How old is too old?
- Thread starter Extrocomp
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I actually watched the 1932 Mummy the other day. Sure, it's pacing feels off because there's no epic score, but it's a pretty cool movie and Boris Karloff was a badass Imhotep. In fact, I prefer this to the new Mummy movies.
I also watched Hand of the Mummy, which was paced better, but a couple of the characters were annoying.
I also watched Hand of the Mummy, which was paced better, but a couple of the characters were annoying.
B&W is a truly beautiful medium. The mixture of shade and shadow, lighting, the illusion of color are all works of masters. Think of Hitchcock's Psycho, for years I could have sworn the blood going down the drain inf the shower scene was blood red but it's just a trick; the movie, IMO, is as much a work of art as The Pietà.
Since the advent of CGI I believe that a lot of story telling has been lost to the "It looks cool" thought.
Yes, there have been POS movies ever since the medium began. But there are many classics that are there too.
Don't deny yourself the pleasures of some great old movies just because they are not in color.
As for old books, they can a chore to work through. If the book is orginally in English, it shouldn't be to hard to figure out what is being said in books written within the last 200 or so years. Anything older than that, do what I do, get yourself the cliff notes along with the book. It really helps with the works of Shakespeare. Fot example: "O Romeo, Romeo! wherefore art thou Romeo?" Juliet is lamenting the fact that he is a Montague, and should be her enemy, not her love.
In short just because it old, doesn't mean it should be dismissed. One day the movies of today will be old. Should they be forgotten because they are not in 3D or whatever format takes over 50 or 100 years from now?
Since the advent of CGI I believe that a lot of story telling has been lost to the "It looks cool" thought.
Yes, there have been POS movies ever since the medium began. But there are many classics that are there too.
Don't deny yourself the pleasures of some great old movies just because they are not in color.
As for old books, they can a chore to work through. If the book is orginally in English, it shouldn't be to hard to figure out what is being said in books written within the last 200 or so years. Anything older than that, do what I do, get yourself the cliff notes along with the book. It really helps with the works of Shakespeare. Fot example: "O Romeo, Romeo! wherefore art thou Romeo?" Juliet is lamenting the fact that he is a Montague, and should be her enemy, not her love.
In short just because it old, doesn't mean it should be dismissed. One day the movies of today will be old. Should they be forgotten because they are not in 3D or whatever format takes over 50 or 100 years from now?
I was born in 1987 and for me, the age of a film doesn't matter one bit. As long as I enjoy watching it, I'm a pretty happy lady. Some of my all-time favorites are in B&W. I remember watching the original King Kong a couple months ago and I couldn't get over how awesome it was.
As long as it entertains nothing is too old.
I was born in '78.
The oldest movie I have in my DVD collection is "2001 - A Space Odyssey". Although there are a number of 'older' movies I enjoy (such as some of Charlie Chaplin's or the Marx Brothers'), I tend to prefer 'newer' ones.
There's a number of reasons for this, really. I think one of the things that bothers me most about 'older' movies (I know this is a very broad statement but it's hard to exactly put a fix on it - maybe simply movies before the 60's) is the characters and the acting style of the past.
Some of the characters just seem to act really strange from today's point of view IMHO (I'm trying to think of an example but none comes to mind right now), and many of the actors seem to overact from today's point of view (I'd imagine this is due to connections with the stage as well as the process of going from silent movies to movies with sound).
What can also bother me a lot and what is linked to the characters is some of the role models of the past (some of which continue until this very day). One of the most prominent examples of this is the laughable parts women played in many movies. I simply find that pretty annoying to watch many a time even though I'm fully aware that it's due to the period of time.
I do think that the visuals can also be an issue for me. I'm very much a visual person, and although some of the movies from the 30's, 40's or 50's very extremely well filmed, I tend to find they can't compete with the beauty of some of the newer films. I'm not talking visual effects or visual effects alone but some of the camera technique, filters and colors that are used today. I'm not an expert so pardon me if this description is somewhat rough.
So I can understand where you're coming from and actually feel similarly. I do think there are a lot of very good 'older' movies. I just tend to prefer the newer ones myself.
Finally, although I won't debate it's influence, I will say that I wasn't impressed with "Metropolis" that much. It's quite stunning visually and has some terrific concepts and ideas but IMHO the characters and the really, really weak love story and poor message (roughly speaking: 'the heart conquers all') fall pretty flat.
The oldest movie I have in my DVD collection is "2001 - A Space Odyssey". Although there are a number of 'older' movies I enjoy (such as some of Charlie Chaplin's or the Marx Brothers'), I tend to prefer 'newer' ones.
There's a number of reasons for this, really. I think one of the things that bothers me most about 'older' movies (I know this is a very broad statement but it's hard to exactly put a fix on it - maybe simply movies before the 60's) is the characters and the acting style of the past.
Some of the characters just seem to act really strange from today's point of view IMHO (I'm trying to think of an example but none comes to mind right now), and many of the actors seem to overact from today's point of view (I'd imagine this is due to connections with the stage as well as the process of going from silent movies to movies with sound).
What can also bother me a lot and what is linked to the characters is some of the role models of the past (some of which continue until this very day). One of the most prominent examples of this is the laughable parts women played in many movies. I simply find that pretty annoying to watch many a time even though I'm fully aware that it's due to the period of time.
I do think that the visuals can also be an issue for me. I'm very much a visual person, and although some of the movies from the 30's, 40's or 50's very extremely well filmed, I tend to find they can't compete with the beauty of some of the newer films. I'm not talking visual effects or visual effects alone but some of the camera technique, filters and colors that are used today. I'm not an expert so pardon me if this description is somewhat rough.
