AFI’s Top 100 Films List Forum Challenge (Part 3) (1 Viewer)

[Bob_L]

It is finished.
My joyful work here is done. I just finished watching the one remaining film on the list that I had not seen: Wuthering Heights.
Those who dread watching this might just open their minds a bit and try to succumb to the grandiosity that was Golden Age Hollywood, even though I don't think it represents the peak of that style. (Gone With The Wind -- released the same year -- probably more effectively represents the pinnacle of the Hollywood studio system style.)
Yes, the dramatic values are a bit overstated but, if you bend a little, some of the scenes are quite touching, including the climactic scene between Cathy and Heathcliff.
Oberon is kind of shallow -- not helped by William Wyler's surprisingly unperceptive direction, IMHO. Olivier looks like a god and does a reasonably good job conveying the complexity of Heathcliff. Although, even here, I think Wyler's one-dimensional take on the story compromises his performance, too.
The two major faults, however, are the inadequate exploration of the social system that is at the heart of the story's tragedy and the casting of David Niven as Edgar Lynton. Niven is just too naturally elegant and likeable to be effective as the slightly prissy and undeniably pretentious Edgar. Niven does a good job but his inner character overarches his acting performance. It's another case where the x-ray eye of film probes deeper than the actor or the director.
Seeing the film made me even more impressed with the dramatic truth in the opera of "Wuthering Heights" written by the great film composer Bernard Herrmann. Even with the dramatic limitations of opera, Herrmann's score (and the script adaptation by his then-wife Lucille Fletcher) goes further to draw out the motives and the hubris of these characters.
And with that, he put down his DVD player, satisfied with his accomplishment.
Now I'm ready for another list of 100!!!! Let me at 'em.
[Edited last by Bob_L on August 06, 2001 at 10:00 PM]

 

[Dome Vongvises]

Rebel Without A Cause *** out of ****
- This movie was pretty cool. I'll be frank though, the reason I'm not a legitimate film reviewer is if there's a hot babe in the movie, it usually carries it for me. In this case, I thought Natalie Wood looked hot. Ahem, besides that though, I thought James Dean was cool.
Singin' In The Rain *** out of ****
- I know why I'm hesitant to watch musicals. Doesn't matter what the subject matter is, I'm laughing my ass off because I find musicals to be cheesy and gregarious. It didn't help that I've also seen a Clockwork Orange either (***1/2 out of ****). But still, I was amazed by the choreography, not just Gene Kelly's, but the supporting actors as well. Damnit, I'm doing it again!!! Another hot girl helped me watch the movie (Debbie Reynolds in this case). Just singin' in the rain...POW!!!! Just singin' in the rain...BOOT!!! Oh wait, wrong movie

Well, 61 down, 39 to go. In the middle of watching Tootsie right now. BTW, where the hell can I see the Jazz Singer? My local library?
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"I don't know, Marge. Trying is the first step towards failure." - Homer J. Simpson

 

[Edwin Pereyra]

I am adding Bob Lindstrom to the list of finishers. He e-mailed me today and successfully finished the Challenge. Congratulations, Bob.
~Edwin

 

[Tom-G]

It's been a while since I've seen an AFI film, so last night I had a chance to see Chinatown in the theater, which I did not pass up (during the month of August, the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust is presenting various classic films). Since I started working my way through the AFI list, I've developed quite and affinity for film noir. If for no other reason, I was very much looking forward to seeing this film since many acknowledge it as one of the greats in film noir.
The backdrop for Chinatown is Los Angeles in the 1930s and involves a diabolical scheme by corrupt authorities to control the water supply. Los Angeles is after all, a town in the desert and we are even told by one of the characters "Either you bring the water to L.A. or you bring L.A. to the water."
Jake Gittes (Jack Nicholson) is a private investigator hired by Evelyn Mulwray (Faye Dunaway) to investigate her husband's suspected philandering. Her husband happens to be on the Water Authority. As he investigates, Gittes is pulled deeper and deeper into the conspiracy and along the way, he uncovers murders, deception and a very shocking revelation towards the very end. Along the way, there is of course a romance that develops between Jake and Evelyn.
Jack Nicholson gives a brilliant performance in his usual over-the-top trademark. If there is one flaw in the film, it would be that the second act lulled somewhat, but it is very minor and did not hamper the film in any way.
During the drive home, I was anxious to see if he won an Academy Award. As soon as I got home, I logged on to http://www.oscar.org

