TheAllPurposeNothing

While I do think your list contains some great films, some seem to ingrained to the attitude and time of the 90's.

I just can't see Pulp Fiction, LA Story (already dated), Three Kings, Fight Club, Leaving Las Vegas or Clerk's making it another ten years, let alone 20. That is not to say I will not find them enjoyable but shown to a new audience, I'm guessing they would just draw blank stares and a so-what attitude (as happens with many 80's films and my nephews).

I have yet to see Thin Red Line, so I hold judgment on that one.

William Fuld

I'll take the Farrelly Brothers' three films from the '90's over Holland's three from the '80's any day.

Matthew Chmiel

Pffft. I'll take a Better Off Dead, One Crazy Summer, and How I Got Into College over Kingpin, Me, Myself & Irene, and There's Something About Mary (even if that is their 2nd best flick, Dumb and Dumber being 1st).

Rivero

There is certainly a level of sophistication in the best films of the 90's that speak to how sophisticated we've become as audiences. I have no idea what an audience from 1984 would even think of films like Rushmore, The Thin Red Line, Fight Club and Magnolia. Even the children's films are a lot smarter, you'd never see something like the cave scene in Ice Age during the 80's. They would never have asked an 8-year-old to understand irony and self-reference. That said, the films of the 80's and going to them was simply more fun. My theatre experience seeing both Die Hard and Lethal Weapon 2 on opening nights was more fun than the dozens and dozens of action flicks I'd seen throughout the 90's.

DVD Smurf

Each decade has its beauty... I prefer the 50s, I love the 80s, and I simply must say that the 90s was great too.

Cheers

DVD Smurf

RyoHazuki

Well you might want to swap that one for another since it came out in 1990.




and also I at you for saying Christmas Story will stand the test of time and Pulp Fiction won't.

TheAllPurposeNothing

My bad...let's replace it with "Raising Arizona." Darn these memories...they just never seem to work right...

I would easily argue that Christmas Story already has stood the test of time and is considered a classic. Like "Its a Wonderful Life," it is already a set holiday tradition.

As for Pulp Fiction, there's something about the referential nature of the film that can easily harm its chances of lasting. And to be honest, many teens I know that have seen it recently just haven't taken to it. To us, when we first saw it, it was something fresh. But the style has been so over copied that, to them, it just seems like another hip crime flick. Give it ten more years and we'll see.

RyoHazuki

It stands the test of time because

A. Its a Christmas movie

B. Its got the nostalgia factor.

C. TBS is never gonna let you forget it.

William Fuld

Hey, I like those movies too, but the question was "Where were the "Savage" Steve Hollands of the 90's?". The Farrellys were, at the very least, his equal.

Hokeyboy

To me, there's no questions that the 90s were a better decade. However, I will say that the 80s had better mainstream/Joe 6-Pack/commercial movies (John Hughes, Star Wars, Back to the Future, Indiana Jones) than the 90s, but the 90s had the 80s beat when it came to independent films, foreign films, art films, and even more experimental commercial pictures.

And yes, Pulp Fiction will stand the test of time much better than most of the 80s films listed in this thread will. It's timeless, in that while it takes place in the 90s, the entire vibe of the film runs from 40s noir to 60s French New Wave to 90s independent glibness. Although I still think Jackie Brown is a better movie.

RyoHazuki

Thats twice in the same week that Matt and I agree?

PopcornTreeCt

I have to go with the 90s as well. Even though Raiders of the Lost Ark, Back to the Future and Empire Strikes Back easily blow away any big popcorn flicks we had in the 90s. The 90s had better quality films. Some little gems from the 90s include:

The Thirteenth Floor
Leon
A Simple Plan
Three Colors Trilogy
What's Eating Gilbert Grape?
The Limey
Kalifornia
Glengarry Glen Ross
Fear & Loathing
Ed Wood
Gattaca
Dark City
Bottle Rocket
Boogie Nights
Big Lebowski
American History X
12 Monkeys

Iron_Giant

80's had alot of fun movies, 90's seem to be more epic/mature movies.

Pants

You've done it twice now so I really should point it out: You keep defining whether a film will last based on what teenagers today or in the next ten years will think of it. Why the hell should that mater? Teenagers and college students flocked to Godard films in the '60s, but today you couldn't get a teenager or college student to watch it without tying them to a chair. Does this mean that Godard sucks and his films haven't stood the test of time? Of course not! The guy is still a f***ing master. Popular idiot audiences just don't have a taste for him anymore.

You reason that because your nephews don't like Pulp Fiction then the film won't stand the test of time. I assure you our grandchildren will be watching Pulp Fiction just as we watch Rules of the Game, The Maltese Falcon, and Weekend.

TheAllPurposeNothing

Point #1 - Yes, I believe that Pulp Fiction is great. But strictly as an exercise in style.

