100 Films Closer to Death

[srowley75]

Following the loss of my job in South Carolina this past spring, I returned to my hometown in West Virginia to live with my parents and sister as I looked for employment. During my sojourn, I've been spending some evenings with my sister Becky (whom I'd consider a casual movie fan and not particularly interested in classics per se) introducing her to some of the classic films listed in the original version of 1001 Movies to See Before You Die.

Over the last year, she and I managed to view roughly 100 films together, none of which she'd seen before and about 1/4 of those new to me as well. Below are the selections along with some very brief comments here and there about what she and/or I thought. Those films that she especially enjoyed are marked below with a *.

*A Voyage to the Moon (1902) - The DVD I rented contained several other entertaining Melies films, all of which left us amazed. I was aware that Melies made other short films but was surprised by how much fun they were.
The Great Train Robbery (1903)
Les Vampires (1915)
*Korkarlen (The Phantom Carriage) (1921) - She was talking about it for days after we watched it. It was nice to find that she could view silent drama with as much enthusiasm as silent comedy. We might try Sunrise or The Crowd soon.
The Smiling Madame Beudet (1922) - Compelling movie. While it's significant especially from a feminist standpoint, the main character's struggles are nevertheless universal (I know I've found myself feeling much the same as she does, though the predicament may differ slightly). Anyway, I guess it's nice to know that not much has changed since 1922.
Haxan (1923)
*Our Hospitality (1923)
*Sherlock Jr. (1924) - I've loved this film for years and was glad she really seemed to like it as well. Actually, I can't name a single Keaton feature we watched that she didn't enjoy thoroughly.
The Battleship Potemkin (1925) - A film that's much easier to appreciate thanks to Kino's restoration.
The Phantom of the Opera (1925)
The General (1927)
The Kid Brother (1927) - We've liked everything we've seen from Lloyd thus far, but I think I still prefer Safety Last! and was surprised that it was excluded from the book.
The Unknown (1927)
Un Chien Andalou (1928) - The "eye slice" was pretty hard for her to take, and this from a woman who's seen countless horror films.
The Passion of Joan of Arc (1928) - One I thought we'd never finish. She just kept losing interest.
Steamboat Bill, Jr. (1928)
Pandora's Box (1928) - I was disappointed that this one wasn't a bigger hit. I think the length was a detraction.
Blackmail (1929, sound version) - Interesting early talkie from Hitchcock that I hadn't seen before. Some good photography (unusual for a transition film) but not as memorable as I was led to believe. I think the writers of the book must've been hardcore Hitchcock fans. Several of Hitch's less memorable films were included and yet, for example, some of Kurosawa's classics were overlooked (e.g., The Hidden Fortress, Yojimbo, Stray Dog).
Boudu Saved from Drowning (1932)
Scarface: The Shame of a Nation (1932) - Good, but for me Public Enemy holds up better.
Love Me Tonight (1932) - She seemed annoyed that it was difficult to understand what MacDonald was saying as she sang.
*Shanghai Express (1932) - A personal favorite of mine as well. One of Hollywood's all-time great popcorn movies, though for my money the overlooked Scarlet Empress is von Sternberg's best film with Dietrich.
Me and My Gal (1932) - A fun sleeper, but not one I'd have considered a pre-code essential. I'd have included Baby Face instead.
Vampyr (1932) - Marked disagreement on this one. I liked it a lot (the atmosphere in particular heightens the horror marvelously), but it seemed to be pure torture for her.
The Bitter Tea of General Yen (1933)
*Footlight Parade (1933) - We both think Joan Blondell just rocks. I think Sis already wants to see more of her precoders.
Land Without Bread (1933) - One that I later regretted inflicting upon her, especially as it was a highly stressful time. I'd forgotten how relentlessly depressing it is.
She Done Him Wrong (1933) - A slightly better film than I remembered, but not by much. I just wish someone at Paramount had told West to forget the singing and stick to the one-liners.
*Queen Christina (1933) - big hit. Given how she felt about this one, Camille, and Ninotchka, I think you could safely consider her a Garbo fan.
