shinyhappypeople Posted September 12, 2016 Share Posted September 12, 2016 I'm working on a "must watch" movie list for the DDs that we will, I hope, work on over the next 5 or 6 years. I want to find those movies that have had the biggest impact on pop culture or were game changers for film making. I'd like to include examples from all the genres, even sci-fi (::sigh:: I don't like sci-fi). Don't worry about ratings. What would your list include? So far my list includes things as disparate as Casablanca, Jaws, and The Princess Bride. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seasider Posted September 12, 2016 Share Posted September 12, 2016 Citizen Kane is usually recommended for such a list. But I confess, it wasn't my favorite. Might also want to consider Guess Who's Coming to Dinner, I believe it was rather groundbreaking in its day. These two titles might go back farther than you wish, and may not be strictly cinematic fun, but they were certainly culturally relevant when produced. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardenmom5 Posted September 12, 2016 Share Posted September 12, 2016 game changers with impact on pop culture? (not necessarily movies I want to watch again) and NO modern remakes. (they're generally horrible.) the godfather jaws star wars guess who's coming to dinner gone with the wind the Philadelphia story (I prefer this version to the musical version 'high society') my fair lady exodus ben hur gentlemen prefer blondes bridge on the river kwai midway the great race 2001 a space odyssey (weird movie) some like it hot alien the great escape a man for all seasons the maltese falcon singing in the rain arsenic and old lace the lady killers heaven can wait gaslight the silent man Lawrence of arabia dr. zhivago pyscho rear window (with jimmy stewart and grace Kelly) apocalypse now one flew over the cuckoos nest who shot liberty valance the sting the wizard of oz cat on a hot tin roof the lion in winter movies with: Humphrey bogart Katherine Hepburn jimmy stewart henry fonda jack lemon Walter mathau audry Hepburn betty davis by - Alfred hitchcok cary grant fred Astaire (his movies were purely vehicles for his dancing that intimidated Rudolf Nureyev). not always partnered with ginger Rodgers Elizabeth taylor - especially in her younger years 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardenmom5 Posted September 12, 2016 Share Posted September 12, 2016 (edited) the african queen - that was the one I couldn't think of the name. . . . butch Cassidy and the sundance kid. some great lines. . . . used enough dynamite there butch? eta: I found a list of iconic photo's from movies - these were mostly very iconic movies as well. Edited September 12, 2016 by gardenmom5 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tress Posted September 12, 2016 Share Posted September 12, 2016 You might like this book: http://www.bookdepository.com/Best-Old-Movies-for-Families-Ty-Burr/9781400096862 I really like it, but I have trouble finding the movies. You might have better luck, because you are in America. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TechWife Posted September 12, 2016 Share Posted September 12, 2016 The Maltese Falcon Rear Window Arsenic and Old Lace The Princess Bride Breakfast Club Mrs. Doubtfire 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kewb Posted September 12, 2016 Share Posted September 12, 2016 (edited) Psycho. Alfred Hitchcock changed the way people went to the movies. They used to run all day/night and you can walk in at any time during the movie. Hitchcock insisted the doors be closed to the movie if you arrived after the opening scene. I can't really think of any other game changers but we did a lot of classic movies. We did a lot of movies through the years. I know we did more than these but these are the ones I recall. Musicals: My Fair Lady Oliver Hello Dolly South Pacific Carousel (if only to have a discussion about wife beating as a cultural norm) The Sound of Music Meet me in St. Louis Mary Poppins Classic: Anything Hitchcock Arsenic and Old Lace Auntie Mame (Rosiland Russel version, not Lucille Ball) Bringing up Baby Pillow Talk Whatever Happened to Baby Jane The Eighties: Short Circuit The Goonies War Games Ferris Beuller's Day Off Dirty Dancing Sixteen Candles (one of my favorites and allows a discussion on rape culture and consent) Pretty in Pink The Breakfast Club Raiders of the Lost Ark trilogy Back to the Future trilogy Airplane (great for discussion on things that were once considered appropriate) Scifi: Star Wars Star Trek (best if you are familiar with the TV show first) The 70's Deliverance Jaws The Sting The French Connection Paper Moon Adding: It's a mad, mad, mad world High Noon. Personaly, not a fan of westerns but this one is truly well done. All Quiet on the western Front The Wave - German movie with subtitles but impactful and terrifying about how easy it is for leaders like Hitler to rise to power. You can then compare/contrast to the American