I heard about this book from Melissa at The Avid Reader's Musings. At first I thought I might write about this one on my book blog instead, but it really fits in here much better. This is a fun little book that lists 50 influential movies from 1938 to 1991. (For all you mathematicians out there who have figured out that's more than 50 years, you're right. This book does not present one movie for each year; some years are skipped, and some years have more than one movie listed.) The movies are found in the book in the order that they were released, from oldest to newest. If you would like to see the Table of Contents for this book so that you can see which 50 movies are included, click here.
This book seems to be geared toward a younger reader--someone who has neither been alive long enough to see all the classics nor was alive when most of them came out. If you can get over the author using the word "hot" on every other page, it's a fun read for any age, but beware--if there are any of these 50 movies that you haven't seen, it will be spoiled for you if you read its synopsis.
As I read, what I made a note of was the number of movies I have not seen.
1. Sunset Boulevard. I added it to my netflix queue today, even though it kind of sucks that the book spoiled the ending for me.
2. The Searchers. It's a Western. I think I can live without seeing it, even if John Wayne was in it.
3. 12 Angry men. It's a courtroom drama. I think I can live without seeing it, too, especially since Henry Fonda is somewhat less compelling a reason than John Wayne.
4. West Side Story. I know, I know. It was already on my netflix queue even before I read this book.
5. Planet of the Apes. I feel like I've seen enough bits and pieces that I don't really need to see the whole thing . . . do I? I already know about the Statue of Liberty. And if I hadn't, I would have after reading this book.
6. Night of the Living Dead. Ugh, zombies? Really? I was forced to sit through Zombieland . . . isn't that enough?
7. 2001: A Space Odyssey. You know, we own this movie, and I don't think I've watched the whole thing all the way through yet. In fact, the only part I remember is when the caveman tosses the bone in the air, and when the lady is walking through the space station . . . and walking . . . and walking . . .
8. Gimme Shelter. No clue about this movie. Is it like This Is Spinal Tap, but real? I'll give it a try.
9. Harold and Maude. It was also already in my netflix queue, though I'm not sure how it got there.
10. The Godfather. My husband told me I don't want to watch it. I still haven't decided if I believe him.
11. Jaws. Well, actually, I'm not sure if I've seen it or not. I've read the book! But I can't remember if I've watched the movie.
12. Taxi Driver. Also already in my queue.
13. Network. Never heard of it. But I added it to my queue today.
14. All the President's Men. Ugh, politics? But--ooh, Robert Redford. OK, fine, I'll watch it.
15. Rocky. Yes, you can believe your eyes. I'm pretty sure I've seen Rocky Four (or was it fourteen, or twenty-four? whichever one he fights the Russian in) but I don't think I've ever seen the original. Although I do know he runs up a lot of steps and then does a silly little victory dance. And I know that people are talking about this movie when they say, "Yo, Adrian."
16. Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior. I've only seen the original once (unless you count the time I saw part of it while I was babysitting--the part with the motorcycle guy's hand chained to the back of the van--which really freaked me out) and I wasn't especially impressed. I'm not really interested in seeing the sequel. I've already suffered through The Postman and Waterworld, and I've seen the chase scene from The Blues Brothers.
17. Scarface. See #10.
18. This is Spinal Tap. I tried to watch this once and it bored the heck out of me. Yes, it is possible that perhaps something is wrong with me.
19. Do the Right Thing. Sounds really depressing. I think I would rather watch a Western or a war movie.
20. Goodfellas. See #10 and #17.
I've seen the other 30. Maybe I'll post about them some other time.
In reading this book, I added about 50 movies to my netflix queue; only five of these were from the list of 50 featured--the rest were all movies that were mentioned either as influenced by the 50, or as sharing a director or principal actor.
I will never, ever be able to cancel my netflix subscription.
Yea for netflix!
ReplyDeleteI have seen 1, 3, 10, 15,18, and 20 of your list. Comments about them:
1. Sunset Boulevard is worth watching, but WAY bizarre!
3. 12 Angry Men is truly good and the update (with Tony Danza, no less) is good too, but I do like a good debate, thinking type movie.
10. The Godfather is good, I watched the trilogy. Considering your distaste for war and blood and guts, I think there are other things you could spend your time on. But it is classic film! But you are going to watch Taxi Driver?
15. Rocky is again classic! The ending is great. Oddly enough, the end of 8 Mile reminded me of Rocky.
18. This is Spinal Tap is like Office Space and Monty Python: only for consumption in large groups. Everything is funnier in large groups because there is always someone with a strange laugh that gets you laughing and before you know it, you are actually enjoying the movie because you want to know what is so funny to strange-laugh man.
20. Goodfellas - eh. It wasn't that great!
You got me thinking . . . I may change my mind about 12 Angry Men (and watch it), and Taxi Driver (and not watch it). I will have to look into both of those further before I decide. But, with 270 movies in my queue right now, it will be a loooooong time before I get to that point.
ReplyDeleteThere were only four of us there when I tried to watch Spinal Tap, so that's probably what the problem was. ;) I think Raising Arizona is another one that belongs in that category (but only if you think round is funny). But I liked Monty Python and the Holy Grail (three of us) and Office Space (two of us)!
2,6,8,12 and 19 are all ones I haven't seen. On the rest...
ReplyDeleteI found 2001 incredibly boring. Scarface is crazy violent and not worth watching, but I thought Goodfellas was really violent, but worth watching.
I would give 12 Angry Men a chance, it's pretty intense, in a good way. I think Godfather is definitely worth it, especially watching it and thinking of things from Diane Keaton's character's point of view.
Their are some interesting movies in the rest, most are better than a lot of new stuff you can see. And I completely agree, my out-of-control netflix queue insures that I'll never cancel it!
Of those 5 you haven't seen, do you have any interest in seeing them? Did you know about all five of them before you read this book?
ReplyDeleteSo, another vote for 12 Angry Men! I think if I get one more I'll go ahead and watch it. ;) You have me thinking harder about Goodfellas and The Godfather, too.
I wrote the wrong number for one of them, I've seen The Searchers (funnier than you would think it would be).
ReplyDeleteThe book introduced me to a few new ones and reminded me to bump a few others up my netflix queue. The ones I haven't seen are...
1) Easy Rider - already in queue
2) The Exorcist - I don't want to watch this one. I'm sure it's much less scary than I think it is, but I still have no desire to see it.
3) Night of the Living Dead - added to queue
4) Gimme Shelter - added to queue
5) Taxi Driver - already in queue
6) Do the Right Thing - added to queue
Haha, M, see what kind of memory I have? I had already forgotten that you'd listed the #s of the ones you hadn't seen. I find it pretty interesting that five of your six were on the list of ones I haven't seen either! Although I'm not sure if that's more an interesting coincidence, or a commentary on those five movies and how a few of them maybe aren't so classic or influential.
ReplyDeleteHere's what I'm thinking about Night of the Living Dead and Do the Right Thing: I'll wait until you watch them first, and then you can tell me if I need to watch them! ;)