A Different type of Movie Thread......

brettw22

I know we're really into our movies, and we love to hear the system get a workout.............but....

What movies have you seen where the highlight wasn't your speakers, but the movie itself. Movies that you got emotionally attached to where the story and the characters were so strong that you couldn't help but become emotionally involved with.

I know you can become attached to a character that's out to blow something up or prevent the world from being overrun by aliens, but going deeper than that.....

This doesn't have to be a mini-review of your movies necessarily, but 3 of mine that immediately come to mind are Regarding Henry, Life is Beautiful, and Evening Star.

I remember seeing Regarding Henry in the theater and it was the first movie where the message was the highlight of the experience, not how many people died, what was being defended from war, or anything like that. To see the transformation of Harrison Ford's character after his incident and what he does to try and right his wrongs was impressive. His whole outlook changed towards his family and what he had done before his enlightenment (by way of a bullet).

Life is Beautiful is an EXCELLENT film. It stars Roberto Benigni in it about a family seperated duuring the Holocaust and the story is how the family tries to make it through that ordeal and more powerful to me, how he tries to protect his child from the horrors of what they're going through. The entire movie is sub-titled, but well worth the effort.

Evening Star is one I shouldn't even mention. It's almost comical though......I went to see that in a theater with a few of my friends and I didn't just have tears welling up.....I was full on sobbing for most of that movie. So much death in a persons life. Shirley MacLaine is powerful in her scenes, especially where she's a parent in the hospital fighting for her daughters care (or was that the first one...it's been a while) A few Kleenex didn't cut it.....I needed a whole box practically. When that movie ended, I bolted out of the theater and into the bathroom. My two friends were almost laughing while they asked if I was ok.....The emotional aspect of this movie though COMPLETELY took hold.

So, are you men (or women) enough to actually admit what movies you watched that had this affect on you.......and to also admit that you enjoyed it?

jdhdiggs

How about the original "Brian's Song"? Does that count even though it is about football? "Victory" is also very good in that regard. Most other dramatic movies go slow enough for me to lose interest that keep a bond from ever formaing with what goes on the screen.

brettw22

Anything goes as for the type of movie that it is......whatever was more meaningful than just kickin **** type of movies....

gmorris

"Searching for Bobby Fisher"
"Rudy"
"Dead Poets Society"
"Revenge of the Nerds"
"Goonies" (I know it's a comedy, but still, you gotta love Chunk)

begbie

Might I add this one ?......

http://clubpolk.polkaudio.com/forum/showthread.php?threadid=21445


Visually so powerful, there's minimilist dialog needed for the true emotion is evoked.

Not your brainless popcorn flare flick but a proud film to own in everyone's collection.

I've seen this movie a dozen times over and there's always something new you get out of it.

HBombToo

Patton

Dr. Strangelove

Real Genius

The Omen

Mony Python's Search for the Holy Grail


just a little insight into Henryville

AsSiMiLaTeD

Shawshank is IMO the best movie ever made...and it's not at all about effects and all that stuff...

kberg

I thought Powder was very good.

gmorris

Originally posted by HBombToo
Patton
Dr. Strangelove
Real Genius
The Omen
Mony Python's Search for the Holy Grail

just a little insight into Henryville

Real Genius? With a young Val Kilmer & that kid that looks like Sara Jessica Parker if she were a 14 year old boy? Henryville is a strange place indeed....

johnny_utah

Originally posted by Polkmaniac
Shawshank is IMO the best movie ever made...and it's not at all about effects and all that stuff...

I agree - definately a contender.

I would say that Big Fish and All That Jazz that I have watched recently were definately good.

jdhdiggs

Originally posted by johnny_utah
I agree - definately a contender.

I would say that Big Fish and All That Jazz that I have watched recently were definately good.

Crap, forgot about "Big Fish". The day I saw that movie was the same day as my Grandpa's funeral. Way too many coincindances for both my wife and I to not get all choked up...

gidrah

Anything by Akira Kurosawa is probably a safe bet if you don't mind reading subtitles and it being in b&w.

The Great Escape
Magnificent Seven (preceded by Seven Samurai makes a great marathon)
Star Wars - It's great even on a 19" mono TV.
E.T.
It's a Wonderful Life
The Vikings
Dumb & Dumber

Frank Z

Simon Birch
The Sandlot
The Green Mile
Of Mice and Men
The Man Who Broke 10,000 Chains

Danny Tse

"Starlight Hotel"

It's not even on DVD. It's a little New Zealand movie from the 80s with a good story and even better visuals of the New Zealand countryside.

landry_p2000

Men of Honor
The Green Mile
The Last Sumari
The Mask of Zorro
Desperado ( I love to see Vengeance)

These are movies that got me involved. Totally.

landry_p2000

Also forgot Gladiator.

