Thought it would be fun to revisit older movies.

I have noticed in the past, some people finds it cumbersome to read my reviews for older movies in the My Movie Review thread.

With that in mind, I thought it might be nice to have a home for any movie reviews for movie prior to 1980s.

Come in one and all, and share your thoughts!

Cheers

P.S.

I have since update this to Pre 2000's... Apparently, not so many old uncle like me on this forum....

P.S.S.

Rebranding this thread. For reviews of movies that is not current, but deserving of mentioning/Attention.

If you have a better idea for the title, please let me know

Cheers

This post has been edited by Mov_freak: May 26 2020, 05:50 PM

Desk Set (1957)

Most of you know that I'm kinda a movie freak.

Some of you might know that I actually also like OLD movies.

Case in point Desk Set (1957).

I believe I first watched this on Australia TV...

Two things about this movie stand out for me

1) The undeniable Spencer Tracy & Katharine Hepburn.

2) One of the very first movie from Hollywood which feature a (drum roll) computer!!

Some of you might know Spencer Tracy & Katharine Hepburn. Their on/off screen romance was the stuff of legend (Spencer Tracy was a married man and a devout Catholic, but his affair with Katharine Hepburn is practically known by everyone in Hollywood. Katharine Hepburn was by all account a strong and independent woman, but when it come to Spencer Tracy... Ain't love... weird...

Now computers in 1957 were very mysterious items.

1) They were huge (a computer, back then, will less computing power than, lets say our pocket calculator, were the size of a class room)
2) They needed punch card for data input (If you know what score cards are, or card that you used for presentation, wait, you guys know used Power Point and have no idea what I mean, right!!?
3) They were amazingly sensitive!!

On the topic of computers, I believe I have mention this before, in the 1960s, scientist told computer hardware engineers, if the engineers can provide to them 64K of memory, scientist would be able to solve WORLD PROBLEMS!!!!

Guess what, we are now in the age of petabyte (1,000,000,000,000,000 bytes) and we have even more WORLD ISSUES then in the 1960s...

But I digress

This movie is pretty good. A lite RomCom if you must.

Richard Sumner (Spencer Tracy) is a computer engineer, hired by a big company to put the latest in computing wonder into the company's resource center which provide information to anyone who calls them (think 1960 Google, but you have to call this number, ask you question, and then wait for the researcher to call you back with the answer!! Sometimes it takes them MONTHS to get back to you.)

Bunny Watson (Katharine Hepburn) run the resource department and is concern that the machine is here to take her colleague's and her job away...

But the computer engineer is just so darn engaging!!

I like this movie, the technical stuff was right on the money and Spencer Tracy & Katharine Hepburn were at the top of their game!!

If you like RomCom and you like OLD movie (1980s movies are NOT old!!) give this a go

My Two Sen

This post has been edited by Mov_freak: Jan 3 2014, 11:00 PM

i think ive watched the famous ones, such as Star Wars's, The Godfather's, Psycho, Kurosawa's, Bruce Lee's and few horrors ones. not many, probably around 25 titles overall.

Please put your reviews here. Would love to hear you thoughts on those. Especially the Kurosawa's stuff. Me, I've got 236 Shaw brothers Martial Arts movies to go through... (1965 to 1986)... Not sure if I post all the reviews here... Don't think there is a big readership here for these movies...

Indeed need to have a productive time management to watch so alot of movies.

I actually need some reliable peoples who could shares similarities taste in movies. So i can 'skip' and delay some overrated movies behind until i could spaced out my mood and timing for it.

I don't digging much about B&W motion pictures. But Master of Filmmaker like Alfred Hitchcock and Akira Kurosawa are the interesting person to get me started to the history of filmmaking.

We can see how the conversation was made last time especially in intense scenes and storytelling pace and patterns of the scenarios.

And for enthusiast low-budget filmmaker can wisely study oldtimes film-making which is delivery well without dedicated on heavy CG-making. This is part of the reason, i visiting old films to dig the essential of a successful filmwork.

Alfred Hitchcock got tons of filmworks. If i am going to revisit a few of them. I will pick up 'Vertigo' for its Suspension Mood, 'North by Northwest' of its Romantic Thriller.

'Lifeboat' and '39 Steps' are on my waiting list.

I actually like the Character design found from Akira Kurosawa Samurai movies.
'Yojimbo' would be my personal favourite over '7 Samurai'. Probably i got more excited to see the one man show.

Rashomon is a good one too for the intelligent twisted storyline. 'Ikiru' is too slow-paced for my patience only near the ending i finally could benefit some important message from it.

Around 10 Akira Kurosawa movies are on my waiting list. Some of them, i took a quick glance and leave it behind for the right mood.
Watch this now before it will be removed.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j2xOiWldGKI

I just wanted to share 'Making of Yojimbo' which i watched only a week ago. It is removed the minute i am checking it out.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

For horror/thriller- Onibaba(1964), Impressive atmosphere.
Sci-Fiction - Jack Arnold The Incredible Shrinking man (1957).
Drama - 12 Angry Men (1957)
Family Drama - It's a Wonderful Life.

That's it for now until my brain can squeeze out for a little more.

the only i remember- fright night- the dracula movie

haha just watched "its a wonderful life" 1946 and "miracle on 34th street" 1947 on christmas day itself both are the finest christmas movies ever made in the 20th century

dinodog_Jr

> Indeed need to have a productive time management to watch so alot of movies.

True that...

> Alfred Hitchcock got tons of filmworks. If i am going to revisit a few of them. I will pick up 'Vertigo' for its Suspension Mood, 'North by Northwest' of its Romantic Thriller.

'Lifeboat' and '39 Steps' are on my waiting list.

I'm a huge Alfred Hitchcock fan and have watched Lifeboat (1944), and thought the script is quite cleverly constructed but for some odd reason have not posted my reviews at My Alfred Hitchcock Movie Reviews

>I actually like the Character design found from Akira Kurosawa Samurai movies.
'Yojimbo' would be my personal favourite over '7 Samurai'

Am also a huge fan of Kurosawa. I like 7 Samurai, and most people have watched this movie but they do not know it (eg alot of western movies had emulated this movie, including Star Wars). If Japan horror is what you crave, try Kwaidan (1964)

Please comeback often

This post has been edited by Mov_freak: Jan 6 2014, 10:26 PM

Fright Night (1985), is a B movie, and have to add, it has alot of heart (not to be confused with it's remake), so much so it is considered a classic now.

