Yesterday’s “Lawrence of Arabia” post got me thinking about the classics. Those movies of an age gone by that still resonate with us today.
Many still hold a lofty place in pop culture. The land of Oz gets revisited this Friday. Who wouldn’t be able to answer “What movie is the (misquote) ‘Play it again, Sam’ from?” Everyone still knows King Kong. From the mysteries of Alfred Hitchcock to the westerns of John Wayne, Classic Films are still alive and well thanks to TV and DVDs.
What’s YOUR favorite? Are you partial to Bogart? A sucker for noirs like “Double Indemnity”? Maybe it’s “On the Waterfront” or “To Kill a Mockingbird”. Any “Sunset Boulevard” fans out there?
Which ever one it is, let’s hear it! What are YOUR favorite Classic Movies?
EDIT: LETS SAY PRE-1970, PLEASE. OK? FIRE AWAY.
Those two yellow zinnias at the end, they’re shorter now. Now since when do flowers grow shorter over the course of two weeks? Something’s buried there.
-Jeff (James Stewart), Rear Window (1954)
from Hitchcock
Oh yeah? You like that one? Its pretty good, I guess. LOL
Too many favorites to name, so I’ll just leave with Casablanca is my favorite movie of all time.
Favorite Classic Film meets Favorite Film (period).
The answer becomes simple.
The Great Race, The Wild Bunch, The Treasure of the Sierra Madre, Some Like It Hot, The Bridge on the River Kwai and The Graduate among a whole bunch of others already mentioned.
I havent seen The Great Race, but the rest are classics across the board, Vito.
Especially glad to see The Graduate getting a shout out. That’s an awesome, awesome movie. I got SO much out of it when I wrote it up for this place… it really is a classic!
Nice choices!
I haven’t seen a lot of classic movies, but i totally loved Casablanca, Frankenstein, Bride of Frankenstein, Psycho, Gone With The Wind, Citizen Kane, How Green Was My Valley, the exorcist, taxi driver, the godfather part I AND II and many more, and in 2013 after 3 months only Side Effects were the real movie so far.
Well, for someone who hasnt seen a lot of classics, you have some good ones listed there. A couple of them are more modern movies than we’re focusing on, but that’s alright.
Yeah, Side Effects still is probably the best movie of the young year so far, which… I hope doesn’t last much longer. LOL We need to get 2013′s movies started here!
A fine question Fogs. I’ve yet to scroll through the responses but I’m intrigued to hear what everyone has to say. My choice would definitely be The Third Man. I adore it. Classic indeed.
I’m with you, I love that flick. I dont know if it would win out if I could only pick one, but it would definitely, easily be in my top five.
So dark. Great great great movie.
I haven’t seen many classic films. It’s something I’m working on. But of the ones I do love, I’d have to say The Apartment, Frankenstein and Psycho come to mind.
I just had a vision of Norman Bates and the Frankenstein monster as roommates in a screwball comedy. LOL!!
That would be awesome. 
Good question! Well if it’s not restricted to English language, then I’m going to say Bergman’s Sumer Interlude or Fellini’s 8 1/2.
English language – maybe City Lights by Chaplin… or a lesser known Bogart Classic – In a Lonely Place.
Gerat post!
Thanks Georgina! Here’s where I confess how woefully uneducated I am in foreign films though… Bergman, Fellini, I havent watched any of that stuff
Well that’s good because you have so many great films to look forward to then
!
I’m the other way around – i’ve seen a lot of foreign films but am ashamed to admit there are a lot of English language films that I haven’t seen! (Citizen Cane, Scarface, Star Wars!)
I know I am a day late to the discussion but I saw this in one of my emails so I wanted to check others’ responses and I am shocked no one has mentioned Ben-Hur. Every year on Christmas I see my grandmother and we watch Ben-Hur on Turner Classic Movies (if its on TCM that means its a classic right?). That race might be one of the most impressive scenes I have every scene especially considering it was made in 1959. Plus is is an incredible story.
Oh you right, you right!
I think someone slipped Ben Hur in along the way, but it definitely didnt get its due. That is a classic, and definitely one that I’ll do a “Movies That Everyone Should See” post on it sometime!
