The Front Row Network

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.

Front Row Classics welcomes historians/writers Alain Silver and James Ursini this week. The two have penned a book celebrating the quintessential film noir, Double Indemnity. "From the Moment they Met it Was Murder: Double Indemnity and Rise of Film Noir" is a valuable resource for fans of this legendary movie. Brandon and the two authors discuss the origin and impact of the film on the noir genre. They also celebrate the performances of Barbara Stanwyck, Fred MacMurray and Edward G Robinson. "From the Moment they Met it Was Murder: Double Indemnity and Rise of Film Noir" is available wherever books are sold from Running Press and Turner Classic Movies. Screenwriter/producer and film historian Alain Silver is the author/editor of more than thirty books on cinema, including The Noir Style, The Samurai Film, and Film Noir The Encyclopedia. He has also produced more than thirty independent motion pictures; provided commentary for many noir DVD/Blu-ray releases; and lectured on film history and production at numerous colleges, festivals, and conferences in the US and abroad. James Ursini has cowritten or edited more than a score of books with Alain Silver, including their Film Noir Reader series and director studies of David Lean and Robert Aldrich. He has also supplied commentary for numerous film noir DVDs, including Double Indemnity. He has worked in both fiction and non-fiction feature production and has taught filmmaking at UCLA and other schools in the Los Angeles area.

Brandon is currently attending the 15th Annual Turner Classic Movies Film Festival. He recently spoke with TCM's SVP of Programming, Charlie Tabesh. Brandon and Charlie preview the various aspects of this year's festival and what passholders can look forward to. Be sure to check out Brandon's daily coverage on the festival on Front Row Classics' Facebook and Instagram pages this weekend.

Front Row Classics is taking a look at one of great films of the 1960s. Brandon and Emmett Stanton are discussing The Hustler. Robert Rossen's character study features one of Paul Newman's signature performances as Fast Eddie Felson. Brandon and Emmett praise the sharp camera work, screenplay and performances by a great cast including Piper Laurie, George C. Scott and Jackie Gleason.

Front Row Classics is "working like a dog" this week. We're celebrating the 60th anniversary of A Hard Day's Night as well as the Beatle' arrival in America. Brandon is joined by author & film historian, Sloan De Forest. Sloan is a self-proclaimed "Beatle Maniac" and helps to provide great insight into this musical comedy directed by Richard Lester. Brandon and Sloan marvel at the natural acting & comedic abilities from John, Paul, George & Ringo. We also discuss how modern the film still feels after sixty years.

Front Row Classics is joining forces with Beyond the Mouse this week. We're celebrating the 65th Anniversary of Walt Disney's masterpiece, Sleeping Beauty. Brandon. Craig and Vanessa are proud to welcome Disney artist and animator, Michael Giaimo. The hosts discuss the elegance and pageantry that covers every frame of Sleeping Beauty. We spend time discussing their favorite scenes and characters. Michael also helps put the film into proper context within the history of the Disney Studios. Michael Giaimo's many credits includes Art Direction for Pocahontas (1995) as well as Production Design & Art Direction for Frozen (2013) and Frozen 2 (2019)

Front Row Classics welcomes author Katie Gee Salisbury this week. Katie has just penned a wonderful book on one of the 20th century's greatest pioneers of film, Anna May Wong. "Not Your China Doll: The Wild and Shimmering Life of Anna May Wong" is a page turning exploration of Wong's life set against the Jazz Age and early days of Hollywood. Salisbury shines a spotlight on Anna May's glamourous life along with her rebellious personal life & fight for less stereotypical roles. "Not Your China Doll: The Wild and Shimmering Life of Anna May Wong" is available from Dutton Publishing wherever books are sold. Katie Gee Salisbury is the author of Not Your China Doll, a new biography of Anna May Wong, the first Asian American movie star. Her work has appeared in the New York Times, Vanity Fair, The Ringer, the Asian American Writers' Workshop, and elsewhere. She was a finalist for the Jerome Hill Artist Fellowship in 2021 and gave the TED Talk “As American as Chop Suey.” She also writes the newsletter Half-Caste Woman. A fifth-generation Chinese American who hails from Southern California, she now lives in Brooklyn.

