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trace_by_echo) wrote2024-12-28 05:20 pm
trace_by_echo) wrote2024-12-28 05:20 pm
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Challenge Post! Watching Classic Films
I'm really enjoying setting up challenges for 2025... I feel that there's a lot of classic films I haven't watched, and it's also a good opportunity to spend time with older family members who want to re-watch some of their favorites. I'm starting with a simple goal of one classic film each month, with titles drawn from my own to-watch lists and from family requests. There's an emphasis on 1930s-1950s, as I'm also trying to find a film for every year I haven't seen a film. [Note: I'll allow 1970s films as classics, but I'm drawing a hard line at 1980 - no films from a decade in which I was alive can be "classics" yet!]
12 Classic Films to Get Started With!
1) The African Queen [1951] (family suggestion - as will shortly become obvious, this aunt is a Humphrey Bogart fan) COMPLETED 1/12/25. Rating: 3.5/5. The romance comes out of nowhere, but before it happens (when they're bitterly cooperating) and once it's settled into the characters, the film makes sense. The opening scene of the African village would be severely edited today, for good reason.
2) The Big Sleep [1946] COMPLETED 5/25/25. RATING: 3/5. This made me appreciate the romance in The African Queen more, as I don't see similar chemistry between Bogart and Bacall for all that they were married in reality. Also, Bacall's character makes little sense and is outshone by every other woman in the film.
3) A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum [1966] COMPLETED 6/20/25. RATING: 3.5/5. I enjoyed it, but it did drag at some points - I'm pretty sure I would be more engaged if I saw it in its theatrical form.
4) Casablanca [1942]
5) Captains Courageous [1937]
6) Mr. Smith Goes to Washington [1939]
7) Stormy Weather [1943] (I heard this was a classic African-American musical, and it appears to be available via my library!)
8) Heaven Can Wait [1943]
9) North By Northwest [1959]
10) The Seventh Seal [1957]
11) Kind Hearts & Coronets [1948]
12) What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? [1962]
As other films come to my attention (ex. recommended by family & friends, found lying around a tag sale, etc.), I'll add them here!
1) The Women [1939] [COMPLETED 1/26/25] Rating: 3/5. It was doing so well, then it became obvious that the purpose of the child character was to convince the mom character to give her deadbeat ex-husband another chance, and frankly if I want to see that I can rewatch the shorter and snappier Parent Trap. Also, in this day and age, I'd rather eat the rich than feel bad about their family issues.
2) Chimes at Midnight [1965] [COMPLETED 2/23/25] Rating: 3.5/5. Orson Welles took most of the Shakespeare plays that included Falstaff as a character, stripped out the scenes that didn't relate to the relationship between Hal and either of his father figures, and went to town. I think it would benefit from subtitles given the blurred audio, but the performances were great.
3) Harold and Maude [1971] [COMPLETED 5/11/25] Rating: 4.5/5. I watched this with my mother and aunt on Mother's Day, and we were laughing throughout. Its morbid humor isn't for everyone, but even if you find that distasteful, the genuine romance between a young man and elderly woman works really well.
4) Red Beard [1965]
5) Enter the Dragon [1973]
12 Classic Films to Get Started With!
1) The African Queen [1951] (family suggestion - as will shortly become obvious, this aunt is a Humphrey Bogart fan) COMPLETED 1/12/25. Rating: 3.5/5. The romance comes out of nowhere, but before it happens (when they're bitterly cooperating) and once it's settled into the characters, the film makes sense. The opening scene of the African village would be severely edited today, for good reason.
2) The Big Sleep [1946] COMPLETED 5/25/25. RATING: 3/5. This made me appreciate the romance in The African Queen more, as I don't see similar chemistry between Bogart and Bacall for all that they were married in reality. Also, Bacall's character makes little sense and is outshone by every other woman in the film.
3) A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum [1966] COMPLETED 6/20/25. RATING: 3.5/5. I enjoyed it, but it did drag at some points - I'm pretty sure I would be more engaged if I saw it in its theatrical form.
4) Casablanca [1942]
5) Captains Courageous [1937]
6) Mr. Smith Goes to Washington [1939]
7) Stormy Weather [1943] (I heard this was a classic African-American musical, and it appears to be available via my library!)
8) Heaven Can Wait [1943]
9) North By Northwest [1959]
10) The Seventh Seal [1957]
11) Kind Hearts & Coronets [1948]
12) What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? [1962]
As other films come to my attention (ex. recommended by family & friends, found lying around a tag sale, etc.), I'll add them here!
1) The Women [1939] [COMPLETED 1/26/25] Rating: 3/5. It was doing so well, then it became obvious that the purpose of the child character was to convince the mom character to give her deadbeat ex-husband another chance, and frankly if I want to see that I can rewatch the shorter and snappier Parent Trap. Also, in this day and age, I'd rather eat the rich than feel bad about their family issues.
2) Chimes at Midnight [1965] [COMPLETED 2/23/25] Rating: 3.5/5. Orson Welles took most of the Shakespeare plays that included Falstaff as a character, stripped out the scenes that didn't relate to the relationship between Hal and either of his father figures, and went to town. I think it would benefit from subtitles given the blurred audio, but the performances were great.
3) Harold and Maude [1971] [COMPLETED 5/11/25] Rating: 4.5/5. I watched this with my mother and aunt on Mother's Day, and we were laughing throughout. Its morbid humor isn't for everyone, but even if you find that distasteful, the genuine romance between a young man and elderly woman works really well.
4) Red Beard [1965]
5) Enter the Dragon [1973]