Paige Posted January 24, 2011 Share Posted January 24, 2011 What is your list of movies/plays everyone should be familiar with to be culturally literate? I know this may vary depending on your country, your tv/movie watching habits, and other beliefs, but I'm just curious about which ones may come up most often. I'm trying to have my kids watch movies I think everyone should see and I'm looking to see what I may have forgotten that I want to add to the list. I try to let/make them watch a movie on Fridays of my choice because it is our arts day for school. Some of the movies I think they should see will need to wait until they are older and in upper middle or high school, so I'm not only looking for a list of kids' movies. So far, we have watched or it's on my list for later- Mary Poppins Oliver! Annie Pirates of Penzance A few Shirley Temple movies A Wonderful Life Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (original) Ghostbusters Little Shop of Horrors Singing in the Rain 10 Commandments Wizard of Oz Charlie Brown Specials Schindlers List Fraggles- (ok that's just for me! ;)) A few Muppet shows Star Wars Mr Smith Goes to Washington Several adaptions of plays by Shakespeare- either film or play versions I'm sure there are plenty more that I haven't thought of yet! We might not see everything, but I'd like them to be culturally literate and be able to maintain conversations and understand jokes, satire, and other allusions in movies and books. This list is separate from my books they need to read list. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mo2 Posted January 24, 2011 Share Posted January 24, 2011 The Sound of Music? Wizard of Oz? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dolphin Posted January 24, 2011 Share Posted January 24, 2011 Breakfast at Tiffany's Gone with the Wind Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowfall Posted January 24, 2011 Share Posted January 24, 2011 The Neverending Story The Dark Crystal Labyrinth (Those are all kids' movies.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bayt ul-Hikmah Posted January 24, 2011 Share Posted January 24, 2011 :lurk5: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MissKNG Posted January 24, 2011 Share Posted January 24, 2011 If they want to take the Finance route in college, definitely Wall Street. Band of Brothers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScoutTN Posted January 24, 2011 Share Posted January 24, 2011 My Fair Lady one or two Alfred Hitchcock movies A Gentleman's Agreement To Kill A Mocking Bird (in addition to, not instead of, the book) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Halcyon Posted January 24, 2011 Share Posted January 24, 2011 Er.... Pretty in Pink? Dirty Dancing? The Breakfast Club? St. Elmo's Fire? Some Kind of Wonderful? Can you tell I have a John Hughes fetish?? :lol::lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jyniffrec Posted January 24, 2011 Share Posted January 24, 2011 Ben Hur The Princess Bride Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamee Posted January 24, 2011 Share Posted January 24, 2011 Er.... Pretty in Pink? Dirty Dancing? The Breakfast Club? St. Elmo's Fire? Some Kind of Wonderful? Can you tell I have a John Hughes fetish?? :lol::lol: :iagree: Also, everyone needs to Ferris Bueller's Day off.:D CLASSIC!!!! Oh and Footloose. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Halcyon Posted January 24, 2011 Share Posted January 24, 2011 :iagree: Also, everyone needs to Ferris Bueller's Day off.:D CLASSIC!!!! Oh and Footloose. Oh yes! Definitely. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krisandpaula Posted January 24, 2011 Share Posted January 24, 2011 Ben HurThe Princess Bride I was coming to vote for The Princess Bride. They had it for $1.99 at Target during the weeks before Christmas. :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SailorMom Posted January 24, 2011 Share Posted January 24, 2011 Oh - good idea :) Let's see,,, All of those 80's movies, of course :D Hamlet Macbeth Romeo and Juliet Midsummer Night's Dream South Pacific The Nutcracker Swan Lake Christmas Carol A Christmas Story It's a Wonderful Life Phantom of the Opera The Glass Menagerie Death of a Salesman The Harry Potter Movies The Star Wars Trilogy The Right Stuff The Wizard of Oz Casablanca Monty Python's The Holy Grail The Gods Must be Crazy Raiders of the Lost Arc The Godfather Platoon Rear Window The Birds One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest ET Jurrasic Park Star Trek Any of the James Bond films The Long, Long Trailer Superman Rocky Full Metal Jacket Black Hawk Down Top Gun The Matrix Ghostbusters 12 Angry Men King Kong Shawn of the Dead RV Vacation Any John Wayne film/s The Day the Earth Stood Still (the original) Apolcolypse Now Jaws I could keep going..... But I'll spare you :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stripe Posted January 24, 2011 Share Posted January 24, 2011 The Neverending StoryThe Dark Crystal I saw The Dark Crystal as a kid. About 15 years later I saw something about it at a museum and it freaked me out. No idea what the movie was about but I associate it with something TERRIFYING! The Neverending Story -- definitely! The Secret of NIMH, maybe? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daisy Posted January 24, 2011 Share Posted January 24, 2011 I'm laughing at all the movies from these lists that I have NOT seen. I'd probably just say... Star Wars Star Trek Princess Bride (just personal favorite that our family quotes all the time) It's a Wonderful Life Pretty much the other movies are 1) Going to be culturally irrelevant soon enough, imo. or 2) Covered by reading the book. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KristinaBreece Posted January 24, 2011 Share Posted January 24, 2011 The Secret of NIMH, maybe? Absolutely The Secret of NIMH. I would add: Grease Fame Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elegantlion Posted January 24, 2011 Share Posted January 24, 2011 (edited) Er.... Pretty in Pink? Dirty Dancing? The Breakfast Club? St. Elmo's Fire? Some Kind of Wonderful? Can you tell I have a John Hughes fetish?? :lol::lol: :iagree: Also, everyone needs to Ferris Bueller's Day off.:D CLASSIC!!!! Oh and Footloose. Gives High-Five!! Aside from John Hughes: Star Wars Jaws Raiders of the Lost Ark, plus sequels 2 & 3, please skip #4 Close Encounters of the Third Kind ....anything where John Williams wrote the soundtrack Princess Bride Galaxy Quest Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy Terminator 1, 2, 3, 4 (okay that might be relevant to MY household) Wizard of Oz Gone with the Wind The Great Escape Dirty Harry Lord of the Rings triology Casablanca West Side Story Back to the Future trilogy Dr. Zhivago Rebel without a cause Aliens ET It's a Wonderful Life A Christmas Carol The Sound of Music A Hitchcock movie Toy Story Monty Python and the Holy Grail To Kill a Mockingbird Romeo and Juliet (60s version) Saving Private Ryan King Kong (old version) Godzilla (just for fun) Jurassic Park (also just for fun) Oh yes, James Bond John Wayne A Hepburn/Tracy movie I think it's also relevant to add movies from other countries. I've discovered foreign films via Netflix. It's very eye-opening to watch movies from other cultures. I often watch and then it challenges me to explore more of the culture. I was watching a Japanese movie and there was a scene that was obviously very symbolic, but made no sense to me. After some research it became apparent why that scene was so important. Edited January 25, 2011 by elegantlion Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nmoira Posted January 25, 2011 Share Posted January 25, 2011 I won't get into particular movies... there are just too many, but I think we should certainly be familiar with: broad genres and eras of domestic and foreign films, films (e.g. film noir, big budget epics, silent era classics, musicals, 50's horror films, SciFi classics); actors; and, directors. I can't imagine my children leaving home and not being acquainted with, say, Buster Keaton, Judy Garland or Toshiro Mifune, Hitchcock or Yimou Zhang, Das Boot or Metropolis. I just can't. And don't forget documentaries. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MeaganS Posted January 25, 2011 Share Posted January 25, 2011 Life is Beautiful Star Wars Monty Python and the Holy Grail Sound of Music Singin' In the Rain A Fiddler on the Roof Beauty and the Beast Indiana Jones Gone With the Wind Mr. Smith Goes to Washington Lord of the Rings The Princess Bride Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hedgehogs4 Posted January 25, 2011 Share Posted January 25, 2011 The Neverending StoryThe Dark Crystal Labyrinth (Those are all kids' movies.) Really? Labyrinth? I found that to be one of the creepiest, weirdest movies I've ever seen. No way would I let my kids watch that. It freaked me out, and if your kids are even a bit sensitive...no way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KristinaBreece Posted January 25, 2011 Share Posted January 25, 2011 Really? Labyrinth? I found that to be one of the creepiest, weirdest movies I've ever seen. No way would I let my kids watch that. It freaked me out, and if your kids are even a bit sensitive...no way. I was probably 6 the first time I saw Labyrinth... and it's still one of my all-time favorites. I won't let my littles watch it yet, but probably by the time they're 8 or so they will definitely have seen it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danybug Posted January 25, 2011 Share Posted January 25, 2011 One I haven't seen listed is the Back to the Future trilogy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowfall Posted January 25, 2011 Share Posted January 25, 2011 Really? Labyrinth? I found that to be one of the creepiest, weirdest movies I've ever seen. No way would I let my kids watch that. It freaked me out, and if your kids are even a bit sensitive...no way. lol Everyone's different. I have always loved it. It's a classic in my family - all of my siblings own it. My dd's pretty sensitive and she liked it. Shrek, otoh, scared her half to death. She's 6.5 and STILL won't watch that movie again. :lol: Hmmm...So 2 of my movie choices are scary to others. Interesting, because I HATE movies that I think are scary. :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mbosh237 Posted January 25, 2011 Share Posted January 25, 2011 Wow, what a great list of movies and I would agree on almost all of them! One I haven't seen listed yet that is one of my favorites is: Tombstone! The Bourne series I really like too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irishmommy Posted January 25, 2011 Share Posted January 25, 2011 Never goes out of style - Charlie Chaplain and The Gold Rush (or really any movies of his). If you've never seen a silent film, I HIGHLY recommend it! Did no one mention Casablanca? Great Train Robbery Cinema Paradiso (I cried in class when we watched this in my Film as Lit. class) (def. agree with Life is Beautiful, one of the BEST movies I've ever seen) Much Ado about Nothing Taming of the Shrew Romeo and Juliet (Zepharelli version) Citizen Kane The Godfather The Trip to Bountiful Humm, I'll get back to you... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paige Posted January 25, 2011 Author Share Posted January 25, 2011 Thanks for all the great ideas! Some of them we've already seen or are on my list for when they are much older and others I may need to look up. Since we have netflix streaming I love how easy it is to always have something new for them on our movie day. I can't wait for them to add more of these to streaming. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irishmommy Posted January 25, 2011 Share Posted January 25, 2011 Oh and I certainly agree with all the 80's movies, but I wasn't going to name them because I didn't want to show my age, ha ha. Charlie and the Cholate Factory - original :lurk5: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pooh bear Posted January 25, 2011 Share Posted January 25, 2011 What no Greece? ;) I can't wait until ds is old enough to show him The Blues Brothers National Lampoons Animal House Little Shop of Horrors Rocky Horror Picture Show Ds has watch a lot of classic movies, and we have just started watching some foreign movies. Seven Samurais is our next movie, followed by The Magnificent Seven. It will be fun to compere them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irishmommy Posted January 25, 2011 Share Posted January 25, 2011 Shindler's List Oh, and a Clint Eastwood western - I'd have to ask my dh about which one, since he's seen them all Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stripe Posted January 25, 2011 Share Posted January 25, 2011 While I enjoyed the John Hughes movies at the time (if one can say one "enjoys" movies about teen angst), I would need to watch them again to see if they've really stood the test of time. My teen years were nothing like any movie with Molly Ringwald in it, and I question whether it would speak to anyone of my kids' age. All those rich snotty Brents and Bretts and Blaines and the scary blond kids (Karate Kid and all the rest) freak me out. I clearly need to watch the Breakfast Club again and see! For movies about teens, I have to say, I think I enjoyed "Stand and Deliver" and "Dead Poets Society" more. In other genres, I love "The Best Years of Our Lives." And I love Hitchcock. And I love 40s teen fashion more than 80s teen fashion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5Wizards Posted January 25, 2011 Share Posted January 25, 2011 The Joy Luck Club Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
helena Posted January 25, 2011 Share Posted January 25, 2011 I'll add The Red Balloon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iona Posted January 25, 2011 Share Posted January 25, 2011 I won't get into particular movies... there are just too many, but I think we should certainly be familiar with: broad genres and eras of domestic and foreign films, films (e.g. film noir, big budget epics, silent era classics, musicals, 50's horror films, SciFi classics); actors; and, directors. I can't imagine my children leaving home and not being acquainted with, say, Buster Keaton, Judy Garland or Toshiro Mifune, Hitchcock or Yimou Zhang, Das Boot or Metropolis. I just can't. And don't forget documentaries. i saw buster keaton's "the general" on netflix (on demand) and i really enjoyed it. it is a silent film. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heart4myhome Posted January 25, 2011 Share Posted January 25, 2011 I would add: Friendly Persuasion Persuasion Emma (PBS version) Bleak House (PBS) Pride and Prejudice Sergeant York Luther Chariots of Fire Les Miserables (Liam Neeson) Come what May So many more but can't list now... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BatmansWife Posted January 25, 2011 Share Posted January 25, 2011 Some of these suggestions might not be the best for the kids to be watching (I guess depending on their ages). I LOVED Footloose when I was a teen....saw it a bunch of time at the theater. But....don't forget the preachers daughter who isn't a virgin and even shouts about it in the church and there are other scenes (but don't get me wrong...I actually LOVE the movie). Dirty Dancing, which I also really like, has the girl that got the abortion. I don't think I'd want my kids to watch Ferris Bueller. Grease....don't even get me started! Oh how I HATE that movie. I just always thought it was ridiculous that those actors were protraying teenagers (Olivia Newton John was born in 1948 and John Travolta in 1954. Grease was made in 1978...do the math! :lol: ). My husband owns just about every Clint Eastwood movie and some are really unnecessarily violent. But....I don't mean to be overly picky. I LOVE movies. We pretty much watch a movie every night. I'll have to look through ours to see if I can recommend any. If I get up off the computer chair right now to look...somebody will snatch my seat to get on-line. :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Disney Dreaming Posted January 25, 2011 Share Posted January 25, 2011 Top Gun Jerry Maguire Mission:Impossible Dirty Dancing Star Wars The Karate Kid(the original) The Lion King Beauty and the Beast Toy Story Pretty Woman Spiderman The Jason Bourne movies Back to the Future movies Forest Gump The Die Hard movies Batman Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irishmommy Posted January 25, 2011 Share Posted January 25, 2011 Some of these suggestions might not be the best for the kids to be watching (I guess depending on their ages). I LOVED Footloose when I was a teen....saw it a bunch of time at the theater. But....don't forget the preachers daughter who isn't a virgin and even shouts about it in the church and there are other scenes (but don't get me wrong...I actually LOVE the movie). Dirty Dancing, which I also really like, has the girl that got the abortion. I don't think I'd want my kids to watch Ferris Bueller. Grease....don't even get me started! Oh how I HATE that movie. I just always thought it was ridiculous that those actors were protraying teenagers (Olivia Newton John was born in 1948 and John Travolta in 1954. Grease was made in 1978...do the math! :lol: ). My husband owns just about every Clint Eastwood movie and some are really unnecessarily violent. But....I don't mean to be overly picky. I LOVE movies. We pretty much watch a movie every night. I'll have to look through ours to see if I can recommend any. If I get up off the computer chair right now to look...somebody will snatch my seat to get on-line. :001_smile: I see your point, but "Go ahead, make my day" total classic. I wanted to add the movie where the guy gets shot through the eye, but I can't remember the name of it. Violent yes, but still classic movie. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BatmansWife Posted January 25, 2011 Share Posted January 25, 2011 OK....here's my list. I'm not going to list Disney movies, 'cause we all know those anyway. I tried to only list movies you could sit with your kids and watch (although, everyone has different opinions). That Thing You Do Anne of Green Gables & the Sequel Jane Eyre (Ciaran Hinds) Love Comes Softly series Flight of the Phoenix (Giovanni Ribisi) Support Your Local Sheriff (James Garner) School of Rock Holes What About Bob? See Spot Run Diary of a Wimpy Kid The Greatest Game Ever Played Invisible Child Somewhere in Time Hidden Places The Magic of Ordinary Days The Wedding Dress Princess Caraboo The Wilderness Family A Walk to Remember Jeremiah Johnson Blue Hawaii (Elvis) The Day After Tomorrow Poseidon (Kurt Russell; the original is good too) Zathura Newsies Gulliver's Travels (Ted Danson; the new one coming soon with Jack Black looks good) The Majestic Savannah Smiles Pure Country (George Strait) Sarah, Plain and Tall Skylark Rugged Gold Back to the Future 1, 2, 3 Napolean Dynamite Nacho Libre Mighty Joe Young Twister Night of the Twisters Caddie Woodlawn Move, Over Darling (Doris Day) Castaway Shipwrecked (Stian Smestad as Haakon Haakonsen ~ Hawken Hawkenson...cool name) Jumping Ship (Lawrence brothers) Jurassic Park 1, 2, 3 Take the Lead The Mask of Zorro Freaky Friday (Jamie Lee Curtis) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Dominion Heather Posted January 25, 2011 Share Posted January 25, 2011 I'll add The Red Balloon Just to make you laugh... I was terrified of the movie The Red Balloon as a kid. :leaving: RUN, KID!!! That balloon is going to GET YOU!