Front Row Classics is taking a look at one of the greatest romantic screwball comedies of the 1930s. Brandon is joined by Mia Tiffany from Movies with Mia to discuss 1937's The Awful Truth. Leo McCarey's film about marriage and infidelity still packs a hilarious and poignant journey for movie goers. Brandon and Mia discuss the fantastic chemistry between Cary Grant and Irene Dunne as well as the witty script by Vina Delmar. This film is often credited with creating the "Cary Grant persona" we all know and love. You can see all of Mia's classic film reactions at https://www.youtube.com/@MoviesWithMia/featured

And that's a wrap on movie awards season 2024! The 96th Academy Awards have come and gone and we have a new champion atop the movie world. Oppenheimer took home the most awards of the night including the top prize but there were plenty of fun times to be had at a ceremony that finally felt like a true celebration of film again. Jeremy, Ryan, Erin old Front Row pal and Binge Buddies host Bryan Dressel are here to break it all down and give you the biggest moments and takeaways from a fantastic ceremony. DON’T FORGET TO FOLLOW/REACH US AT: Website: www.nprillinois.org/programs/front-row-network X (Twitter): @frontrowreviewz Email: thefrontrowmoviereviews@gmail.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thefrontrown... Instagram: frontrownetwork YouTube: https://bit.ly/2NyawO0

The tradition continues at the Front Row as we are proud to once again bring your our Oscars Forum! We have an absolutley packed house of Front Row personalities as we break down all 10 films nominated for Best Picture, what they're nominated for and what they might be able to take home on Oscars night. Join Ryan, Jeremy, Brandon, Brett, Erin, Alex, Steve, Larry and the returning Lou Hare to get the low-down on how to win your Oscar pools this Sunday! In this PART 2 we're discussing 5 films: Oppenheimer Poor Things Zone of Interest Maestro Past Lives THE 96th ACADEMY AWARDS will air LIVE on Sunday, March 10th on ABC. DON’T FORGET TO FOLLOW/REACH US AT: Website: www.nprillinois.org/programs/front-row-network X (Twitter): @frontrowreviewz Email: thefrontrowmoviereviews@gmail.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thefrontrown... Instagram: frontrownetwork YouTube: https://bit.ly/2NyawO0

The tradition continues at the Front Row as we are proud to once again bring your our Oscars Forum! We have an absolutley packed house of Front Row personalities as we break down all 10 films nominated for Best Picture, what they're nominated for and what they might be able to take home on Oscars night. Join Ryan, Jeremy, Brandon, Brett, Erin, Alex, Steve, Larry and the returning Lou Hare to get the low-down on how to win your Oscar pools this Sunday! In this PART 1 we're discussing 5 films: Killers of the Flower Moon, The Holdovers, Anatomy of a Fall, Barbie and American Fiction. PART 2 will be released tomorrow. THE 96th ACADEMY AWARDS will air LIVE on Sunday, March 10th on ABC. DON’T FORGET TO FOLLOW/REACH US AT: Website: www.nprillinois.org/programs/front-row-network X (Twitter): @frontrowreviewz Email: thefrontrowmoviereviews@gmail.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thefrontrown... Instagram: frontrownetwork YouTube: https://bit.ly/2NyawO0

We're taking another look at one of the greatest comedies in movie history. Billy Wilder's Some Like it Hot is celebrating its 65th anniversary and remains a fresh and funny as it was in 1959. Jackson Cooper joins Brandon this week to discuss every memorable moment/ We also pay tribute to the incomparable performances of Marilyn Monroe, Jack Lemmon and Tony Curtis.