I too, like this movie alot.

Both movies I like alot!!

Believe it or not, I'd watched the newer Miracle on 34th Street (1994, with Richard Attenborough, Elizabeth Perkins and Dylan McDermott [who showed... too much of himself in American Horror Story ]) first and then discovered it's classic counterpart.

Another interesting note, did you know that there is a colorised version of the It's A Wonderful Life? It was recently release on Bluray. Another interesting note is that I actually recommended this movie to a Christian friend of mine (2012 Christmas), and for some odd reason, he and his family had never watched this movie before and it has now become a Christmas viewing for them!!

This post has been edited by Mov_freak: Jan 5 2014, 09:04 PM

wake in fright have cult following

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wake_in_Fright

Wake in Fright (also known as Outback) is a 1971 Australian-American thriller film directed by Ted Kotcheff and starring Gary Bond, Donald Pleasence and Chips Rafferty. The screenplay was written by Evan Jones, based on Kenneth Cook's 1961 novel of the same name.

Made on a budget of A$800,000, the film was an Australian/American co-production by NLT Productions and Group W. Wake in Fright tells the story of a young schoolteacher who descends into personal moral degradation after finding himself stranded in a brutal, menacing town in outback Australia.

For many years, Wake in Fright enjoyed a reputation as Australia's great "lost film" because of its unavailability on VHS or DVD, as well as its absence from television broadcasts. In mid-2009, however, a thoroughly restored digital re-release was shown in Australian theatres to considerable acclaim. Later that same year it was issued commercially on DVD and Blu-ray Disc. Wake in Fright is now recognised as a seminal film of the Australian New Wave.[3] Australian musician and screenwriter Nick Cave called Wake in Fright "The best and most terrifying film about Australia in existence."[4]

John Grant is a middle-class teacher from the big city. He feels disgruntled because of the onerous terms of a financial bond which he signed with the government in return for receiving a tertiary education. The bond has forced him to accept a post to the tiny school at Tiboonda, a remote township in the arid Australian Outback. It is the start of the Christmas school holidays and Grant plans on going to Sydney to visit his girlfriend but first, however, he must travel by train to the nearby mining town of Bundanyabba (known as “The Yabba”) in order to catch a Sydney-bound flight.

At "The Yabba", Grant encounters several disconcerting residents including a policeman, Jock Crawford, who encourages Grant to drink repeated glasses of beer before introducing him to the local obsession with the gambling game of two-up. Hoping to win enough money to pay off his bond and escape his "slavery" as an outback teacher, Grant at first has a winning streak playing two-up but then loses all his cash. Unable now to leave "The Yabba", Grant finds himself dependent on the charity of bullying strangers while being drawn into the crude and hard-drinking lifestyle of the town's residents.

Grant reluctantly goes drinking with a resident named Tim Hynes (Al Thomas) and goes to Tim's house. Here he meets Tim's daughter, Janette. While he and Janette talk, several men who have gathered at the house for a drinking session question Grant's masculinity, asking: “What's the matter with him? He'd rather talk to a woman than drink beer.” Janette then tries to initiate an awkward sexual episode with Grant, who vomits. Grant finds refuge of a sort, staying at the shack of an alcoholic medical practitioner known as "Doc" Tydon. Doc tells him that he and many others have had sex with Janette. He also gives Grant pills from his medical kit, ostensibly to cure Grant's hangover.

Later, a drunk Grant participates in a barbaric kangaroo hunt with Doc and Doc's friends d*** and Joe. The hunt culminates in Grant clumsily stabbing a wounded kangaroo to death, followed by a pointless drunken brawl between d*** and Joe and the vandalizing of a bush pub. At night's end, Grant returns to Doc's shack, where Doc apparently initiates a homosexual encounter between the two.[5]

A repulsed Grant leaves the next morning and walks across the desert. He tries to hitch-hike to Sydney, but accidentally boards a truck that takes him straight back to "The Yabba". He contemplates shooting Doc, but instead attempts suicide. Grant recovers in hospital from his suicide attempt and Doc sees him off at "The Yabba's" rail station. He returns to Tiboonda for the new school year.



bonus. collecting non mainstream movie now, especially silent and black and white movies

Wow, really amazing collection as you stated off the usual mainstream stuff.

Good review for Wake in Fright. Will try to look for it.

I'll always wonder what the Valley of the Dolls is all about

Any possibility of a review here?

I have all of Basil Rathbone's Sherlock Holmes, admittedly the The Hound of the Baskervilles (1939) is the only one that is faithfully adapted from Arthur Conan Doyle material. The rest are at best... pseudo Arthur Conan Doyle, taking place during the 1930s...

Recently alot of Vincent Price stuff were made available on HD, namely

The Abominable Dr. Phibes (1971)

This is a really REALLY weird movie. The motivation for Dr. Phibes is really mystery until the and and using the word abominable to describe Dr. Phibes is apt!! The way he handles his victims demise are gruesome....

Pit and the Pendulum (1961)

This is adapted from Edgar Allen Poe's story called... Pit and the Pendulum. I'm always surprise by how celebrated Edgar Allen Poe's works are in the States. They are really macabre... Having said that, I do always enjoy The Simpson's Bart's storytelling of Edgar Allen Poe stuff in their Halloween specials!! Again, Vincent Price speciliase in the weird and this movie is weird to the max!! B movie mind you but amazingly weird!!

House of Wax (1953)

This movie was made to highlight the wonders of 3D in the movie. I have watched this a couple of times and is most surprise to find that Charles Bronson plays the romantic male lead!! I keep expecting him to shoot something, but he doesn't...

All camp fun stuff!!