So I can understand where you're coming from and actually feel similarly. I do think there are a lot of very good 'older' movies. I just tend to prefer the newer ones myself.
Finally, although I won't debate it's influence, I will say that I wasn't impressed with "Metropolis" that much. It's quite stunning visually and has some terrific concepts and ideas but IMHO the characters and the really, really weak love story and poor message (roughly speaking: 'the heart conquers all') fall pretty flat.
How young is too young? How young do you have to be to have a strange reaction to any form of entertainment produced before your childhood?
If you can't enjoy the variety of styles movie makers developed to make the most of black and white film, if you can't overlook pre-CGI special effects, etc, it's your loss. Frankly it seems unimaginable to me that someone could avoid enjoying a book or comic or movie because it's too old, but I'm in my 40s and grew up, evidently, in a very different world.
If you can't enjoy the variety of styles movie makers developed to make the most of black and white film, if you can't overlook pre-CGI special effects, etc, it's your loss. Frankly it seems unimaginable to me that someone could avoid enjoying a book or comic or movie because it's too old, but I'm in my 40s and grew up, evidently, in a very different world.
I'm 34, and most of my DVD library is black and white films. You just have to broaden your horizons a bit.
Exactly. Over the last year I've been enjoying Warner's DVD "Film Noir Classic Collection" sets. They're all black and white, made in the '40s and '50s. They were made on small budgets and on rushed schedules, but despite this (or because of it), and because of the skill and artistry of the directors and cinematographers, many of these films are visual masterpieces. The black and white photography is lush, rich, and sophisticated, and makes most recent films look like comic books in comparison (no disrespect intended to comic books). I get something from these films that I just don't get from what's coming out of Hollywood these days.
I'll be 26 this year, and don't really enjoy something made in black and white as much. It has something to do with the limited color spectrum I think. I have a lot of trouble telling what's what and who's who. There've been several exceptions though. For instance I really like The Seven Samurai.
Everytime I see this thread topic, I think it's about dating.
I think the question is generally the inverse for dating.
Vash hasn't been in this thread yet? What is the world coming to?
"How old is too old?" you ask. I don't think there is a correct answer to that. You say you cannot watch black and white films. I think that's crazy talk. The greatest film of all time, indeed the best film ever made, The Creature From the Black Lagoon, is in black and white.
It was made in 1954, and was preceded by films such as Dracula, Frankenstein, The Mummy, and others. The 1930s has such a wonderful collection of masterpieces.
Science fiction or not. I point to the Charlie Chaplin film Modern Times as another classic from the 30s. Or pretty much anything from Alfred Hitchcock.
Heck, last night I saw the 1956 film The Mole People, and thought it was amazing. Cheesy for sure, but so what?
I don't understand people who will refuse to watch a film simply because it's not in color and loaded down with crappy CGI.
"How old is too old?" you ask. I don't think there is a correct answer to that. You say you cannot watch black and white films. I think that's crazy talk. The greatest film of all time, indeed the best film ever made, The Creature From the Black Lagoon, is in black and white.
It was made in 1954, and was preceded by films such as Dracula, Frankenstein, The Mummy, and others. The 1930s has such a wonderful collection of masterpieces.
Science fiction or not. I point to the Charlie Chaplin film Modern Times as another classic from the 30s. Or pretty much anything from Alfred Hitchcock.
Heck, last night I saw the 1956 film The Mole People, and thought it was amazing. Cheesy for sure, but so what?
I don't understand people who will refuse to watch a film simply because it's not in color and loaded down with crappy CGI.
I used to feel the same way Extrocomp, but I was bored one day a couple years ago and turned on Turner Classic Movies. There was some old Fatty Arbuckle film on, and I suddenly found myself not able to change the channel. Ever since then I have enjoyed the black and whites and even the silent films.
I'm amazed at some of the responses in this thread. Sometimes people just can't watch a type of film for a variety of reasons. Some people don't like sports films, legal dramas, or (gasp!) sci-fi. The OP has trouble watching B&W films. I know many people who have trouble sitting through older flicks. For example, a buddy of mine loves James Bond, but he has trouble sitting through a Sean Connery due to the way films were made that way back then. And he works in video production, so it is not like he doesn't know they are good, it's just not his thing. B&W films are not the OP's thing. Is that so bad?
For the record, I have no aversion to B&W films, and I think the oldest film I have seen is either The Great Train Robbery or A Trip to the Moon (I am not sure which came first).
EDIT: Moon came first by a year (1902).
For the record, I have no aversion to B&W films, and I think the oldest film I have seen is either The Great Train Robbery or A Trip to the Moon (I am not sure which came first).
EDIT: Moon came first by a year (1902).
I'm 21 now, and at least half my DVDs are black and white or older, "classic" films. My favorite film of all time is from 1961 ("Village of the Damned"). Not terribly old I suppose, but it predates me by 26 years. There are a few movies considered classics by most that I don't like too much, but it's never about the age of the films.
A
Amaris
Guest
I'll give any movie, book or game a chance.
One of my favorite classic movies is The Grapes of Wrath.
One of my all time favorite books is Brave New World,
and as for video games, I love Alter Ego.
J.
One of my favorite classic movies is The Grapes of Wrath.
One of my all time favorite books is Brave New World,
and as for video games, I love Alter Ego.
J.
I have watched "Metropolis." It will no doubt alarm some of you young whippersnappers to know that it's not only black and white, it's not even a talkie!
I'm astonished that younger people (including some of my godchildren) are denying themselves great films just because they're in black and white. I take it you've never seen "Young Frankenstein" either.
I'm astonished that younger people (including some of my godchildren) are denying themselves great films just because they're in black and white. I take it you've never seen "Young Frankenstein" either.
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