The Sound of Music – We Are Movie Geeks

See THE SOUND OF MUSIC This Sunday Night at the Sky View Drive-in in Lichtfield, Illinois

THE SOUND OF MUSIC screens this Sunday night, May 12th at the Sky View Drive-in in Lichtfield, Il. (1500 Historic Old Route 66) This is part of the Sky View’s ‘Throwback Sundays’. The second Sunday of the month, they screen a classic movie. Admission is only $3 (free for kids under 5). The movie starts at dusk (8-ish). The Sky View’s site can be found HERE. Next month, June 9th, is DIRTY HARRY!

The Litchfield Sky View Drive-In is in the Route 66 Hall of Fame. It is the last originally operating drive-in on the Mother Road in Illinois. At the front of the property, accessible by travelers, is a Wayside Exhibit. This exhibit, placed by the Scenic Byway, tells some of the history as well as some of the memories of our patrons.

THE SOUND OF MUSIC, from left: Julie Andrews, Christopher Plummer, between scenes, on set, 1965. TM Copyright ©20th Century Fox Film Corp. All rights reserved/courtesy Everett Collection

The hills are alive with THE SOUND OF MUSIC Sunday night at the Sky View Drive-in. Julie Andrews takes to the screen in this beloved 1965 film adaption of the original Broadway musical and gives a dazzling performance as the spirited Maria who warms our hearts and takes us away into a lovely world of song. THE SOUND OF MUSIC is set in Salzberg in Austria in the dying days of the 1930s. Rebellious trainee nun Maria (Andrews) has stepped on the toes of the Mother Abbess (Peggy Wood) one too many times and she finds herself shipped off to be the governess of one Captain Von Trapp (Christopher Plummer) and his seven children (Charmian Carr, Heather Menzies, Nicholas Hammond, Duane Chase, Angela Cartwright, Debbie Turner and Kym Karath). At first, she struggles to fit in to the fabric of the family which is strict and joyless but Maria’s zest of life, love and song soon melts the heart of the Von Trapps as the gathering storm of the Nazi threat swirls at the fringes of the story.The film is full of wonderful and memorable songs like “Do-Re-Mi”, “My Favorite Things” and “Climb Every Mountain.” Any film fan should see THE SOUND OF MUSIC on the big screen outdoors and fall in love with the majestic beauty this picture presents as you journey into those hills. You’ll have your chance this Sunday night!

Sound of Music Sing-a-Long At The Hollywood Bowl

On Saturday night, WAMG had the absolute thrill and pleasure of attending our first Sound of Music Sing-a-long at the Hollywood Bowl. Hosted by actress/comedian Melissa Peterman (Reba, Young Sheldon), this event has been going on at the Hollywood Bowl for over 14 years. And it’s worth mentioning, Sound of Music sing-a-long events take place in countries all over the world, and the Hollywood Bowl proudly boasts the largest attendance on record with over 15,000 people joining the festivities!

Fans of the classic, iconic, Academy Award-winning film, starring Julie Andrews turned out in droves with costumes to match. Among them we saw complete sets of Von Trapp children, hundreds (really!) of nuns, and of course, Lederhosen as far as the eye could see.

The evening started with a pre-show that included host Peterman in her “curtain-fabric” ball gown and a costume contest to reward the most clever and creative of costumes (the winner was a hilarious kid in a deer suit wearing a bikini top – as in, “doe a deer, a female deer…”) It was a great way to kick off the night.

Also in attendance for the pre-show were some of the film’s Von Trapp children; Angela Cartwright (Brigitta), Debbie Turner (Marta) and Kym Karath (Gretl) joined Peterman on stage to welcome and thank the fans for coming out and making the night so special, even after all these years. And the fans didn’t disappoint, giving the three of them a standing ovation.

One of the most memorable moments of the night, and definitely throat-lump inducing, was when the audience of over 15,000 people all turned on their phone lights and lit up the entire Hollywood Bowl during “Edelweiss” – it was a pretty awesome sight.

And this yearly tradition has no signs of slowing down – if you missed it this year, mark your calendars for next year – you won’t want to miss it!

