I transferred all of my favorite weblinks to my blog template today. I will update them from time to time. I added them for my own reference purposes as much as for anyone else. In my last blog post I said I would talk about 'favorite' films. Well, that's the topic today and this is where you get to help out. Send me an email if you have your own suggestions and I will add them to the lists.
The first point to be made about these lists is that I am talking about movies that would be fun to 'show'. This is not necessarily a favorite movie list. Many of our favorite films are dramas, sometimes quite serious dramas, or perhaps mysteries as well. However, these kinds of movies tend to be far too serious to be appropriate for an evening of fun with friends. Showing a film is a social event; with lots of intermissions at reel changes, cartoons for the kids, as well as food and fun. A very serious film does not match the tone we are trying to set. Additionally, when showing a film outside with friends, you always need to consider what is appropriate for your audience. There will almost always be a lot of children and, of course, you want children to be welcome that's part of the fun.
Above and beyond the basic 'good movie' versus 'bad movie' criteria, here's a list of things that make a film 'good' to be shown for a social event versus things to avoid.
Good:
Short movies: This is a social event, and a big part of it is giving people plenty of time to talk and socialize. The movie is only part of the evening, it's not supposed to be the *whole* evening. And, no matter how good a movie is (take for example "My Fair Lady" or "The Lord of the Rings"), if it's over 2 1/2 hours long it's almost an hour longer than you want it to be.
Musicals: Musicals are just perfect for a theatrical showing. The colorful costumes and music can be enjoyed by children and adults alike. Great musicals were meant to be shown on a movie screen, not on a television set.
Animated Movies: Classic Disney animation is impossible to beat. The kids love it. Even if they have seen the movie many times on video, few children today have ever seen 'Pinocchio' or 'Snow White' on a movie screen. These films are great for parents too, because it brings back happy memories from their own childhood and they get to share it with their kids. Make no doubt about it, a huge part of 16mm film collecting is all about nostalgia. Lastly, classic animated films are just stunningly beautiful. Nothing beats film for reproducing vivid colors and razor sharp lines.
Comedies: Everybody wants to laugh. Nothing feels better on a Saturday night than hanging out with about thirty of your friends and watching a film that makes you all laugh till you are ready to burst. Sharing that laughter with your children just makes it so much more sweet. Comedies can be a great family event and is makes for a wonderful night of fun.
Action/Adventure: Your basic popcorn movie. Nothing too violent or with bad language, but any super-hero based film, old or new, makes a fine evening of entertainment.
The Classics: Now I have one note of warning on this point. You know those movies that people say "are the greatest comedy of all time", or "the greatest movie ever made", and it was filmed 20 to 30 years before your birth? Well, take that with a grain of salt. That was a really long time ago and, face it, you are a little bit jaded. You get to see blockbusters with budgets over a hundred million dollars. Special effects that are beyond the science fiction of yesteryear. And directors, cinematographers, and actors have had nearly a century of experience improving their craft by learning from those masters. Don't just decide to show a 'great classic old film', until you have seen it for yourself and have received confirmation from your guests that it's a film that interests them. One of the neat things about showing a classic film is that a lot of people will have never seen it before, and almost no one will have ever seen it projected on film.
Bad: Things to Avoid:
Long Movies: It may be the greatest movie in the world (Lord of the Rings?), but if it's more than 110 minutes long, it's probably too long to show for a social gathering. Since most outdoor movies are in the summer time, and you have to wait until it's dark outside to start (9:00pm), and you usually want to accomodate children as well, an overly long movie makes for a late night. Many people end up having to leave before it's over, and kids get restless and bored. Unless you are doing a dedicated movie night, indoors with a select group of adult friends, I would avoid long films.
Drama: Some of the greatest movies of all time are full of drama and suspense. However, they are often just too serious to be appropriate for the tone you are trying to set at a social event. Think of it as a party, and realize nobody wants to be depressed, or terribly serious on their lone Saturday night off of work. In short, it's probably best not to have a showing of "Shindler's List" on a bright summer evening.
