Breakfast at Tiffany's at the Hollywood Forever cemetery

It sounds macabre, I know, but for those of you not from L.A., watching films in the Hollywood Forever Cemetery is a great pastime of ours. Every weekend during the summer, we confab with picnic blankets, lawn chairs and even air mattresses to eat, drink, and watch a classic film under the stars. (Yes, even we have a few stars in the sky.)

This year is the tenth anniversary of Cinespia, the organization that screens the films, and they asked for our requests. I wrote in "Anything Audrey Hepburn!" and they listened. The most well-known and beloved of Audrey's films, Breakfast at Tiffany's, will be screened this Saturday August 6th at 8 pm. This year is the first time you can pre-order tickets online, and as someone who goes quite regularly, I highly recommend doing this. And queueing up very early, because this place fills up rather fast! But even sitting on the front lawn waiting to be let in can be fun, with people starting their picnics (and wine drinking) early. And this is where you make friends.

If you are in the area, please try to make this. It's a really fun and memorable way to spend a night in L.A., and the most unique way to see Audrey.

Roman Holiday screening!

Just a quick note to let those of you in Southern California, in or around Apple Valley in particular, know that there will be a special screening of Roman Holiday on Monday, August 16 at 7pm at the Cinemark Jess Ranch. You can find more information about tickets on the theatre's website here, as well as the address, phone number, and all that good stuff.

If you are in the area and have the free time, please go! This was the film that introduced Audrey to the world and won her the Oscar, go see it as it was meant to be seen, on the big screen. You won't regret it. And thank the darling Emily for sharing this information with all of us. Thank you!

Fifth Avenue, 5 AM

Oh, what I love more than anything: a new book on Audrey! Well, a new book on the production of Breakfast at Tiffany's, to be precise, but you absolutely cannot talk about Tiffany's without talking about Audrey Hepburn. It's physically impossible, try it.

Anyway, the book is called Fifth Avenue, 5 A.M.: Audrey Hepburn, Breakfast at Tiffany's, and the Dawn of the Modern Woman, and delves into everything from filming to the adaptation from wandering novella to sparkling screenplay, to Audrey's impact on fashion and the formation of the modern woman. It looks to be a great read, I can't wait to get my grubby mitts on it!

Intrigued? You should be. And if you are in either New York or Los Angeles, you're in luck: the author, Sam Wasson, will be onhand to discuss the film and the book, and to sign copies if you would like. Here's the information:

For New York: This Thursday, July 8th at 7:30 PM, there will be a screening of Breakfast at Tiffany's at the Cinema Arts Centre, and Sam will be there to speak. Ticket prices include admission to the film, discussion, reception and book signing afterward, though you will have to pay for a book separately. Details are here.

For Santa Monica: Next Wednesday, July 14 at 6 PM, there will be a book signing event at Every Picture Tells A Story, and afterward there will be a screening of Breakfast at Tiffany's and a panel discussion to follow at the Aero Theatre just across the street. Information here.

For Los Angeles: Three weeks from now, on Monday July 26 at 7 PM, there will be a signing with Sam at Book Soup on Sunset Blvd. No word on a discussion, but if this is the only event you can make it to, I'm sure he wouldn't mind fielding a few questions as he signs your copy of the book. Details here.

What fun! I love that New York and Santa Monica also threw together screenings of the film as well. If you've never seen Breakfast at Tiffany's on the big screen, well ... you don't know what you're missing. It was meant to be seen that way, and to feel the energy of the audience around you is astounding. If you are anywhere remotely near any of these events, please try to go! I will be at the Santa Monica signing and maybe drop by the Sunset Blvd one just for fun. And if you can't make it, don't despair. Other events might be forthcoming, and you can still buy the book at a regular bookshop, or Amazon has it reduced to quite a nice price, if I do say so.

L.A. Loves Audrey

Got some cool news for my fellow Angelinos last night! Sorry I waited until today to post it, but my Internet's been wonky and I don't trust posting here via my phone. Anyway, beginning tonight LACMA is hosting an Audrey Hepburn marathon entitled "Audrey Hepburn: Then, Now and Forever." It will run until November 13 and features some Hepburn films rarely shown on the big screen, along with special guest speakers.

