Understanding Nautical terms...

[Wing Nut]

Never heard of it?

[Hagar]

[quote]Never heard of it?

[Wing Nut]

I don't think they make rubbish nowadays.  The Shawshank Redemption is probably on par with anything that has ever been made and it is only about ten years old.  Every generation of movies has it's own classics and stinkers.  The 50's brought us both 'The African Queen' and 'Beat the Devil' which pretty much mark a high and low in Bogart's carreer.  I would put Finding Nemo against any comedy from the Marx Brothers.  How about Clint Eastwood with 'The Gauntlet' and 'Unforgiven'?  It's all in how receptive you are.

[Hagar]

I can't argue as I've only been to the cinema about 4 times in the last 10 years. I've never hired a feature film on DVD or video in my lfe. As I said, I've seen enough to last me a lfetime, although on thinking about it I probably can't compete with you & certainly not your knowledge. I think you would have to agree there's plenty of rubbish made these days.

I always preferred a good book or a radio play. This allows you to use your own imagination rather than watch some director's interpretation of it. It's all a matter of preference & we all like different things. Good job really as this world would be a lot more boring if we were all the same.

[Wing Nut]

If you haven't been to a movie in ten years, how do you know they are rubbish?

[Hagar]

If you haven't been to a movie in ten years, how do you know they are rubbish?

I do see the occasional trailer & read reviews. I've even tried to sit & watch some when they're shown on TV. What puts me off is all the graphic violence, foul language & unnecessary sex scenes that seem mandatory for even so-called family films these days. I can do without it thanks & invariably switch off. All I can say is, they don't make 'em like they used to.

[Wing Nut]

How would you know?

[eno]

You don't know what you're missing Doug
.... but I wouldn't bother with Master and Commander ........ it definately isn't one of Russell Crowe's best movies and I found it a bit Yawn inducing. However DPR  you're not completely lost  one bad movie out of the many that you mention isn't a hanging offence  ;D

[Hagar]

Just my bit of fun. I enjoy winding Kevin up.

What I said is basically true but I have seen enough products of the modern film industry to form an opinion. Heck, I've even visited the film studios in Florida & Hollywood several times over the last few years & enjoyed it immensely.

I really can't remember the last time I enjoyed watching a feature film, mainly for the reasons I mentioned - foul language & graphic violence. I can put up with the sex scenes. I also have problems making out what the actors are saying as they seem to mumble most of the time & the sound effects always seem to be louder than the voices. If I wasn't pretty good at lip-reading I would miss the plot. This didn't work with the old Spaghetti Westerns where most of the voices were dubbed. LOL

I could go on for hours but won't bore you any longer. Basically, I'm pointing out that not everyone is as addicted to films as Kevin obviously is. I have enough of my own obsessions to worry about.

PS. I don't have much time for film critics but one exception is Barry Norman. His father was a film director (The Cruel Sea among others) & by being associated with it from an early age he probably knows a great deal more about the industry than any other critic. I respect his vast experience & judgement, he's watched over 12,000 films. I never missed his "Film" series on BBC TV (back in the days when I actually watched TV) & found that I generally agreed with him. Like me, he doesn't have a very good opinion of modern films.

http://icliverpool.icnetwork.co.uk/0300whatson/0100film/tm_objectid=14355356&method=full&siteid=50061&headline=hollywood-and-me-name_page.html

"I keep going back to the cinema hoping to see the greatest film ever made. Optimism rages - it's the only thing that kept me going as a film critic."

Norman feels most warmly about the Hollywood films of the late 1930s and 1940s.

He says: "All kinds of marvellous, timeless movies were made: Gone With the Wind, Citizen Kane, Casablanca and Bringing Up Baby, starring Cary Grant and Katharine Hepburn.

"The 1970s were about the last decade when Hollywood made films for a thinking audience.

"To the likes of the Billy Wilder pre-war generation, the script was paramount. Today Hollywood spends an enormous amount of money on special effects and they're brilliant, like The Day After Tomorrow, but it's no more than an amiable film and that's the best they can do.

"No money or energy has been devoted to writing the script of creating the characters. There's not a middle-aged audience any more, the audience is 12-25, but they're not even aiming at the brighter part of that audience, but the dumber part. Yet we've got the biggest elderly population we have ever had and it's being neglected more than ever.

[Woodlouse2002]

[quote]Could you tell I had just watched 'Master and Commander?'

[Hagar]

Thanks Woody. I might just try your advice some time. Despite what I said I know there are some good films out there, it's just that I can't be bothered watching them to find out which ones. I think my film-going days are over.