Classic Cinema Discussion

[Your Mom]

Ok so I'm reading Quentin Tarantino's book "Cinema Speculation" and while I don't think I share his sensibilities when it comes to good movies it has been an interesting read and has actually motivated me to watch more movies. What I really want to do is fill in the gaps I have in my viewing. Like I haven't seen much before the 80's and what I have seen are your bigger things like Star Wars and such.

I was thinking my first solution would be to just go down the whole AFI 100 best movies list and watch anything I haven't seen. Is that the route you would go if you were me? Or is there possibly a better way to do it?

I figured once I got started I would post what I thought of the films in here and like maybe we could get some discussion going? So any suggestions would be helpful I'm ready to watch!  

[GoGo Yubari]

The AFI list is a pretty decent starting place, though I might suggest bouncing around it and looking at what's most interesting to you rather than trying to do it either top-to-bottom or bottom-to-top. If we're looking at the same one it's a list from 2007 so keep in mind that it was made under that period's tastes/sensibilities. Like, there's a Woody Allen film in there, and I loved Annie Hall when I watched it (probably around the time this list came out actually) and if I'm remembering correctly it's not one of the ones where his very worst qualities creep through, but it's still a Woody Allen film so I imagine you'd want to steer clear. Would also say that you're probably safe skipping Intolerance.

If there's stuff you watch on that front where you really like it and want more stuff like it, I'm sure some of us on here have good recommendations. Plus if you like the director you could start filtering in more stuff they made that's not on that list.

[gunnar hendershow]

I would say the Sight & Sound list is generally my "definitive" top 100 list as it gets updated every decade to better represent current tastes and perspectives. Critics and directors both vote and have their own separate lists. I think the critics list is a little better of a resource, but they're both good. The AFI list has some years behind it so, as GoGo suggested, is representative of that period's tastes/values.

Letterboxd is additionally a great resource (that I've recently started using and writing my own reviews on) where knowledgeable fans have their own good, curated lists and recommendations. Of course it also has a lot that isn't well-curated. But if you watch something you really like you can rather easily find some lists that have similar films. It also can help you track down where to watch the films.

If you're diving in deep I recommend a subscription to The Criterion Channel. Don't do it today, but if you really get into classic cinema there's no better service.

And needless to say, there's a number of people here who would be able to also help with recommendations when you find what you really like.

[GoGo Yubari]

Yeah I thought of the Sight and Sound list, which I think for multiple reasons is a lot better at reflecting a current sensibility about film, but the AFI list is probably in certain ways a little more accessible as a starting point. Still, Sight and Sound does have The Apartment decidedly higher than AFI so clearly it's superior

Letterboxd is a good shout as a "if you like this, you'll like..." place.

[Your Mom]

Yeah no Woody Allen or Roman Polanski types for sure. AFI had this PDF that I downloaded and I can check off things as I watch them so that might be a good place to start. Going to look at the Sight and Sound lists too. I think I made a Letterboxd account at one point and then never used it. Might just make a new one

[gunnar hendershow]

7 minutes ago, GoGo Yubari said:

Yeah I thought of the Sight and Sound list, which I think for multiple reasons is a lot better at reflecting a current sensibility about film, but the AFI list is probably in certain ways a little more accessible as a starting point. Still, Sight and Sound does have The Apartment decidedly higher than AFI so clearly it's superior

Letterboxd is a good shout as a "if you like this, you'll like..." place.

Are you telling me a list with Jeanne Dielman at number 1 might not be the most accessible to people?

[Your Mom]

Saying "accessible" reminded me of something from the Tarantino book I didn't like. He kinda mocked people if they didn't pick up on the hidden themes of the movies and told a story of showing his friend "Shampoo" and when it was over she said it was just a movie about a guy wanting to start a salon and he was making fun of her because she was so dumb or whatever.

I mean I know that won't happen here but that sort of thing is what always stopped me from leaving my comfort zone when it comes to movies and stuff. Fear of looking stupid. But I feel safe to look stupid here  

[GoGo Yubari]

Quentin Tarantino is very good/useful for a lot of things and none of them involve being a good model for interacting with other people, from what I can tell.

[Your Mom]

While I get together a strategy for this endeavor I decided to go ahead and start with 12 Angry Men (1957) it's on the list and I've seen different versions of the concept but never the actual movie. Plus it's short enough that it will be done before The Last of Us starts later  

Dude is that Piglet from Winnie the Pooh?  

[Your Mom]

That was really good! Felt like I was watching a really well acted play. Was kinda weird having Piglet there but I dealt with it  

What was the deal with the last hold out juror though? Like his wallet fell open and a picture fell out and he changed his mind. I didn't get what that had to do with anything 🤷‍♀️

[gunnar hendershow]

1 hour ago, Your Mom said:

That was really good! Felt like I was watching a really well acted play. Was kinda weird having Piglet there but I dealt with it  

What was the deal with the last hold out juror though? Like his wallet fell open and a picture fell out and he changed his mind. I didn't get what that had to do with anything 🤷‍♀️

Spoiler

If I recall the picture is of his son who he has a difficult relationship with, and seeing his face wells up his emotions and he decides to switch to not guilty.

I haven't seen 12 Angry Men in years but it's a real good one.