Sons of the Desert (1933) - I was surprised that this one wasn't better received. She did enjoy "The Music Box," though.
Zero for Conduct (1933)
The Black Cat (1934) - One that I believed was an unwarranted inclusion in the book. The casting, sets, and pre-code content aside, I'd have still listed Island of Lost Souls or The Invisible Man in its place.
*The 39 Steps (1935) - An unqualified hit. I'd forgotten how charismatic Robert Donat's performance was.
Captain Blood (1935)
Camille (1936) - Laura Hope Crews' character annoyed her, but she seemed to like the overall movie.
A Day in the Country (1936)
Swing Time (1936) - I prefer Top Hat as the best Rogers-Astaire film, but I believe she preferred this one.
Sabotage (1936)
*Make Way for Tomorrow (1937) - Both of us seemed to agree that this was an absolute masterpiece. If McCarey hadn't won the Best Director Oscar for Awful Truth, he'd have deserved it for this picture. The latter half left us both with lumps in our throats. And Victor Moore, Beulah Bondi, and Fay Bainter are outstanding.
Destry Rides Again (1939) - One I hadn't seen for nearly a decade, and better than I'd remembered.
*Ninotchka (1939)
Dance, Girl, Dance (1940)
*Sullivan's Travels (1941)
How Green Was My Valley (1941) - the whole family viewed this one together over the holidays. Mom had wanted to see it after watching a Frasier rerun in which the title character scours his local video store for a copy of the movie. Though I don't agree, I'm not surprised this film beat Citizen Kane for Best Picture.
The Wolf Man (1941)
Cat People (1942)
The Magnificent Ambersons (1942)
Meshes of the Afternoon (1943)
*The Ox Bow Incident (1943) - Deeply affecting. I'd forgotten what a powerful movie this was.
Meet Me in St. Louis (1944) - Our Christmas selection. She liked it. Margaret O'Brien's character still gets on my nerves.
The Lost Weekend (1945)
*Black Narcissus (1946) - Again, we were in agreement here - this one's a true classic.
The Stranger (1946) - really liked revisiting this Welles movie, but Loretta Young's performance was a bit too much for me to take.
Notorious (1946)
Gilda (1946) - elicited some giggles - especially scenes involving George Macready and his none-too-subtle cane. We agreed that this is one weird movie.
The Lady from Shanghai (1948)
Red River (1948)
Letter from an Unknown Woman (1948) - Not the success I thought it would be. I don't think the story affected her as I'd hoped - she didn't seem to find the main character all that sympathetic. Pity, because it's a favorite of mine.
The Paleface (1948)
*The Red Shoes (1948) - We watched this one after Black Narcissus, and it left me searching for more Powell/Pressburger to watch later. A Matter of Life and Death will probably be on the schedule soon.
The Secret Beyond the Door (1948)
The Snake Pit (1948)
*Kind Hearts and Coronets (1949) - Thanks to the script, this one became a favorite.
The Reckless Moment (1949)
*The Third Man (1949) - Just as I'd hoped, this one was a huge hit. Despite that it's a Criterion title and she's watching her money, I think she still wants to buy it soon.
In a Lonely Place (1950) - She wasn't as intrigued as I'd hoped. She didn't seem convinced that Grahame's character would have fallen for Bogart's so quickly and easily. I could see her point.
*Rashomon (1950) - Another one that became a big time favorite. She really wants to see more Kurosawa - we'll probably schedule Ikiru soon.
The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951)
Angel Face (1952)
Singin' in the Rain (1952) - I think musicals are probably the hardest classic genre for her to warm up to. I remember she did mention how much she enjoyed Jean Hagen's scenes.
Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953)
Mr. Hulot's Holiday (1953)
The Bigamist (1953) - she suffered through it, though I found it quite interesting.
Animal Farm (1954)
Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (1954) - Overall, it really left her angry. I didn't mind - I'm not a fan, either, though that Russ Tamblyn sure can dance.
The Barefoot Contessa (1954) - From her perspective, a real dud. She didn't seem to care for any of the characters at all, and she even mentioned that the movie seemed as though it would never end. And this was a woman who sat through all ten chapters of Les Vampires with no complaints.
Johnny Guitar (1954)
La Strada (1954)
Bad Day at Black Rock (1955)
All That Heaven Allows (1956)
Written on the Wind (1956) - both of Sirk's films went over well but I don't think she would consider either a favorite.
