Here's a List
Fine,I'm quoting from Declare again. The thing is, to me, the movies of the 50's, were in some ways tremendously good and broke ground for the 60's neo-realism (On The Waterfront, Marty, Sunset Boulevard, Night of The Hunter) while others were truly awful, even if they were awards winners. The Greatest Show On Earth? Really? And I'm sorry, but I thought almost every Biblical epic from this decade was awful-from Ben-Hur (oh, please) to King of kings to whatever that other Charlton Heston Biblical movie was. The only good thing I can say about it is that there was not the level of violence that there was in Mel Gibson's The passion of the Christ (horrifying in it's level of violence and depiction of Jews. For all of Christ's preaching to love everyone, this movie has remarkably little of that). However, the 50's did have some great movies, so here's a little list that will move us into the 60's and 70's (just as aside, I hated the movies of the 70's when I went to see them, but I've come to love them-one of the benefits of aging.). Also, the 50's had some great musicals, which shouldn't be missed, and some great Japanese samurai movies, which set the stage for about a zillion other movies.
So-don't miss (and I can't believe I didn't name this in my earlier post) Oklahoma-just about the most perfect movie musical made, unless you'd rather watch The King and I or Singin in the Rain or An American in Paris or The Bandwagon. I'd also put in Gigi and Guys and Dolls-although Guys and Dolls was made in 1962, it has a very 50's feel to it, as Does The Music Man from the same year. However, West Side Story is a different kettle of fish-it's clearly looking forward with a realistic eye, as opposed to the nostalgia of all the other musicals. West Side Story is firmly planted in the NOW of 1962. There are other good movies from the 50's-Rear Window comes from this time, and so does North by Northwest, Bridge on the River Kwai and All About Eve. The African Queen (lightweight but very entertaining) Harvey (ditto) and Night of the Hunter (truly creepy). And let's not forget that Rashomon, the Seven Samurai AND Nights of Cabiria all came form this decade and are all great movies-it's actually pretty easy to determine the good from the bad in the 50's-the crap is pretty obvious.
As for the 60's...things get more problematic. The neo-realism and French New-wave movement brought a lot of imitators out of the woodwork, most of whom were NOT as talented as Truffaut or Fellini and instead made movies that looked intelligent or clever or "modern" but in reality were awful. I'm looking at you, The Grasshopper, Zabriskie Point and Last Year in Marienbad-all movies (and yes, two were in 1970, but clearly rooted in the 60's). All trying to be hip, or nihilistic or meaningless (like life, yes, we get it) but ended up just being annoying. But again, there were some great movies-a few tremendous epics like Lawrence of Arabia (Peter O'Toole was truly beautiful) or My Fair Lady (rooted in the 50's but still fabulous), an heroic lawyer (Gregory Peck in To Kill a Mockingbird, one the great decent men in film), a couple of paranoid thrillers (The Manchurian Candidate and Seven Days in May), and some great period stuff-A Man For All Seasons and Beckett (another beautiful Peter O'Toole) are wonderful. And I've heard people insult The Lion in Winter-but I loved it, along with Cool Hand Luke Butch Cassidy, The Candidate, and The Graduate. And to me, this was the decade where Fellini came into his own (La Dolce Vita, Juliet of the Spirits) but please don't talk to me about Truffaut or Antonioni because I've never seen the appeal. I appreciate them for taking film in a new direction, but they have a lot to answer for all the idiots who took what they did and made it worse-and it was annoying in their hands, let alone with someone else doing it. however, I do reserve the right to change my opinion-it could happen. Also, in Cold Blood came out and so did The Hustler, In The Heat of the Night and To Sir, With Love-this is NOT a great movie, full of cliched characters and it's a little too pat. But it's it's worth it just to see Sidney Poitier's star power and to watch Lulu sing the song at the end-that gets me every time. Please don't mention Stanley Kubrick to me-I know many people think he's genius (and I'll give him Dr. Strangelove) but I hate all his other movies. 2001 was stupid (I walked out of it not once, but twice and I had PAID to see it. although I heard it was better if you were high which I never was when I saw it). I may even give him Spartacus just for the "I am Spartacus" part and A Clockwork Orange just because because I really like the fact that you are forced to root for the evil guy to become evil again, just for the triumph of being who you are over the brainwashing of the state-it may be twisted, but I like it. But everything else is a nightmare-Barry Lyndon (I fell asleep, just like a did during Close Encounters-and I LIKE science fiction), The Shining-this was NOT a scary movie. The book terrified me (only The Exorcist was scarier) and this movie was stupid. Butch Cassidy was scarier than this-you want a scary movie? Watch Night of the Hunter or In Cold Blood-those are scary. Also, I've heard that Steven King hates this version, but is contractually obligated not talk about it in public-and I can't say I'm surprised. if I had written a great haunted house book, with shades of child abuse, alcoholism and a desire for power and it got turned into THIS, I would have been pissed. The made-for -TV version is much better.
Sorry-I got off topic, but Kubrick is a sore point with me (Eyes Wide Shut, anyone? Yeah, I didn't think so). He made his rep on maybe one movie and coasted on the rest-at least he was true to the message of the book of A Clockwork Orange, which is the most I can say for him.
