[MistyTiger]

Oh, it was always an absolute favorite and something of a mainstay in our household. As well, I have always found myself captivated by the immortal Vivien Leigh. On the subject of this film, it's safe to say that I am a larger fan than my wife was. It summons up all great human emotion.

Ever since I saw it as a small child, I've loved that movie. It is such a moving film. Vivien Leigh is amazing and I find her offscreen personality and life intriguing as well. Such a brilliant actress but such a tragic life.

Scarlett 'O Hara is one of my favorite fictional characters of all time. I admire her strength, wit, and perseverance to keep on living.

[Americanroyalty]

Apocalypse Now

[Andalublue]

Cyrano de Bergerac
Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown
Hidden
Les Enfants du Paradis
Yaaba
The Devil's Backbone
Apocalypse Now
The Godfather II
The Big Lebowski
To Have And Have Not
Citizen Kane
Secrets and Lies
Lawrence of Arabia
Y Tu Mamá Tambien
The Music Box
Das Boot
Cinema Paradiso
Belle Epoque
Pan's Labyrinth
Battleship Potemkin
New Babylon
Waltz with Bashir
Jungle Book
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
Oliver!
A Prophet
The Lives of Others

[Suska]

Yojimbo



It's like picking which of your children you love the most but w/e Yojimbo kicks ass.

[neopagan]

Its a toss-up between "The Rebel" starring Tony Hancock, and "Aloma of the South Seas" starring Dorothy Lamour; this movie has a stunning soundtrack including Augie Gupil's Royal Tahitians with Danny Stewart (a hawaiian) on Hawaiian steel guitar.

[Figlio di Moros]

My experience with older movies is a bit limited, so I can't really say what the greatest of all time was- but I can say that they don't make 'em like they used to.

[Far-Right Sage]

That's for damn sure, Figlio. Movies that came later were nothing like when I was growing up, and I began noticing in the mid 80's and particularly after the early 90's that film quality year by year had visibly declined dramatically.

A good example of some of the better films from recent years, in my humble opinion:

Leon - The Professional
Quills
Fargo
Trainspotting
Eklavya: The Royal Guard
Låt den rätte komma in
Michael Collins
Le Roi danse
The 13th Warrior
Mongol
Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi
Good Bye, Lenin!
Black Swan
Deseo
Lust, Caution
Apocalypto
Letters From Iwo Jima
Tu Hi Durga Tu Hi Kaali
Nirgendwo in Afrika
Napola - Elite für den Führer
Podzemlje
The Last King of Scotland
Arang
El laberinto del fauno
Paradise Now
The Passion of the Christ
Gangs of New York
Cube
Il mestiere delle armi
The Machinist
Trolljegeren

[neopagan]

Andalublue, you have some interesting cinema in there, but it is supposed to be 1 subject, not 25. You are not alone. We know about all the great directors; you only have look around for that information. Lets have some imagination here, not just a bunch of quotes from Cinema 101.

Lawrence of Arabia? The movie is what the Director thought would make a good drama. T E was under arrest at the time, for being out of uniform. A column of mounted troops swept down the Barada Gorge in a cloud of dust. They didn't even bother with firearms. The Turks melted before the sword, and Damascus fell to a mob of Australian larrikens.

[roxunreal]

2001: A Space Odyssy is the greatest movie ever made. Every other movie is just background chatter to the real thing.

The greatest boredom ever made is more like it. I fell asleep twice in the first 20 minutes of the movie. Who the fuck wants to watch a guy run around a space station for what feels like hours?

I could vote for Star Wars: Empire Strikes Back, Tideland, Cube (the first movie, the sequels are crap), or Moon. The last one mentioned has been tragically overlooked.

[fuser]

Lawrence of Arabia? The movie is English bullshit. He was under arrest at the time, for being out of uniform. A column of mounted troops swept down the Barada Gorge in a cloud of dust. They didn't even bother with firearms. The Turks melted before the sword, and Damascus fell to a mob of Australian larrikens.

A good movie need not to be historically accurate, I never watch historical movies for history lessons apart from the history of movies themselves.

[neopagan]

Fuser, you are right. However, the general public have come to believe Lawrence took Damascus because of that movie. Also, I have edited out the offensive language.

[Figlio di Moros]

That's for damn sure, Figlio. Movies that came later were nothing like when I was growing up, and I began noticing in the mid 80's and particularly after the early 90's that film quality year by year had visibly declined dramatically.

Yes, you can watch classic Hitchcock and see both good plot and cinematography, which is sorely missing in most movies today. Hollywood has become reliant on special effects rather than good camera work, and either a shallow perspective or twist or such gimmicky notions instead of good, solid plot.

That said, I know Americana films, Merlin Miller's company, operates out of Kentucky. I haven't seen any films from them yet, but I have hopes that they'll be a bit of a revival of good films.

Now, some of your list I would have to disagree with. The 13th Warrior, for instance, wasn't one of Michael Crichton's best films, and many of his movies were rather watered down versions of the book- for instance, the Arab in the 13th Warrior just picking up the language, v. in Eaters of the Dead (the book) he only picked up a few words and conversed w/ the Norse thorugh latin. They did the same thing to Sphere and to Congo, and Jurassic Park was missing enough stuff that they could make a third movie. Apocalypto was a good film, though a bit hard to interpret. I'd have to say most of those I haven't seen, but would add Coffee and Cigarettes to the list.

I would say Ong Bak would be another good modern series. A bit easy to overlook because it's a martial arts film, but the original had excellent camera work and plot, and the two-part prequel is incredibly well done with a highly engaging plot that goes well beyond setting up fights.

[Godstud]

I just watched the Ong Bak series. I agree, although I'd say the 3rd film is the weakest.

