We started a film club at my school. Suggestions for first movie?
10-22-11, 10:37 AM
#26
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Re: We started a film club at my school. Suggestions for first movie?
When I was in a school film club we would discuss a different genre every week before and after we watched a film. One week it would be sci-fi. The next week it would be horror or action and so on. It actually educated those that weren't into a particular genre and they appreciated the work put into the film or at least made the film more enjoyable for them.
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.
10-22-11, 12:52 PM
#28
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Re: We started a film club at my school. Suggestions for first movie?
10-22-11, 02:30 PM
#31
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Re: We started a film club at my school. Suggestions for first movie?
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.
Looking down on terrible movies is what sets us apart from the animals.
10-23-11, 11:38 AM
#33
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Re: We started a film club at my school. Suggestions for first movie?
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.
10-23-11, 12:52 PM
#34
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Re: We started a film club at my school. Suggestions for first movie?
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).
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).
10-23-11, 03:40 PM
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10-23-11, 03:49 PM
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Re: We started a film club at my school. Suggestions for first movie?
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.
10-23-11, 04:41 PM
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Re: We started a film club at my school. Suggestions for first movie?
10-23-11, 05:13 PM
#41
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Re: We started a film club at my school. Suggestions for first movie?
Seriously though, go with "The Haunting" or "Curse of the Demon" for Halloween.
10-23-11, 05:31 PM
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Re: We started a film club at my school. Suggestions for first movie?
10-23-11, 06:00 PM
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Re: We started a film club at my school. Suggestions for first movie?
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.
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.
10-23-11, 08:11 PM
#44
10-23-11, 08:13 PM
#45
Re: We started a film club at my school. Suggestions for first movie?
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.
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.
10-23-11, 08:28 PM
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10-23-11, 08:42 PM
#48
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Re: We started a film club at my school. Suggestions for first movie?
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.
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.
10-23-11, 11:37 PM
#49
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Re: We started a film club at my school. Suggestions for first movie?
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
Dirty Harry
Saturday Night Fever (Rated R)
Raiders of the Lost Ark
The Breakfast Club
Pretty Woman
Shawshank Redemption
Jackie Brown
Titanic
