"The HTF 100 Great Films of the 1930's Challenge" (1 Viewer)

[Eric Peterson]

I completed my Dracula requirement last night.
Dracula (Spanish Version) - First off, I was surprised by how much longer this version was compared to the Lugosi version (Approx. 30 minutes). Overall, I thought this version was a bit better - it seemed to flow more, but the big impact lines just aren't right without Lugosi saying them. Overall, I'd call the pair a dead heat. :star: :star: :star:

 

[David Dennison]

Dinner at Eight :star: :star: 1/2 The story was pretty slow. I never really got into the movie.
28 down, 72 to go

 

[Lew Crippen]

I've been lagging due to 18 credits worth of mid-terms

Eric, I can only comment that you are putting your time to productive use.
I left off worring about mid-terms a long time ago.

 

[Evan Case]

23 left, after I managed to find 75 minutes of free time for James Whale's The Old Dark House. Yet another classic from Whale, whose films are among the most artful of of the American horror genre. I prefer him to Browning, although the latter's films are a bit more creepy due to their wallowing in human misery and deformity. Whale's pictures are much less creaky, and infused with an overt wit that is often missing from Browning's films.
The Old Dark House is no exception. It should say something about a film wherein Raymond Massey among the most normal of the characters. He, his wife (Titanic's Gloria Stuart, looking lovely), and a ladies man friend of theirs (Melvyn Douglas) are stranded by storm in the Welsh countryside, and look for shelter in an imposing, dilapidated mansion home to a family of eccentrics and their scarred butler (played by Boris Karloff), whose only form of speech is seriously disturbing grunts.
It's a now cliched scenario, but Whale manages to keep it afloat thanks to the home's unforgettably dysfunctional family, Karloff terrorizing everyone after becoming drunk, and a palpable sense of being trapped in a plush, candlelit prison where from no escape is possible.
Yet another highly recommended film--I guess they wouldn't be considered "Great Films" without some basis in reality (George Kaplan's world excepted ).
Evan

 

[Brian Lawrence]

The Turner Classic Movie Dates for January have been put up in the 3rd post of this thread.
I'm a little miffed with myself because I forgot to tape a few of the flicks in the last week. Particularly "Dinner at Eight" which is not aired as often as many of the other films :frowning:
Have not watched much in the last week as I am on a horror movie kick right now. Though I did view Dracula today and feel that's it's a better film than some of it's reputation for being the most creaky and outdated of the Universal horror flicks, would suggest. A lot of great spooky atmosphere goes a long way with me
I hope to view The Spanish version tonight.
I will also later try to get up the AMC air times for some of the 30's horror flicks that will be showing in the last week of October. Sure I think AMC sucks, but We don't have to worry about films from the 30's being panned and scanned.

 

[Lew Crippen]

How does a war start?

Well, its when one country offends another country.

What? How could a mountain in Germany offend a field in France?

No it’s when one people offend another people.

Well, I’m not mad at the French. I don’t even know any French. … Maybe it’s the fault of the English. No, I don’t even know any English. Why would I want to shoot them?

I worked in a time-shift for

All Quiet on the Western Front, which remains a powerful adaptation of Remarque’s novel. The acting might seem a bit ‘stagey’ today, but otherwise this film retains it’s strength and sends a universal message about war and its effect on those in combat.

 

[Eric Peterson]

Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde - The best version of this story that I've seen to date. I thought that the transformation effects were incredible for the time and at least as good as "The Wolfman" which didn't follow for almost 10 years. This has got to be one of the earliest movies to experiment with first person perspective. I also didn't realize that it was JEEKEL and not JECKEL. :star: :star: :star: 1/2
Dinner at Eight - Very enjoyable movie, but I didn't find as much comedy as some of the reviewers seemed to believe there was. Although there were several lines that made laugh quite a bit. I think that this is the first complete Harlow movie that I've seen. :star: :star: :star:

 

[Lew Crippen]

Gin—it’s my only weakness

It is surprising how well

The Bride of Frankenstein holds up today. There are many parts that are disturbing, some that are poignant and plenty of humor to keep those parts from getting too saccharin. And of course there is the score, by Franz Waxman, which I still find one of the finest ever.


Our mad dream is only half-realized. Alone you have created a man. Together, we will create his mate.

You mean?

Yes! A woman. Now that should be really interesting.

 

[David Dennison]

David Copperfield :star: :star: 1/2
I never read the book, but it seemed like a lot was missing from the movie. I have seen a lot of Cukor movies lately and have not been real impressed to this point.

 

[Tommy G]

Well, I ended up seeing Dinner At Eight and here are my thoughts. I began watching it thinking I would be getting ready for a good comedy and it ended up being more of a drama. Pretty good but I wouldn't rate it in my tops for the 30's. :star: :star: :star:
Also saw The Public Enemy and thought that Cagney was great but the rest were kind of flat. A good movie but once again not great. :star: :star: :star:

 

[Lew Crippen]

I rented The Island of Lost Souls, a reasonably good adaptation of an H.G. Wells novel.

 

[Chris_Richard]

I think I need to join this challenge since this is one area that I need to improve my film watching.

I have seen 32 of the films but with films I need to re-see I should start my countdown number at 75.

Of the 25 I've seen, I will probably watch many of them during the challenge also. Case in point: I came across a tape from TCM of the first three Thin Man's this weekend. I watched the first one again, I can't get enough of the dialogue, and watched After the Thin Man for the first time. Very enjoyable, almost as good as the first.


30s Top hundred: 75. Last film: After the Thin Man

 

[Lew Crippen]

Watched The Invisible Man

 

[Lew Crippen]

I broke out my copy of

M and watched it again. It has been some time since I saw this movie and it still retains its power. My personal Fritz Lang favorite.

 

[David Dennison]

Gunga Din :star: :star: :star: :star:
Nothing Sacred :star: :star: :star:
69 to go.

 

[David Dennison]

Holiday :star: :star: :star: :star:
This is the best movie I have watched so far in this challenge. Hepburn and Grant make a great combination.
68 to go.

 

[Tommy G]

Ahhh the World Series is now over :frowning: Giants lost! But the bright side is I'll now have more time for this challenge.

 

[Lew Crippen]

Do you have to open graves to find girls to fall in love with?

I rented

The Mummy this weekend.

It was fun seeing an old friend again. And I’d forgotten how much more effective it was in an early scene to have a man
literally frightened out of his mind, rather than just being routinely killed when the mummy first comes back to life.


Eternal punishment to anyone who opens this casket, in the name of The Gods. What a terrible curse!

Well, let’s see what’s inside.

 

[Lew Crippen]

I completed my

Dracula

requirement, watching the English version recently. I’d never seen the Spanish version before, and after having seen it first, the cop-out ending of the English one, now bothers me more than ever.

 

[Brian Lawrence]

I've been bogged down in horror movies of late. Gettin bout time I get off me arse and update this thing before Lew has seen all 100
I have not forgotten and will start catching up on my 30's viewings come November.
I'll probably update the counts every week or two.