Also watch the original The Haunting (1963) Mov_freak's The Haunting (1963) Review a few months back

I am actually hoping that they would release all of William Castle's stuff on HD, namely
House on Haunted Hill 1959
The Tingler 1959
13 Ghosts 1960
etc

I think I have most of Charlie Chaplin, Abbot and Costello and Marz Brothers stuff

What I really REALLY hope would eventually be lease on HD is Cecil B DeMille's The Ten Commandment (1923) (The Silent Movie version, not the one with Charleston Heston)

You come back here often you hear

This post has been edited by Mov_freak: Jan 11 2014, 10:31 PM

If you guys don't mind a little suggestion to keep this movie thread more interesting to revisit and digging the goldmine.

Be courage and share your personal point of view in the certain movies that gave you impact or delicate messages.

Please don't paste wiki material or elsewhere reviews to voice out for you. I believed if a good movie is miracle well-done. You sure can find at least one of two points to share out what is linger in your mind for a while or even for years.

Else this thread would just be another 'google search compilation' or 'Hey watch this Casablanca! It's romantic...A very beautifully romance.

A quick note is not helpful in recommendation.

I believed this is why such thread is being created to gather peoples who could identify some interesting movies by their own research and sharing to others as well.

MovFreak,

I am still watching the Kwaidan Japanese Horror movie. Finished 3 stories so far. It's a 3 hours length movie! This had been a fresh sensation in watching an old-times horror movie. I appreciated the breakthrough of their art direction though. Seriously i love the traditional instrumental background music. So eerie and perfectly matched the motion picture! Much.. much extraordinary atmosphere than modern days over-abuse with loudness effect to buy shocks from audiences... 10 years in planning this movie production!

And Thanks for showing your personal review on so alot Alfred Hitchcock movies in another thread. I need some effort to digest!

Right now i will clear up some 'modern times' movies first.

P/s: I never watch Casablanca.. Ahhhh~ Only read out that's the most intelligent movie scriptwriting ever produced in Hollywood.

Sorry i just introduced a very popular classic movie as well now.~

dinodog_Jr

I'm glad you enjoy!!

Kwaidan (1964)

This is probably one of the most... haunting movie I have ever watched!

There are a total of 4 short stories that I would rename as

1) There is no fury like a woman scorned, even if you are a Samurai!! I believe this movie influence more modern movies like Nang-Nak (1999) (Thai). It is able to built up the suspense and then the reveal. My favorite story of the four.

2) For Pete's sake, keep you promise. This story is actually a retelling of Japanese folklore. I also believe this is the exact story for the Hong Kong movie Golden Swallow (1987) with Cherie Chung. If only us men, can learn to keep our mouths shut!! Life would be wonderful....

3) Like applying suntan lotion and insect repellent, do NOT miss a spot!! This is a spooking story, and visually memorable. I remember a snapshot of this short was used as the cover for the Laserdisc. Not for the faint hearted. I also believe this movie inspired movie like Shaw Brother's (who borrowed heavily from Japan) Hex (1980) which is actually a retelling of the French movie Les Diaboliques (1955, which is based on the french novel Celle qui n'était plus, by Pierre Boileau and Thomas Narcejac).

4) Conscience is a bit©h. So much so that you cannot even have a drink without panicking...

The Japanese, especially their 50s and 60s stuff was made with alot of artistry.

This is a very visually stunning movie, even to date.

My Two Sen

This post has been edited by Mov_freak: Jan 11 2014, 11:27 PM

** Deleted **

This post has been edited by Mov_freak: Jan 11 2014, 11:27 PM

lol want to tarik ppl.. <--- smiley from one of the trackers

never know the hound of the baskerville is one of the Basil Rathbone's collection. is it part of the Sherlock Holmes collection?

I havent got to watch some of the movie yet.

here's some sypnosis of The Rifleman of the Voroshilov Regiment (1999)
nice movie and have dramatic ending
https://forum.lowyat.net/index.php?showtopic=3082517&hl=

here's the sypnosis of Valley of the Dolls
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valley_of_the_Dolls





i am not sure which movie is campy .

can u share the camp movie u watch? and whats ur favorite?


I have several non mainstream movie english and non english as well after 1980 till today.

I will be collecting silent film, screwball comedy and black and white movie. i am into it more.
Specially movies by Marion Davies. I am avid fan of hers.

She's talented and is very funny. One of the most gorgeous actress in her era

She's one of some of the successful and talented actress who transition from silent film to talkies (early sound era of black and white movie with sound and dialogue post silent film). She dont like black and white sound film though coz she has slight stutter. But look at her amazing acting during talkies era





lol she spoof some of the actress in the era





she has been portrayed by several actress in many movies like Citizen Kane including Kirsten Dunst in Cat's Meow. KD is talented actress too, and she almost hit life like of Marion's on screen and off screen character







you know what, I never watch Citizen Kane before. I always thought it was overrated and there might be something off as i have "feeling" that I would never want or have to mood to get to watch the movie, whenever I want to watch it, I feel "meh" Its like I have 6th sense something in the movie is off.

Till recently , this week when i got to watch - Captured on Film - The true story of Marion Davies - narrated by Charlize Theron







Then I know why . Citizen Kane is base on/depicting the life of William Randolph Hearst and Marion Davies (his mistress) falsify the true life of both of them. What an insult to her. Yet the movie make it big and brain wash all ppl who watch it thinking Marion Davies is that in nature..

one of the part is In the biography docu - True story of Marion Davies, William always protected Marion and would never let her spiral down into alcoholism, but Citizen Kane tells it differently

It wasnt justified ... no movie will ever justify the life of Marion Davies.. she should deserve better.

She is kind and nice as well, help a kid who sells news paper in the street to get into the set and become an actor

http://www.decofilms.com/mariondavies/biography.htm



I hope everyone who watched Citizen Kane got to know her more and got watch The true story of Marion Davies .

I will never watch Citizen Kane. F you Orson Welles




This post has been edited by supermoto: Jan 12 2014, 01:13 AM

The Lady from Shanghai (1947)

It turns out, of all the classic movies I have watched, I rarely watched Columbia's stuff. I believe today it the first time I have watched a movie with... Rita Hayworth!!

