With April being TCM’s 30th anniversary, and the annual film festival this past weekend, it had me thinking about my love of Turner Classic Movies. Where would I be without the network? What does it mean to me? Keep reading for random memories and thoughts I had when reminiscing on TCM.
When I started racking my brain as to how I knew about TCM, or how I knew what it was, I couldn’t remember. It’s sort of like I just always knew what it was. TCM felt like the ultimate place for classic movie fans. But I clearly remember the day I realized we had gotten TCM as part of our cable line up. I remember finding it by accident as I was scrolling the channels for something to watch. And BOOM! There it was. That classic studio backdrop screen with the line up of the next 3 movies for that afternoon. I had thought about how rarely I got an afternoon at home alone (I was either at work or school usually), so I decided I would watch the first movie in the line up, then do homework.
I watched Boom Town for the next couple of hours. If you’ve never seen the film, it stars Clark Gable, Claudette Colbert, Spencer Tracy and Heddy Lamar and was released in 1940. I loved it! Boom Town was so enjoyable, and I was so caught up in the magic that is TCM, I ended up putting off homework another couple of hours to watch The Thing from Another World……. WOW, what a movie!!! A true Sci-fi classic, from 1951. I was hooked. But seeing Robert Osborne later introducing All This and Heaven Too really sealed the deal. It was love, and I had fallen hard.
The following year I got a subscription to Now Playing, the magazine that contained the month’s schedule, articles, an intro from Robert and more. I now scan ebay weekly for the issues I need to complete my collection. It’s so enjoyable for me to go back to read about picks from Robert and Ben, or do crossword puzzles I didn’t complete. The nostalgia these magazines bring to me each time I open them is why I never really put them away.
Over the years, I never stopped watching TCM, or visiting their website weekly to read and comment on message boards, or look for DVD’s I didn’t have. I can see that Tiffany Blue site so clearly still. The DVD’s still in my collection from the TCM Shop are ones I cherish so deeply. Nothing brings a smile to my face like the TCM Snowman mug I love to use year round. All these things, while they’re just things, are such comforts. They’re extensions of the network, of the films and people we love that make up TCM.
Watching The Essentials over the years, whether Robert was with Alec Baldwin or Drew Barrymore, was such fun! Nothing was quite as nice a Saturday night in with some popcorn, a great movie intro, and then the essential film. Oh how I miss that program! I also loved the 2 Essential books for the TCM Library, written by Jermey Arnold, based on the films from the program. I revisit them often.
TCM has been there for all the sick days, for all the sleepless nights of feeding babies at all hours. I can remember playing Jezebel every night for months from my DVR when my son was a baby. Alicia Malone’s intro coming on each time, a reminder that TCM really is there with us at all times.
If I had to pick one thing about TCM that I hold dearest to my heart, it’s certainly the time I was a guest Backlot programmer. Getting the email that I had been chosen as 1 of 4 for September of 2020 was truly a dream come true. Because of Covid, we had to do all the recording in our homes, so some of the magic was taken out of the experience. It’s still one of the things I’m most proud of. Of the 10 films I sent in as my possible picks, the producers chose The Enchanted Cottage as my film. Alicia Malone was our host. She was amazing and warm, everything you’d hope for her to be. I had family over to watch it that day, with special cookies and such for the occasion. It was really a special thing to feel like I was a part of the TCM family.
Speaking of the Backlot, this is one of the things I miss the most that TCM discontinued. TCM Backlot was created in 2016 as an official fan club for the network. I was a charter member (I still have my card and every item I was gifted or won). There were always great articles to read, fun giveaways and interviews. The best part was helping to influence programming, and voting for stars of the month or day. It was such a fun way to interact with other classic movie lovers, and be a part of TCM.
Today, TCM is on all the time, even if just for background noise. Every once in a while one of my children will stop and watch too. In fact they both did last Sunday while a drunken Cary Grant was driving down hill in North by Northwest. I caught Jack watching I Confess one afternoon too. I still can’t figure out what caught his attention in that one. And I love calling my mom to tell her about a movie coming on, or ask if she caught a certain movie one night or another. If it’s a movie I know she loves I try to remind her it’s coming on or chat about the star of the month if we both like the actor. TCM bringing us together is just another one of the reasons I love TCM.
What makes TCM special to you? I’d love to hear what you love about the network, or fond memories you have. Leave them below, I’d love to read them!
As always, slow down and enjoy a Tuesday Matinee.
Megan