10 overrated classics

[dahliaoleander]

On the Waterfront is on my list... I just didn't buy Marlon's angst... Great story, yes. But over-rated IMO.

OH MY GOD YES!

Marlon in that movie (and in The Wild One) was a second rate John Grfield.

In the Wild One marlon's reply of "Whaddya got?" to "What are you rebelling against, Johnny?" was the same, if not eerily similar to John Garfield talking about the fates plotting against him in Four Daughters. (In the type of angst he was going for.)

John Garfield was a link Between Gable, Bogie, and Marlon. In fact, to one extent or another, he made Marlon's "wounded soul bad-boy" possible, & popularized it during his tragically short career, aside from the roles where he played WOLF.

Plus... he was cuter.

Burt Lancaster, and Marlon Brando always looked slightly inbred to me. Like knuckle-draggers. (Neanderthals.) Never found them attractive.

But Julie!

John Garfield!

OH MY GOD WAS HE HEAVENLY!

 

[Dr Doran]

The thing is, when it comes right down to it, one can recognize, as the article does, that some of these movies had an important place in cinema history but still not like watching them.

Fair.

 

[metropd]

Titanic, Titanic, Titanic, Titanic!

Star Wars

Reservoir Dogs

 

[SamMarlowPI]

imo:
'love story' was stuuuuupiiiiid...
'arsenic' was great and hilarious(probably because i was raised on it)...
'kings' was...eh...
'dinner' still holds up in my opinion as far as interracial relationships and poitier is fantastic...
'gentlemans agreement' is dated but still holds a pretty good message...
'itch'...well its marilyn alright...
'commandments', never seen...[huh]
'easy rider' was really stupid, except jack was hilarious...
'giant' is a favorite because i'm a big dean fan...can't say the same for hudson or lizzy...
'wind'...i like clarky but i'll take 'it happened one night' over any clark film...

 

[Prairie Dog]

imo:
'love story' was stuuuuupiiiiid...

A chick flic in every sense of the word.
But I always liked Ali McGraw, so for that reason and that reason alone, it wasn't that stupid.[huh]
And it had a great tag line, "Love means never having to say your sorry".

 

[SamMarlowPI]

lol i can understand that...the only film i liked her in was The Getaway but then again thats because of Steve McQueen...lol

 

[John in Covina]

MTV or Jerry Springer or Reality based TV Shows?

As it happens with some things tied to the world of "today" when they were made, often things of importance in social, political, historical of celebrity ties lose their relevance over time. Also since a fair portion of people today have no roots in the past, these links to the past are lost on the oblivious masses that are more tied in to whatever todays 15 minutes of fame brings to the TV.

Values, mores and morals are skewed in many places so films that made a basis in bringing questions about what is considered antiquated views are simply historical oddities to many.

 

[The Wolf]

I haven't seen a lot of those movies in years but I like many of them. I really enjoyed "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner" but was disappointed by "Citizen Kane" which is always number one on lists of great movies.
Of course, the list isn't talking about movies that are intrinsically bad, it is all a matter of taste and I've got plenty (good and bad).

Sincerely,
The Wolf

 

[Spiffy]

As I've just finished the critical studies part of my film degree, all I can say is;

Thank GOD I don't have to watch North by Northwest again, for the 5th or 6th time, and and write a plot synopsis/shot breakdown/style analysis/critical essay ever, ever again!

1. Basic Introduction Course
2. American Film History
3. Introduction to Production
4. Hitchcock: Auteur Theory
5. World Cinema (example of Hollywood)

I realize it's not on the list, but geez louise, whenever I gripe about it I always get "But it's such a classic!" "It's Hitchcock, how can you hate it"

Grraahhhrrrr.

 

[LaMedicine]

fftopic: Vent

"Being in love means never having to say you're sorry"
.......
Love means having the guts to say you're sorry even if you didn't do anything wrong!

That is also one of the worst mis-translation into Japanese that I know of.lol lol lol
I'd already read the book when the film was released here, and knew the original line, so I flipped when the translation publicised was "Love means no regrets" yech and it was hyped as one of the greatest lines ever. A world of difference.
That is why I never trust translations. Ever. Even if I have to depend on 'em, I don't trust 'em. Excepting my own.

 

[Paisley]

Where's "An Affair to Remember"? The plot didn't make sense, the lines didn't make sense, and the acting just didn't matter.

 

[Paisley]

"Being in love means never having to say you're sorry"

Wretch, gag, ewwwwwww...

It should read, "Being a selfish, immature jerk means never having to say you're sorry."

 

[Miss 1929]

You have such a treat in store!!!!!

