nickandnora34
Junior Member
Just a grease spot on the L&N
Posts: 77
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Post by nickandnora34 on Nov 25, 2023 1:27:45 GMT
I'm very curious to hear what some of these movies are for you folks: movies that you remember seeing that inspired you/became an important part of your personality/will always have a special place in your heart. Movies you have an almost spiritual connection to, and why. **Any decade, language, genre; I just love to hear people speak about film from a personal angle.**
For me, one specific example is Singin' in the Rain (1952). I watched this for the first time when I was in 10th grade and it opened up an entire world of older film (more specifically movie musicals), and was the gateway to the 1950s, in particular, and since then, I've never looked back. This film really was the catalyst for my obsession with older film, and I will always hold it in my heart, since I've been able to watch so many stellar films I might not have watched without seeing "Singin' in the Rain."
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Post by gerald424 on Nov 25, 2023 2:39:08 GMT
There are so many, I'll just go chronologically over time.
When I was in grade school, long before cable, streaming or any of that, we have two types of stations: VHF for the basic channels and UHF the lesser hard to get channels. In these days you had to turn some knob to "tune" your TV to get the best signal of the channel otherwise you just get snow.
Here in LA, we had channel 52. A channels just for kids. They played Three Stooges, Little Rascals/Our Gang along with other shows like My Little Margie. Many of us would get home as soon as we could so we wouldn't miss any of the shows. They played from maybe 2pm till about 7pm, which was great for kids. I learned a lot about life in the 30s/40s from those shows. I loved them and still do today.
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Post by I Love Melvin on Nov 25, 2023 14:09:04 GMT
For me it would be Lili (1953). I don't think it was my first movie because my parents took us to The Robe the same year, but it was the one which stayed with me. Those were the days when movies were basically one and done; if you didn't catch it then you had to hope it might show up on TV years later. It took me probably twenty years to see it again, in a revival house in Boston, to which I hitchhiked from a good distance away. It was every bit as enchanting seeing it again as an adult, but now I ration my viewings because I would hate it to get stale with too many repeats.
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Post by intrepid37 on Nov 25, 2023 16:58:56 GMT
High Noon (1952) is the first one that really got to me. Grace Kelly looked impossibly beautiful to my young eyes and she caused me to be so profoundly in love with a woman for the first time I felt almost too strange. I was about 7 years old, it was on the late show on a Friday night, and my Dad was out somewhere and Mom had fallen asleep. I've fallen in love many, many times - but nothing can erase the memory of falling for Grace in High Noon.
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Post by NoShear on Nov 25, 2023 17:11:01 GMT
The reason I can converse on music with the two members just above me here... In the fall of 1976 "woodstock" (1970) was reissued at the CINERAMA dome and my father took this then-young teen:  I was intrigued by the ten minutes allotted the WHO - the golden god drama of the original "Tommy Incarnate" and his slashing guitar sidekick: It slowly led to obsession with the British band which eventually yielded me evolving into something of a student of rock history. I've long thought that I would never trade the experience of seeing the WHO in "woodstock" with hippies who'd actually been there and done that, and Fred Goodman's shill of ROCK on FILM on T CM reaffirmed this thought when Ken Russell's silly yield - Tommy (1975) - was given the nod over a 1969 FILLMORE concert that Goodman claimed he experienced with the WHO. No trade. |
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Post by intrepid37 on Nov 25, 2023 17:17:16 GMT
And it's one two three what are we fighting for? Don't ask me I don't give a damn, next stop is Vietnam.
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Post by jamesjazzguitar on Nov 25, 2023 18:26:37 GMT
Two films that changed my life all within 4 or so months: The Strawberry Blonde (Cagney\DeHavilland\Hayworth) and Broadcast News (Hurt\Huntter\Brooks).