Madonna actually got it right:



This is the first time I watched this movie and it is interesting!

I really don't know Orson Welles materials well.

He and Rita Hayworth apparently were married when this was made.

Rita Hayworth was Columbia's biggest star and Orson Welles previous movie, Citizen Kane (1941) did not do so well.

Because of Rita Hayworth, This movie got made, and it did not make any money when it was first release. But, since then it is consider a very good example of what Film Noir is!!

Story is interesting, although a little strange.

Alot had been written about the ending of the movie, but for me, I think the Courtroom scene is the money shot!!

They REALLY do not make movies like they use to.

If you like mystery and film noir, give this a go.

My Two Sen.

supermoto Marion Davies had stunning eyes.

I wonder if her material have survive to date and whether any studios/distributors are willing to give them a HD transfer/remaster....

Quoting from Little Britain:

hey man...this 2 will sap all your old skool movie mentality over 2 the next level easily

this was the first ever classic movie discovery which made me dig in 4 more black and while silent hollywood and over 2 talkies

may i present 2 you *drum roll* tada





this 2 piece of hollywood history will always be the most significant grandeur ever made in the 20th century

DW griffith will always be the godfather of all hollywood directors that is 6 hours of epicness that will never be seen again

i will die very happy death if this 2 piece gets the bluray treatment and sound remastering

This post has been edited by skylinelover: Mar 23 2014, 11:00 AM

Die Nibelungen: Siegfried (1924)


Now for something completely different.

This is probably one of Fritz Lang best known work (the other being Metropolis (1927))

They are silent movies... (for you young'un, the first movies were silent. They have not really figured out how to record sound, or more specifically, how to synchronize sound with moving picture.)

This is a fantasy movie, with Dragons (the highlight of the movie. A 60 feet mechanical dragon was made for this movie), people with special powers (Siegfried is super strong, invincible and can turn invisible and shape shift).

This is a full restoration.

Note that this movie is 89 years old.

There is no way the picture quality of this would compare to what we have now...

Having said that, as a 89 year old movie, It actually looks... good. Not as impressive as Metropolis (1927), but good.

What impress me most is the soundtrack. Let me explain, Silent movie we almost always accompanied by an orchestra. They would play music and product "sound effects" in synch with the movie.

What the restores did (and this is impressive) as to go back into the archive and look for the original score, and did a modern recording of the said score for the restored movie. Now THAT is dedication!!

Many works from the silent era is fast disappearing.

They are either bio degrading in storage somewhere or is lost completely (even Willis H. O'Brien stuff. He is Ray Harryheusen teacher/mentor).

There isn't much funding to restore them and I suppose, there really is not much demand for said movies (with some exception, like Charlie Chaplin)

This movie is NOT for everyone, but if you are into black & white and silent movie, you cannot go wrong with this!

Bring on Nosferatu (1922)!!!

My Two Sen.

my few fav pre 1980's or 1960's movies are

12 angry man
double indemnity
good bad and ugly
rear window
judgement at nuremberg
to kill a mocking bird
vertigo
witness for prosecution
psycho
metropolis
Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb
seventh seal
7 samurais ,,,,

if you all movie freak and if u havnt watched the above movies i suggest u to watch it now...

This post has been edited by zachozoi: Mar 23 2014, 10:42 PM

zachozoi

12 angry man
double indemnity
good bad and ugly - Watched. When I was really young. Might have to revisit
rear window - Watched. One of my favorite Alfred Hitchcock. Do check out my Hitchcock Thread
judgement at nuremberg
to kill a mocking bird
vertigo - Watched. Another favorite Hitchcock movie.
witness for prosecution
psycho - Watched. Need I repeat?
metropolis (I think you mean Fritz Lang 1927 one) - Watched. I like this
Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb - Watched. A little too weird for me.
seventh seal
7 samurais - Watched

supermoto

>never know the hound of the baskerville is one of the Basil Rathbone's collection. is it part of the Sherlock Holmes collection?

Sorry for the late reply. Yes it is.

skylinelover

The Birth of a Nation (1915)

Intolerance: Love's Struggle Throughout the Ages (1916)

Wow, I have not watched any of these!! Will try and look for them.

If you like the above, you should look for

Greed (1924)

When Astro started in 1996, I was one of the early adopter.

Believe it or not, Astro then and now is REALLY different!!

There actually had MGM Classic, and I remember MGM had a silent movie marathon and Greed was one of the highlights!!

I miss Astro of yester-years... The programing was diversed! (As oppose to the current Homogenised Astro... )

Horror by decades 1920s

Der Golem: Wie Er In Die Welt Kam (aka The Golem: How He Came Into The World) (1920) [German]
Directors: Paul Wegener/ Carl Boese
Starring: Paul Wegener, Albert Steinrueck

Have not watched this but I want to. Have to locate a copy first...

Das Kabinett Des Doktor Caligari (aka The Cabinet of Dr Caligari) (1920) [German]
Director: Robert Weine
Starring: Werner Krauss, Conrad Veidt

I also have not watch this and am hoping to locate a copy...

Nosferatu, Eine Symponie Des Grauens (1922) [German]
Director: F.W. Murnau
Stariing: Max Schreck, Gustov von Wangenheim

This was release on bluray end of last year and looking at the age of the movie, I do not think we can ask for a better representation. Max Schreck will forever be associated with the role, so much so that in the year 2000, director E. Elias Merhige wrote a love letter to this movie in the form of a movie called Shadow of the Vampire starring John Malkovich, Willem Dafoe & Udo Kier. This really highlight how "progressive" German was towards this new medium Nickelodein, much much earlier compared to the Americans. Very haunting movie. If you do not find it haunting, it is because, it has been emulated so many times, you are just very familiar with the "style"

The Phantom of the Opera (1925) [US]
Director: Rupert Julian
Starring: Lon Chaney, Mary Philbin, Norman Kerry

I have this on DVD. A pretty good adaptation of Gaston Leroux book. Lon Chaney (the man with the thousand faces) is very convincing here as The Phantom. Alas, I believe the musical version is more popular (sexy? ) today.