out of

I have seen 70, so obviously I have 30 more films on the list to see. I recently screened Amadeus, but I want to give it one more viewing before posting my opinions.
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[Edited last by Tom_G on August 08, 2001 at 09:32 AM]
[Edited last by Tom_G on August 08, 2001 at 09:37 AM]
[Edited last by Tom_G on August 08, 2001 at 02:38 PM]

 

[Joe_Rod]

Well, I finally got around to watching some more films. I just realized that I left Ben Hur off my list of films I still needed to watch. I only listed 16 films to go, but did state I needed 17 films to watch.
The Birth Of A Nation ** out of ****
This movie was very hard to watch. It took two days. The technical aspects of the film should be praised, but the subject matter is horrible. Enough said.
Bringing Up Baby *** out of ****
I tried to watch this movie before, but had to stop because I couldn't stand Katherine Hepburn's character. She was driving me batty. I was able to watch it all the way through this time and enjoyed it a lot. Cary Grant's character had a lot more patience than I would have had.
Frankenstein *** out of ****
I had never sat down and watched a complete viewing of this movie. I enjoyed the sublte humor that was thrown in to keep the horror light. After seeing the film "Gods and Monsters", I was able to get more out of "Frankenstein".
Ben Hur **** out of ****
Watching this movie on DVD was amazing. The chariot scene was a joy to watch. I kept thinking that it must have been difficult to shoot this movie without all the special effects that are available today. I'd like to see some of today's director's try to recreate a movie like this without a lot of CGI help.
So, now I have only 13 more to go. I'm going to watch "On The Waterfront" and "The Best Years Of Our Lives" tonight.
[Edited last by Joe_Rod on August 08, 2001 at 09:49 AM]

 

[Agee Bassett]

Jack Nicholson gives a brilliant performance in his usual over-the-top trademark.

I have always found his Oscar-worthy performance superbly, and uncharacteristically, disciplined and restrained. Can you elaborate a little?
------------------
The Devil & Daniel Webster (1941)

"Cinema is simply letting the audience fill in the blanks." - David Lean.

 

[Tom-G]

Overall, his performance wasn't over the top, I inaccurately described it as such. Restrained? Hardly. The scenes where he was telling the joke about the Chinese having sex, confronting the thug at the rest home, and confronting Evelyn as the identity of the mystery woman are just a few of the examples of classic Jack Nicholson acting. That style wasn't as progressive as his role playing Jack Napier in Batman or even in The Shining, but Jack is a great actor and this role wasn't restrained as it was in something like As Good as it Gets. No, his style was not throughout, like I said, but what I should have said is that there were classic "Jack" moments.
EDIT: After re-reading my post, I realize that I did state that in error. Like I said, Jack had some of his moments. Agee, thank you for calling me out on that. I sounded rather foolish with that statment.
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[Edited last by Tom_G on August 08, 2001 at 08:14 PM]

 

[Agee Bassett]

Hmmm...Can you elaborate a little?

Overall, his performance wasn't over the top, I inaccurately described it as such. Restrained? Hardly. The scenes where he was telling the joke about the Chinese having sex, confronting the thug at the rest home, and confronting Evelyn as the identity of the mystery woman are just a few of the examples of classic Jack Nicholson acting. That style wasn't as progressive as his role playing Jack Napier in Batman or even in The Shining, but Jack is a great actor and this role wasn't restrained as it was in something like As Good as it Gets. No, his style was not throughout, like I said, but what I should have said is that there were classic "Jack" moments.

