Do you ever check out other peoples DVD collections and feel sad.......... (1 Viewer)

[Paul_D]

.....because the earliest titles are from 1989 or another recent date. I think too many people avoid classic films because "they're in black and white", or "they haven't got any special effects", or "they haven't got any famous actors". There's a sea of genuine classics out there to discover. There will undoubtedly be replies to this (if there are any) that say: "just let people watch what they want to watch" etc. That's all well and good, but I think those people that do deliberately avoid classic cinema, and yet call themselves fans of film, are depriving themselves of a lot of pleasure.

 

[Jonathan Perregaux]

I've made a concerted effort to collect movies from the 1930's on to the present after discovering that it's not the vintage but the quality that matters.

 

[Garrett Lundy]

Quality over Chronology! I won't buy most pre-WW2 just because the quality is pretty low. This is mostly due to degrading film stock and such, but also half do to that they hadn't perfected talkies at the time. And most silents bore the crap outta me. I like to be entertained when I watch a movie. Not watch Chaplain hit himself with a clocktower hour-hand.

But movies definetly started hitting their stride in the fifties IMHO.

 

[Jay E]

Quality over Chronology! I won't buy most pre-WW2 just because the quality is pretty low. This is mostly due to degrading film stock and such, but also half do to that they hadn't perfected talkies at the time. And most silents bore the crap outta me. I like to be entertained when I watch a movie. Not watch Chaplain hit himself with a clocktower hour-hand.

This has got to be a April Fool's joke.

 

[george kaplan]

I'll just say this. It's everyone's right to watch what they find interesting, and to not like films, even 'classics'. If someone doesn't want to watch silents or foreign films or black & white, or comdies, or musicals or whatever that's fine.
However, I do think that any self-respecting 'film buff' at least exposes himself to as many different films as possible and makes any decisions about what he (or she) doesn't like based on actually having seen the films in their entirety. There's lots of well-respected classics (and newer films) I don't like (e.g. Gone with the Wind, Titanic) but I've seen them. When people say I don't like black & white films or silent films (without having seen them) that's kind of suspect in my opinion. I can understand not watching a film when you think there's a good chance you won't like it, but you really can't comment on such a film.
For example, I've seen enough Ingmar Bergman films that I detest to not want to watch more of his. BUT, for the ones I haven't seen, I can't honestly say anything bad about them. They might be the greatest movies ever made. Eventually I'll watch them, they're just a low priority, because based on his other films I strongly suspect I won't like them. BUT, you won't see me saying anything negative about the films of his I haven't seen.

Quality over Chronology! I won't buy most pre-WW2 just because the quality is pretty low.

I agree with your first statement, but certainly not your second. Quality is certainly the most important thing (although I don't mean the quality of the transfer). But there are tons of great movies made in the twenties and thirties that are far, far better than a lot of crap made in the 90s or 2000s.
Just a few examples off the top of my head:
The 39 Steps
The Lady Vanishes
The Thin Man
The Adventures of Robin Hood
The Gold Rush
Modern Times
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
It Happened One Night
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
The Wizard of Oz
My Man Godfrey
Goodbye, Mr. Chips
Topper
Ninotchka
Bringing Up Baby
Top Hat
M
and many more.
If you've seen these and think they suck, then that's a valid opinion. If you haven't seen them, then for all you know, they might be better than any film in your collection.

 

[John Berggren]

My earliest film has to be "The Wizard of Oz", then "Rebecca". I don't know that I'll ever have anything much earlier.

Interestingly enough I have to beg friends to give "To Kill A Mockingbird" a try because "it's a boring b&w movie". Those I convince wonder why I hadn't forced them to watch it earlier. Definitely one of my favorites.

Not everyone has the patience for older, quieter films though. I'm the only one to have watched my Rebecca DVD, and have dragged people kicking and screaming into North By Northwest.

 

[Paul Richardson]

I think a lot of folks choose films based on how well they play on their HT, rather than the quality of the film itself. So, if it's not DTS and widescreen anamorphic (which, of course, many old films are not) they don't buy it. Personally, I don't need every film in my collection to be a "demo" for my system, so I own many classics.

 

[Paul_D]

I'm the only one to have watched my Rebecca DVD, and have dragged people kicking and screaming into North By Northwest.

I think this is such a shame. Rebecca is easily one of my favourite movies. It's of such high quality in every respect, that not watching it out of some blind belief that black and white films are "boring" seems like such a waste.

 

[Ryan L B]

i mean, i am the person who finds airplane and dwmc very interesting and funny, but can find time to watch classics like king kong or citizen kane

 

[Nate Anderson]

I have a pretty broad selection of films that I like and will watch time and time again. I don't have as many classics as newer films simply because I wind up seeing more current films than classics, and that's all there is to it.

