What Is The Last Film You Watched? (Older Films)

[Quintus 5,399]

Jerry "the man who didn't understand Serenity" Drax.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Better then Jerry "the man who bought a Trinitron and destroyed it" Drax

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

I simply can't wrapy head around Serenity. The X-Files is easy as piss.

[nightscape94 965]

[Matt C 454]

Wes Craven's New Nightmare. I'm not a Craven, Nightmare or slasher fan, really. But I like this one a lot. As such, it's probably not considered canon or highly regarded by fans of the man's work or the genre. But, I mean, it's pretty fucking good, right? Cool concept. Heather was gorgeous. Demon trench coat skeletal claw hand Freddy is actually scary. It keeps my attention. With the exception of one bad morph shot and that jarring end credits music, this thing has aged pretty well, I think.

She still looks really good. Check out the first one, if you haven't already. The acting is a bit scattershot (Ronee Blakely's line deliveries), but Freddy was scary in that one too.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Tom Hanks' cumface?

[Not Mr. Big 4,639]

Tom Hanks' cumface?

[crocodile 8,017]

Watched Seven. To commemorate the film's 20th anniversary (it came out on the 22nd of September 1995). It is one of the most interesting looking ugly films.

Karol

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Ugly?

[A24 4,338]

I know what you mean but it's a strange way of putting it.

[crocodile 8,017]

It has this worn out dirty moody look. Guess it was inspired by Blade Runner in some capacity. Frames are rich with texture, even if the entire thing feels monotone. It's probably the ugliest looking city ever commited to celluloid. And the film benefits greatly from it. It might not be as refined as some might say (in terms of story) but it remains a damn fine thriller. I also like the unique sound design - background street noise is a constant presence and it creates a very oppressive mood. Same goes for the highly effective score. It has aged very well.

Karol

[Quintus 5,399]

Fight Club has a similar seedy look, but with added neon luminance. I prefer it in every way to Se7en.

[A24 4,338]

It has aged very well.

Karol

I'd say, it hasn't aged at all. Fincher's movies still look like this, cinematographically, that is. I can't say the same about Silence Of The Lambs.

[Jay 37,368]

Fincher's cinematography has definitely evolved over the years!

He explored different styles through Alien 3, Seven, The Game, Fight Club, Panic Room, Zodiac, and Benjamin Button. But then in Social Network he established his new style that's persisted through Dragon Tattoo, House of Cards, and Gone Girl. Those last 4 projects all look the same.

[Hurmm 91]

Two different movies going for different moods. Aesthetically even though Silence has a soft and solemn look (I wouldn't call it dated) it absolutely fits what the movie was going for. For it to look 'modern' it would probably be something like Red Dragon, and ultimately the film would have been all the more conventional had that been the case.

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

I rather the gorgeous anamorphic photography in Alien 3.

[A24 4,338]

I can't believe people watch Silence Of The lambs and think it looks like it's shot only yesterday, which is exactly the feeling I have with Seven. I can clearly tell that Fincher paid way more attention to the look of his movie than Demme did. Every single shot had to be aesthetically striking. One could say it's one of those 'style over content' movies, if you're such a person. Heck, the film of Silence itself (the celluloid) looks kinda blown up and grainy, that by itself is already a giveaway of its age. It feels like it's already deteriorating.

Alexandre

[KK 3,307]

Of course Silence is not as visually striking as Fincher's films, and it is dating by today's standards. But that kind of adds to it. I don't need every film to have that kind of look!

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

I can't believe people watch Silence Of The lambs and think it looks like it's shot only yesterday, which is exactly the feeling I have with Seven. I can clearly tell that Fincher paid way more attention to the look of his movie than Demme did. Every single shot had to be aesthetically striking. One could say it's one of those 'style over content' movies, if you're such a person. Heck, the film of Silence itself (the celluloid) looks kinda blown up and grainy, that by itself is already a giveaway of its age. It feels like it's already deteriorating.

Silence Of The Lambs is a beautifully shot film.

[nightscape94 965]

I don't need every film to have that kind of look!

Indeed. Silence's visual looks is completely appropriate and striking for the material.

[A24 4,338]

Fincher's cinematography has definitely evolved over the years!