True, but, as you will note, the three "Jack moments" you cited are the mere isolated (and, at that, extremely brief) instances in the movie where Jack bares his emotions on his sleeve.
His Jake Gittes is a man with a past, pent-up with repressed torments, world-weary in his reaction to most outward stimuli. The Chinaman joke aside, Jake never visibly reacts until riled to do so; that at the end of a long tether (imagine Kevin Spacey in the part, for instance, to perceive a--most probably--highly contrasting take on the role). In the penultimate scene, Jake barely lifts an eyebrow when Spoiler:Evelyn is grusomely killed. This restraint works to vividly point up and accentuate the isolated moments when Jake does explode. Don't for a minute think that his Spoiler:slap-a-thon on Faye Dunaway's tear-streaked visage became the defining moment of the film merely because of the violence of the immediate moment.
The part of Jake Gittes was, in fact, a very easy role to overplay, given the incendiary subtext permeating every scene. That Nicholson didn't represents, to me, the true art of restrained performance. Quite at odds with Jack's patented reactionary characterizations; and a triumph that was his greatest, IMO.
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The Devil & Daniel Webster (1941)

"Cinema is simply letting the audience fill in the blanks." - David Lean.

 

[Adam_S]

I'd like to join, I've seen about 45 I think, next up for me is stagecoach.
here's a quick run down of the list, with my own ratings next to the films (out of five stars)
1. CITIZEN KANE (1941) **
I'm only giving it two stars because even though I recognize what it was for films in the time it was made, how incredibly revolutionary it was, and how absolutely gorgeous it was, it still can't convince me that out of order storytelling works well to tell a story (and this is the best I've ever seen it done). The problems for me lie mainly with the storytelling on this one, it's an enjoyable and masterfully wrought piece of art, but it's only art, it's beautiful to look at, but there's no visceral story there, and to me film is first and foremost a medium in which one tells stories.
2. CASABLANCA (1942) *****
Flat out Storytelling at it's absolute best. The absolute visceral iconographic story is unforgettable. THe film is so full of perfect cinematic moments that it practically bursts at the seams.
3. GODFATHER, THE (1972) *****
I'm in awe, this is definitly one of the all time greats.
5. LAWRENCE OF ARABIA (1962) *****
David Lean is probably my favorite director of all time (just ahead of John Ford), and this film is one of his absolute best. An incredible combination of masterful storytelling and visual beauty. The story is mesmorizing and compelling, and it is presented so wonderfully that at times you forget you're watching a movie. God i want to see this in 70 mm, because if that's the impression i get from seeing it presented in widescreen on a 25 inch set, I wonder what it's like to see it the way it should be seen.
6. WIZARD OF OZ, THE (1939) ****
Just an all time classic, this is more of a sentimental ranking than a technical one.
9. SCHINDLER'S LIST (1993) ***1/2
I'm a history buff, and the real schindler got away with a box of diamonds and didn't engage in the farewell scene. so that one scene caused this to lose a few points in my book. That and the fil is so distrubing, and difficult to watch that i'm not sure i watn to see it again.
10. SINGIN' IN THE RAIN (1952) ****1/2
This is a wonderful quirky musical, it's brilliant the songs are catchy and the story is engaging and funny. the preformances are brilliant, and the love story works for once.
13. BRIDGE ON THE RIVER KWAI, THE (1957) *****
It's actually been a couple years since i saw this, but i gave it a five because it's lean
14. SOME LIKE IT HOT (1959) ****1/2
Billy Wilder is one of the all time great storytellers. And this is one of his best films. Hilarious, adn near perfect (infact it probably deserves a five, but I was thinking i'm giving too many away as it is)
15. STAR WARS (1977) ****
Star Wars is great, the construction, and establishment of information is absolutely brilliant. the story is a drivng visceral one, and the special effects are fantastic. I still prefer Empire though.
18. PSYCHO (1960) ***1/2
I loved it, but the person who showed it to me spoiled the surprise ending, so i didn't really get to appreciate this the first time i saw it.
22. 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY (1968) **
Overly pretentious. I don't think there really is a story, but damn if it isnt' beautiful to look at, I'd love to see this on the big screen.
25. E.T. THE EXTRA-TERRESTRIAL (1982) ****1/2
Spielberg is a fine storyteller, and this is some of his finest work. The moment when the group of boys lift off th ground on their bicycles is one of the all time great moments in film history (but that's more Williams that Spielberg in my opinion)
26. DR. STRANGELOVE (1964) *****
One of the funniest movies i've ever seen, I hardly stopped laughing, Peter Sellers is fantastic. This is some of Kubricks best work, right behind Paths of Glory (which isn't on the list

