'Old' films - I can't help but find them to be rubbish...
Discussion
I love watching films, I really do. I don't watch much TV at all but will happily take a couple of hours out of a weekend or spare evening to watch a film.
I enjoy the cinema every couple of months or so.
I used to have a ridiculous DVD collection until I recently sold 95% of it.
So having watched most of the more modern contents of the IMDB top 500 films, plus heaps of other stuff, I started to hunt out older movies to watch. By older I mean pre early 1960's, from around the time of the first Bond films backwards.
I like stuff like thrillers, spy films, action, conspiracy, comedy, war, a lot of stuff, so compiled a small list of pre 1960's thriller/war type stuff based on what got good reviews on Rotten Tomatos and IMDB.
I honestly can't watch them all the way through, or at least not without losing interest and coming back later, which isn't like me at all.
A general rundown of what I'm seeing in these films is:
All the acting and delivery of lines seems really wooden and forced.
The scripts sound like they are trying to be polite and acceptable rather than realistic, sweary and hard hitting.
The sets and props are quite often crap/wobbly.
The plot twists and stories seem rather obvious and basic and nothing that makes you think "Wow! Didnt see that coming!"
The fisticuffs scenes seem like a badly choreographed gentlemens 'fake scuffle' than a realistic brawl you would see now.
It's more like watching a crappy amateur dramatic society play than a big movie of the time.
Films from the 70's and 80's onwards just seen to feature much better serious acting and performances, with you really feeling for the situation the character is in. The scripts seem much better written as well.
As an example, some of the sheer tension/suspence and gritty quiet 'creeping about' parts in the Bourne films have you on the edge of your seat fretting about what's going to happen next... I'm just not feeling it in these creaky old films
I dunno... Just me?
I enjoy the cinema every couple of months or so.
I used to have a ridiculous DVD collection until I recently sold 95% of it.
So having watched most of the more modern contents of the IMDB top 500 films, plus heaps of other stuff, I started to hunt out older movies to watch. By older I mean pre early 1960's, from around the time of the first Bond films backwards.
I like stuff like thrillers, spy films, action, conspiracy, comedy, war, a lot of stuff, so compiled a small list of pre 1960's thriller/war type stuff based on what got good reviews on Rotten Tomatos and IMDB.
I honestly can't watch them all the way through, or at least not without losing interest and coming back later, which isn't like me at all.
A general rundown of what I'm seeing in these films is:
All the acting and delivery of lines seems really wooden and forced.
The scripts sound like they are trying to be polite and acceptable rather than realistic, sweary and hard hitting.
The sets and props are quite often crap/wobbly.
The plot twists and stories seem rather obvious and basic and nothing that makes you think "Wow! Didnt see that coming!"
The fisticuffs scenes seem like a badly choreographed gentlemens 'fake scuffle' than a realistic brawl you would see now.
It's more like watching a crappy amateur dramatic society play than a big movie of the time.
Films from the 70's and 80's onwards just seen to feature much better serious acting and performances, with you really feeling for the situation the character is in. The scripts seem much better written as well.
As an example, some of the sheer tension/suspence and gritty quiet 'creeping about' parts in the Bourne films have you on the edge of your seat fretting about what's going to happen next... I'm just not feeling it in these creaky old films
I dunno... Just me?
Nah! Not just you.
If you're usually watching recent films, anything that old is going to seem pretty clunky and unrealistic simply because they're from another era.
For example, what I have found to be really disappointing is to watch an old film which I last saw years before and really enjoyed but now find to be slow, predictable and poorly "produced". Even humour can fall foul of the age-test: I laughed hysterically at Wood Allen's "Sleeper" when I first saw it but watching it again more recently and, well, I had to switch it off because of the disappointment.
Of course, that's not to say you can't still enjoy some of the old classics and really enjoy them - Casablanca or The Dambusters, say - because with films that old and possibly in B&W, your expectations are different. IMO it's ones from the 70's and 80's which seem to have dated worst, although it's quite good fun to mock the technology!
If you're usually watching recent films, anything that old is going to seem pretty clunky and unrealistic simply because they're from another era.