Violence/Profanity: There are some great violent action adventure films, including classics like "Conan the Barbarian" (one of my favorite movies of all time). Nevertheless, what with the repeated chopping off of people's body parts and all, it's probably a bit too raw to be showing in your back yard.
Weird Movies: Know your audience. If you are inviting a group of friends who all share the same taste in the surreal then a weird movie might just be perfect. However, if your audience is more varied then simply admit that not everybody is going to appreciate "Brazil", "Monty Python and the Holy Grail", or "Time Bandits". (Hmmm..notice all these movies are my favorites, and note that Terry Gilliam directed them all?) How about a public showing of The Adventures of Baron Von Munchausen or "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas", I'm sure that would be well received. Or, you could go with the classics like "The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai", "Repo Man" or "Eraserhead"....you sick puppy.
On To The Movies:
I think that's a fairly decent overview for what to look for in a movie to own and/or show for a social event. First, let's begin with the movies I already own and a brief comment about each.
"The Court Jester" with Danny Kaye. This is my favorite movie to show. Many people have never seen it, and almost no children have. The color is excellent and, overall, it is a very clean print. There are a few splices at the beginning of the film, including one that cuts off a bit of dialouge but I am still really happy with it. I've shown it twice already, once on the boat and once in the back yard. I would like to show it at a 'movie night' for the Greentree Elementry school and one more time on the lake next summer. I'm in no hurry to sell it, I consider it an excellent investment.
"Empire of the Sun", Steven Spielberg. This is my favorite Spielberg film. It is the true story of JG Ballard's childhood. Ballard was captured and interned as a prisoner of war by the Japanese in World War II. This film has always received bad reviews. I cannot imagine a reasonable reason why. I believe, since it was early in Spielberg's career and his first major effort at a serious historical epic, it was extremely easy for the movie critices to dismiss it. They scoffed at the film, made fun of it, and refused to take it seriously. It came out the same year as "The Last Emperor" which won all kinds of Academy Awards. Now, don't get me wrong "The Last Emperor" is a wonderful film, but I believe "Empire of the Sun" is much better. Today Spielberg makes films like "Saving Private Ryan" and receives praise from all quarters. In my opinion, he should have received the same recognition for this film. "Empire of the Sun" violates all of the criteria I set above for being a 'Good' movie to show. It is extremely long, 2 hours and 33 minutes. It is not only serious, it is terribly sad having at least two scenes that will bring many to tears. I didn't really buy it so much to show, as that I just wanted to own it as a work of art. I consider it a valuable investment and I am in no hurry to sell it. This is the best physical copy of a film I own. It is in absolutely perfect mint condition, without any splices, lines, or faded color in any way, shape, or form. If you ever want to know 'why' someone would want film over DVD all you have to do is see this film projected for a few minutes. There is simply no comparison. I have had one showing of the film, inside my house with close friends, and they all enjoyed it very much.
"Pinocchio", Walt Disney, 1940. What is there to even be said about this film? My copy is in excellent to near-mint condition. The color is perfect. It is the most expensive film I own, and I have no intention of selling it anytime soon.
"101 Dalmations", Walt Disney 1961. A timeless classic and kids favorite. My copy is in mint condition and a joy to own. I bought a copy of the film trailer for the new live action version of the movie, and I show that as a 'preview attraction' before the feature.
"Bringing Up Baby", Katherine Hepbern and Cary Grant. The definitive Howard Hawks screwball comedy. A nonstop profusion of hilarious calamities, coincidences, and misunderstandings ensue when an accident-prone heiress turns a sheltered scientist's life upside down. Well, that's what rotten-tomatoes says. This is one of those movies I bought that I had never seen but had always heard was "one of the greated comedies of all times." Well, when I first watched it I felt more annoyed than amused. However, the second time I watched it I realized it had a great deal to do with my mood. This movie is just stupid, in an amaturish way. However, it has an awful lot of kitsch value, and the nostalgia factor is off the roof. It is goofy and silly and sometimes shouldn't an evening of entertainment be goofy and silly? The condition of the film is pretty good. It's black and white, so there is no fading to worry about. The contrast isn't as good as it could be, but other than that it's pretty nice. I did something funny with this film. I recorded it off of the AMC channel onto Tivo and then fired up both versions simultaneously. Talk about your lo-tech picure in a picture. What I found interesting, was that even the best possible version that AMC was showing still had scratches and small blemishes on it. It really put into perspective my copy. I have not had a showing of this film yet, but I'm looking forward to showing it to a bunch of adult friends one evening.
