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Oldest movie that still "holds up"?
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SF Kosmo
Banned
I have a friend who got paid like a stupid amount of money to write Wizard of Oz 2 and then the studio went and made that stupid James Franco one instead.
DragoonKain
Neighbours from Hell
Call me shallow, but so many old films I can't tolerate because of the way people talked back then. Either doing that "Ehh, ya see" Dave Chappelle does such a good impression of it.
Or the way they talk sounds like they're citing memorized lines as opposed to acting.
Not all old films, but in my experience so many of them.
Jaws holds up very well.
Or the way they talk sounds like they're citing memorized lines as opposed to acting.
Not all old films, but in my experience so many of them.
Jaws holds up very well.
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teezzy
Banned
Film acting was birthed from theater acting, and many actors weren't hip to the subtleties which the camera was able to pick up as opposed to projecting their roles to a crowd of people. Took some time for things to evolve
Laieon
Member
This and Wizard of Oz makes 1939 about as far back as I'll go.
Honestly, I think because a lot of what it did storytelling-wise has been borrowed and perfected since then makes that aspect pretty lackluster for me, but as someone who is into photography, man is the cinematography gorgeous. I don't think Citizen Kane is the greatest movie ever, but I appreciate because it's just gorgeous to look at.
Honestly, I think because a lot of what it did storytelling-wise has been borrowed and perfected since then makes that aspect pretty lackluster for me, but as someone who is into photography, man is the cinematography gorgeous. I don't think Citizen Kane is the greatest movie ever, but I appreciate because it's just gorgeous to look at.
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Revolutionary
Gold Member
North by Northwest, 1959
It's a surprisingly exciting thriller for a 63 year old movie.
It's a surprisingly exciting thriller for a 63 year old movie.
It’s a style. Chappelle’s humor is also a style. The stuff that passes for “realistic” acting today is also pretty bunk, save some exceptions. It expresses the fashion of the day. The question should be “does the style have any merit or provide any depth?”
teezzy
Banned
Not the oldest, but a movie that still feels very whimsical and dreamlike in its practical effects and editing to me would be Cocteau's Beauty and the Beast
It will definitely transport you to an entirely different era on an initial viewing. Highly effective fantasy tale overall, and it's super neat to see all the effort which went into making the surreality shine through. I would genuinely recommend this over its animated Disney counterpart, which says a lot.
It will definitely transport you to an entirely different era on an initial viewing. Highly effective fantasy tale overall, and it's super neat to see all the effort which went into making the surreality shine through. I would genuinely recommend this over its animated Disney counterpart, which says a lot.
Not the oldest, but a movie that still feels very whimsical and dreamlike in its practical effects and editing to me would be Cocteau's Beauty and the Beast
It will definitely transport you to an entirely different era on an initial viewing. Highly effective fantasy tale overall, and it's super neat to see all the effort which went into making the surreality shine through. I would genuinely recommend this over its animated Disney counterpart, which says a lot.
Great pick. Beautiful film, and fitting that it’s a French production. Though, I must say that the Disney (animated) film is surprisingly mature.
teezzy
Banned
I had to give it some thought. It's been a while since I've sold off all my blurays. Trying to remember the dates of everything.
Silent films were always something I struggled with beyond occasional clips where I thought "hmmm thats neat"
Once saw a screening of Haxan in an arthouse theater. There was a live band accompaniment and everything performing a score.
Even that didn't feel very memorable to me overall.
I'm a Jerry Lewis fan though, so what do I know
I had to give it some thought. It's been a while since I've sold off all my blurays. Trying to remember the dates of everything.
Silent films were always something I struggled with beyond occasional clips where I thought "hmmm thats neat"
Once saw a screening of Haxan in an arthouse theater. There was a live band accompaniment and everything performing a score.
Even that didn't feel very memorable to me overall.
I'm a Jerry Lewis fan though, so what do I know
Considering your previous movie rec, you sound French. (And, Jerry Lewis was great in “The King of Comedy.”)
You may like Murnau’s “Faust.” It’s Amazon Prime Video and on youtube:
Apologies to OP. I hope we’re not derailing your thread too much.
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Bragr
Banned
Dr.Morris79
Gold Member
I would recommend some of the old-school Disney movies, Snow White and The Seven Dwarfs and Pinocchio. It's so cool to watch the classic hand-drawn animation.
The power of rotoscoping.
MisterHero
Super Member
Oldest talkie I've watched is one of the many iterations of A Christmas Carol. Oldest silent film probably Metropolis or some Our Gang comedy. They hold up technically, even if not in... other areas.
I can enjoy a very grainy old film, and need to watch a bunch if I get HBO Max/TCM again.
