Bad Vintage Movies

[pgoat]

As I've mentioned, I am watching films in chronological order. It really helps you see things from that perspective.

For example, the car chase scene in Bullitt seems fairly common these days - but back then? That was perhaps the greatest chase/action scene since Ben Hur's chariot race, some ten years prior! Of course, the French Connection came along and upped the ante a few years later (with the same stuntman driving).

 

[K.D. Lightner]

Old movies that were not greeted as successes would include Fantasia, Citizen Kane and Casablanca, now considered classics and two of them considered some of the top American films of all time.

I used to see a lot of awful 30's and 40's films on TV when I was a youngster. Most of them, I couldn't even tell you their names. I know I did not like any of those Andy Hardy movies, even though they had Mickey Rooney and the wonderful, young Judy Garland in them.

Lots of "B" westerns, too, were made and they could get boring, even to a kid. I never liked Three Stooges films, or any of the slapstick stuff, still don't like those films. I can watch a little Laurel & Hardy, though not a steady diet, nor did I care for Abbott & Costello films. I found Francis the Talking Mule movies dull and also the Ma and Pa Kettle series.

Oddly, I did like the Martin & Lewis films, especially Scared Stiff, because I like horror films no matter how badly made. And, when I was a kid, I liked Jerry Lewis.

There were lots of low-budget sci fi movies that came out of the early 50's, some classics and I get a kick out of them. Even get a kick out of the films that show obvious close-ups of lizards and giant grasshoppers, anything over-large and stomping on cars and cities. This old gal loves Godzilla, though many of those films were god(zilla)-awful.

karol

 

[Dr Doran]

See, that's the thing -- whoever said all films had to be viewed as "art," anyway? That sort of beard-stroking cineaste pretentiousness bugs me as much as hipper-than-thou snarkiness.

When I talk about viewing vintage films on their own terms, what I'm suggesting is to simply view them as their makers intended -- as simple entertainment. Nothing more, nothing less. It's perfectly acceptable and perfectly valid to view a film as simply a pleasant ninety-minute diversion and nothing more -- because for the most part that's all it was ever intended to be. That doesn't make it *bad*, it just means it comes from a perspective today's ultracritical, take-everything-so-very-seriously generation finds beneath it. Those are the folks I'd like to lash to a theatre seat and force to watch "Sullivan's Travels" over and over again until they wise up.

Actually, I agree with you. An average film doesn't have the desire to Live Forever. But once you make a film, you have to face the danger that people will continue to watch it.

 

[Twitch]

Spitfire has my point of view. Most of the old movies were so-so at best but now, today, we enjoy seeing the old suits, dresses and hats, the old architecture and skylines, the old cars! It's almost as out of context thing. You may just watch to see those things and not pay attention to acting, plots or anything else.

 

[scotrace]

Most of Claudette Colbert's films leave me wondering how she got cast in anything (It Happened One Night being the exception). But Imitation of Life is one of the worst films ever, methinks.

 

[Fletch]

do you listen?

Spitfire has my point of view. Most of the old movies were so-so at best but now, today, we enjoy seeing the old suits, dresses and hats, the old architecture and skylines, the old cars! It's almost as out of context thing. You may just watch to see those things and not pay attention to acting, plots or anything else.

I also listen as well as watch - to catch ways of speaking, ways of acting (can we tell which is which?), dialogue, sounds, etc., that we generally don't hear in real life as lived today.

Movies before the 50s were made in a pre-visual culture, where the idea of telling a story thru pictures was still kind of new. We were still very aural as a rule. The audience was used to listening, haveing grown up on storytelling and radio, and had fewer distractions from doing so.

That's why older movies seem talky to us - the dialogue didn't just supplement the images, it was an equal partner. Sometimes more.

 

[Amy Jeanne]

See, that's the thing -- whoever said all films had to be viewed as "art," anyway? That sort of beard-stroking cineaste pretentiousness bugs me as much as hipper-than-thou snarkiness.

When I talk about viewing vintage films on their own terms, what I'm suggesting is to simply view them as their makers intended -- as simple entertainment. Nothing more, nothing less. It's perfectly acceptable and perfectly valid to view a film as simply a pleasant ninety-minute diversion and nothing more -- because for the most part that's all it was ever intended to be. That doesn't make it *bad*, it just means it comes from a perspective today's ultracritical, take-everything-so-very-seriously generation finds beneath it. Those are the folks I'd like to lash to a theatre seat and force to watch "Sullivan's Travels" over and over again until they wise up.