"The Golden Seal", by nobody in particular. I, very stupidly, bought this film half by accident. When I was very first beginning 16mm film collecting I was getting carried away bidding on stuff. I made the minimum bid on a feature length kids movie and didn't expect to win it. Obviously, I did. This movie has breathtaking cinematography of the Alaskan Wilderness, and that's about all it has going for it. The physical condition of the film is excellent, and other than some very light lines it is perfect. I've tried to sell this film twice on ebay without any bidders. The story is stupid and couldn't hold the interest of my son. Needless to say, I won't be showing this one.
Misc: Those are the films I own. In addition to these I have a pretty decent collection of cartoon shorts. Certainly enough to do a full evening of nothing but cartoons. My pride and joy is a 20 minute long copy of the Christmas Carol with Mickey Mouse and Scrooge McDuck.
THE LISTS: A couple of notes about these lists. They are in alphabetical order, not ranked in any way yet. These movies reflect my personal taste. A number of these movies completely violate the guidelines set above for an outdoor showing to a broad audience. However, these movies are included on the list because they are my favorites and I would enjoy showing them indoors to a select group of friends with similar tastes. If there are movie suggestions you would like added to my list, just click on the heading and send me an email. Also, if you are interested in attending a movie night just subscribe to my maling list.
Classics
=================================================
An American in Paris
Bringing Up Baby
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
Casablanca
Citizen Kane
Gone With the Wind
Comedy Appropiate For Kids or Young Adults:
=================================================
Beetlejuice
Big
Crocodile Dundee
Ferris Beuller's Day Off
Ghostbusters
Groundhog Day
The Karate Kid
Pee Wee's Big Adventure
The Princess Bride
Real Genius
Comedy Appropriate for Adults:
=================================================
Animal House
Bull Durham
City Slickers
Dazed and Confused
Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
A Fish Called Wanda
LA Story
Mumford
Office Space
Risky Business
Roxanne
Shakespeare in Love
Tin Cup
Tootsie
Trading Places
The Truman Show
Twisted Humor:
=================================================
Adventures of Buckaroo Bonzai
Dr. Strangelove
Heathers
Harold and Maude
Monty Python and the Holy Grail
Repo Man
Time Bandits
Musicals:
=================================================
A Hard Day's Night
Amadeus
Annie Get Your Gun
The Court Jester
Mary Poppins
Moulin Rouge
My Fair Lady
O Brother Where Art Thou
Singing In The Rain
The Sound of Music
The Wizard Of Oz
Animation:
=================================================
101 Dalmations
Aladdin
Alice In Wonderland
Chicken Run
Dumbo
Lady and the Tramp
The Little Mermaid
The Lion King
Mulan
Pinocchio
Snow White
Shrek
Toy Story
Drama/Mystery/Suspense/Romance
=================================================
Cruel Intentions
Dog Day Afternoon
Empire of the Sun
Fight Club
Goodfellas
The Graduate
Jerry Maguire
Legends of the Fall
Memento
Pulp Fiction
Say Anything
Strictly Ballroom
True Romance
William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet
Working Girl
Science Fiction/Fantasy/Action
=================================================
Aliens
Back to the Future
Blade Runner
Brazil
Brother From Another Planet
Conan the Barbarian
The Dead Zone
Die Hard
Edward Scissorhands
ET
The Fifth Element
Jurassic Park
The Last Starfighter
Lethal Weapon
Lord of the Rings : Fellowship of the Ring
Men In Black
Poltergeist
Raiders of the Lost Ark
Signs
Star Trek 2 : The Wrath of Kahn
Star Wars
Terminator
Terminator 2
Time Bandits
Tron (sometimes even bad movies are good)
Twelve Monkees
Twilight Zone : The Movie
The first point to be made about these lists is that I am talking about movies that would be fun to 'show'. This is not necessarily a favorite movie list. Many of our favorite films are dramas, sometimes quite serious dramas, or perhaps mysteries as well. However, these kinds of movies tend to be far too serious to be appropriate for an evening of fun with friends. Showing a film is a social event; with lots of intermissions at reel changes, cartoons for the kids, as well as food and fun. A very serious film does not match the tone we are trying to set. Additionally, when showing a film outside with friends, you always need to consider what is appropriate for your audience. There will almost always be a lot of children and, of course, you want children to be welcome that's part of the fun.