Front Row Classics is pleased to welcome renowned Wizard of Oz expert & Judy Garland historian, John Fricke. John has contributed his knowledge and expertise to countless books, documentaries, and home video releases over the decades. He provides insight into why Garland remains a powerful pop culture figure more than fifty years after her death. Brandon and John discuss his earliest experiences as a Garland fan, including an unforgettable story of seeing Judy in concert. They also commemorate the 85th anniversary of The Wizard of Oz and 80th anniversary of Meet Me in St Louis.

Front Row Classics is celebrating its 200th episode! I'm so very grateful for to you ,the listeners, for continuing to support this labor of love. For our 200th episode, we're welcoming a very special guest : legendary actress and wildlife activist, Stefanie Powers. Powers grew up in the heyday of Los Angeles and even attended Hollywood High School. Brandon and Stefanie discuss her decades-long career in film, television and theater. Having worked with luminaries like John Wayne, Tallulah Bankhead, Bing Crosby & Maureen O'Hara, Stefanie has a wealth of perspective on the golden age of show business. We discuss her starring role in The Girl from U.N.C.L.E in the 60s which made her the first woman to star in an hour long series. We ,of course, also spend time discussing the beloved series, Hart to Hart and her co-star, Robert Wagner. Stefanie has also dedicated her life to wildlife conservation. She founded the William Holden Wildlife Foundation following the death of her lifelong love, William Holden. You can find out more about the foundation along with ways to give at whwf.org.

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.

Front Row Classics is celebrating Valentine's Day with one of the most popular romantic films to ever come out of Hollywood. Breakfast at Tiffany's remains one of Audrey Hepburn's most iconic works. Beyond the Mouse's Vanessa Ferguson and NPR Illinois' Bea Bonner join Brandon to discuss all aspects of the movie. The hosts discuss Hepburn's unlikely performance as call girl, Holly Golightly. They also discuss their favorite scenes and Henry Mancini's evocative score including the Oscar winning song, "Moon River". Time is also taken to address the controversy surrounding the performance of Mickey Rooney as Mr. Yunioshi.

We at the Front Row Network love how movies still have such an impact on our culture at large. Front Row Classics host Brandon Davis welcomes professional wrestler, Benjamin Trust to the network this week. Ben is from the St Louis area and is making a name for himself in both Illinois and Missouri. We're taking a look at how Top Gun and Top Gun: Maverick inspired Ben's wrestling persona and look. Brandon and Ben also discuss how both films are perfect examples of how effective practical effect still are.

It's the best time of year for all of us cinephiles: Movie Award Season is BACK! The Guilds have begun logging their results and it's time to discuss the official nominations for the film industry's top prizes! The Academy Awards nominations are here and there is PLENTY to discuss. Ryan, Jeremy & Brandon break down the big 8 categories (actors, director, screenplays, picture) and give their thoughts on the biggest surprises, the biggest snubs and who has the early inside track to take home the little gold men! Was Barbie director Greta Gerwig and actress Margot Robbie robbed of noms? Should Dafoe have been in over Ruffallo? Should The Color Purple have gotten more love? Is Oppenheimer the shoo-in dominant winner many are predicting? And why is Jeremy FURIOUS with the Best Original Song category YET AGAIN?! Find out by listening NOW! THE 96th ACADEMY AWARDS will air LIVE on Sunday, March 10th on ABC. DON’T FORGET TO FOLLOW/REACH US AT: Website: www.nprillinois.org/programs/front-row-network X (Twitter): @frontrowreviewz Email: thefrontrowmoviereviews@gmail.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thefrontrown... Instagram: frontrownetwork YouTube: https://bit.ly/2NyawO0

Front Row Classics has "got a lot of livin' to do" this week. Brandon is joined by Larry Aubrey to pay tribute to 1963's Bye Bye Birdie. Brandon and Larry discuss this fun and vibrant adaptation of the classis Broadway musical. The two talk the differences between the film and stage versions. Much of the conversation is spent lauding the star-making performance of Ann-Margret. We'll also pay tribute to the talents of Dick Van Dyke. Janet Leigh, Paul Lynde and director George Sidney.

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 verteran 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.