Is 1939 overrated? What are some other classic years? (1 Viewer)

[Thomas T]

I just get a kick reading some of the responses in this thread. Kind of comical as film opinions are being expressed so defiantly and with such conviction.

An opinion expressed without conviction isn't worth expressing. Is a half hearted opinion worth anything to anyone?

 

[Robert Crawford]

An opinion expressed without conviction isn't worth expressing. Is a half hearted opinion worth anything to anyone?

At least it's an opinion not expressed like it's a fact.

 

[Thomas T]

At least it's an opinion not expressed like it's a fact.

It is a fact to the person giving the opinion (or it should be). I may not agree with what someone says or how they say it but I like a bold strong opinion rather than one of those apologetic weak sister "in my humble opinion" responses though that no doubt passes for politeness in certain circles. People tend to get defensive when their critical darlings or nostalgic favorites get kicked around you'd think they were just told their kids are ugly! Fortunately I have the hide of an elephant. Hey, my favorite movie is L'Avventura and my all time favorite actors are Bette Davis and Marlon Brando. Feel free to dump on them and trash them, I can take it

 

[Robin9]

People tend to get defensive when their critical darlings or nostalgic favorites get kicked around you'd think they were just told their kids are ugly!

Count yourself lucky if they only become defensive. In my experience, many people become aggressive and rude if anyone dares to suggest their particular favorite may not after all be the greatest film ever made!

By the way, why is this thread in the Blu-ray Forum? It should be in the Movies Forum.

 

[benbess]

1955 is another year that I think counts as one of the greatest....

Lady and the Tramp
All that Heaven Allows
To Catch a Thief
The Court Jester
Bad Day at Black Rock
East of Eden
Oklahoma
Richard III
The Man From Laramie
Not as a Stranger
Artists and Models
Night of the Hunter
Picnic
The Cobweb
House of Bamboo
The Trouble with Harry
Daddy Long Legs
The Kentuckian
Summertime
Kiss Me Deadly
Lucy Gallant
Illegal
This Island Earth
Smiles of a Summer Night
The Desperate Hours
We're No Angels
Guys and Dolls
Violent Saturday
Kismet
Love Me or Leave Me
Rebel Without a Cause
Battle Cry
etc., etc.

 

[Dave Lawrence]

Any year will seem overrated to some. It's all subjective.

1963 is one of my favorite years for films.
Chief among them are:

The Birds
Blood Feast
Bye Bye Birdie
From Russia with Love
The Great Escape
The Haunting
It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World
Ladybug Ladybug *
Love with the Proper Stranger **
The Raven
The Wheeler Dealers
Wives and Lovers *

* To my knowledge, these aren't yet available on either Blu-ray or DVD.
** To my knowledge, this isn't yet available on Blu-ray.

As with all years, 1963 wasn't perfect. This was also the year of McLintock!, which I find loathsome. But overall, I think it was a very strong year with a lot of variety.

 

[Dave Lawrence]

Crazy coincidence...
At the same time I was writing my post above, Scott / MisterLime posted on the Kino thread that they are releasing Love with the Proper Stranger on Blu-ray in September.

(Now, if someone could do something about the other 2 films I listed that don't even have a DVD available.)

 

[JPCinema]

1962
LAWRENCE OF ARABIA
TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD
THE MANCHURIAN CANDIDATE
LOLITA
DR NO
BIRDMAN OF ALCATRAZ
LONELY ARE THE BRAVE
THE MIRACLE WORKER
THE LONGEST DAY
WHATEVER HAPPENED TO BABY JANE
DAYS OF WINE AND ROSES
MAN WHO SHOT LIBERTY VALENCE
ADVISE AND CONSENT
CAPE FEAR
L'ECLISSE
EXPERIMENT IN TERROR
HOW THW WEST WAS WON
JULES AND JIM
KNIFE IN THE WATER
LONELINESS OF THE LONG DISTANCE RUNNER
LONG DAYS JOURNEY INTO NIGHT
THE MUSIC MAN
GYPSY
MUTINY ON THE BOUNTY
SWEET BIRD OF YOUTH
RIDE THE HIGH COUNTRY
VIVRE SA VIE
DAVID AND LISA
HATARI
DIVORCE ITALIAN STYLE

 

[Alan Tully]

Yup, the first half of the sixties was fantastic, & seeing how it was the first half of my teen years I went to see most of 'em at the cinema.

 

[rdf8585]

I'll second the person who said 1933 and add Baby Face, Wild Boys of the Road, Picture Snatcher, Little Giant, Mayor From Hell, and Lady Killer.

1976 also stands out with Rocky, Taxi Driver, All the President's Men, Network, Silver Streak, and Bad News Bears. The first four there especially can stand with pretty much any year.

1984 had Ghostbusters, Temple of Doom, Beverly Hills Cop, Gremlins, Karate Kid, Sixteen Candles, The Natural, Police Academy, etc.

 

[benbess]

As I've always had great affection for films from the 1950s, my pick would be 1954.

A Star is Born
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea
Seven Brides for Seven Brothers
Rear Window
The Barefoot Contessa
Dial M for Murder
The Caine Mutiny
The Glenn Miller Story
On the Waterfront

Good list! Here are some other picks from 1954....

White Christmas
Bridges at Toko-Ri
Brigadoon
Broken Lance
The Egyptian
Johnny Guitar
Knock on Wood
Salt of the Earth
Them!
Vera Cruz
There's No Business Like Show Business
Garden of Evil
Sabrina
Seven Samurai
Deep in my Heart
The Last Time I Saw Paris
The Long, Long Trailer

And here are some movies from 1954 I haven't seen, but which seem to get good ratings...

Black Widow
Drive a Crooked Road
Elephant Walk
Executive Suite
Human Desire
Magnificent Obsession
Woman's World
etc.

 

[Thomas T]

Both Mark and Benbess left off The High And The Mighty from their 1954 choices. How could you!

 

[Robert Crawford]

Both Mark and Benbess left off The High And The Mighty from their 1954 choices. How could you!

Perhaps the same reasoning why you think Mr. Smith Goes to Washington is junk.

 

[Edwin-S]

All this thread says to me is that there are good films from every year, and that no year is particularly more special than any other.

Personally, the only way I can tell what year a film that I like is made in is by looking at the end of the credits or looking it up.

 

[Robert Crawford]

All this thread says to me is that there are good films from every year, and that no year is particularly more special than any other.

Personally, the only way I can tell what year a film that I like is made in is by looking at the end of the credits or looking it up.

I can't agree with you there as some years have a few more iconic films than some years. People can debate the validity of 1939, but there are films from that particular year that kind of shaped cinema and have stood the test of time.

 

[Edwin-S]

I can't agree with you there as some years have a few more iconic films than some years. People can debate the validity of 1939, but there are films from that particular year that kind of shaped cinema and have stood the test of time.

I think there are films from any given year that have influenced and shaped cinema, but if you don't agree then it is all good.

I'm not really a cineaste. There are a lot of films being listed here that are probably good, but that I would have no interest in watching.

A lot of people here would most likely be horrified by what interests me and by what I consider good or great.

 

[Robert Crawford]

I think there are films from any given year that have influenced and shaped cinema, but if you don't agree then it is all good.

I'm not really a cineaste. There are a lot of films being listed here that are probably good, but that I would have no interest in watching.

A lot of people here would most likely be horrified by what interests me and by what I consider good or great.

Yes, I don't agree with you as there are degrees of influence that you seem to ignore in your comments.

As to your personal taste in films, well, that's you so I won't comment any further as that's what makes film appreciation unique to each individual.

 

[Edwin-S]

Yes, I don't agree with you as there are degrees of influence that you seem to ignore in your comments.

As to your personal taste in films, well, that's you so I won't comment any further as that's what makes film appreciation unique to each individual.

I'll just say that the influence a film is considered to have had is a combination of the age that it was seen at and the weight of opinion over the years. For example, for me, The Wizard of Oz is just quaint and Citizen Kane, supposedly the greatest film ever made, is good but not the greatest ever.

Maybe had I seen these films as a youth I would think differently, but I saw them as an adult and at a time when, as a youth, film making and story telling had become a lot grittier.

For me an old film that would be iconic is BAMBI. When was that released? '41?

 

[Robert Crawford]

I'll just say that the influence a film is considered to have had is a combination of the age that it was seen at and the weight of opinion over the years. For example, for me, The Wizard of Oz is just quaint and Citizen Kane, supposedly the greatest film ever made, is good but not the greatest ever.

Maybe had I seen these films as a youth I would think differently, but I saw them as an adult and at a time when, as a youth, film making and story telling had become a lot grittier.

For me an old film that would be iconic is BAMBI. When was that released? '41?

Based on your posted comments, I think one of the differences between you and I is that I can recognize an iconic film even if I don't particularly love it. An example is The Magnificent Seven. Many people consider it an iconic western. I like the film, but it's not even close to being among my favorite westerns, but I do recognize it as a film that was very influential in that particular film genre.

I do agree with you about one thing and is that I watched a lot of old films in my youth so I appreciate them more than somebody who has first viewed them as an adult. I was a young boy when The Magnificent Seven was first viewed by me as a kid in a movie theater. It's probably one of the reasons why I recognize it's greatness today, even though, it was just a good western to me.

 

[Thomas T]

Perhaps the same reasoning why you think Mr. Smith Goes to Washington is junk.

The High And The Mighty is a very influential film. It paved the way for the likes of Airport, The Crowded Sky, Zero Hour, Skyjacked etc. and eventually Airplane! It's the granddaddy of disaster in the air flicks and a film that started a genre is not to be so easily dismissed! As for Mr. Smith Goes To Washington, if you like corn on celluloid, more power to you. I prefer mine on the cob! I leave you with Pauline Kael's quote: "No one else can balance the ups and downs of sentiment and corny humor the way Capra can - but if anyone else should learn to, kill him!"