Page 1 of 4 1234 LastLast
Results 1 to 25 of 81
  1. #1
    Veteran cantthinkofanything's Avatar
    Post Count
    14,937
    NBA Team
    San Antonio Spurs
    There are a log of old "classic" movies that I haven't seen. Citizen Kane, Casablanca, many more. Someone in the movie thread mentioned Treasure of Sierra Madre yesterday. It's one that I've always heard was great. So I started watching it last night. I got about halfway through but had to do some stuff around the house. Good movie so far. But two things that distracted me...

    1) Seems like the acting in these old movies just isn't that great. I know actors like Bogart, Huston, etc. are recognized among the greats. But their delivery of lines, weird pauses, expressions, and mannerisms just seem forced at times. Is this just the way people talked (I'm not regarding the outdated phrases) and acted back then? Or have today's actors just had more time and training to seem more natural?

    2) The score. While having some amusing moments, I don't think this movie was supposed to be a comedy drama. There were times where the music didn't seem to have anything to do with what was going on with the action. There's a scene where they are headed to find treasure and they're cutting through jungle, laboring, sweating. But the music is playing this odd happy tune that might have been perfect for a Three Stooges clip.

    oh...one more

    3) Unrealistic scenes. There are a couple of examples. But one was this scene where bandits are attacking the train that the main characters are on. Bogart, Walter Huston, and the other guy pull out pistols and start firing out the windows. The guns don't recoil at all. The characters don't seem very concerned either. They're just sitting in front of the window shooting away. None of it seemed "right".

    Maybe when I finish the movie, I'll come away with a different take. But no matter how good the story is, I don't think this movie would stack up to any of the newer classics.

    It's why I have a hard time trying to watch any of them. And I"m not sure that it can be dismissed as the difference in time periods. I still watch the movies from the 60's and 70's and I don't have these same issues.

    Has Holllywood just gotten better at making movies?

  2. #2
    Veteran cantthinkofanything's Avatar
    Post Count
    14,937
    NBA Team
    San Antonio Spurs
    ...probably tl/dr

  3. #3
    Alleged Michigander ChumpDumper's Avatar
    Location
    Austin, TX
    Post Count
    144,512
    NBA Team
    San Antonio Spurs
    College
    UTSA Roadrunners
    1) You're seeing the tail end of traditional theatrical training. Method and realism would soon take over. Something like Marathon Man is a mini-study in the differences in old-school technique (Olivier) and new (Hoffman).

    2) Yeah, scores got much more elaborate and specific to the plot as time went on.

    3) Realism made a big advance in all aspects of film making during 50s and 60s and continued after that.

  4. #4
    The Amish Rifle Ryan Fitzpatrick's Avatar
    Post Count
    2,780
    NBA Team
    Phoenix Suns
    Older people swear by the classics--and they do have their charm--but films are largely overrated in the censorship era (1932-68 or something).
    Film buffs love to cream their pants over 1939, especially.
    Of course there are many exceptions, but I also find a lot of the acting to be pretty comical at times--like any era, I suppose. Naturally, the production quality is better today.

    If you want to see good westerns, that John Wayne --most of his movies bore the out of me. Check out Once Upon a Time in the West, The Professionals, The Wild Bunch, Leone/Eastwood trio, Outlaw Josey Wales, etc for the greatest westerns.

    As far as JW films (if you have to see some), The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, Stagecoach, and Red River are alright
    Last edited by Ryan Fitzpatrick; 09-18-2012 at 09:54 AM.

  5. #5
    The Amish Rifle Ryan Fitzpatrick's Avatar
    Post Count
    2,780
    NBA Team
    Phoenix Suns
    btw, you should probably see Citizen Kane...even though it gets sucked off more than any other film, it's still good. You can take or leave Casablanca, although Ingrid Bergman is gorgeous. Watching those movies is more about cultural literacy and understanding where certain phrases come from now, imo

  6. #6
    Cleveland Rocks CavsSuperFan's Avatar
    Post Count
    1,790
    NBA Team
    Cleveland Cavaliers
    I am a huge fan of old movies especially the ones with Bogart…The Big sleep, Casablanca, Sierra Madre, The Maltese Falcon and To Have and Have Not are my favorites…In fact since I started collecting Bogart movies I no longer take Ambien…I simply put on a DVD & set my Sony to sleep mode and in one hour I am out like a light…It is especially soothing when trying to fall asleep to watch the dark black and white picture…I am so glad that the director did not opt to spend the extra 10 dollars to film in vibrant color….

