UKC

Looking through the TV listings, Shawshank Redemption is on this evening.
The other half said "great film isn't it" and she was surprised that I have never seen it.

Apparently I should have watched it at some point in time but I've never been interested in it. So then, apart from that one, there are endless films I haven't seen which I'm sure my wife would say I should have. So here are a couple more:

Green Mile
Schindlers List

Anyone else?

In reply to Denni:

titanic (the more people say "you should watch it", the less I wanted to)

In reply to Denni:

They Live, John Carpenters finest hour, the classic conspiracy movie with a down beat blues sound track, a fight scene so legendary that South Park even devoted a full episode to it, and for some strange reason they never ever even ever show it on the custard (1)

What the French Connection United Kingdom am I talking about. I wrap my tiny little mind in tinfoil and watch it every day, whhhoooaaah! Don't even get started on the Ghosts of Mars.

for your viewing pleasure

youtube.com/watch?v=HeZ7cMrGEy4&


ref (1) custard: Cockney Rhyming slang. Custard and Jelly, Telly.

In reply to Denni:
Stalker, Andrei Rublov, Mirror, just for starters.

In reply to Denni:

According to the wife Dirty Dancing but I can't bring myself to watch it.

In reply to wiwwim:

Ditto 'avatar'

In reply to no_more_scotch_eggs:

Please, please don't watch Avatar - possibly the most technically sophisticated, and thus expensive, mindless bilge that's ever been created.

In reply to Steve Perry:


Brilliant film.

In reply to Denni:

Spent the last 3 hours introducing my teenage (politics student) daughter to "Dr Strangelove" and "The Mouse on the moon"

In reply to Gordon Stainforth:

I can't think what your objection could be to technical sophistication.

And you are exaggerating a bit. There's plenty of films around much more mindless than Avatar.

In reply to Gordon Stainforth:


I enjoyed Avatar, I guess mainly for the 3D but the concept of the story is interesting, I.E the travel to other planets to rape the environment and the ability to insert consciousness into an avatar, Plus the visuals are equally good, but after that its just a overlong and minimum boy meets girl cowboy and indian film, this time with the rare outcome that the west wasn't won. It's probably on a par with the Shining with Kubricks hidden tale of the TV apollo broadcasts.

In reply to Tom Valentine:


My objection is not to the technical sophistication (the best thing about the film), but the fact that it's using that to paper over the multitude of cracks in the very childish script.


Did we discuss that? I don't recall it. I thought the last James Bond was worse, actually. Just pure drivel and not particularly well done or remotely entertaining.

In reply to Steve Perry:
It's worth a watch.

Rather poignant now as Mr Swayze is no longer with us.though not as poignant as watching Ghost,or surfing into eternity in Point Break

Watched a good documentary about Dirty D ; DD 25 years on.

The Dirty Dancers absolutely hated each other.

Quite often the case in big Hollywood films.Anne Hathaway is, apparently, not liked (at all) by her fellow actors.

What's not to like?

In reply to John Simpson:

No 'hidden tale of TV Apollo broadcasts'.

In reply to Gordon Stainforth:


https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=the+shining+apollo+11&oq=the+shinning...

In reply to John Simpson:

Absolute garbage. I gave a talk about it at my local Belper Ritz Cinema about two years ago. Stanley found these conspiracy theories absolutely hilarious at the time, I remember. 'Just how was I meant to be able to do that, Gordon?'

In reply to Gordon Stainforth:

Well garbage or not Gordon, the story is quite well documented and the symbolism is apparent for those that read it.

What do you think of the further tale that your friend Stanley wasn't allowed his own directors cut on the visually immaculate 'Eyes wide shut' as they say those that know Kubrick's cinematography speculate that the continuity of this film just doesn't flow as it should and there's a good 20 minutes of footage left out?


edit typo

In reply to Denni:

Same. Can't dredge up any enthusiasm for Shawshank, Schindler, Dirty Dancing or Ghost. Greek Mile was good though.

In reply to alan moore:


There were two films in the cinema in 1990 featuring the ghost of a dead lover. If you're going to watch one of them it should be Truly, Madly, Deeply. Wonderful film. Bring a hankie. <sniff>

In reply to John Simpson:
Avatar ! Have you seen A man called horse?

In reply to Gordon Stainforth:

It's ok Gordon- I don't intend to!

In response to others re the shawshank redemption- I enjoyed it, it's worth a couple of hours of your life. ..

In reply to Denni:

Bladerunner, Star Wars (think I once caught part of that)

In reply to Denni:

I guess my 'I can't believe you've not seen it' reaction is most used for the original Star Wars trilogy. Though I suppose those films are old enough now to be irrelevant to a whole generation, brought up on big budget blockbusters with amazing CGI and super slick production values.

In reply to Denni:

I believe I'm supposed to have watched The Godfather. I tried, but it was just not my thing at all.

In reply to Denni:

I still haven't seen ET.

In reply to Gordon Stainforth:


My 8yr old loves it!

In reply to gd303uk:



Agree about "A Man Called Horse". However, "Of Horses and Men", a recent film from Iceland, is one of the most beautiful I've ever seen.

In reply to butteredfrog:

Best film I missed until recently was "Flight" staring Denzel Washington. Just watch the crash scene on you tube its a rollercoaster of cinema. Rest of the film your left with the dilemma of hero or bad un.

In reply to Gordon Stainforth:


I agree. The plot (a slightly generous term) is offensive rubbish.

In reply to Denni:

I really wanted to start a counter thread entitled "Films you watched that apparently you shouldn't have" but won't, here's my starter list anyway:

Shawshank Redemption
Avatar
The Avengers
Look Who's Talking
Look Who's Talking Too

In reply to gd303uk:


Yes a long time ago, a good film I seem to remeber much more brutal.

In reply to John Simpson:


The film 'Room 237', which examined this, got so much factually wrong that it lacks all credibility (I covered 3 sides of A4 with a list of the mistakes it made.) The problem is that almost all the symbolism was accidental, particularly the Indian symbolism. Katherina Kubrick and Jan Harlan (producer and Stanley's brother in law) who found the real overlook hotel etc. can confirm this. About the only thing the film got right was Stanley's deliberate use of the displaced geography/layout of the hotel, and some strange 'continuity errors'.


Stanley's final days and the final cut of EWS are, indeed, somewhat shrouded in mystery. I have heard two almost diametrically opposed versions (best summarised by a) he was extremely happy with the movie b) he was extremely unhappy with the movie), so have no idea where the truth lies.

In reply to Gordon Stainforth:


Hi Gordon, thanks for your replies, I can understand that coincidences and synchronicities do occur and people can see patterns in things which aren't there. And if the symbolism is as you say purely accidental I still find this very interesting.


I see, a bit like Schrödinger's cat then.

In reply to Denni:

Withnail and I

American Werewolf in London

In reply to Alyson:


I felt the same but managed to watch it all the way through. Wish I hadn't bothered.

In reply to Roguevfr:

Me neither

In reply to Ron Rees Davies:


"Dr Strangelove" is a fantastic piece of work. Kubrick originally wrote it as a drama, but was unhappy with it - until he realised it was actually a comedy and rewrote it as such.

In reply to Denni:

Aside from my usual 3 of Moulin Rouge, Gladiator and Dead Man's Shoes...

Apparently I've not lived because I've never seen Blade Runner (Never watched it due to the title - "No such thing as a Blade that runs." )

So I'm going to watch it on the big screen at the BFI later this month.