Calling George Bailey

lou...i had never seen that film bar a few scenes till about 6 years ago.bought the dvd (£15 then) and have gotta say it was one of the best buys i have ever made.it actually lived up to all that i had read about it and even surpassed my expectations.a must watch film at christmas.

lou....in the same fashion as the film do you think all us matt backers will rally round and give money to layprofessional after matt wins ?

lay? I'd drop him alright .................. right in the shyte!

Yes wondeful, wonderful film how could you not love it and if you don't cry at the end then you're a better man than I.  I'm filling up just typing this post! Marvellous viewing.

Yes that's where my forum moniker comes from Lou. I too cry every time I see it (which is often..especially when it snows!). James Stewart is unbelievably good in it.

Shows us what a nice world it could be without the evil Cowells of this world. At least Potter in the film could be thwarted; Cowell is always in a win win situation

(ps I know this is all naievely simplistic so other forumites no need to fill your boots at my expense )

i'll admit it, i do cry    

Yeah busta the last 10 minutes Capra just piles it on one thing at a time till in the end you are just blubbing like a baby. Absolute cinema masterclass.

Funnily enough didn't really do the business when released and only entered mass consciousness when TV started showing it at Christmas.

...Zsu Zsu's petals

James Stewart was one of the 'greats' but that was perhasp his finest hour.

bustar

Let it out, let it out!

Nothing wrong with a few tears you know even for us men.

The scene with him and Donna Reed when he is on the phone is breathtaking. Even better is the 5 second silent scene where he turns away at the train station as he sees his dreams disappear; his face says it all.

They literally don't make them like him/Bogart/Cagney/Gable etc etc etc any more (plus the great female stars). You need to have lived a life not come straight from stage school to be a great screen actor.

My I'm in old f*rt overdrive tonight.

George

Another that I'd put in that class as absolutely top top notch is 'Some Like it Hot'.  Jack Lemmon says something funny in just about every line.  Just a truly brilliant film Directed by Billy Wilder of course.

i see they have just released the colourised version of it's a wonderful life......why would they do that

Yes great film. Wilder's Double Indemnity as well. And let's not even mention Casablanca........

i've just looked on youtube and someone has uploaded the colourised version and it looks really good....but it's pointless as i can't imagine anyone wanting to to watch anything other than the original if given the choice.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fswUz3FDEao

bustar

I've had a 'colourised' video of It's a Wondeful Life' for about 10 years so it's not new at all.

George Bailey

'The Apartment' too was very good again with the Jack lemmon/Billy Wilder teaming again.  Marvellous acting.

Colourisation versions are baastardisations imo and should be avoided at all costs. Directors choose to film in b/w for a reason.

George

Wht about 'The Apartment'..... Another classic would you agree.  Smashing film.

Yes a super film Lou. Wider was a genius in my view. Did the scripts as well (with a partner).  Just think if he didn't get out of Germany when he did he'd have got lost in the Holocaust.  Doesn't bear thinking about.



I've read his autobiography. Interesting read.

George

Yes I bet it is a good read.

Any other real classics you can put forward from the Golden Age. 'Casablanca' you've already said - great film.

I like film noir Lou so anything with shadows and filmed in b/w does for me. Hunchback of Notre Dame, Night of the Hunter (love Mitchum), Cape Fear (bit later than golden age I guess, Big Sleep, Maltese falcoln, any Fred and Ginger film, Laurel and Hardy in the early 1930s, Marx Brothers.

Truth is last film I saw at cinema was about 5 years ago. It all seems to be either shoot em up blue screen explosion craap or pointless rom coms aimed at 15 year old American kids.

Grapes of Wrath..up to the point Grandpa dies is brilliant.

George

Yes I don't go in for all that car chases, blowing up buildings rubbish either.  Shoot him, stab him c0bblers.

I like The Marx Brothers but just didn't take to the Laurel and Hardy slapstick stuff at all.  The original Cape Fear with Gregory Peck and Robert Mitchem was good yes.

Did you see 'The Shawshank Redemption' which came out about 12 -15 years ago.  As good as any of the classics imo.  Terriffic film, great acting, lovely ending.  Brilliant.  You must have seen it.  A lot of people say one of their favourite ever films and I can see why.

