What is your interest in films prior to your birth?

[JoeinAR 1,949]

I noticed that filmmusic posted a thread in another forum talking about his film watching and that the majority of the films he watched were pre -1960. I have no idea of the number of films I've seen, I would guess in the thousands, but I'd need a Leonard Maltin book to figure that. Still I seen many and forgotten many films but I do know I have a fondness for old films. I have always had a fondness for B movies from the black and white era. And not just horror movies, but old movie series, and mysteries.

Of course I love new movies and always will. I do believe in the adage that they don't make them like they used too, but that is both a negative and a positive.

[Brónach 1,301]

My most favourite films predate my birth, but it's not difficult given I'm nearing 21.

I have always had a fondness for B movies from the black and white era.

I need to get into this. There must be some cool stuff hidden there.

[Quintus 5,399]

Not bothered what year a film was made so long as its good. If anything I make extra effort to see highly regarded old films because they almost always deliver just what I was looking for: sublime entertainment. Plus I just like striking 'em off my list.

[Koray Savas 2,251]

What Quint said.

[Brónach 1,301]

I have a list. Quite long. I write down the title of anything that looks interesting. It motivates me to see more films heheh.

[Melange 446]

I find that a lot of things like movies, books and some forms of music become more interesting with time due 'to' their age, and mature like wine. Older films, books and music are also of course a snapshot of earlier times on all sorts of levels, visually or in terms of attitudes to things, what made people tick at the time compared to now. For example, I often keep a look out for older second hand books on political commentary or travelogues from colonial days to see how people viewed things at the time, and even police TV drama shows from Britain in the 70s are now a snapshot of a lost world in so many ways. Not just in terms of the cars, the fashion and more obvious things, but in the way policing was done back then, and the attention span of viewers. I think some of this explains my interest in keeping an eye on the past.

I have a VHS of a National Geographic Documentary about Egypt made sometime in the 70s I believe. It has quite a grainy look to it, probably using colour archive material from the 60s even, and evokes such a mystery with its lingering shots that is missing in newer documentarys. Its audio and narration is typical of the time, and only adds to the atmosphere it creates.

I cherish it. It's just the way they did such historical documentarys at the time. None of the 'give em a thrill' angle that is appearing in some of the historical documentarys of recent times. I still enjoy current material and even that 'give em a thrill' angle too of recent times, but there is so much good stuff out there from the past that it is a shame for it to be neglected.

I know the present, so familarity is 'less' interesting. I don't know the world of 224 years ago, but I can get a glimpse of it with this.....

[publicist 4,643]

The educational aspect is not to be underestimated: a change in culture, zeitgeist and sociological can only be observed by evaluation of history: and what better evaluation can there be than watch Lee Marvin or Bob Mitchum to experience the male role models of yesteryear!

[Thor 7,465]

What Quint and Koray said.

I just love the ARTFORM film -- from all ages (since the late 1800's to today), from all countries and in all styles and approaches (from extreme arthouse to the latest popcorn blockbuster). The qualitative judgements are based on an individual basis.

[JoeinAR 1,949]

one film that was a revalation when I was much younger was the film The Man Who Came to Dinner. It's got huge star power, character pieces, and it's beautifully photographed but the film is often hysterical. Not just slapstick but biting humor, even some edge for it's time. Humor is ageless but at the time I saw the movie I didn't understand that. I do now.

[Muad'Dib 1,801]

I can watch any movie from any time without much trouble, maybe except for those too "Americanish" movies from the 30's and 40's that by trying to be so sweetheart and such end up annoying me, like The Wizard of Oz or Bambi, but that's just me. I know there's plenty of people who like that kind of stuff and I highly respect that, because for North Americans it means a lot to them personally, but to us foreigners it can just be too much to take. However, when these kind of movies stray away from those cliches, they can be freakin' brilliant.

However, going back to the actual question, I do tend to enjoy more films from the beggining of filmmaking days to the late 90's. There's something from the contemporary days that can put me off, specially the modern cinematography style that's extremly bright and too digital looking for my taste... However, I can enjoy a film with that kind of look if it's well done. It really depends on each era actually, every one of them has their up and downs.

