For more than two decades, cable station Turner Classic Movies has broadcast a special month of programming in anticipation of the Oscars. But for its 22nd year of Oscar programming, TCM is offering a new take on its favorite month of the year. While previous Oscar months have focused on themes like “Six Degrees Of Separation” or “Turner Classic Movies University,” this year is a bit more straightforward.
From Wednesday, February 1, to Friday, March 3, TCM will play Oscar winners in alphabetical order, starting with historical bio Abe Lincoln In Illinois and winding up with political thriller Z. Most letters only get one day, while some (like A, S, and T) will likely get two. This means that February will contain none of TCM’s B-movies or Bowery Boys efforts, but four Astaire-Rogers musicals, a number of Hitchcock films, and the channel’s premiere of Dreamgirls on February 7. And if you know which movie you want to see, you can roughly predict when it’s going to show: Check out An American In Paris at the start of the month, but settle in for awhile for West Side Story. Or check out the schedule on TCM.com.