Well, this is not a exhaustive list of horror movies from the 20s, just my little, wish list. Feel free to add your wish list. I'm hoping to find the time to do this decade by decade. Let's see if I manage that.

See yas at the movies

My Two Sen.

Anyone prefer watching world war 2 films from 1960's - 1970's?
Well, I got a few recommendations

1. Where Eagles Dare
Starring Richard Burton, Clint Eastwood in this major box office war films from the novelist "Alistair Maclean" (his story usually involve in heavy metal stuff)

2. The Guns of Navarone
Another Alistair Maclean masterpiece, which starring classic stars Gregory Peck, David Niven and many more joining in this adventure to blow up the big cannon located near the seas.

3. The Great Escape
An all star cast in this world war 2 prison break film of all time...! I think this is one of the very enjoyable ww2 film I have ever seen. The story is great, with many different characters rolls and Steve McQueen is the best on what he did. Also along the big casting are James Garner, Richard Attenborough, James Coburn, Charles Bronson and many more. A truly ww2 film based on the true story about the prisoner tries to escape from the war camp.

4. Kelly's Heroes
Clint Eastwood stars in this epic adventure ww2 film about stealing golds from the Nazis. The germans have tons of gold in a bank, with tigers tanks guarded too... And they are planning to get it on hand with the help of Donald Sutherland, which owns "Sherman" light tanks. A quite entertaining ww2 film with a sense of humour.

5. The Dirty Dozen[/i]
Well, what can I said about this? It's an all star cast film which includes Lee Marvin, Charles Bronson, John Cassevettes, Jim Brown, Richard Jaekel, Telly Savalas, Donald Sutherland, Clint Walker, Trini Lopez. Hmm, what could you ask for a ww2 film with all this big names stars together in a film? This film is often imitated, but never better than this! The story is quite simple, with Lee Marvin recruits the 12 members of prisoners who called "Dirty Dozen" to do on a dangerous mission.

Furthermore, there's lot more I have been watched, even a selected of italian macaroni ww2 combat film~

This post has been edited by Hartigan: Apr 2 2014, 03:27 PM

One flew over the cuckoo's nest anyone?

To Catch a Thief (1955)

This is an interesting Alfred Hitchcock movie, though not at the top of my Alfred Hitchcock must see list.

Why, because it actually DOES NOT INVOLVE MURDER!! (Yes, I am THAT macabre)

Cary Grant was thinking about retiring, and Hitchcock managed to talk him out of it to do this. (And after that to do North By Northwest)

Grace Kelly's last few works in Hollywood before she became Princess Grace!! She supposedly like the script to Marnie (1964) , but because of her duty to her adopted country and family, did not return to Hollywood to do that.

Lyn Murray (composer who scored this) introduced Bernard Herrmann to Hitchcock and they say, the rest is History.

I also would like to take a minute here to talk about Edith Head. I think in the Hollywood movie industry, she well know, not because he is the BEST costume designer around, but because she is the most "people oriented" designer at the time, which made her very popular amongst the stars!! The reason why I want to talk about her is that, Google her, find a picture of her. Does she look familiar? No?? Really? Not familiar at all? All I can say is Edna 'E' Mode (think The Incredibles (2004)) She is THAT well know in the movie industry, even Pixar paid Homage to her!!

Okay, sorry for my ramblings, back to the movie.

As stated above, not one of my favorite Hitchcock movie, though there are some interesting bits to it.

Cary Grant plays a retired "cat thief" who is living the life at the French Riviera.

Out of the blue the well to dos are losing their precious diamond collection one after another.

An insurance company representative H.H. Hughson, tracks down John Robie (Cary Grant) and requested him to find out who the "Cat" is and in the midst, John Robie meet up with a wealthy Jessie Stevens & and her daughter Frances Stevens (Grace Kelly)

While John Robie is trying to discover who the diamond thief is, Frances Stevens is trying to steal his heart!!

This is a rare thing for Hitchcock. Half of this movie was actually film on location (French Riviera) and the other half in the studio. Hitchcock HATES to film on location because of the lighting.

This movie also impress on us how Hitchcock alluded the censors. Back then he cannot show men or women in sexual context. What does he do, he has Grace Kelly wear a one piece swimsuit at the beach, rubbing sunscreen onto her skin! And when Cary Grant and Grace Kelly kisses, they then cut to a firework in the sky scene, letting the audience know that more is happening then meets the eye. I know they are sound rather tame by today's standards because these scene are copied to death, but back then, no one had done it before....

If you like Hitchcock stuff, you know who you are, watch this!!

My Two Sen

This post has been edited by Mov_freak: Apr 29 2014, 09:01 PM

Not yet, been meaning to get around to that...

Hartigan

1. Where Eagles Dare

I have not watch this

2. The Guns of Navarone

Or this

3. The Great Escape

I might have seen this

4. Kelly's Heroes

Might have also seen this

5. The Dirty Dozen[/i]

Maybe

Not really a fan of war movies...

Try 12 Angry Men. It's really good.

Thanks for the recommendation

NP. Hope you enjoy it.

12 angry men is my one of the a time fav

Got anyone watched "Cool Hand Luke" from Paul Newman's film?

Haha...nvr mind, just give some recommendations
Anyway, some of them nice, a must watched film like The Great Escape!

HAH! At least there are a few other folks in Malaysia who enjoy silent films!

For silent comedians' films, I really prefer Harold Lloyd and Buster Keaton, then Chaplin comes in next.

Harold Lloyd is famous for his "hanging on the clock hand" scene in the 1923 silent SAFETY LAST.
The way they staged it such that it looks as if he is realy climbing right to the top of the building was/is really clever.
And he made a myriad of other comedies (Girl Shy, Kid Brother, Freshman, Why Worry) that kids today would surely enjoy.
Not to mention his second lead lady in 6 films, Jobyna Ralston, was a real babe... you can't find such women today.

For Marion Davies silents, you can catch some of her films such as Little Old New York (where, to receive an inheritance, she poses as her dead brother in 18th century New York. This is a period piece and scenes look more like Europe than US) and The Patsy (a hilarious comedy where she is the unloved sister who eventually gets the man. A Warner Archives print - very good film quality, for its age) on DVD.