Forbidden Planet (1956)
High Society (1956) - A dud from both of our perspectives - neither of us could not understand how this film was included as a "must see." As a Philadelphia Story fan, she thought the film woefully miscast and less engaging than the original. I'm not that crazy about the original, but I agreed about the principals. Grace Kelly as Tracy Lord?
The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956) - She really seemed annoyed by Doris Day - both her character and her performance.
The Wrong Man (1957) - Another mediocre Hitchcock film. Did the writers never see anything by Jules Dassin?
The Incredible Shrinking Man (1957)
*Throne of Blood (1957)
An Affair to Remember (1957) - Grr...why wasn't Love Affair on the list instead? Deborah Kerr is charming, but the second half of this film is just too awash in sentiment for me.
The Horror of Dracula (1958)
Gigi (1958)
The 400 Blows (1959)
Eyes Without a Face (1959)
Ride Lonesome (1959)
Black Sunday (1960)
La Jetee (The Pier) (1961) - I loved it. She seemed annoyed by the technique of using stills.
*The Hustler (1961)
Mondo Cane (1962) - She's an animal lover. Enough said.
The Nutty Professor (1963)
Onibaba (1964)
Marnie (1964) - Most definitely not a hit. I actually thought she'd abandon this movie. Surprisingly, she stuck it out, yet both of us found the actors pretty intolerable - and she really likes Connery.
The Masque of the Red Death (1964)
Scorpio Rising (1964) - Well...I love Anger. She enjoyed the music.
Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill! (1965)
Repulsion (1965) - Which we viewed shortly after the news broke about Polanski's arrest.
Hold Me While I'm Naked (1966) - Thankfully, this was a short film. I don't think I could inflict another Kuchar bros. movie upon her.
Persona (1966)
Belle du Jour (1967) - She's not a Bunuel fan. I think I've shown her the wrong movies to start her off.
Viy (1967) - Of the films we saw that were new to me, this was my favorite. Wonderful fantasy/horror movie that I've recommended to several friends already.
High School (1969) - Fascinating documentary that made me want to hunt down more of Wiseman's work.
The Wild Bunch (1969)
Easy Rider (1969)
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969) - which she'd wanted to see for years, apparently. She's become a big Newman fan and enjoyed the eye candy. I thought overall it was a good movie, though I'm still baffled by people who think it's one of the great westerns.
Dirty Harry (1971) - Wow, I'd forgotten just how right-wing this sucker was.
A Clockwork Orange (1971) - Several of her male friends love this film (and Kubrick). For her, the whole experience was one of those for the "I'm glad I saw that film but I doubt I'll ever watch it again" category.
The French Connection (1971)
Klute (1971)
Harold and Maude (1971) - She really seemed to love this one until the downer ending, which she insisted made no sense.
*Cabaret (1972) - She really loved Liza. The local theater group is doing Cabaret next year and I think she's wanting to try to go.
Pink Flamingos (1972) - Well, it held her attention.
The Heartbreak Kid (1972) - Which we both really liked. Charles Grodin, Eddie Albert, and Jeannie Berlin were all wonderful. A film that should be seen by more people.
Frenzy (1972) - Neither of us were impressed with this Hitchcock movie, either. The fact that Hitch finally made a film with explicit content aside, it still seemed stale and uninteresting in light of his earlier work.
Enter the Dragon (1973)
*The Wicker Man (1973) - Both of us were pretty shocked by this one. I'd heard little about it and tried to avoid reading too much for fear of spoiling anything.
The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975) - Another one she'll probably never feel the need to revisit.
*Network (1976) - Great performances, great script. A hit all around, and one of my long time favorites.
Taxi Driver (1976)
Suspiria (1977) - Another one that didn't seem to go over well - unusual because I think she's enjoyed other of Argento's movies. I think she grew impatient with its plot holes. For one, she couldn't understand why Jessica Harper's character (or virtually anyone else) would continue to stay at the school after maggots fell from the ceiling. And again, she made a good point. And she wasn't impressed by the Goblins' music.
*Alien (1979) - Probably goes without saying that this one was well-received.

