ROCFF Day 3: Sunset Boulevard (1950) and The Godfather (1972) screenings

One of the most enjoyable qualities of a classic film festival is the opportunity to see some of your favorite classic films on the big screen. This may not seem like a big deal to my readers in Los Angeles or New York, where revivals and retrospectives occur so often they begin to be taken for granted. But residing in Atlanta, the opportunity to see films like King Kong (1933) and Rear Window (1954) at a beautifully designed movie house with great acoustics like the Classic Center is really something. Kong's was a little worn, but Rear Window's and William Wyler's Funny Girl (1968) - which I was pleasantly surprised I enjoyed, despite not being a big Barbra fan - were near immaculate prints. Robert Osborne is also an excellent host. You all know that, of course, if you watch him on Turner Classic Movies. Yet seeing him just wing it onstage, with his total command of movie trivia, as he introduces and conducts Q & As after each film is impressive. This man does not need researchers to provide him with his facts. He also seems to be very involved in the festival production, meaning he's not just a host lending his name for publicity purposes. His familiarity with the staff, guests, and festival programming decisions - such as including a vintage cartoon short with each film like Disney's Clock Cleaners (1937) and Warner's The Wild Hare (1940) - demonstrate how much he loves cinema and all of its mystique, something that excites this movie buff, and many others given the huge turnout at the festival. Yesterday's panel on independent film was also much better than anticipated. Despite being filled with many older faces, I have to eat my words from yesterday. They spoke about the "mumblecore" movement, "new media" distribution and other timely issues concerning our bailout economy's impact on the independent movement. I humbly apologize for underestimating this group. The most interesting and informative panelist was Gabriel Wardell, executive director of the Atlanta Film Festival. He had the most information to offer on the current state of independent cinema, and I'm now reconsidering visiting this year's Atlanta Film Fest. On today's schedule: Sunset Boulevard at 1:30 p.m. with special guest Alan Rode, a film noir historian; For Your Consideration (2006) at 4:30 p.m. with special guests Fred Willard and Michael Hitchcock, both in the film's cast; and lastly a never-screened print of The Godfather at 8:30 p.m. with special guest Talia Shire, who played Connie Corleone in the film. See you later with more on Talia Shire. All events at the 5th Annual Robert Osborne's Classic Film Festival take place at the Classic Center, 300 N. Thomas Street, Athens, GA 30601, (706) 208-0900 or (800) 918-6393.

TCM's Robert Osborne Hosts 5th Annual Classic Film Festival in Athens

For the fifth straight year, locals and visiting cinephiles will be treated to Hollywood classics on the big screen when Robert Osborne’s Classic Film Festival comes to town. The event will be held March 19-22, 2009 at The Classic Center in downtown Athens, Georgia. Robert Osborne, the primetime host of Turner Classic Movies and a columnist for The Hollywood Reporter, has picked eight classic films that he says, "represent the breadth and variety of classic cinema from the 1930s to the 1980s." The 2009 festival selections are: Goldfinger (1964), King Kong (1933), Rear Window (1954), Funny Girl (1968), Sunset Boulevard (1950), For Your Consideration (2006), The Godfather (1972), and E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial (1982). Nate Kohn, festival executive producer and professor of telecommunications in the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Georgia, is thrilled by the list. "Robert is the world's foremost authority on the Academy Awards, and he worked hard to put together this dynamic program. His commitment to the success of our festival is something we're very proud of." This year Robert Osborne will share his hosting duties with acclaimed actor and former film festival guest, Fred Willard, who will host the Saturday and Sunday films. Willard's work includes a part in every movie directed by Christopher Guest, including 2009 festival selection For Your Consideration. Festival director Pamela Kohn is looking forward to this year’s format. "We are fortunate to have Fred Willard joining us this year,” she said. “He enjoyed the festival so much as a guest in 2007, and he is excited to come back in this expanded role.” Past festivals have brought guests such as Jane Powell, Louise Fletcher, Maximilian Schell, Pia Lindstrom, Patricia Neal, Parker Posey and Mickey Rooney to Athens to discuss their films with Osborne on stage after the screenings. Kohn hopes that the upcoming festival will feature guests of similar stature. For the three-and-a-half day festival, the 2,000-seat Classic Center theatre will be transformed into a world-class movie palace with the installation of a 60-foot motion picture screen and state-of-the-art 35 mm projection and sound systems. Most prints will be pristine archival 35 mm prints from many of the major studios. "It's an exciting adventure to see these films the way they were meant to be seen," explained Osborne. "The big screen gives a different dimension and vitality to them." In addition to the film showings, the festival will feature a panel discussion hosted by Osborne, which is free and open to the public. Panelists will include University of Georgia scholars, festival guests, artists, critics and others. The panel topic this year is “Film Festival Fare: Independent Filmmaking and its Influence on Hollywood.” All films, with the exception of the free Friday matinee showing of Rear Window, will require a paid ticket for admission. In celebration of the festival's 5th-year anniversary, children 12 and under will receive a special ticket price of $5 for E.T. Passes and tickets for individual films are available at The Classic Center box office, online, or by calling (800) 918-6393. Prices are $60 for a pass to all films and panel discussions or $45 with valid student identification. A limited number of passes that include the festival's Saturday brunch will be available for $90 to the general public and $75 with valid student or UGA Alumni Association identification. Individual film tickets are $10, or $8 for students and alumni association members. Robert Osborne's Classic Film Festival is an annual non-profit event of the University of Georgia's Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication. For more information, please visit http://www.robertosbornefilmfestival.com/. Please note that films on the list are subject to change.