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FFA Movie Poll: 1955 - 1959 Countdown Monday is here! (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter KarmaPolice
- Start date
Eephus
Footballguy
This seems like the right thread to park this one.
My son has been in the Air Force for the past year and we don't get to spend a lot of time with him these days. He posted a Snapchat earlier today of him watching "An American In Paris" with the caption "my favorite movie".
He may have just been taking the #### but Mrs. Eephus and I took it as a minor triumph. We all made plenty of mistakes along the way but our kids eat their vegetables and love old movies.
My son has been in the Air Force for the past year and we don't get to spend a lot of time with him these days. He posted a Snapchat earlier today of him watching "An American In Paris" with the caption "my favorite movie".
He may have just been taking the #### but Mrs. Eephus and I took it as a minor triumph. We all made plenty of mistakes along the way but our kids eat their vegetables and love old movies.
Binky The Doormat
Footballguy
krista4
Footballguy
Eephus
Footballguy
I read this quickly and thought you said something about rushing to the vet. I was about to ask if everything is ok w/ your pet
Keith R
The Don
Lol. Typo from typing on my phone.I read this quickly and thought you said something about rushing to the vet. I was about to ask if everything is ok w/ your pet
krista4
Footballguy
Ridiculously hard cuts with such fantastic films as The Killing, Wild Strawberries, and Pickpocket not making the cut.
Time for a big shout-out to @KarmaPolice for doing these polls. This was my favorite one yet as I discovered (thanks to you guys) some movies I'd either never gotten around to (The Searchers, Paths of Glory) or never even heard of (A Face in the Crowd) that ended up at the top of my list. A Face in the Crowd deserves special mention as just having blown me the #### away. It's like PT Anderson made movies in the 50s. Of my list of 20, six were watched only because of this thread.
If I could make a last desperate "watch this" plea, it would be for A Man Escaped and for Bob Le Flambeur. I think given the nature of this message board in particular, that Bob Le Flambeur might be enjoyable to a lot of folks.
Time for a big shout-out to @KarmaPolice for doing these polls. This was my favorite one yet as I discovered (thanks to you guys) some movies I'd either never gotten around to (The Searchers, Paths of Glory) or never even heard of (A Face in the Crowd) that ended up at the top of my list. A Face in the Crowd deserves special mention as just having blown me the #### away. It's like PT Anderson made movies in the 50s. Of my list of 20, six were watched only because of this thread.
If I could make a last desperate "watch this" plea, it would be for A Man Escaped and for Bob Le Flambeur. I think given the nature of this message board in particular, that Bob Le Flambeur might be enjoyable to a lot of folks.
Top Tier - 14 points each
A Man Escaped
Vertigo
The Seventh Seal
North by Northwest
A Face in the Crowd
Paths of Glory
The Searchers
Rififi
Anatomy of a Murder
Tier 2 - 8 points each
Some Like it Hot
The Apu Trilogy - Pather Panchali, Aparajito, and The World of Apu - yes, I'm taking all three as one movie, suck it
Touch of Evil
Elevator to the Gallows
Marty
Bob Le Flambeur
Throne of Blood
12 Angry Men
Tier 3 - points as indicated
The Night of the Hunter - 4
The Red Balloon - 4
Lady and the Tramp - 2 (I can't do this without giving the spaghetti scene a couple of points)
A Man Escaped
Vertigo
The Seventh Seal
North by Northwest
A Face in the Crowd
Paths of Glory
The Searchers
Rififi
Anatomy of a Murder
Tier 2 - 8 points each
Some Like it Hot
The Apu Trilogy - Pather Panchali, Aparajito, and The World of Apu - yes, I'm taking all three as one movie, suck it
Touch of Evil
Elevator to the Gallows
Marty
Bob Le Flambeur
Throne of Blood
12 Angry Men
Tier 3 - points as indicated
The Night of the Hunter - 4
The Red Balloon - 4
Lady and the Tramp - 2 (I can't do this without giving the spaghetti scene a couple of points)
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Andy Dufresne
Footballguy
Still, '50-'54 is much better IMO than the decade's second half.
Ilov80s
Footballguy
Interesting. Just looking at some films and I think it's pretty balanced. The early 60s is where there is a bit of dip in production of great American films.
Last edited by a moderator:
KarmaPolice
Footballguy
KarmaPolice said:
I bolded the ones on my list that were new to me from this project. I am admittedly stubborn when it comes to how hard it will be for a new movie I see to knock ones off at the top. Like Krista, I wanted to post as well that this has been one of my favorite polls we've done because it did end up accomplishing what I wanted it to - got me watching a bunch of classics that I haven't gotten around to. I do burn out if I watch stuff of the same genre/year/decade too much, so there are still some that I need to get to - Bridge on the River Kwai, yes I will get around to The Searchers, and others, but I think I watched 12-15 new ones and that was what I wanted.