version which you can find on you tube. A Majority of One. Great movie and a great discussion on why Sir Alec Guiness is playing the lead role of a Japanese man. Why Hollywood would not use someone Japanese. Mel Brooks: Silent Movie Young Frankenstein Blazing Saddles High Anxiety The Producers Spaceballs Edited September 12, 2016 by kewb 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greta Posted September 12, 2016 Share Posted September 12, 2016 I'd like to include examples from all the genres, even sci-fi (::sigh:: I don't like sci-fi). Don't worry about ratings. Well I love sci-fi so I will try to help you out on that one. I think the first sci-fi movie on most people's list would be 2001: A Space Odyssey, and with good reason. It is an excellent story with some very impressive cinematography, and it has aged well in many ways. But on the down side I will warn you that it is long and it is slow, so since you don't like sci-fi, that may make you hesitate on this one. I always thought the movie would have been twice as good if it were half as long. My husband says that is blasphemy, because every scene was so carefully, deliberately, and meaningfully composed. I think it falls apart a bit at the end, and when I first watched it I didn't even understand what it was trying to convey with the ending. But I was just a kid the first time I watched it (grew up in a sci-fi family) so maybe it's clearer than I think. One that is absolutely not to be missed is Forbidden Planet. It was ground-breaking and precedent-setting, so it definitely meets your criteria. It was the first movie to contain an entirely electronic score. It was the first movie to take place entirely off-world. It was the first movie to have a robot with a personality. And it's sort of a retelling of Shakespeare's The Tempest. It's really classic sci-fi in that sense of exploring the universe, and along the way discovering what it means to be human. Good stuff. If you only watch one sci-fi movie, this one would be my top pick. I like The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951 version) a lot as well. And of course I'm sure you'll want to throw Star Wars in there. Blade Runner is really good, but it's darker and more violent than these others, so I'm not sure if you want to go there (depending on what your kiddos can tolerate). I'm sure there must be others I'm forgetting, so I'll post again later if anything else comes to mind. But those are my top recommendations. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seasider Posted September 12, 2016 Share Posted September 12, 2016 (edited) To endure 2001, you can also talk about the musical score. It is brilliant. Edited September 12, 2016 by Seasider 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluegoat Posted September 12, 2016 Share Posted September 12, 2016 I thought this was an interesting question, so I did a bit of internet searching and found some lists that have a fair bit of overlap. Not all are films I enjoyed but I can see why they would be included: Avatar The Blair Witch Project Battleship Potemkin Gone With the Wind The Breakfast Club The Graduate Jaws Seven Samurai Citizen Kane The Jazz Singer The Great Train Robbery The General 8 1/2 2001 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seasider Posted September 12, 2016 Share Posted September 12, 2016 Giant, a classic from 1956 with Elizabeth Taylor, Rock Hudson and James Dean. Adding to the western genre, How the West Was Won, 1962 with a huge cast. Shane, 1953, a classic (read the novel first and compare). And one of my personal favorites, Night of the Grizzly, 1966. I don't think there's anything particularly special about it, I just loved it! It stuck with me for a while. Rear Window is a favorite that someone mentioned up thread. I would suggest watching both versions, the original with Jimmy Stewart and the remake with Christopher Reeve. The second is significant in that Reeve proved that a quadriplegic (not just someone acting like a quadriplegic) can make films. I believe things are more accessible these days, but it was a true triumph when produced. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tammyw Posted September 12, 2016 Share Posted September 12, 2016 Will think about this more and come back. We've loved all the old classics but know I'm missing some amazing ones! Great topic - I love movies!