No, I haven't mentioned any Westerns-go see The Searchers or The Magnificent Seven or The Good, The Bad and the Ugly (if only for the music). High Plains Drifter is okay but The Mark of Zorro with Tyrone Power shouldn't be missed. Did I forget The Ghost and Mrs Muir? Laura? The Battle of Algiers? Yes, they are different and yes, I'm skipping around now...
Next up: the Seventies! In which I am confused by One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, irritated by Nashville (which I have grown to love) and am charmed by Heaven can Wait (this is a great movie).
Am still slogging through Rubicon-but MSU plays in the NCAA Hockey championship tomorrow night and that has my attention right now....
Next up: The 70's!
So-don't miss (and I can't believe I didn't name this in my earlier post) Oklahoma-just about the most perfect movie musical made, unless you'd rather watch The King and I or Singin in the Rain or An American in Paris or The Bandwagon. I'd also put in Gigi and Guys and Dolls-although Guys and Dolls was made in 1962, it has a very 50's feel to it, as Does The Music Man from the same year. However, West Side Story is a different kettle of fish-it's clearly looking forward with a realistic eye, as opposed to the nostalgia of all the other musicals. West Side Story is firmly planted in the NOW of 1962. There are other good movies from the 50's-Rear Window comes from this time, and so does North by Northwest, Bridge on the River Kwai and All About Eve. The African Queen (lightweight but very entertaining) Harvey (ditto) and Night of the Hunter (truly creepy). And let's not forget that Rashomon, the Seven Samurai AND Nights of Cabiria all came form this decade and are all great movies-it's actually pretty easy to determine the good from the bad in the 50's-the crap is pretty obvious.
As for the 60's...things get more problematic. The neo-realism and French New-wave movement brought a lot of imitators out of the woodwork, most of whom were NOT as talented as Truffaut or Fellini and instead made movies that looked intelligent or clever or "modern" but in reality were awful. I'm looking at you, The Grasshopper, Zabriskie Point and Last Year in Marienbad-all movies (and yes, two were in 1970, but clearly rooted in the 60's). All trying to be hip, or nihilistic or meaningless (like life, yes, we get it) but ended up just being annoying. But again, there were some great movies-a few tremendous epics like Lawrence of Arabia (Peter O'Toole was truly beautiful) or My Fair Lady (rooted in the 50's but still fabulous), an heroic lawyer (Gregory Peck in To Kill a Mockingbird, one the great decent men in film), a couple of paranoid thrillers (The Manchurian Candidate and Seven Days in May), and some great period stuff-A Man For All Seasons and Beckett (another beautiful Peter O'Toole) are wonderful. And I've heard people insult The Lion in Winter-but I loved it, along with Cool Hand Luke Butch Cassidy, The Candidate, and The Graduate. And to me, this was the decade where Fellini came into his own (La Dolce Vita, Juliet of the Spirits) but please don't talk to me about Truffaut or Antonioni because I've never seen the appeal. I appreciate them for taking film in a new direction, but they have a lot to answer for all the idiots who took what they did and made it worse-and it was annoying in their hands, let alone with someone else doing it. however, I do reserve the right to change my opinion-it could happen. Also, in Cold Blood came out and so did The Hustler, In The Heat of the Night and To Sir, With Love-this is NOT a great movie, full of cliched characters and it's a little too pat. But it's it's worth it just to see Sidney Poitier's star power and to watch Lulu sing the song at the end-that gets me every time. Please don't mention Stanley Kubrick to me-I know many people think he's genius (and I'll give him Dr. Strangelove) but I hate all his other movies. 2001 was stupid (I walked out of it not once, but twice and I had PAID to see it. although I heard it was better if you were high which I never was when I saw it). I may even give him Spartacus just for the "I am Spartacus" part and A Clockwork Orange just because because I really like the fact that you are forced to root for the evil guy to become evil again, just for the triumph of being who you are over the brainwashing of the state-it may be twisted, but I like it. But everything else is a nightmare-Barry Lyndon (I fell asleep, just like a did during Close Encounters-and I LIKE science fiction), The Shining-this was NOT a scary movie. The book terrified me (only The Exorcist was scarier) and this movie was stupid. Butch Cassidy was scarier than this-you want a scary movie? Watch Night of the Hunter or In Cold Blood-those are scary. Also, I've heard that Steven King hates this version, but is contractually obligated not talk about it in public-and I can't say I'm surprised. if I had written a great haunted house book, with shades of child abuse, alcoholism and a desire for power and it got turned into THIS, I would have been pissed. The made-for -TV version is much better.
Sorry-I got off topic, but Kubrick is a sore point with me (Eyes Wide Shut, anyone? Yeah, I didn't think so). He made his rep on maybe one movie and coasted on the rest-at least he was true to the message of the book of A Clockwork Orange, which is the most I can say for him.
No, I haven't mentioned any Westerns-go see The Searchers or The Magnificent Seven or The Good, The Bad and the Ugly (if only for the music). High Plains Drifter is okay but The Mark of Zorro with Tyrone Power shouldn't be missed. Did I forget The Ghost and Mrs Muir? Laura? The Battle of Algiers? Yes, they are different and yes, I'm skipping around now...
Next up: the Seventies! In which I am confused by One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, irritated by Nashville (which I have grown to love) and am charmed by Heaven can Wait (this is a great movie).
Am still slogging through Rubicon-but MSU plays in the NCAA Hockey championship tomorrow night and that has my attention right now....
Next up: The 70's!
posted by SHbookworm at 10:04 PM
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