You don't know how much I agree with this.

I consider myself a "fun" film fan and my Live Journal reflects it. I've been shunned and spoken down to by these types of film fans via email so I know exactly who you mean. I remember making comments on old message boards about how I actually found Buster Keaton and Harold Lloyd - GASP - funny and the reaction was unbelievable.

 

[DutchIndo]

A good site for Campy movies and some old Stag Flicks is www.somethingwierd.com. Be advised it not something the ladies would appreciate ! They have alot of old "Scare" flicks and WWII instructional films as well. They aren't the fastest Company because they burn each DVD you order.

 

[Amy Jeanne]

Be advised it not something the ladies would appreciate !.

I LOVE Something Weird. We have the On Demand channel. Love it. I have a huge collection of their DVDs.

 

[Liz]

I'm a lady and I love Something Weird as well! In fact, I've been planning on making another order with them soon.

 

[Twitch]

Fletch- that's right. I can recall some movies where at some point a central character in a befuddled plot does a soliliqy to explain how events have unfolded to that point. It might be a detective speaking to a group. They didn't go to the lengths of making super obvious visual cues as they do now. Sometimes today I'm waiting for a character to poke another in the ribs and say "hint-hint" as he winks.

 

[funneman]

Worst movie?

How about "The Terror of Tiny Town" from 1930. A western featuring an all midget cast riding on shetland ponies.

 

[pgoat]

Most of Claudette Colbert's films leave me wondering how she got cast in anything (It Happened One Night being the exception).

Really? I LOVE her....

oh, well, one man's treasure........

 

[Atterbury Dodd]

Really? I LOVE her....

oh, well, one man's treasure........

I liked her in It Happened One Night(that's the only movie I have seen her in). It would definitely seem like she had the acting skill to be a good actor.

What I can't believe is that someone said they hated It's a Wonderful Life! In this case one man's junk is a million men's treasure!lol I think it's interesting that It's a Wonderful life was one of my Grandpop's three favorite movies.

 

[Dr Doran]

What I can't believe is that someone said they hated It's a Wonderful Life! In this case one man's junk is a million men's treasure!lol I think it's interesting that It's a Wonderful life was one of my Grandpop's three favorite movies.

Agreed, and I'm sure there are films I love that your grandfather would hate.

 

[warbird]

I also listen as well as watch - to catch ways of speaking, ways of acting (can we tell which is which?), dialogue, sounds, etc., that we generally don't hear in real life as lived today.

Movies before the 50s were made in a pre-visual culture, where the idea of telling a story thru pictures was still kind of new. We were still very aural as a rule. The audience was used to listening, haveing grown up on storytelling and radio, and had fewer distractions from doing so.

That's why older movies seem talky to us - the dialogue didn't just supplement the images, it was an equal partner. Sometimes more.

Well said Fletch. I still agree with Twitch about it's maddening mundaneness at time, but you are right you ave to listen with an ear from their point of view to enjoy those movies. I like film noir despite their campiness at times.

 

[SamMarlowPI]

Silver Chalice(1954) with Newman wasn't the best...

 

[pgoat]

UGH! Silver Chalice was a real stinker....Jack Palance is amazing.....right up/down there with "Contempt" for his portfolio....

 

[pgoat]

What I can't believe is that someone said they hated It's a Wonderful Life! In this case one man's junk is a million men's treasure!lol I think it's interesting that It's a Wonderful life was one of my Grandpop's three favorite movies.

I LOVED wonderful life - until the last time I watched (a month ago for the holidays). I thought it was just played out (I have seen it countless times, after all) but realized I just don't like Capra's films any more...different strokes, indeed.

 

[Feraud]

Out of the Fog is utter dreck!
The story revolves around a fisherman and a tailor who are being squeezed for protection money from an overacting John Garfield. When these two saps finally decide to get rid of Garfield they cannot do it right. Fate (in the guise of Garfield's inability to swim) has to intervene and save these two hapless dolts.

There are no redeeming characters in this story except maybe Eddie Albert's character. He suffers the misfortune of being in love with Ida Lupino. She is the daughter of the henpecked tailor and naturally wants to run around with the "bad boy" Garfield.

Avoid this movie!