of the festival was the Robert Mitchum noir Out of the Past. I am a huge film noir fan, yet I had never seen it before. Because of its popularity, the festival scheduled a second screening, which finally gave me the chance to catch it. Robert Mitchum is one of my favorite actors, and he fits noir perfectly. He has the kind of charisma and swagger that defines a true Hollywood leading man.
The only bittersweet note at the end of the festival was the news that Ted Turner, founder of Turner Classic Movies, passed away three days later, on May 6, 2026. If it were not for him, we would not have this incredible channel to keep these phenomenal films alive, nor would we have this festival, which brings so much joy and nostalgia each year. So thank you, Mr. Turner, for helping preserve our movie history!
That, more than anything, is what this festival reminded me of: classic films are not relics of the past, but living works of art that still move, delight, and inspire us. I am already looking forward to next year, and I hope others will feel that same pull toward nostalgia, discovery, and the timeless magic of the movies. I’ll see you at the Turner Classic Movies Film Festival next year.
I am looking forward to at San Diego Comic-Con later this year in July. Hope to see you there!
Thanks to Kenn for video and image embedding for my feature article and thank you for visiting WormholeRiders News Agency. We will be back in the future with additional analysis about the marvelous series we are covering in 2026 before our next Team WHR adventures at San Diego Comic-Con 2026!
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Until next time,
Regards,