Five out of five stars!

The Von Trapps are Back! THE SOUND OF MUSIC Returns to U.S. Cinemas Sept. 9th & 12th

“You brought music back into the house. I had forgotten.”

One of the most popular and enduring movies of all time, Rodgers & Hammerstein’s The Sound of Music has delighted audiences for more than half a century, and on September 9 and 12, it returns to movie theaters nationwide as part of the yearlong TCM Big Screen Classics series from Fathom Events and Turner Classic Movies (TCM). In addition to the full feature presentation, TCM Primetime Host Ben Mankiewicz will offer special, brand-new commentary both before and after the film.

Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer star in director Robert Wise’s spectacular cinematic adaptation, which features such iconic musical numbers as the title song, “Sixteen Going on Seventeen,” “Do-Re-Mi,” “My Favorite Things,” “The Lonely Goatherd” and “Edelweiss,” as it tells a stirring story of love, family and personal sacrifice.

Tickets for The Sound of Music can be purchased beginning Friday, July 27, at www.FathomEvents.com and participating theater box offices.

Presented by Fathom Events, Turner Classic Movies and Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment, The Sound of Music plays in more than 600 movie theaters nationwide on Sunday, September 9 and Wednesday, September 12at 2:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. local time (both days). A complete list of theater locations will be available July 27 on the Fathom Events website (theaters and participants are subject to change).

The first movie in Hollywood history to gross more than $100 million, The Sound of Music originally played in movie theaters for a year or more upon its initial release, and remains one of the most successful films ever made. The TCM Big Screen Classics presentation of The Sound of Music will be presented in its original widescreen “roadshow” version, including a mid-film intermission. The Sound of Music was nominated for 10 Academy Awards®, and won five Oscars®, including Best Picture (1965), Best Director, Best Scoring of Music – Adaptation or Treatment and Best Film Editing.

“‘The Sound of Music’ is the definition of a ‘feel-good’ movie, a film that captures the hearts of audiences of all ages in the most special way,” Fathom Events Vice President of Studio Relations Tom Lucas said. “It’s one of our most frequently requested best-performing classic titles, truly one of movie lovers’ favorite things. We couldn’t be more pleased to add ‘The Sound of Music’ to this year’s TCM Big Screen Classics series.”

THE SOUND OF MUSIC Screens at Powell Hall in St. Louis January 20th

“You brought music back into the house. I had forgotten.”

THE SOUND OF MUSIC was the last motion picture shown at the St. Louis Theatre before it became Powell Hall (718 N Grand Blvd, St. Louis, MO 63103). They’re keeping with tradition and bringing back the Von Trapp family to celebrate! Come to the auditorium and see THE SOUND OF MUSIC on the big screen Saturday January 20th at 7pm. Admission is $5 and tickets can be purchased HERE. The St. Louis Symphony Orchestra does not perform for this presentation.

The hills are alive with THE SOUND OF MUSIC Saturday January 20th at 7pm at Powell Hall. Julie Andrews takes to the screen in this beloved 1965 film adaption of the original Broadway musical and gives a dazzling performance as the spirited Maria who warms our hearts and takes us away into a lovely world of song. THE SOUND OF MUSIC is set in Salzberg in Austria in the dying days of the 1930s. Rebellious trainee nun Maria (Andrews) has stepped on the toes of the Mother Abbess (Peggy Wood) one too many times and she finds herself shipped off to be the governess of one Captain Von Trapp (Christopher Plummer) and his seven children (Charmian Carr, Heather Menzies, Nicholas Hammond, Duane Chase, Angela Cartwright, Debbie Turner and Kym Karath). At first, she struggles to fit in to the fabric of the family which is strict and joyless but Maria’s zest of life, love and song soon melts the heart of the Von Trapps as the gathering storm of the Nazi threat swirls at the fringes of the story.The film is full of wonderful and memorable songs like “Do-Re-Mi”, “My Favorite Things” and “Climb Every Mountain.” Any film fan should see THE SOUND OF MUSIC on the big screen and fall in love with the majestic beauty this picture presents as you journey into those hills.