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greta Posted September 12, 2016 Share Posted September 12, 2016 (edited) My husband scolded me (and quite rightfully so! :lol: ) for not including any sci-fi movies where the main character is a woman. Of course, there aren't as many in that category, but he wanted to at least add Contact and Alien to the list. ETA: Daughter wants to add The Matrix. I thought about putting it in my original post, but didn't want to overload you with too many. DD says it belongs. She would also include Back to the Future, which is a fantastic movie, but I think of it more as comedy than sic-fi. It's really both. Edited September 12, 2016 by Greta 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Posted September 12, 2016 Share Posted September 12, 2016 Well I love sci-fi so I will try to help you out on that one. I think the first sci-fi movie on most people's list would be 2001: A Space Odyssey, and with good reason. It is an excellent story with some very impressive cinematography, and it has aged well in many ways. But on the down side I will warn you that it is long and it is slow, so since you don't like sci-fi, that may make you hesitate on this one. I always thought the movie would have been twice as good if it were half as long. My husband says that is blasphemy, because every scene was so carefully, deliberately, and meaningfully composed. I think it falls apart a bit at the end, and when I first watched it I didn't even understand what it was trying to convey with the ending. But I was just a kid the first time I watched it (grew up in a sci-fi family) so maybe it's clearer than I think. One that is absolutely not to be missed is Forbidden Planet. It was ground-breaking and precedent-setting, so it definitely meets your criteria. It was the first movie to contain an entirely electronic score. It was the first movie to take place entirely off-world. It was the first movie to have a robot with a personality. And it's sort of a retelling of Shakespeare's The Tempest. It's really classic sci-fi in that sense of exploring the universe, and along the way discovering what it means to be human. Good stuff. If you only watch one sci-fi movie, this one would be my top pick. I like The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951 version) a lot as well. And of course I'm sure you'll want to throw Star Wars in there. Blade Runner is really good, but it's darker and more violent than these others, so I'm not sure if you want to go there (depending on what your kiddos can tolerate). I'm sure there must be others I'm forgetting, so I'll post again later if anything else comes to mind. But those are my top recommendations. I adore 2001, a Space Odyssey and I saw it as a first run movie. I believe it adds a bit of flavor if you read Arthur C. Clarke's short story that inspired it first-- The Sentinel. It Happened One Night with Clarke Gable (sigh) changed how men dressed because of a scene where CG takes off his shirt. NO undershirt. Overnight men stopped wearing undershirts. I've always thought that was a fun example of movies having an impact on daily life. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardenmom5 Posted September 12, 2016 Share Posted September 12, 2016 To endure 2001, you can also talk about the musical score. It is brilliant. strauss is brilliant - even if he didn't write his music for movies. he wrote also sprach Zarathustra aka: theme from 2001 space odyssey. (they also used the blue danube by another strauss) and HAL . . . . (each letter is the preceding letter of IBM.) . the final scenes between dave and HAL . . . . dave, . I'm feeling much better now. it was a weird movie . . . . (I find it even more odd that people try to psychoanalyze it - it's fiction. . . . ) 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FaithManor Posted September 12, 2016 Share Posted September 12, 2016 Casablanca,Breakfast at Tiffanys, An Affair to Remember, Princess Bride, Schindler's List (not for the faint of heart), St. Elmo's Fire (launched the brat pack), Shadowlands (about CS Lewis and Joy Gresham), All the President's Men, Glory Road, Apollo 13, Jurassic Park, Raiders of the Lost Ark, 2001 Space Odyssey, A Beautiful Mind, Pursuit of Happiness, October Sky, Dead Man Walking (very upsetting so tread carefully), The Pianist, Shine, and most recently The Martian. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seasider Posted September 12, 2016 Share Posted September 12, 2016 (edited) This list would be incomplete without one of the good M Night films. Sixth Sense, Signs and The Village are his best, IMO. I love Signs because there are many ways to talk about faith as you discuss it. Read an O. Henry story before watching The Sixth Sense and see how the film uses a similar literary device(s). Edited September 12, 2016 by Seasider 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
