"Ray" (Ray Charles-jazz), "Walk the Line" (Johnny Cash-country) and "O Brother Wgere Art Thou" (hillbilly music) all had music I usually don't like, but I thoroughly enjoyed them in the film's context.
"O Brother" had George Clooney as a vain, fancy-talking attorney and Tim Blake Nelson as the village idiot. Great, funny performances based on The Iliad and The Odyssey that Mrs. Mary Kundrat taught us in 9th grade English.
Directed by Bob Clark. With Melinda Dillon, Darren McGavin, Peter Billingsley. Ralphie has to convince his parents, teachers, and Santa that a Red Ryder BB gun really is the perfect gift for the 1940's.
The worst movie I ever paid to see - "Silent Movie" by Mel Brooks.
In a nutshell, it's a movie about making a movie (that's original). They decide to make a silent movie, and give the only speaking part to a mime (how clever). Two hours of annoyingly unfunny dialogue. Just like most of Mel Brooks' movies.
The worst movie I ever paid to see was that one at the Perry drive-in that Mike Coyne and I got kicked out of. I forget what it was but it was BAD. Must have been or we wouldn't have been kicked out. We didn't care, though. We had other things to do.
I agree with Marty that Kelly's Heroes is one of the best movies ever made. In fact, Marty's wife reached a point years back where she refused to let either of us go rent a movie to watch because we always selected Kelly's Heroes. Every time.
I'm with Mike. There are some excellent choices here. Bogart's Casablanca has one of the all-time great endings & Ingrid Bergman looks striking in that hat. Also The Caine Mutiny and Sabrina
With Marty's "Dirty Dozen" Braveheart, Tears of the Sun Die Hard, Rob Roy, and Glory
Duel is a 1971 television movie about a motorist (played by Dennis Weaver) on a remote and lonely road being stalked by a large tanker truck and its almost unseen driver. It was the first feature film directed by Steven Spielberg and was written by Richard Matheson based on his own short story.
Two hours of time wasted in ones life is to watch this movie.
Eraserhead is a nice way to spend a lazy summer afternoon. Thank you. To Braxton - I have Duel on DVD. I watch it often. Hitchcock couldn't have done it better.
"Amistad" Exhibits respect and honor better than any movie I've seen "Hotel Rwanda" $100,000 bought a million machetes from China. 800,000 people died in 100 days.
From age 6 to 15 the annual TV event that I'd do a countdown for was "The Wizard of Oz". Rated just after Christmas and my birthday on the calendar. I could not fathom classmates giving up TV for Lent, knowing full well that it would be on at that time.
Once again, I have no idea what D.Dave is talking about. He talks about 1 million machetes. He talks about respect and honor. He talks about "The Wizard of Oz", and he talks about Lent and his birthday. This is indeed a diverse array of topics. At least in the Santa Clause/Martian thing someone was trainable. If you've seen the movie, you know.
See how many names you recognize who were filmed for Whitcomb's War, filmed in Jefferson and Ft. Dodge, IA.
Whitcomb's War (1980) ~ Heartland Productions, Des Moines, IA
A humorous look at a very serious problem. From start to finish many laughs. While laughing you will realize the battle each Christian faces every day of their life. A must for any church youth group or simply fun family viewing.
Written, produced and Directed by Russell S. Doughten, Jr., Screen play by Joanne talarico
Cast (in credits order)
Patrick Pankhurst, Leon Charles, Bill Morey, Robert G. Denison, Garnett Smith, Joanne Talarico, Mary Sams, Jack Bottorff, John Mattlin, Thom Rachford, Doug Larche, Norman Erickson, Margaret Erickson, Gayle Binns, Pauline Borst, Gloria Brandt, Doris Dunlop, Iva Shriver, Minnie Siglin, Mary Zinn, Don DeMonbrun, Manfred Kober, Wally Kumnick, Jed Magee, Leonard Miller, Ozzie Raemaker, Bob Telleen, Lloyd Baller, Roland Beck, Rolfe Blaess, Russell S. Doughten Jr., Leslie Siglin, David Arnold, Eric Buhr, James Bagley, Tom Bordenero, Helen Lehman, Doc C.B. Mitchell, Carroll Schaal, Jim Gormerly, David Smith, Marilyn Copeland was assistant production manager; Muriel Lehman, props;
Big- Good point. I struggle between attempting pithiness and long-winded tomes. I have difficulty seeking a happy medium. I will awkwardly expand upon your points later today, hopefully.
