why i dont like old movies. (disturbing, watch, Citizen Kane, It's a Wonderful Life)

[kathys]

I have always thought some of the black and white films have a depth to them that can not be duplicated by color or any of the modern CGI affects.
Films like Citizen Kane, Red River, Body And Soul. Including the work cameramenof Gregg Toland, James Wong Howe, Joseph Walker, among others.
Some others posts mentioned WC Fields, Ronald Colman, Montgomery Cliftand others, there are none out there to relplace them or even come close.
And I am only 46. I would also add John Garfield.

[tasmtairy]

Originally Posted by kathys

I have always thought some of the black and white films have a depth to them that can not be duplicated by color or any of the modern CGI affects.
Films like Citizen Kane, Red River, Body And Soul. Including the work cameramenof Gregg Toland, James Wong Howe, Joseph Walker, among others.
Some others posts mentioned WC Fields, Ronald Colman, Montgomery Cliftand others, there are none out there to relplace them or even come close.
And I am only 46. I would also add John Garfield.

John Garfield was one of my favorite actors when I was a kid. Loved Debra Kerr, oh I can't think, loved "Imitation of Life", great movie and there were others.

[Linson]

Originally Posted by Towhee

Actually the 'trash' mouths of the way people talk now is not how the real life people that I grew up around talked. I am talking about the 30s, 40s and 50s. Back then men respected women and did not use filthy language around them. And the women would not have even thought of talking like the modern ones do. Also, a lot of the filfthy language, that is used now, was not even in existence then.
Even when we first moved here, in 1977, there was not the filthy language used in public that is now used.
Only the trashy women used bad language back in my youth.
Anyone who thinks people are more advanced socially need to think again!
The present day language has gone down the drain, just like the morals have.
It is odd that the young folk know so much more about the past than we who lived it!

And the posts that I see on here that have filthy words blanked out are proof of what I just posted. Any intelligent, decent, person does not need to resort to such words....blanked out or not!

oh for **** SAKE!!! for the last god damn time, when i say people didnt talk that way, i'm not refering to obscenity or lack of obscenity, i'm refering to the way lines were delivered as if reading lines for a play. i'm talking about how the dialogue rarely sounds natural (i.e. realistic). the emotional affect, or lack of emotion, and blank stares seem un-natural. it has nothing to do with whether they swear or not.

seriously, i'm getting really sick of having to keep going back and defending this point.

now do you see where i'm coming from with this, Towhee?

[Twinkle Toes]

Okay ..... just breathe ........... in ............. out ..............

There - now don't you feel better?

[PITTSTON2SARASOTA]

Originally Posted by Linson

Gone With The Wind; Out of Africa; most highly acclaimed movies from the 30's, 40's, 50's, and 60's - i dont like them, and here's why: the dialogue just is not believable. and neither is the acting as it pertains to how the lines are delivered. i just dont beleive that people acted and talked that way - ever. it all seems more like youre watching a play on the stage. those movies never make you feel like youre there or like you can even relate to the characters in them. know what i mean?

I think your missing out on a lot...those movies were made in a different, more innocent time.

What about "You Can't Take It With You", "My Man Goddfrey" or "The Snake Pit"...fantastic flicks...please give them a chance. When I was young I too, ignored them, though I'm no spring chicken now...LOl.

"Mr Smith Goes TO Washington", "King's Row" or "the Wizard Of Oz".....surely you would enjoy at least on of these selected movies.

And..."It's A Wonderful Life".....I rest my case...LOL...

[Aylalou]

Originally Posted by Linson

wow...youre a really judgemental *******, you know that. youve completely misread me and youve completely missed my point in your haste to get up on your soap box and act superior.

im not talking about the lack of special effects, ect, and i dont go see movies to look at special effects. i'm talking about how, in older films, an actress will stare blankly and deliver her line, not even looking at the person she's talking to. and how more often than not, the actor/actress' emotional affect is inconsistent with the circumstances the character finds themself in.

you show a certain shallowness in character to assume that someone who dislikes the way film was presented in the past is a fan of Twilight, Underworld, Fast and Furious, or any of that other crap - which i hate.

It was a whole different way, but Hitchcock, among others, was excellent. I think maybe you haven't see some very good movies from back then. A lot of fine cinema has gone by the wayside. They depend more on gimmicks than on art. The close-ups are pretty much gone. That was a form of art and style that no longer exists. Take each for something that was without comparing to how it is now. There are very few movies I find satisfying these days. Movies that you don't think much about after you've seen them, compared to those "old-fashioned" ones that live on - It's A Wonderful Life, A Streetcar Named Desire, On the Waterfront, Wuthering Heights with Olivier, Grapes of Wrath, All About Eve - all Classics and worthwhile. People actually spoke differently to each other than they do now - slang expressions that are no longer heard, even gestures that exist no longer. Then is not now, and movies reflect that.

[shy chic]

I love old movies myself,but I kind of agree with the OP on one thing. The stereotypes of men and women were a little too pronounced--the women sometimes were overly dramatic and the men rarely cried and more emphasis was placed on them to be "Tough guys.
Some of my favorites are Gone with the Wind,Casablanca,Laura,Red Dust (a classic with Clark Gable and Jean Harlow) and just about anything with Bette Davis.

[BigSwede]

Originally Posted by quiet walker

At the AFI the films are projected at their proper speed and with proper optics

I hope they are not doing it with Mack Sennett's movies,which are meant to be too fast.

Not only were the actors back then stage actors,but the movies was also just filmed stage plays.

[chilaili]

Originally Posted by PITTSTON2SARASOTA

I think your missing out on a lot...those movies were made in a different, more innocent time.

What about "You Can't Take It With You", "My Man Goddfrey" or "The Snake Pit"...fantastic flicks...please give them a chance. When I was young I too, ignored them, though I'm no spring chicken now...LOl.

"Mr Smith Goes TO Washington", "King's Row" or "the Wizard Of Oz".....surely you would enjoy at least on of these selected movies.

And..."It's A Wonderful Life".....I rest my case...LOL...

Okay, I'm sorry but on this point I do actually agree with the OP. I HATE It's a Wonderful Life! I can't help it, but I do. It makes me want to ralph, it's so unbelievably corny and cheesy and the acting is hopeless. I love Jimmy Stewart movies, I really do, and he made some fantastic movies over the years, but this one I cannot abide.

My goodness, I'd totally forgotten about The Snake Pit. That was fabulous. And I think William Powell was a genius, in real life as well as in the movies. My absolute favourite tho is Ronald Colman who had a lovely speaking voice, was extremely talented and who always looked like he was having a great time doing this movie and wasn't it all just hilarious.

[Towhee]

I am thinking if the younger generations would adopt some of the gentler manners and speech that is exhibited on the old movies it would be a much better world.
I very seldom watch any of the newer movies because of the filthly language, sex, and violence. I watch for the Hallmark Hall of Fame movies, and others of their caliber.
I am thoroughly convinced that what you put into your mind is what will come out.....garbage in, garbage out!
I hate to think that the majority of mankind like the garbage! Too many enjoy imitating what they see and hear on all the trashy movies.