)
32. GODFATHER PART II, THE (1974) *****
I think I like this one better than the first. First because Al Pacino gives the best preformance of his life. Second because Robert DeNiro gives the best preformance of his life (in Italian none the less

. And third, for the brilliant parallel structure it's presented in.
33. HIGH NOON (1952) ****
Astounding, the character drama presented here in a western, in this era is incredible, the subtextual message of peoples unwillinness to fight as it related to Mccarthyism is also interesting. And done in almost real time, it is really astounding. My only complaint is that their are so many rich characters we get only a glimpse of, and at times, it's too many characters.
34. TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD (1962) ****1/2
I love the book, and this is an excellent adaptation. There are fantastic preformances here, and a wonderful score. It's a wonderful story that translated well to film.
40. NORTH BY NORTHWEST (1959) *****
So far this is my favorite hitchcock film, the structure and pacing of the film are brilliant. and the preformances are spectacular, the dymanics between Cary Grant and Eva marie Saint(right actress?) is wonderful.
42. REAR WINDOW (1954) ***
incredible that a movie that for alll intents and purposes doesn't move can hold your attention this well.
43. KING KONG (1933) *****
70 years later this film still works. It's wonderfully done, and it's a great action movie, still fun to watch.
46. CLOCKWORK ORANGE, A (1971) ****
Mesmorizing and disturbing.
48. JAWS (1975) ****
Absolutely incredible, I'll watch this film over and over, and still be completely blown away by the USS Indianapolis scene.
49. SNOW WHITE & THE SEVEN DWARFS (1937) ****
An all time classic, and it's still wonderful to watch.
50. BUTCH CASSIDY & THE SUNDANCE KID (1969) ***
Hilarious, smart, and poigant.
52. FROM HERE TO ETERNITY (1953) ****
Fantastic film. I loved everything about it when i saw it, but i really need to see it again.
53. AMADEUS (1984) ***
I saw this years ago, and dont'remember much accept that i really loved it at the time
55. SOUND OF MUSIC, THE (1965) ****
I love the songs. You hum, or sing them, for days afterward. of course only the father and his fianceé are actually acting in this, everyone else is mugging for the camera.
58. FANTASIA (1940) ***
Wonderful, I love classic Music, and the animation is fantastic, I really need to watch this again though...
59. REBEL WITHOUT A CAUSE (1955) ***1/2
I loved it, but it didn't really strike a chord with me, I never connected with it.
60. RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK (1981) *****
The best adventure movie ever made, they don't get better than this.
64. CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND (1977) ***
I'm still mad at this film. We're made to love Richard Dreyfuss, who ends up as a grade a jerk, that cheats on his wife without a second thought, and then abandons his family for who knows how long without even seeming to think about it, or be remorseful in any way.
65. SILENCE OF THE LAMBS, THE (1991) ****1/2
Anthony Hopkins is amazing. And Jodie Foster does some of her best work ever. The story is so incredibly done as well.
69. SHANE (1953) ****
A beautiful story, with wonderful characters, and great scenes. This film while along with High Noon, said that Westerns can be more than a B movie, also heralded a beginning of an end to the same genre, and it's interesting to see how that is reflected (unintentionally) in the ending, with Shane leaving, despite their wanting him to stay, because he tried to give up an old way of life, but it wouldn't let him go.
71. FORREST GUMP (1994) ***
This is a wonderful film, and I can understand it's fictional whimsy, as it is a whimsical and modern day fairy tale.
72. BEN-HUR (1959)****1/2
It's really too bad they don't 'make em like this anymore" A wonderful film (like so many others on this list) that I greatly enjoyed
75. DANCES WITH WOLVES (1990) ****
A wonderful film that I really enjoyed, also benifts from a wonderful score, the scene where two socks is shot always is powerful, no matter how many times i've seen it.
77. AMERICAN GRAFFITI (1973) **1/2
Like Rebel without a cause I just didn't connect to this film. It's a film cherished by it's generation, because it said aloud some unsayable fears and truthes that nobody really wanted to face, with people and modern archetypes they recognized, and it was the first to do so (for their generation).
78. ROCKY (1976) ****
If Empire strikes Back is the first movei I remember watching, Rocky is probably the second. Though I preferred the sequels to the original when i was younger (they have more, and better, fights), I come back to this one more. It's an incredible, poigant, poweful film, that i enjoy every time i watch it.
81. MODERN TIMES (1936) ****1/2
Charlie Chaplin is a genius, and I love the way he used sound in this film. even without dialouge, you're still drawn into the story, in a way few movies do.
84. FARGO (1996)**1/2
The Coens have done much better than Fargo, and Fargo still remains the most inaccessible to me (even worse than blood simple). It's horribly paced, the script isn't all that great, and it staggers in it's narrative drive badly at times. Francis Mcdormand very much deserves her oscar though, the screen absolutely lights up when she appears, and she alone makes the movie watchable to me.
91. MY FAIR LADY (1964) ***
A wonderful whimsical musical, with a compelling love story.
93. APARTMENT, THE (1960) ****1/2
I really take issue with this ranking. I personnally hold the Apartment to be better than some like it hot. I wouldn't mind it's being ranked lower, but 93 is absolutely ridiculous for a film of this caliber. Not only is it the best romantic comedy put to screen, but it does double duty as a satire on the corporate life.
94. GOODFELLAS (1990) ****
Great, and funny look at mobsterism. Very quotable, though a movie you really have to watch with friends to enjoy fully.
95. PULP FICTION (1994) **
Why is this even on the list? this is like the worst parts of citizen kane combined with the worst parts of 2001 (out of order story telling and no story). And for me it doesn't work at all. It gets two stars b/c Sam Jackson's use of the bible.
98. UNFORGIVEN (1992) ****
A great deconstruction of the western, and it doubles as a black satire. Eastwood gives an incredible preformance, Gene Hackman steals every scene, and Morgon Freeman does a great job, but does nothign spectuacular. Very enjoyable story, and beautiful to look at.
[Edited last by Adam_S on August 10, 2001 at 03:07 AM]