"Amistad, the... film by Steven Spielberg, is a masterpiece of film making providing a thoroughly rewarding entertainment and learning experience.
The film is a fictional portrayal of events surrounding the successful revolt in 1839 by a group of Africans headed for slavery in the Americas."
"...Former President John Quincy Adams, played masterfully by Anthony Hopkins, finally agrees to get involved although he had been asked from the beginning to help. Here, once again, Spielberg uses little moments -- as Cinque spots an African violet among Adams' plant collection and smiles, then breathes in the aroma of the plant and the aroma of freedom back home.
Cinque and Adams, seemingly worlds apart, bond in spirit. When Adams appears before the Supreme Court, he delivers a quiet, dignified argument for freedom with the power to set men free, both then and now." The History Place partial movie review of Amistad
Quaker abolitionists were there in support of the slaves. As Cinque walked into the courtroom, he grabbed a pictured Bible from a Quaker. He later explained it to another slave from the pictures. As imprisoned slaves, they identified with Jesus imprisonment, trial, beating and death. They first assumed Jesus was guilty, then looked at their own circumstance and reconsidered.
Adams, an ex-president, portrays Cinque, the leader of the slaves' insurrection, to the court as a hero worthy of statues, if he'd been one of us. Pondering the hopeless situation he/they were in, he revolutionized their lives. It's among the most powerful movies I have ever experienced. The respect Adams showed Cinque was his due.
"Hotel Rwanda" tells through the eyes of a hotel manager of the 100 day Rwandan tribal massacre where Hutus slayed 200,000 more Tutsies than died in 4 years of our very bloody U.S. Civil War. The conflict started in April 1994 when the Rwandan President was assassinated. Don Cheadle, portraying the hotel manager, keeps supplies flowing from the Hutus for 1000 Tutsi refugees, giving sanctuary at the hotel. Very concentrated carnage over a very short period of time in a country of 7-10 million.
In the director's cut, it told of the Hutus buying one of their weapons of mass destruction, a machete, from China. 10 cents each for a million of them. $100,000-all or part of a mortgage here in the States financed one of the primary weapons. Other small arms and light weapons were also prevalent.
"Black Diamonds" also depicts how cruelly otherworldly Africa can be.
"The Wizard of Oz" was another horrifying epic about a neighbor lady who terrorized an innocent girl and threatened kidnapping of a trusted family member (Toto). I experienced the young innocent's nightmare and saw flying monkeys in living color (except for the first 20 minutes).
Water, free back then, was the killing instrument in this dark tale. If I remember correctly, a young Tim Burton directed it.
But no beautiful Baptist church was destroyed after the filming. Any questions?
The Wizard of Oz does not belong on this thread. It was a children's story and was aimed at eight-year-olds. When you were eight, it was a kind of neat movie. That being said, it does not deserve consideration alongside "The Shawshank Redemption" or "Escape From Alcatraz". It fits more into the class of "Charlotte's Web" or "The Phantom Tollbooth".
If any eight-year-olds want to get on this thread, I'll consider letting them talk about "The Wizard of Oz". Maybe.
"The Wizard of Oz" was not a hit when it came out. TV made it a children's classic. Some consider it an allegory about the 1896 presidential campaign and the money issues of that day. I've never watched it with that in mind.
Two nephews of mine loved "Star Wars" and eagerly awaited the next one. It was something I looked forward to for a period of years when TV was THE entertainment. I went to 5 movies before age 14. We were not inundated with cable, DVD's and all the rest. At that time for me, it was a big deal.
This is absolutely THE last word on "The Wizard of Oz".
