The history of cinema in five films

Discuss music, movies, TV shows and video games

Moderator: GH Moderators

User avatar
Sid
Ricky Stuart
Posts: 9936
Joined: May 15, 2015, 8:47 pm
Favourite Player: Shannon Boyd
Location: Darwin, N.T.

Re: The history of cinema in five films

Post by Sid »

Raidersrawesome wrote:I can not watch anything pre-dating the late 70's , the effects and acting is generally horrible
You're missing some really good flicks..
Would have won Boogs - 2016, 2017, 2018

1 part green, 1 part machine
User avatar
greeneyed
Don Furner
Posts: 145081
Joined: January 7, 2005, 4:21 pm

Re: The history of cinema in five films

Post by greeneyed »

Yes.
Image
User avatar
Seiffert82
Mal Meninga
Posts: 27844
Joined: March 17, 2007, 12:24 pm
Favourite Player: Bay56

Re: The history of cinema in five films

Post by Seiffert82 »

Admittedly I've never seen Casablanca or any of the Godfather movies, so perhaps take this list with a grain of salt.

I've tried to separate what is a great piece of cinema from what is a great story. Anyone can enjoy a movie with a great storyline, but not all of those movies are great pieces of cinema. So, these are not necessarily my favourite movies of all time, but this would be my list of (admittedly Euro-American) seminal classics to explain the history of cinema:

1927 Metropolis
- A remarkable, innovative early use of the medium. The film takes the audience to "another world" while providing insight into the risks we face for future of our civilisation.
1941 Citizen Kane
- Another fantastic example of the power of cinematography, which is a wonderful combination of social commentary, use of music and innovative storytelling techniques.
1977 Star Wars
- An all time classic fairy tale, with special effects well beyond its years. Just an amazing piece of work for its time. John Williams' music score for this movie is also beyond brilliant - the guy is a freak.
1994 Pulp Fiction
- Royale with cheese. Not everyone's cup of tea, but this movie is up there with Citizen Kane in the way it used an innovative narrative style to piece together a fascinating story. Great soundtrack and funny too.
1995 Toy Story
- The Disney studios had some game changing animated movies back in the day (like Fantasia and Snow White), but Toy Story completely redefined the style. Just a brilliant piece of animation.
User avatar
Sid
Ricky Stuart
Posts: 9936
Joined: May 15, 2015, 8:47 pm
Favourite Player: Shannon Boyd
Location: Darwin, N.T.

Re: The history of cinema in five films

Post by Sid »

I've seen Casablanca an thought it was alright, but I'm a bit surprised at how many accolades it receives. Particularly since it's one of the first titles that always comes up when people are discussing best films ever. Must admit part of that might be due to how long ago the film came out.

I've slowly been getting through some of the movies listed in IMDb's top 250 movies and have enjoyed them so far.

Still feel I must watch Godfather II, Schindler's List, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, V for Vendetta and others
Would have won Boogs - 2016, 2017, 2018

1 part green, 1 part machine
User avatar
greeneyed
Don Furner
Posts: 145081
Joined: January 7, 2005, 4:21 pm

Re: The history of cinema in five films

Post by greeneyed »

Don't know about V for Vendetta, but those others are a must.

Casablanca is a fantastic film, I love it.
Image
-GD-
Don Furner
Posts: 22877
Joined: February 10, 2007, 10:58 pm
Favourite Player: Mal Meninga, Terry Campese, Troy Thompson
Location: ACT

Re: The history of cinema in five films

Post by -GD- »

Casablanca is in my top 5 films, just brilliant.
julian87
Laurie Daley
Posts: 13939
Joined: October 20, 2005, 3:35 pm

Re: The history of cinema in five films

Post by julian87 »

It's an incredibly difficult thing to do, to create a list of just 5. I don't know whether to list most influential or what film really stamped it's foot due to certain influences. Anyway, here's 5 that I think were just astonishing.

Metropolis
12 Angry Men
Star Wars; A New Hope
Fight Club
Das Leben Der Anderen (The Lives of Others)

I want some Tarantino in there, but I can't squeeze out Fight Club for any of his works. Empire Strikes Back is just about the perfect film of the Star Wars stuff, but the Original sets it up. Nods to Citizen Kane, Casablanca, Maltese Falcon etc, but I sort of went one a generation.
well, I guess you could say that I'm buy curious.
EJ
David Furner
Posts: 3983
Joined: February 11, 2005, 11:38 am

Re: The history of cinema in five films

Post by EJ »

The Story of the Kelly Gang (1906) - To show the history of film, you start from the beginning. The first dramatic feature film ever released.

Fantasia (1940) - Disney brought animation to feature film. Fantasia is a landmark of that pioneering era. It marries sight and sound on a level that still captivates today.

2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) - A revolutionary masterpiece of huge influence. I may enjoy Star Wars more, but they may never have been made without 2001.

Apocalypse Now (1979) - Modern filmmaking at it's finest.

Avatar (2009) - The epitome of what film is capable of today.

Now, my personal top 5, which is what most people seemed to list...