I really enjoyed The 13th Warrior, although it was quite different from the book. The Andromeda Strain (1970's film) remains, for me, as Cricton's best, next to Jurassic Park.

[Figlio di Moros]

The third one had it's weak spots, particularly the ending, but overall the prequel was fantastic, stand-alone really. I never saw Andromeda Strain, though I've heard a bit about it. Jurassic Park certainly was Cricton's best that I've seen, but his books were often bastardized when made into film.

[Americanroyalty]

I just watched the Ong Bak series. I agree, although I'd say the 3rd film is the weakest.

I've head the same thing from all my friends.

Yes, you can watch classic Hitchcock and see both good plot and cinematography, which is sorely missing in most movies today. Hollywood has become reliant on special effects rather than good camera work, and either a shallow perspective or twist or such gimmicky notions instead of good, solid plot.

Check out a movie called the Moon. It's recent and awesome.

Though if your looking for good camera work check out Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy it has some of the best camera work I've ever seen. And it's also a recent release.

[Sithsaber]

That movie was great in a non watered down retro kind of way.The DVD short involving the satellite mini missiles was also great.

[Americanroyalty]

That movie was great in a non watered down retro kind of way.The DVD short involving the satellite mini missiles was also great.

Which movie? I don't own either one so I haven't had a chance to look through the DVD features.

[Far-Right Sage]

Yes, you can watch classic Hitchcock and see both good plot and cinematography, which is sorely missing in most movies today. Hollywood has become reliant on special effects rather than good camera work, and either a shallow perspective or twist or such gimmicky notions instead of good, solid plot.

That said, I know Americana films, Merlin Miller's company, operates out of Kentucky. I haven't seen any films from them yet, but I have hopes that they'll be a bit of a revival of good films.

Yes, Hitchcock was a master of the field beyond question. Films that tend to receive the most attention today from Hitchcock are Psycho and The Birds, which are admittedly very good, but I was always partial to the underrated Marnie and perhaps my favorite of Hitchcock's, Vertigo.

I used to love staying up for Alfred Hitchcock Presents and today, I have most of the series on video disc.

That said, I know Americana films, Merlin Miller's company, operates out of Kentucky. I haven't seen any films from them yet, but I have hopes that they'll be a bit of a revival of good films.

Yes, I've heard of Miller's film company, and it appears promising. This reminds me that I also enjoyed The Conspirator when it debuted.

Now, some of your list I would have to disagree with. The 13th Warrior, for instance, wasn't one of Michael Crichton's best films, and many of his movies were rather watered down versions of the book- for instance, the Arab in the 13th Warrior just picking up the language, v. in Eaters of the Dead (the book) he only picked up a few words and conversed w/ the Norse thorugh latin. They did the same thing to Sphere and to Congo, and Jurassic Park was missing enough stuff that they could make a third movie. Apocalypto was a good film, though a bit hard to interpret. I'd have to say most of those I haven't seen, but would add Coffee and Cigarettes to the list.

Interestingly enough, your comment on the language issue is a very common complaint against the movie and for those who have read the book and how it was conveyed through that medium, it seems incomprehensible than an Arab of the period would be able to pick up the Old Norse language that quickly; downright unrealistic. Alas, that is the fate in about ninety percent plus of book to film translations.

Coffee and Cigarettes was very good as well, yes. Why does Apocalypto baffle you?

I have never seen or heard of Ong Bak. Beyond some Chinese kung fu and martial arts pictures, the only films of the sub genre I remember watching on a few occasions were The Karate Kid series.

[Figlio di Moros]

Yes, Hitchcock was a master of the field beyond question. Films that tend to receive the most attention today from Hitchcock are Psycho and The Birds, which are admittedly very good, but I was always partial to the underrated Marnie and perhaps my favorite of Hitchcock's, Vertigo.

Ah, I'd have to agree. While I've never seen Marnie, Psycho and The Birds were undoubtably his two worst films, though Psycho was still very well done. I have not seen Vertigo since high school, but I remember it was quite entrancing. North by Northwest is a favorite of mine, though Strangers on a Train would probably qualify as a better movie itself.

Yes, I've heard of Miller's film company, and it appears promising. This reminds me that I also enjoyed The Conspirator when it debuted.

I know he has a movie coming out about the USS Liberty incident, and I've heard the title Jericho used a bit. What was The Conspirator about?

Interestingly enough, your comment on the language issue is a very common complaint against the movie and for those who have read the book and how it was conveyed through that medium, it seems incomprehensible than an Arab of the period would be able to pick up the Old Norse language that quickly; downright unrealistic. Alas, that is the fate in about ninety percent plus of book to film translations.

True, and I believe the duel was done quite differently in the movie.

Why does Apocalypto baffle you?

The moral of it seems to elude me a bit, the ending is too large to not have a message behind it.

I have never seen or heard of Ong Bak. Beyond some Chinese kung fu and martial arts pictures, the only films of the sub genre I remember watching on a few occasions were The Karate Kid series.

It's a Thai film, and quite well done. No wires, pretty well shuns special effects, and the carmera work is amazing. Ong Bak is about a young man who has to travel to Bangkok to recover the head of his village's Buddha Statue that was stolen. The Prequels are set around the Khmer Empire, iirc, telling the story of a nobleman's son who undergoes a journey of revenge and transformation after his family's killed in a coup. I would suggest all three movies highly- though, as we've noted, the third is the weakest one and the ending is a bit convoluted.

[Amanita]

There are many great films, some of which were mentioned already.

From what I saw, one movie stands above the rest: Ying Xiong.

At first sight, this is a martial arts/wuxia film (for which it is normally criticized) but, in a deeper sense, it is a sublime exposition of Taoism.