THE SOUND OF MUSIC Screens September 14th at The Tivoli – ‘Classics in the Loop’

“You brought music back into the house. I had forgotten.”

THE SOUND OF MUSIC screens Wednesday September 14th at The Tivoli Theater (6350 Delmar in ‘The Loop’) as part of their new ‘Classics in the Loop’ film series. The movie starts at 7pm and admission is $7. It will be on The Tivoli’s big screen.

The hills are alive with THE SOUND OF MUSIC Wednesday night at The Tivoli. Julie Andrews takes to the screen in this beloved 1965 film adaption of the original Broadway musical and gives a dazzling performance as the spirited Maria who warms our hearts and takes us away into a lovely world of song. THE SOUND OF MUSIC is set in Salzberg in Austria in the dying days of the 1930s. Rebellious trainee nun Maria (Andrews) has stepped on the toes of the Mother Abbess (Peggy Wood) one too many times and she finds herself shipped off to be the governess of one Captain Von Trapp (Christopher Plummer) and his seven children (Charmian Carr, Heather Menzies, Nicholas Hammond, Duane Chase, Angela Cartwright, Debbie Turner and Kym Karath). At first, she struggles to fit in to the fabric of the family which is strict and joyless but Maria’s zest of life, love and song soon melts the heart of the Von Trapps as the gathering storm of the Nazi threat swirls at the fringes of the story.The film is full of wonderful and memorable songs like “Do-Re-Mi”, “My Favorite Things” and “Climb Every Mountain.” Any film fan should see THE SOUND OF MUSIC on the big screen and fall in love with the majestic beauty this picture presents as you journey into those hills. You’ll have your chance this Wednesday night!

Here’s the rest of the line-up for the ‘CLASSICS IN THE LOOP’ film series:

Sept. 21 LAWRENCE OF ARABIA

Sept. 28 LA DOLCE VITA

Oct. 5 THE TEN COMMANDMENTS (1956)

Oct. 12 GONE WITH THE WIND

Oct. 19 SEVEN SAMURAI

Oct. 26 DOCTOR ZHIVAGO

‘CLASSICS IN THE LOOP’ – New Film Series at The Tivoli Begins With BEN-HUR (1959) Sept. 7th

There’s nothing more fun than getting to watch classic movies the way they were intended–on the big screen!

Now, I understand plenty of people don’t want to go to a theater, spend a fortune on tickets, popcorn, and a drink just to see the glow of cell phones and hear people rudely talking while someone kicks your seat from behind, but that’s not the experience you’ll get at Landmark theaters newly-announced (and affordable) film series. St. Louis movie buffs are in for a treat as Landmark’s The Tivoli Theater will run it’s ‘Classics on the Loop’ every Wednesday beginning September 7^th at 7pm. The Tivoli will screen, on their big screen (which seats 320 btw), the type of epic, widescreen masterpiece that needs to be seen in a theater with an audience. Admission is only $7.

One benefits of the big screen is that you aren’t in your living room. The core function of movies like the ones they are showing at ‘Classics on the Loop’ is to take the viewer to the world of the movie and leave their own behind. That is so much easier to accomplish when one is not in the epicenter of the world they are trying to leave but in a spacious movie palace like the Tivoli. Seeing LAWRENCE OF ARABIA there will be like being in the desert with the protagonists (minus the heat).

The Tivoli’s located at 6350 Delmar Blvd., University City, MO. Admission is a mere $7!

Here’s the line-up for the ‘CLASSICS IN THE LOOP’ film series:

Sept. 7                  BEN-HUR (1959)

Sept. 14                THE SOUND OF MUSIC

Sept. 21                LAWRENCE OF ARABIA

Sept. 28                LA DOLCE VITA

Oct. 5                    THE TEN COMMANDMENTS (1956)

Oct. 12                  GONE WITH THE WIND

Oct. 19                  SEVEN SAMURAI

Oct. 26                  DOCTOR ZHIVAGO

Support this film series!!!! Hopefully, with good attendance, this will announce some more titles for Noevmber and beyond! Look for continued coverage of the ‘CLASSICS IN THE LOOP’ film series here at We Are movie Geeks.