 

[Brian E]

I think sometimes it has to do with the unknown. People don't know about a lot of older titles and don't want to get burned, other just don't know where to start. Most people have heard of Citizen Cain or The Wizard of Oz, but how many have heard of The Black Pirate. I know I've been making an effort to compile a want list of both classic and foreign films and sometimes it's hard to find info about certain titles. It would also help if the studios would make a better effort to get their 20's, 30's, 40's, & 50's stuff out. Many great sounding films that have been recommended to me are only on VHS which I do not buy anymore.

 

[Jeff Kleist]

I will say that many films made prior to 1950 are really terrible. Bored to tears. Just like today, there are 50 horrible films made for every good one, and some of those survive
I love Robin Hood, I love GWTW and Kane, but there are so many "Classics" that I just find atrocious.
I probably have more pre 1980 films in my collection than the rest of the block on DVD/VHS combined

 

[Todd Hochard]

Watch what you like. Who cares what everyone else thinks?

 

[Mark Bendiksen]

When people say I don't like black & white films or silent films (without having seen them) that's kind of suspect in my opinion.

VERY suspect, IMHO.
For example, a master filmmaker left our planet just last week. Most of Billy Wilder's best work was in B&W: Sunset Boulevard, Some Like It Hot, The Apartment, Double Indemnity. Granted, the average person may or may not like all of these films, but to simply disregard them without even trying to watch them is foolish, especially from anyone who says that he's a "film lover" or "movie buff".
Just my $.02.
Link Removed

 

[SteveGon]

I've found myself buying more and more "classic" films lately as most recent releases just don't cut it for me....

 

[DarrenA]

I realize that their is a general consensus for everyone to love all films. But I have certainly learned over the past couple of years on the HTF that one of the best part's of this HT hobby is the diversed opinions. So as others have said here, watch what you like and don't worry about what others think or watch.

 

[John Spencer]

I guess all of it depends upon the person. There are numerous older movies that I enjoyed watching, but not enough to add to my colection. Personally, I try to stick to only purchasing movies that I know have a moderate to high rewatchabilty for me. So some movies, older or not, I may enjoy watching, but don't see myself wanting to watch it again enough to warrant a purchase. That doesn't mean I don't like the films; they just don't fit the parameters of what I like to view multiple times.

 

[Derrik Draven]

This is certainly open to each owns personal tastes but, I have to admit, I'm not much of a fan of the "classics".
Now, what's a classic, exactly? Who bestows a film with that honor? Is it simply something a film earns after something as simple as the passage of time? Or, is it placed on a film that everyone likes? Combo of the two????
...I dunno...
But, for my $0.02 worth, being a movie "fan", I though I owed it to the classics to watch them. My perverted view of classics was simply films that have withstood the test of time AND, were pretty much revered by the industry and our beloved snobs of this board.
So, I just randomly bought DVD's of Casablanca, Ben Hur, Sparticus, Ten Commandments, Gone With the Wind, Cleopatra, Lawrence of Arabia, ect...
And, my own personal OPINION...*yawn*
Gone With the Wind I enjoyed, and...Ten Commandments was pretty damn impressive (can you believe I NEVER saw this on tv?!!?) but, Lawrence, although beautiful, was somewhat boring...turned Sparticus off halway through, Cleopatra...I made it to the scene where you see (almost) Taylors bare ass, still haven't watched Casablanca, and didn't care for Benny.
What can I say. To each his/her own.
Some people consider Animal House to be a "classic".
Now there's a classic I like!

 

[Patrick McCart]

Quality over Chronology! I won't buy most pre-WW2 just because the quality is pretty low. This is mostly due to degrading film stock and such, but also half do to that they hadn't perfected talkies at the time. And most silents bore the crap outta me. I like to be entertained when I watch a movie. Not watch Chaplain hit himself with a clocktower hour-hand.

Very Funny. I love that Buster Keaton film, City Lights, by the way!

Not all pre-WW2 films look poor on DVD.

Check out Citizen Kane. You'll believe a classic can look spotless.

 

[Paul_D]

So, I just randomly bought DVD's of Casablanca, Ben Hur, Sparticus, Ten Commandments, Gone With the Wind, Cleopatra, Lawrence of Arabia, ect...

Believe it or not, but theres more to, (cough) older films, that historical epics and love stories. I can fully understand how you could find those movies "boring", since all but one are 3 hours+ lonng. Maybe you should try some classic crime thrillers or adventure films. Needless to say, that aren't anything like any of the 'classics' you listed.