But I know a lot of people, specially the ones from the early 90's and the modern generation, that tend not to watch films that were made prior to their birth just because they consider them "old", which makes you understand why modern blockbuster filmmaking is in the place it is, and kids can't distinguish between something that's original and something that's not. For example, every new special effects movie that comes out gets compared to Avatar or Prometheus, and this really annoys me because, you know.... There were more films that existed before Avatar or whatever!

But they're kids... As long as they develop and interested in "old" films when they get older, we'll be okay.

PS: A couple of years ago, I wanted to date a girl that was really hot, but one day said to me that she didn't watch black and white films... Needless to say, I stopped trying to date her since.

[Koray Savas 2,251]

I was arguing with a coworker that said she will never watch a film made before 2000. Her only exception was Hook, which is her favorite movie.

[JoeinAR 1,949]

one problem with movies today is they are afraid of colors, everything must be muted. Take Superman, The Man of Steel, everything is dark, while Superman the Movie was bright and vibrant. Look at J. Kamiski, the only beautifully color film was Catch Me if You Can, which replicates the 60's. Somewhere he stated he hated that color palette but it was necessary.

[Thor 7,465]

one problem with movies today is they are afraid of colors, everything must be muted.

Really? Have you seen Wes Anderson's movies, for example (I'm not a big fan, but damn...that guy loves his colours!)?

[Koray Savas 2,251]

Joey hates Wes Anderson.

[Brónach 1,301]

I just love the ARTFORM film -- from all ages, from all countries and in all styles and approaches. The qualitative judgements are based on an individual basis.

[BLUMENKOHL 1,068]

I like movies from all time periods. I even enjoy silent films.

[Delorean90 42]

I finally got to see the latest restoration of Metropolis this past summer (the same summer I saw Blade Runner, fittingly enough!), and I loved it to bits. A truly iconic film, and Gottfried Huppertz did a superb job with the score, which definitely deserves more recognition.

I was arguing with a coworker that said she will never watch a film made before 2000. Her only exception was Hook, which is her favorite movie.

[filmmusic 1,823]

I noticed that filmmusic posted a thread in another forum talking about his film watching and that the majority of the films he watched were pre -1960.

pre-1980

Although my favourite films come from the first 17 years of my life (1980-1997)

main reasons for loving old movies are:

- great film music

- no CGI

- theatrical and not so realistic performances

- genres that are dead (eg musicals)

- filmic look with grain (35mm and not digital)

- handpainted backgrounds and sets

- miniatures

- Great actors/actresses,the definition of a star: Marlon Brando, Elizabeth Taylor, Bette Davis, Katharine Hepburn, Cary Grant, Montgomery Clift, James Dean etc.

- old way of life depicted without heavy technology, cellphones, computers, internet etc..

- More Magic

- epic feel which is givem more with the story/performances/physical scenery etc than by special effects/3d

I also see that you mentioned The Man Who Came to dinner.

Actually i'm holding this to watch it during this Christmas. Looking forward to it..

[Koray Savas 2,251]

I was arguing with a coworker that said she will never watch a film made before 2000. Her only exception was Hook, which is her favorite movie.

That's exactly what I was like haha

[JoeinAR 1,949]

I noticed that filmmusic posted a thread in another forum talking about his film watching and that the majority of the films he watched were pre -1960.

pre-1980

Although my favourite films come from the first 17 years of my life (1980-1997)

main reasons for loving old movies are:

- great film music

- no CGI

- theatrical and not so realistic performances

- genres that are dead (eg musicals)

- filmic look with grain (35mm and not digital)

- handpainted backgrounds and sets

- miniatures

- Great actors/actresses,the definition of a star: Marlon Brando, Elizabeth Taylor, Bette Davis, Katharine Hepburn, Cary Grant, Montgomery Clift, James Dean etc.

- old way of life depicted without heavy technology, cellphones, computers, internet etc..

- More Magic

- epic feel which is givem more with the story/performances/physical scenery etc than by special effects/3d

I also see that you mentioned The Man Who Came to dinner.

Actually i'm holding this to watch it during this Christmas. Looking forward to it..

there is still great film music. there was also bad film music back then.

