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Re: Best Ever Films of The 50's [List]

AwaitingAndrew — Fri, 10 Jun 2016 14:11:29 GMT

Author: AwaitingAndrew

Posted: 06/10/2016 18:11

I was ready to be disappointed by this list, but I wasn't in the slightest. Vertigo is a phenomenal film and each of the top 10 is deserving though not necessarily my order.

Re: Best Ever Films of The 50's [List]

mickilennial — Wed, 25 May 2016 03:55:34 GMT

Author: mickilennial

Posted: 05/25/2016 07:55

Quote:

Giant baffled me

It really shouldn't.

Re: Best Ever Films of The 50's [List]

Anonymous — Wed, 18 May 2016 13:10:47 GMT

Author: Anonymous

Posted: 05/18/2016 17:10

Hayden wrote:

I've never seen How To Steal A Million... gotta do that. 😄

I've long held the opinion that Audrey Hepburn is my favorite actress of all time. And that Peter O'Toole is my favorite actor of all time. And William Wyler is top 25 directors too. So when I was randomly browsing around for a movie and came across a film with Audrey Hepburn AND Peter O'Toole AND William Wyler AND held a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, I quickly dropped everything and found the film and watched it.

And it did not disappoint.

Edit: the word 'and' appears in this comment ten times. Fun fact.

Re: Best Ever Films of The 50's [List]

Hayden — Mon, 16 May 2016 15:10:22 GMT

Author: Hayden

Posted: 05/16/2016 19:10

badseed wrote:

[Edit] Hayden, never heard of Giant? That's odd. It was one of the biggest budget epics ever at the time. James Dean only had three legit roles (he had bit parts in a few prior films) and he's one of the most iconic movie stars ever, like the male version of Marilyn Monroe (except way better actor). Stevens won his second Best Director Oscar for it (five years after A Place in the Sun). I think it might have been the box office champ that year too. Pretty well known movie.

Yeah, I hadn't heard of it 😨 To be fair though, I don't know everything about everything. I've also never seen a James Dean film... although I had certainly heard about his other two. I have some catching up to do 🤣

Quote:

Giant, on the other hand, while it didn't hold up as well on 2nd viewing, is still a good movie. Hayden, it's kind of like There Will Be Blood, but told from the rancher's perspective instead the oil baron's. I'm not saying it's as good as There Will Be Blood because it isn't, but there are similarities. I think Giant is on AFI's Top 100, and I think it won Best Picture that year...don't agree with either, but Top 100 of the decade seems reasonable.

And ok, cool. I'll probably give it a watch eventually 😄 It did appear on a fair amount of lists.

Re: Best Ever Films of The 50's [List]

badseed — Mon, 16 May 2016 13:54:04 GMT

Author: badseed

Posted: 05/16/2016 17:54

StreetSpirit wrote:

It was on the first AFI list but not the 10th anniversary revision of it. Also, although it was probably the most deserving of the five nominees, it lost Best Picture to Around the World in 80 Days. Plenty of better movies from '56 but the nominees weren't that strong. Friendly Persuasion, The King and I and The Ten Commandments were the other options.

[My start to movie fandom began on the internet, I had the original AFI list memorized for years (and can still recite their top 25 actors and actresses in correct order) and kept a scrapbook with Oscar history. I memorized a lot back then haha]

Re: Best Ever Films of The 50's [List]

CA Dreamin — Mon, 16 May 2016 13:35:36 GMT

Author: CA Dreamin

Posted: 05/16/2016 17:35

I don't like Kazan that much, though I admittedly put Waterfront and Streetcar on my list, albeit low. But I never considered East of Eden. It's just not a good movie. Who knows where the points to get it to #31 came from. Doesn't matter.

Giant, on the other hand, while it didn't hold up as well on 2nd viewing, is still a good movie. Hayden, it's kind of like There Will Be Blood, but told from the rancher's perspective instead the oil baron's. I'm not saying it's as good as There Will Be Blood because it isn't, but there are similarities. I think Giant is on AFI's Top 100, and I think it won Best Picture that year...don't agree with either, but Top 100 of the decade seems reasonable.

12 Angry Men? That movie's great. Even if you don't think so, you shouldn't be surprised by its presence. It's stood the test of time and is one the most watched movies from that decade.

I remember liking, not loving Roman Holiday. But yeah How to Steal A Million is better.

Re: Best Ever Films of The 50's [List]

badseed — Mon, 16 May 2016 09:59:48 GMT

Author: badseed

Posted: 05/16/2016 13:59

Norman Bates wrote:

Films I don't understand the presence of:

12 Angry Men (and at #4 no less!)
Roman Holiday
Giant (astonishes me more than the presence of East of Eden, which I don't like much but I sort of get the 'cult' appeal)
A Streetcar Named Desire is bloody awful as is all Kazan except maybe A Face in the Crowd

Ophuls-wise, La ronde higher than Madame de... is simply incredible.