It makes absolutely no difference whether or not it was a hit when it came out.
TV did NOT make it a children's classic. It was written by L. Frank Baum in 1900, and illustrated with children's pictures. Anybody who has seen this work knows that it was for children. In fact, anyone who has read it or seen the movie should know it. It was extrememly successful originally; so much so that it was turned into a Broadway play in 1902, and immediately followed by thirteen more Oz books (all for kids).
Just for the record, it has absolutely NOTHING to do with the 1896 election or issues of that time. That is merely a case of hindsight, or rewriting history. The book and its sequels were intended as more of an "Alice in Wonderland" type of entertainment still popular with children (this is how Oz himself described it).
I'm not into show tunes or musicals, but I kind of liked the movie "Grease". For worst movie of all time, you should look at any of the Police Academy films.
"Wicker Man" with Edward Woodward from "The Equalizer" was a poor excuse of a film. I'd heard a friend laud it for 2 years, saw it and wondered about the friend.
43 comments:
"Miracle" about the 1980 U.S. hockey team w/coach Herb Brooks innovative strategy and Vince Lombardi-like discplinarianism
"Seabiscuit"-horse racing flick where all the principal are underdog type reclamation projects
"Glory Road"- about the racial tension and trials faced by the 1966 Texas Western team
"Fiddler on the Roof" Family life in a Russian Jewish community with a bittersweet ending and great music. My favorite long movie-about 3 1/2 hours.
I don't care for hockey and horse racing.
"Ray" (Ray Charles-jazz), "Walk the Line" (Johnny Cash-country) and "O Brother Wgere Art Thou" (hillbilly music) all had music I usually don't like, but I thoroughly enjoyed them in the film's context.
"O Brother" had George Clooney as a vain, fancy-talking attorney and Tim Blake Nelson as the village idiot. Great, funny performances based on The Iliad and The Odyssey that Mrs. Mary Kundrat taught us in 9th grade English.
"Kelly's Heroes" hands down. "Dirty Dozen" close second.
"The Outlaw Josie Wales" is right in there, too.
Raiders of the Lost Ark and One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest
It's A Wonderful Life by Frank Capra.
"Hoosiers" with Gene Hackman, and
"The Verdict" with Paul Newman.
Maybe even "The Sting" with Newman and Redford.
My Cousin Vinnie
A Christmas Story (1983)
Directed by Bob Clark. With Melinda Dillon, Darren McGavin, Peter Billingsley. Ralphie has to convince his parents, teachers, and Santa that a Red Ryder BB gun really is the perfect gift for the 1940's.
"Butch Cassidy & the Sundance Kid"
"The Natural"
The worst movie I ever paid to see - "Silent Movie" by Mel Brooks.
In a nutshell, it's a movie about making a movie (that's original). They decide to make a silent movie, and give the only speaking part to a mime (how clever). Two hours of annoyingly unfunny dialogue. Just like most of Mel Brooks' movies.
The worst movie I ever paid to see was that one at the Perry drive-in that Mike Coyne and I got kicked out of. I forget what it was but it was BAD. Must have been or we wouldn't have been kicked out. We didn't care, though. We had other things to do.
Best Movie - North by Northwest
Worst Movie - Titanic
I agree with Marty that Kelly's Heroes is one of the best movies ever made. In fact, Marty's wife reached a point years back where she refused to let either of us go rent a movie to watch because we always selected Kelly's Heroes. Every time.
There are a lot of good choices here. I'm still going to cop out and go with "Casablanca" and Bogey and Bacall. Maybe anything with Bogart.
I'm surprised Buford T. hasn't already voted for "Smokey and the Bandit"
I'm with Mike. There are some excellent choices here. Bogart's
Casablanca has one of the all-time great endings & Ingrid Bergman looks striking in that hat. Also The Caine Mutiny and Sabrina
With Marty's "Dirty Dozen"
Braveheart, Tears of the Sun
Die Hard, Rob Roy, and Glory
Duel is a 1971 television movie about a motorist (played by Dennis Weaver) on a remote and lonely road being stalked by a large tanker truck and its almost unseen driver. It was the first feature film directed by Steven Spielberg and was written by Richard Matheson based on his own short story.
