Oscar® Classic Casablanca Celebrates 70th Anniversary with Return to U.S. Cinemas

CENTENNIAL, Colo.--(EON: Enhanced Online News)--The quintessential Hollywood love story returns to the big screen this spring as Turner Classic Movies Presents Casablanca 70^th Anniversary Event on Wednesday, March 21 at 7:00 pm local time, with special matinees in select theaters. Movie audiences in theaters nationwide will be able to experience the time-honored classic in a stunning digital presentation by NCM Fathom Events, Turner Classic Movies (TCM) and Warner Home Video. The event will be introduced by TCM host Robert Osborne who will discuss Casablanca’s enduring legacy and reveal some of its fascinating behind-the-scenes stories. Casablanca starred Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman and Paul Henreid and became one of the most romantic films in the history of cinema. It won three Academy Awards^® in 1944 including Best Picture, Best Director and Best Screenplay.

“Fans of this timeless cinematic treasure won’t want to miss this one-time opportunity to experience Casablanca on the big screen once again as Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman take us back to the golden age of Hollywood.”

Tickets for Turner Classic Movies Presents Casablanca 70^th Anniversary Event are available at participating theater box offices and online at www.FathomEvents.com. The event will be broadcast to nearly 500 select movie theaters across the country through NCM’s exclusive Digital Broadcast Network. For a complete list of theater locations and prices, visit the NCM Fathom website (theaters and participants are subject to change).

Movie critic Leonard Maltin calls Casablanca “the best Hollywood movie of all time.” The American Film Institute (AFI) voted it the screen’s greatest love story and the No. 3 film of all time. The film’s characters, dialogue and music have all become iconic in Hollywood movie history.

“There are few things more thrilling for movie lovers than being able to experience a true classic like Casablanca the way it was originally intended: on the big screen,” said Dennis Adamovich, senior vice president of brand and digital activation for TCM, TNT and TBS. “We’re proud to take part in this exciting event as we extend the magic of Turner Classic Movies to theaters across the country.”

Casablanca: easy to enter, but much harder to leave, especially if you're wanted by the Nazis. Such a man is Resistance leader Victor Laszlo (Paul Henreid), whose only hope is Rick Blaine (Bogart), a cynical American who sticks his neck out for no one - especially Victor's wife Ilsa (Bergman), the ex-lover who broke his heart. Ilsa offers herself in exchange for Laszlo's transport out of the country and bitter Rick must decide what counts more - personal happiness or countless lives hanging in the balance.

“Like many, I have fond memories of watching Casablanca with my family,” said Shelly Maxwell, executive vice president of Fathom Events. “Fans of this timeless cinematic treasure won’t want to miss this one-time opportunity to experience Casablanca on the big screen once again as Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman take us back to the golden age of Hollywood.”

Turner Classic Movies Presents Casablanca 70^th Anniversary Event is the third recent classic anniversary event presented in theaters by NCM Fathom Events including the 70^th anniversary of The Wizard of Oz and 50^th anniversary of West Side Story.

Warner Home Video will release Casablanca 70th Anniversary Edition on March 27 featuring a 3-Disc limited and numbered gift set including the remastered feature on both Blu-ray and DVD with more than 14 hours of bonus material. The keepsake box also includes a compilation of three comprehensive feature length documentaries, a hard-cover 62-page book with never-before-seen on-set photography, sketches and production history, a reproduction of the original 1942 French theatrical poster as well as a collectible set of drink coasters.

About National CineMedia (NCM)

NCM operates NCM Media Networks, a leading integrated media company reaching U.S. consumers in movie theaters, online and through mobile technology. The NCM Cinema Network and NCM Fathom present cinema advertising and events across the nation’s largest digital in-theater network, comprised of theaters owned by AMC Entertainment Inc., Cinemark Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: CNK), Regal Entertainment Group (NYSE: RGC) and other leading regional theater circuits. NCM’s theater advertising network covers 177 Designated Market Areas® (49 of the top 50) and includes over 18,600 screens (approximately 17,700 digital). During 2011, nearly 671 million patrons (on an annualized basis) attended movies shown in theaters in which NCM currently has exclusive, cinema advertising agreements in place. The NCM Fathom Events live digital broadcast network (“DBN”) is comprised of over 700 locations in 167 Designated Market Areas® (including all of the top 50). The NCM Interactive Network offers 360-degree integrated marketing opportunities in combination with cinema, encompassing 42 entertainment-related websites, online widgets and mobile applications. National CineMedia, Inc. (NASDAQ: NCMI) owns a 48.7% interest in and is the managing member of National CineMedia LLC. For more information, visit www.ncm.com or www.FathomEvents.com.

About Warner Home Video:

With operations in 90 international territories, Warner Home Video, a division of Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Inc., commands the largest home entertainment distribution infrastructure in the global video marketplace. Warner Home Video's film library is the largest of any studio, offering top quality new and vintage titles from the repertoires of Warner Bros. Pictures, Turner Entertainment, Castle Rock Entertainment, HBO Video and New Line Cinema.

About Turner Classic Movies (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, http://www.tcm.com. TCM is part of Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., a Time Warner company.

Academy Awards® and Oscar® are both registered trademarks and service marks of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

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