The next poll will be just about the opposite because barring some really good suggestions, there are only about 4 movies that I have written down that I haven't seen and need to watch of the poll. The one after is similar. I am still pulling movies from my random list, but I am going to be more conscious and tweak the order so we spread out the decades a bit. I noticed that we will have 3 80s polls done and just one from the 00s. On the random list, 80s was 2 in a row, but I bumped something up to spread the love. HINT: after 1984 we will be doing the year of movies that I would argue is the best in the last 2 decades of movies.
Don Quixote
Footballguy
I just realized "What's Opera, Doc?" was released in 1957. Released to theatres, but animated shorts seem a bit outside what we are doing here. I wish I could give that some points though; 7 minutes of pure brilliance.
KarmaPolice
Footballguy
Unless I am missed something (maybe it was on Binky's list? 
), there is one movie that I am very surprised didn't get any votes. I think it was even talked about for best scenes for this poll too.
), there is one movie that I am very surprised didn't get any votes. I think it was even talked about for best scenes for this poll too.
KarmaPolice
Footballguy
...and of course krista's list didn't help with the close votes since the ones that were close she gave the same points to.
On that note, I am going to be doing away with keeping track of #1 votes, unless we think of a different way to do it. More and more of us are doing a tiered system so that part of the #s is getting pointless to try to keep track of. For example, I gave 4 movies 30 points, so I would have 4 marked, but simey gave 20 movies 10pts, so she wouldn't get a tally.
Best I could think of is that if you don't have 1 movie getting more points than others, maybe everybody has to just bold one title of the bunch that gets the 1st place vote?
On that note, I am going to be doing away with keeping track of #1 votes, unless we think of a different way to do it. More and more of us are doing a tiered system so that part of the #s is getting pointless to try to keep track of. For example, I gave 4 movies 30 points, so I would have 4 marked, but simey gave 20 movies 10pts, so she wouldn't get a tally.
Best I could think of is that if you don't have 1 movie getting more points than others, maybe everybody has to just bold one title of the bunch that gets the 1st place vote?
KarmaPolice
Footballguy
Can't wait to start looking up the negative reviews for these movies...
Ilov80s
Footballguy
Cool- kind of the opposite for me. I didn't see anything new for this group. There were a couple of foreign films that I wanted to see but the last few weeks have been non-stop traveling, working around the house, family guests, etc. It actually worked out really well that this group of years fell during this time period as I just haven't had time to watch many movies.
KarmaPolice
Footballguy
Compared to quite a few around here, I haven't dug into the classics quite as much. I think it's one of those odd things where I THINK I have seen more from the first 1/2 of the decade and in the 40s than I did for this list, but we will see when we get there.
KarmaPolice
Footballguy
Ok. We had 15 lists, and using the 50pt cutoff, we will have 17 movies for the countdown...
KarmaPolice
Footballguy
#17 53pts
4 votes
skip it
This indescribably small picture tracks a few days in the life of a shy, lonely, sad-sack butcher. He meets a girl finally, who's also nothing much in the looks department. Why? Well because the movie needs him to. They share an evening. They're both over the hill. Will this be the turning point of their lives? By any standard it's a horrible date. He nervously talks, and talks, and talks about himself. She endures it because she has no other prospects. Their mawkish date means way more than it should. They prematurely have marriage on their minds. Then, he can't bring himself to call her because his narcotized, miserable relatives prefer their rotten lives the way they are, and pass him calculatedly bad advice.
I was fine with the smallness of the movie. The pathetic aspect of the duo was much less welcome, and I was disappointed that ultimately the film offers no real reason to watch it, as opposed to reading a decent analysis of it. I guess in 1955 you could argue that a movie about a homely couple was revolutionary, but it's not aging well. I found it condescending in it's own way. I was not satisfied with the pace, the complication, or the ending which arrives pretty abruptly. I found it hard to get worked up about. It reminded me of the forgotten dud 'Falling in Love' with Streep and DeNiro in which nothing happens, and actors are given too little to do. Rotten Tomatoes picked this as the number 5 best 'Best Picture' winner last week. I would argue otherwise.
MARTY
4 votes
skip it
This indescribably small picture tracks a few days in the life of a shy, lonely, sad-sack butcher. He meets a girl finally, who's also nothing much in the looks department. Why? Well because the movie needs him to. They share an evening. They're both over the hill. Will this be the turning point of their lives? By any standard it's a horrible date. He nervously talks, and talks, and talks about himself. She endures it because she has no other prospects. Their mawkish date means way more than it should. They prematurely have marriage on their minds. Then, he can't bring himself to call her because his narcotized, miserable relatives prefer their rotten lives the way they are, and pass him calculatedly bad advice.