THE SOUND OF MUSIC To Open 2015 TCM Classic Film Festival – Julie Andrews & Christopher Plummer To Appear

Hollywood will come alive with The Sound of Music (1965) this spring as the beloved, Oscar®-winning classic returns to the big screen to celebrate its 50th anniversary with a gala opening-night screening on Thursday, March 26 at the 2015 TCM Classic Film Festival. Legendary stars Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer will join Turner Classic Movies host Robert Osborne at the world-famous TCL Chinese Theater IMAX to introduce the beautifully restored film and kick off the sixth annual festival, which will run March 26-29, 2015, in Hollywood.

The film is being presented in collaboration with Twentieth Century Fox, in celebration of their Golden 50^th Anniversary Blu-ray release arriving on March 10, 2015.

The Sound of Music is the story of the Von Trapp family, whose lives are forever changed by the arrival of Maria, the warmhearted young governess who brings joy and music to the Captain (Plummer) and his children. The film earned Andrews her second consecutive Oscar nomination after having won the previous year for her performance in Mary Poppins (1964).

The TCM Classic Film Festival’s screening of The Sound of Music will mark the second year in a row that a Rodgers & Hammerstein musical has opened the week’s festivities. Last year, the duo’s groundbreaking Oklahoma! (1955) launched the 2014 TCM Classic Film Festival, with Shirley Jones attending.

The Sound of Music joins a growing list of restored classics being showcased at the 2015 TCM Classic Film Festival. TCM previously announced that the festival will feature restored versions of Ron Howard’s Apollo 13 (1995), William Dieterle’s The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1939) and Charles Reisner and Buster Keaton’s Steamboat Bill Jr. (1928). The Keaton comedy will also be accompanied by legendary silent film composer Carl Davis conducting the world premiere performance of his new score for the film.

Passes for the 2015 TCM Classic Film Festival are on sale now and can be purchased exclusively through the official festival website: www.tcm.com/festival. Additional screenings and events will be announced over the coming months.

Opening Night Gala – The Sound of Music (1965)

The Sound of Music (1965) – 50th anniversary celebration presented in collaboration with Twentieth Century Fox – Featuring a live appearance by Julie Andrews & Christopher Plummer

Robert Wise’s sumptuous, Oscar®-winning adaptation of Rogers & Hammerstein’s The Sound of Music is one of the most beloved musicals of all time and one of the genre’s biggest box office hits. It is the story of Maria, a spirited young woman who leaves a convent and becomes a governess to seven unruly children. Her charm and songs soon win the hearts of the children and their father but when Nazi Germany unites with Austria, Maria is forced to attempt a daring escape with her new family.

Also starring with Andrews and Plummer in The Sound of Music are Eleanor Parker, Richard Haydn and Peggy Wood, along with Charmian Carr, Nicholas Hammond, Heather Menzies, Duane Chase, Angela Cartwright, Debbie Turner and Kym Karath as the von Trapp children.

The Sound of Music is packed with musical delights, from the stunning and iconic mountaintop opening title song to the infectious joy as Maria and the children sing “Do-Re-Mi” while canvassing the spectacular Austrian countryside. Other unforgettable songs in the film include “My Favorite Things,” “Edelweiss” “Climb Ev’ry Mountain” and “Sixteen Going on Seventeen,” to name a few.

The Sound of Music topped the box office in 1965 and continues to rank as one of the most popular films of all time. The film earned 10 Oscar nominations, winning for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Sound, Best Film Editing and Best Adapted Score.

Julie Andrews has been a beloved and much-honored star of stage, screen and television for more than half a century. She was already a Broadway legend when she made her feature film debut in 1964’s Mary Poppins. Andrews’ iconic performance in the title role of the magical nanny brought her an Academy Award® a Golden Globe and a BAFTA Award. The following year, she earned a second Oscar® nomination and won another Golden Globe Award for her unforgettable portrayal of Maria Von Trapp in The Sound of Music. She received her third Academy Award nomination and won another Golden Globe Award for her “dual” role in Victor/Victoria (1982).

