Who here thinks old movies are better?

[leopardprey]

Who also here on TRF thinks older movies are better?

Better acting, better filming, no graphic violence, the good guys win, no nudity or sex scenes, etc...

No computer imaging. Filming done the old fashioned way.

I love the old classics. Just ordered about 40 old movies on DVD from amazon.com to watch during the off hours. All of them made before 1965.

Love the old Technicolor and big productions, especially those filmed overseas like Sayonara, or Bridge on the River Kwai, or the Man who knew too Much, or Man in the Middle, etc...

Old Gary Cooper, Gregory Peck, Jimmy Stewart, Robert Mitchum, Spencer Tracey, Boggie, Bergmen, The Duke, etc...

[Earl]

I too enjoy watching these type of movies (old westerns) from time to time but, would rather watch a modern movie.

my 2C

[roadcarver]

I'm not into the black and white movies, but I do like the 80's movies. Some are tacky but overall still enjoyable. The modern movies I enjoy esp with the vivid colour and amazing audio.

[Paulie]

Depends on what you consider "better". Each has their own quality, though I find quite a bunch of older movies are everlasting; much rarer in new releases. The late 1930's have more classics than any other time period that I can think of, 1939 especially so.

The Apartment (Jack Lemon and Shirley MacLaine) is a must watch. I've done the draining pasta with a tennis racket!

12 Angry Men (Henry Fonda), dark black/white: how a room full of sweaty guys and no special effects has drama that still causes me to bite my nails.

The GoodBye Girl (Richard Dreyfuss), it never gets old. So cry on the horsey!

Lost Angel (Margaret O'Brien) is one of my all time favorites, though not available on video. Little 6 year old raised in the scientific method, speaks fluent chinese, master of mathematics, but doesn't believe in dragons. Awesome awesome movie.

I could go on. Oh, another favorite because I love the ending is "Colossus, the Forbin Project."

Recent movies that I consider classics would be Aliens, first 3 StarWars movies, first 2nd and 4th Star Trek movies, Dune (either the David Lynch or Allan Smithie versions), Reservoir Dogs, The Pianist, Terminator 2, Gandhi, blah blah blah.

[JJ Irani]

I do agree to a certain degree.

There was no special effects, gadgetry and lewd sex in the oldies - just plain good ole' acting and a superb story line coupled with some excellent direction.

For example, the greatest Western ever made, IMHO, was The Good, the Bad and the Ugly....and yet at the time was considered a cheap spaghetti western from Sergio Leone.

Today, it still remains as an all time classic.....and a role in which Eli Wallach should have won an Oscar for his brilliant acting!!!

Bring on some of those oldies!!

[redshirt1957]

Better acting, better filming, no graphic violence, the good guys win, no nudity or sex scenes, etc...

No graphic violence? No nudity?? No SEX!!! How would I ever follow the plot. Geez...sort of like reading a magazine without pictures!

[Welshwatchman]

My taste in films echoes my taste in watches.

I like a small portion of current "stuff" but feel that the golden age is around the 1970-80 period.

I am not a fan of silent films or extremely old watches.

[timebroker]

Got movies from 20's (even silent) up to 2007, it is all about the story, actors , director etc.
And yes Once in the west is a classic, good bad and the ugly, seen the directors cut at least 5 times
Now if you're talking about nudity like someone stated .... ok I'd go for a new one any day

[roadcarver]

I always loved The Good, The Bad and the Ugly. All time classic!!!!

Originally Posted by JJ Irani

I do agree to a certain degree.

There was no special effects, gadgetry and lewd sex in the oldies - just plain good ole' acting and a superb story line coupled with some excellent direction.

For example, the greatest Western ever made, IMHO, was The Good, the Bad and the Ugly....and yet at the time was considered a cheap spaghetti western from Sergio Leone.

Today, it still remains as an all time classic.....and a role in which Eli Wallach should have won an Oscar for his brilliant acting!!!

Bring on some of those oldies!!

[timebroker]

If there is one good thing about the older movies, especially the spaghetti ones its the music.

[Lisa]

To Kill a Mockingbird is my all-time favorite movie. Wasn't it made in the early 1960s? In general, I like the oldies. Just like I am into everything vintage - anywhere from 1920 to 1960.

[JJ Irani]

Originally Posted by timebroker

If there is one good thing about the older movies, especially the spaghetti ones its the music.

Agreed....very popular at the time and even now. But, by the same token, TIME magazine had dubbed that genre of music like "pebbles being strewn down the slopes of those mountains!!"