I was fine with the smallness of the movie. The pathetic aspect of the duo was much less welcome, and I was disappointed that ultimately the film offers no real reason to watch it, as opposed to reading a decent analysis of it. I guess in 1955 you could argue that a movie about a homely couple was revolutionary, but it's not aging well. I found it condescending in it's own way. I was not satisfied with the pace, the complication, or the ending which arrives pretty abruptly. I found it hard to get worked up about. It reminded me of the forgotten dud 'Falling in Love' with Streep and DeNiro in which nothing happens, and actors are given too little to do. Rotten Tomatoes picked this as the number 5 best 'Best Picture' winner last week. I would argue otherwise.
MARTY
KarmaPolice
Footballguy
#16 57pts
6 votes
Boring and disappointing
I expected much more from this movie, as it had got such good marks and reviews. Instead I found it boring, uninteresting, failing to engage. One problem was that I could not feel anything for anyone concerned. Both the accused and his wife were unlikeable - and the murder victim we never got to see at all, as there were no flashbacks. Even James Stewart as the defence lawyer, whom I normally like a lot, was strangely uninteresting and even physically ugly in this movie.
The whole thing was somehow flat... I at least expected some big, surprising twist at the end - but there was nothing like that either. It is difficult at the best of times to make a court-room drama - if it only (or almost only) takes place in the court-room after the crime, as in this movie - interesting. This movie was not one of the few exceptions.
ANATOMY OF A MURDER
6 votes
Boring and disappointing
I expected much more from this movie, as it had got such good marks and reviews. Instead I found it boring, uninteresting, failing to engage. One problem was that I could not feel anything for anyone concerned. Both the accused and his wife were unlikeable - and the murder victim we never got to see at all, as there were no flashbacks. Even James Stewart as the defence lawyer, whom I normally like a lot, was strangely uninteresting and even physically ugly in this movie.
The whole thing was somehow flat... I at least expected some big, surprising twist at the end - but there was nothing like that either. It is difficult at the best of times to make a court-room drama - if it only (or almost only) takes place in the court-room after the crime, as in this movie - interesting. This movie was not one of the few exceptions.
ANATOMY OF A MURDER
KarmaPolice
Footballguy
#15 60pts
5 votes
I award you no points. Go directly to jail. Do not pass go. Do not collect $200.
This film is the most disgusting display of self-pity ever created. It's a demonstration of the auteur's life, created so we would feel sorry for a misunderstood kid. Well, I don't.
This movie could be about 1 hour shorter. There are long scenes of nothing happening that any sensible auteur would have cut. There is no theme. There is no meaning. There is no plot. There is no symbolism. And the greatest sin of all, THERE IS NO CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT. I've genuinely never cared less about characters. None of the characters in this movie learn a single thing. Each character is exactly the same at the end as at the beginning. This gives the viewer the sensation that nothing has happened in the film--which it hasn't. The film is tortuously boring, and doesn't even have the decency to attempt some pathetic moral or commentary on the human condition. Additionally, the "iconic" freeze frame at the end is simply comical.
Why then, is this considered one of the best movies of all time? Because it's masculine. It appeals to the kind of men who were or are selfish delinquents, or who wanted to be. It appeals to men who were misunderstood by the people around them, and who blame others for their misfortunes, even though they themselves were at least partially responsible. Truffant only made this film to wallow in his own preciousness, and it appeals to people who do the same, or to people who love being pretentious and don't care to have their own opinions about things.
THE 400 BLOWS
5 votes
I award you no points. Go directly to jail. Do not pass go. Do not collect $200.
This film is the most disgusting display of self-pity ever created. It's a demonstration of the auteur's life, created so we would feel sorry for a misunderstood kid. Well, I don't.
This movie could be about 1 hour shorter. There are long scenes of nothing happening that any sensible auteur would have cut. There is no theme. There is no meaning. There is no plot. There is no symbolism. And the greatest sin of all, THERE IS NO CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT. I've genuinely never cared less about characters. None of the characters in this movie learn a single thing. Each character is exactly the same at the end as at the beginning. This gives the viewer the sensation that nothing has happened in the film--which it hasn't. The film is tortuously boring, and doesn't even have the decency to attempt some pathetic moral or commentary on the human condition. Additionally, the "iconic" freeze frame at the end is simply comical.
Why then, is this considered one of the best movies of all time? Because it's masculine. It appeals to the kind of men who were or are selfish delinquents, or who wanted to be. It appeals to men who were misunderstood by the people around them, and who blame others for their misfortunes, even though they themselves were at least partially responsible. Truffant only made this film to wallow in his own preciousness, and it appeals to people who do the same, or to people who love being pretentious and don't care to have their own opinions about things.
