The Colorado Springs Gazette final

Dream State: California in the Movies — Part 1

TCM, beginning at 6 p.m.

Being the home state for Hollywood, it’s not surprising that California has found itself frequently used as a filming backdrop and/or story setting for scores of classic movies. With its “Dream State”-themed evenings, beginning tonight and concluding next Thursday, Turner Classic Movies airs a number of memorable films with a California setting. Tonight’s lineup begins by heading to the shore with “Gidget” (pictured) (1959), starring Sandra Dee in the title role of the comedy that was one of the earliest teen “beach” films and introduced California’s surfing culture to a wide audience. Next, head inland a bit to Beverly Hills in “Shampoo” (1975), Hal Ashby’s Oscar-winning comedy/drama starring Warren Beatty as a successful but dissatisfied hairdresser to the stars. Then, in “What Price Hollywood?” (1932), the title city is the backdrop for a drama about an aspiring actress’s (Constance Bennett) experiences with various characters in the town. Hollywood is again the setting for the next film, “The Big Picture” (1989), a comedy starring Kevin Bacon as a Midwesterner who finds himself suddenly thrust into the Tinseltown world after winning a prestigious student film contest. Finally, the darker side of sunny Los Angeles and its surrounding area is the focus of one of the quintessential “California noir” films, “The Postman Always Rings Twice” (1946), starring Lana Turner and John Garfield. — Je Pfeier

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2021-05-13T07:00:00.0000000Z

2021-05-13T07:00:00.0000000Z

https://daily.gazette.com/article/282909503408927

The Gazette, Colorado Springs