For example, what I have found to be really disappointing is to watch an old film which I last saw years before and really enjoyed but now find to be slow, predictable and poorly "produced". Even humour can fall foul of the age-test: I laughed hysterically at Wood Allen's "Sleeper" when I first saw it but watching it again more recently and, well, I had to switch it off because of the disappointment.
Of course, that's not to say you can't still enjoy some of the old classics and really enjoy them - Casablanca or The Dambusters, say - because with films that old and possibly in B&W, your expectations are different. IMO it's ones from the 70's and 80's which seem to have dated worst, although it's quite good fun to mock the technology!
Eric Mc said:
Yep - just you.
Have you ever watched
"Some Like it Hot"
"Sunset Boulevard"
"Inherit the Wind"
"Singin' in the Rain"
"It's a Wondeful Life"
"Geneveive"
"The Ladykillers"
"Rear Window"
"North by Northwest"
Nope, but thanks for the list! I will endeavour to acquire those to watch.Have you ever watched
"Some Like it Hot"
"Sunset Boulevard"
"Inherit the Wind"
"Singin' in the Rain"
"It's a Wondeful Life"
"Geneveive"
"The Ladykillers"
"Rear Window"
"North by Northwest"
Thanks
There are more but they were just a few off the top of my head.
Younger people do find older films "slow" in that older style lower paced movies had more detailed dialogue and less frenetic editing.
I actually find the Bourne films disconcerting to watch because the editing is so fast that I can't keep up with the chopping and changing and false wobbly camera technique. It's like it was made by the ADHD generation FOR the ADHD generation.
Sometimes story needs to be told a litle more slowly so that your brain can assimilate what people are saying and doing.
Younger people do find older films "slow" in that older style lower paced movies had more detailed dialogue and less frenetic editing.
I actually find the Bourne films disconcerting to watch because the editing is so fast that I can't keep up with the chopping and changing and false wobbly camera technique. It's like it was made by the ADHD generation FOR the ADHD generation.
Sometimes story needs to be told a litle more slowly so that your brain can assimilate what people are saying and doing.
Edited by Eric Mc on Tuesday 9th August 15:39
I love these old movies. I'll take one ahead of Transformers or some tripe like that any day. (I am 30!)
To me they are much more about the relationships between and the strength of the characters' personalities. In the better movies you get some original plot twists and dialogue that transcends shoddy plots, like The Big Sleep.
However I like it when a movie grabs me and makes me think. But if you like fancy purity, special effects and a happy ending then hollywood does that perfectly too.
Going back even further in time, have you ever seen any old Chaplin silent movies?
To me they are much more about the relationships between and the strength of the characters' personalities. In the better movies you get some original plot twists and dialogue that transcends shoddy plots, like The Big Sleep.
However I like it when a movie grabs me and makes me think. But if you like fancy purity, special effects and a happy ending then hollywood does that perfectly too.
Going back even further in time, have you ever seen any old Chaplin silent movies?
Eric Mc said:
"Some Like it Hot"
"Sunset Boulevard"
"Inherit the Wind"
"Singin' in the Rain"
"It's a Wondeful Life"
"Geneveive"
"The Ladykillers"
"Rear Window"
"North by Northwest"
All classics and faves of mine apart from the first one (though it does have one of the best ending lines in film history)"Sunset Boulevard"
"Inherit the Wind"
"Singin' in the Rain"
"It's a Wondeful Life"
"Geneveive"
"The Ladykillers"
"Rear Window"
"North by Northwest"
I understand the ADHD comment as well.
There are a lot of old bad films, there are a lot of current bad films.
Some more classics to try?
You Can't Take It With You
Harvey
Casablanca
The Maltese Falcon
To Have and Have Not
Passport To Pimlico
Kind Hearts and Coronets
The Lady Vanishes
The 39 Steps
Last Holiday
The Card
some of these films, especially the English ones are a great insight to how things used to be.
Love old british war films. There really is nothing to beat them, in my opinion. The likes of 'Ice cold in Alex', 'Dunkirk', 'The Cockleshell heroes', 'The Colditz Story', 'Above us the Waves', 'A Malta Story', The Cruel Sea', and so on, are superb. There is something about old films. They could not rely on cgi, or fancy pants special effects to get the viewer interested. Instead they had to use something they called a "plot". Love em.