Grapes of Wrath yes another brilliant film.  Top notch.

Yes Shawshank very good. But basically a good old fashioned prison picture.  L & H are soooo much more than slapstick. The pathos and the verbal nonsense.  No coincidence that Beckett based Godot on them. Even calling the dog Laughing Gravy...brilliant, where does that come from?

Cagney in Angels With Dirty Faces is astonishing. Pure charisma. That and a lot of others are free (and legal) online.

Ace in the Hole with Kirk Douglas another classic. Him in Paths of Glory as well. So many. Should be a BBC channel that shows nothing but old movies including the obscure ones.

Lots of great foreign films of course. City of God set in Brazil is fantastic.

George

Yes all those mentioned are goodies but really don't like Laurel and Hardy myself.  Ollie would be sitting in a fireplace having his sandwich and a full brick would fall down and hit him on the head.  No blood, barely any pain ............. no not for me thanks.

How about 'Mister Roberts'.  Henry Fonda, Jack Lemmon and James Cagney.  Very very good with a great ending.

I LOVE 'It's A Wonderful Life'.

Going in for an op on my shoulder on Wednesday.  The only thing I'm looking forward to is hours on end of watching schmalzy black and white Christmas films...

Almost worth the pain!

Mr Roberts a good ensemble piece but not one of my favs. Lemmon a bit ott for me.

Dizzy make sure you take Groundhog Day and Lampoon's Christmas Vacation. Both films I watch all the ay through whenever they come on. Good luck with op by the way..shoulder pain caused by lifting all those bags with Wagner money in them [;)]

Dizy

Good luck with the hospital and if you want a hand carrying your Matt winnings let me know!

Thanks GB2.  That's right!  Not as heavy as they should have been though...

Being a bit of a softie my Christmas list includes It's A Wonderful Life, Groundhog Day, Scrooged, Serendipity, Muppet Christmas Carol and Miracle on 34th Street!

I think I'd better go lie down now...!

Dizzy

If there's a BETTER fim than 'It's a Wonderful life' I've never seen or heard of it.  Just faulous entertainment and absolutely brilliant.

Oh and I forgot Love Actually!

There you go, any credibility I had has now gone completely out of the window!!!

The original Miracle on 34 Street I assume. Scrooged a good shout but will pass on the muppets.

Yes, the original.  The Muppets version is Michael Caine's finest hour!

One to watch with the kids perhaps...

Dizzy

'Love Actually' hardly a classic!  I watched it once and it passed a pleasent enough couple of hours but wouldn't bother with it again.

Some like it Hot , It's a Wonderful Life, Casablanca, The Godfather, Shawshank Redemption ................. Love Actually!

hmmmmmmm (wink)

Yeah OK, certainly not a classic, more a guilty pleasure!

But I'm with you on Shawshank - another well worn DVD...

dizzy

Must have seen it about 5 times yet I'd maybe still watch it if it was on at crimbo.  When they meet on the beach at the end ............. smashing stuff.

What about 'Sartacus'.  Another gem.

Yes a good film. Anything with Kirk douglas in his prime is worth seeing.

LOU MACARIS TARTAN B
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28 Nov 10 21:40
bustar

I've had a 'colourised' video of It's a Wondeful Life' for about 10 years so it's not new at all.


lou...this latest colourised version is the 3rd colourised version to be released and was done in 2007.look at the clip i posted on youtube and you will see that it's not like the run of the mill colourised versions that we are used to seeing, this looks fantastic but saying that i still prefer the black and white version.

bustar

Yes mine's just a basic one done years ago.  Prefer the original black n' white one.  Lend me yours and I'll give it back when I'm finished with it! [;)]

Aahhh thought not! [;)]

bustar/ George

I thought 'Angels with Dirty faces' was a classic too.

One of the all time great screen performances. Timeless. Just google all the great films that were released in 1939 and compare to the craap we get dished up now.

Yes no interest in 99% of the new releases whatsoever.  'Superman' films about a guy who can fly through the air ................. He can't FACT.  Can't stand all that rubbish.

'Papillon' ................... now you're talkin'

Clint's done a few decent films.  Wouldn't quite put them as a rule in the 'classic' section but good entertainment in 90% of his films I think.