 

[Dome Vongvises]

Best Years of Our Lives ***1/2 out of ****
- The only reason it didn't get four stars is because I didn't think the Captain's character was developed too much (why he no longer didn't like his wife, why he was such an ass, etc.). The movie hits close because, hey, what if we've already lived the best years of our lives? Well, it's downhill from here on out.
Only 38 more to go.
P.S. HELP!!! I can't find the Jazz Singer at my local rental store.
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"I don't know, Marge. Trying is the first step towards failure." - Homer J. Simpson

 

[Bob_L]

CHINATOWN -- I have to add my one cent.
First -- This is my all-time favorite movie. Number one on the Bob List.
Yes, it IS a brilliant film noir. Atmospheric, gritty, mysteriously intriguing and visually compelling. It's also very commercial, damn fine entertainment.
What makes it extraordinary, however, is that Chinatown is so much more than that. It is also a meditation on our social/political order, historical facts, and, ultimately, the human condition.
In short, it is the ultimate Hollywood film: commercially brilliant, yet with a depth and soul that is elegantly expressed, neither pushy nor "in your face" (like so many self-consciously arty films that are, IMHO, MUCH less successful in delivering their "message" because they are so obvious.)
The man to credit with this triumph -- from Nicholson's performance to Towne's script -- is the much maligned Roman Polanski. He kept Nicholson under control. By all reports, he modified Towne's script from very good to brilliant. And he even cuts a helluva nose.

