My Journey Into Classical Films.

[IanTheCool]

I am also excited about a Criterion City Lights. Hopefully we get it some time this year.

[Tolkien]

Originally Posted by MasterChief117

The Maltese Falcon
The African Queen
The Bridge on the River Kwai
Rear Window
North by Northwest
Casablanca
Citizen Kane
The Treasure of the Sierra Madre

--Additions--

Ben-Hur
The Philadelphia Story
Shadow of a Doubt
Paths of Glory
Yojimbo
The Apartment
All About Eve
Sunset Boulevard

I've seen everything on that list more than once except The African Queen and Rear Window.

I highly recommend adding these to your list;

Seven Samurai
Rashomon
Sanjuro (sequel to Yojimbo)
Spartacus
The Ten Commandments

And noteworthy mention;
What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?

I saw it the other night (2nd viewing). Totally ****ed up, but in a good way, lol.

[Justin]

I wasn't impressed with The African Queen, but Rear Window is good.

[Dracula]

I've never been a fan of The African Queen either. It's story is inconsequential and Katherine Hepburn is more annoying than usual in it.

[IanTheCool]

I like it...

[MovieBuff801]

Originally Posted by Doomsday

Moviebuff, when you get some time go check out Chaplin's The Circus, it's my second favorite of his. It's on youtube so you should be able to watch it quite easily.

I just might do that. It's how I saw City Lights and Modern Times.

And, even though I wasn't big on either The Gold Rush or City Lights, I can still say that Charlie Chaplin is a filmmaker who can manage to entertain me even if the stories in his films don't do much for me. I mean, I could just watch an hour and a half from him that's just a string of physical comedy routines and still feel satisfied.

[Dracula]

Originally Posted by MovieBuff801

I just might do that. It's how I saw City Lights and Modern Times.

And, even though I wasn't big on either The Gold Rush or City Lights, I can still say that Charlie Chaplin is a filmmaker who can manage to entertain me even if the stories in his films don't do much for me. I mean, I could just watch an hour and a half from him that's just a string of physical comedy routines and still feel satisfied.

You might want to check out his short films, they're pretty much just that.

[Justin]

If you like physical comedy, then check out the Marx Brothers. They're less story driven than Chaplin's films.

[MovieBuff801]

Originally Posted by Justin

If you like physical comedy, check out the Marx Brothers. They're less "story" driven than Chaplin's films.

I like it when done well. Though, that might explain why I liked Duck Soup more than these...

[Justin]

Doesn't everyone like things when they're done well?

[MovieBuff801]

I was just trying to clarify that it wasn't my favorite form of comedy.

[PG Cooper]

Originally Posted by Tolkien

I highly recommend adding these to your list;

Seven Samurai
Rashomon
Sanjuro (sequel to Yojimbo)
Spartacus
The Ten Commandments

So good.

Originally Posted by Dracula

I've never been a fan of The African Queen either. It's story is inconsequential and Katherine Hepburn is more annoying than usual in it.

I'm not big on The African Queen, but I think Hepburn's quite strong in it. I take it you're not a fan of her as an actress.

Originally Posted by Justin

If you like physical comedy, then check out the Marx Brothers. They're less story driven than Chaplin's films.

Originally Posted by MovieBuff801

I like it when done well. Though, that might explain why I liked Duck Soup more than these...

I can't get into the Marx Brothers.

[Neverending]

Spartacus isn't good. It's VERY old-fashioned and I can see why Stanley Kubrick hated it.

[PG Cooper]

Originally Posted by Neverending

Spartacus isn't good. It's VERY old-fashioned and I can see why Stanley Kubrick hated it.

I disagree. Sure it's old fashioned, but it's still highly entertaining and well made. It falls into the bottom half of Kubrick's filmography, but that says more about how good Kubrick is than how bad Spartacus is.

[Neverending]

Originally Posted by PG Cooper

Sure it's old fashioned

It's a movie about ancient Rome. The last thing you want is an "Old Hollywood" film. Kubrick tried to explore some of the more risque and violent aspects of that time-period but wasn't allowed to. It's no surprise his next picture was Lolita. He felt limited by the Hollywood studio sytem and the movie comes across like that. For a film that deals with Gladiators, rebellion, and politics, everything is very... tame. I guess it's okay for what it is, and you're right, it is entertaining at least, but I wouldn't call it a classic. It's a footnote in Kubrick's incredible career.

