Casablanca

[Lady Arianrod]

I've always known people who have extolled the quality of older movies over modern ones, but I never got around to watching the old film channel. However, I saw Casablanca yesterday and I was blown away! The acting, plot, and pacing were all excellently done. It was easy to understand and sympathize with the characters, and I was deeply immersed in the genuine presentation of believable humans in a believable world. Now, I'm still not a classic movie buff, but I definitely appreciate the lure of the Golden Age of Hollywood. This movie wasn't perfect, but it avoided many of the pitfalls of modern films such as heavy bloodflow, nudity, and constant profanity. The movie didnt' need a river of blood to imply death or heavy breathing to imply love.

It was just a good movie. However, I don't think that it's for everyone, and I understand that many people would rather watch a modern film. My personal favorite movies are Lord of the Rings and Grave of the Fireflies, two modern films.

Production values, acting, and morals were much more intact back then, however.

[harina]

I watched Casablanca a few years ago.. maybe i was eleven or around it. However, i think too young to understand and respect for it.

But my mother adores it, too, so i think that i'll watch is again some day. :D

[Ashley]

I saw Casablanca last year in my US History and Film class--it was awesome! I loved it quite a bit--great plot and really superb. There are some other great old movies out there too, like The Manchurian Candidate (old version), Rear Window, Double Amnesty...lots of great ones. If you have a chance to take a class like that, definately do so. Just cause it's not in color doesn't make it any less awesome.

[bigsleepj]

Casablanca is one of my all-time favourite movies. It doesn't get old and its always entertaining. It is a much better all-time classic than Citizen Kane, that's for sure (although Kane's not bad).

[Sharon Rose]

I'm a HUGE classic movie buff. Fanatic about them. My personal favorite classic film is Mr. Deeds Goes To Town with Gary Cooper (my favorite classic movie actor ) I like love Casablanca, but it's not one of my top favorites. The story-line is excellent, and the acting is beautiful.

I could watch classic films all the time. Literally. Lol.

[termyt]

Welcome, Lady Arianrod, to the neighborhood bigger than your own back yard. I'm glad you enjoyed Casablanca - it truly is one of the best movies ever made. Not saying that modern movies aren't enjoyable and a lot of the movies made back then weren't very good as well, but there was a premium placed on character development and story that is generally ignored now in favor of action and flashy things.

One of my favories is Bringing Up Baby staring Katherine Hepburn and Cary Grant. They had such a sense of timing that the movie is hillarious, even though you aren't exactly sure why.

[Lady Arianrod]

Wow, there are more old movie fans than I thought! Thanks for the responses =).

Bigsleepj, you mentioned that Casablanca is better than Citizen Kane... I wanted to see Kane, actually, but if it's not as enjoyable, maybe I'll wait for it to come on TV.

I like your avatar, Sharon Rose. Definitely a classic avatar. ^__^

Oh, and I agree with you, termyt... there is too large of an emphasis on special effects nowadays.

Also: Thanks for responding Ashley and Harina!

[Gypsy]

Casablanca is one of my all-time favorites. It's pathetic, but I can quote right along with much of the movie. That was back when Hollywood was spinning out a movie a week, and in the middle of all the rushed filming, scripting, and acting came Casablanca - what some movie critics refer to as an example of "a perfect film." Heh, I used "round up the usual suspects!" at work the other day as a joke, and no one knew what the heck I was talking about. -_-

What other old movies do you like, Lady Arianrod? We're not all sold out to anime, you know. I love the old musicals. Judy Garland is my favorite, but June Allyson, Gene Kelly, Van Johnson, Cary Grant, Kathrine Grayson. While he's not my favorite, even Micky Rooney had some good films.

[shooraijin]

You can add me to the Casablanca list as well.

Over the weekend I saw Notorious with Cary Grant, Ingrid Bergman and (ta-daa!) Claude Rains again. Anyone seen this very fascinating movie?

[SManBeyond]

I was wondering when someone would make a thread about this movie. It's said to be the perfect film, or so I am told.