-Stephen

[MichiganJ]

Wow, that's quite a list, and kudos to your sister for joining you, particularly for all those silents!

It is fun to discover how ambitious many of the Melies films are. And when you think how early they were made and how well the special effects and humor stand up today, they really are amazing.

Too bad about Passion of Joan of Arc and Pandora's Box (two of my all-time favorites), but for me, these are films that get exponentially better with each viewing.

I love Vampyr, too, but as you noted, it is mostly atmosphere and the story is rather difficult to follow.

Couldn't agree more on High Society. Horribly miscast. (I do like Philadelphia Story.)

I generally like Doris Day but also can't stand her in Man Who Knew Too Much.
(Interesting how many of the later Hitchcock's made the list, for better or worse.)

Viy--great film. Need to see it again, soon.

You watched The Wicker Man in the best possible way, without knowing anything about it.

A little surprising about Suspiria, although applying logic to many horror films can render them silly.

Big points that your sister actually watched Pink Flamingos!

Great list!

[charliechaplinfan]

I answered you on the Cassavettes thread about the book 1001 Films To Watch Before You Die, I've had this book about 3 years and have watched quite a few of them for the first time. I think the British edition must be a little different because some of the films you've listed aren't in my book.

Korkarlen - I felt very much the same
The Kid - perfect Chaplin
Our Hospitality, Sherlock Jnr and The General - the book turned me into a huge Keaton fan.
Safety Last - Harold Lloyd's best along with Girl Crazy (not mentioned) I find Harold Lloyd hit and miss, I think it's because I'm a Brit
The Gold Rush - it has to be the silent version to appreciate it in full
The Battleship Potemkin - I think I've watched the wrong version as I didn't enjoy it like I should have
Le Chien Andalou- Not my cup of tea but interesting, closed my eyes when the eye scene came on
The Passion of Joan of Arc - in my top three non comedy silent films
PAndora's Box - I loved it first time around, one of the first silents I watched, watched it recently and didn't rate as highly
Blackmail - Better than I thought it would be, my book has a few nods to Kurosawa
Scarface - Liked it as much as Public Enemy although prefer Cagney over Muni
Love Me Tonight - simply wonderful, love Chevalier.
Vampyr - hated it until I realised that I'd seen an awful version, I rented a goods copy and thought the film was marvellous
Footlight Parade - Love it, love Blondell, Cagney and Berkeley
The Bitter Tea of General Yen - lovely
She Done Him Wrong - hit and miss, West's style is a bit lost on me, chance to see the very early Cary Grant
Queen Christina - my favorite Garbo talkie apart from Grand Hotel
Sons of the Desert and The Music Box - the best of L&H
The Black Cat - not my cup of tea but stylish
The 39 Steps - Forgotten just how good it was. Donat is perfect as a Hitchcock hero
Camille - a great talkie version but I prefer the earlier silent version
Top Hat and Swing Time - I prefer Swing Time but love Fred and Ginger
Make Way For Tomorrow - I agree entirely
Destry Rides Again - couldn't imagine Stewart and Dietrich together but they had great chemistry, a second wind for Dietrich
Sullivan's Travels - I loved it and loved Joel McCrea and Veronica Lake
How Green is my Valley - a big disappointment, perhaps it's because I know what the Welsh valleys are like and they are nothing like that.
The Ox Bow Incident - still waiting for it to be released or shown of TV
The Black Narcissus - Is there a more beautiful movie?
Notorious - loved Cary's character, it's my favorite serious Cary role, Ingrid and Cary suit one another.
Red River - love the casting of Wayne and Clift together, only the ending lets it down slightly otherwise perfect.
Letter From an Unknown Woman - profoundly affected me, thought about it for days.
The Red Shoes - love this too, Matter of Life and Death is great too.
In A Lonely Place - best Bogart performance
Rashomon - my introduction to Kurosawa in fact Japanese cinema in general I'm a huge fan, Ikiru is lovely
The Barefoot Contessa - Didn't like Ava's or Bogie's character but lovely to look at.
High Society - love the songs but I'm in complete agreement with your sister.
The Man Who Knew Too Much - you need to see the original, it just doesn't work for me with Doris and Jimmy
An Affair to Remember - I adore this movie and like the original, this one is just so darn romantic
Gigi - wonderful
Marnie - I've always loved it but never understood why.
Belle De Jour - I love everytihng about this movie, the best Bunuel in my opinion, he's superb at directing Deneuve
A Clockwork Orange- ditto
Cabaret - always loved it and loved Liza

I've omitted nearly all the Chaplin's all of his features are mentioned. Have you tried your sister on City Lights or The Kid?

[srowley75]

Wow, that's quite a list, and kudos to your sister for joining you, particularly for all those silents!

She's open to virtually anything, but when I wasn't living at home she wasn't really that motivated to check out many older films. And this is ironic, because when we were growing up and more interested in contemporary films that our friends liked, Mom and Dad used to annoy us complaining ad nauseum about the language, sex, and violence. Now our parents are more inclined to watch contemporary films and, more often than not, I'm watching TCM or a foreign film while Sis is more into TV (reality TV and cooking shows).

Too bad about Passion of Joan of Arc and Pandora's Box (two of my all-time favorites), but for me, these are films that get exponentially better with each viewing.

I'd hoped for a better response as well, because she's the type that can tolerate stories or characters she doesn't like if the film contains good photography (black and white or color), art direction, etc. But she just couldn't seem to find anything to latch onto with either film. She did seem interested by my commentary about Louise Brooks' hairstyle. (Of course, some will tell you it was Colleen Moore's.)

You watched The Wicker Man in the best possible way, without knowing anything about it.

And God knows, it was hard to stay "in the dark" about it, especially since there was a remake recently (in fact, the remake encouraged me to check out the original even before I read the 1001 book). And with this film, the shocks aren't contained in just one big climactic scene. Well, I won't say much more, in case someone else still hasn't seen it.