He explored different styles through Alien 3, Seven, The Game, Fight Club, Panic Room, Zodiac, and Benjamin Button. But then in Social Network he established his new style that's persisted through Dragon Tattoo, House of Cards, and Gone Girl. Those last 4 projects all look the same.

Actually, Gone Girl reminded me very much of Seven. That diffused image quality with almost monochrome colors.

Blade Runner is always kinda around the corner. Oh, right, it's Jeff Cronenweth ...

[Hurmm 91]

I can't believe people watch Silence Of The lambs and think it looks like it's shot only yesterday, which is exactly the feeling I have with Seven. I can clearly tell that Fincher paid way more attention to the look of his movie than Demme did. Every single shot had to be aesthetically striking. One could say it's one of those 'style over content' movies, if you're such a person. Heck, the film of Silence itself (the celluloid) looks kinda blown up and grainy, that by itself is already a giveaway of its age. It feels like it's already deteriorating.

Alexandre

No one is saying Silence looks like it was shot yesterday. Everyone can see that it wasn't. I guess you can call it dated... but that comes with a negative connotation which I disagree with. To me it looks aged in a way that just fits the film, like what KK said. It has more warmth to it, aesthetically it carries a certain emotion whereas Seven is sterile and clinical in comparison.

I love both films btw.

[A24 4,338]

Of course Silence is not as visually striking as Fincher's films, and it is dating by today's standards. But that kind of adds to it. I don't need every film to have that kind of look!

I remember being impressed in the theatre at the time. That's why I was so surprised/disappointed with the visuals when I watched the Blu-ray.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Se7en kinda overdoes it with it's bleakness. It doesnt convince at the "real world". Darkness and dourness for the sake of darkness of dourness. While Silence Of The Lambs does feel real.

[A24 4,338]

Ah, but so does that other film noir called Blade Runner. Overdoing the bleakness, the dreariness, creating its own shadowy, rainy world is one of the trademarks of Film Noir.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

It worked better for Blade Runner then it did for Se7en, in my opinion. Though it's undeniably an impressive looking film.

[A24 4,338]

I admit, there's something very slick, very designish, composerish to Seven and several other Fincher movies, but I love photography. They are almost photographer movies.

[Unlucky Bastard 7,782]

Flicks where the DoP likes to show off how fancy he can make it.

[A24 4,338]

Well, there's plenty of examples that show it pays off.

[crocodile 8,017]

I admit, there's something very slick, very designish, composerish to Seven and several other Fincher movies, but I love photography. They are almost photographer movies.

Yeah, that's true. He's a very superficial director in that respect. Contents of his movies often don't match his visual expertise.

Speaking of The Silence of the Lambs comparison. Yes, it does look more dated. But there's tenderness to that film that sets it apart from other thrillers like this. Demme approached it with great sensitivity and shot his film almost against expectations - the melancholic autumnal cinematography coupled with equally melancholic Howard Shore music are among its greatest assets. Jodie Foster looks really fragile in it, not an obvious thing really. But yes, it didn't age that well. Which actually isn't a bad thing in this case.

Stefan, Seven was supposed to be dreary. If I remember correctly, the screenwriter came up with the idea while being really depressed with living in New York. It is a city from nightmares, in its most overbearing and, yeah, ugly. You're supposed to feel disgusted by it. That's the point.

Karol

[Romão 2,274]

Looking dated is not always a detrimental quality. Some movies absolutely need to look the time period they were made in. Silence of the Lambs is such a film.

[A24 4,338]

Contents of his movies often don't match his visual expertise.

Since most thrillers aren't about content anyway, Seven didn't need to be more than a classy looking thriller about two cops in search of a sick mind in a grimy city. I'm still fascinated by what I'm seeing, the (almost comic book) storytelling and so on. Above all, I wasn't distracted by 'datedness'.

Looking dated is not always a detrimental quality. Some movies absolutely need to look the time period they were made in. Silence of the Lambs is such a film.

I don't know what's good about that. Why should it feel and look dated? I think I disagree.

[Romão 2,274]

What does dated mean anyway? All the President's Men is a movie clearly made in the 1970's, besides looking like a movie set in the 1970's. And it works in its favor

[crocodile 8,017]

One of the films that look most dated these days is Brian De Palma's Mission: Impossible. I really enjoy it but it's really hilarious in some ways to a contemporary viewer.