THE 400 BLOWS
Ilov80s
Footballguy
KarmaPolice
Footballguy
#14 62pts
6 votes
Just awful
This movie was very strange and awful. It seems that everyone who saw it either really loved it or hated it, but nobody hated it as much as me. While I was still planning to see the film I was delighted to see it on the top 250, because I thought that means it's a good movie, but I guess it doesn't really mean that at all, because this movie sucks. After I watched the film, I had to check again to make sure it was the right movie I'd seen on the top 250 list. I was surprised it was there, though I wouldn't have been surprised to see it on the bottom 100. This movie wasn't the worst movie I've seen (the Inner Circle was), but it was terrible, and I'd say it's the worst movie I've seen this century. Anyone who gave this movie more that a 1 out of 10 was either Charles Laughton or one of his robots that he had specially created to like his movie, because even the craziest human wouldn't like this movie. The only thing that could've saved this low budget movie was Robert Mitchum, an acclaimed actor, but even his acting was bad in this movie, though it seemed good compared to everyone else's acting.
The title doesn't even make any sense. I guess Mitchum is "the Hunter," or at least he is for the second half of the movie, but he never did anything climactic on any night. As a matter of fact, this movie has no climax. It sucks.
THE NIGHT OF THE HUNTER
6 votes
Just awful
This movie was very strange and awful. It seems that everyone who saw it either really loved it or hated it, but nobody hated it as much as me. While I was still planning to see the film I was delighted to see it on the top 250, because I thought that means it's a good movie, but I guess it doesn't really mean that at all, because this movie sucks. After I watched the film, I had to check again to make sure it was the right movie I'd seen on the top 250 list. I was surprised it was there, though I wouldn't have been surprised to see it on the bottom 100. This movie wasn't the worst movie I've seen (the Inner Circle was), but it was terrible, and I'd say it's the worst movie I've seen this century. Anyone who gave this movie more that a 1 out of 10 was either Charles Laughton or one of his robots that he had specially created to like his movie, because even the craziest human wouldn't like this movie. The only thing that could've saved this low budget movie was Robert Mitchum, an acclaimed actor, but even his acting was bad in this movie, though it seemed good compared to everyone else's acting.
The title doesn't even make any sense. I guess Mitchum is "the Hunter," or at least he is for the second half of the movie, but he never did anything climactic on any night. As a matter of fact, this movie has no climax. It sucks.
THE NIGHT OF THE HUNTER
Ilov80s
Footballguy
Holy crap I couldn't disagree any more with a review. I know you didn't love the movie but I don't think it is all that masculine or any kind of appeal for delinquents.
KarmaPolice
Footballguy
#13 63pts
6 votes
The Killing is just a sequence of absurdities and coincidences.
Before telling anything about this movie I will not refrain from saying that "Full Metal Jacket" is really the only movie I really loved by Kubrick. Other than that I find "Eyes Wides Shut" a bit sophisticated and worth pondering upon but I always found something I hated in his other movies.I think what people should look for in heist stories is that how much they really look "realistic". Maturity or immaturity is not what the real problem that one should discuss in such a story like some IMDb users are doing on the board of this movie. When you first watch the movie which limns the efforts of a heist man named Johnny Clay (Sterling Hayden) and an assembled team to rob a racetrack you notice the non-linear movie style and the multiple story like sequences which you appreciate for the movie's time.One may notice this better if she/he sees newer movies like Pulp Piction before seeing movies like The Killing.Being a pioneer of non-linear movie style does not make this movie a perfect work of perfectionist Kubrick. Even if Johnny tries to trick the shooter for example by telling ""that's not first degree murder, in fact it's not murder at all, in fact I don't know what it is." a sharp shooter like him is supposed to be more smart than that and should not jump onto it.After all his hesitation to run away or not-panicking after the shooting does not really make sense if he really swallowed the bait that horse killing is not a first degree murder.If he really bought why did he try to run in the first place? The second is even if Johnny was in a hurry and when he bought the bag he may not have thought to check out the lock but he should not have put the money in such large case and go away with it in a plane.If he were a perfect planner,which he is in the movie,he should not have done that so all we could ever say it was just a coincidence? What else...Why does the dog start to get uneasy at the drop of a hat and why does the suitcase open so easily? Last but not least what is that admiration over Sherry? She is ugly,masculine,and sulky.Her husband was a sort of insecure guy so it is understandable why he calls her pretty but why does her longtime paramour admire her? You could name a long list of questions that may lead to answers in this Kubrickian movie.The Killing is just a sequence of absurdities and coincidences.
THE KILLING
6 votes
The Killing is just a sequence of absurdities and coincidences.