Tonight, starting at 7:30 there will be a double feature of Roman Holiday and They All Laughed with an introduction by director Peter Bogdanovich (who directed Audrey in Laughed). Tomorrow, Saturday, is another double feature with Breakfast at Tiffany's and Two For the Road, with an introduction by William Daniels, a co-star from Road. And for the record, I'm really miffed I can't make this one because Two For the Road is maybe my favourite Audrey film and I haven't seen it on the big screen yet.

The double feature nights continue with Sabrina, Love in the Afternoon, Charade, Wait Until Dark, War and Peace (wow!) and My Fair Lady. To see the full list of upcoming screenings, along with film and guest speaker information and screen times, go here.

If you can make it to any of these screenings, please go! I can't tell you how much better it is to see your favourite films on the big screen as they were meant to be seen. You pick up on so much more and having an audience reacting around you just adds a new dimension to the film.

Thanks to Kendal for sharing the info!

It's that time again . . .

Time for summer film screenings in the park! I love this part of summer. This morning I went over to Facebook, the only way I know what's going on with any of my friends, and found an update from Cinespia, the group that does the film screenings in the Hollywood Forever cemetery. They just posted their June schedule, and it's always a good sign when they put a picture of Audrey next to their post. :)

So, all you fabulous L.A. and southern California fans, mark your calendars for Saturday June 13th. Gates open at 7:30, the film starts at 9, and it's a $10 mandatory "donation" to get in. Come early because parking is hideous and I'm sure the place will fill up fast. You're encouraged to bring low picnic chairs, blankets, food, anything to make you comfortable that won't block other people's line of vision, so make a fun night of it. It'll be great, I promise. I'll go as an early birthday present to myself (oh, like I need an excuse!), and having seen Funny Face before on the big screen in San Francisco, I can tell you with absolute certainty that it will be amazing. It's like seeing the film for the first time all over again. And if you haven't seen the film yet or have some friends who haven't, it's a great way to introduce yourself or them to Audrey on the big screen. Or, rather, the side of a mausoleum, if you want to get technical. Either way, she sings, she dances, she wears amazing Givenchy creations, she's completely in her element in this film. Go. GO! You can even sit with me if you can't find anyone else to bring along, just be sure to come out, it'll be great. Maybe we can get a sing-along going. ;)

And I'm still working on all my pictures from my trip, so once I'm done editing I was thinking I'd just post all of the Timeless Audrey exhibit pictures on Flickr for everyone to peruse at their leisure. There's quite a lot -- they take up pretty much my entire 1 GB memory card, and they're all huge, high quality pictures -- so rather than posting in batches and making the blog load slowly, I'll just post a link. And if you really like any you may comment. :)

My Fair Lady on the big screen

This past Friday I was lucky enough to finally see My Fair Lady on the big screen. The Academy (you know, the ones who hand out the Oscars) was holding a special 70mm screening of the restored original print, and apparently the 70mm version hasn't been screened since the film was first released 45 years ago. After seeing it for myself, I have to say it's downright tragic. The colours were fantastic, especially the flower segments during the opening credits, and I could just see so much more than I ever have before. You could actually read the elocution cards tacked all over Eliza's bedroom walls, and the more subtle facial expressions were just divine. The mix of emotions that came over Rex Harrison's face in that final scene was incredible. It actually brought tears to my eyes.

I've said it before when I've caught other Audrey films being screened, but if you can ever catch any of her movies on the big screen, GO. Not only is it a totally different experience than watching at home, but the audience reaction and interaction is fabulous. The small theatre was packed, and many of the people there had never seen My Fair Lady before. Shocking, no? But it was great. They laughed hysterically at Henry's colourful insults and Eliza's childish antics, and groaned when Henry wondered why women couldn't be more like his perfect self. It was fantastic.

There was also a small costume and design sketch exhibit in the lobby:


Forgive the darkness and the glare, but the costumes were protected by thick glass and absolutely no flash photography was allowed.