Just to prove that I CAN enjoy movies with some romance – Ben-Hur!!! I would also insert a quote, but there’s just too many. And the chariot scene? Comparable to anything from Gladiator, I don’t know how they filmed it so well, and I’ve read the book – it captures that bit perfectly!!!
Oh haha, I see rochpikey beat me to it! If I could thumbs up your comment, I would!
I know. This place totally needs thumbs up on comments, doesnt it? I have to ask a friend I know how he did that… Hmmmm.
I have NOT read the book. Unless youre referring to the bible. LOL
Ben Hur does definitely kick ass though. Its making a late surge in mentions here today, too!
Not the Bible heehee!! The actual book Ben-Hur! It’s looooonnnggg with lots of emotions and sh*t but I forced my young caffeine addled brain through it and the chariot scene sticks out the most, so there you go.
Yeah, I know. I was only messin’ about the Bible. LOL
I think I’ll have to go with Night of the Hunter.
To my great shame, I’ve yet to see it. I know well of which you speak, and I should check it out. I just never have yet.
Night of the Hunter
Oh wow, this is such a broad question. Hmm.. Since you’re saying pre-1970, my first answer is 2001: A Space Odyssey. Going a little bit older: The Apartment and/or Sunset Boulevard, two Wilder classics.
I also like Dave and Adam’s pick of The Night of the Hunter.
Still have yet to see that one. Maybe I need to start my own movie project. LOL.
And Broad questions make for the best questions here.
Then everyone can play!
I can never decide between Vertigo, 2001, or Once Upon a Time in the West, so I always just state all three as “my favorite movie.”
It works, too, cause theyre so similar.
LOL!
Yup. They’re all AWESOME.
LOL. Right you are Will, right you are
Repulsion! 1) it has Catherine Deneuve 2) it’s awesome 3) we wouldn’t get Black Swan without it
there are so many! pretty much any kubrick film is worth seeing, but Dr Strangelove is probably my favorite pre-70′s kubrick. Also, most of the hitchcocks in the 40′s and 50′s, particularly Vertigo.
I saw a film just two days ago, which was amazing. It’s called The Red Shoes, and Black Swan draws a lot from it. In fact, it’s considered by Scorsesse, Depalma and Speilberg to be one of their favourite films.
Yeah, I’m a big fan of Kubrick, too, though admittedly there’s still a couple of his I still haven’t seen. Though, of course I’ve seen Strangelove, LOL.
Hitchcock is amazing too. I’ve still never seen a film of his I didn’t like. That’s amazing for a director that worked so long ago…
Sad to say, I’ve heard of “The Red Shoes”, but I haven’t seen it, Matt.
You have it as your picture, “Casablanca”.
A fine choice, sir!
Maybe it is because St. Patrick’s Day is around the corner that I am in Quiet Man kind of mood but…”When I drink water I drink water…when I drink whiskey I drink whiskey”.
Well, I’ve never seen that one, I probably should though. I would say St Patricks day sounds like the time to check it out, but this St Patricks day I’ve committed to do a Twilight Marathon for the Blog, lol.
Something tells me I’ll be wishing I checked out The Quiet Man, instead!
Okay……..I haven’t read any of the above/below comments and I will come right out and say that “SHANE” is probably the most underrated movie “Classic” of all time.
I dare all you people to sit down one night in front of this marvelous spectacle, turn off all the lights and listen, watch and feel this powerful film!
The scenery, music and acting (Alan Ladd’s only GREAT movie role) are just a treat to behold.
“You talkin’ to me!” started right here guys, trust me, this movie has it all.
Very, very bad guy……Jack Palance…….unforgettable
Ladd…….taking on the bad guys on his own……..the best short gunfight of all time……in fact…..for a western……there is only half a dozen or so shots fired in the movie!
The music as he rides into town has to be heard to be believed!!
Jean Arthur, Van Heflin, Elisha Cook Jr, Edgar Buchanan…AND Ben Johnson……a superb cast indeed…….and of course, the kid!
SHANE!!! COME BACK!!! SHANE!!!!
Of course, man! Who doesnt love “Shane”? What a great movie. Great, great ending, too. No spoilers, but… great ending.
Very nice choice, no one else had mentioned it, I’m glad you brought it up. Great western, great all time movie.