Classic Movie Nights
Daytime in the summer is mainly working on my writing projects, wslking, yard work, and of course, reading, reading, and more reading.
Around seven o’clock the hubs looks at me and asks: “So what do you want to do tonight?”
There aren’t many options in a town of 6,000. It usually comes down to watching a movie.
Our smalltown boasts one theater. It’s not fancy. It’s not AMC. The seats tip back because the springs are stressed. The floors are s bit sticky. The rows are offside instead of center screen. We have to really, really want to see a movie and not be willing to drive an hour away to the mega-complex to go.
There is also the fact if we wait a couple of months the movie comes out on DVD. Then we rent it for a buck fifty at the grocery store instead of paying box office prices. We start the movie when we want, pause it, subtitle it, enjoy it in our kickback loungers. We even sleep through the boring parts. I can catch up on my phone stuff. Or play another level of Candy Mania.
Why wouldn’t we choose to watch movies at home?
Another option is that our local library has a HUGE movie section complete with TV series. I’m ever so patiently waiting for The Hollow Crown. We aren’t hooked up to commercial channels. The TV is basically a movie screen. That’s a whole different post.
Being Baby Boomers, the hubs and I are partial to films where actors versus CGI is the primary billing.This means we tend to watch a lot of classics. It’s like visiting with old, favorite friends when we settle in to watch Cary Grant, Hepburns Audrey/Katherine, John Wayne and the rest of the screen star crew.
Some favorites this summer we’ve revisted:
Now and then a new movie comes along that’s based on an old classic. From some reason, we were won over by:
mainly because we grew up with:
Guy Ritchie got it right. The light-hearted, comically serious tone, the Bondian flavor, the sixties style. Henry totally got Robert Vaughn and Hammer did his own Ilya. How come the critics didn’t get it? Then again, if I paid attention to the critics I wouldn’t watch movies at all. They either love something I don’t get or, like above, they pan what I deem brillaint. And that’s another post as well.
So–a couple of questions, if I may:
1. Do you prefer classics to new?
2. Do you prefer DVD to big screen?
3. Any new films you think might become classics?
Pam Webb 
I’m a big classics fan, but Mr. H isn’t into those as much. We find common ground on indie and foreign flicks, and pretty much anything with interesting characters, dialogue, and story. Not into action and CGI at all!
CGI just gets so boring to watch. It’s not real and I detach emotionally.
Love classic movies! Have you watched Harvey with Jimmy Stewart?
Definitely. Right up there with Arsenic and Old Lace.
I am more of a cheesy 80’s film fan, I do love to binge watch films from that era and enjoy the rock soundtracks that they invariably had as backing. I have a friend who is a big film fan though so I tend to watch films with him that pass by the big cinema chains.
That us one time period I skip, movie wise, having spent a considerable amount of time in the 80’s living through the bad hairstyles and fashion.
But…the He-Man film! That is my riposte for to that argument, as shaky as it may be.
The 80s were scary style-wise. Mullets!?!
I’m envious of your movie selection! Our DVD player broke, I’m ashamed to say, several years ago, and we keep saying we’ll get a new one. Whoops. We’re big watchers of PBS series – smart, wise, and no CGI. We also use On Demand – haven’t quite figured out Netflix yet, which is telling how low tech we are. Anyway, I love your list – yes, I enjoy old classics and even some not-so-old ones. Didn’t see the updated Man from Uncle yet, but with your review here, will certainly do so.
There are a lot of streaming options which means replacing the DVD player can be put off. Our library carries Hoopla. Free streaming with a library card. A nice service. I realize I forgot to add The King and I. That was the best if the bunch!
Oh, cool, I didn’t know about Hoopla. I’ll talk to my library about this!
Yes, I saw The King and I on Broadway a long time ago with the original Yul Brynner. Wowzie.
He made that his signature role, didn’t he…
I’m always hesitant to revisit the classics, just because I’m inherently drawn to the newer, flashier movies (despicable, I know). But once I convince myself to watch a classic, I always end up enjoying it–probably more than if I had gone to see the just-out movie. Thanks for sharing your favorites!
Also, I tend to prefer DVDs to the theater. It pains me to pay $10+ for something I know I could see for free (via the library) just a little later. It’s strange to think that the entire movie theater industry is based on people’s inability to wait that few months to see a movie. Not that I’m judging…there are definitely movies that make me want to go running to the theater!
I also have a tough shelling out bucks for a theater experience these days.
I’m pretty mixed when it comes to film preferences. I’ve developed a greater appreciation for the classics in recent years (I LOVE ‘Casablanca’ and ‘Lawrence of Arabia’), but I won’t say no to a CGI-fest. I have no preference for theatre vs DVD either. Some films I HAVE to see at the cinema (like all the Marvel films), and I usually like to see a few of the Oscar nominated flicks when they’re out. But nothing beats everything you said above regarding watching films at home. You don’t have to leave the house, don’t have to deal with people being noisy, and rewind if you fall asleep.
Ritchie’s ‘The Man from U.N.C.L.E.’ is one of my favourite films from recent years. It was just an amazing amount of fun and I don’t get why the critics didn’t like it either.
We have lost faith in critics. Too bad reviews influence viewers so much. And date night at our house is dinner out and movie in!