Classic films you haven’t seen

Listening to Michael Geoghegan’s Reel Reviews podcasts has rekindled my interest in film and I picked two classic movies on DVD today (both of which I have seen before): Once upon a time in the west, and Scarface. I hope I’ll start paying more attention to film and filmmakers again, like I used to.

It got me thinking about films that I *haven’t* seen or may have forgotten about. For example, I’m not sure I’ve seen It’s a wonderful life, but I *must* have because you couldn’t switch on the television in the early 70’s or James Stewart was on it.

Anyway, here’s a list of classic films I should have seen but haven’t (and I’m vaguely using IMDB’s list of Top rated 250 movies as a guide):

It’s my intention to remedy these gaping holes in my cultural upbringing this year. (Made a quick trip to the video store… they only had the two Kurosawa films on DVD, none of the other ones.)

I’ve made ‘best film’ lists before, but here’s a short list of films I’ll never forget seeing, for whatever reason.

(A propos of Michael Geoghegan’s name, he pronounces it ‘go-hegan’ – but I think in Ireland it would just be Go-gan.)



Good Lord. Set up a wishlist with some of those classic films you haven’t seen, and I’ll buy you a few. You haven’t lived til you’ve seen “Touch of Evil.”
Mark (link) – 20 March 2005 – 00:37

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/regi..
Caroline (link) – 20 March 2005 – 01:04

ooh shiver… I saw Omega Man in the theater in 1971—at 8 years old! Imagine how scary that must have been…some of the images from that are still burned into my memory. What was my mother thinking?

Don’t watch The Shining if you avoid horror. Clockwork is brilliant but very violent (ultra violent as the characters would say).

So many on your list are “must sees”, I don’t even know where to begin.
ModSue – 20 March 2005 – 01:10

In my favour, I probably know more about the films I haven’t seen than other folks do about the films they have seen.

I was around 13 or 14 when I saw The Omega Man. It was at a school party, one of these massive ‘events in every classroom’ affairs, and they showed films in the gym. I couldn’t tear myself away from this film despite the horror and yeah, some of the images are still with me.
Caroline (link) – 20 March 2005 – 01:24

Hm, I’m not sure if it makes me a movie buff or not, but I’ve seen most of these.

I recently watched Citizen Kane anew with commentary by Roger Ebert (region 1, these extras are often culled from region 2 releases) and enjoyed it thoroughly.

Since you haven’t seen Nosferatu I can recommend Shadow of the Vampire (watch it afterwards) with great parts by Willem Dafoe and John Malkovich.

Two classic movies I never seem to get round to are Brazil and Death in Venice. One is too weird I guess and the other is so damn slow. I just have to find the right moment for those two, I guess.
Lars – 20 March 2005 – 01:55

I’ve seen Death in Venice many times. As well as Gotterdammerung, The Nightporter and The Servant… since Dirk Bogarde is probably my all time favourite actor and those four films are all in my Top 10. Well, maybe not The Nightporter. I’ll have to see it again to make up my mind.
Caroline (link) – 20 March 2005 – 02:16

I also strongly recommend Wim Wenders’ “The American Friend.”
Mark (link) – 22 March 2005 – 06:57