Let's All Go to the Lobby!: November 2012

Why Classic Movies are AWESOME!

Classic movies interest me because I like how they acted back then. I like their mannerisms, how they dressed, how they talked, and the expressions they used. For example, "Oh, a wise guy, huh?" It made me wonder if they really said that in real life, or did they just use it in the movies. They didn't use a whole lot of special effects, they mostly relied on acting. In The Hunch Back of the Notre Dame (1939), the actor, Charles Laughton, had an excellent speaking voice, but he didn't use it much in the movie. He wanted to be known for his acting and not just for his speaking.

Another good movie that didn't use a whole lot of special effects but was a great film was The Haunting (1963). The movie didn't show ghosts, but you knew they were there. It was obvious there was a haunting because of all the noises, the camera angles, and the acting. There were other versions of The Haunting but they weren't as good as the original. Mostly, because they valued special effects over acting. In the original you imagined and wondered what the ghosts would look like and that's why it did so good. And that's why I love Tuner Classic Movies.

Thursday, November 29, 2012

VILLAGE OF THE DAMNED

Village of the Damned, based on the novel (Midwich Cuckoos) written by John Wyndam. It takes place in a British village of Midwich, where a strange blackout occurs. It is strange, because in this blackout everyone (including the animals) in this village passed out and become unconscious. Also, anyone who walked into that area would go unconscious as well. After a view hours everyone in the village began to wake up. They were confused, not sure what was going on or what happened. Some even said that when they woke up they felt cold, ice cold.

A few months after the blackout, a lot of the town’s women became pregnant. Some young, some middle age, but the strange thing was that some of the women were virgins as well. They all give birth on the same day, and all the babies have strange features. Thin finger nails, white- blondish hair, and very unusual eyes.

To find out the mystery, watch the movie which is available in two versions: either the original (1960), or the John Carpenter’s version, created in 1995, and remember, “Beware the Children!”

Friday, November 9, 2012

STAND BY ME

Do you remember those summer days of just goofing off with your friends? Going to summer camps, water parks, movies, finding a dead body in the woods? Wait? Well… Maybe not that, but for one group of friends it did happen. The movie is based on the novel (The Body) written by director Steven King. It’s about four small town boys going on a journey in search for the missing body of a farm boy who was hit by a local train. Now I will say this film does have some bad language, and some squeamish parts in it. But in all honesty this is a great film, and I think everyone should see it at least once. The movie was filmed in 1986 directed by Rob Reiner, starring Wil Wheaton, River Phoenix, Jerry O’Connel, Corey Feldman, and Kiefer Sutherland.

How I Got Into Classic Movies

When I was little, my parents let me watch Grease, starring John Travolta. It was filmed in the 70’s but they made it
look like a 50’s movie. Then, when I was about five or six, my mom got me The Wizard of Oz. Even before I watched the movie, I had a terrible fear of midgets. So, while other kids were afraid of the witch, I was more scared of the munchkins! You could say that my phobias are as unique as my taste in
movies.

I wasn’t the strongest reader when I was younger so whenever
a silent movie came on, my parents let me try to read the subtitles. I watched all sorts of movies with my dad. For example, we watched It's A Mad Mad Mad Mad World, starring Spencer Tracy, which is about a group of people racing against each other to find stolen money that is hidden
under a giant “W”.

Also, every St. Patrick’s Day, my dad and I watch The Quiet Man, which is about a boxer who returns to home to Ireland after accidentally killing a fellow boxer in the ring while in the United States. The movie stars John Wayne and Maureen O’Hara. My parents got me accustomed to watching old movies and over time I became addicted to great acting, and that’s why I live off of Turner Classic Movies.

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-Elena