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I would say that 1940s and 1950s films generally smoke the 1990s for "golden era".
If your criteria is color and sound and screen resolution and special effects, the low tech 40s and 50s fall FAR short.
If your criteria is having a massive variety of compelling and enjoyable stories, brought to life with stellar writing and brilliant acting and terrific story telling, I will take the 40s and 50s any day. The 1960s mated better tech to much of the quality of acting and storytelling of the earliler decades.
The 70s wer the era of the blockbuster but had a lot of cannon fodder too. A lot of 70s movies are pretty unspectacular.
The 1990s saw a decent number of good movies but nothing at all like a "golden era" compared to earlier decades. What is for certain is that Hollywood still made GOOD movies in the 1990s. After 2005 Hollywood fell off a cliff and has never found its way back, despite a handful of gems. The 1990s are only a golden era in relation to the dismal tripe being produced today.
Now, if having a diverse cast is your primary need, then yes Hollywood today has never been better. I am more about the story and characters than who is playing them.
Some great movies from every category during the 90s. This isn't meant to be exhaustive. I'm going off the top of my head. I got tired of typing, but no, I did not forget about Forrest Gump and The Matrix.
Comedy
My Cousin Vinny
Austin Powers
There's Something About Mary
Groundhog Day
The Big Lebowski
Death Becomes Her
The Nutty Professor
The Waterboy
Blankman
Tommy Boy
Rush Hour
Friday
Ace Ventura
Major League 2
Political Thrillers
JFK
The Hunt for Red October
Patriot Games
Clear and Present Danger
The Pelican Brief
The Insider
The Firm
Enemy of the State
Psycho Thrillers/Crime Dramas
Fargo
The Silence of the Lambs
Reservoir Dogs
Basic Instinct
Magnolia
Pulp Fiction
Arlington Road
American History X
The Sixth Sense
Se7en
The Talented Mr. Ripley
The Fugitive (I know it was a remake)
Big Budget Action
Terminator 2: Judgment Day
Mission Impossible
Independence Day
Men in Black
Bad Boys
Speed
Total Recall
Heat
Blade
Serious Drama
Schindler's List
Dances with Wolves
Philadelphia
The Shawshank Redemption
A Few Good Men
Good Will Hunting
Malcolm X
Braveheart
Saving Private Ryan
A League of Their Own
Geronimo: An American Legend
Sleepers
Disclosure
School Ties
RomComs and Love Stories
Ghost
Titanic
As Good As It Gets
Jerry Maguire
Pretty Woman
Sleepless in Seattle
Notting Hill
Meet Joe Black
Shakespeare In Love
I would say that 1940s and 1950s films generally smoke the 1990s for "golden era".
If your criteria is color and sound and screen resolution and special effects, the low tech 40s and 50s fall FAR short.
If your criteria is having a massive variety of compelling and enjoyable stories, brought to life with stellar writing and brilliant acting and terrific story telling, I will take the 40s and 50s any day. The 1960s mated better tech to much of the quality of acting and storytelling of the earliler decades.
The 70s wer the era of the blockbuster but had a lot of cannon fodder too. A lot of 70s movies are pretty unspectacular.
The 1990s saw a decent number of good movies but nothing at all like a "golden era" compared to earlier decades. What is for certain is that Hollywood still made GOOD movies in the 1990s. After 2005 Hollywood fell off a cliff and has never found its way back, despite a handful of gems. The 1990s are only a golden era in relation to the dismal tripe being produced today.
Now, if having a diverse cast is your primary need, then yes Hollywood today has never been better. I am more about the story and characters than who is playing them.
I can't agree with you about the acting from that era. You could tell that many of them were trained stage actors and as a result their acting feels wooden and doesn't translate that well to the silver screen IMO. The adoption of method acting and naturalism in the 60s and beyond resulted in much better acting, I think.
I can't agree with you about the acting from that era. You could tell that many of them were trained stage actors and as a result their acting feels wooden and doesn't translate that well to the silver screen IMO. The adoption of method acting and naturalism in the 60s and beyond resulted in much better acting, I think.
Without doubt, it would be a person's perspective on that. Humphrey Bogart refused to work with any actor who slurred his words and made it difficult for audiences to understand what was being said. With my bad hearing, I really appreciate those threatrically trained actors who enunciated their words.
Last edited by Igor Blevin; 02-28-2023 at 07:04 PM..
I don't know that I would call the 90's the "golden era" in film, but it was definitely the pinnacle of pop culture, and we've been going downhill ever since.
I can't agree with you about the acting from that era. You could tell that many of them were trained stage actors and as a result their acting feels wooden and doesn't translate that well to the silver screen IMO. The adoption of method acting and naturalism in the 60s and beyond resulted in much better acting, I think.
Absolutely correct. Brilliant as Hitchcock was, the acting in a lot of his movies is ... well, not good to say the least. He tended to have exceptionally good actresses, but Anthony Perkins aside, most of the actors in his movie exhibited all the natural emotion of cured wood.
There were some great movies in the '90s. No doubt. But the Golden Era of American Cinema? That was the 1970s. Absolutely no contest.
IMHO, the 90's mass media was an extension of the 80's for the most part.
True the special effects & 3D became much more sophisticated in the later decade, but I don't see it as very distinctive compared to say the 1950's or 1960' or 1970's for example.
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well, not good to say the least. He tended to have exceptionally good actresses, but Anthony Perkins aside, most of the actors in his movie exhibited all the natural emotion of cured wood.
