Shhhhh! It's Time to Pick Your Bestavorite Silents!

[Bogie]

Sue Sue have you seen THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST? IMO it's probably the most moving (not the best but emotionally it is) religious films of all time. Most of that movie is VERY hard to watch. It truly captures and crystalizes why we're Christians and the sacrifice our Lord and Savior made for Humanity.

If there was just a little more bones put to that movie in terms of story i'd say it's the best religious movie i've seen but it falls short in that department.

[Sue Sue Applegate]

Dear Bogie,
I was on my way to the theater to see it when it first came out, and had an emergency, but someone has just lent it to me to watch. I've seen portions of it here and there, but never from start to finish all the way through.
So, I'll get to see it in its entirety during the holidays.
Thanks, Bogie.

[melwalton]

Chris, You, certainly, picked a great topic. keeps getting more interesting. Example, the question was 'best' movie and I picked the ones I liked best. After reading through the posts, I THINK, I'm beginning to grasp the subtle difference between 'Best; and 'Favorite'. which makes me wonder if anyone picked a movie that he / she didn't really enjoy but thought prestigeous. Reminds me of the little girl ordering lunch, in a restaurant; 'Cake, ice cream, candy and ... Oh yes, a green vegetable'. Hope I don't have to change my list, too much; some of those are far from being 'best'. ...... mel

[feaito]

My proposal:
Any active member that would like to participate please submit a list of what you consider to be the best 25 films of all time. There is no criteria to base your choices on other than your personal taste. If you honestly believe that Plan 9 From Outer Space is one of your top 25, then by all means include it. You can choose to number them #1-25 or not, it's up to you. For this to work, for more participants the better.

Based upon Chris' original post I think you did the right thing Mel. He wanted us to list our "personal" best, which means our top 25 favorites. Which is what most of us did. I only listed my personal favorites

[mrsl]

Mel:

My list is composed of movies I know I have seen a minimum of 7 or 8 times each, many of them many more times. I can say without doubt that I saw The Uninvited the first time when I was about 15, and have seen it a minimum of once a year ever since. I've seen it with and without cuts and commercials, on TV, and have it on video and someday, hopefully I will get a copy on DVD. The clincher is, I am now 62 so figure out the number of viewings!!!

Anne

[Mr. Arkadin]

Sue Sue have you seen THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST? IMO it's probably the most moving (not the best but emotionally it is) religious films of all time. Most of that movie is VERY hard to watch. It truly captures and crystalizes why we're Christians and the sacrifice our Lord and Savior made for Humanity.

If there was just a little more bones put to that movie in terms of story i'd say it's the best religious movie i've seen but it falls short in that department.

I have a lot of problems with that film. Namely, the fact that it contains only the suffering of Christ, not a context in which to place it. We are shown evidence of resurrection, but for what end? I feel these were major flaws in this movie.

The film did do a decent job quoting the Gospel of John, but the inclusion of Satan holding a little "devil baby" is nowhere in scripture. If you're going to make a big deal about being factually accurate (which they claimed was the reason for all the violence--which I had no problem with), you need to leave that stuff and a few other things they added in fantasyland.

I don't mean to offend anyone--these are just my views-- but I was personally very disappointed in the film.

[melwalton]

Hi, Anne.
You have very good taste. 'The Uninvited' is a great movie, best ghost film I've ever seen. I thought it was told very well, subtly. They didn't try to hit the audience over the head. and very effectively,
You would probably, like 'The Haunting', the one with Julie Harris and Richard Johnson.
P S At 62, you're just a kid. .... mel

[mrsl]

Thanks mel:

I've often stated that The Uninvited was the best ghost movie I've ever seen. As you say, they're not 'in your face'. That smokey, ghostly image floating around was much better (and frightening) than seeing some gruesome guy all bloodied with a knife sticking out of his head or something. It's a true example of 'less is more'. Hitchcock knew the secret and so many present day directors claim to be in awe of him, it's a wonder none of them ever got that particular clue from his movies. Even with Psycho, after the shower scene, you don't actually see 'mom' again until the end, sitting in her rocking chair.