  7. #7
    The Amish Rifle Ryan Fitzpatrick's Avatar
    Post Count
    2,780
    NBA Team
    Phoenix Suns
    I am a huge fan of old movies especially the ones with Bogart…The Big sleep, Casablanca, Sierra Madre, The Maltese Falcon and To Have and Have Not are my favorites…In fact since I started collecting Bogart movies I no longer take Ambien…I simply put on a DVD & set my Sony to sleep mode and in one hour I am out like a light…It is especially soothing when trying to fall asleep to watch the dark black and white picture…I am so glad that the director did not opt to spend the extra 10 dollars to film in vibrant color….
    You're quite the salesman.

  8. #8
    The Crominator J.T.'s Avatar
    Name
    Billy Shears
    Location
    Austin, TX
    Post Count
    15,133
    NBA Team
    San Antonio Spurs
    College
    Texas State Bobcats
    Who needs ambien during basketball season? Just watch the boring ass Spurs, no prescription necessary.

  9. #9
    Veteran cantthinkofanything's Avatar
    Post Count
    14,937
    NBA Team
    San Antonio Spurs
    Older people swear by the classics--and they do have their charm--but films are largely overrated in the censorship era (1932-68 or something).
    Film buffs love to cream their pants over 1939, especially.
    Of course there are many exceptions, but I also find a lot of the acting to be pretty comical at times--like any era, I suppose. Naturally, the production quality is better today.

    If you want to see good westerns, that John Wayne --most of his movies bore the out of me. Check out Once Upon a Time in the West, The Professionals, The Wild Bunch, Leone/Eastwood trio, Outlaw Josey Wales, etc for the greatest westerns.

    As far as JW films (if you have to see some), The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, Stagecoach, and Red River are alright
    There was an early scene in the movie that kind of surprised me. In Tampico, some guy throws down the butt of a cigarette and then a little kid picks it up and starts puffing away.

    But yeah, the Eastwood movies and Once Upon a Time are some of my favorites. All the ones you mentioned plus High Plains Drifter, which seems to get overlooked. Another lesser know Eastwood movie that's damn good is is the Beguiled (although not a western).

  10. #10
    I cannot grok its fullnes leemajors's Avatar
    Post Count
    24,162
    NBA Team
    San Antonio Spurs
    College
    Texas Longhorns
    1) You're seeing the tail end of traditional theatrical training. Method and realism would soon take over. Something like Marathon Man is a mini-study in the differences in old-school technique (Olivier) and new (Hoffman).

    2) Yeah, scores got much more elaborate and specific to the plot as time went on.

    3) Realism made a big advance in all aspects of film making during 50s and 60s and continued after that.
    Marathon Man is awesome. Goldman scripts are generally excellent. Old Frankenheimer movies are also great - Grand Prix, Manchurian Candiate, Birdman of Alcatraz, Seconds...

  11. #11
    Banned
    Post Count
    6,934
    NBA Team
    Miami Heat
    old movies were like something between drama and modern movies imho, their exaggerated acting might look odd by today's standards but back in their time it looked just fine, and their narratives and dialogues were rather limpid and easy to understand tbh

  12. #12
    Veteran cantthinkofanything's Avatar
    Post Count
    14,937
    NBA Team
    San Antonio Spurs
    1) You're seeing the tail end of traditional theatrical training. Method and realism would soon take over. Something like Marathon Man is a mini-study in the differences in old-school technique (Olivier) and new (Hoffman).

    2) Yeah, scores got much more elaborate and specific to the plot as time went on.

    3) Realism made a big advance in all aspects of film making during 50s and 60s and continued after that.
    Missed this. Seems like good points. I really never considered that the methods of training had changed that much.

  13. #13
    Long, Dark Blues redzero's Avatar
    Post Count
    14,531
    NBA Team
    New Orleans Hornets
    College
    LSU Tigers
    I don't like how Marathon Man's ending was changed to make all the baddies kill each other, so Dustin's character didn't have to get his hands dirty (with the exception of one person, maybe).