I was involved in a long-term relationship with a gal similar to the Hayworth character in TSB. We set a date to get married. A month or so before the wedding we went to see Broadcast News. After we discussed the film. She wanted me to be more like the Hurt character and less like the Brooks character, i.e. more superficial (but a nice dresser!) and with less substance. This just wasn't who I was or wanted to be. Substance over style!!
I re-watched The Strawberry Blonde, and this helped me see that I really wanted a gal like the DeHavilland character instead of the superficial, never satisfied, harpy Hayworth character. I called off the wedding and went looking for my Amy (name of DeHavilland character in TSB). I found her and have been happily married for over 27 years.
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Post by kims on Nov 25, 2023 18:31:59 GMT
Disney's Pinocchio. Very young when I saw it-the fun songs I sang on the way home afterward, beautiful animation and being Disney a moral to the story.
I was totally captivated by the big theater experience, all these other kids watching together, transported to another world for a while.
Watching tv at home, you don't leave home, don't feel absorbed into another world.
The joy of old movies came when the family lived in Jersey. School was so crowded, we went only half a day. Out of NYC was I think channel 9 that aired old movies. Cagney films hooked me. I think after Richard Boone as Paladin as my first love, Cagney was my second childhood love
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nickandnora34
Junior Member
Just a grease spot on the L&N
Posts: 77
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Post by nickandnora34 on Nov 25, 2023 19:19:09 GMT
There are so many, I'll just go chronologically over time.
When I was in grade school, long before cable, streaming or any of that, we have two types of stations: VHF for the basic channels and UHF the lesser hard to get channels. In these days you had to turn some knob to "tune" your TV to get the best signal of the channel otherwise you just get snow.
Here in LA, we had channel 52. A channels just for kids. They played Three Stooges, Little Rascals/Our Gang along with other shows like My Little Margie. Many of us would get home as soon as we could so we wouldn't miss any of the shows. They played from maybe 2pm till about 7pm, which was great for kids. I learned a lot about life in the 30s/40s from those shows. I loved them and still do today.
Love Our Gang! What a great way to learn about a different historical period and also a solid way to learn about comedy in general. What a lovely little routine for all the kids; nowadays I don't think kids come home and have that same experience of a show airing on live television as it's all iPads and streaming... Not that those things are inherently negative, but I can imagine how fun it would be to come home after school and watch some fun older shows. |
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nickandnora34
Junior Member
Just a grease spot on the L&N
Posts: 77
|
Post by nickandnora34 on Nov 25, 2023 19:20:56 GMT
For me it would be Lili (1953). I don't think it was my first movie because my parents took us to The Robe the same year, but it was the one which stayed with me. Those were the days when movies were basically one and done; if you didn't catch it then you had to hope it might show up on TV years later. It took me probably twenty years to see it again, in a revival house in Boston, to which I hitchhiked from a good distance away. It was every bit as enchanting seeing it again as an adult, but now I ration my viewings because I would hate it to get stale with too many repeats. I have not seen this as of yet, but what a sweet movie to remember fondly all these years later. 20 years! Wow. Glad it was every bit as special as the first time you saw it  |
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nickandnora34
Junior Member
Just a grease spot on the L&N
Posts: 77
|
Post by nickandnora34 on Nov 25, 2023 19:21:46 GMT
High Noon (1952) is the first one that really got to me. Grace Kelly looked impossibly beautiful to my young eyes and she caused me to be so profoundly in love with a woman for the first time I felt almost too strange. I was about 7 years old, it was on the late show on a Friday night, and my Dad was out somewhere and Mom had fallen asleep. I've fallen in love many, many times - but nothing can erase the memory of falling for Grace in High Noon. Great western!!! Also, Grace Kelly is one of the most elegant women ever to live, I'd reckon. Great choice! |
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nickandnora34
Junior Member
Just a grease spot on the L&N
Posts: 77
|
Post by nickandnora34 on Nov 25, 2023 19:24:42 GMT
