re-evaluating older films....
Discussion
unrepentant said:
Casablanca is still the finest film ever made IMHO. It's pretty much perfect given that it was made during the war. It's dated of course but the dialogue still pings and the atmosphere is excellent, all the better for being made in black and white.
Yes - still love that film. The subject of the classic Roxy Music song 2HB (To Humphrey Bogart - and also the soft charcoal colour of a 2HB pencil similar to the black and white reels... Bryan Ferry was a genius back then).unrepentant said:
Presumably it's why no major studio has dared do a remake.
"Here's looking at you kid".
Perhaps... "Here's looking at you kid".
https://www.gq.com/story/barb-wire-2017
Another for Rio Bravo.
To quote IMDB says it all...
The story itself is a composite of all the elements needed to make a great Western: good guys in white hats, bad guys in black hats, townspeople content to stand aside and to let the battle be fought between the outlaws and the man with the tin star, a beautiful woman to distract the hero and finally help him when the chips are down.
Following behind is Ulzanas Raid where Burt Lancaster as the grizzled old Indian scout shows the young West Pointer a thing or two about fighting Apaches. 'The dried out horse s
t tells us he is just 2 hours ahead'. Not so well received as it was seen to be an analogy and criticism of the Vietnam war.
Yet another Lancaster movie - he was good wasn't he.
To quote IMDB says it all...
The story itself is a composite of all the elements needed to make a great Western: good guys in white hats, bad guys in black hats, townspeople content to stand aside and to let the battle be fought between the outlaws and the man with the tin star, a beautiful woman to distract the hero and finally help him when the chips are down.
Following behind is Ulzanas Raid where Burt Lancaster as the grizzled old Indian scout shows the young West Pointer a thing or two about fighting Apaches. 'The dried out horse s
t tells us he is just 2 hours ahead'. Not so well received as it was seen to be an analogy and criticism of the Vietnam war.Yet another Lancaster movie - he was good wasn't he.
For my personal "best Western" I vacillate between either The Good, The Bad and The Ugly or Once Upon a Time in The West just because of the pace of them. I love the way Leone was brave enough to sit back and let nothing happen for long periods of time.
From what I think of as the older generation of Westerns, it'd be The Maginificent Seven because the Kurosawa film it's based on is a timeless plotline and the ensemble cast features most of my favourite actors from the period. Although I do acknowledge it's probably not really old enough in the context of this thread?
From what I think of as the older generation of Westerns, it'd be The Maginificent Seven because the Kurosawa film it's based on is a timeless plotline and the ensemble cast features most of my favourite actors from the period. Although I do acknowledge it's probably not really old enough in the context of this thread?
As I said previously, what defines an "old movie" will probably be very much dependent on the age of the person defining it.
As for "old westerns", the western genre has been seriously neglected since the 1970s as it really fell out of favour around that time - so very few really good westerns are actually that new.
One of my favourite "old westerns" is "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance" - which dates from 1962 - which, of course, features Lee Marvin too..
As for "old westerns", the western genre has been seriously neglected since the 1970s as it really fell out of favour around that time - so very few really good westerns are actually that new.
One of my favourite "old westerns" is "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance" - which dates from 1962 - which, of course, features Lee Marvin too..
The films of the 70s that had real tension and characters you could engage with.
My favourite era of film making.
Pelham 123 awesome move dated perhaps with the sexist language but still great compare that with the remake.
Day of the jackal, french connection, marathon man.
Then another of my favourites the andromeda strain awesome movie. The tech has dated although not so much as the tech but the props. But it’s great and builds tension and you care about the characters. The remake was utter balls.
Boys from Brazil,sleuth, Charlie varick, Capricorn one, the getaway.
All awesome movies that stand today imo.
My favourite era of film making.
Pelham 123 awesome move dated perhaps with the sexist language but still great compare that with the remake.
Day of the jackal, french connection, marathon man.
Then another of my favourites the andromeda strain awesome movie. The tech has dated although not so much as the tech but the props. But it’s great and builds tension and you care about the characters. The remake was utter balls.
Boys from Brazil,sleuth, Charlie varick, Capricorn one, the getaway.
All awesome movies that stand today imo.
Eric Mc said:
As I said previously, what defines an "old movie" will probably be very much dependent on the age of the person defining it.
As for "old westerns", the western genre has been seriously neglected since the 1970s as it really fell out of favour around that time - so very few really good westerns are actually that new.
One of my favourite "old westerns" is "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance" - which dates from 1962 - which, of course, features Lee Marvin too..
Now you're talking. Not one, but three leading men - Wayne. Stewart and Marvin. Plus two of the best baddie's sidekicks ever - van Cleef and Strother Martin. Generic drunken town doctor, generic drunken Shakespeare-quoting newspaper editor. Good twist to add to what's already a great movie.As for "old westerns", the western genre has been seriously neglected since the 1970s as it really fell out of favour around that time - so very few really good westerns are actually that new.
One of my favourite "old westerns" is "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance" - which dates from 1962 - which, of course, features Lee Marvin too..
I can watch it time and again.
Fort Apache deserves a mention as well, made in 1948, but acknowledged to be the first attempt at presenting a sympathetic and authentic view of the Native Americans, and what the remote Govt attitude to them was, rather than those that were trying to integrate with them. Also touched on the class relationships within the US Army structure of the time in regard to the Officer and a Gentleman attitudes of West Pointers.
A Winner Is You said:
Pesty said:
It’s a classic but I prefer assault in precinct 13.
Another classic obviously is the thing.
I just picked up Prince of Darkness in 4k - easily one of his best, and perhaps the most overlooked. Another classic obviously is the thing.
I think the sending messages back through time has been stolen since too. I agree one of his best.
For those saying Rio bravo which one, they made. The same film three times
Go tell the Spartans
Great over looked Vietnam film.
BryanC said:
Yet another Lancaster movie - he was good wasn't he.
Yes he was and as you mention Lancaster and Vietnam Go tell the Spartans
Great over looked Vietnam film.
Edited by Pesty on Wednesday 31st July 15:28
Pesty said:
The films of the 70s that had real tension and characters you could engage with.
My favourite era of film making.
This is like saying 70s music was better or 70s cars were better and using one or two high water marks as proof.My favourite era of film making.
I am sure there were hundreds, thousands probably, of properly crap 70s movies.
There are still plenty of good movies being made every year, and plenty of crap ones too.
aeropilot said:
nicanary said:
Re the Rio Bravo conundrum, I have to say I prefer El Dorado, basically a remake.
I enjoy all three, the 3rd one, Rio Lobo, I probably prefer over El Dorado....(but that maybe because of the lovely Jennifer O'Neil 
)h-slapping Ricky Nelson senseless. James Caan is a better equivalent in El Dorado. Rio Lobo has Jack Elam. Angie Dickinson is gorgeous in Rio Bravo. Tough call between the three films.gregs656 said:
Pesty said:
The films of the 70s that had real tension and characters you could engage with.
My favourite era of film making.
This is like saying 70s music was better or 70s cars were better and using one or two high water marks as proof.My favourite era of film making.
I am sure there were hundreds, thousands probably, of properly crap 70s movies.
There are still plenty of good movies being made every year, and plenty of crap ones too.
So fascinating. New Hollywood at its peak, an era driven by a new wave of filmmakers who were able to make the films they wanted to make for better or worse and still active and influential today for better or worse.
The book and film documentary Easy Riders & Raging Bulls gives a good account of that era.
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