With The Uninvited the director (Lewis Allen) used several senses, and emotions - sight, sound, fear of the unknown, even comedy to throw you into a comfortable little niche, then suddenly boom something happens to put you back on the edge of your seat. Watching Cornelia Otis Skinner when she is with Gail Russell, you almost expect her to pull out some magic dusting powder or something, but all Gail has to do is look at her and she's hiding her head, and we're ducking right along with her. Ms Corny is a scary lady. I also loved the way Ray and Ruth played off each other as brother and sister, there were times they sounded just like my brother and me. They were just great together.

As for The Haunting, I have tried to get through it, but I cannot ABIDE Julie Harris. I was first aware of her in East of Eden. To me she was 'way miscast. She was a 30 something playing an upper teen something which in itself was ridiculous, but in all of her early parts she was always playing someone either older or younger than she. I guess she was great on live stage, but when it comes to movies, somebody forgot about close ups. The only word that comes to mind for the beginning of Haunting for Ms Harris is bleak, but later more creepy is accurate. I know that's what the movie is all about, her becoming part of the house, but her voice and everything else just got to me like nails on a chalk board.

Anne

[Hollis]

Dear Bogie,

With all due respect, we're not all Christians, and I don't think that this is the forum in which to address an issue of that sort. Commenting on the film is one thing but to make the very broad statement that Christ was "our Lord and Savior" is more than a little presumptuous. It shows a total lack of regard and respect for those who may be Jewish, Islamic, Buddhist, Shintoists or even Scientologists. Given that I'm not a student of theology, I'm certain that there are others I'm not aware of and have failed to mention. Further, it's been my experience that more than a few people who profess to be Christian are Christian in name only, not by belief or by action. How many millions have died by the sword in the name of Christianity? Is that what Jesus would have wanted Richard and others who led the Great Crusades to do? This is simply not the place for proselytism. I don't mean to offend you or your beliefs because you're more than entitled to them, but when I see what Christmas and Easter have become as opposed to what they're supposed to be, I have to wonder about the validity of it all.

As always,

Hollis

[movieman1957]

Hollis:

I think Bogie is addressing Christians. He uses the term "why we're Christians." At that I don't think he extends it beyond that group. I would hardly consider that proselytizing.

That doesn't make excuses for what was done in the Middle Ages. They were men and men are fallible.

As Jon stated in a comment about the political discussion here is that most any topic is ok as long as it is done with a respectful attitude. I don't personally think Bogie crossed that line.

As far as Christmas and Easter are concerned and what they have become I don't think you can lay all that at the feet of the Christians. A lot of it is business using those days as the chance to be successful in business. For those of us who are Christian, me included, we have not forgotten why they are important to our faith.

With respect,

[cinemalover]

Perhaps I have neglected to mention what a wonderful film Bride of Frankenstein is.......

[inglis]

Grand Hotel , She Wore AYellow Ribbon
The Best years Of Our Lives , Pinky
How Green Was My Valley, The Subject Was Roses
The Grapes Of Wrath ,Now Voyager
The African Queen,On The Waterfront
The Quiet man, The Thirty Nine Steps
The Searchers , Angels With Dirty faces
In The Heat Of The Night,The Great Escape
All About Eve
Mister Roberts
A Tree Grows In Brooklyn
All The Kings Men
Far From The Madding Crowd,The Petrified Forrest

[cinemalover]

Thanks inglis,
It's great to see the love for The Searchers, a film that I failed to sneak onto my list. A very nice collection of films you have there.

Thanks for participating!
Chris

[MissGoddess]

Hi Inglis! I was happy to see Grand Hotel on your list. I'm almost tempted to include it on mine. That, or Ninotchka.