And please forgive my raccoon eyes, but I'd come straight from an unusual photoshoot and my makeup wouldn't come off! I kept my Wayfarers on as long as possible. :)

Lastly, but most importantly, I'd like to give a very huge thank you to Ellen, who performed nothing short of magic to get us tickets to this sold out event. Whatever she wants I will gladly give her as a thank you for this great night!

What are you doing tonight?

I know it's short notice, but for all you Southern California Audrey fans, tonight in Pasadena there will be a free screening of Roman Holiday at 8:30 pm. It's at One Colorado Courtyard, Hugus Alley as part of the Old Pasadena Film Festival. Sounds fun! I'm sorry for the late notice, but I couldn't get on here any sooner to give you warning (stoopid Internet). And if you can make it, be sure to thank the lovely Libby for being thoughtful enough to share this with all of us. :D Parking is a flat rate of $6 in the nearby parking structure (more info here), and there are plenty of restaurants around you if you need a little nibble before or after the show. Oh, and you may want to get there early, because there are a lot more Audrey fans out here than you think! Enjoy if you can go, but if you live too far away or just can't make it, don't fret; just pop in the movie at home, make some popcorn, and curl up on your own comfy couch. Besides, you can pause if you need a bathroom break. ;)

Audrey Hepburn double feature coming soon...

If you are in the Madison, Wisconsin area or will be in December, then you might want to drop in the Westgate Art Cinemas. They'll be playing an Audrey Hepburn double feature there for a week, with Breakfast at Tiffany's and Roman Holiday, two of Audrey's most beloved films. No specific dates are up yet, but you can check back near the end of November and even order tickets online. You can also read more about Westgate's Great Performances series here if you'd like.

The Making of a Classic

Plus, yet another fun summer outing involving Audrey Hepburn! This time it's a screening of How to Steal a Million at the Paramount Theatre in Austin, Texas on July 26 and 27. I've glanced over their full summer lineup and it is amazing, to say the least. I'm very jealous.

Since there seems to be a lot of Audrey movies in the air this summer, I've decided to add a special tag that will make searching a lot easier for everyone. If you want to quickly search this blog for any and all summer screenings to see if there's one in your neighborhood, simply type in "summer 2007" in the search field to the upper left and click "search blog." That should pull up only the summer screening posts and make things a lot easier on you. Also, if you know of any upcoming screenings that haven't been posted here yet, please let me know!

free Audrey Hepburn films this summer!

Free films in a park are nothing new, and I'm sure that they've screened Audrey Hepburn films before, but it seems that this summer a lot of her films are being screened. We've discussed TCM's free screenings already, and now the Huntsville Museum in Alabama is joining in on the fun with "Classic Movies in the Park." From June through August, the museum will screen free films to the public outside on a wall of the museum, and guests are encouraged to make a full picnic of it with lawn chairs, blankets, and picnic baskets. My Fair Lady will be screened on Friday, July 13. For a more complete schedule, go here. And if you're thinking of going to any of these screenings across the country, can you think of a friend or two that hasn't seen an Audrey film? This might be the perfect opportunity to make a friend into a fan. :)

Audrey Hepburn desktops, icons and art!

Some fantastic news for you! The Fabulous Audrey Hepburn now has exclusive, custom- made Audrey Hepburn pop art for your enjoyment. There are also user icons (for message boards and instant messenger programs) and desktops of the special art for you to use, as well. These pieces are not watermarked or in any way stamped with our name, logo, or web address, because I personally think it's a little tacky. But that doesn't mean you can turn around and claim it as your own! All I ask is that you give credit where it's due. If someone tells you they like the piece, just tell them where you got it from. That's all! If this works well, there will be a lot more art where that came from. To see all of the new art, go to the multimedia page. There are also instructions on how to change a picture to your desktop if you need them. Oh, and if you have any requests of pictures you'd like to see pop art-style, let us know!

In other news, if you're in upstate New York for Valentine's Day, you may want to consider catching a screening of Breakfast at Tiffany's. It's actually playing Saturday, Sunday and Monday as well, if you've already made plans for V-day. You can read more information here, and more about the organization and the other films they screen here.