Patton
Bridge on River Kwai
Guns of Navarone
Gallipoli
The Dear Hunter
Das Boot

how about apocalypse now? make sure 2 watch redux cut yah.

hmm why no discussions on pre 80s action movies

these are my favourites (not including war and cowboy movies...those are not action movies 2 me even if there are great gun fight scenes)

1)bullit (first car chase ever in hollywood)
2)the french connection (all hail the only action movie ever 2 win best picture best director best leading actor best writing in the oscars...also the car chase is more sick like hell)
3)dirty harry and the next 2 sequels...the last 2 sequels in the 80s bore the crap out of me
4)the getaway (sam peckinpah first attempt in action movies)
5)the seven ups (from the makers of bullit and the french connection)
6)gone in 60 seconds
7)the killer elite
8)convoy (sam peckinpah final 70s movie all together)
9)the driver (walter hill first directorial work before become one of the best action directors ever)
10)enter the dragon and all the bruce lee hong kong works

not forgetting the italian job which is 100% british made haha

Mov_freak do you know any other pre-80s pre-schwarzenegger pre-stallone era movies 2 recommend? this month i going 2 turn back time 2 explore the action movies in pre-80s period. there wont be stallone and the expandables if it aint 4 these top pre-80s pick by me.

Happy Labour's Day everyone!

What?

You setting a TASK for me on Labour's day!!

Okay here goes.

Before Schwarzenegger and Stallone, action movies were much MUCH different.

Basically, no one man war!!

This is actually a tough question, every John Carpenter and Kurt Russell (I'm no longer Disney) Escape From New York was release on the world in 1981!!

The closes I examples I can give you are:

Steven Spielberg
Duel (1971)

Charles Bronson
Death Wish (1974)

Clint Eastwood
Escape from Alcatraz (1979)
The Gauntlet (1977)
The Enforcer (1976)
Magnum Force (1973)
Dirty Harry (1971)

Mix Bag
The Taking of Pelham One Two Three (1974)
The Towering Inferno (1974)
Earthquake (1974)
Airport 1975 (1974)
Airport (1970)

Hope this is helpful.

I watched apocalypse now many years ago, but what's the meaning of redux?

Pre-80's Stallone movies:-
- Rocky, Rocky 2 (1976)/(1979) film which makes him famous for his future career
- Death Race 2000 (1975) with legendary kung fu master David Carradine
Others more kinda of drama film likes F.I.S.T. (1978), Paradise Alley (1978), Capone (1975) and many more....

As far as I knew, there isn't any pre-80's schwarzenegger action films on that moment until Conan the Barbarian (1982) came out!

haha thanks

redux cut is like directors cut i think more scenes and longer than theatrical cut

haha yeah

hey thanks

Babarrella (1968)

Watch it on NETFLIX a while ago....really no idea it was some soft porn movie!!!! LOL.

Classic!!!!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barbarella_(film)

... With a name like this, I would have thought it is obvious!!

Topaz (1969)

Well, I have actually seen this before and had forgotten, and that is actually a good summary of the movie.

Most people believe this is the beginning of the end for the career of Hitchcock!

Things were changing around Hitchcock at this period in his life... The Studio system which he is very comfortable with was crashing around him. Hollywood was changing. America, his adopted country was changing. Film making was changing, and he was aging...

For me, these are the issues with the movie

1) The Subject matter, Cuban missile crisis... I really did not care much for the subject matter.

2) I have no issue with a director experimenting. Outside of the of Hitchcock English movie, this has the most European feel, and adding to that making a spy thriller, with actors who are actually very good, the characters are... almost alien, and not VERY relate-able.

3) After Torn Curtain (1966) and having alot of issues with it's stars Paul Newman & Julie Andrews, Hitchcock choose to use mainly European actors, who, outside of Europe is not very recognizable...

This movie was not well received, even when it was being previewed before the launch of the movie. The test card after the movie was really really bad, which cause the studio to go into a panic, and they pressured Hitchcock to make several alternate ending to the movie and none tested well... It is my personal opinion that the one that ended up in the movie were the worst of the lot. Cest La Vie...

Do not let my opinions to stop you from watching it.

It is a Hitchcock movie, and even a second tier Hitchcock movie is a good movie compared to most director's first tier movie!!

As always, My Two Sen.

no lah. i knew there's a Duran Duran song based on this movie, and its a scifi movie...just didnt know its a scifi porn movie...hahaha

In fact, Duran Duran based there band name on a character in this movie...Dr Durant Durant.

This post has been edited by Matrix: May 2 2014, 07:01 AM

Really? I thought they just liked the king of fruits.

Try Bridge over the River Kwai. I don't remember it much anymore but I remember I liked it.

My thoughts exactly!!

Again, not big on War movies, and have to add a little bit of historical fact to this. Melaka, being one of the oldest state in Malaysia, used to have a Train Station (The Brits built it.). During WWII, the rails for the said station were removed by the Japs and ship to Myanmar, to built The Bridge Over The River Kwai (actually Khwae Noi River).... So to date, at the center of Melaka City, there is still no train system.... Blood Japs....

Matrix

Thanks for that bit of trivia

Then how about Dirty Harry?

What would Dirty Harry say if he was a Potter (as in make pottery)?

Give up?

"Go ahead! BAKE my CLAY!!"

It's okay

haha nice review

check this out



this is the first movie 2 bring the whole studio system down 2 its death

conservative society got its taboo blown away with violent shoot out and gory bloody death

this one sparks the glory of bloody crime genre movies today

Oh...okay...I see

Family Plot (1976)

Alfred Hitchcock's last movie.

And... I like it!! I REALLY do!

After the two more European feel movies, Topaz (1969) & Frenzy (1972), Hitchcock's movies return to the States, namely San Francisco!!

It started with a little Agatha Christie and ended up, like Clue!! (Yes, the board game). I do not mean for it to sound like a put down. This movie is good!

No big stars attached and have to add, he got very good character actors for his roles, and they are good!! Barbara Harris's (Blanche Tyler) a RIOT!!

