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Personally, being a huge movie fan, I believe that movies were better in the 70’s.
Not for every single movie made, but I would say 8/10 it’s true.
Why?
Well, for a start, it wasn’t all about money, there was still a vestige of art to it.
Look at the classic movies from the 70’s and point out one summer blockbuster.
Star Wars? That was just a little sci-fi flick when it came out, it was only a few months afterwards that it turned into this monstrous entity it is today.
There weren’t really “event” movies, because the notion of movies as money hadn’t been truly taken for granted.
Classic 70’s movies that wouldn’t get made today:
The French Connection – Too downbeat, not enough pizzazz to make it worthwhile. (incidentally, the car chase was filmed for real. The director William Freidken didn’t have permissions to film, so he sat in the back with a stunt-driver and they just went for it. Those cars are REALLY just being missed…astonishing)
Dog Day Afternoon – All the main characters die? Except for Al Pacino, who gets arrested? Wouldn’t happen today, listen to the Se7en DVD commentary for the battle they had to get that made, even with Pitt, Freeman and Fincher on board.
The Taking of Pelham 123 – A film about criminals, all known by colours? Mr White, Mr Blue…that wouldn’t happen now…(ok, I know, I know)
What I’m trying to say is that they took risks back then, not like today.
Even the stars took roles that were less than heroic in every single picture they made.
Robert Shaw made a career out of being a villain, but also noble and heroic (Jaws, Guns of Naverone etc).
Clint Eastwood, he used to be risky. Dirty Harry was anti-authority, shooting suspects whilst in custody, not like now.
Burt Reynolds, one of the biggest 70’s stars frequently took nasty roles. (Gator he’s an alcoholic womaniser, Mean Machine he is arrested for beating his girlfriend).
All these guys and many more took chances, didn’t always play the same character type because the audience wasn’t treated as a moron stepchild, unlike today.
How many times has Bruce Willis played an evil dude?
Or Stallone?
Few actors seem willing to take risky roles these days in case it “hurts box office”.
I respect Brad Pitt since I’ve seen him in Se7en, 12 Monkeys, Kalifornia, Fight Club etc because he isn’t just a pretty face that demands close-ups and saves the woman.
He’s not afraid to get dirty and be nasty.
More power to him I say.
And do we ignore his movies? Well…yes. At least the ones where he’s not Brad Pitt: Movie Hunk we do.
Fight Club, a brave, fantastic and audacious attack and comment on 90s male mindsets.
And it bombed. Why? Because it was different, it took chances, it made you think.
A lot of films from the 70’s did this.
Now, we have The Mummy Returns and Pearl Harbour – Everything is spoon-fed to us with “These are the good guys, they will win in the end” or “This is a bad guy, he will lose. Sit back and eat your popcorn, don’t think”.
And if you deviate from this formula? Your film will not do massive business.
Oh, it will be respected and admired by critics and some fans, but as a rule? You lose the big bucks, hence smaller movies are the only ones to really trying to say anything valid anymore.
I feel cinema has, largely, lost it’s claim as an “artform”.
More often that not, it’s entertainment and nothing else.
Which is fine, but why are they all so mindless?
“Well, it’s what people want.” No it isn’t, if blubber is the only thing served on the artic buffet, that’s all we’ll eat.
Doesn’t mean we’ll like it, but there isn’t much else to choose from.
I love The Coen Bros, their films don’t make money but they are one of the most fiercely original filmmakers out there and I pray they are allowed to continue for many years to come.
People just don’t make the effort to seek out films that aren’t advertised on burger wrappers any more.
“The Matrix”, a fantastic film. But how many people can honestly say that they saw the debut from The Wachowski Bros “Bound” before it was repackaged with “From the creators of The Matrix” all over the box?
Exactly – 3 of us did.
Why? It’s a brilliant, brilliant movie. A lesbian mafia thriller.
There, NOW you want to see it don’t you?
Good. Go rent it, go buy a Coen Bros film.
