FILM THREAT EXCLUSIVE! Cinecon 62 will provide classic film fans with exclusive rarities and iconic celebrity guests at the Landmark Nuart Theatre over Labor Day weekend. It begins on September 3rd and runs until September 7th, 2026. The festival will hand out the Legacy Award to stars Lainie Kazan, Nancy Kwan, Barbara Eden and Anna Maria Alberghetti. Other celebrities attending include past honorees Pat Boone and Gigi Perreau, plus special guests Anne De Salvo, Teresa Ganzel and Kevin Kwan. I spoke with the President of the festival, Stan Taffel, and the producer, Bryan Cooper, about films they’re anticipating seeing alongside honoring several major stars.
The festival’s motto is “If it’s rare we’ll show it!” Their goal is to show films that are rare, unusual, from the best elements, and come from a variety of genres and different time periods. They are the nation’s oldest classic film festival. Cinecon has a trusting relationship with studio archives and other institutions. Both Stan and Bryan have several titles they are looking forward to seeing on the big screen! Bryan is excited for a Paramount Technicolor short called Paris in The Spring from 1947. This film has not been seen for decades, and it features Bob Baker’s Marionettes. The Bob Baker Marionette Theater will be collaborating with the festival and providing their own archival material. Paramount’s Technicolor short films have been a fan favorite at the festival, and it’s their second year being shown. Paramount will also provide premiere restorations of two Trucolor films from Republic Pictures, Woman of the North Country and That’s My Gal. Those films were previously seen on television in black-and-white copies.
Producer Bryan Cooper, actor Maxwell Caulfield, Legacy Award honoree Juliet Mills and festival president Stan Taffel gather at Cinecon 61, the classic film festival held August 29-September 1, 2025 at the Writers Guild Theater in Beverly Hills.
“Cinecon 62 will provide classic film fans with exclusive rarities and iconic celebrity guests at the Landmark Nuart Theatre over Labor Day weekend.”
Stan is blown away by the 4K restoration of a John Wayne B-film from Monogram Pictures, The Lucky Texan. The film was restored from a 35 mm camera negative by Cineverse and will be featured in a 16-film collection at the end of this year. While this film is in the public domain in poor copies, its premiere at Cinecon will be the first time the general public will see it in high definition. Also, the English version of a German film, The Rebel starring Luis Trenker, will be shown from Universal’s archive. This was made during the talkie period where studios made alternate language versions to fit specific markets (look up Drácula (1931), the Spanish version of the Lugosi classic). It notably features Rudolph Valentino’s frequent leading lady, Vilma Bánky, in her only role in a sound film.
This year is the 10th Anniversary of Kinecon at Cinecon. Jack Benny, Sid Caesar, Milton Berle, and Jackie Gleason will be highlighted because they are the titans of television. Stan noted that audiences of the early 50s bought televisions due to their longstanding connections with these comedians on radio and film. Their early television work will be shown on kinescopes, filmed television sets that were captured on an orthicon tube. Marilyn Monroe’s centenary will be commemorated on The Jack Benny Program, which was her first appearance on television in 1953. It is sure to be the standout of the festival!
Both Stan and Bryan emphasized what makes this festival special. It comes down to watching rarities, experiencing these classics with a community, and developing a strong bond with the celebrity guests. Many of the stars become friends of the festival. Stan will be interviewing Barbara Eden on Saturday, September 3rd. Beyond her iconic role on I Dream of Jeannie, she had a formidable film career. Eden is one of the last surviving cast members of I Love Lucy alongside Keith Thibodeaux, who portrayed Little Ricky. All Hands on Deck, a Pat Boone musical from 20th Century Fox, will be screened to honor Eden.
This year’s festival is sponsored by ClassicFlix and Warner Archive, two prominent labels in the physical media realm. Heritage Auctions is another sponsor, alongside local vendors selling memorabilia in the theatre lobby. Labor Day weekend will be packed with a treasure trove of vintage material and legendary stars of the silver screen.