[GoGo Yubari]

I watched 12 Angry Men in high school and absolutely loved it. It's definitely a lot like watching a play. I haven't watched it start to finish since then but I tend to go back each year and rewatch the scene where

Spoiler

The racist juror goes on his rant and the rest of them all slowly but surely turn their backs on him. Ed Begley Sr. plays that guy's gradual realization of how powerless he is without an audience brilliantly.

Love Sidney Lumet. 12 Angry Men, Network, and Dog Day Afternoon is as good a lineup of three films as nearly any director could boast.

[TheGrandAvatar]

5 hours ago, Your Mom said:

What was the deal with the last hold out juror though? Like his wallet fell open and a picture fell out and he changed his mind. I didn't get what that had to do with anything 🤷‍♀️

That picture is of the hold out jurors own son. A lot of why he behaves the way he does, is because of his own strained relationship with his son. In some way the case reminds him of that. So it is why he act's like he does. Also yes total racist. 

Love 12 Angry Men. It's an interesting setting in a room on a the hottest day of the year. Enjoyed how well it is acted and the story. The plot points are great, and how well he manages to convince everyone on the jury who thought the boy was guilty. 

It is filmed great. Love how it is  edited and produced. The backwards to forward shots of each actor during their part. It definitely felt like a play of some sort when looking back at it now. 

My favorite scene from the movie. 

[Mx. Canadian Destroyer]

I am doing the Criterion Challenge this year. Have watched three movies so far.

Random Number Generator Selected - Onibaba (1964) - This was amazing. Two women living in a swamp who trap and kill soldiers leaving a civil war to make money. Things go awry when one of the women's son-in-law returns. 

Made in Beligum - Rosetta (1999) - Also liked this one. Centered on a young girl who does what she needs to to get by. 

Made in Taiwan - A Brighter Summer Day (1991) - A long one coming in at just under 4 hours but a really good story about a time period I wasn't super familiar with. Si'r gets mixed up in street gangs and a woman that leads to him struggling. 

Really enjoying this challenge so far as all three are films I would have never watched and all really enjoyed.

[gunnar hendershow]

I've been working on catching up on all the 2022 films in light of recording a podcast at the start of February for my top picks of the year. Do mean to finally do the Criterion challenge, it's such a great idea, and I think is instrumental for a lot of people being pushed into watching and appreciating world cinema.

[Your Mom]

Criterion Challenge sounds a bit advanced for me at the moment. I'll stick to my introductory classes  

[Mick]

18 hours ago, Your Mom said:

Dude is that Piglet from Winnie the Pooh?  

Yep. 

[Hobo]

On 23/01/2023 at 03:28, GoGo Yubari said:

 

  Reveal hidden contents

The racist juror goes on his rant and the rest of them all slowly but surely turn their backs on him. Ed Begley Sr. plays that guy's gradual realization of how powerless he is without an audience brilliantly.

Love Sidney Lumet. 12 Angry Men, Network, and Dog Day Afternoon is as good a lineup of three films as nearly any director could boast.

I forgot Dog Day Afternoon is a Sidney Lumet movie! Network is great but it doesn't really feel as satirical now. I've not actually seen his 12 Angry Men only the 1997 William Friedkin remake.

My girlfriend and I have been watching movies with her dad a lot recently (alongside the weekly movie night that we have been doing with friends online for 2 and a half years). Her dad just picks up movies he liked from the Library.

We've watched:

Dog Day Afternoon (really good)

Easy Rider (bad, I hated it so much)

The Swimmer (1968 Burt Lancaster movie about a guy who decides to swim home through all his neighbours' pools - pretty good movie and Joan Rivers screen debut as did Diana Muldaur aka Dr Pulaski from that one season of Star Trek: The Next Generation),

Goodfellas (brilliant)

The Hustler (pretty good)

Amarcord (I feel bad for saying that I thought a Fellini movie sucked but I thought this sucked so much)

The Killing of a Chinese Bookie (this was pretty enjoyable)

During our movie night, we have watched a tonne of classic cinema: Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolfe?, Bringing Up Baby, Citizen Kane, The Apartment, The Seven Year Itch, All About Eve, What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?, Harvey, A Touch of Evil. Those are some of the English language ones that I really liked anyway that fit in with this thread.

[GhostMachine]

17 hours ago, TheGrandAvatar said:

That picture is of the hold out jurors own son. A lot of why he behaves the way he does, is because of his own strained relationship with his son. In some way the case reminds him of that. So it is why he act's like he does. Also yes total racist. 

Love 12 Angry Men. It's an interesting setting in a room on a the hottest day of the year. Enjoyed how well it is acted and the story. The plot points are great, and how well he manages to convince everyone on the jury who thought the boy was guilty. 

It is filmed great. Love how it is  edited and produced. The backwards to forward shots of each actor during their part. It definitely felt like a play of some sort when looking back at it now. 

My favorite scene from the movie. 

Its one of my all-time favorite movies. 

[Liam]

What's the Criterion Challenge?

Also, I watched 'The Earrings of Madame de...' recently and that was excellent. Placed on the 'Sight and Sound' poll and was just a superb  film that I'd never heard about before reading the list.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Earrings_of_Madame_de…