Films you can't get enough of

[cheerypeabrain]

There must be dozens of films that, when they turn up on tv, I happily snuggle down to watch even tho I've seen them several times before. This Christmas alone I've rewatched Scrooge (the old B&W version) Dunkirk (with John Mills), two versions of Goodbye Mr Chips...the old B&W film and the made for tv film with Martin Clunes as Mr Chipping...I even watched some old John Wayne western and thoroughly enjoyed it...not enough to remember the film title admittedly but I'd seen them all before many times. Oh yes...it was The Cowboys Marvellous stuff.

[onlyMark]

Ice Cold in Alex.

[kerouac2]

I went through the pages of this thread again and there are quite a few movies that I could have listed, too. It is also interesting to note when one has "moved on" and a movie that used to seem important just doesn't thrill you anymore. But as for movies that I could currently see again and again, here is a small list:

The Year of Living Dangerously
L'auberge espagnole / The Spanish Apartment
Children of Men
Apocalypse Now
Bullhead
Manchester by the Sea
The Cabin in the Woods
The Nice Guys

It is also interesting to think about what attracts me to certain movies -- sometimes it is the visual splendour of the images (Avatar almost made my list), sometimes the intensity of the acting, sometimes the ingenuity of the plot and sometimes even the technical maestria of the editing.

[mickthecactus]

Zulu
Wizard of Oz
Schindlers List
Singing in the Rain
Guys and Dolls

[mickthecactus]

Here’s the next lot -

Toy Story
Shrek
Fiddler on the Roof
The Dam Busters
Good Morning Vietnam
Quadrophenia

[questa]

I see that Lawrence and Zulu are in a few lists. I wonder how many movie-watchers think they are seeing the true history of the events.

In the case of Zulu, the British Army had just been overwhelmed a few days earlier (this was the story of "Zulu Dawn") and the Government was desperate for a heroic story to justify its war. The awarding of so many Victoria Crosses was to take the attention away from what was a skirmish on the sidelines as the Zulu Warriors regrouped. It was not the unlikely admiration of the Brits by the Zulu which led to their retreat, but the fact that their supply lines were overstretched and they thought the small mission home not worth the effort.

In the movie the emphasis is on discipline and doing things properly according to the training. Thus we see 2 equal ranked officers settling seniority by the dates of their commissioning. and a lad waiting for his death told to do up his tunic button.
This film is/was used as a training film by the Australian Army around the Vietnam era. It was contrasted with "12 O'Clock High" a US film about breakdown of morale and failure.

Lawrence was also the hero UK needed at the time. With the horrors of the Western Front filling the Press, the War Office agreed to a doco team to travel with him in the desert. This team was led by Lowell Thomas, a showman from US, whose talking tours created 'the Lawrence of Arabia' image. It suited the Foreign Office to have him as a distraction while the French and British FOs carved up the Middle East into the mess it is today. Apart from capturing the Port city of Aqaba, recognised by military historians as one of the best battle strategies of all time, he used guerrilla tactics to blow up trains, destroying Turkish supply lines.

Lawrence said that his war was a 'sideshow of a sideshow' and so too the sideshow of Zulu. It is the movie makers that have created these heroes and some movie watchers still believe in them.

[bjd]

Reading these lists, one of the rare ones I would watch again, even several times, is Good Morning, Vietnam, mostly, of course, for Robin Williams' ad-libbing performance.

I think I was about 12 when I saw Lawrence of Arabia and the only scene I remember is the kid sinking into the quicksand. The rest of the movie has faded away. I haven't seen Zulu.

One more recent film which I can watch repeatedly simply for the beauty of it is The Great Beauty by Paolo Sorrentino. I feel any still taken from that film makes a beautiful image. His next film, Youth, also had some wonderful scenes, although I liked it less.

[mickthecactus]

Also in Zulu the character of Henry Hook was the exact opposite of his real character and the Hook descendants were always disgusted by this.

My son’s first job was with Sothebys in London and they had an exhibition of all the VC’s awarded and we had a private view.

[onlyMark]

Questa, you are far too cynical. The men at Rorke's Drift were brave no matter the later VC's and I do wonder why you feel they were awarded purely as a matter of propaganda. I doubt there would be many who would think the events were wholly accurate, though they mostly were and actually more so than in the majority of films. Ever.
As for the withdraw of the Zulu warriors, the film imparted a certain amount of morality and dignity to them that was sadly lacking in the days of when the film was made, even though it was historically inaccurate. There are other points but they'll do for now.

Lawrence was an exceptional individual and even though there was also an amount of inaccuracies, his achievements where second to none in that era with his unconventional tactics and his ability with the local tribesmen. He stood head and shoulders above those directing the Western Front as a leader of men and the results he achieved within the limits of manpower and supplies he had.
The definition of hero has become so diluted nowadays, many are called heroes when they have done little to earn it. Lawrence and the men at Rorke's Drift battled insurmountable odds (no matter the politics that put them there in the first place) and in my eyes, deserve that title.

[questa]

Mark, I wish I could meet you in the flesh, we could find much to discuss, I think.
Lawrence has been my No 1 hero since I was about 9 and learnt about him in class. Since then I have collected all the books he wrote, going back to 1920s editions, his letters to people, letters from other famous people. Biographies and reports and references.

What is more...I agree with everything you have said about him, even more so as he had to fight his own demons after the Sykes-Picot betrayal. Who can guess what would have happened re WW2 if he had not had the motorbike "accident".
One thing that jars with me about the movie is that TEL was 5'6" tall and O'Toole well over 6'. I would like to see him lead the Arabs by character, not height.
Have you seen the doco called "A dangerous man:Lawrence after Arabia" Ralph Fiennes plays TEL at the Paris Peace talks.