Can you believe I've never seen Gone With The Wind lol

Don't believe these guys, it is am awesome movie in so many ways.
Yes, Vivien Leigh's Scarlett may seem over the top - but Scarlett O'Hara was over the top! I found her characterization to be spot on. If you had never read the book, it might feel that way. Read the book first if you haven't yet!
This is one of the very few movies that I loved as much as the book. They only reduced it in the areas that the Hayes code made necessary - not truly showing pregnancy, making Scarlett not a mother until she has Bonnie Blue Butler (in the book she has two or three other kids first but doesn't care for them. Unnatural! And realistic, since she didn't love their daddies).
The scenery, the costumes, the casting, all wonderful. I love this film.
I also enjoyed Arsenic and Old Lace, I only saw it for the first time a couple of weeks ago. No, it is not a classic like Casablanca (or GWTW) that I could watch over and over, but it's funny and I really enjoyed it. It's supposed to be comedy...and a dark one. And it wasn't a hundred times he charges up the stairs, more like... four? five? It was silly and fun.

 

[Miss 1929]

i didn't like gone with the wind... but that's probably more because i don't like gone with the wind... i read the book and i just kept wanting to slap scarlette and tell her to pull her head in...ergo the movie based on the book was never goning to be a winner with me...

You are not supposed to like Scarlett, that is the WHOLE POINT of her character! She never learns...

 

[K.D. Lightner]

GWTW, to me, was an over-blown soap opera, plus the Jim Crow racism got to me, although I loved Hattie McDaniel in the film and thought she did a wonderful job, got a much deserved and historic Oscar.

I liked Rhett Butler as played by Gable, thought Scarlett was a mean, spoiled, obnoxious princess-brat who happened to be awfully good looking or no one would have been able to stand her at all.

I know there was Old South/New South symbolism in the movie, which I guess is why she had an obsession with Ashley. That particular symbolism played even better in Streetcar Named Desire.

The Ten Commandments is now dated, but I did watch it a few years ago and enjoyed it as high camp, roared with laughter at some of the lines and the over-emoting of at least one star (Anne Baxter).

I liked Giant mainly because of Jimmy, but also liked the message of tolerance and acceptance in the movie, and Taylor taking on the boys with their double standards was a bit of a pre-feminist treat.

Guess Who's Coming to Dinner was certainly not as edgy as In the Heat of the Night, but a great cast and Tracy's last role. I think the film bridged a gap for those white folks who were not quite there yet with the race issue.

I get tired of all those films they drag out during holidays, It's a Wonderful Life being one of them, another Miracle on 34th Street being another. I never liked that film, probably because I was a little girl who did not believe in Santa Claus and got in trouble for it on at least a couple of occasions.

However, I could watch The Wizard of Oz every year and not get bored with it, nor the Sims version (1951) of A Christmas Carol.

And please don't show me the Shirley Temple film, Heidi, I will probably throw a brick through my TV screen.

karol

 

[SamMarlowPI]

nor the Sims version (1951) of A Christmas Carol.

agreed. it is the best version imo...

And please don't show me the Shirley Temple film, Heidi, I will probably throw a brick through my TV screen

lollollollollol

 

[ScionPI2005]

And please don't show me the Shirley Temple film, Heidi, I will probably throw a brick through my TV screen.

karol

I could never stand Shirley Temple. At the risk of offending someone, I see her as just a pouty little girl who got everyone's attention by looking cute.

 

[A.R. McVintage]

I don't get the tearing down of The Seven Year Itch. The way the article does it illustrates no understanding of the film, which could best be described as The Mind of the Married Mitty (Walter, that is).

 

[LizzieMaine]

I could never stand Shirley Temple. At the risk of offending someone, I see her as just a pouty little girl who got everyone's attention by looking cute.

She did get awfully self-consciously cute as she got older -- by the time she was seven, she was heading over the hill. But her earlier stuff, 1934-35ish, has a very appealing kid-having-fun quality to it, and she's helped by not being constantly pushed to the forefront as the star of the picture. "Stand Up And Cheer" is excellent film for those who can't stand Shirley -- there's just enough of her to make a not-unfavorable impression, and if you get tired of her, there's always the penguin who thinks he's Jimmy Durante. What's not to love?

 

[A.R. McVintage]

She did get awfully self-consciously cute as she got older -- by the time she was seven, she was heading over the hill. But her earlier stuff, 1934-35ish, has a very appealing kid-having-fun quality to it, and she's helped by not being constantly pushed to the forefront as the star of the picture. "Stand Up And Cheer" is excellent film for those who can't stand Shirley -- there's just enough of her to make a not-unfavorable impression, and if you get tired of her, there's always the penguin who thinks he's Jimmy Durante. What's not to love?

Also the fact that she truly is a product of her time: a syrupy sweet cherub of a child who is an antidote to the harsh realities of the Depression.