CGI is getting better and you often don't even know it's there.

theatrical and not so realistic performance are not always a good thing

what you see as grain is often just old and not always intentional

musicals are not dead they are not made often, Les Miserables is opening Christmas day.

Minitures are both good and bad.

There are still great actors and actresses, and stars and no actress from that era is better than Meryl Streep. James Dean was not really a star but a meteor who burned out quickly.

Epics are rarely made today simply by pure expense.

[publicist 4,643]

I was arguing with a coworker that said she will never watch a film made before 2000. Her only exception was Hook, which is her favorite movie.

That's exactly what I was like haha

With the amount of people who are ignorant of most things which consumer society doesn't deliver ready-to-eat at their door, you either stop talking to people or that face will be attached to you like a wax mask!

[Melange 446]

PS: A couple of years ago, I wanted to date a girl that was really hot, but one day said to me that she didn't watch black and white films...

Needless to say, I stopped trying to date her since.

I sincerely hope that you abandoned that promising plot of land after plouging it vigorously and sowing your wild oats?

Melange - Being silly. Don't be offended.

[filmmusic 1,823]

But they're kids... As long as they develop and interested in "old" films when they get older, we'll be okay.

yeah, if they develop their aesthetics etc, perhaps they gain interest when they get older.

Although i would say maybe a 5-10% of people does that.

I myself, gained interest in old films, I think, 5-6 years ago. (in my mid 20s)

Until then I watched only contemporary films and films of my childhood from 1980 and on.

The classic films I had seen were some regular Easter TV broadcasts like Cleopatra, Ben Hur, Ten Commandments, The Robe, Jesus of Nazareth etc..

Also The Sound of Music, Doctor Zhivago, some Disney live action, such stuff...

Also I remember when i was around 5 years old watching some B& W Laurel And Hardy, Chaplin etc..

During this last year only, I discovered also the 70s, which was my least favourite of the decades (the colors seemed washed out etc.). but HD gained my attention and saw many 70s films that I really loved and understood why they remained classics. Films such as:

Rocky, French Connection, Taxi Driver, Last Picture Show, The Conversation, Barry Lyndon, The Man Who Would be King, The Deer Hunter, etc....

the thing I can get yet is with the Godfather, but it's been 15 years or more since I last saw it, so maybe I could watch it again and re-evaluate.

[Wojo 2,453]

musicals are not dead they are not made often, Les Miserables is opening Christmas day.

True, and while I'm very grateful for this big-screen treatment that I'm now looking forward to more than The Hobbit, Les Mis is not really an "old" musical since it's only from 1985. The days when every studios were turning out musical films left and right, with Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers, Shirley Temple, Judy Garland, Gene Kelly, Ann Miller, Donald O'Connor, Cyd Charisse, Mickey Rooney, Vera-Ellen, Jane Powell, Howard Keel, and Kathryn Grayson, are long since past, unfortunately. Disney's long since stopped cranking out epic musicals (animated or otherwise) every year or so. Modern musicals like Moulin Rouge, Chicago, Schumacher's Phantom of the Opera, the new Les Mis, Sweeney Todd, and even vulgar ones like South Park: BLU and Team America, end up being flashes in the pan, and do not represent the norm. Or modern musicals consist of stories built around popular songs made in the last half century, like Mamma Mia or Across the Universe.

I love old movies. There's rarely a movie on TCM that isn't worth watching. TCM has become what AMC used to be, because AMC is too full of commercials to even be watchable anymore. My collection of movies pre-1981 is quite large. Jaws, Alien, the two good Star Wars movies, Raiders (beat me by a few months), Star Trek, Godfather 1 & 2, the big Charlton Heston epics Ben-Hur and El Cid, Lawrence, the original King Kong, Young Frankenstein, and many others I don't feel like typing out at the moment. I don't chastise movies based only on their year, and anyone who does is a peawit.

[Brónach 1,301]

the big Charlton Heston epics Ben-Hur and El Cid

I've been endlessly postponing seeing El Cid in fear of being anal about it and disliking it. I like the score far too much on its own, without associating it to the film.