I loved this film as well. The acting, the actors, the dialogue, the story...there's just so much to enjoy. I think my favorite things about the movie are Humphrey Bogart (Rick) and Claude Rains (Renault). They have so much quotable dialogue. I mean, who couldn't love "Round up the usual suspects" or "of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the world, she had to walk into mine" or "I'm shocked...shocked to find that there's gambling going on in here!" "Your winnings sir. "Oh, thank you."

To add to the current tangent, I am also a BIG fan of old films. I love the great Alfred Hitchcock films (Psycho, Strangers on a Train, Rear Window, North by Northwest, Vertigo, etc.). Shoorajin, I haven't seen Notorious yet, but I'm going to over Christmas break. I've heard it's great.

Jimmy Stewart (It's a Wonderful Life is one of my favorite films), Ingrid Bergman (she made a lesser known film called "The Inn of the Sixth Happiness" about a Christian missionary to China named Gladys Aylward that is (in my humble opinion) worth checking out), Charlton Heston (Ben-Hur) and Cary Grant are amongst my favorite old actors / actresses as well.

Oh, and I almost forgot...I haven't seen enough of them to list them as favorites, but I did see an old Marx Brothers film called "Duck Soup" which was one of the most hilarious movies I've ever seen.

[Sharon Rose]

SmanBeyond- Oh my gosh...*points at her Groucho Marx quote in her sig*...Let me just clarify that I am a DIE-HARD fan of the Marx Brothers. I own almost all of their movies on DVD. I still can't figure out which of their films is my favorite. I do have a special attachment to Monkey Business, considering it was the first Marx Brothers film I saw. Anyhow, it totally tickles me to death that you loved Duck Soup. Isn't it hysterical?? "I've got the good mind to join a club and beat you over the head with it." -Groucho *rofl*

To be honest, I was never a big fan of Ingrid Berman, however, I do like her in Casablanca and Notorious. Oh, and I guess I'd have to say she was good in For Whom the Bell Tolls...I love that movie...Gary...he's so dreamy. Wonderful actor. So mellow and sweet.

I'm a big fan of the old musicals, however, not all of them. I especially love the Ginger Rogers and Fred Astair films! Anyone a fan of them? I love Ginger. I also love Gene Kelly as well. *hums Singin' In the Rain*

It's A Wonderful Life, Mr. Deeds Goes To Town, Notorious, Casablanca, Bringing Up Baby...great movies. All are among my favorites. But what about The Best Years of Our Lives? Omg, great movie. Dana Andrews in it is wonderful. I love Dana Andrews.

(I could go on, and on, and on, and on... )

[Gypsy]

Ok, we're about to see just how shallow a gypsy can be. Confession: I like Gene Kelly films much better than Fred Astair movies for the simple fact that I think Fred is quite homely and he's never played a character that's made me look past that. His dancing is awesome, but I'll take Gene over him anyday.

Sharon, did you see Ingrid in Anastasia? I thought she did very well in that film. And please do go on and on - it's fun finding other people that like these sort of movies. ^^

[Sharon Rose]

Oh no, Gypsy, I agree with you. I'd take Gene over Fred any day, lol. I love Fred, he's a great dancing, his got a nice voice, and he acts very well, however, my heart belongs to Gene.

I never did see Anastasia. Maybe I should, in fact, I probably will now that you mention it. I'm all for seeing classic films I haven't seen before. It always makes me happy.

Lady Arianrod- Thank you very much. I'm a reeeeeally big fan of John Wayne a.k.a. The Duke. Anyone a fan of him? I know we're not talking about westerns, so here's a movie ya'll should see if you haven't seen it, The Quiet Man

[bigsleepj]

Bigsleepj, you mentioned that Casablanca is better than Citizen Kane... I wanted to see Kane, actually, but if it's not as enjoyable, maybe I'll wait for it to come on TV.

The greatest injustice done to Citizen Kane was labeling it the greatest movie of all time. This heightens the expectation of the viewer so much that they will assuredly be dissapointed by the final product (like I and about everyone else was). With five years between the last viewing and now I came to realize that it is an excellent movie, but it isn't the greatest. I don't like rating movies at "the best" anyway. Ruins them in a way when thousands of parrots squawk "best movie ever" over and over again.

