Classic Movies I’ve Never Seen and Will Not See (1 Viewer)

[Robert Crawford]

I enjoy discussing movies and finding out what others think, whether or not we agree. While those discussions rarely change my mind I often come away with an appreciation for what others see/get that I do not.

After reading your prior post in this thread, I don't doubt that assertion.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Any form of culture is subjective. Whether it be a movie, a TV show, a Broadway play, a book, a painting or a song. Love it or hate it. What do I care? I like what I like and I don't ever feel a need to defend it. Life's too short to care about what others think.

Yeah, that's how I see things now.

 

[cinemiracle]

For the most part, I will see any classic. But I prefer Hollywood or British films. I do not like foreign language films, so it is a really tough sell for me to see something that for me is culturally different (small-minded, I know, but it is what it is).

I think if there is a particular genre that you've been extremely disappointed in, or a particular actor or director that you have despised their other works, you might avoid something.

I know, for myself, there are certain directors whose work not only leave me cold, but whose films have made me ill. I would need to be convinced that the 'magnificent art' is truly not representative of them before I would consider seeing it.

Why don't you like Foreign Language films? Never heard that before from a movie fan. Of my all -time 25 most favourite films,only one is in the English language. You are missing out on the very best in World cinema. English speaking movies generally suck .Hard to even see a decent one these days.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Why don't you like Foreign Language films? Never heard that before from a movie fan. Of my all -time 25 most favourite films,only one is in the English language. You are missing out on the very best in World cinema. English speaking movies generally suck .Hard to even see a decent one these days.

He probably doesn't like reading subtitles which is why a lot of people don't like foreign films. So yes, I've heard that plenty from movie fans. You can be a fan of movies, but still restrict yourself from watching different categories of movies.

 

[TJPC]

I watch some foreign films but not many. I know it’s not popular, but I’d watch a lot more if they were dubbed instead of subtitled. I am watching the Russian “War and Peace” right now, which I am sure I saw dubbed in the theatre in the ‘60s. I find I basically forget to watch the movie as I concentrate on reading.

 

[Bryan^H]

I watch some foreign films but not many. I know it’s not popular, but I’d watch a lot more if they were dubbed instead of subtitled. I am watching the Russian “War and Peace” right now, which I am sure I saw dubbed in the theatre in the ‘60s. I find I basically forget to watch the movie as I concentrate on reading.

I think reading/watching gets much easier the more subtitled content you watch.
I never watched any foreign content until the arrival of DVD, then Japanese, and French cinema became some of my favorite films to watch.

 

[Angelo Colombus]

I would say 40% of my discs are foreign and I have learned to read the subtitles fast especially when seeing films like Last Year at Marienbad. On the other hand films made by Jacques Tati have very little dialogue so less subtitles to read.

 

[David Weicker]

Why don't you like Foreign Language films? Never heard that before from a movie fan. Of my all -time 25 most favourite films,only one is in the English language. You are missing out on the very best in World cinema. English speaking movies generally suck .Hard to even see a decent one these days.

I guess I like what I like. I didn’t say foreign films are bad. Just that I don’t enjoy them. I’ve seen many Bergman , Kurosawa, Tati, Renoir, Truffaut. While I found their films Ok, I have no desire to search out their other films.

And based on your ‘generally suck’ comment, I’d say our tastes are in different universes.

So, is your lone English language film one of these?

Gone With the Wind
Casablanca
Abbott And Costello Meet Frankenstein
Network
Godfather (I or II)
Singin’ in The Rain
Twelve Angry Men
Mr. Smith Goes To Washington
Top Hat
Ben Hur
China Seas
Adventures Of Robin Hood
Pinocchio
Duck Soup
Red River
Maltese Falcon
Blazing Saddles
Goldfinger
Star Wars
Sullivan’s Travels
Strangers On A Train
Kind Hearts And Coronets
Die Hard
It Happens Every Spring
Wizard Of Oz

I watch some foreign films but not many. I know it’s not popular, but I’d watch a lot more if they were dubbed instead of subtitled. I am watching the Russian “War and Peace” right now, which I am sure I saw dubbed in the theatre in the ‘60s. I find I basically forget to watch the movie as I concentrate on reading.

I was just thinking about how much worse it would be if you spoke another language and tried to watch a classic American film subtitled. Imagine trying to watch/read Network, or god forbid His Girl Friday

 

[Winston T. Boogie]

I have never seen The Godfather or Apocalypse Now.

OK, well hang your head and feel shame.

Ha, just kidding.

It seems Francis Ford Coppola and you won't be having lunch any time soon though.

I think that is the whole idea or life in general is you know you try to spend time, particularly your leisure time doing or watching, in this case, something you enjoy or interests you.

Yes, if "gangster" pictures are not your thing I can't imagine why you would have an interest in The Godfather, it being a quintessential gangster film that has been referenced by other people for years.

