What Was The Last Movie You Watched?

[Worf]

"Blackboard Jungle" (and "To Sir With Love," basically the same move) are both fantastically well-done movies. Your point about underrated or not is one I grapple with when considering the "Under-appreciated Classics" thread in this Forum as I am so immerse in old movies - watch them, read about them, listen to TCM extoll their virtues, follow and contribute to threads on them on this board - that I don't really know what is / isn't under-appreciated by the general public.

That said, I have a few friends who claim to be old movie fans, but who seem to know "CasaBlanca," "Gone with the Wind," a few Hitchcock movies and few others - that's it. So, my guess is any movie that isn't in the top 20 - 30 of the classic movies list is under-appreciated by the general population today. I doubt if you stop fifty people on the street today and asked them if they had ever seen "Blackboard Jungle" or "To Sir with Love" you'd be lucky to get more than two yes answers.

I concur... they're both the same films with the coloration of the teacher and the pupils "flipped" so to speak. "Blackboard Jungle" was more groundbreaking in its use of Rock n' Roll in the soundtrack, particularly the opening title. Rock wasn't used in major Hollywood films. Also the depiction of violent youth gangs in the public schools and the changing racial make up of the schools shocked white, middle class America to no end. Unfortunately many racist elements pointed to this film as justification for maintaining segregation in public schools at all costs. Not realizing (or caring) that it was a socio-economic problem more than a racial one. Underrated... no, controversial yes.

Worf

 

[Worf]

Got through half of "Sharknado" last night... might finish it might not. Don't know if I can spare the brain cells. Also... do they deliberately make the FX looks cheesey on purpose or is it just that they're cheap basterds?

Worf

 

[Touchofevil]

Got through half of "Sharknado" last night... might finish it might not. Don't know if I can spare the brain cells. Also... do they deliberately make the FX looks cheesey on purpose or is it just that they're cheap basterds?

Worf

I was wondering the same thing about the not-so-special effects of the horrible movie, Bigfoot. I believe that the horrible acting and effects are purposely done as it is the same movie after movie. It is as if they haven't learned anything about how to make a better movie over the years. While watching the movie, I was also wondering how they (The Asylum) continue to get funding to keep making bad movies.

 

[Fading Fast]

I concur... they're both the same films with the coloration of the teacher and the pupils "flipped" so to speak. "Blackboard Jungle" was more groundbreaking in its use of Rock n' Roll in the soundtrack, particularly the opening title. Rock wasn't used in major Hollywood films. Also the depiction of violent youth gangs in the public schools and the changing racial make up of the schools shocked white, middle class America to no end. Unfortunately many racist elements pointed to this film as justification for maintaining segregation in public schools at all costs. Not realizing (or caring) that it was a socio-economic problem more than a racial one. Underrated... no, controversial yes.

Worf

Regarding the bold above - if someone start from a premise, a preconception, of racism, then all problems will be explained in a way that justifies that view. To wit, and to your point, if "racist elements" see a race or races as the problem, then they will also see the solution as being segregation or even worse. Thankfully, overall, movies like these, combined with all the other social, cultural and political changes taking place in the late 50s and throughout the 60s, severely reduced these elements (unfortunately, they did not get rid of them, but at least they aren't the dominant narrative anymore).

And away from all the important social / political implications, these are really good movies. Also, interesting backstory on the use of rock and roll music in movies (less interesting, as my points usually are, is that "To Sir With Love," the song, stands well on its own).

My last thought on this - how many insanely great movies did Sidney Poitier make in what seemed like seven or eight years. I won't list them, as we can all look them up, but my God there are a lot. My favorite sleeper of his from this time is "A Patch of Blue." I stumbled onto it only about ten or so years ago on TCM and was blown away (fortunately, recorded it two minutes in as I knew something special was going on with this movie and watched it again with my girlfriend that night as I wanted her to see it).

 

[EmergencyIan]

"Blackboard Jungle" (and "To Sir With Love," basically the same move) are both fantastically well-done movies. Your point about underrated or not is one I grapple with when considering the "Under-appreciated Classics" thread in this Forum as I am so immerse in old movies - watch them, read about them, listen to TCM extoll their virtues, follow and contribute to threads on them on this board - that I don't really know what is / isn't under-appreciated by the general public.

That said, I have a few friends who claim to be old movie fans, but who seem to know "CasaBlanca," "Gone with the Wind," a few Hitchcock movies and few others - that's it. So, my guess is any movie that isn't in the top 20 - 30 of the classic movies list is under-appreciated by the general population today. I doubt if you stop fifty people on the street today and asked them if they had ever seen "Blackboard Jungle" or "To Sir with Love" you'd be lucky to get more than two yes answers.

Excellent point.

- Ian

 

[EmergencyIan]

Bad Day at Black Rock is on TCM later on today (1:15 PM Pacific). It is a nice movie from 1954 starring Spencer Tracy and Robert Ryan. It also stars Ernest Borgnine, Anne Francis, Walter Brennan, and I think Lee Marvin.

If you watch it today, enjoy it!

I'll be out roaming Manhattan or at MOMA with my wife by the time it comes on. We'll see...I might wish I had stayed home to watch it. Though, I'm looking forward to dinner afterward...lol

- Ian

 

[Fading Fast]

If you watch it today, enjoy it!