A great movie (though a tad disturbing) was the B&W classic "Judgement at Nuremberg" starring Spencer Tracy and Marlene Dietrich. Possibly one of the best movies ever made. Underated actually. Saw that movie a long time ago, I wouldn't mind seeing it again.

[Gypsy]

I was reading that the plane scene at the end of Casablanca was done with "little people" and a miniature plane. I hope that doesn't steal the magic.

[bigsleepj]

Ok, we're about to see just how shallow a gypsy can be. Confession: I like Gene Kelly films much better than Fred Astair

I like Gene Kelly more because I haven't seen a Fred Astaire musical. Simple as that.

No wait! I've seen "Easter Parade"! Liked that movie. Must we choose? Why can't we all just get along? Fred Astair and Kelly have different "auras" around them but I like both as actors.

I'm going to risk a shot in the dark? Has anyone seen "M. Hulot's Holiday"? It's a French Film.

[bigsleepj]

I was reading that the plane scene at the end of Casablanca was done with "little people" and a miniature plane. I hope that doesn't steal the magic.

Surprisingly, it doesn't. Such stories add to the "magic" of the Golden Age of Cinema.

Now I'm going to risk a clincher: Does anyone here like....SILENT MOVIES? Movies like those of Chaplain, Buster Keaton and the likes? Am I the only one? I hope not.

[Ashley]

Some of Charlie Chaplin's stuff isn't bad....some of it is rather dumb, but some is actually rather decent.

[Lady Arianrod]

The greatest injustice done to Citizen Kane was labeling it the greatest movie of all time. This heightens the expectation of the viewer so much that they will assuredly be dissapointed by the final product (like I and about everyone else was). With five years between the last viewing and now I came to realize that it is an excellent movie, but it isn't the greatest. I don't like rating movies at "the best" anyway. Ruins them in a way when thousands of parrots squawk "best movie ever" over and over again.

People have called it "the best movie ever made"... that interested me, but I was actually more intrigued by the story of loss and loneliness, as well as the innovative filming techniques.

[bigsleepj]

People have called it "the best movie ever made"... that interested me, but I was actually more intrigued by the story of loss and loneliness, as well as the innovative filming techniques.

I think few people will realize how innovative it was for its time because many of these techniques (like low-angle shots, etc) are so common these days.

[Lady Arianrod]

I think few people will realize how innovative it was for its time because many of these techniques (like low-angle shots, etc) are so common these days.

I haven't seen the entire film, but certain shots seemed quite effective for the movie itself. I'd approach it as a casual viewer, not a critic... I prefer art to blossom before me rather than be spoon-fed the beauty of the movie.

One such example is my initial viewing of Grave of the Fireflies . Even though I heard many good things about the movie, I was truly moved when I saw it.

[bigsleepj]

If "Grave of Fireflies" doesn't move you (I saw it for the first time last week) then you're legally dead.

[Lady Arianrod]

If "Grave of Fireflies" doesn't move you (I saw it for the first time last week) then you're legally dead.

True. Interesting way of putting it. It is a flawless movie (in pure emotional impact).

[Gypsy]

As much anime as I've seen, Grave of the Fireflies has yet to be added to my "seen" list. Crazy, isn't it? I do have reasons, however. You see, I cannot even watch The Fox and the Hound without puddling up - and Otis and Milo was blacklisted for the same reason. I think Grave of the Fireflies would be a danger to my emotions.

[Lady Arianrod]

As much anime as I've seen, Grave of the Fireflies has yet to be added to my "seen" list. Crazy, isn't it? I do have reasons, however. You see, I cannot even watch The Fox and the Hound without puddling up - and Otis and Milo was blacklisted for the same reason. I think Grave of the Fireflies would be a danger to my emotions.

I remember the Fox and the Hound! That was so sad for me to watch as a child because of the deeply unsettling feeling that the two adorable little animals would someday become natural enemies. I always was saddened by that sort of plot (but intrigued by it at the same time). It was kind of an end of innocence... Things were fated to be a different way, but they just had to become friends