[PG Cooper]

Originally Posted by Neverending

It's a movie about ancient Rome. The last thing you want is an "Old Hollywood" film. Kubrick tried to explore some of the more risque and violent aspects of that time-period but wasn't allowed to. It's no surprise his next picture was Lolita. He felt limited by the Hollywood studio sytem and the movie comes across like that. For a film that deals with Gladiators, rebellion, and politics, everything is very... tame. I guess it's okay for what it is, and you're right, it is entertaining at least, but I wouldn't call it a classic. It's a footnote in Kubrick's incredible career.

Quality wise, yes it is, though I think the fact that it is such a Hollywood epic makes it stand out.

[Dracula]

Originally Posted by Neverending

It's a movie about ancient Rome. The last thing you want is an "Old Hollywood" film. Kubrick tried to explore some of the more risque and violent aspects of that time-period but wasn't allowed to. It's no surprise his next picture was Lolita. He felt limited by the Hollywood studio sytem and the movie comes across like that. For a film that deals with Gladiators, rebellion, and politics, everything is very... tame. I guess it's okay for what it is, and you're right, it is entertaining at least, but I wouldn't call it a classic. It's a footnote in Kubrick's incredible career.

It sounds like you just wanted it to be more like that stupid TV show that you wouldn't shut up about a while back.

[MovieBuff801]

Just got done watching John Ford's The Grapes of Wrath. Please tell me I'm not the only one who finds it pretty boring? I mean, the characters are likable and sympathetic, and the film does a good job of showing the post-Depression living conditions, but I found the story kind of dry and uninteresting.

[JBond]

Ohhh, it's boring.

[MovieBuff801]

That it is.

[PG Cooper]

Originally Posted by MovieBuff801

Just got done watching John Ford's The Grapes of Wrath. Please tell me I'm not the only one who finds it pretty boring? I mean, the characters are likable and sympathetic, and the film does a good job of showing the post-Depression living conditions, but I found the story kind of dry and uninteresting.

Massively overrated. Nothing about the film is exceptionally bad, but I can't really praise it either. As you said, the film does a good job of portraying the conditions of the time period, but I don't think it offers much else.

[Dracula]

You're all crazy.

[MovieBuff801]

Originally Posted by Dracula

You're all crazy.

Since I seem to be going against your opinion on a lot of the classics I've seen recently, here's another one for you: I liked The African Queen.

Liked it, mind you. Didn't love it.

[shained]

I actually liked Grapes of Wrath.

My thoughts from the film club:

Originally Posted by shained

The Grapes of Wrath

I had absolutely no idea what this film about, no clue at all, and for some reason when I saw the very 1st scene of Tom Joad walking towards the crossroads my very 1st thought was Of Mice and Men. Upon finishing the film and having a little look on IMDB about a few of the actors I notice it was based upon a Steinbeck book, this weirded me out as I got this off one scene. Must have saw his name in the credits without thinking I was taking it in or something..............anyway onto the film.

I thoroughly enjoyed The Grapes of Wrath, I may not rate it as highly as the AFI but it's a film I would definitely recommend. It's very downbeat from the beginning consiting of famililes being thrown out of their houses by a faceless corporation and being duped into going to California on the promise of well paid work.

The film is wholly dependent on the viewer caring for the characters and this viewer did. This was in part to the great obstacles they had to overcome which they did with great endeavour and also really good acting. Tom was witty and likeable but the preacher was probably my favourite.

The pacing can be a little slow paced at times, the grandparents were far too eccentric and out there for me and the lighting (maybe the technology or quality of dvd I watched it on) was not great as a some scenes you couldn't tell what was going on. Also at the end when they leave the final camp for work I wouldn't have minded an extra 5 minutes running time about what this job was, where and why they'd decided to leave such a good place for it.

A miserable journey well worth taking.

7/10

[Justin]

Well I guess that settles it, I'l check it out. All of the negativity only makes me want to see it more.