Classic movies you never liked

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n11pilot
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Re: Classic movies you never liked

Post by n11pilot » Fri Oct 26, 2018 1:30 am

Cousi wrote:
Thu Oct 25, 2018 6:37 pm
I agree about Citizen Kane I think people are afraid to say "what are you talking about? That's a shit movie!" Because we all know how understanding the Hollywood crowd is in regards to people disagreeing with them. :roll:

Modern Hollywood is ruled by a herd mentality of the worst kind. In my opinion it is stifling creativity and condemning audiences to pre-approved themes and endless remakes.

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Herb Roflcopter
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Re: Classic movies you never liked

Post by Herb Roflcopter » Sat Nov 03, 2018 10:42 pm

I agree with a bunch of the opinions stated here.

To elaborate, I'll touch on a few and have a few of my own.

Citizen Kane - I don't recall it being four hours long (although I know it probably felt like it) but they RAVED about this movie when I was in film school. When I got around to watching it, I was underwhelmed. Sure, the technique was unlike anything ever seen before. But the story? Yawn. I would recommend watching Welles' Touch of Evil instead.

The Good, The Bad & The Ugly - I do like this movie, but it's always my last choice when I want to watch a Eastwood/Leone western. It's a bit long for my taste, and just slightly overindulgent. I think the first sequel For a Few Dollars More is infinitely more satisfying, and Lee Van Cleef's character is multi-faceted in this film, a superior portrayal than his character in TGTB&TU.

Lawrence of Arabia - I've sat through this three times, and my reaction is always the same- I love the first three hours, but for the final 45 minutes all I can think about is how much my ass aches from sitting so long. Pretty much to the point where I don't care about how great the first three quarters of the movie were anymore- just get me out of here!

A few not mentioned yet -

The Maltese Falcon - This started out great for me, and somewhere along the line just became corny and dated.

Fantasia - I remember reading about how much this bombed when it was first released. I can certainly understand why- I saw this in a theater for a re-release in the late 1970's, and even as a child I though it sucked donkey balls, except for the "Sorcerer's Apprentice" segment. WHEN is SOMETHING going to HAPPEN in this movie??? Why or how it's regarded as a classic nowadays is a mystery to me.

Some Like it Hot - I don't remember laughing even once during this supposed best comedic film of all time. Maybe the concept of guys dressing in drag is SUPER-outdated (the silent film comedians had been doing it for about 30+ years already) to me, so I spent a good amount of time looking at my watch during this film.

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Cousi
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Re: Classic movies you never liked

Post by Cousi » Mon Nov 05, 2018 12:46 pm

Just watched Some Like It Hot a couple weeks ago and I didn't even so much as crack a smile. I haven't been so disappointed in a so-called 'comedy' since the last time I watched 'Dr Strangelove'. :roll:

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Herb Roflcopter
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Re: Classic movies you never liked

Post by Herb Roflcopter » Tue Nov 06, 2018 1:02 am

Cousi wrote:
Mon Nov 05, 2018 12:46 pm
Just watched Some Like It Hot a couple weeks ago and I didn't even so much as crack a smile. I haven't been so disappointed in a so-called 'comedy' since the last time I watched 'Dr Strangelove'. :roll:
Dr. Strangelove is one of my favorites, but the situation in which I first viewed it was not one where someone sat me down and raved about it beforehand. The year was 1988, and I was studying McCarthyism in high school and had been watching a handful of 50's movies from that era recently and had been unimpressed.

I walked into my parents' living room, and Dr. Strangelove had started about half an hour ago. I was initially dismissive, but Ken Adams' War Room set piece caught my eye, and I sat down "just for a few minutes" to see what was happening.

I found myself giggling at it, and wondered if I was supposed to be doing that- this was serious stuff, and here I am trying not to laugh! At the end, I couldn't believe how hilarious it was, with everyone pretty much being straightforward and deadpan.

I don't expect anyone to change their mind, but that one's been a winner in my book for decades now.

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Cousi
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Re: Classic movies you never liked

Post by Cousi » Wed Nov 07, 2018 8:44 pm

I think context is important, especially with comedies. I had been told several times over the years that Dr Strangelove was one of the "most hilarious movies ever made" so my expectations were high. I had expected the political satire to fall left of center but it was so in your face that it frankly turned me off to any of the comedy I might have otherwise been amused by. Politics once again kills entertainment, I guess.

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Herb Roflcopter
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Re: Classic movies you never liked

Post by Herb Roflcopter » Thu Nov 08, 2018 2:37 am

Cousi wrote:
Wed Nov 07, 2018 8:44 pm
I think context is important, especially with comedies. I had been told several times over the years that Dr Strangelove was one of the "most hilarious movies ever made" so my expectations were high. I had expected the political satire to fall left of center but it was so in your face that it frankly turned me off to any of the comedy I might have otherwise been amused by. Politics once again kills entertainment, I guess.
It's a shame when a movie gets hyped, so when you get around to it you come away from it unimpressed. I prefer to not say too much about movies I like, or in some cases give disclaimers about the film. 2001: A Space Odyssey is one of my all-time favorites, but I always tell people that it's not for all tastes- one needs to be in the right frame of mind to truly enjoy it.

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Cousi
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Re: Classic movies you never liked

Post by Cousi » Thu Nov 08, 2018 3:58 am

That is so true! 2001 is a great movie, but it is a very intellectual movie. You have to pay attention to it. Well, you kind of have to pay attention to any Kubrick movie really, because even after watching them ten times there's always some detail you'll catch for the first time. Any time I hear someone complain about 2001, it's that it's "too slow". It isn't slow at all, you just have to really watch it.

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Herb Roflcopter
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Re: Classic movies you never liked

Post by Herb Roflcopter » Fri Nov 09, 2018 2:24 am

Cousi wrote:
Thu Nov 08, 2018 3:58 am
That is so true! 2001 is a great movie, but it is a very intellectual movie. You have to pay attention to it. Well, you kind of have to pay attention to any Kubrick movie really, because even after watching them ten times there's always some detail you'll catch for the first time. Any time I hear someone complain about 2001, it's that it's "too slow". It isn't slow at all, you just have to really watch it.
I was actually the ideal audience for that movie; when I watched it for the first time I simply took it all in at a Zen state of mind. After I started researching the movie, I found that this was the best way to experience it- just watch it and don't think about it. Not that it's mindless, but you need to be receptive to drink it all in.

I went to see it at an art theater back in 1994, and a friend who accompanied me tried to downplay it so I wouldn't be disappointed. He needn't have worried; I was loving every second of it, and during the intermission I had already made plans to buy a letterboxed laserdisc as soon as I could get home.

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