Before telling anything about this movie I will not refrain from saying that "Full Metal Jacket" is really the only movie I really loved by Kubrick. Other than that I find "Eyes Wides Shut" a bit sophisticated and worth pondering upon but I always found something I hated in his other movies.I think what people should look for in heist stories is that how much they really look "realistic". Maturity or immaturity is not what the real problem that one should discuss in such a story like some IMDb users are doing on the board of this movie. When you first watch the movie which limns the efforts of a heist man named Johnny Clay (Sterling Hayden) and an assembled team to rob a racetrack you notice the non-linear movie style and the multiple story like sequences which you appreciate for the movie's time.One may notice this better if she/he sees newer movies like Pulp Piction before seeing movies like The Killing.Being a pioneer of non-linear movie style does not make this movie a perfect work of perfectionist Kubrick. Even if Johnny tries to trick the shooter for example by telling ""that's not first degree murder, in fact it's not murder at all, in fact I don't know what it is." a sharp shooter like him is supposed to be more smart than that and should not jump onto it.After all his hesitation to run away or not-panicking after the shooting does not really make sense if he really swallowed the bait that horse killing is not a first degree murder.If he really bought why did he try to run in the first place? The second is even if Johnny was in a hurry and when he bought the bag he may not have thought to check out the lock but he should not have put the money in such large case and go away with it in a plane.If he were a perfect planner,which he is in the movie,he should not have done that so all we could ever say it was just a coincidence? What else...Why does the dog start to get uneasy at the drop of a hat and why does the suitcase open so easily? Last but not least what is that admiration over Sherry? She is ugly,masculine,and sulky.Her husband was a sort of insecure guy so it is understandable why he calls her pretty but why does her longtime paramour admire her? You could name a long list of questions that may lead to answers in this Kubrickian movie.The Killing is just a sequence of absurdities and coincidences.
THE KILLING
KarmaPolice
Footballguy
Another comment about an "ugly" character in classic movie.
KarmaPolice
Footballguy
#12 79pts
5 votes
Terrible Movie; Great Smoke and Fog.
Viewed on DVD. Restoration = ten (10) stars. Ultimately over time a film stands or falls on its own merits, and not by high jacking the acclaim of its source material(s). This movie is yet another case study of the dangers associated with parasitic piggy backing. The script is co-written by the director, and is confusing and lacks polish (script traits usually exhibited when the director is one of two authors or the sole author). Acting by the lead male actor is mostly confined to grimaces (he looks like he needs a root canal operation due to all the scenery he has chewed on). The lead female actress employs an acting style consisting of monotonic line readings and a mask-like, unchanging facial expression. The real co-stars are the costumes which are spectacular (too bad the film was not shot in color), and in-camera special effects (especially the arrow showers at the film's end). Sets are OK, but exterior long shots of "castles" show structures that are far removed from restored/rebuilt castles of the period on view in Japan today. (Perhaps impoverished exterior sets are a result of budgetary constraints?) Subtitles are a bit long and often abrupt. Film score is fine. A highly not recommended film experience. WILLIAM FLANIGAN, PhD.
THRONE OF BLOOD
5 votes
Terrible Movie; Great Smoke and Fog.
Viewed on DVD. Restoration = ten (10) stars. Ultimately over time a film stands or falls on its own merits, and not by high jacking the acclaim of its source material(s). This movie is yet another case study of the dangers associated with parasitic piggy backing. The script is co-written by the director, and is confusing and lacks polish (script traits usually exhibited when the director is one of two authors or the sole author). Acting by the lead male actor is mostly confined to grimaces (he looks like he needs a root canal operation due to all the scenery he has chewed on). The lead female actress employs an acting style consisting of monotonic line readings and a mask-like, unchanging facial expression. The real co-stars are the costumes which are spectacular (too bad the film was not shot in color), and in-camera special effects (especially the arrow showers at the film's end). Sets are OK, but exterior long shots of "castles" show structures that are far removed from restored/rebuilt castles of the period on view in Japan today. (Perhaps impoverished exterior sets are a result of budgetary constraints?) Subtitles are a bit long and often abrupt. Film score is fine. A highly not recommended film experience. WILLIAM FLANIGAN, PhD.
THRONE OF BLOOD
KarmaPolice
Footballguy
"William Flannigan, PHD". 
I've never seen somebody list their name and credentials in an online movie review like that before.
I've never seen somebody list their name and credentials in an online movie review like that before.
KarmaPolice
Footballguy
#11 80pts
8 votes
Touch of Awful
I love noir. I love Wells. I love black and white. But this film is a terrible mess. 1. The plot is senseless and full of holes 2. There is no logic to any actions by the characters 3. The story is as flimsy as Wells is enormous
Wells forgot the first rule in any film, you've got to have a good story or the rest doesn't matter. All the odd angles, the interesting lighting and even the greatness of Wells himself cant save this pile of waste. Its like going to the best restaurant in town, expensive and elegant, and getting served a happy meal thats cold and stale. A complete waste of time. Unless of course you overlook the story, the acting, and all of the swiss cheese holes. Just miserable.