    I do agree that the acting is noticeably worse in earlier films. One has to be a giant nostalgia to claim otherwise. I do like Jimmy Stewart, though.

    Citizen Kane is okay. I wouldn't call it the greatest movie ever.

    I don't think Once Upon a Time In The West is all that great. I'd definitely would put it below The Dollars Trilogy and Unforgiven, as far as Westerns go.

  14. #14
    I cannot grok its fullnes leemajors's Avatar
    Post Count
    24,162
    NBA Team
    San Antonio Spurs
    College
    Texas Longhorns
    I don't like how Marathon Man's ending was changed to make all the baddies kill each other, so Dustin's character didn't have to get his hands dirty (with the exception of one person, maybe).

    I do agree that the acting is noticeably worse in earlier films. One has to be a giant nostalgia to claim otherwise. I do like Jimmy Stewart, though.

    Citizen Kane is okay. I wouldn't call it the greatest movie ever.

    I don't think Once Upon a Time In The West is all that great. I'd definitely would put it below The Dollars Trilogy and Unforgiven, as far as Westerns go.
    I forgot the ending was changed, and I've read the book. Says Goldman doesn't even know who rewrote the ending, just that Hoffman didn't like how it was supposed to end. There is also a sequel to the book called Brothers where Doc survives

  15. #15
    The Amish Rifle Ryan Fitzpatrick's Avatar
    Post Count
    2,780
    NBA Team
    Phoenix Suns
    CTOA, try some silent films too, imo...BoaN is (amazingly) still suspenseful in certain areas. Lon Chaney's films are classics too....one of the most underrated of all-time, imo:


  16. #16
    My Favorite Faded Fantasy The Gemini Method's Avatar
    Location
    Long Beach, CA (LBC)
    Post Count
    10,166
    NBA Team
    Los Angeles Lakers
    College
    USC Trojans
    I grew up watching the classics with my grandma and mom so they'll always have a special place in my heart. Movies like The Maltese Falcon, Dial M for Murder, The Birds and Sergio Argonne and the whole Spaghetti Western era movies were big for us. I'm also an avid fan of The Twilight Zone w/Rod Serling and I can go back and watch the whole series.

  17. #17
    Alleged Michigander ChumpDumper's Avatar
    Location
    Austin, TX
    Post Count
    144,512
    NBA Team
    San Antonio Spurs
    College
    UTSA Roadrunners
    Marathon Man is awesome. Goldman scripts are generally excellent. Old Frankenheimer movies are also great - Grand Prix, Manchurian Candiate, Birdman of Alcatraz, Seconds...
    Yeah, I watched Seconds completely cold; knew nothing about it at all. Really a damned interesting and interestingly made movie. Raised my opinion of Rock Hudson a bit.

    Now I need to watch Seven Days in May.

  18. #18
    Veteran cantthinkofanything's Avatar
    Post Count
    14,937
    NBA Team
    San Antonio Spurs
    CTOA, try some silent films too, imo...BoaN is (amazingly) still suspenseful in certain areas. Lon Chaney's films are classics too....one of the most underrated of all-time, imo:

    wtf...I don't think I'm going to do any of that.

  19. #19
    Linger Ficking Good! CuckingFunt's Avatar
    Post Count
    22,076
    NBA Team
    Sacramento Kings
    There are a log of old "classic" movies that I haven't seen. Citizen Kane, Casablanca, many more. Someone in the movie thread mentioned Treasure of Sierra Madre yesterday. It's one that I've always heard was great. So I started watching it last night. I got about halfway through but had to do some stuff around the house. Good movie so far. But two things that distracted me...

    1) Seems like the acting in these old movies just isn't that great. I know actors like Bogart, Huston, etc. are recognized among the greats. But their delivery of lines, weird pauses, expressions, and mannerisms just seem forced at times. Is this just the way people talked (I'm not regarding the outdated phrases) and acted back then? Or have today's actors just had more time and training to seem more natural?