 

[Edwin Pereyra]

I can't find the Jazz Singer at my local rental store.

Try your local library. They might have it.
~Edwin

 

[Sarah S]

Hi all; I thought I'd send in my weekly update. One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest - 3 out of 4. Never read the book before seeing the movies. Some Like It Hot - 4 out of 4. That brings me to 30 more to go, not quite a catagory jump, but almost.

 

[george kaplan]

I just saw Goodfellas.
I always look at movies both in terms of my appreciation of them aesthetically, and my enjoyment of them. For me film is both an art form and a form of entertainment. And while my favorite movies are ones I both appreciate (artistically) and enjoy, there are lots of dvds in my collections of films that I enjoy watching that aren't exactly great art (Abbott & Costello anyone?), but there are none that are great art, but not enjoyable. I don't buy dvds to appreciate, I buy them to watch, and I only buy ones I look forward to rewatching.
Scorcese has always been a director I could appreciate on an aesthetic level, but I didn't enjoy his films. No doubt Taxi Driver and Raging Bull are great movies, but I (and I realize other people are different) did not have fun watching them and have no desire to watch them again. Hence, no Scorcese dvds are on my shelves.
I wasn't dreading it or anything, but I really wasn't looking forward to Goodfellas, because I expected it to be a very good film that would be good for me, but not much fun. But I am very pleased to say I was wrong. I thoroughly enjoyed this film and there is now a Scorcese dvd on my to buy list.
I don't think from a purely artistic point of view that Goodfellas is probably as good as either Taxi Driver or Raging Bull, but I liked it a hell of a lot more.
Not as good as the Godfather (and a very different type of gangster film), but still a great film.
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13-time NBA world champion Lakers: 1949, 1950, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1972, 1980, 1982, 1985, 1987, 1988, 2000, 2001

 

[NeilEdwards]

Since I am new to the Forum, I didn't know this challenge was going on.
I have seen every one of the "One Hundred". I own a copy of every one on DVD (except The Wild Bunch ... I stopped buying flippers).
All of the films that are announced, I have on pre-order.
I am also working my way through 100 Years ... 100 Laughs and 100 Years ... 100 Thrills.

 

[Joe_Rod]

I saw four more movies.
The Philadelphia Story ** out of ****
I didn't care for this movie that much. It had its funny moments, but as a romantic comedy it wasn't that romantic or funny. Why should I care about a couple of spoiled rich people? Katherine Hepburn was a lot better in movies like Pat and Mike and Desk Set.
On The Waterfront *** out of ****
I enjoyed the acting in this movie a lot. I think Karl Malden stole the show. Everytime he was on the screen, I forgot about Marlon Brando - and I like Brando.
To Kill A Mockinbird *** out of ****
Very good story and characters. Gregory Peck and Robert Duvall give very good performances. I love the actress who played Scout. She was a remarkable little actress.
The Best Years Of Our Lives *** out of ****
I was going to give this movie two stars, but then I got better as the movie progressed. I'm amazed a film like this got made during that time. It dealt with a lot of serious issues. How does a man deal with returning home after a war? They showed a lot of different angles.
That leaves me with 9 more to go and puts me in a new category.

 

[Rachael B]

I just finished watching Chaplin's THE GOLD RUSH on DVD. The image quality was amazingly good! I really didn't enjoy it all that much though. I really enjoyed MODERN TIMES much more. I suppose in 1923 GOLD RUSH was a real spectacle, highly groovey, but now it's mild sauce.
I thought the film really needed dialog cards here and there. So many other silent films employed them very effectively. The story just rambled around. I can't recall anyone looking very hard for gold, even.
The physical humour in the several cabin scenes was the highlight of the film. Woody Allen and many others owe so much to Chaplin for defineing physical comedy. But, beyond that physical comedy this film doesn't offer all that much. The Little Tramp sees a girl, Georgia, in a beerhall and likes her and gets her in the end. The film's end is rather abrupt also.
THE GOLD RUSH may very well be one of the top silent films of all time, but it absolutely is not one of the top 100 films, no way! MODERN TIMES is a top 100 film IMO, GOLD RUSH, not!
I'm down to one film to see THE JAZZ SINGER. I had THE JAZZ SINGER on my Tivo last spring, but my father became ill and I got side-tracked and never watched it. I forgot to tag it to keep and by the time I went looking for it, it had been deleted. I have my Tivo looking for it again. Call me 99!
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Rachael, the big disc cat! "...Mandrake, have you ever seen a commie drink water..."
AFI Film Challenge, hey I've only got 1 to go!