Also, 1930/40s cartoons destroy modern cartoons to this day.
I can enjoy a very grainy old film, and need to watch a bunch if I get HBO Max/TCM again.
Also, 1930/40s cartoons destroy modern cartoons to this day.
Krappadizzle
Member
This would be my answer. Cinematography, story, acting all hold up shockingly well to this day.
AJUMP23
Parody of actual AJUMP23
Came here to talk about how good this movie is. Each character is incredible and the development of the characters masterful.
HotPocket69
Banned
The Matrix easily. Or Terminator 3.
Fantastic film you should definitely watch. I watched it on my OLED. It’s a well shot movie. Maybe it was just the version I watched but there was a lot of noise/film grain and some scratches/spots flickering on the screen. It’s the same for a lot of movies from the 60-70s. I went on a binge of movies from that period and they were the same.
Lawrence got a 4K remaster recently so of course that’s the best version to watch. It’s long but a classic.
StreetsofBeige
Gold Member
Amazing how good old school animation is (typically Disney) vs. all the choppy low budget looking anime. Just looking at that snow white example, you got painted backgrounds and 5 characters all combined into a 3 second gif from a 70 year old movie.I would recommend some of the old-school Disney movies, Snow White and The Seven Dwarfs and Pinocchio. It's so cool to watch the classic hand-drawn animation.
And it looks better than modern day stuff.
El Pistolero
Banned
Nosferatu, Citizen Kane and all of the Chaplins, Kurosawas, Fellinis, Buster Keatons, Capras, Renoirs...Basically, all the great films are timeless.
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Hulk_Smash
Banned
Fail Safe is pretty good. Not that old but it is in black and white. Probably the first movie to tackle the nuke scare/Cold War.
Hulk_Smash
Banned
Sleeping Beauty may be the second best looking Disney film of all time (Lion King being number one).
El Pistolero
Banned
Watched his whole filmography some 10 years ago and, man, he has become my favorite director of all times. His movies have simple plots and, yet, are so layered and touching. Plus, his legendary run with Toshiro Mifune leading the cast...So good!
Hey, the Cal Art style is….efficient?
DeaDPo0L84
Member
Wizard of Oz, 1939
Jeff Spicoli
Member
And its a very good movie; slighty horror.
Its on Disney + here in Italy.
eyesabitdull
Banned
ROPE by Alfred Hitchcock:
There used to a be a copy of the full movie on YouTube, which is where I watched it.
If you're okay with foreign films:
That's all for now.
Let me know if any of you end up watching one of these!
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Excess
Member
I'm gonna go on a different limb here and judge it not so much by how old it is, but how well the special effects hold up in comparison to today's installments, and that's Jurassic Park. The mix of animatronics and CGI when necessary makes everything look much more real than today.
In this same vein, I need to give a mention to the same animatronics of Stan Winston that powered the Queen in Aliens.
Trogdor1123
Gold Member
Winner winner chicken dinner
InfiniteCombo
Banned
As someone that VASTLY prefers older movies to new ones, there are a lot of awesome recommendations in this thread.
A lot of old movies hold up in the best way: their themes are universal, and are presented in an artistic way that transcends time.
To those complaining about speech patterns in older movies (especially 30s and 40s): it was often a stylized way of speaking based on the "Transatlantic" accent of the early 20th century. I'd speculate that most people in every day life did not talk like that. That speech pattern also helped facilitate what I consider one of the biggest strengths of these classic movies: the dialogue.
As a bit of a "hot" take, I'll say that the dialogue in even B-tier movies from those days, on average, beats out the dialogue of A-tier movies made today. (Although my statement is largely scoped to Hollywood in particular.)
A lot of old movies hold up in the best way: their themes are universal, and are presented in an artistic way that transcends time.
To those complaining about speech patterns in older movies (especially 30s and 40s): it was often a stylized way of speaking based on the "Transatlantic" accent of the early 20th century. I'd speculate that most people in every day life did not talk like that. That speech pattern also helped facilitate what I consider one of the biggest strengths of these classic movies: the dialogue.
As a bit of a "hot" take, I'll say that the dialogue in even B-tier movies from those days, on average, beats out the dialogue of A-tier movies made today. (Although my statement is largely scoped to Hollywood in particular.)
Tuff McNutt
Member
It’s not a hot take: dialog was generally better back then.
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So many creepy moments from what I can remember.
SF Kosmo
Banned
Pinocchio is arguably Disney's peak to this day.I would recommend some of the old-school Disney movies, Snow White and The Seven Dwarfs and Pinocchio. It's so cool to watch the classic hand-drawn animation.
Daneel Elijah
Member
100%!
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