x-filesfan

My DVD experiences are sadly lacking when it comes to older or classic movies. I'm 29, btw.

I've usually seen most of the new stuff as it comes out. However, seems like any given year, there are maybe a couple of movies that are really good. So, I'd like to try some movies that have stood the test of time.

Recently, I bought and really enjoyed 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, Journey to the Center of the Earth, and Andromeda Strain.

Anyone have any suggestions? Any genre is fine.

-- Jenny

Tarnower

As a good way to familiarize yourself with classic Hollywood films, go to the Academy Awards website and get the list of every film that has ever won Best Picture and start from there. Also, I would highly recommend the American Film Institute's list of the 100 Greatest Movies Ever Made. It's voted on by members of the industry. And it is a truly great list. Just go to the AFI site and you'll get it. A lot of the Oscar Winning Best Pictures and AFI 100
Greatest overlap.

gutwrencher

a sci-fi gal? cool!

try:

The Day the Earth Stood Still...go out and get this..NOW.
Them(superb transfer)
The Time Machine
Invaders From Mars
Earth Vs. The Flying Saucers

...post a link to your collection so we can see more of yer taste.

stegon66

The Third Man is a must-see, the Criterion disc is superb

I could go on and on...

Pants

Read this and stop being a slave to the AFI which is just shilling for the Studios and Blockbuster: http://www.chireader.com/movies/100best.html

Tarnower

There are some very interesting alternatives on this. However, most just can't hold a candle to what's on the AFI List. This is just some elitist who thinks he knows better than the rest of the majority of people in the film industry. Many films on his list ("Housekeeping"? "Real Life"?) were interesting little diversions, but to be labeled as one of the 100 Greatest Films Ever Made? Please!!! He strikes me as an elitist who just can't bring himself to actually admire a film that is beloved with the masses. If half the films on the AFI List were not popular with the public, but rather with the critics, then I'm sure this guy's article would look a lot different.

With that said, I do have to recommend using this article as a very nice alternative source to the AFI List or Academy Award Best Pictures. There are many, many worthy films on it.

Franchot

What year were you born in? 1975? If so, here are some "Classics" from that year:

"One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest"
"Nashville"
"Jaws"
"Dog Day Afternoon"
"Shampoo"
"Day Of The Locust" (Not on DVD yet)
"The Man Who Would Be King"
"The Wind And The Lion"
"Barry Lyndon"
"Bite The Bullet"

Cathepsin

It was a deliberate decision by the author to leave out films that were already on the AFI list. I think he states that maybe a third or a quarter of the AFI list would make it onto his. From what I remember of the AFI list, that sounds about right.

Tarnower

I realize that. But we're still talking about the Greatest Films Ever Made. The writer seems to go out of his way to list films that were made for the enjoyment of critics only. If something was popular with the public, then there must be something wrong with it. I know he didn't say that, but that is the message that I got from his article. I'm not saying these aren't good films, it's just that the whole thing reeks of elitism.

Pants

1. Johnathan Rosenbaum is one of the most respected American critics currently writing.

2. No film is made "for the enjoyment of critics only". Filmmakers don't wake up and say, "I'm going to make a film that only critics like."

On the other hand, not being initially embraced by popular audiences doesn't mean a film should be disqualified from being among "the greatest".

Tarnower

I'll agree with this. You have a point. I shouldn't have written that.

LasVegasMichael

Here are some older/classics that would be good in any collection:

1. Citizen Kane (SE is $13.99 at Costco until close of business today)
2. Casablanca (see above for Costco info)
3. Gone with the Wind
4. Marty (very underrated best picture from 1955)
5. On the Waterfront
6. Dr. Strangelove
7. Wizard of Oz
8. Psycho
9. Night of the Living Dead (mega cheap WalMart pick)
10. His Girl Friday (this film just recently went public domain, so be mindful of poor quality barebones editions and try to find the good one with the commentary)

That is just off the top of my head. There are many, many more.

Good luck!

--LVM

HighSpeedOnIce

"North By Northwest"
"Mister Roberts"

games03

I just picked up The Ladykillers with Alec Guinness and I loved it! I wanted to see it before the Coen brothers and Tom Hanks shit all over its remake and I'm glad I did.

flixtime

Based on the films you listed (20K Leagues, Journey to the Center of the Earth, Andromeda Strain), I'd suggest:

The War of the Worlds - 1953
Forbidden Planet - 1956
Invasion of the Body Snatchers - 1956
Mysterious Island - 1961
Fantastic Voyage - 1966
Soylent Green - 1973
Westworld - 1973
At the Earth's Core - 1976
The Island of Dr. Moreau - 1977

Outside the genre, yeah maybe start with one of the Top Films lists which have already been mentioned.

gutwrencher

wait for the special edition.

x-filesfan

my collection

I'm definitely interested in movies that aren't considered Oscar worthy, too. I'm familiar with the AFI's best picture list and comedy list. Not so much the Academy Award Winners. I'll give it a looksee. Thanks.

-- Jenny

QuiGonJosh

Red Beard
Seventh Seal
2001
Metropolis
Ikiru

ckolchak

if you liked The Andromeda Strain, try Coma.
its another great thriller by Michael Crichton from the mid 70s.
you should be able to find it in a Best Buy or similar B&M for about $6

gutwrencher

I would also suggest that you pick up the original The Thing(From Another World) and while yer at it...the remake from John Carpenter.

JohnN

If you are into lists of "great movies" published by various sources try this link:

http://www.filmsite.org/.

I used some of these lists to base the start of my dvd library with you can look at below in my signature.

mikeporter

Not yet mentioned:
1925 Gold Rush
1931 City Lights 3/2/04
1931 Dracula 4/27/04
1931 Frankenstein 4/27/04
1933 King Kong 04?
1935 Bride of Frankenstein 4/27/04
1936 Modern Times
1940 Great Dictator
1940 Grapes of Wrath 4/6/04
1956 Forbidden Planet SE 04?

sracer

• Fantastic Voyage / Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea
• When Worlds Collide
• This Island Earth
• The Fly
• Poseidon Adventure
• Airport
• Towering Inferno
• On the Beach
• Coma
• Last Man on Earth
• Omega Man
• Soylent Green
• 12 Angry Men
• Forbidden Planet
• Day of the Triffids
• Maltese Falcon
• The Hustler
• Journey to the Center of the Earth
• Farenheit 451
• Westworld
• Logan's Run
• Time Machine
• Invaders From Mars
• Invasion of the Body Snatchers
• Circus of Fear

B5Erik

I'd recommend:

The Big Sleep (1946)
Forbidden Planet (1956)
The Maltese Falcon (1941)

Just to start. There are a lot of other good picks on this thread...

Laser Movies

Why not try some musicals or music oriented movies. Here is a list of some that are available or will be very soon.

42nd Street
Amadeus (Director's cut)
Broadway Melody of 1940
Fiddler on the Roof
Grease
High Society
Hard Day's Night
Meet Me In St. Louis (released 4/6)
My Fair Lady (Two-Disc Special Edition) released 2/3
Saturday Night Fever
Singin' in the Rain (2 disc special edition)
South Pacific
Sound of Music (2 disc version)
Star Is Born (1954 version)
West Side Story (Special Limited Edition Collector's Set)
Wizard of Oz
Yankee Doodle Dandy