TOUCH OF EVIL
8 votes
Touch of Awful
I love noir. I love Wells. I love black and white. But this film is a terrible mess. 1. The plot is senseless and full of holes 2. There is no logic to any actions by the characters 3. The story is as flimsy as Wells is enormous
Wells forgot the first rule in any film, you've got to have a good story or the rest doesn't matter. All the odd angles, the interesting lighting and even the greatness of Wells himself cant save this pile of waste. Its like going to the best restaurant in town, expensive and elegant, and getting served a happy meal thats cold and stale. A complete waste of time. Unless of course you overlook the story, the acting, and all of the swiss cheese holes. Just miserable.
TOUCH OF EVIL
Ilov80s
Footballguy
I forget which character that woman is, but nether of the main women in the movie are ugly.
KarmaPolice
Footballguy
#10 82pts
4 votes
So much disappointment...
I was looking forward to watching a great classic when I popped in, "The Ten Commandments," but it looks like I came to the wrong place.
The movie is dreadfully boring, and the plot is filled with ludicrous love triangles.
I know it was the 50's, but I just had a hard time believing some old white guy as the original Pharoah. Really...all the white people.... so many white people.
Worst of all, this film is an insult to the people and history it claims to depict. This film is as historically based on the life of Moses as "Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter" was about Abraham Lincoln.
If you're not familiar with the story the movie is based on, you're likely to walk away with a large number of misconceptions.
Four hours is too great a sacrifice for this flick.
THE TEN COMMANDMENTS
4 votes
So much disappointment...
I was looking forward to watching a great classic when I popped in, "The Ten Commandments," but it looks like I came to the wrong place.
The movie is dreadfully boring, and the plot is filled with ludicrous love triangles.
I know it was the 50's, but I just had a hard time believing some old white guy as the original Pharoah. Really...all the white people.... so many white people.
Worst of all, this film is an insult to the people and history it claims to depict. This film is as historically based on the life of Moses as "Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter" was about Abraham Lincoln.
If you're not familiar with the story the movie is based on, you're likely to walk away with a large number of misconceptions.
Four hours is too great a sacrifice for this flick.
THE TEN COMMANDMENTS
Ilov80s
Footballguy
I kind of agree with the movie being a mess but in a good way. Obviously with it's history of being destroyed in the editing room, Welles writing the lengthy notes to fix it but never having a chance in his lifetime, etc. it makes sense that the movie is messy. I don't get why the reviewer doesn't see Heston as a hero though.
KarmaPolice
Footballguy
Andy Dufresne
Footballguy
I too didn't like Touch of Evil.
Ilov80s
Footballguy
That is who I figured. She's not Lauren Bacall, but I always liked her work in noirs.
KarmaPolice
Footballguy
#9 87pts
7 votes
depressing
I'm not sure it makes sense to review a film over a hundred others have already reviewed, but I'm doing it anyway, mainly because I really disliked it and evidently that puts me in small company. I'm not anti-French films. One of my favorite films is Jacques Tati's "Mon Oncle," which I can enjoy over and over. I really like several of Francis Veber's movies. But I intensely disliked "Rififi," for several reasons. It's supposed to be a "heist" film, but except for the admittedly remarkable actual heist sequence, most of the film is about extremely obnoxious gangsters, hatred, revenge, and cruelty. Also, I just really hate it when movies resort to "a kid in jeopardy" to drum up suspense, danger, etc. I didn't like it in "The Man Who Knew Too Much," and I didn't like it here. To me it's just a cheap shot. Finally, and I guess this is another SPOILER ALERT, the movie's ending was just way too much of a downer for a so-called heist movie, I'd even call it infinitely depressing. Give me a break. So, with apologies to all those who loved this, I really hated it.
RIFIFI
7 votes
depressing
I'm not sure it makes sense to review a film over a hundred others have already reviewed, but I'm doing it anyway, mainly because I really disliked it and evidently that puts me in small company. I'm not anti-French films. One of my favorite films is Jacques Tati's "Mon Oncle," which I can enjoy over and over. I really like several of Francis Veber's movies. But I intensely disliked "Rififi," for several reasons. It's supposed to be a "heist" film, but except for the admittedly remarkable actual heist sequence, most of the film is about extremely obnoxious gangsters, hatred, revenge, and cruelty. Also, I just really hate it when movies resort to "a kid in jeopardy" to drum up suspense, danger, etc. I didn't like it in "The Man Who Knew Too Much," and I didn't like it here. To me it's just a cheap shot. Finally, and I guess this is another SPOILER ALERT, the movie's ending was just way too much of a downer for a so-called heist movie, I'd even call it infinitely depressing. Give me a break. So, with apologies to all those who loved this, I really hated it.