A little surprising about Suspiria, although applying logic to many horror films can render them silly.

LOL...true. We watched Four Flies on Grey Velvet some time ago, and I think she liked that one better, as crazy as it was. I think we both agree that Deep Red is the best of the Argentos we've seen. But she just felt so annoyed by the main character in Suspiria - I think at one point she just started laughing. She just couldn't believe someone could be so naive.

Big points that your sister actually watched Pink Flamingos!

She even sat through the scene with Divine and Danny Mills at the Marbles' home. I told her I'd skip it if she wanted, but at some point in the viewing I think it became an exercise in endurance for her. I think the part that almost sent her to the bathroom was the party scene and the male exhibitionist (again, I don't want to ruin the effect of anything for those who haven't seen it). But if you can believe it, overall she seemed less bothered by Pink Flamingos than by Mondo Cane. The sight of so many animals being mistreated or slaughtered made it almost unbearable. I think she was virtually traumatized by the scenes involving dogs being served at restaurants in the Philippines.

Thanks for the responses!

[movieman1957]

As you mentioned Keaton I have had similar luck introducing him to my family. Though "The General" seems to get the lion's share of the attention "Our Hospitality" and "The Navigator" should be just as popular. Lloyd has proven popular too but not like Keaton. "The Cameraman" is also a favorite.

Stan and Ollie are one of my favorites but I find that often the ladies (Judith excepted as well as my bride) have a hard time with them. Most think them too dumb or juvenile but I think their warmth and loyalty to each other only adds to the humor.

This is a very interesting project. I do get great joy in introducing a movie I enjoy and find they really like it too.

[srowley75]

I've had this book about 3 years and have watched quite a few of them for the first time. I think the British edition must be a little different because some of the films you've listed aren't in my book.

Hmmm. I guess it could be that the British one is different - it may also be that yours is a later edition. The one I got from the library is the original edition (I was thinking the copyright date was sometime in the early 2000's), and I got that one because it listed so many classics. In subsequent editions (they evidently update it every year), the authors may have dropped a few of the classics in favor of more current films. Just offering a guess.

The Battleship Potemkin - I think I've watched the wrong version as I didn't enjoy it like I should have

I totally expected her to zone out when we watched this one. Surprisingly, she seemed very interested, and I'm sure it was primarily the photography that did it. Other than Korkarlen, it was probably the one silent drama she really took to.

my book has a few nods to Kurosawa

In our volume, the Kurosawas that are mentioned include Rashomon, Ikiru, The Seven Samurai, and Throne of Blood. No Stray Dog, Yojimbo, The Hidden Fortress, The Bad Sleep Well, High and Low. And those I'd eagerly list in lieu of some of the minor Hitchcock entries. (Even assuming that they were Hitchcock fans, why include The Man Who Knew Too Much '56, The Wrong Man, Blackmail, Sabotage, Marnie and Frenzy and overlook The Lady Vanishes?)

She Done Him Wrong - hit and miss, West's style is a bit lost on me, chance to see the very early Cary Grant

I don't think she'd ever seen a Mae West film before this one. We also viewed I'm No Angel (not in the book) and I don't think she'll make it a point to check out any more.

Queen Christina - my favorite Garbo talkie apart from Grand Hotel

Actually, even though I'd already seen the movies, this exercise made me appreciate Garbo a bit more than I had before. I adore Lubitsch (and she's also become a fan), so Ninotchka wasn't difficult to watch. But earlier I'd been bored by some of Garbo's other films. This time around, I found them quite intriguing. I'd forgotten just how adult Christina was.

How Green is my Valley - a big disappointment, perhaps it's because I know what the Welsh valleys are like and they are nothing like that.

LOL...it took time before it finally registered with the family that this was a Welsh family, not an Irish one. I think I even had problems remembering that, and I'd seen the movie before.

The Black Narcissus - Is there a more beautiful movie?

Agreed. One of the classics that she seemed to find truly mesmerizing. Of course, she found the color cinematography to be breathtaking, but she was also quite caught up in the story, and I don't think her eyes left the screen during the second half.

If I owned a revival theater, one of the first things I'd do would be to schedule a Powell festival. All of his gorgeous films should be seen on a big screen.

Notorious - loved Cary's character, it's my favorite serious Cary role, Ingrid and Cary suit one another.

I thought she'd like this one a whole lot more, because she's a Hitchcock fan (her favorites would include Rebecca, Strangers on a Train, North by Northwest and Rear Window). I don't think she disliked it at all, she just seemed rather indifferent. She did seem surprised when I told her that some critics believe this one to be Hitchcock's best film.