Lawrence of Arabia
Apocalypse Now
A Clockwork Orange
Picnic at Hanging Rock
Pulp Fiction

Raidersareawesome, you are deadset kidding about films pre-1980. Effects and acting are horrible? I'll take ageless practical production over CGI that has a maximum shelf life of 5 years before looking like ****. I'll put up the tour de force ensemble cast of Lawrence of Arabia against anything post-1980. Studios do not make movies the calibre of Lawrence and Apocalypse Now anymore and the film world is a poorer place for it.

GE, I'm flabbergasted you do not like Unforgiven or The Good, the Bad and the Ugly. Just because of Clint? It's irrational!
User avatar
greeneyed
Don Furner
Posts: 145081
Joined: January 7, 2005, 4:21 pm

Re: The history of cinema in five films

Post by greeneyed »

Oh no it's not! If I had to list my top ten films, hardly any of them would be post 1980.

I used to watch every single new film possible. But today, so many films are complete rubbish. Remakes of comics, CGI rubbish. No plot, no story, no value, no worth, simply bad crime stories, so called thrillers. The cast bulk of them have no redeeming features of any sort. It's sad what is invested by Hollywood in such utter rubbish.
Image
User avatar
Manchild
Jason Croker
Posts: 4864
Joined: September 28, 2011, 11:29 am
Favourite Player: Past: Brad Clyde
Present: Shaun Fensom
Location: Darwin, NT

Re: The history of cinema in five films

Post by Manchild »

greeneyed wrote:Oh no it's not! If I had to list my top ten films, hardly any of them would be post 1980.

I used to watch every single new film possible. But today, so many films are complete rubbish. Remakes of comics, CGI rubbish. No plot, no story, no value, no worth, simply bad crime stories, so called thrillers. The cast bulk of them have no redeeming features of any sort. It's sad what is invested by Hollywood in such utter rubbish.
Have you watched Southpaw GE. I recommend it very highly. Jake Gyganall has become one of my favorite actors.
User avatar
greeneyed
Don Furner
Posts: 145081
Joined: January 7, 2005, 4:21 pm

Re: The history of cinema in five films

Post by greeneyed »

No not seen that yet.
Image
-GD-
Don Furner
Posts: 22877
Joined: February 10, 2007, 10:58 pm
Favourite Player: Mal Meninga, Terry Campese, Troy Thompson
Location: ACT

Re: The history of cinema in five films

Post by -GD- »

Nightcrawlers is on Fox tonight, Gyllenhaal is supposed to be fantastic in it.
User avatar
Manchild
Jason Croker
Posts: 4864
Joined: September 28, 2011, 11:29 am
Favourite Player: Past: Brad Clyde
Present: Shaun Fensom
Location: Darwin, NT

Re: The history of cinema in five films

Post by Manchild »

-GD- wrote:Nightcrawlers is on Fox tonight, Gyllenhaal is supposed to be fantastic in it.
To see his physical condition in Nightcrawlers and then what he did to play the part in Southpaw is crazy.
julian87
Laurie Daley
Posts: 13939
Joined: October 20, 2005, 3:35 pm

Re: The history of cinema in five films

Post by julian87 »

greeneyed wrote:Oh no it's not! If I had to list my top ten films, hardly any of them would be post 1980.

I used to watch every single new film possible. But today, so many films are complete rubbish. Remakes of comics, CGI rubbish. No plot, no story, no value, no worth, simply bad crime stories, so called thrillers. The cast bulk of them have no redeeming features of any sort. It's sad what is invested by Hollywood in such utter rubbish.
Well it sort of goes without saying that you need to look outside the major releases to find the best film has to offer these days./
well, I guess you could say that I'm buy curious.
EJ
David Furner
Posts: 3983
Joined: February 11, 2005, 11:38 am

Re: The history of cinema in five films

Post by EJ »

greeneyed wrote:Oh no it's not! If I had to list my top ten films, hardly any of them would be post 1980.

I used to watch every single new film possible. But today, so many films are complete rubbish. Remakes of comics, CGI rubbish. No plot, no story, no value, no worth, simply bad crime stories, so called thrillers. The cast bulk of them have no redeeming features of any sort. It's sad what is invested by Hollywood in such utter rubbish.
3 of my top 10 are post-1980. Pulp Fiction, Blade Runner and Gandhi.

Yeah, I very rarely see a movie in the cinema now. But that has a bit to do with me being a grump and not wanting to hear people eat while i'm watching a movie. Unless a movie is getting unreal reviews, i'll wait to download or buy the blu-ray. There is a century worth of work to visit and revisit otherwise.

Every now and then though, there are some real gems released. Have you seen Birdman? It focuses around a play and is basically filmed as a play. It's filmed as if it's one single shot, which of course it's not, but it's still full of looong shots, with Keaton and Norton killing it all movie long.
User avatar
greeneyed
Don Furner
Posts: 145081
Joined: January 7, 2005, 4:21 pm

Re: The history of cinema in five films

Post by greeneyed »

Yes, thought Birdman was outstanding.
Image
Post Reply