Otherwise a very good list for sure.

I agree with most of this. 12 Angry Men made my list but just barely. I've stated my opinion on it multiple times so I'll refrain here. Ditto Roman Holiday (except it wouldn't make my top 200). I didn't vote for Giant but I understand its appeal plus it probably appeared on more lists from people who probably haven't seen much more than 100 movies. It's probably the same for all four movies listed for the most part, although I personally love Streetcar and Kazan's films in general.

La ronde is like the fourth best Ophuls movie of the 50s at best (and I've only seen that many, though I believe there's one more). I didnt even notice it was here.

There are a few others that I feel might be a little overated but it's a pretty comprehensive list. I can't complain.

So I've got a shortlist of 120 directors I pulled from TSPDT, double checking my collection to see if I missed anyone. I think I'm gonna do my thing and have a rough draft ready to go whenever that thread is posted. I'll wait for confirmation on the 40s list, as surely my opinion will be drastically different if its a couple months before I can post it.

[Edit] Hayden, never heard of Giant? That's odd. It was one of the biggest budget epics ever at the time. James Dean only had three legit roles (he had bit parts in a few prior films) and he's one of the most iconic movie stars ever, like the male version of Marilyn Monroe (except way better actor). Stevens won his second Best Director Oscar for it (five years after A Place in the Sun). I think it might have been the box office champ that year too. Pretty well known movie.

Re: Best Ever Films of The 50's [List]

Hayden — Mon, 16 May 2016 09:48:24 GMT

Author: Hayden

Posted: 05/16/2016 13:48

I've never seen How To Steal A Million... gotta do that. 😄

Norman Bates wrote:

Films I don't understand the presence of:
Giant (astonishes me more than the presence of East of Eden, which I don't like much but I sort of get the 'cult' appeal)

Ophuls-wise, La ronde higher than Madame de... is simply incredible.

Yeah, Giant baffled me. I had never even heard of it before, and it doesn't look terribly enticing. I was bit stumped with that.

And I personally prefer La Ronde to Madame De..., but both a really great. I'm just sad Lola Montes didn't make the cut 🙁 Only by a few points nonetheless.

Re: Best Ever Films of The 50's [List]

Anonymous — Mon, 16 May 2016 08:09:19 GMT

Author: Anonymous

Posted: 05/16/2016 12:09

Applerill wrote:

Wyler* and Hepburn's real masterpiece is How to Steal a Million. Even my mom knows this.

*Excluding Best Years of Our Lives, which might as well be called the greatest movie ever made

Absolutely true, but nobody else was exactly rushing to vote for that during the 60s poll when I'd put it in my top 10. So now I'm sad.

Re: Best Ever Films of The 50's [List]

Applerill — Mon, 16 May 2016 07:49:08 GMT

Author: Applerill

Posted: 05/16/2016 11:49

Also, not to crassly objectify here, but Bitter Rice is the one that recently got that sexy Criterion cover, right? Because that gave me such a boner that I might check it out, even if I'm not big on 1940s neorealism. I obviously haven't seen it yet, but if you have Criterion and are looking for 1940s recs for the next (hypothetical) tournament, I think you should check this out with me.

Thumbnail. Click to enlarge.

Re: Best Ever Films of The 50's [List]

Applerill — Mon, 16 May 2016 07:43:17 GMT

Author: Applerill

Posted: 05/16/2016 11:43

nutso42 wrote:

And in defense of the few complaints of Roman Holiday ranking so high, I offer this bit of reasoning...

Thumbnail. Click to enlarge.

I rest my case.

Fun Fact: Roman Holiday is a bore of a movie, and Wyler* and Hepburn's real masterpiece is How to Steal a Million. Even my mom knows this.

*Excluding Best Years of Our Lives, which might as well be called the greatest movie ever made

Re: Best Ever Films of The 50's [List]

Anonymous — Mon, 16 May 2016 07:38:21 GMT

Author: Anonymous

Posted: 05/16/2016 11:38

Hayden wrote:

So, yea or nay on having the two run at the same time?

I'm fine with either. If we have then both up it'll give us plenty of time to discuss the 40s list and make some new discoveries (which I like since I only get good internet connection once a month, so that's the only time I can watch or download new stuff).

But if we don't run them both I won't be heartbroken.

And in defense of the few complaints of Roman Holiday ranking so high, I offer this bit of reasoning...

Thumbnail. Click to enlarge.

I rest my case.

