Best Years For Film - Movies & TV - Forums : Best Ever Albums

PurpleHazel

Hayden wrote:

I saw a low-quality version of Celine And Julie Go Boating a while back, and thought it was pretty good. It's just a long film to watch, especially at a frustrating quality. I think my eyes glazed over for a good portion of the middle. It's a film I've been meaning to rewatch one day. I think it'll go over better with me in HQ.

Since I didn't know what films on the list you haven't seen, I went with one that's tied for the hardest to see (the other one's The Mother and the Whore). I like Celine and Julie Go Boating to a degree, but don't love it. But I recced it to you because, for an art film buff such as yourself, it's essential viewing, even if you ended up not liking it. Sounds like your reaction's not that different than mine, though bad PQ can sometimes really interfere with experiencing a film.

Hayden wrote:

'47's decent (Out Of The Past, Monsieur Verdoux, Odd Man Out, Black Narcissus, The Lady From Shanghai). Pivotal year for the "classic film poster". Don't think it'd be my pick for the 40s though... I don't even think it'd be in my top 5 years of the 40s.

The 40s are tricky, because there were significantly less films than any decade since, so even a year with 6-7 bangers is notably significant. Overall, I think I'd have to go with 1948, 1946, or 1940.

Haven't seen the numbers of films for decades, but it makes sense. In addition to there being fewer 40s movies because movies were younger, there were probably less Hollywood movies made during WWII. The significant proportion of WWII films to promote the war presumably meant fewer other types of movies, and I think that diminishes the number of good films from 1941-45, because the motives to make the movies were something other than creative ones. Of course, 1941-45 is also when the noir films establishing the genre (style/cycle) came out.

Making the lists was time-consuming, but fun and enlightening. When I have some free time, maybe I'll do one for the 60s. Curious to see what the best year for foreign film was.

Hayden

Location: CDMX

Quote:

Since I didn't know what films on the list you haven't seen, I went with one that's tied for the hardest to see (the other one's The Mother and the Whore).

Nah, you're going about it logically, but it's almost the opposite Laughing

I haven't seen-

MASH, The Last Picture Show, The Exorcist, Out 1, Blazing Saddles, Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Jaws, Nashville, The Passenger, All The President's Men, Carrie, Rocky, Star Wars, The Deer Hunter, Halloween, or Invasion Of The Body Snatchers (among a dozen or so others... 1900, Shampoo, Coming Home...).

I've seen The Mother And The Whore.

Quote:

there were probably less Hollywood movies made during WWII. The significant proportion of WWII films to promote the war presumably meant fewer other types of movies, and I think that diminishes the number of good films from 1941-45, because the motives to make the movies were something other than creative ones.

And everything considered, it is quite something Citizen Kane, Casablanca, Sullivan's Travels, Double Indemnity, The Life And Death Of Colonel Blimp, and The Lost Weekend came out during those years. Forget the 40s, those are some heavyweights for all-time.

PurpleHazel

Hayden wrote:

Nah, you're going about it logically, but it's almost the opposite Laughing

I tried to profile you, dude. Laughing

Quote:

I haven't seen-

MASH, The Last Picture Show, The Exorcist, Out 1, Blazing Saddles, Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Jaws, Nashville, The Passenger, All The President's Men, Carrie, Rocky, Star Wars, The Deer Hunter, Halloween, or Invasion Of The Body Snatchers

Obviously, you know more or less know the reps of all these films, but based on your poll list submissions etc., the ones I'd rec first are: Nashville (obviously a New Hollywood high point), The Passenger (Antonioni's bending of a thriller-adjacent premise to his iconoclastic style's quite intriguing) and The Deer Hunter. The next two I'd rec are major New Hollywood films, but a little less overtly arty: All the President's Men (huge influence on Zodiac among other journalistic investigation films, and timely as well Very Happy

) and The Last Picture Show. Though MASH's obviously culturally significant, it's Exhibit A in Altman sometimes getting tagged as sexist, so no rush there (Nashville's not sexist; good roles for the actresses). Haven't seen Out 1 and 1900 because they're so long. Invasion of the Body Snatchers remake's good, but one of the least essential. Rocky goes to the bottom of your to-watch list.

Quote:

And everything considered, it is quite something Citizen Kane, Casablanca, Sullivan's Travels, Double Indemnity, The Life And Death Of Colonel Blimp, and The Lost Weekend came out during those years. Forget the 40s, those are some heavyweights for all-time.

Absolutely, though it just occurred to me that the 1941 movies came out before or around the time of Pearl Harbor (I was the one who wrote "1941-45" -- oops Smile

).

Hayden

Location: CDMX

PurpleHazel wrote:

Obviously, you know more or less know the reps of all these films, but based on your poll list submissions etc., the ones I'd rec first are: Nashville (obviously a New Hollywood high point), The Passenger (Antonioni's bending of a thriller-adjacent premise to his iconoclastic style's quite intriguing) and The Deer Hunter. The next two I'd rec are major New Hollywood films, but a little less overtly arty: All the President's Men (huge influence on Zodiac among other journalistic investigation films, and timely as well Very Happy

) and The Last Picture Show. Though MASH's obviously culturally significant, it's Exhibit A in Altman sometimes getting tagged as sexist, so no rush there (Nashville's not sexist; good roles for the actresses). Haven't seen Out 1 and 1900 because they're so long. Invasion of the Body Snatchers remake's good, but one of the least essential. Rocky goes to the bottom of your to-watch list.

Out of what I mentioned, the one I plan to see the most is The Passenger. I might even get around to it sometime soon. Both of Altman's pictures are in the queue as well. Might watch The Deer Hunter simply because it's a Best Picture winner, but I can't say the same for Rocky (watched Creed... that's about all I need to see...). I know very little about Out 1 apart from the fact it's good and I can't find it anywhere. Could take or leave any of the horror flicks.

And I'm thinking of maybe doing a marathon of the first three Star Wars movies, simply so I know what everyone's talking about Laughing

. Also, The Empire Strikes Back was #1 on our 80s list, so I can't be all bad.

Always plenty of films to watch Mr. Green

PurpleHazel

Hayden wrote:

I know very little about Out 1 apart from the fact it's good and I can't find it anywhere.

And I'm thinking of maybe doing a marathon of the first three Star Wars movies, simply so I know what everyone's talking about Laughing

.

Always plenty of films to watch Mr. Green

Yeah, the more I watch, the more I want to see. I'd watch All The President's Men and Last Picture Show (which is B&W and has a semi-indie feel to it) over MASH. If you haven't seen California Split or The Long Goodbye (or maybe even Thieves Like Us), I'd prioritize them over MASH too. Never saw Return of the Jedi and who knows if I'll ever get to it.

What I know about Out 1 is it's almost 13 hours long, RIvette directed it and Jean-Pierre Leaud's one of the main actors, but you probably knew that much already. It was briefly released on DVD/Bluray in the U.S. and the British Bluray's in print -- since it's been digitized in hi def it shouldn't be to hard to find, though don't expect it to be on a major streaming site soon or ever.

BozoTyrannus

Gender: Male
Age: 31

I've found a disproportionate number of my favorite films are from 1962, and since then I've passionately defended it as the best year for film.

L'Eclisse (my hands down favorite film)
Jules and Jim (which, while French New Wave had started in '59, I feel this film defined the movement)
Lawrence of Arabia
The Exterminating Angel
Harakiri
The Trial
Long Day's Journey Into Night
To Kill a Mockingbird
Lolita

Etc etc etc

CA Dreamin

Gender: Male
Location: LA

BozoTyrannus wrote:

I've found a disproportionate number of my favorite films are from 1962, and since then I've passionately defended it as the best year for film.

L'Eclisse (my hands down favorite film)
Jules and Jim (which, while French New Wave had started in '59, I feel this film defined the movement)
Lawrence of Arabia
The Exterminating Angel
Harakiri
The Trial
Long Day's Journey Into Night
To Kill a Mockingbird
Lolita

Etc etc etc

I don't know about best year for film, but I would certainly agree 1962 was an excellent year. In addition the titles above, we also had:

Manchurian Candidate
Cleo from 5 to 7
Birdman of Alcatraz
What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?
Pressure Point
The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance
Knife in the Water
Experiment in Terror
Cape Fear