TCM PRESENTS: AFI’S MASTER CLASS – THE ART OF COLLABORATION: DAVID O. RUSSELL AND MARK WAHLBERG
Los Angeles, CA, May 7, 2012 – Turner Classic Movies (TCM) and the American Film Institute (AFI) continue their series of specials exploring some of the greatest artistic collaborations in film. In the second in a series of specials, TCM PRESENTS: AFI’S MASTER CLASS – THE ART OF COLLABORATION: DAVID O. RUSSELL AND MARK WAHLBERG, the two men discuss their collaborations in front of an audience comprised of AFI Fellows studying filmmaking at the world-renowned AFI Conservatory. The special will premiere Tuesday, May 8, at 10:00 p.m. (ET), only on TCM.
Wahlberg and Russell’s work together includes the Iraq-set drama THREE KINGS (1999), which co-starred Wahlberg, George Clooney and Ice Cube; the offbeat comedy I ♥ HUCKABEES (2004), with Wahlberg, Jason Schwartzman, Dustin Hoffman and Naomi Watts; and the Oscar® -nominated THE FIGHTER (2010), with Wahlberg, Christian Bale and Melissa Leo.
In the new AFI special, the two artists talk extensively about their collaborative process, beginning with their first meeting, when they really didn’t know what to expect from one another. They also reveal some of the movies that have inspired them. Wahlberg reveals that one of his favorite activities as a child was watching movies like THE ROARING TWENTIES (1939) with his father, a teamster who would come home each afternoon between routes. Russell talks about his taste for movies that show both the light and dark sides of family life, as in IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE (1946). The pair also discuss the themes and visual poetry of François Truffaut’s THE 400 BLOWS (1959). AFI’S MASTER CLASS is packed with clips from these films, as well as memorable scenes from the artists’ own movies.
TCM will precede this latest edition of AFI’S MASTER CLASS with a presentation of THE ROARING TWENTIES (1939), starring James Cagney, Humphrey Bogart and Priscilla Lane, at 8:00 p.m. (ET). Wahlberg cites this film as a perfect example of Cagney’s tough-guy image, which Wahlberg sometimes invokes in his own work. Following the AFI special, TCM will present MAN OF A THOUSAND FACES (1957) at 11:00 p.m. (ET), an inspiring film for Russell because it shows Cagney’s remarkable versatility. TCM will close out the night with an encore presentation of AFI’S MASTER CLASS special on Steven Spielberg and John Williams and one of the movies that inspired them, SPARTACUS (1960).
Master classes are a core part of the curriculum at the AFI Conservatory, which offers a Master of Fine Arts degree in six filmmaking disciplines and was named the #1 film school in the world by The Hollywood Reporter. With an audience comprised solely of AFI Fellows, two artists discuss films that inspired them and present clips from classic films. They also present and discuss their own collaborative work to illustrate different aspects of filmmaking. Each program concludes with a Q&A session with AFI Fellows.
The following is TCM’s complete schedule for the night of May 8:
8:00 p.m. – THE ROARING TWENTIES (1939)
10:00 p.m. – TCM PRESENTS: AFI’S MASTER CLASS – THE ART OF COLLABORATION: DAVID O. RUSSELL AND MARK WAHLBERG (premiere)
11:00 p.m. – MAN OF A THOUSAND FACES (1957)
1:15 a.m. – TCM PRESENTS: AFI’S MASTER CLASS – THE ART OF COLLABORATION: DAVID O . RUSSELL AND MARK WAHLBERG (encore)
2:15 a.m. – TCM PRESENTS: AFI’S MASTER CLASS – THE ART OF COLLABORATION: STEVEN SPIELBERG AND JOHN WILLIAMS (encore)
3:15 a.m. – SPARTACUS (1960)
About the American Film Institute
AFI is America’s promise to preserve the history of the motion picture, to honor the artists and their work and to educate the next generation of storytellers. AFI provides leadership in film, television and digital media and is dedicated to initiatives that engage the past, the present and the future of the moving image arts.
AFI preserves the legacy of America’s film heritage for future generations through the AFI Archive, comprised of rare footage from across the history of the moving image and the AFI Catalog of Feature Films, an authoritative record of American films from 1893 to the present.
AFI honors the artists and their work through a variety of annual programs and special events, including the AFI Life Achievement Award and AFI Awards. Celebrating its 40th year in 2012, the AFI Life Achievement
Award has remained the highest honor for a career in film while AFI Awards, the Institute’s almanac for the 21st century, honors the most outstanding motion pictures and television programs of the year. AFI’s 100 Years…100 Movies television events and movie reference lists have introduced and reintroduced classic American movies to millions of film lovers. And as the largest nonprofit exhibitor in the United States, AFI offers film enthusiasts a variety of events throughout the year, including AFI Fest presented by Audi, the Institute’s annual celebration of excellence in global cinema; AFI-Discovery Channel Silverdocs, the largest documentary festival in the U.S., celebrating its 10th edition this year; and year-round programming at the AFI Silver Theatre in the Washington, DC area.
AFI educates the next generation of storytellers at its world-renowned AFI Conservatory, named the #1 film school in the world by The Hollywood Reporter for the quality of its instructors and speakers, and its “glittering parade of alumni.” AFI Conservatory offers a two-year Master of Fine Arts degree in six filmmaking disciplines: Cinematography, Directing, Editing, Producing, Production Design and Screenwriting. Aspiring artists learn from the masters in a collaborative, hands-on production environment with an emphasis on storytelling.
For more information about AFI, visit AFI.com or connect with AFI at twitter.com/AmericanFilm, facebook.com/AmericanFilmInstitute and youtube.com/AFI.
About TCM
Turner Classic Movies is a Peabody Award-winning network that presents great films, uncut and commercial-free, from the largest film libraries in the world. Currently seen in more than 86 million homes, TCM features the insights of veteran primetime host Robert Osborne and weekend daytime host Ben
Mankiewicz, plus interviews with a wide range of special guests. As the foremost authority in classic films, TCM offers critically acclaimed original documentaries and specials, along with regular programming events that include The Essentials, 31 Days of Oscar® and Summer Under the Stars. TCM also stages special events and screenings, such as the TCM Classic Film Festival in Hollywood and the TCM Classic Cruise; produces a wide range of media about classic film, including books and DVDs; and hosts a wealth of materials on its website, tcm.com. TCM is part of Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., a Time Warner company.
Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., a Time Warner company, creates and programs branded news; entertainment; animation and young adult; and sports media environments on television and other platforms for consumers around the world.