Letter From an Unknown Woman - profoundly affected me, thought about it for days.

Me too - yes, even as a male, I felt very sympathetic to this woman (I imagine Ophuls did as well). And one of my great disappointments during this exercise was that she didn't take to this particular film like I thought she would. I guess she seems to like films that lean more in the direction of female empowerment (e.g., The Heiress) so to some extent I can understand why this movie wasn't really as well-liked as I'd hoped. I also suspect it may have hit a bit too close to home in spots. But that aside, I still view it as one of the all-time greats and I think it's monstrous that we still don't have a R1 DVD in the states (and now that Blu-Ray is taking over, we're less likely to get one).

I've omitted nearly all the Chaplin's all of his features are mentioned. Have you tried your sister on City Lights or The Kid?

There were a few movies from the book she'd already seen before this year, and of course I left those out of this list. But prior to this year, she'd already seen all of Chaplin's feature films on her own and she loves his movies - even The Great Dictator and Monsieur Verdoux, both of which I thought would be too dark for her. My personal favorite is Modern Times, but she prefers City Lights. I've mentioned that she's an animal lover, and I think she liked "A Dog's Life" just a bit more than the similarly-plotted The Kid.

She's already sold on silent comedy overall, and she's liked the silent horror movies we've seen as well (e.g., Caligari, Nosferatu). It's just the dramas that she seems hesitant to try. I don't know if she'll ever be able to sit through a Griffith film. Those seem to drag even for me.

-Stephen

[srowley75]

As you mentioned Keaton I have had similar luck introducing him to my family. Though "The General" seems to get the lion's share of the attention "Our Hospitality" and "The Navigator" should be just as popular. Lloyd has proven popular too but not like Keaton. "The Cameraman" is also a favorite.

I think she'll probably add Kino's big Keaton set to her wish list on Amazon.com. She also really liked The Navigator when we watched it a few years ago, and I think we also saw Battling Butler together. About the only major Keaton film she still has yet to see is Seven Chances.

Stan and Ollie are one of my favorites but I find that often the ladies (Judith excepted as well as my bride) have a hard time with them. Most think them too dumb or juvenile but I think their warmth and loyalty to each other only adds to the humor.

As she gets older, I've noticed she likes slapstick less and less. A few years ago, Way Out West seemed to get a better response than Sons of the Desert, but I still don't think I could call her a Laurel and Hardy fan.

This is a very interesting project. I do get great joy in introducing a movie I enjoy and find they really like it too.

I thought a few members might enjoy reading the perspectives of someone who hadn't seen that many classics and wasn't all that knowledgeable about them, because it seems that so many of our members are pretty well-versed and don't often have the perspective of someone who's just discovered something new, though I can also admit that it's been fun rediscovering some of these films I hadn't seen in a very long time. If nothing else, she's just excited that she'll be able to recognize so many more allusions. She's already told me that she often serves as an interpreter to her friends when they're out at the movies and there's a reference to this or that film.

[jdb1]

Stephen, this is fascinating reading, and what a good brother you are to share something so wonderful with your sister. I'd be interested to know: what age group is your sister in? I find that always makes a difference in how a viewer reacts to a classic film.

[charliechaplinfan]

I checked out my edition, it says 2003 and has Pulp Fiction on the cover. I believe they update it every year.

I did like the photography on The Battleship Potemkin but found the film jumped from sequence to sequence, all said, I can admire his craftmanship. I tried Man With A Movie Camera, another Russian silent, I need to try it again as it seemed quite experimental to me.

Of the other silents recommended The Docks Of New York and The Crowd are excellent. The Last Laugh and Sunrise are my preferred Murnau's, I've tried Nosferatu twice but alas it's not for me. If you are renting silents the Murnau and Borzage set is a good one, Borzage is a romantic, your sister might like them.

For an introduction to Griffiths I'd recommend Broken Blossoms, it's shorter than his other movies and not told in episodes. It has a timeless quality about it and is nicely tinted, I'd be surprised if your sister didn't like it. I found Intolerance worth the effort, after half an hour I really got into it. I applaud what he tried to do, it is an awfully long movie. Birth of a Nation is a look at history but I wouldn't chose to watch it again.

Kurosawa should be more heavily represented, I really like his High and Low and The Bad Sleep Well, in fact al his contemprorary work. My book lists Ran, wonderful and Dersu Uzala which I haven't seen. Mizoguchi is worth getting into, it's only recently a lot of his work has become available. Sansho the Baliff and Tales of Ugetsu are good starting points.