terrafirma Posted September 13, 2016 Share Posted September 13, 2016 (edited) Planet of the Apes (original) The Matrix V for Vendetta Empire of the Sun The Others The Life of Pi Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon Rocky Edited September 13, 2016 by terrafirma 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GailV Posted September 13, 2016 Share Posted September 13, 2016 You might like this book: http://www.bookdepository.com/Best-Old-Movies-for-Families-Ty-Burr/9781400096862 I really like it, but I have trouble finding the movies. You might have better luck, because you are in America. We love that book! Older dd had a great time going through it and picking out things to watch. We were able to find a lot of them at the public library. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trulycrabby Posted September 13, 2016 Share Posted September 13, 2016 Many of these are for teen or adult eyes, but worth mentioning because they are so good: The Manchurian Candidate (1962) Laura (1944) The King and I (1956) West Side Story (1961) El Cid (1961) The French Connection (1971) Serpico (1973) Cabaret (1972) Network (1973) Raging Bull (1980) The Andromeda Strain (1971) Gypsy (1962) Oklahoma! (1955) Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (1954) Fiddler on the Roof (1971) I know you don't like science fiction, but I am going to recommend Firefly because it's really a western set in space, and it's very good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janie Grace Posted September 13, 2016 Share Posted September 13, 2016 In addition to the ones mentioned, Forest Gump. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janie Grace Posted September 13, 2016 Share Posted September 13, 2016 (edited) Oh, and All the President's Men. I don't know if it was a game-changer or iconic but I just love it. And it depicts a really important event of modern history (Watergate). Edited September 13, 2016 by Janie Grace Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raptor_dad Posted September 13, 2016 Share Posted September 13, 2016 My husband scolded me (and quite rightfully so! :lol: ) for not including any sci-fi movies where the main character is a woman. Of course, there aren't as many in that category, but he wanted to at least add Contact and Alien to the list. ETA: Daughter wants to add The Matrix. I thought about putting it in my original post, but didn't want to overload you with too many. DD says it belongs. She would also include Back to the Future, which is a fantastic movie, but I think of it more as comedy than sic-fi. It's really both. If you can ignore a recency bias, I'd completely add "Mad Max: Fury Road" to the female protagonist list. Otherwise, I'd add "Blade Runner" as an iconic SF work and maybe something less popular like "12 Monkey's" as a more recent post modern example... though something dreadful like Tarchovsky's version of Lem's "Solaris" would probably be a more influential, whatever that means, POMO SciFi work. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktgrok Posted September 13, 2016 Share Posted September 13, 2016 (edited) This book might help: https://www.amazon.com/Understanding-Film-Introduction-Appreciation/dp/0844257974 Edited because I linked the wrong book the first time! Edited September 13, 2016 by ktgrok Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Outdoorsy Type Posted September 13, 2016 Share Posted September 13, 2016 (edited) Satire: Monty Python and the Holy Grail ETA: maybe that isn't satire. Anyone want to jump in with what it would be categorized as? Edited September 13, 2016 by Outdoorsy Type 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raptor_dad Posted September 13, 2016 Share Posted September 13, 2016 Satire: Monty Python and the Holy Grail ETA: maybe that isn't satire. Anyone want to jump in with what it would be categorized as? Maybe absurdist slapstick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kewb Posted September 13, 2016 Share Posted September 13, 2016 Adding: 12 angry men. Great discussion on the jury system and the lack of women in juries at the time. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eternalsummer Posted September 13, 2016 Share Posted September 13, 2016 fight club was a must-see and fairly thematically important movie for older millennials, esp. young men, of course Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carrie12345 Posted September 13, 2016 Share Posted September 13, 2016 (edited) Trying to avoid duplicates, but I may have scrolled too fast. The Neverending Story The Sound of Music Gene Wilder's Willy Wonka Saving Private Ryan Clerks Dogma Shaun of the Dead Alice in Wonderland (the cartoon) Lean on Me New Jack City Django Unchained ETA: Pulp Fiction I'd also consider the 80s horror genre, followed by the 2000s parodies. Edited September 13, 2016 by Carrie12345 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktgrok Posted September 13, 2016 Share Posted September 13, 2016 fight club was a must-see and fairly thematically important movie for older millennials, esp. young men, of course yes, this one sticks with you for sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted September 13, 2016 Share Posted September 13, 2016 To Sir with Love? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardenmom5 Posted September 14, 2016 Share Posted September 14, 2016 (edited) To Sir with Love? fabulous movie. makes me tear. here's a link to the song by lulu. eta: probably along the lines of "stand and deliver." and sidney poitier is wonderful. as always. Edited September 14, 2016 by gardenmom5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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