'Old' films - I can't help but find them to be rubbish...
Discussion
I'm with the OP on the majority of B&W films, and to a lesser extent 60's and 70's films, they just don't interest me enough to watch a whole one.
There are exceptions but generally I'd choose to watch a contemporary film over an old one.
That said, after some of the shockers I've seen recently, maybe I should alter my viewing habits.
There are exceptions but generally I'd choose to watch a contemporary film over an old one.
That said, after some of the shockers I've seen recently, maybe I should alter my viewing habits.
Or you have the opposite effect. I'll watch a Michael Bay film and action scenes leave me feeling like I've just spent ten minutes spinning in the same spot.
But you have made some fair points. I actually like the look of films shot in the 50's and 60's, particularly if they feature location shots or vehicles, in terms of movie experience there are still some gems, such as the manchurian candidate (1962)
But you have made some fair points. I actually like the look of films shot in the 50's and 60's, particularly if they feature location shots or vehicles, in terms of movie experience there are still some gems, such as the manchurian candidate (1962)
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."
+1 or should that be +3... Top script, unique score, Joseph Cotton at his peak...I'd add "The Third Man."
You want "real" tension I also vote the original (1953-ish) Flight of the Phoenix, and The Wages of Fear (also 1953 and remade as Sorcerer in 1977 if you can stand Roy Scheider...).
No CGI, very little blue screen, real fire! No women... hmmm...
Ah, women... The Manchurian Candidate, 1962. You think you know Angela Landsbury? This'll change your mind!
Any of these will be on a top 500 list, look for them about slot 25 and up!
IMO, of course.
A truly significant film that Halb hasn't seen/already owns 
Older films are better in black and white as it hides a whole world of pain. personally, I love watching old Brit comedies such as the early Carry On films (which actually were films not smut collections)and Norman Wisdom stuff and of course The Marx Brothers. The musical parts of these films tend to be tedious but there are plenty of great films like The Lavender Hill Mob and so forth without any of the gay musical crap. 
While I agree with the OP, recently I've been falling asleep during a lot of films in much the same way as I sleep soundly through F1. There may be a lot going on and "realistic" fighting and wobbly camerawork but so much of it is just jumping form set-piece to set-piece. The soundtracks "heightening the action" get really boring. I'll include the Bourne films in that as well (maybe that is a bit harsh...)
Try the original Diabolique - a slow French suspense film, It's a wonderful world, Kind Hearts & Coronets, Wages of Fear. Some silent stuff such as The General is worth a watch as well.
Try the original Diabolique - a slow French suspense film, It's a wonderful world, Kind Hearts & Coronets, Wages of Fear. Some silent stuff such as The General is worth a watch as well.
How about the original 'The Day the Earth Stood Still'? Liked the remake too, but original much more thought provoking. And 'The Thing from Another World)? No fancy special effects, and black and white, but very atmospheric and scary. Then again, I like listening to drama on radio, so maybe I'm easily pleased.
KH&C is just fantastic.
TBH, that law that 90% of everything is crap (Sturgeons?) really does hold true. Yep a lot of old stuff is badly acted, badly scripted etc but then so are modern era films.
My main beef with a lot of modern films is the complete lack of any tension of any form. Why pay for a decent script when CGI will do? Watched MI3 the other day and was so underwhelmed. Please Hollywood, stop with the fight scenes that go on and on, as mentioned already, they're not realistic and they hold very little interest: Never has it been so well lampooned
Having said that, the good ones are still being made (Bourne trilogy is a case in point).
ETA totally agree that the original Carry Ons were actually v good. Like the "Doctor" series too.
TBH, that law that 90% of everything is crap (Sturgeons?) really does hold true. Yep a lot of old stuff is badly acted, badly scripted etc but then so are modern era films.
My main beef with a lot of modern films is the complete lack of any tension of any form. Why pay for a decent script when CGI will do? Watched MI3 the other day and was so underwhelmed. Please Hollywood, stop with the fight scenes that go on and on, as mentioned already, they're not realistic and they hold very little interest: Never has it been so well lampooned
Having said that, the good ones are still being made (Bourne trilogy is a case in point).
ETA totally agree that the original Carry Ons were actually v good. Like the "Doctor" series too.
Old films can also be unintentionally hilarious. I watched one from the 40s or 50s about a sea monster and the monster was something worse than you could create in your bedroom with a torch. The rubber pods on the rocks were laughably bad and all the Cornish fishermen spoke with polished glass accents fresh from drama school.
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