[Wojo 2,453]

The first time I saw it, I was generally bored because it's so long. I swear Heston and Loren were bored with the script and their performances register. But the scenery is superb and the music is gorgeous, and I really need to dig out my DVD to devote the three hours required to rewatch it now that I'm a little more refined in my movie-watching abilities.

[JoeinAR 1,949]

I also see that you mentioned The Man Who Came to dinner.

Actually i'm holding this to watch it during this Christmas. Looking forward to it..

I hope you find the charm of the movie. Betty Davis is just wonderful in the film, as are all the other actors.

filmmusic, you should watch Victor/Victoria, it's a musical, but not in the traditional sense. It's songs are all performances within the setting of the film and not just someone breaking out in song. Yet the songs are fantastic(or gayly fabulous), and the Mancini score is sublime.

[filmmusic 1,823]

I also see that you mentioned The Man Who Came to dinner.

Actually i'm holding this to watch it during this Christmas. Looking forward to it..

I hope you find the charm of the movie. Betty Davis is just wonderful in the film, as are all the other actors.

filmmusic, you should watch Victor/Victoria, it's a musical, but not in the traditional sense. It's songs are all performances within the setting of the film and not just someone breaking out in song. Yet the songs are fantastic(or gayly fabulous), and the Mancini score is sublime.

I have seen this too .. some 5 years ago..

Of course it is very good..

I think there's only one Julie Andrews musical I haven't seen yet: Thorouglhy Modern Millie

I will save this for Easter (I think it's more spring time musical, isn't it?)

And when I was talking about musicals,yeah,I meant like Wojo said, the old type musicals with Astaire, Kelly, Garland etc..

[JoeinAR 1,949]

I know but musicals vary from age to age. You should spend some time becoming familiar with Busby Berkeley. Steven Spielberg's Temple of Doom opening is a fantastic representation, as is the Swing Swing Swing bit from 1941, both products inspired from the past.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Saw the trailer for Les Mis yesterday and it did look good.

Musicals are not my thing though.

[Joni Wiljami 1,206]

I haven't got any movies prior my birth in my collection.

[JoeinAR 1,949]

how bizarre. but that only means you don't own any.

but do you watch movies prior to your birth date?

There are many Christmas Classics I want to view in the next few weeks, most of them prior to 1950's.

[filmmusic 1,823]

There are many Christmas Classics I want to view in the next few weeks, most of them prior to 1950's.

Be sure to watch then Bishop's Wife, Holiday Inn, Christmas in Connecticut (I love that actor which plays supporting comic roles - S.Z. Sakall) if you 're into such stuff and haven't seen them already..

Also some less known stuff like "Christmas Holiday" with Gene Kelly, "I'll be Seeing You", "Holiday Affair", "Never Say goodbye" (with Errol FLynn), "In the Good old Summertime" (with Judy Garland)

I also loved "Swing time" which i saw recently, although it didn't have Christmas scenes, but it did have snowy ones..

Sorry, started suggesting films without you asking, but I love the combination Christmas + old films!

[JoeinAR 1,949]

Christmas in Conn. is a favorite.

[pixie_twinkle 48]

Christmas classics always seem to be black and white for me. My absolute favourites are the original Miracle on 34th Street, Scrooge (with Alistair Sim - my all time favourite Christmas film), and of course It's a Wonderful Life. In fact the only colour Christmas films that I like to watch every year are The Snowman, The Muppets Christmas Carol, and the wonderful BBC TV series from 1984 The Box of Delights.

[KK 3,307]

Many of my favourite films were released before I was born, which makes sense considering my age.

[Koray Savas 2,251]

If you pick any decade there'll be fantastic films in there.

[KK 3,307]

No debate there. But there were films to choose from before my birth than after

[Joni Wiljami 1,206]

but do you watch movies prior to your birth date?

There are many Christmas Classics I want to view in the next few weeks, most of them prior to 1950's.

Actually I had to make some research if I have some favorite movie made before 1966 but didn't find any.

Oldest film in my 10 favorite films thread was Jaws...