Point #2 - The teens in question are older, college students. From my over the top, fuddy duddy point of view, 19 is still a teen. They are not my nephews, who are not even allowed to see the film yet.

Point #3 - As much as I love PF, Jackie Brown, and Kill Bill (my opinion of Reservoir Dogs fluctuates), I still hesitate to call Tarantino a master as you refer to Godard.

Point #4 - Never a big Godard fan. Breathless and Weekend were highly overrated (IMHO). A filmmaker who throws everything out the window in the name of style. Influential, yes. But not necessarily in a good way.

Point #5 - Pulp Fiction is no Maltese Falcon and definitely no Rules of the Game. Like Godard, I believe that it sacrifices purpose for style and attitude. It surely makes it hip, but then Maynard G. Krebs was considered hip by some. Time typically is not kind to hip.

Problems with Pulp Ficiton:

1. Dialogue - Too reference heavy and hip without defining character or adding to a film thematic. Tarantino is no Elmore Leonard.

2. Characters - Not very well defined. Entertaining to be with for a short time but, with the exception of Jules, entirely shallow.

3. Theme - Really lacks one.

4. Style - Too tied to past works by others and too imitated since that it will likley be lost in the shuffle.

Pulp Fiction's greatest strength was its time of release. I would even argue that if "Out of Sight" had been released before it, PF would have been largely ignored.

But, then again, Sondeburgh's film is far superior in every respect.

devilshalo

80's horror rules.. 90's horror doesn't

greenknight

I'd say 80s, please people get the crazy colors and bad hair dues out of the picture here when you rate movies made in the 80s. Interesting stories, and movies where things happen as opposed to dozing off in some movies where there is talking, and walking like in the 90s movies. The majority of the best movies of all time weren't about talking and walking anywho. You need energy to create something good, you're not just going to sit back and hope for the best.

jarofclay73

The 80's had some of the best comedies of all-time. The 80's had the better teen movies. The 80's had the better action films.

The 90's revolutioned storytelling and made "slow dramas" more mainstream. So, I feel that the 90's had better dramas. Better dialogue. More reminicient of the 70's.

I don't really like this argument of popcorn flick vs. quality movies. Are good popcorn flicks of low quality compared to a good dramatic piece? No. Good quality is simply good quality. Just different in genre.

Plus, the thing I hear around the industry is that the BEST directors are the action directors because they say it's harder to direct and put together an action piece than it is to put together a slow, dialogue-heavy piece.

The 80's were FUN.

The 90's had an EDGE.

Drop

Well being eighteen, and having just seen this film for the first time a little more than 6 months ago, I can tell you it felt like it was made yesterday. So it has aged perfectly well so far, and everyone of my friends, no younger than 16 or older than 22, pretty much loves it. I see no reason why this trend won't continue. The film is better everytime I see it.

I perfer the 90s I guess, it's pretty hard to choose.

I would compare Tarantino to the greatest directors.

Michael Corvin

I agree with your 5, but I can't agree with Pants list just because it is more or list of good/popular movies. I only think out of that list Pulp Fiction will survive.

So I'd like to add:
Pulp Fiction
Braveheart
the Lion King
the Matrix
Saving Private Ryan
the Sixth Sense

I want to say the first Crow film, but I am unsure. I love it, but will future audiences? It won't age at all. There is nothing really in the movie to date it. Thoughts?

Hokeyboy

TheAllPurposeNothing

Some interesting choices there. I guess I can see the Lion King as a definite, though it has never been a personal favorite.

Having never gone back to see the Sixth Sense again, does it hold up to repeated viewings? I thought it was good but that the twist was what made it special, whereas the Usual Suspects was good irregardless of the twist.

As for SPR and Braveheart, I entirely disagree. SPR is a trio of exceptional battle sequences surrounded by the same mediocre war drama that saturated movie screens in the 40's and 50's. Braveheart hit me the same way that Gladiator did. Good battle sequences, but entirely missing the mark in character development.

But you know what? If an audience ever finds it, it is possible Rob Roy could last for a while. To me, it was everything that Braveheart wanted to be and failed at.

TheAllPurposeNothing

The difference in opinion amongst your contacts and mine is startling. Mind you...most of my connection to teens today are through film students at the local college. They tend to fill up the employment ranks at the local bookstores and video rental houses.

Out of curiosity, are there any other late teens here who have recently been introduced to Pulp Fiction? What was your take on it?

ArchibaldTuttle

personally I think it’s ridiculous to compare decades, especially when comparing my favorite two decades of films, if I had to pick though, I think I would find it easier to live without 90's movies then 80's movies

Hokeyboy

Anyone who relies on what "local teens" think to determine whether or not a film has "lasting value" should write movie blurbs for Sony.