The reason I can converse on music with the two members just above me here... In the fall of 1976 "woodstock" (1970) was reissued at the CINERAMA dome and my father took this then-young teen: It slowly led to obsession with the British band which eventually yielded me evolving into something of a student of rock history. I've long thought that I would never trade the experience of seeing the WHO in "woodstock" with hippies who'd actually been there and done that, and Fred Goodman's shill of ROCK on FILM on T CM reaffirmed this thought when Ken Russell's silly yield - Tommy (1975) - was given the nod over a 1969 FILLMORE concert that Goodman claimed he experienced with the WHO. No trade. Whoa, the Woodstock movie! What a stellar experience, NoShear. That's really interesting that you saw the film, and then grew to enjoy more of the music of the same genre.  |
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nickandnora34
Junior Member
Just a grease spot on the L&N
Posts: 77
|
Post by nickandnora34 on Nov 25, 2023 19:25:02 GMT
Two films that changed my life all with 4 or so months: The Strawberry Blonde (Cagney\DeHavilland\Hayworth) and Broadcast News (Hurt\Huntter\Brooks). I was involved in a long-term relationship with a gal similar to the Hayworth character in TSB. We set a date to get married. A month or so before the wedding we went to see Broadcast News. After we discussed the film. She wanted me to be more like the Hurt character and less like the Brooks character, i.e. more superficial (but a nice dresser!) and with less substance. This just wasn't who I was or wanted to be. Substance over style!! I re-watched The Strawberry Blonde, and this helped me see that I really wanted a gal like the DeHavilland character instead of the superficial, never satisfied, harpy Hayworth character. I called off the wedding and went looking for my Amy (name of DeHavilland character in TSB). I found her and have been happily married for over 27 years. Is someone chopping onions in here? |
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nickandnora34
Junior Member
Just a grease spot on the L&N
Posts: 77
|
Post by nickandnora34 on Nov 25, 2023 19:26:15 GMT
Disney's Pinocchio. Very young when I saw it-the fun songs I sang on the way home afterward, beautiful animation and being Disney a moral to the story. I was totally captivated by the big theater experience, all these other kids watching together, transported to another world for a while. Watching tv at home, you don't leave home, don't feel absorbed into another world. The joy of old movies came when the family lived in Jersey. School was so crowded, we went only half a day. Out of NYC was I think channel 9 that aired old movies. Cagney films hooked me. I think after Richard Boone as Paladin as my first love, Cagney was my second childhood love Ahhh, Pinocchio is a such a magical little film; I love "When You Wish Upon a Star," and the animation style is so captivating. This is also a reminder that I need to watch more Cagney... |
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Post by gerald424 on Nov 25, 2023 22:29:21 GMT
There are so many, I'll just go chronologically over time.
When I was in grade school, long before cable, streaming or any of that, we have two types of stations: VHF for the basic channels and UHF the lesser hard to get channels. In these days you had to turn some knob to "tune" your TV to get the best signal of the channel otherwise you just get snow.
Here in LA, we had channel 52. A channels just for kids. They played Three Stooges, Little Rascals/Our Gang along with other shows like My Little Margie. Many of us would get home as soon as we could so we wouldn't miss any of the shows. They played from maybe 2pm till about 7pm, which was great for kids. I learned a lot about life in the 30s/40s from those shows. I loved them and still do today.
Love Our Gang! What a great way to learn about a different historical period and also a solid way to learn about comedy in general. What a lovely little routine for all the kids; nowadays I don't think kids come home and have that same experience of a show airing on live television as it's all iPads and streaming... Not that those things are inherently negative, but I can imagine how fun it would be to come home after school and watch some fun older shows. Around that time (we're talking mid 1970's), they would have our whole grade in the auditorium and watch keystone cops and things like that. We would laugh the whole time, it was so silly. Each morning , every class got a memo sheet for the day telling all that will happen that day. It would include if a cool movie like Godzilla or something like that was coming on TV that day. We would hurry home for those also. And talk about them all the next day. That was back when we only had maybe 7 channels. |
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