As dysfunction as the characters Blanche Tyler & George Lumley are, they really REALLY care for each other, and that is really sweet!! They really STEAL to show!!

A lot have been made off his more well know works, Rear Window (1954), North by North West (1959), Vertigo (1958) etc (the 50s was a golden age for Hitchcock), I have to say, the Master showed the world that in 1976, he is STILL the Master of Suspense!!

This movie is based on The Rainbird Pattern is a thriller novel by Victor Canning, and supposedly, the book is much much darker than the movie. Screenplay Ernest Lehman did an amazing job!!

Alma Hitchcock was fighting cancer during this period, and Hitchcock himself was also sick himself. They were both devoted to each other.

Through all that, he still made this GREAT movie! And underrated at THAT!!

The IRONY in this movie is palpable!!

He paid Paul Newman and Julie Andrew US 750,000 each on Torn Curtain (1966) (he never got over that), and when it was suggested that Al Pacino be cast as the lead in Family Plot, he put his foot down and cast Bruce Dern as the lead because he had been working with him for 12 years (in bit roles and also on Alfred Hitchcock Presents) and also he only needed to pay Bruce Dern USD 100,000!!

Another interesting bit of trivia about this movie is, John Williams (right after Jaws) did the score for this movie!! And it is CHEEKY (fits like a glove)!!

Nobody knew that this would be his last movie... He was working on another project when it occurred to him he physically cannot do it (The Short Night)

If you consider yourself a Hitchcock fan, watch this!!

My Two Sen.

That's time out for you. Go stand in the corner and reflect on your sins.

What I do, what I do??

too much lame jokes. and weak use of puns

always be lovin this one!

Moi? Au sérieux? (Me? Seriously? [In French])

This post has been edited by Mov_freak: May 5 2014, 02:08 PM

You know what you did.

Sorry boss...

check out my parents favorite musical ever

my fair lady 1964


mary poppins 1964


sound of music 1966


i must say the mid 60s musical were the most golden age ever...i dont think there are others that can match these big 3 legendary musicals anymore...my parents can never get bored of all these 3 musicals after watching so many times

Eh??! They don't like Oliver! (1968) & Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (1968) meh?

oh...ya hor...must give them watch these also

So instead of 3 now potentially they have 5 movies they like to watch, over and OVER again...

Those movies are my childhood memories!

For many people, I am sure.

My Lucky Stars 福星高照 (1985)

Well, color me surprise, there are actually old Hong Kong movie that I have not watched (or forgotten)

My Lucky Stars Collection is now available on HD, namely Winners & Sinners 奇謀妙計五福星 (1983), My Lucky Stars 福星高照 (1985) & Twinkle, Twinkle Lucky Stars 夏日福星 (1985).

Apart from having Jacky Chan & Sammo Hung in the movie, the highlights of the movie is having veteran Hong Kong actors like Eric Tsang, Richard Ng, Sibelle Hu, John Sham, Pat Ha & Stanley Fung.

The storyline is actually quite simple, namely a group of con artists are conned by the Royal Hong Kong police to do some undercover work for them in Japan.

It is an "action/comedy" and the humor is typical 1980s Hong Kong comedy.

Sometime a little force, sometime a little vulgar and have to add, entertaining nevertheless!

I had watched this out of sequence, the first in the series is actually Winners & Sinners 奇謀妙計五福星 (1983)... Something to catch up on tonite I suppose...

Again for the life of me, I do not recall having seen this, and yet I am pretty sure I have watched MOST stuff coming out of Hong Kong during the period... Curiouser, curiouser....

If you want to watched stuff that signify Hong Kong in the 80s, please consider watching this!!

My Two Sen.

haha not big fan of jackie 80s slapstick comedy...i more like super serious tone like this



and not forgetting the great GOD father of all hong kong action movies



another notable 80s hong kong action worth looking out

For the sake of everything that is good, I sure hope that the latest 4K restoration of A Better Tomorrow is good

A Better Tomorrow 4K restoration by the French

Another 1980s movie I cannot not watched when it is on is

Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins (1985)

Thank goodness that is getting a bluray release.

This post has been edited by Mov_freak: Jun 26 2014, 01:05 PM

55 Days at Peking (1963)

A beautifully transferred and remastered movie from the 1963.

Unfortunately, it is a story about The Boxer Revolution from the P.O.V of the Westerners...

They (Westerners) are the victim of circumstances and their presence in China at the turn of the 20th Century was for the the peace of the world...

This has the same sentiment as the last British Governor in Hong Kong in 1997, while living Hong Kong, made a statement about the Opium Wars, asking to world not to blame the British for producing and supplying Opium, but blame the Chinese Merchants who were selling it...

PURE FANTASY!!!

My Two Sen

This post has been edited by Mov_freak: Jul 6 2014, 10:51 PM

Godzilla ~ Gojira (1954)

What all the fuss about this year's release of the latest and greatest Godzilla, I thought it would be a blast to to visit the original!!

I have to admit, apart from the Kurusawa stuff, Shogun and Kwaitan (1964), I really do not watch that much stuff from Japan.

The only actor I am familiar with is Takashi Shimura who plays Prof. Kyohei Yamane-hakase ((he played Kambei Shimada in Seven Samurai (1954)).

Only nine year after Japan was bombed by two nuclear bombs, Japan made this movie, obviously still fearful about nuclear fallout!!

They fear is epitomized by this mythological creature they call Gojira, who is irradiated and breathe nuclear breath!!

Look, remember this is 1954, LOW budget and special effects = man in a monster rubber suits and miniature buildings, boats and planes.

They even have an eccentric inventor who builds the "ultimate" weapon!!

I actually enjoy this much much more compared to this year's version!!

My Two Sen

ALIENS

Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins (1985)

A guilty indulgence of mine.

The first thing that jumps at me is the video transfer. The movie never looked so good.

As for Audio, well, we only get PCM stereo, so the studio is not putting alot of eggs into this release. I do have to add, beggars cannot be choosers.

This movie has an "Asian Sensibility" to it, and not in anyway condescending.