Today’s young film audiences may be more familiar with Andrews as a queen trying to train her teenaged granddaughter to be a princess in the hit films The Princess Diaries (2001), and its sequel, The Princess Diaries 2: The Royal Engagement (2004). Andrews also voiced the character of Queen Lillian in the blockbuster hits Shrek 2 (2004) and Shrek the Third (2007). More recently, she voiced the narration of the hugely successful Disney release of Enchanted (2007). In 2010, Andrews added to her multi-generational appeal with the releases of The Tooth Fairy, Shrek Forever After and Despicable Me. Her earlier motion picture credits include The Americanization of Emily (1964), Hawaii (1966), Thoroughly Modern Millie (1967), Star! (1968), Darling Lili (1970) and 10 (1979), to name only a few.

Andrews received her honors as a Dame of the British Empire by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II on New Year’s Eve 1999. She was also a 2001 Kennedy Center Honoree. For more about Andrews and her activities and book collection, please go to www.julieandrewscollection.com.

Christopher Plummer has enjoyed almost 60 years as one of the theatre’s most respected actors and as a veteran of over 100 motion pictures.

Plummer’s more recent projects include the highly praised animated films Up, 9 and My Dog Tulip, as well as the title role in The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus, directed by Terry Gilliam. He played the great novelist Tolstoy opposite Helen Mirren in The Last Station for Sony Classics where he received his first Academy Award nomination in 2010. He followed that up the next year with another nomination and a win for Best Supporting Actor in Beginners from writer/director Mike Mills and appeared in David Fincher’s The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo that same year. In July and August 2012, he returned to the Stratford Festival to perform his one-man show that he created entitled A Word or Two, directed by Des McAnuff.

In 2014, he starred opposite Oscar winner Shirley MacLaine in Elsa & Fred directed by Michael Radford, Hector And The Search for Happiness directed by Peter Chelsom.

In 2105, he will star in Danny Collins opposite Al Pacino and Annette Bening for writer/director Dan Fogelman and The Forger opposite John Travolta directed by Phillip Martin.

His recent self-written best selling memoir, In Spite of Myself (Afred A. Knopf Publishers) is being much lauded by critics and public alike.

Twentieth Century Fox proudly honors the 50^th Anniversary with an unprecedented year-long company-wide celebration highlighted by theatrical and home entertainment releases, and a slate of cross-company and promotional partnerships that will bring one of the world’s most ‘favorite things,’ to millions around the globe. The unparalleled golden anniversary of the film’s premiere will launch March 2 in the UK and March 10 in the US, with the release of the 5-disc Ultimate Collector’s Edition 50^th Anniversary Blu-ray™/DVD/Digital HD. Beautifully restored, the 5-disc 50^th Anniversary Blu-ray™ features over 13 hours of bonus content highlighted by the all-new documentary “The Sound of a City: Julie Andrews Returns to Salzburg.” The treasured film will also once again proudly shine on the big screen in commemoration of this special anniversary through a Fox partnership with Fathom Events and Turner Classic Movies. A beautifully restored version of the film will be shown for two days only, April 19^th and 22^nd, in over 500 theatres across the US.

For the sixth consecutive year, thousands of movie lovers from around the globe will descend upon Hollywood for theTCM Classic Film Festival. The 2015 festival is set to take place Thursday, March 26 – Sunday, March 29, 2015. Over four packed days and nights, attendees will be treated to an extensive lineup of great movies, appearances by legendary stars and filmmakers, fascinating presentations and panel discussions, special events and more.

The theme for the 2015 TCM Classic Film Festival will be History According to Hollywood:

The Old West. Medieval England. Ancient Rome. Hollywood has found endless inspiration in re-creating historical moments and bringing to life the heroes and villains of the past, creating a form of time travel for audiences through the ages and around the world. These films, however, are not always true to the historical record. Filmmakers have often created works about the past that are a reflection of the period in which they were made, or change facts to suit a particular storyline. The 2015 TCM Classic Film Festival will explore how cinema has shaped how we view – and remember – history.