[Carolina]

I've always had a huge crush on Spencer Tracy, even though he died before I was born! We just rented "The Philadelphia Story" with Hepburn, Stewart, and Grant. I really enjoyed it - hubby not as much (he prefers action films with James Bond - go figure).

One thing I appreciate about older films is their subtlety. This is especially true since I've become a parent and need to monitor what is on our television.

[JJ Irani]

Originally Posted by Carolina

One thing I appreciate about older films is their subtlety. This is especially true since I've become a parent and need to monitor what is on our television.

Well said, Carolina!!

[S2000 Driver]

Originally Posted by leopardprey

Who also here on TRF thinks older movies are better?

Love the old Technicolor and big productions...

I couldn't agree more, old boy...

[Paulie]

Originally Posted by Carolina

I've always had a huge crush on Spencer Tracy, even though he died before I was born! We just rented "The Philadelphia Story" with Hepburn, Stewart, and Grant. I really enjoyed it - hubby not as much (he prefers action films with James Bond - go figure).

I would recommend watching "Desk Set". The classic Tracy/Hepburn combo, and a fun movie about a "mechanical brains" taking over a publisher. What's great about it is Hepburn's character is an intellectual match or greater than Tracey's! Probably true off camera too, Katherine rocks!

If you watch "Guess who's coming to dinner", you have another Tracy/Hepburn combo (with Sidney Poitier.) Watch Katherine's eyes, you'll see though out the whole movie she's misty; she knew he was sick, and even though he was solidly married to another woman, her pain at watching the love of her life and knowing his time was short adds another dimension the movie.

[Carolina]

Originally Posted by Paulie

I would recommend watching "Desk Set". The classic Tracy/Hepburn combo, and a fun movie about a "mechanical brains" taking over a publisher. What's great about it is Hepburn's character is an intellectual match or greater than Tracey's! Probably true off camera too, Katherine rocks!

If you watch "Guess who's coming to dinner", you have another Tracy/Hepburn combo (with Sidney Poitier.) Watch Katherine's eyes, you'll see though out the whole movie she's misty; she knew he was sick, and even though he was solidly married to another woman, her pain at watching the love of her life and knowing his time was short adds another dimension the movie.

Great idea, Paulie! I remember watching Desk Set when I was a child, so it's time to revisit it. I'm so sentimental that I don't know if I could bear Guess Who's Coming To Dinner!

[leopardprey]

Here are some of my favorite:

Ben Hur
10 Commandments
Inn of the Sixth Happiness
The Robe
To kill a Mockingbird
The Man Who knew too much
Bridge on the River Kwai
World of Suzie Wong
Hellfighters
The Green Berets
Blood Alley
Bridges of Toko-Ri
The Good Earth
Lost Horizons
Sayonara
The Mountain (now Carolina, there is a Spencer Tracey movie for you!!!)
The Rear Window
North by Northwest
The African Quenn
Oceans 11 (The original 1962 version)

[Carolina]

Originally Posted by leopardprey

Here are some of my favorite:

Ben Hur
10 Commandments
Inn of the Sixth Happiness
The Robe
To kill a Mockingbird
The Man Who knew too much
Bridge on the River Kwai
World of Suzie Wong
Hellfighters
The Green Berets
Blood Alley
Bridges of Toko-Ri
The Good Earth
Lost Horizons
Sayonara
The Mountain (now Carolina, there is a Spencer Tracey movie for you!!!)
The Rear Window
North by Northwest
The African Quenn
Oceans 11 (The original 1962 version)

I've never even heard of The Mountain - it had better be available on Netflix! I'll have to check out some of the others as well. I know my husband would enjoy Oceans, since he likes the remake so much!

The holidays are coming up, which means 24 hour access to It's A Wonderful Life

[Carolina]

Wahh! Netflix doesn't have it!!

[leopardprey]

YOu can order through Amazon.com and also check to see if your local library has.

Your husband would love the original Oceans 11. The remakes were terrible.

The original version had an all star cast: Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr. 10 x better than the remakes.

The Mountain, was one of the original and IMHO still one of the best climbing movies ever made. Lots of Climbing action. You and your husband would really like it!

YES, Its a wonderful life, one of my favorite, with my all time favorite Actor, Jimmy Stewart. These young punk actors of today could take a lot of lessons from Jimmy about character. (yeah, I am not a big fan of current Hollywood, especially after formally working for one of the top actresses) Now, Jimmy Stewart, there was a man. An accomplished actor, who did not have to go to war, but volunteered to go and pushed his way to being a Bomber pilot (One of the most dangerous jobs in the European Campaign). Also a devoted religious man, father and husband. I actually just started reading a Biography about him.

