2015 TCM Classic Film Festival Lands Four World Premiere Restorations

Festival to Feature Newly Restored Editions of Apollo 13 (1995), Spartacus (1960), The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1939) and Steamboat Bill Jr. (1928)

Carl Davis to Conduct the World Premiere of His Brand New Score for Steamboat Bill Jr.

Passes Go On Sale to Public Thursday, Nov. 13, for Sixth Annual Festival Taking Place March 26-29, 2015

Video Preview: youtu.be/w_TrpUT93Do

Turner Classic Movies (TCM) has landed four film restorations set to make their world premieres during the 2015 TCM Classic Film Festival, taking place March 26-29, 2015, in Hollywood. The movies, each from a different era in cinema history, including Ron Howard's Apollo 13 (1995), Stanley Kubrick's Spartacus (1960), William Dieterle's The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1939) and Charles Reisner and Buster Keaton's Steamboat Bill Jr. (1928). The Keaton comedy will 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 set to go on sale to the public Thursday, Nov. 13, at noon (ET). Passes can be purchased exclusively through the official festival website: www.tcm.com/festival. A limited number of festival passes will also be available to Citi cardmembers via an exclusive online only presale at www.citiprivatepass.com. This exclusive presale begins at 10 a.m. (ET), Tuesday, Nov. 11, and ends at 10 a.m. (ET), Thursday, Nov. 13.

Earlier this month, TCM announced that 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.

Descriptions for the first four films on the festival slate, as well as information about festival passes, are included below. Additional screenings and events for the 2015 TCM Classic Film Festival will be announced over the coming months.

2015 TCM Classic Film Festival - Initial Slate

Apollo 13 (1995) - 20th Anniversary - World premiere restoration presented in collaboration with Universal Pictures Home Entertainment
Ron Howard's extraordinary film chronicles the mechanical mishaps aboard the Apollo 13 lunar spacecraft and the diligent efforts to bring the astronauts home safely. Tom Hanks, Kevin Bacon and Bill Paxton star as the astronauts, with Gary Sinise and Ed Harris as their counterparts in Mission Control and Kathleen Quinlan as Hanks' wife. The screenplay is based on the book Lost Moon by astronaut Jim Lovell, played by Hanks in the film, and Jeffrey Kluger. Apollo 13 earned Oscars for its taut film editing and exceptional sound design.

Spartacus (1960) - 55th Anniversary - World premiere restoration presented in collaboration with Universal Pictures Home Entertainment
Widely regarded as one of the best "sand and sandal" epics that became a staple of Hollywood during the 1950s and '60s, Stanley Kubrick's Spartacus tells the engrossing tale of a slave who became a gladiator and went on to challenge the might of the Roman Empire. Kirk Douglas plays the title role and served as producer on the film, which also stars Tony Curtis, Jean Simmons, Laurence Olivier, Charles Laughton, John Gavin and Peter Ustinov, in an Oscar®-winning performance. This film helped bring about the end of the Hollywood blacklist when Douglas publicly announced that Dalton Trumbo, one of the "Hollywood Ten," would be adapting Howard Fast's bestselling historical novel. In addition to Ustinov's win, Spartacus took home Oscars for its art direction, costume design and cinematography.

The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1939) - World premiere restoration presented in association with Warner Bros. Classics
Charles Laughton plays Quasimodo, Victor Hugo's tragic hero in this lavish RKO production of the oft-told tale with Maureen O'Hara as Esmeralda under the direction of William Dieterle. The cast also includes Sir Cedric Hardwicke, Thomas Mitchell and Edmond O'Brien. The Paris set, which included a remarkable replica of the famed Notre Dame cathedral, was one of the largest built during the era.

Steamboat Bill Jr. (1928) - World premiere restoration presented in collaboration with Cohen Film Collection
Buster Keaton stars as the son of a paddle-steamer captain in love with the daughter of his father's business rival in this dazzling silent comedy. Despite its box office failure, Steamboat Bill Jr. has since become one of the most cherished Buster Keaton vehicles. Its hurricane sequence required numerous breakaway sets and buildings, including the building façade that just missed crushing Keaton in the movie's most famous sight gag. The TCM Classic Film Festival's screening of Steamboat Bill Jr. will feature a live orchestra conducted by legendary silent film composer Carl Davis in a world premiere performance of his new score.

Passes for the 2015 TCM Classic Film Festival are set to go on sale Thursday, Nov. 13, at noon (ET). Fans will be able to purchase them through the TCM Classic Film Festival website. The number of passes available, especially top-level "Spotlight" passes, is limited.

The "Spotlight" Festival Pass: $1,649 - Includes all privileges available to "Classic" and "Essential" passholders, priority entry to all screening events; plus entry to the exclusive Opening Night Gala Party following the Red Carpet Gala screening at TCL Chinese Theatre IMAX; meet-and-greet events with TCM friends, including Robert Osborne and Ben Mankiewicz; and a limited edition TCM Classic Film Festival poster.

The "Essential" Festival Pass: $749 - Includes all privileges available to "Classic" passholders, plus entry to the Red Carpet Gala screening at TCL Chinese Theatre IMAX and official TCM Classic Film Festival collectibles.

The "Classic" Festival Pass: $599 - Includes access to all film programs at festival venues Thursday, March 26 - Sunday, March 29 (does not include admittance to the Opening Night Red Carpet Gala screening at TCL Chinese Theatre IMAX or the Opening Night Gala Party); access to all Club TCM events, panels and poolside screenings at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel; an Opening Night welcome reception at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel; and the Closing Night event.

The "Palace" Festival Pass: $299 - Includes access to all screenings and events at the TCL Chinese Theatre (excluding the Opening Night Red Carpet Gala) and the Egyptian Theatre Friday, March 27 - Sunday, March 29, as well as poolside screenings at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel.