Overly appreciated movies?

[Two Types]

As I recall reading somewhere, Norman Schwarzkopf's planning for the first Gulf War was influenced by General Montgomery's plan for the Battle of El Alamein: don't rush the attack, wait until you have built up overwhelming superiority, let the enemy make the first move (i.e. the Scud missile attacks etc), then strike hard and fast using stunning amounts of firepower.

 

[jamespowers]

As I recall reading somewhere, Norman Schwarzkopf's planning for the first Gulf War was influenced by General Montgomery's plan for the Battle of El Alamein: don't rush the attack, wait until you have built up overwhelming superiority, let the enemy make the first move (i.e. the Scud missile attacks etc), then strike hard and fast using stunning amounts of firepower.

Fighting that way goes all the way back to Belisarius' time.

 

[MissNathalieVintage]

2001, a space odyssey-Creepy beginning. Great side effects.
A Clockwork Orange-Its dumb they did not end the movie just like the book ends.
Amelie
Che
Leave Her to Heaven
The Last Picture Show-only thing I liked about the movie was the fact that it’s in black and white.
Casablanca-Tried many times to like this film but still do not. Great lines though.
West Side Story
The Marx Brothers
Three Stooges
Easter Parade-Beautiful costumes and music.
Bring Up Baby
Funny Face
The Postman Always Rings Twice (original not the remake).

 

[Fading Fast]

2001, a space odyssey-Creepy beginning. Great side effects.
A Clockwork Orange-Its dumb they did not end the movie just like the book ends.
Amelie - Agreed
Che - don't know it
Leave Her to Heaven - beautifully filmed, very boring and unbelievable
The Last Picture Show-only thing I liked about the movie was the fact that it’s in black and white. - agreed on the black and white and I'd give it a 5.5, but, yes, on the over-rated
Casablanca-Tried many times to like this film but still do not. Great lines though. - agree to disagree, a true classic
West Side Story - can't sit through it
The Marx Brothers - can't sit through any of their movies
Three Stooges - nails on a chalkboard to me
Easter Parade-Beautiful costumes and music. - yes those are its attributes
Bring Up Baby - agree to disagree, not a big fan of screwball comedy, but this is a really good one
Funny Face - Haven't seen it in a long time, no real opinion
The Postman Always Rings Twice (original not the remake).

-It has grown on me to the point that I enjoy it - the remake was very good.

 

[Edward]

2001, a space odyssey-Creepy beginning. Great side effects.

I find Kubrick very hit and miss. 2001.... yeah. Beautifully shot, but at least an hour too long.

A Clockwork Orange-Its dumb they did not end the movie just like the book ends.

Burgess himself remarked on this, though he blamed the US publisher of the novel; prior to 1986, all copies of the book sold in the US excised the final chapter because the publisher believed the US market would not stand for a downbeat ending. Rumour has it that Kubrick wasn't even aware of the difference, having worked with his team from a US version. Such a shame, as I agree it's a key part of bringing the satire full circle. Much of the look of the film is now painfully dated (always a danger with sci-fi) rather than charmingly retro; more Sam J. Jones than Buster Crabbe, if you will. That said, it has its good points. The music is sublime, Malcolm McDowell is utterly magnetic, and he looks amazing. It's still one of many novels I'd love to have a go at adapting myself - and I'd get the ending right.

Amelie

Definitely overrated, though wasn't it nice to see something other than the usual English language Hollywood B features get some attention for once? For all I wasn't particularly impressed, a thousand times this over another damn romcom featuring one of the risible Friends "actors".

 

[Harp]

I might just be stirring up a little debate here:

Saving Private Ryan

Now, don't get me wrong, I think it's a great film. But i just feel that its reputation is a little too over the top.

I can't fault the opening sequences but after that it all gets a bit too 'action movie'. The final battle sequences are just too much for me. I recall a review from a British veteran of the fighting in Normandy. After watching the film he said something along the lines of 'The thing about street fighting is that you never go into the street.' He also commented on the overuse of ammunition.
And there's the 'let's use TNT filled socks to disable the tank' scene - just run out into the street and stick these things to a tank. What about trying the bazooka from an upstairs window?

I could go on, but i would be interested to know other people's thoughts.

Failure to avoid enemy contact at squad strength enroute to a primary objective; and a complete lack of fire discipline mar Ryan.

A rifleman typically carries 220-245 rounds, pistol cartridges, and a belt of 7.62m or other for the crew served weapon.
That's before water/rations, demolitions, knife or other lethal accoutrement such as a bicycle chain wrapped with electrical tape.

 

[Harp]

As I recall reading somewhere, Norman Schwarzkopf's planning for the first Gulf War was influenced by General Montgomery's plan for the Battle of El Alamein: don't rush the attack, wait until you have built up overwhelming superiority, let the enemy make the first move (i.e. the Scud missile attacks etc), then strike hard and fast using stunning amounts of firepower.

Concentration of force is an ancient military maxim.

....and Monty was a Field Marshal old boy.

 

[rjb1]

I agree that "A Clockwork Orange" is over-appreciated, and one reason for that is that even though the "future" it proposed seemed pretty bad at the time, the later reality was so much worse. In CO they mostly hit each other with sticks and kick each other, with one non-life-threatening knife wound. Who would have thought the future would actually turn out to include drive-by shootings. (and walk-by and bicycle-by shootings). Alex's Droogs wouldn't last five minutes in a modern urban area.

 

[Two Types]

Concentration of force is an ancient military maxim.

....and Monty was a Field Marshal old boy.

The reference to building up force at Alamein relates to avoiding political pressure to rush an offensive. Montgomery made his name, in part, by resisting the political pressure from Churchill etc for an immediate attack. I believe that the comparison between the First Gulf War and El Alamein in part relates to similar refusal to bow to political pressure for a hasty offensive.

 

[Dragon Soldier]

Not sure if it's really in the spirit of the thread, but two "classics" which I personally detest.

Odd Man Out - It's not a bad yarn, but it's a yarn. It's a yarn written by someone who was a realtive "blow-in" to where I'm from and produced for cinema by someone who'd never been there at all. There would be little actual harm in that, did not so many people take the plot and issues raised as gospel and base many of their perceptions of N. Irish issues on the film.

It's A Wonderful Life - Take a course on talking to mentally distressed persons considering self harm, day one, hour one you'll hear "Do not cite It's A Wonderful Life!".
Again personal bugbear rather than a fault with the production, but I can't watch it with grinding teeth. In fact I just can't watch it.

 

[Dragon Soldier]

It struck me that line was thrown in as a deliberate dig against the British (any film that has Stephen Ambrose listed as an advisor/consultant runs the risk of that!).

It is my sincerely held belief that had Abrose lived he would have been discredited.

 

[Harp]

The reference to building up force at Alamein relates to avoiding political pressure to rush an offensive. Montgomery made his name, in part, by resisting the political pressure from Churchill etc for an immediate attack. I believe that the comparison between the First Gulf War and El Alamein in part relates to similar refusal to bow to political pressure for a hasty offensive.

But the pressure came from within, not without; reflecting the Powell Doctrine's inherent conflict with operational
logistics; Muslim damascene of vernal lunars, and climatic considerations regarding optimal terrain conditions.
Political pressure on commanders date to Silva's X Legion under Vespasian, but the Chiefs of Staff enjoyed sufficient
latitude in Desert Storm. Ending the offensive at a particular hour, however, was both political and premature.

Trainor's analysis, The Generals' War offers a professional view of the inside track.

 

[Edward]

Not sure if it's really in the spirit of the thread, but two "classics" which I personally detest.

Odd Man Out - It's not a bad yarn, but it's a yarn. It's a yarn written by someone who was a realtive "blow-in" to where I'm from and produced for cinema by someone who'd never been there at all. There would be little actual harm in that, did not so many people take the plot and issues raised as gospel and base many of their perceptions of N. Irish issues on the film.

I've never actually seen that one, but it's certainly the case that there are precious few films about the Irish conflict that come close to getting it right - and even fewer when it comes to the North. I still lament that Sean O'Casey never wrote a Belfast trilogy.