 

[Seth Paxton]

I found the Jazz Singer in a Blockbuster, so there is hope for some of you. However, keep in mind that not all Blockbusters are equally stocked, as I have very much found in Indy.
Also, I have just rented Best Years of Our Lives and Double Indemnity.
Once I watch them I should be down to 4 unseen and 1 rewatch (yes, Patton keeps out of player for some reason, but this week will CERTAINLY put an end to that. I've still only watched half my DVD since I bought quite some time ago...go figure).
I can't find Mutiny on the Bounty, Yankee Doodle Dandy, or A Place in the Sun.
I found American in Paris at a different Blockbuster but have yet to rent it.
Also, Edwin, I still need to get my Indy driver's licence to check out films from the library. One step at a time (and yes, it's been a year without switching, please don't turn me in as I'm going this week, really).

 

[george kaplan]

Rachael,
I'll have to disagree with you about the Gold Rush. (1925 by the way ).
In my opinion this is Chaplin's best, better than Modern Times which I love.
However, I do have a proviso to make. There are different versions of the Gold Rush out there on dvd. The 40s re-release is a horrible idea. And the 'original' 1925 version has different music on different versions.
I have both the fox version and the DDE version. The Fox version certainly looks better, but the music is just not as good in my opinion. I actually watch the DDE version, which has acceptable, but not stellar video, for the music.
Now, I don't know which music is the intended (if there even is such a thing) I just know that The Gold Rush is a better film (to me) with the DDE music.
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13-time NBA world champion Lakers: 1949, 1950, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1972, 1980, 1982, 1985, 1987, 1988, 2000, 2001
[Edited last by george kaplan on August 19, 2001 at 11:32 PM]

 

[Rachael B]

George, I saw the 72 minute remix on the KOCH Vision label. I see in the Maltin Manual that the original ran 82 minutes. I got the 3 disc KOCH set for $18.99 locally. It was so cheap I just grabed it. It has 9 films:
SHOULDER ARMS 1918
SUNNYSIDE 1919
A DAY'S PLEASURE 1919
THE CURSE 1920
TILLIES PUNCTURED ROMANCE 1921
THE KID 1921
IDLE CLASS 1922
PAY DAY 1922
THE GOLD RUSH 1923
I'll tell my Tivo to grab THE GOLD RUSH if it's on TV and see if I get the original version. I'm sure that THE GOLDRUSH is a very inovative film like so much of what Chaplin did, but I didn't enjoy it all that much. They must have used jacks under the cabins to tilt them, proably a first. The dancing rolls or potatoes, whatever they were was a fun moment.
I'm not a big silent film fan and hardly a Chaplin expert. I've only seen three of his films so far. The third is the THE GREAT DICTATOR BTW. I'll gradually watch the 9 in my set though and gain insight. I would like to see the original GOLDRUSH now that I'm aware of it.
As far as the music goes, the documentary I saw with MODERN TIMES was very enlightening. Chapin helped write all the music in his films. You'd think that we'd be getting the original scores no matter who played it...? Maybe he remixed the music to some of his films at some point?
I stille like MODERN TIMES better. I'll reserve some judgement on GOLDRUSH till I see the original now that I know what's up. Thanks for making me become aware of the versions. Best wishes!
P.S. - The KOCH Vision box has a web page listed on it. www.kochint.com
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Rachael, the big disc cat! "...Mandrake, have you ever seen a commie drink water..."
AFI Film Challenge, hey I've only got 1 to go!