    2) The score. While having some amusing moments, I don't think this movie was supposed to be a comedy drama. There were times where the music didn't seem to have anything to do with what was going on with the action. There's a scene where they are headed to find treasure and they're cutting through jungle, laboring, sweating. But the music is playing this odd happy tune that might have been perfect for a Three Stooges clip.

    oh...one more

    3) Unrealistic scenes. There are a couple of examples. But one was this scene where bandits are attacking the train that the main characters are on. Bogart, Walter Huston, and the other guy pull out pistols and start firing out the windows. The guns don't recoil at all. The characters don't seem very concerned either. They're just sitting in front of the window shooting away. None of it seemed "right".

    Maybe when I finish the movie, I'll come away with a different take. But no matter how good the story is, I don't think this movie would stack up to any of the newer classics.

    It's why I have a hard time trying to watch any of them. And I"m not sure that it can be dismissed as the difference in time periods. I still watch the movies from the 60's and 70's and I don't have these same issues.

    Has Holllywood just gotten better at making movies?
    1) You're seeing the tail end of traditional theatrical training. Method and realism would soon take over. Something like Marathon Man is a mini-study in the differences in old-school technique (Olivier) and new (Hoffman).

    2) Yeah, scores got much more elaborate and specific to the plot as time went on.

    3) Realism made a big advance in all aspects of film making during 50s and 60s and continued after that.
    Chump pretty much nailed it.

    I would say that if the differences in style prove too distracting in dramas, comedies can be a good way of connecting to older movies. The theatrical training can make drama look stilted, but it's fantastic for comedic timing. Bringing Up Baby, My Favorite Wife, Holiday, The Philadelphia Story, The Palm Beach Story, It Happened One Night, His Girl Friday, The Women, and on and on, all remain hilarious. Snappy dialog is, unfortunately, a lost art.

  20. #20
    Veteran cantthinkofanything's Avatar
    Post Count
    14,937
    NBA Team
    San Antonio Spurs
    Snappy dialog is, unfortunately, a lost art.
    I totally agree. Good dialog peaked with 1983's Scarface and has never made it back.

  21. #21
    Robert Horry mode ohmwrecker's Avatar
    Post Count
    12,119
    NBA Team
    San Antonio Spurs
    I would add Arsenic and Old Lace to CF's list. Cary Grant gives the most manic and hilarious performances of all-time in that film.

  22. #22
    Long, Dark Blues redzero's Avatar
    Post Count
    14,531
    NBA Team
    New Orleans Hornets
    College
    LSU Tigers
    I find several Hitch films enjoyable, so you should probably watch his movies if you haven't already.

  23. #23
    Linger Ficking Good! CuckingFunt's Avatar
    Post Count
    22,076
    NBA Team
    Sacramento Kings
    I would add Arsenic and Old Lace to CF's list. Cary Grant gives the most manic and hilarious performances of all-time in that film.
    Going off the top of my head is the only reason it wasn't there. Arsenic and Old Lace is one of my very favorites.

  24. #24
    Alleged Michigander ChumpDumper's Avatar
    Location
    Austin, TX
    Post Count
    144,512
    NBA Team
    San Antonio Spurs
    College
    UTSA Roadrunners
    Chump pretty much nailed it.

    I would say that if the differences in style prove too distracting in dramas, comedies can be a good way of connecting to older movies. The theatrical training can make drama look stilted, but it's fantastic for comedic timing. Bringing Up Baby, My Favorite Wife, Holiday, The Philadelphia Story, The Palm Beach Story, It Happened One Night, His Girl Friday, The Women, and on and on, all remain hilarious. Snappy dialog is, unfortunately, a lost art.
    Yeah, romantic/screwball comedies and musicals really had a seemingly effortless flow back then. Closest recent examples I can think of are from television: Sports Night (Sorkinesque dialog in drama is annoying) and Gilmore Girls (don't judge, my girlfriend at the time loved it).

    Thinking back, there were some early movies that maybe could be called proto-realist because the subject matter (the Great Depression) required that kind of approach and one or more of the actors gave that kind of portrayal. The Grapes of Wrath and I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang come to mind.

  25. #25
    Veteran cantthinkofanything's Avatar
    Post Count
    14,937
    NBA Team
    San Antonio Spurs
    I find several Hitch films enjoyable, so you should probably watch his movies if you haven't already.
    I have seen a lot of the Hitch movies. I never really had any issues with the acting or production. Probably because the stories were so tense and so well told.

    Also used to watch the Alfred Hitch Hour along with Twilight Zone and Outer Limits. And later, Night Gallery.

Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •