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Post by The Curmudgeon on Oct 23, 2007 1:42:25 GMT 2
I can't remember who said it, whether it was about a book or a film or an album (it's nice to see I do research for these threads, isn't it?), but I always remember this quote: "you know you've made a classic when people pretend to have seen it."
And I see that a LOT. People pretending to love a band or a book or a film when they've only the most passing interest and are trying to look intelligent or "deep."
We have none of that sort of thing going on here, of course, because I'd like to think the Loyal Dwellers have significant and varied enough tastes to be able to 'fess up to missing out on a few genre classics. I know I certainly haven't seen a lot of films you're "supposed" to have seen, not through any deliberate choice or anything, but here's a quick hands up confession time..
The Curmudgeon has never seen..
The Godfather Trilogy.
It's true - I've never seen ANY of them - at all. I don't know why.. maybe 'cos gangster films, while I do enjoy them when I watch them, just really aren't my bag at all. And its even more tragic because my dad lent me the boxset about six months ago and its just sat there gathering dust. Hey - sue me.
Blade Runner
I've documented this before, but I thought it was such a glaring error (more so, for me, than the likes of The Godfather - this is a sci-fi standard, for God's sake!) To my credit, I did try and watch it - twice - but both times the video's were screwed. With the release of the new DC DVD however, this blot on my movie C.V will change.
Italian Job
It seems people can't talk or write about this film without using THAT phrase (which I won't) and maybe that's what's put me off in the past.
Haven't seen the remake either, but if I were to watch one it would be the original.
I think I've done my bit now, so before you lose all respect in me why not share some of your more philistine-esque moments?
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Post by trashcanman on Oct 23, 2007 9:22:29 GMT 2
I failed to sit through all of the 2nd Godfather film and have heard such bad things about the 3rd that I never bothered. But seriously, man, the original is a great FILM. Forget whether or not you like gangster flicks, "The Godfather" is an absolute must. As for me, I've pretty much knocked out most of the must-sees thanks to Netflix, which pretty much rules my life these days. I will say, however, that I've never seen any version of "Phantom of the Opera". It's the reading department that really gives me fits, though. I just can't find the peace and quiet necessary to enjoy a good book these days. I've never read "The Shining" and many other King novels that I know I should have and Shakespeare's "Hamlet" is still a mystery to me.
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Post by InvisibleWolfMan on Oct 24, 2007 22:09:31 GMT 2
Let's see....
I haven't seen
THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL I want to, though...that'll change soon enough.
FORBIDDEN PLANET I've seen a small chunk, actually but it was about 5 minutes.
RAGING BULL
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Post by The Curmudgeon on Oct 25, 2007 0:46:55 GMT 2
You know what's bad? I've had The Day The Earth Stood Still sitting on my shelf for about a year and a half - and I haven't watched it yet...
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Post by CW on Nov 2, 2007 10:16:34 GMT 2
Curmy, by not seeing The Godfather (1 and 2 at least) you're missing out on the two finest films ever made. Blade Runner also makes my top 20 films of all time at least... Have you not seen Citizen Kane, Seven Samurai, White Heat, The Seventh Seal, Fantasia or Casablanca either?
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Post by The Curmudgeon on Nov 2, 2007 19:25:29 GMT 2
Calum - you're not the first to tell me about The Godfather and how great it is. It's always been on my Must Get list.. I just haven't got it yet. But the boxset is down to a pretty decent price now, so who knows?
As for your "have you seen" list - let's see... no, no, no, no, no and yes. I mean - no. I think Casablanca has been so endlessly parodied and imitated I could never see it and still know everything that happens in it. Fantasia looks nice but dull and Citizen Kane is one of those films I've been keen to get a hold of for ages. Then I finally got it (on VIDEO, gaah) as part of a University assignment. And that was it - because I HAD to watch it I DIDN'T watch it and just winged the answer - and still passed. White Heat isn't something I'm deseprate to see, to be honest - top of the list, ma - it ain't.
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Post by trashcanman on Nov 3, 2007 7:23:01 GMT 2
"Seven Samurai" is often held up as the ultimate "what TO do" film to watch for aspiring filmmakers. Any Akira Kurosawa film is a must-see though. My personal favorite: "Rashomon". Toshiro Mifune puts 99% of Western actors to shame, too.
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Post by Benjamin Haines on Dec 20, 2007 12:39:36 GMT 2
None of y'all have any reason to feel bad for anything you haven't seen. Here's three little films that I have never in my life had the occasion of viewing. What were they called again? Oh yes, I believe they were...
Star Wars
The Empire Strikes Back
Return of the Jedi
And you want to know what's especially sad about that? I have seen the prequel films.
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Post by The Curmudgeon on Dec 20, 2007 20:39:49 GMT 2
Wow... well, that IS a surprise coming from you. I mean, if you had been some regular schmo on some other site I could have understood it but ... well, I'm speechless.
So.. uh, any reason you haven't seen the original trilogy but you've seen the God-awful first movies?
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Post by Benjamin Haines on Dec 20, 2007 22:02:40 GMT 2
Wow... well, that IS a surprise coming from you. I mean, if you had been some regular schmo on some other site I could have understood it but ... well, I'm speechless. So.. uh, any reason you haven't seen the original trilogy but you've seen the God-awful first movies? I first saw The Phantom Menace when my dad took me to see it at the cineplex at the age of ten. I remember liking it then. I saw most of it again on TV a couple years ago and it was like seeing a whole different movie. Not even any nostalgic value, just mind-numbing. And then the other two prequels I've seen on DVD at friends' houses on different occasions. Attack of the Clones was stupid, but Revenge of the Sith seemed pretty cool aside from some hokey plot holes. I've known of the original trilogy for the longest time, and like you with Casablanca I can pretty much describe everything that happens in them without having actually seen them. But the fact that they've only been available in Lucas' edited "special" editions has made me not even want to bother watching them whenever I had the chance. I know that Lucas just recently released the original unedited versions on DVD, but from what I hear, the quality is very lackluster, and coming from the very capable Lucas you know that's intentional. I don't know. I do want to see them, but until the right means of viewing them comes along I think there's plenty of other things to do and movies to see in the meantime. I would have thought that Lucas would release some elaborate 97-disc boxset this year which would include the restored versions of the unedited originals to commemorate the 30th anniversary, but I guess not. |
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Post by trashcanman on Dec 20, 2007 23:53:52 GMT 2
Hm. Maybe youth is not all it's cracked up to be after all. You've missed out, but I respect your decision to wait until that idiot Lucas gets it right to experience the original trilogy.
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