How old is too old?
- Thread starter Extrocomp
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I love old black-n-white movies and old SF TV shows, reading old novels and short stories, and even playing old video games. Worse yet, I'm corrupting my kids....
^ I used to LOVE that game!!
Most of the movies I watch were made before 1980. ok, Most were before 1960. I feel sorry for anyone who finds such films inaccessible. So many were so very rich.
Besides, most films derive, either deliberately or not, from earlier films. Regardless of one's opinion of Jackson's Kong, one cannot be fully informed about it without familiarity with the original (and that's aside from the homages and in-jokes).
Most of the movies I watch were made before 1980. ok, Most were before 1960. I feel sorry for anyone who finds such films inaccessible. So many were so very rich.
Besides, most films derive, either deliberately or not, from earlier films. Regardless of one's opinion of Jackson's Kong, one cannot be fully informed about it without familiarity with the original (and that's aside from the homages and in-jokes).
That's not corruption... that's teaching, like any good Trekker parent should do.
I think it really just depends on peronal taste. I prefer movies from the mid 1930's to the mid 1950's I then have a gap to again preferring movies from the mid 1970's to about 2003. That's not to say that I haven't watched and liked movies made in the 1960's or after 2003 - -
I have always liked B&W movies since I was a little girl, but hearing and reading commentaries about the process and imagery of B&W movies has greatly enhanced my enjoyment. I can recognize a studio's "look" based on content, stars and cinematography. For example I can often recognize a Fox or MGM, or Paramount production from it's look. I used to only classic MGM movies, but listening to DVD commentaries by film historians has been fun and has made me appreciate the artistry and visual appeal of Fox films for example.
I have found that when I find that I like an actor or director (or studio to a lesser degree) watching their filmography has help me expand my horizons.
I have always liked B&W movies since I was a little girl, but hearing and reading commentaries about the process and imagery of B&W movies has greatly enhanced my enjoyment. I can recognize a studio's "look" based on content, stars and cinematography. For example I can often recognize a Fox or MGM, or Paramount production from it's look. I used to only classic MGM movies, but listening to DVD commentaries by film historians has been fun and has made me appreciate the artistry and visual appeal of Fox films for example.
I have found that when I find that I like an actor or director (or studio to a lesser degree) watching their filmography has help me expand my horizons.
An aside: I wonder how many are afraid of saying "I didn't particularly like Metropolis" for fear of having their True Sci-Fi Fan Membership Card confiscated. Me, I've never seen it in its entirety. I'm probably more familiar with the modern rock soundtrack than the movie itself.
I'm initially suspicious of any film that, according to some effete elitist's opinion, I "simply should" like.
My favorite films, in alphabetical order:
I'm initially suspicious of any film that, according to some effete elitist's opinion, I "simply should" like.
My favorite films, in alphabetical order:
- The Adventures of Robin Hood
- Blazing Saddles
- Caddyshack
- Dragonslayer
- Ghostbusters
- The Godfather
- Ivanhoe
- The Last of the Mohicans
- Lawrence of Arabia
- The Lion in Winter
awesome!I love old black-n-white movies and old SF TV shows, reading old novels and short stories, and even playing old video games. Worse yet, I'm corrupting my kids....
someday, when I'm earning enough to afford a place of my own and cool stuff to fill it, I hope to also buy a couple old arcade games, the multi-player X-Men one from the late 80's in particular.
That's not corruption... that's teaching, like any good Trekker parent should do.
Oh, it gets worse, believe me....
That's not corruption... that's teaching, like any good Trekker parent should do.
Oh, it gets worse, believe me....
Making awesome childhood memories...Priceless! Way to go Dayton!
I was born in 1985 (I am currently 23), and some my favorite films are as follows:
On Borrowed Time (1939)
The Kid Brother (1927)
Harvey (1950)
King Kong (1933)
The Miracle of Morgan's Creek (1944)
On the book side, I rarely read anything published within the past few decades. It has been my experience that anything worth reading has already been written, and quality writing is on the decline. A few of my favorite books are as follows:
Siddhartha: Hermann Hesse
Swann's Way: Marcel Proust
The Trial: Franz Kafka
My Antonia: Willa Cather
Candide: Voltaire
Of Mice and Men: John Steinbeck
Day: Elie Weisel
And that is my life. It helps that I am a social introvert who quite hates the general population...