TCM host and film historian Robert Osborne will once again serve as official host of the TCM Classic Film Festival, with TCM’s Ben Mankiewicz introducing various events. The festival’s official hotel and central gathering point for the sixth consecutive year will be The Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, which has a longstanding role in movie history and was the site of the first Academy Awards® ceremony. The Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel will also offer special rates for festival attendees. Screenings and events during the festival will be held at the TCL Chinese Theatre IMAX, the TCL Chinese 6 Theatres and the Egyptian Theatre, as well as other Hollywood venues.

Passes for the 2015 TCM Classic Film Festival are on sale now and can be purchased exclusively through the official festival website: www.tcm.com/festival.

WAMG At THE SOUND OF MUSIC “Last 70MM Film Festival” Screening

On Monday, July 30^th, diehard fans of the beloved and iconic musical film “The Sound of Music” were treated to a screening of a newly restored 70mm print at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. The highly anticipated screening was part of AMPAS’ Last 70MM Film Festival.

Lucky fans and invited guests were treated to a Q&A segment prior to the film with special guests Charmian Carr (Liesl) and Kym Karath (Gretl). Joining them was Fred Bronson, author of The Sound of Music Family Scrapbook, the inside story of the beloved movie musical, revealed by the actors who starred as the Von Trapp children.

I spoke to Kym Karath (Gretl) before the screening and she was as lovely as can be. When I asked her about her feelings towards the film after more than 45 years, she said that more than anything else, she has lovingly embraced it. Fans have always been wonderful to her and the other cast members and she enjoys attendings reunions and special screenings such as this.

The film was shown in its original format, including the overture and the intermission. The sold out crowd was glued to their seats for the entire thing. VHS and now DVD has made this film accessible to millions of fans and new generations of fans around the world, but seeing it on the big screen is something I highly recommend if you ever have the chance!

The Hills are Alive in 70mm for “The Sound of Music” At The Academy – July 30

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences presents a new print of the 1965 musical classic “The Sound of Music” as the fourth film in its series “The Last 70mm Film Festival” on Monday, July 30, at 7 p.m. at the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills. The evening will also welcome actress Kym Karath, who played Gretl, the youngest of the seven Von Trapp children in the film.

Based on the Broadway musical, the film follows Maria (played by Julie Andrews in her second Oscar®-nominated role) a young woman who leaves an Austrian convent to become a governess to the seven children of a widowed navy captain (Christopher Plummer). The film was nominated for ten Academy Awards® including Actress (Julie Andrews, “Maria”), Actress in a supporting role (Peggy Wood,” Mother Abbess), Art Direction – Color (Art Direction: Boris Leven; Set Decoration: Walter M. Scott, Ruby Levitt), Cinematography – Color (Ted McCord), Costume Design, Color (Dorothy Jenkins), and won awards for Directing (Robert Wise), Film Editing (William Reynolds), Music – Scoring of Music–adaptation or treatment (Irwin Kostal), Best Picture (Robert Wise, Producer), and Sound (20th Century-Fox Studio Sound Department, James P. Corcoran, sound director; and Todd-AO Sound Department, Fred Hynes, sound director).

“The Last 70mm Film Festival,” continues on Mondays through August 13, showcasing 70mm classics from different genres as well as rarely screened 70mm short subjects. The remaining screenings in the series are:

August 6	“2001: A Space Odyssey” (1968)
August 13	“Spartacus” (1960)

Tickets for all screenings in “The Last 70mm Film Festival” are now sold out. A standby line will form on the day of the event, and standby numbers will be assigned starting at approximately 5:30 p.m. Any available tickets will be distributed shortly before the program begins. Ticket holders should plan to arrive at least 15 minutes before the start of the event to ensure a seat in the theater. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. The Samuel Goldwyn Theater is located at 8949 Wilshire Boulevard in Beverly Hills. For the latest pre-show details, call (310) 247-3600 or visit www.oscars.org.

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