I'll be out roaming Manhattan or at MOMA with my wife by the time it comes on. We'll see...I might wish I had stayed home to watch it. Though, I'm looking forward to dinner afterward...lol

- Ian

One word: DVR. You can enjoy your day and watch your TCM movie later - great Saturday night movie for when you get back from dinner. I hardly ever watch movies when they are on (except for when I get sucked into a movie when channel surfing and have to watch it - Worf has a great phrase for this kind of movie, but I can't think of it now - Worf?). Is there a specific exhibit you are going to at the MOMA - haven't been in about six months as no new exhibits there have caught my or my girlfriend's attention? Enjoy your day and dinner - sounds nice. I sometimes look more forward to the dinner than the event, too.

 

[EmergencyIan]

One word: DVR. You can enjoy your day and watch your TCM movie later - great Saturday night movie for when you get back from dinner. I hardly ever watch movies when they are on (except for when I get sucked into a movie when channel surfing and have to watch it - Worf has a great phrase for this kind of movie, but I can't think of it now - Worf?). Is there a specific exhibit you are going to at the MOMA - haven't been in about six months as no new exhibits there have caught my or my girlfriend's attention? Enjoy your day and dinner - sounds nice. I sometimes look more forward to the dinner than the event, too.

Well, I've seen "Bad Day At Black Rock" a couple of times. Or, I would DVR it.

No specific exhibit at MOMA. My wife just likes it. I prefer the Met. We go there once every couple of months, at least. We're eating at a restaurant across the street from it called Il Gattopardo. It's supposed to be good. So, I'm looking ahead to that. I like about half of what exhibited at MOMA. The other half, I don't understand...lol

- Ian

 

[Worf]

One word: DVR. You can enjoy your day and watch your TCM movie later - great Saturday night movie for when you get back from dinner. I hardly ever watch movies when they are on (except for when I get sucked into a movie when channel surfing and have to watch it - Worf has a great phrase for this kind of movie, but I can't think of it now - Worf?). Is there a specific exhibit you are going to at the MOMA - haven't been in about six months as no new exhibits there have caught my or my girlfriend's attention? Enjoy your day and dinner - sounds nice. I sometimes look more forward to the dinner than the event, too.

"Stop and Drop" movies... You stop what you're doing and drop your plans... or into a seat. Many times I find myself standing either headed upstairs or out to do something.... Either the movie ends and I "wake up"... or somebody (or something) throws something verbal or physical at me. If I HAVE to go... DVR is my friend.

Worf

 

[Touchofevil]

If you watch it today, enjoy it!

I'll be out roaming Manhattan or at MOMA with my wife by the time it comes on. We'll see...I might wish I had stayed home to watch it. Though, I'm looking forward to dinner afterward...lol

- Ian

Thank you.

I have it on dvd and viewed it many times, but I will most likely watch it today. Enjoy your day as well, it sounds promising!

 

[Fading Fast]

Well, I've seen "Bad Day At Black Rock" a couple of times. Or, I would DVR it.

No specific exhibit at MOMA. My wife just likes it. I prefer the Met. We go there once every couple of months, at least. We're eating at a restaurant across the street from it called Il Gattopardo. It's supposed to be good. So, I'm looking ahead to that. I like about half of what exhibited at MOMA. The other half, I don't understand...lol

- Ian

Agree on the 50 percent (at best) at MOMA and, I too, prefer the Met. Enjoy dinner, I'm going to look the place up now.

 

[Maltese]

The Burbs

 

[Fading Fast]

Emergency Ian, just looked up your restaurant - it looks awesome. Love to hear a review, hope you guys have a great evening. It might inspire an evening out for my girlfriend and me (with a MOMA visit to start).

 

[Gregg Axley]

Got through half of "Sharknado" last night... might finish it might not. Don't know if I can spare the brain cells. Also... do they deliberately make the FX looks cheesey on purpose or is it just that they're cheap basterds?

Worf

Wait until the Rifftrax version is released, and get that instead.
Same bad fx, same bad acting, but with commentary that points out the obvious even better, making for a much better film.

 

[EmergencyIan]

Emergency Ian, just looked up your restaurant - it looks awesome. Love to hear a review, hope you guys have a great evening. It might inspire an evening out for my girlfriend and me (with a MOMA visit to start).

PMed!

- Ian

 

[Horace Debussy Jones]

Good one. The only movie I've ever seen with Brother Theodor in it.

The Burbs

 

[Touchofevil]

The Burbs

Very much worth the time spent to view it.

 

[Gregg Axley]

Very much worth the time spent to view it.

I think it's a good movie, especially Dern's wife.
Henry Gibson also did a great job of being a very suspicious neighbor.
Plus, I read it was number 1 at the box office on opening weekend.
Can't beat that.

 

[MurderOfGoths]

Finally got around to showing my husband Operation Petticoat, had forgotten how much I liked it

 

[Touchofevil]

The Night of the Hunter will be showing on TCM today. It stars Robert Mitchum, Shelley Winters, Lillian Gish, and Peter Graves. It is a pretty good noir which used to scare me as a kid.