On Borrowed Time (1939)
The Kid Brother (1927)
Harvey (1950)
King Kong (1933)
The Miracle of Morgan's Creek (1944)
On the book side, I rarely read anything published within the past few decades. It has been my experience that anything worth reading has already been written, and quality writing is on the decline. A few of my favorite books are as follows:
Siddhartha: Hermann Hesse
Swann's Way: Marcel Proust
The Trial: Franz Kafka
My Antonia: Willa Cather
Candide: Voltaire
Of Mice and Men: John Steinbeck
Day: Elie Weisel
And that is my life. It helps that I am a social introvert who quite hates the general population...
it is a fairly valid point, some people just will not watch older films no matter how good they are. you're just not likely to find too many on a fan board. if you fielded this question on a more general forum, you'd probably have a larger mix of opinions.Well, it seems I've really misjudged the people on this forum. Just forget I said anything.
OH!MY!GOD!I love old black-n-white movies and old SF TV shows, reading old novels and short stories, and even playing old video games. Worse yet, I'm corrupting my kids....
That poor little thing will have carpal tunnel syndrome before she's FIVE!
I'm a big film buff, so I'll watch most anything. Silent film, b&w, early color, every decade imaginable. Old samurai flicks, generic westerns, crackerjack scifi, love em all.
OH!MY!GOD!
That poor little thing will have carpal tunnel syndrome before she's FIVE!
Relax. We might've been manning the same console, but she had the Chekov job.
I don't know if a media SF fan has to like Metropolis. I do think a media SF fan has to be familiar with it, and with the history of the genre. I don't know how many times I've seen fans of a particular series claim that some other show was ripping off their favourite because both of them had something in common that was a well-worn idea in SF for decades before either show used it. Hell, when I was a teenager, I wanted to read as widely in SF and fantasy as I could, and to see a lot of old shows and movies, because I wanted to know where the stuff I loved came from, and because I knew a lot of it was fun in its own right.
It's like saying you love punk rock because you like Paramore, and you've never heard the Clash, X, Black Flag, or the Buzzcocks, much less the Stooges, the New York Dolls, or the MC5.
If you love something, don't you want to know more about it, and where it came from?
I was born in 1969, so I guess that knocks me out of the OP's "target group", because I grew up watching that mix. What irks me about most of today's audience is their criticism of older films (Sci-fi particularly) where the viewers gripe about the F/X rather than suspending belief and enjoy the story.
My son, born in 1995, really loves the nuWho Doctor Who series. A friend of mine gave me a few Tom Baker episodes on DVD to watch. This is the Doctor Who I remember from my youth. Anyway, I figured the kind-of cheesy acting, OBVIOUS models, and the soundstage appearance would turn my son off to the old Doctor Who. Nope! HE loved the episodes and wants to see more.
My son, born in 1995, really loves the nuWho Doctor Who series. A friend of mine gave me a few Tom Baker episodes on DVD to watch. This is the Doctor Who I remember from my youth. Anyway, I figured the kind-of cheesy acting, OBVIOUS models, and the soundstage appearance would turn my son off to the old Doctor Who. Nope! HE loved the episodes and wants to see more.
I love old stuff, from Metropolis on... and I watched a good bit of Wings too the other day, it was pretty cool. If it wasn't for TCM I'd hardly ever watch movies on TV, actually. Thanks to IFC I've gotten to see some classic samurai movies lately too.
Born in 1961... and Casablanca is my favorite movie lol, followed by Brazil and Citizen Kane... seven of my top 10 are b/w.
Born in 1961... and Casablanca is my favorite movie lol, followed by Brazil and Citizen Kane...
seven of my top 10 are b/w.
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