Above and beyond the basic 'good movie' versus 'bad movie' criteria, here's a list of things that make a film 'good' to be shown for a social event versus things to avoid.
Good:
Short movies: This is a social event, and a big part of it is giving people plenty of time to talk and socialize. The movie is only part of the evening, it's not supposed to be the *whole* evening. And, no matter how good a movie is (take for example "My Fair Lady" or "The Lord of the Rings"), if it's over 2 1/2 hours long it's almost an hour longer than you want it to be.
Musicals: Musicals are just perfect for a theatrical showing. The colorful costumes and music can be enjoyed by children and adults alike. Great musicals were meant to be shown on a movie screen, not on a television set.
Animated Movies: Classic Disney animation is impossible to beat. The kids love it. Even if they have seen the movie many times on video, few children today have ever seen 'Pinocchio' or 'Snow White' on a movie screen. These films are great for parents too, because it brings back happy memories from their own childhood and they get to share it with their kids. Make no doubt about it, a huge part of 16mm film collecting is all about nostalgia. Lastly, classic animated films are just stunningly beautiful. Nothing beats film for reproducing vivid colors and razor sharp lines.
Comedies: Everybody wants to laugh. Nothing feels better on a Saturday night than hanging out with about thirty of your friends and watching a film that makes you all laugh till you are ready to burst. Sharing that laughter with your children just makes it so much more sweet. Comedies can be a great family event and is makes for a wonderful night of fun.
Action/Adventure: Your basic popcorn movie. Nothing too violent or with bad language, but any super-hero based film, old or new, makes a fine evening of entertainment.
The Classics: Now I have one note of warning on this point. You know those movies that people say "are the greatest comedy of all time", or "the greatest movie ever made", and it was filmed 20 to 30 years before your birth? Well, take that with a grain of salt. That was a really long time ago and, face it, you are a little bit jaded. You get to see blockbusters with budgets over a hundred million dollars. Special effects that are beyond the science fiction of yesteryear. And directors, cinematographers, and actors have had nearly a century of experience improving their craft by learning from those masters. Don't just decide to show a 'great classic old film', until you have seen it for yourself and have received confirmation from your guests that it's a film that interests them. One of the neat things about showing a classic film is that a lot of people will have never seen it before, and almost no one will have ever seen it projected on film.
Bad: Things to Avoid:
Long Movies: It may be the greatest movie in the world (Lord of the Rings?), but if it's more than 110 minutes long, it's probably too long to show for a social gathering. Since most outdoor movies are in the summer time, and you have to wait until it's dark outside to start (9:00pm), and you usually want to accomodate children as well, an overly long movie makes for a late night. Many people end up having to leave before it's over, and kids get restless and bored. Unless you are doing a dedicated movie night, indoors with a select group of adult friends, I would avoid long films.
Drama: Some of the greatest movies of all time are full of drama and suspense. However, they are often just too serious to be appropriate for the tone you are trying to set at a social event. Think of it as a party, and realize nobody wants to be depressed, or terribly serious on their lone Saturday night off of work. In short, it's probably best not to have a showing of "Shindler's List" on a bright summer evening.
Violence/Profanity: There are some great violent action adventure films, including classics like "Conan the Barbarian" (one of my favorite movies of all time). Nevertheless, what with the repeated chopping off of people's body parts and all, it's probably a bit too raw to be showing in your back yard.