Get out there and read Time Out and Empire, visit aint-it-cool.com, find these little gems for yourself
There are so many wonderful films waiting for you to discover, you just have to spend 10 minutes looking for them.
Trust me, it’ll be worth it.
Not for every single movie made, but I would say 8/10 it’s true.
Why?
Well, for a start, it wasn’t all about money, there was still a vestige of art to it.
Look at the classic movies from the 70’s and point out one summer blockbuster.
Star Wars? That was just a little sci-fi flick when it came out, it was only a few months afterwards that it turned into this monstrous entity it is today.
There weren’t really “event” movies, because the notion of movies as money hadn’t been truly taken for granted.
Classic 70’s movies that wouldn’t get made today:
The French Connection – Too downbeat, not enough pizzazz to make it worthwhile. (incidentally, the car chase was filmed for real. The director William Freidken didn’t have permissions to film, so he sat in the back with a stunt-driver and they just went for it. Those cars are REALLY just being missed…astonishing)
Dog Day Afternoon – All the main characters die? Except for Al Pacino, who gets arrested? Wouldn’t happen today, listen to the Se7en DVD commentary for the battle they had to get that made, even with Pitt, Freeman and Fincher on board.
The Taking of Pelham 123 – A film about criminals, all known by colours? Mr White, Mr Blue…that wouldn’t happen now…(ok, I know, I know)
What I’m trying to say is that they took risks back then, not like today.
Even the stars took roles that were less than heroic in every single picture they made.
Robert Shaw made a career out of being a villain, but also noble and heroic (Jaws, Guns of Naverone etc).
Clint Eastwood, he used to be risky. Dirty Harry was anti-authority, shooting suspects whilst in custody, not like now.
Burt Reynolds, one of the biggest 70’s stars frequently took nasty roles. (Gator he’s an alcoholic womaniser, Mean Machine he is arrested for beating his girlfriend).
All these guys and many more took chances, didn’t always play the same character type because the audience wasn’t treated as a moron stepchild, unlike today.
How many times has Bruce Willis played an evil dude?
Or Stallone?
Few actors seem willing to take risky roles these days in case it “hurts box office”.
I respect Brad Pitt since I’ve seen him in Se7en, 12 Monkeys, Kalifornia, Fight Club etc because he isn’t just a pretty face that demands close-ups and saves the woman.
He’s not afraid to get dirty and be nasty.
More power to him I say.
And do we ignore his movies? Well…yes. At least the ones where he’s not Brad Pitt: Movie Hunk we do.
Fight Club, a brave, fantastic and audacious attack and comment on 90s male mindsets.
And it bombed. Why? Because it was different, it took chances, it made you think.
A lot of films from the 70’s did this.
Now, we have The Mummy Returns and Pearl Harbour – Everything is spoon-fed to us with “These are the good guys, they will win in the end” or “This is a bad guy, he will lose. Sit back and eat your popcorn, don’t think”.
And if you deviate from this formula? Your film will not do massive business.
Oh, it will be respected and admired by critics and some fans, but as a rule? You lose the big bucks, hence smaller movies are the only ones to really trying to say anything valid anymore.
I feel cinema has, largely, lost it’s claim as an “artform”.
More often that not, it’s entertainment and nothing else.
Which is fine, but why are they all so mindless?
“Well, it’s what people want.” No it isn’t, if blubber is the only thing served on the artic buffet, that’s all we’ll eat.
Doesn’t mean we’ll like it, but there isn’t much else to choose from.
I love The Coen Bros, their films don’t make money but they are one of the most fiercely original filmmakers out there and I pray they are allowed to continue for many years to come.
People just don’t make the effort to seek out films that aren’t advertised on burger wrappers any more.
“The Matrix”, a fantastic film. But how many people can honestly say that they saw the debut from The Wachowski Bros “Bound” before it was repackaged with “From the creators of The Matrix” all over the box?
Exactly – 3 of us did.
Why? It’s a brilliant, brilliant movie. A lesbian mafia thriller.
There, NOW you want to see it don’t you?
Good. Go rent it, go buy a Coen Bros film.
Get out there and read Time Out and Empire, visit aint-it-cool.com, find these little gems for yourself
There are so many wonderful films waiting for you to discover, you just have to spend 10 minutes looking for them.
Trust me, it’ll be worth it.
Page:
Personally, being a huge movie fan, I believe that movies were better in the 70’s.
Not for every single movie made, but I would say 8/10 it’s true.
Why?
Well, for a start, it wasn’t all about money, there was still a vestige of art to it.
Look at the classic movies from the 70’s and point out one summer blockbuster.
Star Wars? That was just a little sci-fi flick when it came out, it was only a few months afterwards that it turned into this monstrous entity it is today.
There weren’t really “event” movies, because the notion of movies as money hadn’t been truly taken for granted.
Classic 70’s movies that wouldn’t get made today:
The French Connection – Too downbeat, not enough pizzazz to make it worthwhile. (incidentally, the car chase was filmed for real. The director William Freidken didn’t have permissions to film, so he sat in the back with a stunt-driver and they just went for it. Those cars are REALLY just being missed…astonishing)
Dog Day Afternoon – All the main characters die? Except for Al Pacino, who gets arrested? Wouldn’t happen today, listen to the Se7en DVD commentary for the battle they had to get that made, even with Pitt, Freeman and Fincher on board.
The Taking of Pelham 123 – A film about criminals, all known by colours? Mr White, Mr Blue…that wouldn’t happen now…(ok, I know, I know)
What I’m trying to say is that they took risks back then, not like today.
Even the stars took roles that were less than heroic in every single picture they made.
Robert Shaw made a career out of being a villain, but also noble and heroic (Jaws, Guns of Naverone etc).
Clint Eastwood, he used to be risky. Dirty Harry was anti-authority, shooting suspects whilst in custody, not like now.
Burt Reynolds, one of the biggest 70’s stars frequently took nasty roles. (Gator he’s an alcoholic womaniser, Mean Machine he is arrested for beating his girlfriend).
All these guys and many more took chances, didn’t always play the same character type because the audience wasn’t treated as a moron stepchild, unlike today.
How many times has Bruce Willis played an evil dude?
Or Stallone?
Few actors seem willing to take risky roles these days in case it “hurts box office”.
I respect Brad Pitt since I’ve seen him in Se7en, 12 Monkeys, Kalifornia, Fight Club etc because he isn’t just a pretty face that demands close-ups and saves the woman.
He’s not afraid to get dirty and be nasty.
More power to him I say.
And do we ignore his movies? Well…yes. At least the ones where he’s not Brad Pitt: Movie Hunk we do.
Fight Club, a brave, fantastic and audacious attack and comment on 90s male mindsets.
And it bombed. Why? Because it was different, it took chances, it made you think.
A lot of films from the 70’s did this.
Now, we have The Mummy Returns and Pearl Harbour – Everything is spoon-fed to us with “These are the good guys, they will win in the end” or “This is a bad guy, he will lose. Sit back and eat your popcorn, don’t think”.
And if you deviate from this formula? Your film will not do massive business.
Oh, it will be respected and admired by critics and some fans, but as a rule? You lose the big bucks, hence smaller movies are the only ones to really trying to say anything valid anymore.
I feel cinema has, largely, lost it’s claim as an “artform”.
More often that not, it’s entertainment and nothing else.
Which is fine, but why are they all so mindless?
“Well, it’s what people want.” No it isn’t, if blubber is the only thing served on the artic buffet, that’s all we’ll eat.
Doesn’t mean we’ll like it, but there isn’t much else to choose from.
I love The Coen Bros, their films don’t make money but they are one of the most fiercely original filmmakers out there and I pray they are allowed to continue for many years to come.
People just don’t make the effort to seek out films that aren’t advertised on burger wrappers any more.
“The Matrix”, a fantastic film. But how many people can honestly say that they saw the debut from The Wachowski Bros “Bound” before it was repackaged with “From the creators of The Matrix” all over the box?
Exactly – 3 of us did.
Why? It’s a brilliant, brilliant movie. A lesbian mafia thriller.
There, NOW you want to see it don’t you?
Good. Go rent it, go buy a Coen Bros film.
Get out there and read Time Out and Empire, visit aint-it-cool.com, find these little gems for yourself
There are so many wonderful films waiting for you to discover, you just have to spend 10 minutes looking for them.
Trust me, it’ll be worth it.
Not for every single movie made, but I would say 8/10 it’s true.
Why?
Well, for a start, it wasn’t all about money, there was still a vestige of art to it.
Look at the classic movies from the 70’s and point out one summer blockbuster.
Star Wars? That was just a little sci-fi flick when it came out, it was only a few months afterwards that it turned into this monstrous entity it is today.
There weren’t really “event” movies, because the notion of movies as money hadn’t been truly taken for granted.
Classic 70’s movies that wouldn’t get made today:
The French Connection – Too downbeat, not enough pizzazz to make it worthwhile. (incidentally, the car chase was filmed for real. The director William Freidken didn’t have permissions to film, so he sat in the back with a stunt-driver and they just went for it. Those cars are REALLY just being missed…astonishing)
Dog Day Afternoon – All the main characters die? Except for Al Pacino, who gets arrested? Wouldn’t happen today, listen to the Se7en DVD commentary for the battle they had to get that made, even with Pitt, Freeman and Fincher on board.
The Taking of Pelham 123 – A film about criminals, all known by colours? Mr White, Mr Blue…that wouldn’t happen now…(ok, I know, I know)
What I’m trying to say is that they took risks back then, not like today.
Even the stars took roles that were less than heroic in every single picture they made.
Robert Shaw made a career out of being a villain, but also noble and heroic (Jaws, Guns of Naverone etc).
Clint Eastwood, he used to be risky. Dirty Harry was anti-authority, shooting suspects whilst in custody, not like now.
Burt Reynolds, one of the biggest 70’s stars frequently took nasty roles. (Gator he’s an alcoholic womaniser, Mean Machine he is arrested for beating his girlfriend).
All these guys and many more took chances, didn’t always play the same character type because the audience wasn’t treated as a moron stepchild, unlike today.
How many times has Bruce Willis played an evil dude?
Or Stallone?
Few actors seem willing to take risky roles these days in case it “hurts box office”.
I respect Brad Pitt since I’ve seen him in Se7en, 12 Monkeys, Kalifornia, Fight Club etc because he isn’t just a pretty face that demands close-ups and saves the woman.
He’s not afraid to get dirty and be nasty.
More power to him I say.
And do we ignore his movies? Well…yes. At least the ones where he’s not Brad Pitt: Movie Hunk we do.
Fight Club, a brave, fantastic and audacious attack and comment on 90s male mindsets.
And it bombed. Why? Because it was different, it took chances, it made you think.
A lot of films from the 70’s did this.
Now, we have The Mummy Returns and Pearl Harbour – Everything is spoon-fed to us with “These are the good guys, they will win in the end” or “This is a bad guy, he will lose. Sit back and eat your popcorn, don’t think”.
And if you deviate from this formula? Your film will not do massive business.
Oh, it will be respected and admired by critics and some fans, but as a rule? You lose the big bucks, hence smaller movies are the only ones to really trying to say anything valid anymore.
I feel cinema has, largely, lost it’s claim as an “artform”.
More often that not, it’s entertainment and nothing else.
Which is fine, but why are they all so mindless?
“Well, it’s what people want.” No it isn’t, if blubber is the only thing served on the artic buffet, that’s all we’ll eat.
Doesn’t mean we’ll like it, but there isn’t much else to choose from.
I love The Coen Bros, their films don’t make money but they are one of the most fiercely original filmmakers out there and I pray they are allowed to continue for many years to come.
People just don’t make the effort to seek out films that aren’t advertised on burger wrappers any more.
“The Matrix”, a fantastic film. But how many people can honestly say that they saw the debut from The Wachowski Bros “Bound” before it was repackaged with “From the creators of The Matrix” all over the box?
Exactly – 3 of us did.
Why? It’s a brilliant, brilliant movie. A lesbian mafia thriller.
There, NOW you want to see it don’t you?
Good. Go rent it, go buy a Coen Bros film.
Get out there and read Time Out and Empire, visit aint-it-cool.com, find these little gems for yourself
There are so many wonderful films waiting for you to discover, you just have to spend 10 minutes looking for them.
Trust me, it’ll be worth it.
I've been dying to see what films you actually DID like Goatboy... :0)
And I have to say, you've got very good taste. I did manage to see Bound before I saw the Matrix though. :0)
Fight Club bombed? Not sure. Bad reviews from the "Daily Mail" and other 'in their own little world' reads, but certainly a classic in my eye... and not many people I know haven't seen it.
I've been meaning to see the French Connection for a while... but I've never heard of Dog Day Afternoon before today. I shall make that my quest to hunt down and watch this film. Consider this great topic to have changed my life. :0)
And I have to say, you've got very good taste. I did manage to see Bound before I saw the Matrix though. :0)
Fight Club bombed? Not sure. Bad reviews from the "Daily Mail" and other 'in their own little world' reads, but certainly a classic in my eye... and not many people I know haven't seen it.
I've been meaning to see the French Connection for a while... but I've never heard of Dog Day Afternoon before today. I shall make that my quest to hunt down and watch this film. Consider this great topic to have changed my life. :0)
i know what you mean Goatboy. but as long as people keep going to see all the films that try and cater for everyone then no company will bother with a more focused movie that is a brilliant example of whatever genre it is. for the company its simple mathematics.
eg:
if there are three types of film, say adventure, comedy and romance, and each genre has 1 million followers that will only watch that type of film then a movie which caters for one taste will get 1 million sales, no matter ho good it is. if, however, they make a movie that caters for all tastes but is only half as good as the first movie then they'll still get 1/2 a million sales from each group or 1.5 million sales altogether. there are very few companies around today that can resist alienating the more discerning viewers for a 50% increase in sales, especially if they can do so without spending millions on an especially good film.
eg:
if there are three types of film, say adventure, comedy and romance, and each genre has 1 million followers that will only watch that type of film then a movie which caters for one taste will get 1 million sales, no matter ho good it is. if, however, they make a movie that caters for all tastes but is only half as good as the first movie then they'll still get 1/2 a million sales from each group or 1.5 million sales altogether. there are very few companies around today that can resist alienating the more discerning viewers for a 50% increase in sales, especially if they can do so without spending millions on an especially good film.
Grix Thraves wrote:
> I've been dying to see what films you actually DID like Goatboy...
> :0)
And I have to say, you've got very good taste. I did manage
> to see Bound before I saw the Matrix though. :0)
And isn't it a fantastic, original thriller?
Fight Club
> bombed? Not sure. Bad reviews from the "Daily Mail" and
> other 'in their own little world' reads, but certainly a classic in
> my eye... and not many people I know haven't seen it.
Yeah, but it made zero at the box office. It went to number one here and the states for 1 week before word of mouth spread about it being "odd".
Shame, a genuine classic in the making.
"His name is Robert Paulson...His name is Robert Paulson"
I've been
> meaning to see the French Connection for a while... but I've never
> heard of Dog Day Afternoon before today.
Al Pacino holds up a bank to fund the sex-change operation for his lover, Sal Mineo.
It all goes wrong and they end up trapped inside.
Brilliant, brilliant piece of movie making.
The French Connection...I cant praise it enough.
If only for the car chase, regarded as one of the classic.
And it was for real, that's why it's so damn scary.
No permission, no stunt drivers except for the one driving the camera car.
Those are real people diving out the way, real red lights they run through...exhilirating movie making.
"Did you pick your feet in Perkipsci?" (It'll make sense once you see it)
I shall make that my quest
> to hunt down and watch this film. Consider this great topic to have
> changed my life. :0)
Other films I rate (just my opinion)
The Prophecy
Deer Hunter
Mallrats
Zulu
The Great Escape
Jaws
Serpico
And many, many others.
> I've been dying to see what films you actually DID like Goatboy...
> :0)
And I have to say, you've got very good taste. I did manage
> to see Bound before I saw the Matrix though. :0)
And isn't it a fantastic, original thriller?
Fight Club
> bombed? Not sure. Bad reviews from the "Daily Mail" and
> other 'in their own little world' reads, but certainly a classic in
> my eye... and not many people I know haven't seen it.
Yeah, but it made zero at the box office. It went to number one here and the states for 1 week before word of mouth spread about it being "odd".
Shame, a genuine classic in the making.
"His name is Robert Paulson...His name is Robert Paulson"
I've been
> meaning to see the French Connection for a while... but I've never
> heard of Dog Day Afternoon before today.
Al Pacino holds up a bank to fund the sex-change operation for his lover, Sal Mineo.
It all goes wrong and they end up trapped inside.
Brilliant, brilliant piece of movie making.
The French Connection...I cant praise it enough.
If only for the car chase, regarded as one of the classic.
And it was for real, that's why it's so damn scary.
No permission, no stunt drivers except for the one driving the camera car.
Those are real people diving out the way, real red lights they run through...exhilirating movie making.
"Did you pick your feet in Perkipsci?" (It'll make sense once you see it)
I shall make that my quest
> to hunt down and watch this film. Consider this great topic to have
> changed my life. :0)
Other films I rate (just my opinion)
The Prophecy
Deer Hunter
Mallrats
Zulu
The Great Escape
Jaws
Serpico
And many, many others.
I tend to find that most of the time I go to see no brainer movies at the cinema, then get the plot driven ones on DVD at home. I guess basically as the special effects tend to be more impressive on the big screen, and the plot driven films are more suited to repeated viewing.
I agree about Brad Pitt, he's definitely not just a pretty face. OK, he's also been in some howlers, but then again, who hasn't? And it would cause him career problems if he gave up the pretty boy roles altogether.
Another good 'hidden' movie is 'The Straight Story' directed by David Lynch. Famous for being a non weird David Lynch film, but definitely worth watching.
I agree about Brad Pitt, he's definitely not just a pretty face. OK, he's also been in some howlers, but then again, who hasn't? And it would cause him career problems if he gave up the pretty boy roles altogether.
Another good 'hidden' movie is 'The Straight Story' directed by David Lynch. Famous for being a non weird David Lynch film, but definitely worth watching.
I thought "Straight Story" was a beautiful film, so gentle and quiet.
Loved the two old guys talking about the war in that bar.
Lynch did a "non-Lynch" movie there, but he's back to normal with "Mulholland Drive".
Weird sex, violence, midgets with vocoders and fantastic set-design.
Good to have him back.
Loved the two old guys talking about the war in that bar.
Lynch did a "non-Lynch" movie there, but he's back to normal with "Mulholland Drive".
Weird sex, violence, midgets with vocoders and fantastic set-design.
Good to have him back.
I was just surprised to see this from Lynch.
When I 1st heard about it "Man drives lawnmower across USA to visit his dying brother" I thought, yep that's Lynch alright.
But it was just a nice, warm film with no violence, odd sex, backwards giants or owls.
Still enjoyed it though
When I 1st heard about it "Man drives lawnmower across USA to visit his dying brother" I thought, yep that's Lynch alright.
But it was just a nice, warm film with no violence, odd sex, backwards giants or owls.
Still enjoyed it though
Do you believe actors and actresses deserve the amount of money given to them for doing a film which maybe a complete flop?
I think it depends on why the film flopped.
Fight Club bombed financially, yet I think Brad Pitt was fantastic.
I don't think Julia Roberts should be earning for doing the same thing film after film after film.
Nor should an Austrian Bodybuilder get paid $20 million a film, I think that's a little skewed
Fight Club bombed financially, yet I think Brad Pitt was fantastic.
I don't think Julia Roberts should be earning for doing the same thing film after film after film.
Nor should an Austrian Bodybuilder get paid $20 million a film, I think that's a little skewed
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