Two hours of time wasted in ones life is to watch this movie.
Actually since Mike stole my thunder, I'm guynna chime in with 1967 Paul Newman in "Cool Hand Luke"
What we've got here...is a failya to communicate.
I can't believe "Cool Hand Luke" got by Marty.
In honor of Big Nasty ... the nastiest movie of all time is ... "Eraserhead"
Eraserhead is a nice way to spend a lazy summer afternoon. Thank you. To Braxton - I have Duel on DVD. I watch it often. Hitchcock couldn't have done it better.
To Buford T. - Spit on the floor, night in the box. Nice to see you back.
Anything by Cheech and Chong
Worst movie ever - "Santa Claus Conquers the Martians". Enough said.
"Amistad" Exhibits respect and honor better than any movie I've seen
"Hotel Rwanda" $100,000 bought a million machetes from China. 800,000 people died in 100 days.
From age 6 to 15 the annual TV event that I'd do a countdown for was "The Wizard of Oz". Rated just after Christmas and my birthday on the calendar. I could not fathom classmates giving up TV for Lent, knowing full well that it would be on at that time.
Once again, I have no idea what D.Dave is talking about. He talks about 1 million machetes. He talks about respect and honor. He talks about "The Wizard of Oz", and he talks about Lent and his birthday.
This is indeed a diverse array of topics. At least in the Santa Clause/Martian thing someone was trainable. If you've seen the movie, you know.
Try the movie "Whitcomb's War" featuring our own Braxton Hicks in a cameo role. This movie somehow went unnoticed at Cannes.
See how many names you recognize who were filmed for Whitcomb's War, filmed in Jefferson and Ft. Dodge, IA.
Whitcomb's War (1980) ~ Heartland Productions, Des Moines, IA
A humorous look at a very serious problem. From start to finish many laughs. While laughing you will realize the battle each Christian faces every day of their life. A must for any church youth group or simply fun family viewing.
Written, produced and Directed by Russell S. Doughten, Jr., Screen play by Joanne talarico
Cast (in credits order)
Patrick Pankhurst, Leon Charles, Bill Morey, Robert G. Denison, Garnett Smith, Joanne Talarico, Mary Sams, Jack Bottorff, John Mattlin, Thom Rachford, Doug Larche, Norman Erickson, Margaret Erickson, Gayle Binns, Pauline Borst, Gloria Brandt, Doris Dunlop, Iva Shriver, Minnie Siglin, Mary Zinn, Don DeMonbrun, Manfred Kober, Wally Kumnick, Jed Magee, Leonard Miller, Ozzie Raemaker, Bob Telleen, Lloyd Baller, Roland Beck, Rolfe Blaess, Russell S. Doughten Jr., Leslie Siglin, David Arnold, Eric Buhr, James Bagley, Tom Bordenero, Helen Lehman, Doc C.B. Mitchell, Carroll Schaal, Jim Gormerly, David Smith, Marilyn Copeland was assistant production manager; Muriel Lehman, props;
This film available on amazon.com
There are also lots of good shots of the old Baptist Church on Lincolnway.
Big- Good point. I struggle between attempting pithiness and long-winded tomes. I have difficulty seeking a happy medium. I will awkwardly expand upon your points later today, hopefully.
"Amistad, the... film by Steven Spielberg, is a masterpiece of film making providing a thoroughly rewarding entertainment and learning experience.
The film is a fictional portrayal of events surrounding the successful revolt in 1839 by a group of Africans headed for slavery in the Americas."
"...Former President John Quincy Adams, played masterfully by Anthony Hopkins, finally agrees to get involved although he had been asked from the beginning to help. Here, once again, Spielberg uses little moments -- as Cinque spots an African violet among Adams' plant collection and smiles, then breathes in the aroma of the plant and the aroma of freedom back home.