I love those pictures but I don't think others have to.

 

[Tino]

English speaking movies generally suck

Never mind. Not worth it.

 

[cinemiracle]

I guess I like what I like. I didn’t say foreign films are bad. Just that I don’t enjoy them. I’ve seen many Bergman , Kurosawa, Tati, Renoir, Truffaut. While I found their films Ok, I have no desire to search out their other films.

And based on your ‘generally suck’ comment, I’d say our tastes are in different universes.

So, is your lone English language film one of these?

Gone With the Wind
Casablanca
Abbott And Costello Meet Frankenstein
Network
Godfather (I or II)
Singin’ in The Rain
Twelve Angry Men
Mr. Smith Goes To Washington
Top Hat
Ben Hur
China Seas
Adventures Of Robin Hood
Pinocchio
Duck Soup
Red River
Maltese Falcon
Blazing Saddles
Goldfinger
Star Wars
Sullivan’s Travels
Strangers On A Train
Kind Hearts And Coronets
Die Hard
It Happens Every Spring
Wizard Of Oz



I was just thinking about how much worse it would be if you spoke another language and tried to watch a classic American film subtitled. Imagine trying to watch/read Network, or god forbid His Girl Friday

None of them that you have listed above. LAWRENCE OF ARABIA is the English speaking title that is on my list of top 25 movies ever seen.

 

[LeoA]

I'll never watch a subtitled movie.

There's no shortage of great films in English and there are still many classic movies I've never seen even once that I want to watch. That said, there are some I'll probably never watch. Just looking through the list of best picture nominations for the 1940's for an example, I've only seen 37 out of 70 movies.

Some of those remaining 33 movies like Wilson, Our Town (Too darn depressing reading that in high school), Henry V, Great Expectations (Was boring to read in school), and Hamlet are movies I've avoided for many years and can't seem to get enthused enough about to bother watching.

I'll get around to many of those 33 one of these days, like Citizen Kane which I'm not purposely avoiding and expect to really enjoy. But I suspect some of these 33 from cinema's greatest decade will remain unwatched.

 

[roxy1927]

To me the apex of film is 2001 and after that I wonder why anybody bothers. Great movies from the silent teens to the 60s both foreign and American. From then on I find film pretty boring. Fortunately there are many treasures to be still discovered that myself and most others still haven't heard of let alone seen.

 

[dpippel]

I'm sorry for you. There have been plenty of great films made since the 60's. To each their own.

 

[sitman]

I'll watch virtually any film that's widely considered a "classic" and usually enjoy them and/or consider them interesting and time well spent. For example, I've seen 48 of the Sight and Sound Top 50. The two that I haven't seen, Au Hasard Balthazar and Sátántangó, represent the one film subject I can't watch - films that are said to contain animal cruelty, harm or jeopardy. For that reason I also haven't watched Rules of the Game and Bergman's Passion of Anna. (I did see Andrei Rublev but hadn’t done my homework before.)

 

[roxy1927]

Well I've seen a number of them and I don't get their greatness. They bore me. But as you say to each his own. I put it down to filmakers frame of reference being other movies. Scorsese and Spielberg being prime examples. I know people love their movies but the old filmmakers they love did it better. And Balthazar is one of the most beautiful film's I've seen and also heartbreaking. Aren't there quite a few old movies where animals were mistreated or killed for example in westerns and epics?

 

[JohnRice]

I'm sorry for you. There have been plenty of great films made since the 60's. To each their own.

I'm feeling sorry for a lot of people.

 

[Tino]

I'm feeling sorry for a lot of people.

I don’t feel sorry for any of them.

 

[Gary Seven]

I never saw "Gone with the Wind" and it is unlikely I ever will. Just doesn't interest me. That being said, never say never.

 

[Walter Kittel]

Some thoughts based on what has been posted to date...

I would agree with Bryan that as you experience more content with subtitles, processing them becomes easier. I sort of take a mental snapshot of the text and process it from memory while continuing to watch the film.

While I claim to know absolutely nothing about how foreign film distribution works, I have held in my mind the model that there is a filtering process at play, which means that many of the inferior foreign films don't receive distributions to the U.S. which has the affect of 'raising the bar' on those films that are available to American consumers. That is just a theory, though.

Is it better to restrict yourself to things you know fall into your tastes, or is it better to be more open and find some gems and some dross? I can see arguments for both sides. A good friend of mine is fairly particular on the types of entertainment he views because he wants to maximize the quality of his entertainment time. I watch television programming that he would never consider because while those shows are imperfect, there are aspects of them that I do enjoy. Both viewpoints are valid, it is just a question of which one works for you?

Personally, I believe that it is worth experiencing some questionable programming to find titles you might treasure - but that is just my preference.

- Walter.