RIFIFI
KarmaPolice
Footballguy
#8 88pts
8 votes
Uproariously Funny -- But Not Because It Wants To Be
A vicious, criminal southern drifter with a warm, friendly singing style becomes a TV and radio star with disturbing political ambitions in this overblown and melodramatic fifties satire.
Two things spoil this ambitious and admittedly still relevant dark comedy about the negative power of media celebrities.
First of all, whatever you've heard from other reviewers, Andy Griffith is terrible -- and I mean William Shatner terrible -- as the psychotic, power-mad hillbilly, Lonesome Rhoads. The concept of a "Hillbilly Hitler" is smug and patronizing to begin with, but then Andy Griffiths goes so over the top in every scene that the "chilling truth" just makes you roar with laughter.
"Ah'm the only wun what unner-stands these people!" He roars. "They's too igg-nant to speak so I has to speak fur them!!!!!" If this stuff wasn't fall down laughing funny, it would be really, really offensive. Is this really what the elite urban left thinks about rural America? Budd Schulberg is long dead, thankfully, but when you read people like Joel Klein or Joel Stein you get the feeling things haven't changed.
But no matter. Andy Griffiths is so funny (when he is NOT trying to be) that the offensive liberal smugness just backfires completely. Walter Matthau as the "conscience" of the film doesn't help matters much, either. He's much better as a rank creep in KING CREOLE, where he works with the "real" Lonesome Rhoads, a hillbilly cat named Elvis Presley.
Now, is there anything good about this movie? You bet there is -- Patricia Neal. A born southerner, stunningly beautiful, natural in every scene, playing all sides of a woman who is appalled by Lonesome, ashamed of him, and deeply attracted to him, all at the same time. For her sake, I give this movie four stars.
A FACE IN THE CROWD is a magnificent train wreck -- the satire is crude, the underlying snobbery is repellent, but the career-crushing grandstand performance by Andy Griffiths makes it a lot of fun.
A FACE IN THE CROWD
8 votes
Uproariously Funny -- But Not Because It Wants To Be
A vicious, criminal southern drifter with a warm, friendly singing style becomes a TV and radio star with disturbing political ambitions in this overblown and melodramatic fifties satire.
Two things spoil this ambitious and admittedly still relevant dark comedy about the negative power of media celebrities.
First of all, whatever you've heard from other reviewers, Andy Griffith is terrible -- and I mean William Shatner terrible -- as the psychotic, power-mad hillbilly, Lonesome Rhoads. The concept of a "Hillbilly Hitler" is smug and patronizing to begin with, but then Andy Griffiths goes so over the top in every scene that the "chilling truth" just makes you roar with laughter.
"Ah'm the only wun what unner-stands these people!" He roars. "They's too igg-nant to speak so I has to speak fur them!!!!!" If this stuff wasn't fall down laughing funny, it would be really, really offensive. Is this really what the elite urban left thinks about rural America? Budd Schulberg is long dead, thankfully, but when you read people like Joel Klein or Joel Stein you get the feeling things haven't changed.
But no matter. Andy Griffiths is so funny (when he is NOT trying to be) that the offensive liberal smugness just backfires completely. Walter Matthau as the "conscience" of the film doesn't help matters much, either. He's much better as a rank creep in KING CREOLE, where he works with the "real" Lonesome Rhoads, a hillbilly cat named Elvis Presley.
Now, is there anything good about this movie? You bet there is -- Patricia Neal. A born southerner, stunningly beautiful, natural in every scene, playing all sides of a woman who is appalled by Lonesome, ashamed of him, and deeply attracted to him, all at the same time. For her sake, I give this movie four stars.
A FACE IN THE CROWD is a magnificent train wreck -- the satire is crude, the underlying snobbery is repellent, but the career-crushing grandstand performance by Andy Griffiths makes it a lot of fun.
A FACE IN THE CROWD
KarmaPolice
Footballguy
#7 102pts
10 votes
Racist Nonsense Set Against a Beautiful Monument Valley
There are more racist movies than "The Searchers." There is "Birth of a Nation" and there is the original "Rocky". So this is only the third most racist film in Hollywood movie history. John Wayne looks constipated and angry in most of the scenes. Ford mixes in bad comedy and undercuts whatever dramatic tension he establishes. The movie is only two hours but seems like three. One gets excited because it seems to be approaching a climax, but it just keeps going and going, a baroque Western. Jeffrey Hunter and Vera Miles are fine, but Natalie Wood is completely wasted in a bit part. If you want to see a true classic Hollywood Western that is well acted, far more exciting, with better cinematography, see William Wellman's 1944 masterpiece "Buffalo Bill." It is also wonderfully anti-racist, portraying Native Americans with sensitivity and intelligence.
