Who likes Classic Movies - 1960 and earlier

Snotty said:
It's funny that so many people love "It's A Wonderful Life" today because when it was released it was a huge flop! In modern films the same is true for "Princess Bride" and "Big Trouble in Little China." Both have huge cultic followings today but were box-office failures.

I love movies from all eras.
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Yes, I've heard that also. I can't imagine that it was a flop but who knows. There's a local private owned theater that plays It's a Wonderful Life every year during Christmas week. I go every year. I also saw North by Northwest at that theater. I love watching the old movies on the big screen.
 
tallhair said:
Concur ... and in real life Jimmy was the pilot and War Hero ... not his brother :)

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Although he wouldn't call it that. Retired as a Reserve AF BGen.

I think my favorite Van Johnson movie is The Caine Mutiny
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I know, that is one of the reasons I admire him so much. If you want to see him in a good movie about flying bombers check out "Strategic Air Command" with him and June Allison from 1955.
 
traintech55 said:
I know, that is one of the reasons I admire him so much. If you want to see him in a good movie about flying bombers check out "Strategic Air Command" with him and June Allison from 1955.
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If you like flying and aerial filming, with some old time melodrama with quintessential Stewart intonation and demeanor, Strategic Air Command is great. Loved it.

Aside, it was first time (ONLY time) I saw a B-47 take-off with ALL jets (even the JATO) firing, likewise for a B-36 (props/jet propelled). :)
 
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I gotta add Mad, Mad, Mad World just for all the mopars used in that film in addition to all the classic comedians that appear.
 
Love the old movies. We have a summer classic movie series in Columbus at the Ohio Theatre. I took my wife to see Casablanca on our first date 31 years ago.

I have seen most of the movies listed. Love the Hitchcock movies. One of my favorites not listed already "To Catch a Thief". Also "To have a and have not", many great one liners and Lauren Bacall is stunning.

Must add this is where I get to watch these movies, in the beautiful Ohio.

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i like noir movies from the 40's & 50' here are some
gun crazy 1950
the killers 1946
double indemnity 1944
sunset boulevard 1950
d.o.a 1950
strangers on a train 1951
the hitch-hiker 1953
ace in the hole 1951
the asphalt jungle 1950
he walked by night 1948


they drive by night 1940
pscyho 1960
north by northwest 1959
stalag 17 1953
the best years of our lives 1946
saboteur 1942
 
shooter65 said:
I'm definitely a classic movie fan because they depended on acting and cinematography. Now it's all about special effects, sex and violence and the sex and violence doesn't add to the movie at all, they only throw it in to distract from the fact that the script, screenplay and acting suck. Obviously some exceptions to that. Second Hand Lions and Oh Brother Were Art Thou are two exceptions that come to mind.
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Two of my favorite recent films... I bought those specifically because they are movies that have appeal to just about everyone and I don't mind seeing them again. Good when you have house guests that are difficult to entertain. In both families we have the sinners and the saints... the saints can be a PITA to make happy. Never will forget as a kid watching the first Indiana Jones flick for the first time when my grandfather (a minister) was visiting... the movie wasn't finished at that setting (glad it was on HBO, or likely HHT back then) and became a hot topic theological discussion on the inaccuracies and such...

I like many of the older films, I can see why filmmakers feel they have to meet and exceed expectations in action films. Newer films that blew me away with their action are semi lame to many youngsters today. Early Bruce Willis, like the Last Boy Scout and Die Hard's are some that would be telling of the shift if you watched them in sequence. Terminator went from low budget, unknowns and suspense to action packed between 1 and 2... (I will always like 1 better).

I can see the non-stop action thing going farther back... but the violence used now is astounding... no wonder folks get immune to it.

BTW watched new Star Wars last night... overall a good job connecting it to the first movies, and I could have cried when the Millennium Falcon first appeared (a gearhead thing I say). Has it occurred to anyone else here that "Finn" very quickly and easily went from being raised with the other storm troopers to shooting them?
 
Zymurgy said:
"To have a and have not", many great one liners and Lauren Bacall is stunning
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Agree Mike. I love all the bogie movies esp with Bacall. That theatre looks fantastic ! I would consider taking a vac there just to see some classic movies. May do the TCM festival or cruise one day .... All movies all the time
 
tallhair said:
Agree Mike. I love all the bogie movies esp with Bacall. That theatre looks fantastic ! I would consider taking a vac there just to see some classic movies. May do the TCM festival or cruise one day .... All movies all the time
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They are every weekend through out the summer. They are about half of what we are considering classic now. They show newer movies usually Wednesday and Friday. Then a different movie Saturday and Sunday. They play a pipe organ half hour before the show and at intermission, always playing something related to the movie.

This give you a great over view of the program CAPA Columbus, Live Entertainment in Columbus, the Columbus Association for the Performing Arts
 
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Since I'm still in the recliner.... I dug out my copy of Dr. Strangelove again. It never gets old!

While routing around for the DVD, I found my copy of Meet John Doe. I forgot I had it. It's in the player right now.
 
One of my favs', first saw it about 1970 on TV. It wasn't a critical/boxoffice success -- not on any "lists" -- but I know I have on VHS (and its on cable every now and then. Not as a Stranger (1955)

I like all the actors -- first time I remember seeing Gloria Grahame tho so i didnt/don't know much about her (she was in Greatest Show on Earth - 1952 - which I like).

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shooter65 said:
Yes, I've heard that also. I can't imagine that it was a flop but who knows. There's a local private owned theater that plays It's a Wonderful Life every year during Christmas week. I go every year. I also saw North by Northwest at that theater. I love watching the old movies on the big screen.
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It's a mater of record that the film was a flop; it took time to turn it into the beloved movie it is today. Some quotes from the IMDB site:

"At $3.7 million, this was a very expensive independent production. In its initial box office run, it only earned $3.3 million.

Debuted a week after William Wyler's The Best Years of Our Lives (1946), which explained why this movie was a disappointment at the box office and at the Academy Awards.

The film was a flop when it played theatres in 1946."
 
Snotty said:
It's a mater of record that the film was a flop; it took time to turn it into the beloved movie it is today. Some quotes from the IMDB site:

"At $3.7 million, this was a very expensive independent production. In its initial box office run, it only earned $3.3 million.

Debuted a week after William Wyler's The Best Years of Our Lives (1946), which explained why this movie was a disappointment at the box office and at the Academy Awards.

The film was a flop when it played theatres in 1946."
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It did lose money when it opened. But years of it playing during the holiday time frame on TV turned it into a Christmas stalwart and a beloved movie for many

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tallhair said:
Concur ... and in real life Jimmy was the pilot and War Hero ... not his brother :)

jimmy-stewart-pilot.jpe


Although he wouldn't call it that. Retired as a Reserve AF BGen.

I think my favorite Van Johnson movie is The Caine Mutiny
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theres a story of him rolling into some Canadian airshow in a mustang l believe...received the piece from a relative..will try to find
 
Zymurgy - that is a beautiful theater. I see that Joe Bonamassa will be playing there the end of November. I have not seen him live, but he does some killer work.

Is there a similar thread to this with newer movies that are "must see"?
C
 
watched a bit of the Getaway with steve McQueen last night..few c bodys in there as its shot or set in 71...really nice 71 fury 4 door with trailer hitch on it at the beginning in the prison parkinglot
 
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