Old Classics

lauratkd

I'm just getting into the whole Old Movies thing at the minute and am wondering if anyone can recommend anything good. I've got an Audrey Hepburn Collection, "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner" and "Singin' in the Rain" but after that I can't think of anything. I know there are millions of them but when it comes to looking for something to buy I just don't know where to start!!!

Running Bing

lauratkd wrote: »

I'm just getting into the whole Old Movies thing at the minute and am wondering if anyone can recommend anything good. I've got an Audrey Hepburn Collection, "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner" and "Singin' in the Rain" but after that I can't think of anything. I know there are millions of them but when it comes to looking for something to buy I just don't know where to start!!!

Well considering they made quite a few films between 1931 and the 70's thats a bit broad.

Narrow it down a bit...what sort of films do you like? Ganster films? musicals? romance?


Casablanca is a must see as is citizen Kane. ANything by hitchcock is a good bet also.

Also check out bringing up baby and his girl friday, two films i should've hated but thought they were absolutely brilliant.


But the op is far far to broad.

lauratkd

Yeah i know it's really broad. I guess I like romantics and musicals! Really though i will like anything! I'm kinda thinking of the most famous of the oldies. Thanks for the suggestions though, I'll look those up!!!

ike

Here's a few that make a good starting point

Romance
Brief Encounter
The Philidelphia Story
Casablanca
An Affair to remember
The africian Queen

I'm not too well up on musicals but My Fair Lady, Funny Face are two that come to mind

You said you have an Audrey Hepburn collection so you probably have a few obvious ones like Roman Holiday, Breakfast at Tiffany's (classic!) and Sabrina.

A good way to start, is to collect based on the Actors/Actresses; Katherine Hepburn, Cary Grant, Bogey, Grace Kelly, Clark Gable, Lauren Bacall etc

Sunset Boulevard is probably my all time favourite

monkeyfudge

Bringing Up Baby is a great one. Haven't seen it in years though.

The Marx brothers films are of course always brilliant. And lets not forget Some Like it Hot.

bogman44

The Third Man
North by Northwest
Maltese Falcon
The Big Sleep
Notorious

Otis Driftwood

Peeping Tom
The Boston Strangler
Night of the hunter

CerebralCortex

I can't believe no one mentioned "From here to eternity". Weird.

mike65

The list is endless!

60s hardly counts as Old Classics in my book. I guess it depends how old you are.

The Third Man
Brighton Rock
To Have and Have Not
Rear Window
Paths of Glory
Bringing Up Baby
The Front Page
His Girl Friday
Days of Wine and Roses
The Odd Couple

Mike.

Nolanger

One way to start watching old movies is to form groups such as actors appearing in several movies together (or directors working with the same actor) and then select what to watch from that:

Musicals:
Fred Astaire / Ginger Rogers

Comedies:
Spencer Tracy/ Katherine Hepburn
Jerry Lewis / Dean Martin
Bud Abbott / Lou Costello
Bing Crosby / Bob Hope

Westerns:
John Wayne / John Ford
John Wayne / Howard Hawks
James Stewart / Anthony Mann

Adventure:
Johnny Weismuller/ Maureen O'Sullivan

Horror:
Vincent Price / Roger Corman
Christopher Lee / Peter Cushing

Drama:
Marlene Dietrich / Joseph Von Sterberg

Suspense:
James Stewart / Alfred Hitchcock

guinnessdrinker

I got the James Cagney signature collection box set. The films in it are;
Angels with Dirty Faces, The Roaring Twenties, Public Enemy and my favourite one, White Heat.

"Top of the world ma" Classic.

sweetie

lolita with james mason p*sses all over the jeremy irons remake

the ladykillers and other ealing comedies were quite good

+ 1 for brief encounter, sunset boulevard and any hitchcock/kubrick

did anyone mention the third man?

sweet bird of youth, streetcar named desire and Cat on a hot tin roof are also great. not sure when Cool hand luck was made but it's also a classic.

some of the monroe movies are quite good like seven year itch, how to marry a millionaire and bus-stop.

johnny_ultimate

I think Sunset Boulevard is probably the most memorable classic Hollywood film I've come across. Thematically rich, wonderfully directed / acted, and a timely examination of post-Golden Age Hollywood.

The Marx Brothers and Laurel and Hardy films are still good for a laugh too.

But don't limit yourself to Hollywood either: in fact, directors such as Kurosawa (Rashomon, the Seven Samurai) are the most stunning examples of timeless movies.