[Thor 7,465]

I sometimes wonder if there are other people on this board who enjoy films outside the Hollywood style -- you know, like German expressionism, Soviet montage, Italian neorealism, French New Wave and so on. Not only a geographical spread, but also in terms of what you would probably call 'arthouse'. Would be nice if there were, but I kinda doubt it.

[Brónach 1,301]

You skip Japan? China? Corea? Shame on you!

[Joni Wiljami 1,206]

I do not mind where the film is originally coming from. I can enjoy a film coming from Italy or Norway, the age is limiting my

enjoyment more. The older films are kind of ...too pretentious, too much over-acting...

[filmmusic 1,823]

I sometimes wonder if there are other people on this board who enjoy films outside the Hollywood style -- you know, like German expressionism, Soviet montage, Italian neorealism, French New Wave and so on. Not only a geographical spread, but also in terms of what you would probably call 'arthouse'. Would be nice if there were, but I kinda doubt it.

I don't feel mature enough yet to enjoy many realistic non-English films, but I do enjoy epics/period movies like:

Indochine, Cyrano (with Depardieu), La Reine Margot, Camile Claudel, Fanny and Alexander, Farinelli il Castrato, Cinema Paradiso, Death in Venice, Senso

some Kieslowski (Trois Coleurs Trilogy, La Double Vie De Veronique)

Some Japan/China (Farewell to My Concubine, Raise the Red Lantern, In the Mood for Love)

of course tons of anime films (I love Ghibli) and russian classic animation

also Italian sandal epics (yeah, I know most of them are bad, but they are one of those guilty pleasures)

[Brónach 1,301]

Russian animation? Please share!!

[filmmusic 1,823]

Russian animation? Please share!!

You mean titles?

I especially like the style of animation like in these films:

-Snow Queen (1957)

-The Scarlet Flower (1952) (this is the tale of Beauty and the Beast)

-The Snow Maiden (1952)

-Tale of the Dead Princess and Seven Knights (1951)

-12 months (1956)

-The Frog Princess (1954)

-The Enchanted Boy (1955)

etc..

[Muad'Dib 1,801]

Argentinian cinema FTW!

[Joni Wiljami 1,206]

Yeah! Schifrin and Santaolalla too!

[pixie_twinkle 48]

Russian animation? Please share!!

You mean titles?

I especially like the style of animation like in these films:

-Snow Queen (1957)

-The Scarlet Flower (1952) (this is the tale of Beauty and the Beast)

-The Snow Maiden (1952)

-Tale of the Dead Princess and Seven Knights (1951)

-12 months (1956)

-The Frog Princess (1954)

-The Enchanted Boy (1955)

etc..

For Russian animation you really can't beat the films of Yuri Norstein. The Hedgehog in the Fog and (especially) The Tale of Tales are both fantastic. In fact Tale of Tales is a close contender for my favourite animated film of all time.

[Sandor 796]

Seen a lot. Films like The Exorcist, Chinatown, Mean Streets, The Godfather part I and II or Walkabout stay with me. Keep buying them in whatever new format they become available.

But it's the films that were made after my birth in 1975 that truly click with me. Jaws, Star Wars, Close Encounters, The Empire Strikes Back, Raiders Of The Lost Ark, E.T. and Return Of The Jedi define my childhood and the filmlover inside me. No string of films find the same kind of emotional resonance in me as the body of that Spielberg/Lucas magic.

Only The Lord Of The Rings came close to that feeling and I love that franchise almost as much.

I like many films; arthouse, international as well. I truly love just a handful.

[Brónach 1,301]

Russian animation? Please share!!

You mean titles?

I especially like the style of animation like in these films:

-Snow Queen (1957)

-The Scarlet Flower (1952) (this is the tale of Beauty and the Beast)

-The Snow Maiden (1952)

-Tale of the Dead Princess and Seven Knights (1951)

-12 months (1956)

-The Frog Princess (1954)

-The Enchanted Boy (1955)

etc..

For Russian animation you really can't beat the films of Yuri Norstein. The Hedgehog in the Fog and (especially) The Tale of Tales are both fantastic. In fact Tale of Tales is a close contender for my favourite animated film of all time.

I need to see that stuff. Never seen any of these. Thanks!