Re: Best Ever Films of The 50's [List]

Norman Bates — Mon, 16 May 2016 05:27:48 GMT

Author: Norman Bates

Posted: 05/16/2016 09:27

Films I don't understand the presence of:

12 Angry Men (and at #4 no less!)
Roman Holiday
Giant (astonishes me more than the presence of East of Eden, which I don't like much but I sort of get the 'cult' appeal)
A Streetcar Named Desire is bloody awful as is all Kazan except maybe A Face in the Crowd

Ophuls-wise, La ronde higher than Madame de... is simply incredible.

Otherwise a very good list for sure.

Re: Best Ever Films of The 50's [List]

Mercury — Sun, 15 May 2016 23:41:25 GMT

Author: Mercury

Posted: 05/16/2016 03:41

I'm in favor of 2 at a time. In theory it's just about making lists, edits, and more edits and then submitting them. I'm interested in both for sure.

Re: Best Ever Films of The 50's [List]

badseed — Sun, 15 May 2016 23:36:57 GMT

Author: badseed

Posted: 05/16/2016 03:36

CryingGameDahlin wrote:

Natch, forgot to get my list in, but o well excellent job as always, though obv no A Star is Born (though a three-hour Judy Garland musical may not be to everybody's fancy and that's okay) and geniunely surprised by the relatively weak showing of Bergman- Sawdust and Tinsel is very underrated (and very, very dark) and imo his first great film.

I'm a little surprised myself that Smiles of a Summer Night missed the cut. I figured it would have been seen by enough people and it's well regarded enough. But yeah I'd be curious to find out where that, Sawdust, Summer with Monika and The Magician ended up. Ditto on A Star is Born as well. Musicals did fare a tad better here than they did in the 60s though.

Re: Best Ever Films of The 50's [List]

CA Dreamin — Sun, 15 May 2016 22:48:25 GMT

Author: CA Dreamin

Posted: 05/16/2016 02:48

Two at a time? I don't even want to do one for a while. I don't think there's anything wrong with taking a month or two off before the next poll. Summer is coming and I'll be very busy with work, plus the movies I'll be wanting to see are current/recent releases. I'm already seven movies behind for 2016. So yeah I would vote no on two at a time. If we must do one, let's keep it at that. But that's just me.

Re: Best Ever Films of The 50's [List]

badseed — Sun, 15 May 2016 22:34:33 GMT

Author: badseed

Posted: 05/16/2016 02:34

I'm totally down for doing both. It'll give us more to talk about during your absence. Plus there are a lot of directors who hit their peak in the 40s that shouldn't be forgotten. I've still got very little interest in anything music related although I've got a big overhaul on that list on the horizon.

Re: Best Ever Films of The 50's [List]

Hayden — Sun, 15 May 2016 22:22:18 GMT

Author: Hayden

Posted: 05/16/2016 02:22

My 40's list probably won't be too lengthy... it might end up being only be 25 films or so. Although, I really like most of them. Hoping I get a chance to watch a few more before the list of course.

That being said, do you guys think it makes sense to run the 40's list and the directors list at the same time? Have them both running over the course of two months instead of two one-month intervals? The thought just occurred to me. It wouldn't be any trouble on my part. I would just need everyone to PM me (instead of only posting in the thread... like, you can post them of course, but I need the PM) to make sure I don't miss anyone's lists 😄

So, yea or nay on having the two run at the same time? The alternative is to do the directors poll, and then start the 40's list mid-July. Either way, I think I'll put the director's poll up tomorrow.

Re: Best Ever Films of The 50's [List]

Anonymous — Sun, 15 May 2016 21:34:16 GMT

Author: Anonymous

Posted: 05/16/2016 01:34

StreetSpirit wrote:

Double Indemnity will probably be the only one on my '40s list. And I don't think he really deserves more than that (maybe Lost Weekend?) because the '50s were his prime.

Lost Weekend is actually my 3rd ranked Wilder film overall (behind Sunset Blvd and The Apartment). I know it doesn't have nearly the acclaim it had upon its initial release, but still hoping for a good showing from it.

Re: Best Ever Films of The 50's [List]

CA Dreamin — Sun, 15 May 2016 21:05:51 GMT

Author: CA Dreamin

Posted: 05/16/2016 01:05

Mercury wrote:

😉 yep I am beyond happy that Wilder got so much love here. I included 7 wilder and mostly quite high. And the same 7 made it. Yay! He was a truly dazzling filmmaker in every way.

I've seen 8 of his 9 '50s films, and I had 6 on my list. Love in the Afternoon is the only one I haven't seen. I've seen The Seven Year Itch and The Spirit of St. Louis, but didn't like them enough to put on my list. But everything else was gold. Sunset Blvd and Ace in the Hole were in my Top 10. Anyway, Wilder won't get as much in the '40s poll. He'll get 1 or 2, 3 if we really show support. Though personally Double Indemnity will probably be the only one on my '40s list. And I don't think he really deserves more than that (maybe Lost Weekend?) because the '50s were his prime. And our list shows it!