Weird Movies: Know your audience. If you are inviting a group of friends who all share the same taste in the surreal then a weird movie might just be perfect. However, if your audience is more varied then simply admit that not everybody is going to appreciate "Brazil", "Monty Python and the Holy Grail", or "Time Bandits". (Hmmm..notice all these movies are my favorites, and note that Terry Gilliam directed them all?) How about a public showing of The Adventures of Baron Von Munchausen or "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas", I'm sure that would be well received. Or, you could go with the classics like "The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai", "Repo Man" or "Eraserhead"....you sick puppy.
On To The Movies:
I think that's a fairly decent overview for what to look for in a movie to own and/or show for a social event. First, let's begin with the movies I already own and a brief comment about each.
"The Court Jester" with Danny Kaye. This is my favorite movie to show. Many people have never seen it, and almost no children have. The color is excellent and, overall, it is a very clean print. There are a few splices at the beginning of the film, including one that cuts off a bit of dialouge but I am still really happy with it. I've shown it twice already, once on the boat and once in the back yard. I would like to show it at a 'movie night' for the Greentree Elementry school and one more time on the lake next summer. I'm in no hurry to sell it, I consider it an excellent investment.
"Empire of the Sun", Steven Spielberg. This is my favorite Spielberg film. It is the true story of JG Ballard's childhood. Ballard was captured and interned as a prisoner of war by the Japanese in World War II. This film has always received bad reviews. I cannot imagine a reasonable reason why. I believe, since it was early in Spielberg's career and his first major effort at a serious historical epic, it was extremely easy for the movie critices to dismiss it. They scoffed at the film, made fun of it, and refused to take it seriously. It came out the same year as "The Last Emperor" which won all kinds of Academy Awards. Now, don't get me wrong "The Last Emperor" is a wonderful film, but I believe "Empire of the Sun" is much better. Today Spielberg makes films like "Saving Private Ryan" and receives praise from all quarters. In my opinion, he should have received the same recognition for this film. "Empire of the Sun" violates all of the criteria I set above for being a 'Good' movie to show. It is extremely long, 2 hours and 33 minutes. It is not only serious, it is terribly sad having at least two scenes that will bring many to tears. I didn't really buy it so much to show, as that I just wanted to own it as a work of art. I consider it a valuable investment and I am in no hurry to sell it. This is the best physical copy of a film I own. It is in absolutely perfect mint condition, without any splices, lines, or faded color in any way, shape, or form. If you ever want to know 'why' someone would want film over DVD all you have to do is see this film projected for a few minutes. There is simply no comparison. I have had one showing of the film, inside my house with close friends, and they all enjoyed it very much.
"Pinocchio", Walt Disney, 1940. What is there to even be said about this film? My copy is in excellent to near-mint condition. The color is perfect. It is the most expensive film I own, and I have no intention of selling it anytime soon.
"101 Dalmations", Walt Disney 1961. A timeless classic and kids favorite. My copy is in mint condition and a joy to own. I bought a copy of the film trailer for the new live action version of the movie, and I show that as a 'preview attraction' before the feature.
"Bringing Up Baby", Katherine Hepbern and Cary Grant. The definitive Howard Hawks screwball comedy. A nonstop profusion of hilarious calamities, coincidences, and misunderstandings ensue when an accident-prone heiress turns a sheltered scientist's life upside down. Well, that's what rotten-tomatoes says. This is one of those movies I bought that I had never seen but had always heard was "one of the greated comedies of all times." Well, when I first watched it I felt more annoyed than amused. However, the second time I watched it I realized it had a great deal to do with my mood. This movie is just stupid, in an amaturish way. However, it has an awful lot of kitsch value, and the nostalgia factor is off the roof. It is goofy and silly and sometimes shouldn't an evening of entertainment be goofy and silly? The condition of the film is pretty good. It's black and white, so there is no fading to worry about. The contrast isn't as good as it could be, but other than that it's pretty nice. I did something funny with this film. I recorded it off of the AMC channel onto Tivo and then fired up both versions simultaneously. Talk about your lo-tech picure in a picture. What I found interesting, was that even the best possible version that AMC was showing still had scratches and small blemishes on it. It really put into perspective my copy. I have not had a showing of this film yet, but I'm looking forward to showing it to a bunch of adult friends one evening.