Alot of flack was given about the character Chiun was played by a white, namely Joel Grey. I personally can think of many more atrocities made in many other movies (Hollywood production). I kinda like Joel Grey as Chiun.

It is a vehicle for Fred Ward to make it as an action hero, unfortunately, it did not happen.

I really like this movie.

It is... unusual, and funny and you actually care for the two main characters.

Oh, note a very young Captain Cathrine Janeway (for the Star Trek fans).

Interestingly, this movie is actually MORE relevant today then it was in the 80s...

I will be watching this again, and again, and again...

My Two Sen.

Bedknobs and Broomsticks (1971)

I am an avid Disney fan.

Disney as a movie company isn't "perfect".

There are some older movies that played on, lacking a better "racial stereotype", so much so that the company does not even contemplate releasing them on home video (VHS, DVD & Bluray. A movie comes to mind is Song of the South [1946]). Don't know which movie I am talking about? Without that movie, we would not have the Academy Award winning song, Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah!!

Don't get me wrong, this is not a racist movie (er.. there is that German scene), what I want to impress on you here is that there are older Disney movie, that I find.... coining a more current vocabulary, meh!!!

While Disney was making Mary Poppins (1964) even when producing the movie, Disney did not get the book to movie rights from the author (Saving Mr Banks [2013] anyone?). In one of these desperate moments where Disney feels he cannot get the rights to Mary Poppins, the Sherman Brothers who were working on the music for Mary Poppins where ask to work on music for another book. One which Disney had gotten the movie rights to, namely Bedknobs and Broomsticks.

A few songs were written, and then Disney got the rights to Mary Poppins and it was full steam ahead for Mary Poppins.

After Walt's passing, the Sherman Brothers left Disney, and in 1970, they were invited back, to further work on Bedknobs and Broomsticks, Disney was hoping for another family oriented movie like Mary Poppins. The movie was completed in 1971, and one week later, Walt's brother, Roy, passed away....

What am I going on about?

The story in this movie is plenty HAPHAZARD!!!

Supposedly, the lady lead Angela Lansbury, because of the special effects was told how to act, and she was very unhappy about that, and it shows...

Another issue which I think could have made the story so, was that they cut a three hour movie into less than two, so that the theaters could play the movie more often during the release....

Just a very clunky movie...

The bluray version have alot of extended scene and cut scene and instead of putting them back into the movie, they was put in the supplementary section instead...

Clunky.

I can see how the movie can be appealing to the really young'un.

I cannot remember if I saw this when I was young...

I however remember watching it on TV... so....

Clunky. Not a great classic in my books. And I am saying this, as an AVID fan of Disney movies....

Please understand that this is JUST an opinion.

My Two Sen

This post has been edited by Mov_freak: Sep 20 2014, 11:33 AM

Ghostbusters II (1989)



Frankly, I was not a fan of this movie when it first came out. I thought it was a little tacky.

Having said that and having a chance to watch it again, I actually dig this now.

The interaction between Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Sigourney Weaver & Harold Ramis is just priceless...

Not to forget Rick Moranis & Ernie Hudson.

Harold Ramis will be solely missed in the third installment (they are supposedly making part 3)

The pre CGI effect as cheesy as they are are actually quite good!!

They sure don't make em like they used to...

Really enjoyed the interview with Dan Aykroyd and director Ivan Reitman in this one.

Don't know what I'm going on about?

Watch this and you'll see.

My Two Sen!!

This post has been edited by Mov_freak: Oct 2 2014, 08:42 PM

Hi,

Just thought Id share tis gem tat l got sumtime bck :


BIRD CAGE BD

With de late Robin Williams n Nathan Lane in de main cast . Tis is a hilarious bout of gay-man-ship ; or drag queen more like it..
Williams and his partner Lanes characters have a son who is getting married and the brides [played by a very young Calista Flockhart = Ally Mcbeal] parents want to meet their future in-laws ; problem is de brides father is an anti-gay senator going up for re-election..
Lane is absolutely suited for tis role n his mannerisms are spot on hysterical..

D

Did you know that it is actually a remake of the french movie La Cage aux Folles (1978).

It remains to date one of Robin Williams most memorable roles.

Imagine if you can, if they had stuck to the idea of Robin Williams being cast as Albert (original plan) rather then Armand!!

May he rest in peace (Robin Williams).

He is missed.

This post has been edited by Mov_freak: Dec 20 2014, 09:03 AM

Dexter Riley Series

The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes (1969)
Now You See Him, Now You Don't (1972)
The Strongest Man in the World (1975)

I know there are alot of young'un in this forum.

Some of youse might even have heard of Escape from New York (1981) directed by John Carpenter and Starring Kurt Russell.

Alot might not know that Kurt Russell was one of the original member of the Mickey Mouse Club and before his role as Snake in Escape From New York he was in a series of Dexter Riley movies.

It is amazing what a difference 30 year make, from Sexter Riley movie to... Jacka$$..

Life goes on...

I think the name of the Dexter Riley series is pretty self explanatory.

College kid cause headache for the Dean and usually through accidents, rescue the College from being closed down due to lack of funding.

I believe the series is pretty popular, seeing how The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes (1995) was remade (TV) and the lead being played by Kirk Cameron.

If you want some, Gosh, Golly & Darns family fun, look no further.

My Two Sen

Foreign Correspondent (1940)

Put this on a couple of weeks back and was really excited.

It is not usual for me to find an Alfred Hitchcock movie I have not seen before.

I have to tell you, my expectation was high... and after watching the movie...

This is a strange movie...

The plot is so... overly convoluted, it absolutely makes NO SENSE!!

In my opinion, I believe Hitchcock had made so many similar movie, he got bored, and this movie suffered for it...

The "highlight" of the movie was so... unbelievable and the last frame of the movie was basically a US poster for selling War Bonds (this movie was just before Pearl Harbour incident) so am actually puzzled by this.

This movie actually deminish Hitchcock a bit in my eyes...

I was disappointed, or could it be, I expected too much...

This movie was release the same year as Rebecca (1940) (Hitchcock first American movie) and I love Rebecca much much more...

My Two Sen