The book is a bit hit and miss on Hitchcock, I'd say the remake of The Man Who Knew Too Much is one of his worst films, too many of his lesser works are included. Frenzy was a pleasant surprise though.

I'm much the same with Mae West, there's no Cary in the later film either, he at least kept my interest going. With Garbo I preferred her silent films but really like Queen Christina, Grand Hotel and Camille. Anna Christie is worth a look. Anna Karenina isn't as good as the version with Vivien Leigh in. Haven't yet seen Ninotchka
.

My husband saw what I typed about Black Narcissus being the most beautiful movie, he disagrees that title goes to Hero by Yimou Zhang, I can see his point but I'd rather stick to my original thought. Colonel Blimp is good too.

Notorious is one of Hitchcock's best but it isn't to everyone's taste, it's very different in style to some of his later works and I feel it's much darker. How can she not get the heat coming off Cary and Ingrid.

I think it's terrible that Ophuls hasn't had a release in the States. The only silver lining is that it is a region 2 and the copy is very good. For me Letter From An Unknown Woman is Ophuls best but his other films are well worth it, La Ronde, Lola Montes and The Reckless Moment .

Well if your sister likes Chaplin she alright with me

[srowley75]

Stephen, this is fascinating reading, and what a good brother you are to share something so wonderful with your sister. I'd be interested to know: what age group is your sister in? I find that always makes a difference in how a viewer reacts to a classic film.

She's 26. She's already seen many of the classics within the genres that you might assume would be appealing to a younger person -e.g., screwball comedies, Hitchcock films, films noirs, classic horror. Even before this past year, I'd say she'd probably seen more foreign classics than 90% of the people she meets.

The fun thing is that I never know just how she'll respond when I introduce her to something. One Christmas when I was home from school we watched Once Upon a Time in the West and she still gushes about that movie. I mentioned that she likes Chaplin. She also likes Audrey Hepburn, Bette Davis, the Thin Man series and Doris Day/Rock Hudson comedies. She'll enjoy foreign films even if she has no idea what on earth is going on, just as long as the art direction or camerawork is impressive.

She'd wanted to see many of these films for a while, but she just didn't want to watch them alone (of course most of the time she watches newer films when she's out with friends or even with the family). And I was eager to get to introduce them to someone else. So it's worked out very well for both of us. I'll probably post updates periodically. Just last night we made it halfway through The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly before she had to go to bed (she's in college).

-Stephen

[srowley75]

You can view the original list at this site:
http://www.listology.com/list/movies-iv ... ee-you-die

As I perused the book, I noted some glaring omissions and compiled my own list of pre-1969 essentials to add. So, for what it may be worth, here were some films I felt could have easily been included (and I shared my amended list with Sis):