ChiChoAndy said:
Love old british war films. There really is nothing to beat them, in my opinion. The likes of 'Ice cold in Alex', 'Dunkirk', 'The Cockleshell heroes', 'The Colditz Story', 'Above us the Waves', 'A Malta Story', The Cruel Sea', and so on, are superb. There is something about old films. They could not rely on cgi, or fancy pants special effects to get the viewer interested. Instead they had to use something they called a "plot". Love em.
A Malta Story was on week before last.My fave is, Went the Day Well.
Halb said:
A Malta Story was on week before last.
My fave is, Went the Day Well.
Used to have every one I could get my hands on, either legally, or illegally! Went the day well, is good. What was the other one where the Germans invaded and took over a town? Had Micheal Caine in it as well, I think. My fave is, Went the Day Well.
Used to like the Ealing stuff as well. ladykillers was absolutely perfect. The modern version needs to be thrown away and forgotten. Oooh, and anything Hitchcock. Rear Window, The Birds, Psycho, and so on.
ChiChoAndy said:
Used to have every one I could get my hands on, either legally, or illegally! Went the day well, is good. What was the other one where the Germans invaded and took over a town? Had Micheal Caine in it as well, I think.
Used to like the Ealing stuff as well. ladykillers was absolutely perfect. The modern version needs to be thrown away and forgotten. Oooh, and anything Hitchcock. Rear Window, The Birds, Psycho, and so on.
Yip, that was on two weeks ago also. The Eagle Has Landed, Caine as a rare baddie, good.Used to like the Ealing stuff as well. ladykillers was absolutely perfect. The modern version needs to be thrown away and forgotten. Oooh, and anything Hitchcock. Rear Window, The Birds, Psycho, and so on.
I like Hitchcock films, I prefer his early English work above his later stuff, The Lady Vanishes being my fave, but North By North-West gets in there as well
I'd drop ya like ya was a hot potato!
I love this quote, but can't recall what old film it is from. I vaguely recall some sort of Little Rascals set up...not sure.
I love this quote, but can't recall what old film it is from. I vaguely recall some sort of Little Rascals set up...not sure.
ChiChoAndy said:
Seven Samurai is old as well, and woe be tide the boy who says that isn't good. Why, I oughta!
Not seen thatIf the OP cites Bourne films as a good thing, I don't think many of the above films are going to float his boat. 
I'd add "The Third Man."
Has one of the most profound lines ever: "In Italy for 30 years under the Borgias they had warfare, terror, murder, and bloodshed, but they produced Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, and the Renaissance. In Switzerland they had brotherly love - they had 500 years of democracy and peace, and what did that produce? The cuckoo clock." (Delivered superbly, too.)
I'd add "The Third Man."
Has one of the most profound lines ever: "In Italy for 30 years under the Borgias they had warfare, terror, murder, and bloodshed, but they produced Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, and the Renaissance. In Switzerland they had brotherly love - they had 500 years of democracy and peace, and what did that produce? The cuckoo clock." (Delivered superbly, too.)
55allgold said:
If the OP cites Bourne films as a good thing, I don't think many of the above films are going to float his boat.
I'd add "The Third Man."
Has one of the most profound lines ever: "In Italy for 30 years under the Borgias they had warfare, terror, murder, and bloodshed, but they produced Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, and the Renaissance. In Switzerland they had brotherly love - they had 500 years of democracy and peace, and what did that produce? The cuckoo clock." (Delivered superbly, too.)
I'm not saying the Bourne films are any kind of a benchmark for me, I simply enjoyed them.I'd add "The Third Man."
Has one of the most profound lines ever: "In Italy for 30 years under the Borgias they had warfare, terror, murder, and bloodshed, but they produced Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, and the Renaissance. In Switzerland they had brotherly love - they had 500 years of democracy and peace, and what did that produce? The cuckoo clock." (Delivered superbly, too.)
I was meaning that even the really tense, gripping and quiet parts of an average film like Bourne seem to crackle with more emotion and carefully delivered lines than a lot of the old films.
As one person put it above, the older stuff feels clunky, stiff and awkward rather than slick. Nothing to do with special effects or anything, just two people talking at a desk or something.
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