I just got a happy fun box of goodies from Columbia House DVD Club (oh the joys of Dividend Dollar ... uh "Fun Cash" days). In addition to some more recent flicks, I got a good time local fun double feature ... The Trouble with Angels and Where Angels Go, Trouble Follows.

Local as in Philadelphia Suburbs. The first was filmed entirely in this area, on the grounds of Chestnut Hill College, The Morris Arboretum, and Saint Mary's Orphanage in Ambler, PA.

Knowing the area, it's a lot of fun to pick the locations ... and though the magic of Hollywood, there's at least one scene were the actors are standing on the steps of Chestnut Hill College, but the reverse shot is looking over the Morris Arboretum, which is nearby, but at least a mile from the first shot.

I also love a moment in the second movie (which is the one with the bus trip) where they board the bus in Philadelphia, drive through Pennsylvania Dutch Country for what seems like several days of movie time, only to arrive to spend the night at Germantown Academy (which isn't in Germantown, by the way), drive forever again to get to their "protest march" scene which takes place in Springhouse in front of Rotelle Frozen Foods. Total actual travel time between locations? About 1/2 Hour.

Gets in the way of my willing suspension of disbelief a little bit, yeah.

But I love the movies anyway.

My sister went to a Catholic Summer Day Camp held on the grounds of Saint Mary's. They had their own 16mm print of the film and would show it to the campers on rainy days.

I've just joined that forum... and I please everybody to forgive me if my english lacks style, vocabulary, sense or something else ...
So, some old films tou have to see :
Sergio Leone's westerns ...
"Dodes kaden", "Dersu Uzala", "Ran", and "Rashomon" all from Akira kurosawa... which are great stories (a bit long, yes, but good)!
"Holy Graal" and "Brian's life"... classics !
One of the only adaptation of stephen king I think valuable : "Rosemary's baby"
"Brain dead" (comical horror)
And there was one I can't remember the author's name, story about last man on earth in a vampires world ... (french title is I am a legend)
and I was surprised in good that "12 angry men" appears here !
if my memory allows me to remember others, i'll say it to you...

Welcome, Sved. :)

Some good films there, for sure, Sved. Minor correction - Rosemary's Baby was not a Stephen King book, it was Ira Levin.

Hmmmm....! Here's one that if you havent seen, you really, really should.

The Shop Around the Corner- good Christmas time viewing. vintage 30s. Charming romantic comedy set in a leather goods shop in Budapest with skinny adorable Jimmy Stewart and fast talking Maureen Sullivan. Great supporting cast ( you'll recognize some of the character actors). The story has been remade a zillion times, but none nearly as sharp, and funny as this first adaptation of the stage play. Its a great movie.

Actually I just checked, and the movie's date is 1940.

That's The Omega Man starring Charlton Heston.

I am Legend was the title of the Richard Matheson book that it was based on.


Speaking of Richard Matheson ... (how's that for a segue?)

I just got the DVD of The Legend of Hell House

Still as spooky as ever.

Warch, I also love The Shop Around the Corner, another comedy I love from that period is Miracle at Morgan Creek.

My favorite really old ones are the "women's movies" like Stella Dallas, Mildred Pierce, Jezebel, and The Heiress.

A few days ago I saw a new "old" movie that deliberately copied the style of the great melodramas like Inherit the Wind. It was Far from Heaven with Julianne Moore and Dennis Quaid as a 1957 perfect June and Ward Cleaver couple suddenly faced with a 2002 problem (Ward's gay!). I loved it so much I watched it three times in a row. Once for the story and twice just to look at the perfect details in the clothes and sets.

Oh, oh! Gaslight and Double Indemnity and Kind hearts and Coronets!

Wasn't The Shop Around the Corner remade as You've Got Mail?. I've wanted to see the "real" version, but haven't managed to catch it on any of the classic movie channels.

Yes, it was, Wolf. I don't know about Turner Classic Movies, because I don't get it, but AMC, where I first saw all the great old movies I named, seems to play mainly 70's movies and westerns lately. Of course, now I'm kicking myself for not taping the 40's and 50's ones while I had the chance.

We just watched a wonderful fairly new release film from France called Bon Voyage. Its not old, but is set in 1940 and borrows well from films of that era in look, character and pace. Yes, you have subtitles, but if you can get beyond that, its a great comic/suspense/drama with an ensemble of great characters. There is a historical base for the story too, that makes it more interesting.

Bon Voyage

I'm with Kitsune and Sved....Rope is a great as well as RAN. I'm a Kurosawa fan all the way. People never usually mention Ran but it is advanced for it's time like most Kurosawa films. It's almost like watching a Shakespeare in Japanese.

Is it just me or were the roomates in Rope actually lovers, or did I just apply the subtext too strongly?

Havent got time to read the whole thread .....so if I am repeating a suggestion forgive me :P

The Deadzone. Not that stupid lightwieght tv series they've made now, but the originsl movie with Christopher Walken as one of cinema's coolest anti heros.

The Wicker Man.....Just a genuinely disturbing tale with one of the screen's all time best horrifying moments ( the moment when Woodward is dragged over the crest of the hill and the full horror of his fate is revealed to us and to him )


The original Nosferatu. Truly a piece of visual art.

Laurence Olivier's Hamlet. The Danish Prince at his classical best.

A Clockwork Orange. Class in a glass. What a way to play with language and form.

Alfie ( the orignal ) One of the Britpack's finer contributions to the world of cinema.

Battle for Algiers Fabulous film, made with very few professional actors. Has a realism to it that gets under one's skin. Beautifully shot and acted. A landmark production on the indie scene.

The King and I........Not precisely what one could reasonably call politically correct but with Yul Brynner's performance I can forgive it

A Streetcar Named Desire.......Awesome movie. Marlon Brando was so well cast.

The Wall. ...........Brilliant film. The music combined with the claustrophobic sets and Geldof's moody cynicism brings the concept of the wall starkly home.


....... ok that's my tuppen'orth :)

Oh, and I got the same subtext on Rope.

<i>A Touch of Evil</i> Orson Wells, Bette Davis, Jenniffer Leigh, Charlont Heston<br><br><i>Battleship Potempkin</i>Not so much good as important, how many movies have the baby pram.<br><br>

Every Pagan I have ever known extolled the virtues of this film, but it was pretty hard to find until the groovy wooden box DVD release came out (featuring the American theatrical release version *and* the reconstituted, less cut original director's intent version). Because of this, I didn't see it for a long time even after becoming Pagan.

My friends always said things like "It is an accurate portrayal for the most part" and "I want to live on Summerisle". My wife and I were doubly shocked when it got to the end because of all the fond things that were said about it.

No one told us it was essentially a horror story. I still love the movie, though.