Cinque and Adams, seemingly worlds apart, bond in spirit. When Adams appears before the Supreme Court, he delivers a quiet, dignified argument for freedom with the power to set men free, both then and now."
The History Place partial movie review of Amistad
Quaker abolitionists were there in support of the slaves. As Cinque walked into the courtroom, he grabbed a pictured Bible from a Quaker. He later explained it to another slave from the pictures. As imprisoned slaves, they identified with Jesus imprisonment, trial, beating and death. They first assumed Jesus was guilty, then looked at their own circumstance and reconsidered.
Adams, an ex-president, portrays Cinque, the leader of the slaves' insurrection, to the court as a hero worthy of statues, if he'd been one of us. Pondering the hopeless situation he/they were in, he revolutionized their lives. It's among the most powerful movies I have ever experienced.
The respect Adams showed Cinque was his due.
"Hotel Rwanda" tells through the eyes of a hotel manager of the 100 day Rwandan tribal massacre where Hutus slayed 200,000 more Tutsies than died in 4 years of our very bloody U.S. Civil War. The conflict started in April 1994 when the Rwandan President was assassinated. Don Cheadle, portraying the hotel manager, keeps supplies flowing from the Hutus for 1000 Tutsi refugees, giving sanctuary at the hotel. Very concentrated carnage over a very short period of time in a country of 7-10 million.
In the director's cut, it told of the Hutus buying one of their weapons of mass destruction, a machete, from China. 10 cents each for a million of them. $100,000-all or part of a mortgage here in the States financed one of the primary weapons. Other small arms and light weapons were also prevalent.
"Black Diamonds" also depicts how cruelly otherworldly Africa can be.
"The Wizard of Oz" was another horrifying epic about a neighbor lady who terrorized an innocent girl and threatened kidnapping of a trusted family member (Toto). I experienced the young innocent's nightmare and saw flying monkeys in living color (except for the first 20 minutes).
Water, free back then, was the killing instrument in this dark tale. If I remember correctly, a young Tim Burton directed it.
But no beautiful Baptist church was destroyed after the filming. Any questions?
The Wizard of Oz does not belong on this thread. It was a children's story and was aimed at eight-year-olds. When you were eight, it was a kind of neat movie. That being said, it does not deserve consideration alongside "The Shawshank Redemption" or "Escape From Alcatraz". It fits more into the class of "Charlotte's Web" or "The Phantom Tollbooth".
If any eight-year-olds want to get on this thread, I'll consider letting them talk about "The Wizard of Oz". Maybe.
I'll stick with "Eraserhead".
"The Wizard of Oz" was not a hit when it came out. TV made it a children's classic. Some consider it an allegory about the 1896 presidential campaign and the money issues of that day. I've never watched it with that in mind.
Two nephews of mine loved "Star Wars" and eagerly awaited the next one. It was something I looked forward to for a period of years when TV was THE entertainment. I went to 5 movies before age 14. We were not inundated with cable, DVD's and all the rest. At that time for me, it was a big deal.
This is absolutely THE last word on "The Wizard of Oz".
It makes absolutely no difference whether or not it was a hit when it came out.
TV did NOT make it a children's classic. It was written by L. Frank Baum in 1900, and illustrated with children's pictures. Anybody who has seen this work knows that it was for children. In fact, anyone who has read it or seen the movie should know it. It was extrememly successful originally; so much so that it was turned into a Broadway play in 1902, and immediately followed by thirteen more Oz books (all for kids).
Just for the record, it has absolutely NOTHING to do with the 1896 election or issues of that time. That is merely a case of hindsight, or rewriting history. The book and its sequels were intended as more of an "Alice in Wonderland" type of entertainment still popular with children (this is how Oz himself described it).
What's your second-favorite movie, Big Nasty?
"Reservoir Dogs"
I'm not into show tunes or musicals, but I kind of liked the movie "Grease". For worst movie of all time, you should look at any of the Police Academy films.
"Wicker Man" with Edward Woodward from "The Equalizer" was a poor excuse of a film. I'd heard a friend laud it for 2 years, saw it and wondered about the friend.
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