"The Golden Seal", by nobody in particular. I, very stupidly, bought this film half by accident. When I was very first beginning 16mm film collecting I was getting carried away bidding on stuff. I made the minimum bid on a feature length kids movie and didn't expect to win it. Obviously, I did. This movie has breathtaking cinematography of the Alaskan Wilderness, and that's about all it has going for it. The physical condition of the film is excellent, and other than some very light lines it is perfect. I've tried to sell this film twice on ebay without any bidders. The story is stupid and couldn't hold the interest of my son. Needless to say, I won't be showing this one.
Misc: Those are the films I own. In addition to these I have a pretty decent collection of cartoon shorts. Certainly enough to do a full evening of nothing but cartoons. My pride and joy is a 20 minute long copy of the Christmas Carol with Mickey Mouse and Scrooge McDuck.
THE LISTS: A couple of notes about these lists. They are in alphabetical order, not ranked in any way yet. These movies reflect my personal taste. A number of these movies completely violate the guidelines set above for an outdoor showing to a broad audience. However, these movies are included on the list because they are my favorites and I would enjoy showing them indoors to a select group of friends with similar tastes. If there are movie suggestions you would like added to my list, just click on the heading and send me an email. Also, if you are interested in attending a movie night just subscribe to my maling list.
Classics
=================================================
An American in Paris
Bringing Up Baby
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
Casablanca
Citizen Kane
Gone With the Wind
Comedy Appropiate For Kids or Young Adults:
=================================================
Beetlejuice
Big
Crocodile Dundee
Ferris Beuller's Day Off
Ghostbusters
Groundhog Day
The Karate Kid
Pee Wee's Big Adventure
The Princess Bride
Real Genius
Comedy Appropriate for Adults:
=================================================
Animal House
Bull Durham
City Slickers
Dazed and Confused
Dirty Rotten Scoundrels
A Fish Called Wanda
LA Story
Mumford
Office Space
Risky Business
Roxanne
Shakespeare in Love
Tin Cup
Tootsie
Trading Places
The Truman Show
Twisted Humor:
=================================================
Adventures of Buckaroo Bonzai
Dr. Strangelove
Heathers
Harold and Maude
Monty Python and the Holy Grail
Repo Man
Time Bandits
Musicals:
=================================================
A Hard Day's Night
Amadeus
Annie Get Your Gun
The Court Jester
Mary Poppins
Moulin Rouge
My Fair Lady
O Brother Where Art Thou
Singing In The Rain
The Sound of Music
The Wizard Of Oz
Animation:
=================================================
101 Dalmations
Aladdin
Alice In Wonderland
Chicken Run
Dumbo
Lady and the Tramp
The Little Mermaid
The Lion King
Mulan
Pinocchio
Snow White
Shrek
Toy Story
Drama/Mystery/Suspense/Romance
=================================================
Cruel Intentions
Dog Day Afternoon
Empire of the Sun
Fight Club
Goodfellas
The Graduate
Jerry Maguire
Legends of the Fall
Memento
Pulp Fiction
Say Anything
Strictly Ballroom
True Romance
William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet
Working Girl
Science Fiction/Fantasy/Action
=================================================
Aliens
Back to the Future
Blade Runner
Brazil
Brother From Another Planet
Conan the Barbarian
The Dead Zone
Die Hard
Edward Scissorhands
ET
The Fifth Element
Jurassic Park
The Last Starfighter
Lethal Weapon
Lord of the Rings : Fellowship of the Ring
Men In Black
Poltergeist
Raiders of the Lost Ark
Signs
Star Trek 2 : The Wrath of Kahn
Star Wars
Terminator
Terminator 2
Time Bandits
Tron (sometimes even bad movies are good)
Twelve Monkees
Twilight Zone : The Movie
Comments