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Scene being set for 2008 Film Festival |
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Monday, 28 July 2008 |
 Guests enjoy the Sunrise Tour of movie sites at the Lone Pine Film Festival. The 2008 edition will bring back the popular tour as well introduce a new one entitled, “Iron Man and Beyond: Movies Made East of Lone Pine.” Photo courtesy Chris Langley Register Staff 7-26-2008
Cries of “Happy Birthday, Kemo Sabe” and “Wagons Ho!” will fill the air in Lone Pine this fall as the 2008 edition of the Lone Pine Film Festival rides into the small western town Oct. 10-12.
Organizers of the 19th annual affair – maybe one of the smallest film festivals in the world but one of the most unique with an ever-growing global fan base – have announced a near-solidified lineup of guest stars and schedule of events.
This year’s offerings include plenty of returning favorites, according to Film Festival Board Member and Inyo Film Commissioner Chris Langley, as well as several new additions – all intended to immerse the film fan in the landscapes and stories that made their favorite movies and television shows so memorable and to help those fans relive moments from the silver screen.
“Lone Pine, Calif. may be a small town but it has lots of film history, going back to 1920 and featuring almost all the great cowboy stars as well as science fiction, suspense and action genres as well,” he said. “In fact, Marvel’s mega hit ‘Iron Man’ filmed there and a tour at the festival will focus on the four major sites used in the film.”
The festival offers movie screenings in two venues, music, food, a parade, various escorted tours to the movie locations and an Arts and Crafts Fair. “That’s a lot for a town of less than 2,000 nestled at the foot of Mt. Whitney not too far from Death Valley,” Langley said. “The festival has lots of small town charm and hospitality and lots of beautiful landscapes, enough for any visitor.”
There are five separate bus tours to movie locations to tempt the fan. New this year is a three-hour tour to many of the sites used in Randolph Scott’s 12 movies made in the area. Also new this year is a photographer’s dream journey to six of the sites that master photographer Ansel Adams photographed. Guests can visit them, try to duplicate his work or give it their own creative “second view.”
A tour including many of the movie sites east of Lone Pine has also been added. Called “Iron Man and Beyond: Movies Made East of Lone Pine,” the tour will feature locations from “Nevada Smith,” a Hopalong Cassidy (“Sinister Journey”) and two Gene Autry films (“Pack Train” and “The Blazing Sun”) as well as Eric Von Stroheim’s masterpiece, “Greed.”
Other tours include the popular Sunrise Tour, Geology Tour, Science Fiction Tour and a Walking Tour of Anchor Ranch, used as the Bar 20 and many other ranches in the cowboy “oaters” of the 1930s and 1940s.
“Wagon Train” will have its own panel of stars from the show that will include author Jim Rosin, who has just published his book on the series. Stars of the show so far signed to appear are regulars Robert Horton and Denny Miller, and guest stars Beverly Washburn and Phyllis Coates. “Another panel will include the writers who made all those Saturdays possible and still delight us with Western novels today,” said Langley.
The festival is “very pleased” to have as a special guest author Elmer Kelton, according to Langley. Kelton has been voted the Best Western Writer of All Time by the Western Writers Association and has received seven Spur Awards for the Best Novel of the Year. Dan O’Brien, author of “In the Center of the Nation,” “The Indian Agent” and “Eminent Domain,” will also appear to discuss his work.
Two other panels during the weekend feature actors who have worked in Lone Pine on various projects during their careers. Jacqueline Scott acted in “Have Gun, Will Travel” episodes here, and Michael Chapin, a child actor at the time, appeared with Gary Cooper in “Springfield Rifle,” which shot many scenes locally. Warren Stevens from “Star Trek” and Bengal Lancers will be at the festival as will villain Richard Devon who worked in Lone Pine on “Money, Women, and Guns.”
“There are sure to be more guest stars signing on in the coming months as their schedules become clear,” Langley said.
The Saturday night Hallmark films will include two very rare silent films starring Fred Humes, made locally in the 1920s. On Sunday, according to Langley, the first feature film made in Lone Pine starring Roscoe “Fatty” Arbuckle will be screened. Other B Westerns and cinemascope Westerns that Langley said have never before shown at the festival will fill out the film schedule at the Lone Pine High School Auditorium and the Beverly and Jim Rogers Museum of Lone Pine Film History Wild West Theater.
A real crowd pleaser is the Parade of Stars on Sunday down Main Street. Dave Stamey will appear in concert Friday at 7 p.m. and 9 p.m.
The festival organization will be putting on a large Arts and Crafts Fair as well in the Spainhower Town Park where the Lions Club sponsors the Saturday night barbecue.
“There is something for everyone and every age of movie fan this year. You can be as busy or as relaxed as you wish,” Langley concluded. “Lone Pine still has the feel of old-time Western America.”
To get additional information as it becomes available, visit the Web site lonepinefilmfestival.org or call (760) 876-9103 to get the brochure and ticket order information.
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Last Updated ( Saturday, 13 September 2008 )
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