This 1956 Western "The Searchers" can be seen as a reaction to the Supreme Court's 1954 decision in favor of school integration ( Brown Vs. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas) and the Montgomery bus boycott of 1955 started by Rosa Parks. Obviously Hollywood could not make a contemporary film attacking integration, but by setting their film in Western times and showing the unprovoked savagery of the Native Americans, the staunch message against contemporary race integration was clearly made.
THE SEARCHERS
10 votes
Racist Nonsense Set Against a Beautiful Monument Valley
There are more racist movies than "The Searchers." There is "Birth of a Nation" and there is the original "Rocky". So this is only the third most racist film in Hollywood movie history. John Wayne looks constipated and angry in most of the scenes. Ford mixes in bad comedy and undercuts whatever dramatic tension he establishes. The movie is only two hours but seems like three. One gets excited because it seems to be approaching a climax, but it just keeps going and going, a baroque Western. Jeffrey Hunter and Vera Miles are fine, but Natalie Wood is completely wasted in a bit part. If you want to see a true classic Hollywood Western that is well acted, far more exciting, with better cinematography, see William Wellman's 1944 masterpiece "Buffalo Bill." It is also wonderfully anti-racist, portraying Native Americans with sensitivity and intelligence.
This 1956 Western "The Searchers" can be seen as a reaction to the Supreme Court's 1954 decision in favor of school integration ( Brown Vs. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas) and the Montgomery bus boycott of 1955 started by Rosa Parks. Obviously Hollywood could not make a contemporary film attacking integration, but by setting their film in Western times and showing the unprovoked savagery of the Native Americans, the staunch message against contemporary race integration was clearly made.
THE SEARCHERS
Ilov80s
Footballguy
KarmaPolice
Footballguy
#6 130pts
8 votes
This movie is unwatchable
The only explanation I have for this movie's ten-star reviews from otherwise intelligent people is groupthink - "if everyone says it's great, then it MUST be great!" Nothing about this movie rings true - the acting, save for the woman at the end, is stilted, with the worst offenders being Adolphe Menjou and George Macready. Kirk Douglas is not much better, and the scene where he tells off Adolphe Menjou is cringe-inducingly bad.
And the sets, except for the palace from which the generals preside, don't lend any air of authenticity of all.
Worst of all, the movie is based on a lie - if you don't believe me, check out "Goofs" on IMDb's home page for this movie.
I'll go to my grave trying to figure out why this movie is considered to be such a big deal.
PATHS OF GLORY
8 votes
This movie is unwatchable
The only explanation I have for this movie's ten-star reviews from otherwise intelligent people is groupthink - "if everyone says it's great, then it MUST be great!" Nothing about this movie rings true - the acting, save for the woman at the end, is stilted, with the worst offenders being Adolphe Menjou and George Macready. Kirk Douglas is not much better, and the scene where he tells off Adolphe Menjou is cringe-inducingly bad.
And the sets, except for the palace from which the generals preside, don't lend any air of authenticity of all.
Worst of all, the movie is based on a lie - if you don't believe me, check out "Goofs" on IMDb's home page for this movie.
I'll go to my grave trying to figure out why this movie is considered to be such a big deal.
PATHS OF GLORY
KarmaPolice
Footballguy
I am taking a small break, and will do the top 5 during lunch. I think people can narrow down where the top 5 is going, so I don't it's much of a spoiler, but the movie I was referring to that didn't get a vote was Diabolique.
Andy Dufresne
Footballguy
Diabolique fell apart at the end.
KarmaPolice
Footballguy
I am guessing that the timelines don't quite add up for that, since it does take a tiny bit of time to write, shoot, and release a movie. We don't want details like that to interfere with internet hot takes though.
KarmaPolice
Footballguy
Sure, but it was one that stood out when I was looking at the lists and we had about 80 different movies get votes, but that one didn't get any.
wikkidpissah
Footballguy
I LOVE COUNTDOWN MONDAYS!!!!
Eephus
Footballguy
Doctor of Thinkology"William Flannigan, PHD".
I've never seen somebody list their name and credentials in an online movie review like that before.
Ilov80s
Footballguy
Ilov80s
Footballguy
The twist ending is a bit of a stretch but it was one of the originators of that crazy twist ending.
That is pretty surprising given it's pretty famous, it's spiritual connection to Hitchcock and the general enjoyment of horror/thriller films here.
Ilov80s
Footballguy
Right, I mean I do think there is a certain bit of reading into art that often wasn't intended by the artist but that is a massive leap IMO.
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