RE Rorke's Drift, I saw this movie with my friend Janet Chard. Her great uncle was Lt Chard. Also... I never question the bravery of fighting soldiers, anywhere, anytime. They will have to live the rest of their lives remembering horrors that should not have happened.

www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1444554/Wrong-men-given-VCs-at-Rorkes-Drift.html

and finally Remember Colour Sergeant Bourne at Rorkes Drift...he died on VE day in Britain, the last from that battle.

PS I was born cynical  !

[whatagain]

I agree.

However Questa has some good points and in the beginning of the movie the 2 officers discuss with the bier who wants to withdraw and tell them they will be destroyed.

Michael Caine answers that Uk cannot stand 2 disasters in a row as it wastes their breakfast when they read the news.

I also read that hookie was totally inaccurate. But the sergeant is exceptional.

[mickthecactus]

Fascinating stuff chaps. Thanks!

Certainly agree re the colour sergeant if the film is accurate.

When I was working I arranged insurance for a castle in Ireland, Killua Castle, where Lawrence lived in the '20's.

[whatagain]

Oh. I forgot :

Un singe en hiver. Gabin - belmondo. Fantastic.
Terminator. Schwarzie.
Platoon.

And most of the movies with Roger Moore.

[kerouac2]

Into the Wild
Polisse
Skyfall
A Bigger Splash
Women in Love

[mickthecactus]

Interesting to see early enthusiasm for Wizard of Oz in this thread.

[whatagain]

I have never been able to watch :
Wizard of oz
Gone with the wind
And she me more.

[kerouac2]

The Wizard of Oz and Gone with the Wind are both amazing movies -- even more amazing is that they date from the same year.

[cheerypeabrain]

I'm sure that I wont be judged too harshly when I mention the Star Trek Movies...the original one with William Shatner...Star Trek 4 (the one with the whales)...Srar Trek, First Contact and the first two of the Chris Pine star trek films...love them. Sorry.

[cheerypeabrain]

Silent Running...fabulous film.


I like Studio Ghibli too...Princess Mononoke, Naussica, Spirited Away, Kiki's Delivery Service....

Ooooh Pricilla Queen of the Desert (not a Ghibli obvs)

[questa]

Dec 31, 2018 13:25:28 GMT whatagain said:

But the sergeant is exceptional.

In the reports of the action it is told that Bourne went from one group to another at the risk of his own life to encourage the men. He virtually took over as the 2 officers had lost the plot and "drove the battle forward".

www.britishempire.co.uk/forces/armyunits/britishinfantry/24thfootbourne.htm

[breeze]

I've racked my brain to think of movies I'd be willing to see again and again and I just can't think of many. None of the ones other people have mentioned above grab me. Even excellent movies are mostly, for me, once and done. Luckily there are so many new-to-me films to watch.

I saw Lawrence of Arabia and Hud about five times each during my dating years, and I might like to see Lawrence again. Saw Hud again not long ago and it was still good.

I looked through 12 years of Netflix loans and all I could come up with that I might enjoy re-watching was anything by W C Fields, Charlie Chaplain, or Buster Keaton. The Visitors maybe once more, The Producers maybe once more. I think I could listen to/watch the Last Waltz again and also The Sapphires. Maybe one more time for Tell No One. Maybe some Disney films, but I think I'm too hard-hearted now. I own The Rabbi's Cat and watch parts of it now and then.

[Kimby]

This is Spinal Tap
Apocalypse Now
2001: A Space Odyssey (the first 3/4 of it)
Murder on the Orient Express

[mickthecactus]

The Sapphires is a good film. Rather like The Commitments.

[questa]

Was Commitments a true story?..Sapphires is (mostly)

[whatagain]

The visitors is very good in french. Hardly in the 'american' version.

About french films I can also mention the splendid team (or team of the Splendid) in
Les bronzés 1 and 2
Le père Noël est une ordure
Papy fait de la résistance.

I also love Birdy.
And Billy Elliot.

[bixaorellana]

I think the Commitments is based on a novel.

So many movies being mentioned that I've never even seen once, some of which because of disinclination.

Many which I saw & liked on the big screen I've never watched again on tv -- sobbed my eyes out over the Star Trek with the whales for instance (Search for Spock?). When I do re-watch a movie, I approach it with trepidation because some of them don't hold up. That's usually because I was so much younger when I saw it the first time that the movie itself doesn't hold up or that I'm so much less starry-eyed & innocent.

Of the movies mentioned on this page of the thread, the ones I'd probably see again are In Bruges, one of the Danny Kaye's, Women in Love, and Billy Elliot.

I've already seen The Wizard of Oz a few thousand times, but I might watch it again. My two favorite re-watches are Ghost Dog and Blade Runner, both of which I anticipate seeing again.

After reading Cheery's endorsement, I will probably watch Silent Running, even though it features Bruce Dern.

[kerouac2]

Silent Running was one of my favourite movies for many years. It was directed by the special effects wizard of Space Odyssey.  It's about the keeper of biodomes sent into space to keep plants and animals alive after they have all been killed on Earth.  President Trump probably wouldn't like it.

[mickthecactus]

Blues Brothers

[bixaorellana]

Oh yes!

[kerouac2]

Quite a few movies like that are popular more for the music than for the cinematographic quality. So that is actually a double no for me, but I completely respect differing opinions since so many of my favourite movies are despised by the majority.