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NoPlaceLikeHome Posted January 26, 2011 Share Posted January 26, 2011 Chitty Chitty Bang Band Bedknobs and Broomsticks All of the Abbott and Costello movies Jerry Lewis movies Fiddler on the Roof Mary Poppins My Fair Lady Funny Girl Star Trek in all of its variations Star Wars movies Dragon Hunters Camelot Seven Brides for Seven Brothers Charlie Chan movies old Sherlock Holmes movies Young Frankenstein Mel Brooks movies Indiana Jones movies Hans Christian Anderson Danny Kay movies The Pink Panther with Peter Sellers or with Steve Martin Get Smart TV series Lost in Space TV series The Munsters TV series Fantasia Funny Girl Singin In the Rain Willy Wonka Jesus Christ Superstar Shirley Temple movies On a Clear Day You Can See Forever Bing Crosby movies and the list goes on:) Wizard of Oz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EarthyMama Posted January 26, 2011 Share Posted January 26, 2011 This list is separate from my books they need to read list. Have you posted that, too? If not, will you? :) Band of Brothers Fave!!! Hmm, now we need to take this whole thread and compile it by age appropriateness. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kewb Posted January 26, 2011 Share Posted January 26, 2011 I'll add: Arsenic and Old Lace The Odd Couple It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World Silent Movie High Anxiety Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twigs Posted January 26, 2011 Share Posted January 26, 2011 White Christmas The Prisoner of Zenda Robin Hood Captains Courgeous Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EarthyMama Posted January 26, 2011 Share Posted January 26, 2011 One I loved as a kid, may have been a made-for-tv, was Lonesome Dove. Oh and Mac and Me. Rain Man Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Susan in TN Posted January 26, 2011 Share Posted January 26, 2011 Did anyone mention "Amazing Grace"? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tjlcc Posted January 26, 2011 Share Posted January 26, 2011 Babies Two Brothers The Sound of Music Lassie Heidi Old Yeller Chitty Chitty Bang Bang Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amy1k Posted January 26, 2011 Share Posted January 26, 2011 Some of these movies really surprise me and I'm not terribly conservative. Jerry McGuire? LOL. I love it, but there's no way I'd turn it on for my kids. That being said, they are watching The Sound of Music right this very moment. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amy1k Posted January 26, 2011 Share Posted January 26, 2011 My husband is a huge fan of showing the kids movies that were important to him growing up. My kids spend a lot of time teasing him about his taste in movies. ;) I tend to stick to movies that are somewhat relevant to what we are learning. Oh and we happened to watch the new Gulliver's Travels movie after reading the book and it was really horrible, IMO. I wish we could get our...guh...$75 (?) back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cjbeach Posted January 26, 2011 Share Posted January 26, 2011 I just finished Teach Like Your Hair's on Fire by Rafe Esquith and he has a movie list in the book. Most of them you have all listed. Funny one he listed (which we watched) was Groundhog Day. Also Field of Dreams at the beginning of Baseball Season. Casablanca around Valentine's Day. I love his idea of watching a movie at the end of the school day in a ps setting. He advises, to obtain a level of active listening have the students answer 10 or so questions about the movie as well! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shanvan Posted January 26, 2011 Share Posted January 26, 2011 I'm not sure these are movies that need to be seen to be culturally literate, but they are movies I'll most likely watch with my own children (at appropriate ages). Along with some previously listed here are a few I haven't seen listed (I think)... Scrooge (A Christmas Carol) - with Alistair Sim How Green Was My Valley (1941) with Walter Pidgeon & Maureen O Hara At least one Cary Grant movie, North by Northwest, or, for kids, The Bishop's Wife is amusing Brigadoon The Spiral Staircase Gaslight The African Queen Murder on the Nile or Orient Express The Outsiders West Side Story Life With Father Mutiny on The Bounty - 1935 A Beautiful Mind Rebecca - 1940 One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest Can you tell I like old movies! As soon as I post I know I'm destined to think of more! one thing for sure, I know I'll keep discovering more! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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