• 1923 – Safety Last!
  1928 – Show People
  1928 – The Circus
  1928 – The Last Command
  1928 – The Wind
  1929 – Applause
  1929 – Hallelujah!
  1930 – Animal Crackers
  1931 – Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
  1931 – Maedchen in Uniform
  1931 – The Smiling Lieutenant
  1932 – Grand Hotel
  1932 – The Old Dark House
  1932 – Red Dust
  1933 – Baby Face
  1933 – Design for Living
  1933 – Dinner at Eight
  1933 – I’m No Angel
  1933 – Island of Lost Souls
  1933 – The Invisible Man
  1933 – The Testament of Dr. Mabuse
  1933 – Zoo in Budapest
  1934 – Imitation of Life
  1934 – The Merry Widow
  1934 – The Scarlet Empress
  1934 – Twentieth Century
  1935 – David Copperfield
  1935 – Mad Love
  1936 – Libeled Lady
  1936 – The Crime of Monsieur Lange
  1936 – These Three
  1937 – Confession
  1937 – Lost Horizon
  1937 – Stage Door
  1938 – Alexander Nevsky
  1938 – Mayerling
  1938 – The Lady Vanishes
  1938 – Three Comrades
  1939 – Dark Victory
  1939 – The Four Feathers
  1939 – The Roaring Twenties
  1939 – The Women
  1940 – The Great Dictator
  1940 – The Letter
  1940 – The Shop Around the Corner
  1940 – The Thief of Baghdad
  1941 – Blood and Sand
  1941 – Hellzapoppin’
  1941 – That Hamilton Woman!
  1942 – Bambi
  1942 - Kings Row
  1942 – The Pride of the Yankees
  1943 – Cabin in the Sky
  1943 – Day of Wrath
  1943 – Le Corbeau
  1944 – The Miracle of Morgan’s Creek
  1944 – The Uninvited
  1945 – Mom and Dad
  1945 – The Suspect
  1946 – The Yearling
  1947 – Nightmare Alley
  1947 – Miracle on 34th Street
  1948 – Portrait of Jennie
  1948 – The Fallen Idol
  1949 – She Wore a Yellow Ribbon
  1949 – Stray Dog
  1949 – They Live by Night
  1950 – Harvey
  1950 – Night and the City
  1951 – The Thing (from Another World)
  1952 – On Dangerous Ground
  1952 – The Importance of Being Earnest
  1953 – Glen or Glenda?
  1954 – Hobson’s Choice
  1954 – Magnificent Obsession
  1955 – East of Eden
  1955 – Rififi
  1956 – Baby Doll
  1956 – The Bad Seed
  1956 – The Killing
  1957 – A Face in the Crowd
  1957 – Funny Face
  1957 - Peyton Place
  1957 – Jailhouse Rock
  1957 – Witness for the Prosecution
  1957 – Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter?
  1958 – Auntie Mame
  1958 – Cat on a Hot Tin Roof
  1958 – The Hidden Fortress
  1959 – Pillow Talk
  1959 – Plan 9 From Outer Space
  1959 – Sleeping Beauty
  1959 - A Summer Place
  1960 – The Virgin Spring
  1960 – The Bad Sleep Well
  1961 – Victim
  1961 – Yojimbo
  1962 – Divorce Italian Style
  1962 - Carnival of Souls
  1962 – Ride the High Country
  1963 – It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World
  1963 – High and Low
  1964 – A Shot in the Dark
  1964 – Band of Outsiders
  1964 – Mary Poppins
  1964 – Zorba the Greek
  1965 – Help!
  1965 – Kwaidan
  1965 – The Naked Kiss
  1967 – In Cold Blood
  1967 – Valley of the Dolls
  1967 – Wait Until Dark
  1968 – Bullitt
  1968 – Yellow Submarine

[charliechaplinfan]

I'd agree with 90% of those. That book is a great way to introduce a person to new genres by giving a guide to some of the films rated as the best in the field, even though we know there are some omissions.

[movieman1957]

Extend an invitation from us to your sister to join us.

There are 15 or 20 I have to check out. "Hallelujah" awaits at home. Some I have never heard of. As an aside how interesting you mentioned "Help!" and "Yellow Submarine." Do you just like "Help" better than "A Hard Day's Night." I would agree that if only for the animation everyone should see "Yellow Submarine." The jokes are a bit lame at times but the story is pleasant enough and you can't beat the music. (I just got the poster to hang in my basement.)

[srowley75]

That book is a great way to introduce a person to new genres by giving a guide to some of the films rated as the best in the field, even though we know there are some omissions.

I agree wholeheartedly. The entire 1001 series (books, films, places to go) seems to be quite popular among college-agers and grads (at least those I've met and spoken with) who pride themselves on their well-roundedness. Speaking of the film volume in particular, It's a good compilation of the film canon, packaged and marketed to a 21st century audience. And because it's dealing with 1001 films, it seems more inclusive than the AFI lists. And I do like the idea that it's updated periodically. As with literature, depending upon the movie, relevance increases or decreases with the passage of time.

-Stephen

[srowley75]

Extend an invitation from us to your sister to join us.

I'd be interested to see how she feels about what I wrote. I had kept a running tab on the films we watched, but many of the remarks I added in my initial post were based on my own memory and I'd like to know if I got everything right (or even if her opinions have changed in the time since we viewed certain films. That's happened before as well.)

She might join a bit later in the year. She's starting school again this week, and as she's currently a member of an honors society, she's trying to keep from getting too involved in other pursuits. She's certainly not going to be viewing as many films as we've seen in recent weeks, either.

As an aside how interesting you mentioned "Help!" and "Yellow Submarine." Do you just like "Help" better than "A Hard Day's Night." I would agree that if only for the animation everyone should see "Yellow Submarine." The jokes are a bit lame at times but the story is pleasant enough and you can't beat the music. (I just got the poster to hang in my basement.)

A Hard Day's Night made the original 1001 list, and I agree it should have. The ones I mentioned were omitted from that list.

Actually, Sis asked about that one recently. We started to watch A Hard Day's Night one evening a couple of weeks ago, but were interrupted only a few minutes into the film (I think we got a phone call or something). Anyway, the DVD was set aside, but we'll probably watch the film very soon, including the portion we've already seen. She also seems interested in other films about rock groups, including Woodstock and Gimme Shelter (both of which made the list).