Day Two

Stanley Kubrick’s Spartacus is a film that I have purposely avoided on the small screen. I was rewarded today with a big screen experience of this epic at The State Theatre. The presentation included a musical prologue and intermission music. It is a great film with a stellar cast: Woody Strode, Tony Curtis, Lawrence Olivier, Charles Laughton, Kirk Douglas and Peter Ustinov.

Iron Island is a very rich film with a illusive but resonant ending. The print was damaged somewhat badly in spots. I think that it was a testament to Bill Hill’s work that it went through the projector without interruption.

At 10:00 pm. I saw O Lucky Malcolm a really fine documentary about Malcolm McDowell. We waited for Michael to come from cancelling the outdoor screening of Jurasic Park.        He came in soaked for the introduction of director/producer Jan Harlan and Malcolm McDowell . Malcolm bounded on to the stage at Old Town Playhouse exclaiming he came because he would do anything for Michael Moore. He feels that the questions that Michael asks in his films were not being asked. The Q & A after the film was a treat. This program may be my favorite of the Festival which no doubt holds further gems.

Opening Night

My son and I went to the 9:00 pm. screening of Pittsburgh. Jeff Goldblum executive produced and stars in this self-referential comedy. The real dazzle of the evening came before the film started. A band I had never heard of did a mini concert for the audience and they were outstanding. The Archipelago Project from Connecticut is a 12 piece band made up of ten brass players, a drummer and a keyboardist/vocalist. Two of their members are from Traverse City. The band comes to Michigan every summer for two weeks of rehearsing. They will be playing outdoors for Saturday’s screening of Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure.

Traverse City Film Festival

The second TCFF opens Monday. Boston Light & Sound is back handling the projection of film. Bill Hill of Hilltop Productions is back film inspection, makeup and traffic control. The Kubrick retrospective is 35mm film. Standardized Technical Services is new this year. They will handle all electronic image presentations.

Michael Moore, Doug Stanton and John Robert Williams are the Festival Directors. They have put together a program that demands sampling but really a diving in by true cineastes.

The fundamentals are in place: a program that you can sink your teeth into, professional presentation and by the early indications a smash with the public.