OldBoy

that is what our thinking is as well. genres and themes. perhaps a body of work from one particular entertainer.

we also live around a pretty affluent community where a lot of stars, like Al Pacino, Bill Murray, among others live. i was also thinking of guest speakers from local playhouses or something to come in and speak. we also have theaters that show classics and the like and only 40 minutes from NYC where we thought of some movie houses that show marathons of classics.

the ideas are just boundless and hoping to explore them in full the next few weeks in getting started.

great choices so far. keep 'em coming.

the whole thought process is voting on movies as well (what to show, etc...). if you are a weekly member you get more of a vote than if you are a not so serious member. so membership will have its privileges with a secretary keeping track of attendance and stuff like that.

i am liking more and more the King Kong (1933) suggesstion Sonic.

it has got so many elements that could be discussed, but more importantly enjoyed as a movie by young and old alike.

Solid Snake

I'd totally would start off w/ Kong, CK, Casablanca or a Chaplin.

Matthew Chmiel

I'll raise your Chaplin with a Buster Keaton and screen The General instead.

Man, this might be the first legitimate, serious conversation about important films we've ever had on this forum.

PopcornTreeCt

Or a contest to see who can be the biggest film snob.

Solid Snake

Ha.

foofighters7

being a film snob is a good thing. Preferring substance to tripe should be looked at as a plus.

Looking down on terrible movies is what sets us apart from the animals.

OldBoy

final poster. made some changes. took out Lautner!

sauce07

In the Heat of the Night - I remember this movie knocking me over when I was younger. How bad ass Sidney Poitier was, a film from the era that felt with the racism of the era. It's the type of movie where you forget that it's old.

Nick Danger

So many choices! Here are some titles that I liked as a teen, or that I think would I would have enjoyed. I looked for humor, sex, cynicism, coolness, or technically interesting things (like the 7-plane animation in Pinocchio).

Comedies: Monkey Business, The Gold Rush, The General, Safety Last, Some Like It Hot.
Crime: Maltese Falcon, White Heat, Le Circle Rouge (or Le Samourai).
Action: King Kong, Diva (but it has breasts), Yojimbo.
Drama: Ballad of a Soldier, Out of the Past, Metropolis (long cut), Night of the Demon, Night of the Hunter.
Animated: Sita Sings the Blues, Persepolis, Spirited Away, Pinocchio.
Musical: Koyaanisqatsi, Singing in the Rain, Top Hat, Footlight Parade.

You could also do comparisons, like Night of the Demon vs. Curse of the Demon, to demonstrate how editing changes a movie, or Seven Samurai vs. Magnificent Seven to discuss how different cultures approach the same material (or how Hollywood dumbs down material).

TomOpus

How about some Brakhage?

OldBoy

good idea.

Drexl

The Godfather. Or would it be tough to get parental permission for it?

GoldenJCJ

I heard a rumor that there are actually females working in Hollywood too. Judging by the poster though, I guess it isn't true.

Mr. Salty

I see Elizabeth Taylor, Ingrid Bergman, Vivian Leigh, Carrie Fisher, Uma Thurman, Miss Piggy, Lori Singer, Kim Hunter, Mia Sara, Kelly McGillis and at least a couple of others I can't quite make out.

wm lopez

Those are useless movies in today's cgi movie world. That's like trying to get pre-teens exited with 90's SEGA SONIC THE HEDGE HOG with today's video games.

Trout

OK, Salo it is then.

Seriously though, go with "The Haunting" or "Curse of the Demon" for Halloween.

William Fuld

Cut him some slack, that poster had to have taken several minutes to make.

beesonosu

There's been a bunch of great suggestions for movies here, so I hope you don't mind if I offer a suggestion for the club as a whole. Has your student (or group of interested students) sat down with you and written some sort of constitution? If done properly, I would think the experience would be beneficial - and it always helps to have something in writing.

My other question is what type of film club are the students wanting to have? Will it be more student-oriented or teacher-oriented? Perhaps the eventual goal of the club would be for the students themselves to select movies, perhaps even a certain student can select a movie on his or her week and then offer a short presentation or pose a question for a group discussion. Other weeks, perhaps you will take the reigns and try to educate them on a specific technique or element - or take advantage of one of the many awesome opportunities nearby. I'm just throwing ideas out there, although you may have thought about all of this already. Also, I'm not trying to be offensive, but I have to admit that I had a good laugh over that poster. Not at the construction of it or the gender bias present mind you, but at the fact that you made it instead of the students! Maybe they helped? Keep it about them Scott - I know it can be hard when the teacher is so passionate about the subject.

Ash Ketchum

You're insane.

Ash Ketchum

Make the little brats watch a western.

Sondheim

Preferably "Wedlock House: An Intercourse" and "Window Water Baby Moving."

TomOpus

Yes! They could be companion pieces

Jason

I can make some suggestions for films to avoid, especially early on. These are all important films worth seeing, but if they're just getting started, they might get turned off by:

Birth of a Nation
Battleship Potemkim
8 1/2
Breathless
Alphaville
The Bicycle Thief

These might be good to recommend for students who develop a serious interest, but they're likely to turn off the casual viewer.

I would definitely suggest movies they're unlikely to have seen already. Lots of good suggestions above, and I'd add

The Maltese Falcon
Its a Mad Mad Mad World
Dr Strangelove

As much fun as this sounds, I don't envy your task of trying to pick from so many choices. I started looking through this list of the 1,000 greatest movies ever made and saw so many good choices that I would almost guarantee they've never been exposed to.

Tom Creo

Night of the Living Dead (60's)
Dirty Harry
Saturday Night Fever (Rated R)
Raiders of the Lost Ark
The Breakfast Club
Pretty Woman
Shawshank Redemption
Jackie Brown
Titanic

Moopher

I think The Breakfast Club is an excellent choice.