Karol

[A24 4,338]

What does dated mean anyway? All the President's Men is a movie clearly made in the 1970's, besides looking like a movie set in the 1970's. And it works in its favor

Can we stick to Silence? Why would it being dated work in its favor? It almost looks like a TV movie. All The President's Men doesn't look like a TV movie. It's one of Fincher's favorite movies, BTW.

[Quintus 5,399]

Looking dated is not always a detrimental quality. Some movies absolutely need to look the time period they were made in. Silence of the Lambs is such a film.

Take no notice, it's just Alex's preoccupation with the movies he sees and it has come to be this whole tedious meta commentary in the film threads on the this site. Go to Empire forums, or Total Film's and you won't see the same inane conversations taking place.

Generally, nobody really cares if a movie is visually or aesthetically dated or not - since movie buffs obviously realise that there's much more to favourite films than just how they look.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

One of the films that look most dated these days is Brian De Palma's Mission: Impossible. I really enjoy it but it's really hilarious in some ways to a contemporary viewer.

Karol

The email program and Internet browser look hilarious

Can we stick to Silence? Why would it being dated work in its favor? It almost looks like a TV movie.

So I guess you disagree with this article?

http://www.rogerebert.com/scanners/opening-shots-the-silence-of-the-lambs

[Quintus 5,399]

Dat Twin Peaks font is brilliantly dated.

[Wojo 2,453]

I hate how dated Jaws is. All that crap going on and nobody looks up shark bites on Wikipedia? Brody doesn't call for help on his cell phone at first sign of trouble on the Orca? Shit.

[A24 4,338]

Yes, I thought you people are thinking about haircuts and outdated phones and such .. Of course, that's not what I'm talking about.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Then what exactly are you talking about?

Can you post screenshot examples?

[Romão 2,274]

Like I said above, looking it is set in a certain time period and looking like it was made in a certain time period are two different things. All the President's Men fits both criteria, as does Silence of the Lambs. And in both cases, to their favor

[A24 4,338]

Like I said above, looking it is set in a certain time period and looking like it was made in a certain time period are two different things. All the President's Men fits both criteria, as does Silence of the Lambs. And in both cases, to their favor

I don't know what you mean. To me, Silence feels surprisingly old for a film that is not old. That wasn't the case when I saw it in the theatre. The visual flair that I saw back then, I no longer see it. It made my last viewing of Silence not a great one.

[Romão 2,274]

As both films I mentioned have some elements of procedural, I think it is quite important for the technique behind the making of the movie feel contemporary with the time period it is set in. It just adds a great deal of verisimilitude, that it was happening live, that it was not made through a revisionist lens

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Yeah Silence looks absolutely like a TV shoot....

[A24 4,338]

Yes, that was my feeling when I watched it on Blu-ray. Of course, I'm talking about the whole movie, not a few photos (the third photo was when I finally was impressed again). Like crocs said, Seven aged very well ... but not every movie does. The film quality of first pic doesn't look very good, BTW.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Orion went bust shortly after the film was released i think, so they probably cut cost by using cheaper film stock.

But it's certainly a well shot film on the whole.

[Sweeping Strings 2,363]

Black Sea - the claustrophobic nature of submarines usually makes for a reliably tense atmosphere for thrillers, and so it proves again in this Jude Law-starring 'motley salvage crew gradually turn on each other' tale.

[Mr. Breathmask 555]

I think Demme's extensive use of close-ups in The Silence of the Lambs is probably way more effective on the big screen. Having those big faces loom over you, looking straight down the lens must be quite impressive. Watching Lambs on a TV screen, I imagine it comes across at not much different looking from every other thing you see on TV.

Also, this movie is nearly 25 years old. I'd call that an "old movie".

[A24 4,338]

Watching Lambs on a TV screen, I imagine it comes across at not much different looking from every other thing you see on TV.

Worse, since TV is looking pretty good these days.

Put on the film, folks, the scene in the garage, for example, looks really bad. I can't believe people don't see it. Maybe people only watch the actors?

It's a film of the '90s, that's not so old.