TCMFF 2022 Picks & Plans: TCM Host Alicia Malone

Classic Couple recently asked TCM host Alicia Malone what she’s most looking forward to during the TCM Classic Film Festival April 21-24, 2022. Here are Alicia’s TCMFF picks and plans.

TCM Host Alicia Malone

Classic Couple: What films/events are you personally looking forward to experiencing at the 2022 TCM Film Festival and why?

Alicia Malone: Overall, I’m just beside myself that the festival is back live again this year. After a few tough years (for everyone), it will feel even more special to sit in the dark with strangers and watch movies. I’ve missed being with TCM fans, who lovingly clap for their favorite character actors when they appear in brief cameos on screen, and line up for hours to see pre-codes that are rarely shown elsewhere. That being said, I’m usually kept very busy throughout the festival… so in terms of what I’m looking forward to experiencing this year, I’ll split it up into events I will be hosting and what I hope to squeeze in between.

One event I’m looking forward to hosting this year is the panel for the wonderful book Letters From Hollywood by Rocky Lang and Barbara Hall. These two have curated an incredible selection of letters from Hollywood’s history, which illuminate much about their famous writers. Rocky and Barbara will speak about the process of gaining permissions to add the letters into their book, and we have a few special guests who will join us on stage to read selections.

I’m also excited to bring two of my childhood favorites together – Paula Abdul and Singin’ In The Rain. I remember trying to learn the dances from Singin’ In The Rain (wisely, deciding against trying to run up the wall like Donald O’Connor) and also, trying to be like Paula Abdul in her video for Opposites Attract. She was obviously influenced by Gene Kelly’s dancing with Tom & Jerry in Anchors Aweigh, and I’m interested to hear how Gene Kelly has been an inspiration throughout her own life and career. (Remember her Diet Coke commercial when she danced with Gene??)

Then, I’m hoping I’ll get a chance to see some of the films in the Discoveries section – these are the movies not often screened in theaters. I’ve already heard that Jewel Robbery and Evenings For Sale will be the hot tickets, being pre-code movies starring crowd favorites William Powell and Herbert Marshall. I’m going to try to catch one of those, or the other great pre-code, Cocktail Hour, which I have never seen on the big screen. 

And being that I have a penchant for interesting female characters, I’ll do my best to get to the screening of Coffy, featuring the kick-ass Pam Grier. Oh, and another event that sounds like a unique experience is the live reading of I Married a Monster From Outer Space!

All in all this year’s TCM CFF is shaping up to be an unforgettable weekend – truly a reunion for us classic film loving weirdos. See you there…

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In addition to the discussions Alicia Malone will lead during TCMFF, she will be signing copies of her newest book – Girls on Film on Sunday, April 24 from 2:00-3:00 pm in the lobby of the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel.

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