[Paulie]

And then there is Audie Murphy. Most decorated combat soldier in WWII.



AMC every sunday seems to have one of his cowboy movies on! 44 movies, 33 westerns.

EDIT: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Audie_Murphy

Both the U.S. Medal of Honor and the French Legion of Honor.

[Carolina]

Originally Posted by leopardprey

YOu can order through Amazon.com and also check to see if your local library has.

Your husband would love the original Oceans 11. The remakes were terrible.

The original version had an all star cast: Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr. 10 x better than the remakes.

The Mountain, was one of the original and IMHO still one of the best climbing movies ever made. Lots of Climbing action. You and your husband would really like it!

YES, Its a wonderful life, one of my favorite, with my all time favorite Actor, Jimmy Stewart. These young punk actors of today could take a lot of lessons from Jimmy about character. (yeah, I am not a big fan of current Hollywood, especially after formally working for one of the top actresses) Now, Jimmy Stewart, there was a man. An accomplished actor, who did not have to go to war, but volunteered to go and pushed his way to being a Bomber pilot (One of the most dangerous jobs in the European Campaign). Also a devoted religious man, father and husband. I actually just started reading a Biography about him.

Thanks! Regarding Jimmy Stewart, you're preaching to the choir. What a guy. Actually, if I think about it, I probably like him even more than Tracy, considering that he had the real life character to back up the great stage presence.

[Jimbits76]

I'm 31 and I grew up with movies. I love them.

My favourite oldies......

Casablanca....sheer class!
Wizard of Oz....greatest childrens movie of all time!
Singing in the Rain..greatest musical of all time!
Some Like It Hot...The greatest comedy of all time!
It's a Wonderful Life...Heartwarming
Harvey...just magical.
Maltese Falcon....perfect noir.
To Have and Have Not (and the Big Sleep) electrifying interplay.
Citizen Kane...technically astounding for it's time and Welles is awesome.
The Third Man....greatest 'british' film of all time.
Nearly all Hitchcock...the master of suspense.

Newer movies...
The Dollars trilogy...cool, cool, cool
Goldfinger...the 3rd but best Bond movie
Jaws...my favourite of all time until old rubber chops actually shows up
The Godfather Parts 1 & 2...perfect
Bladerunner....visually stunning
Star Wars and Empire...as a kid, these were the greatest things I had ever seen
Raiders of the Lost Ark...the greatest action/adventure film IMHO and the best Bond movie never made.

Just my two cents....I could talk all day about movies.

J

[Paulie]

Originally Posted by Jimbits76

I'm 31 and I grew up with movies. I love them.

What's your thoughts on:

African Queen
The Cat from Outer Space
The Corn is Green
The Incredible Mr. Limpet
Goodbye Mr. Chips
Erma La Duce
Brigadoon
From Here to Eternity (not for sensitive viewers! )

....and the glorious Auntie Mame!

[leopardprey]

Just ordered a copy of the African Queen as well. One of my favorite classics!!

Now as far as modern movies, just watched a great one last night. We Are Marshall. True story set in 1971 of the rebirth of the Marshall University Football team, after the entire team was killed in a plane crash in 1970.

[Letsgodiving]

Well, this thread just reminded me why I'm here. I would say 5 of my top ten movies are represented here and it is good see that I'm not alone.

[Jimbits76]

Paulie,

I love the African Queen. Anything with a grizzled Bogart is good by me....and Hepburn is always a bonus.

The Cat from Outer Space is great fun although the remake was dreadful...which kinda underlines the point of this thread. This also reminds me of those early Dean Jones Kurt Russell Disney movies...Why don't they make flicks like them any more????????

I am also a fan of Goodbye Mr Chips, Brigadoon and From here to Eternity (so m uch more than the love scene on the beach).

I'm afraid I have to please ignorance and admit I haven't seen the remainder...although this I will have to remedy.

J

[redshirt1957]

After reading all the thoughtful posts above I will not mention my vintage Girls Gone Wild videos.

[Paulie]

Originally Posted by Jimbits76

<snip>
I'm afraid I have to please ignorance and admit I haven't seen the remainder...although this I will have to remedy.
J

The Corn is Green - (Bette Davis) Story about a Welsh coal miner going to college.

The Incredible Mr. Limpet - mixed animation and real, Don Knotts turns into cartoon fish.

Irma la Douce (had spelling wrong) - Shirley MacClaine and Jack Lemon, she plays a prostitute and he a cop, set in France.

Oh, if I remember correctly, in From Here to Eternity, its the only role Frank Sinatra doesn't sing in. Now I'll have to watch it again to make sure.