PolkThug

Die Hard. Felt myself kickin **** right along with Bruce.

punk-roc

Well, I have a couple that no one has mentioned that i acting felt something while i watched:

1. Anywhere But Here

I'm not unique in thinking Portman is gorgeous, but i really enjoyed the story and felt the writing/acting really drew you into the characters. Its the only "chick flick" i've ever wanted to watch again =P

2. 25th Hour

I know, I know, its Spike Lee. But aside from the deliberate play on emotions with the couple 9/11 scenes, i felt the movie was one of the most real i'd seen in a while. Much of the dialogue was "dumb" and felt like a real conversation. Everything didnt have to have some special, additional meaning. Its pretty slow moving, not relying on action to move the story. Just a depressing story about a man going to prison =P

Flame On =P

Jason

gregure

I think it's interesting to begin this thread w/ the distinction between an emtionally engrossing film and a film that demonstrates good sound effects. I agree that many films are more of an aural experience than others, or perhaps the only redeemable quality of some films is the sound f/x, but how do we, as audio enthusiasts, distinguish a film for only its emtional aspects but not for its sound? What would Gladiator or ET be w/o a great sound system to showcase the superb scores?

One of the most emotional experiences at the theater as a young man was seeing Braveheart for the first time, and while the story/acting drew me in, it was James Horner's score that really brought me to tears in the more potent scenes. Or Saving Private Ryan, another one of my favorites. What would that film be w/o the sound? The D-Day invasion, the church scene (distant bombs) and the thunderous and portentious rumbling of the tanks in the final battle, all add to the emotional aspect of the film.

I agree it's worthwhile to share our experiences w/ film, but to downplay how much of an impact sound has on the emotional experience is questionable. Perhaps another thread could be:

What films elicited more of an emotional response from you, and how did sound play a part in that?

George Grand

"12 Angry Men"


Black and white, and the entire movie is filmed in one room. Beat that for a lack of special effects.


The original "Of Mice and Men"

The original "Cape Fear"

"Night of the Hunter"

"The Lost Weekend"

"The Mag 7" (all those young bucks)

"It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World"

"Bridge on the River Kwai" (I can't wait till some fool remakes that and totally trashes one of the best movies ever made)

"Dracula" The original with Bela Lugosi. After the opening credits there is not a NOTE of music or soundtrack.

"The Searchers"


George Grand (of the Jersey Grands)

kberg

Originally posted by George Grand



"It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World"

Ya gotta love Sylvester in this one.

George Grand

Took the words right out of my mouth. Dick Shawn steals it doesn't he?

"Why I'm WORKIN' Mama, I been WORKIN'."

George Grand (of the Jersey Grands)

TroyD

In Harm's Way
North by Northwest
Mag 7 (as already mentioned)
Casablanca
Rear Window



BDT

brettw22

Originally posted by gregure
I agree it's worthwhile to share our experiences w/ film, but to downplay how much of an impact sound has on the emotional experience is questionable. Perhaps another thread could be:

What films elicited more of an emotional response from you, and how did sound play a part in that?

Actually you're saying exactly what my initial post is, just worded differently.

We talk alot about movies that have great action scenes, sound effects, etc., but that can be on a movie that sucked.

I didn't suggest that the audio portion wasn't important. I said what movies have you seen that were MORE about the movie story line than about the sounds of a truck blowing up.....even a good score on a crappy movie is still a crappy movie, ya know?

EDIT: Probably a better way to put my point would be to say what movies would draw you into them if you were watching them without the receiver on, and just hearing the TV speakers......THAT level of draw where the movie was just awesome in it's own right, not the movie was awesome because I could hear the bullets(an enhancement if you will)....... (does that make sense?)

woodyjacobs

Some that immediately come to mind in this category would be
"Band of Brothers"
"In America"
"Local Hero"
"The Green Mile"

gmorris

"Band of Brothers" Nice call.

George Grand

Brett,

If nothing else, "I" understand exactly what you're saying. It makes a boatload of sense. This is the exact reason I don't lose my rocks for HT and surround. If the movie is good, it takes me about 5 minutes to get completely engrossed to the point of "Who cares about surround effects" (if there's any there to speak of).

If the movie sucks, no amount of surround Golly Gee **** is going to hold my attention. Great thread man, great thread. Make people think with this one (IF they're thinkers).

George Grand (of the Jersey Grands)

kberg

Originally posted by George Grand
Took the words right out of my mouth. Dick Shawn steals it doesn't he?

"Wait a minute, wait a minute. There's not enough room, Man, you're bugging me. You're bugging me."

Classic

George Grand

Winters has a good retort in that hole but I'll be damned if I can remember what it is.

There's a million great lines.

Peter Falk:

"Hey, can't you see I'm on the phone? What was you in some kind of initiation or somethin'?"


Jim Backus:

"Why don't you go fix us some old fashioneds?"


A man after my own heart you are KBerg. My daughter and I watch that every once in awhile and just howl through the whole thing. I had it on store bought videotape and then had to get the DVD. How about "Kelly's Heroes" for a bunch of good one-liners? Can you do those too?

George Grand (of the Jersey Grands)

Willow

Watership Down !!!

Tour2ma

Nice to see "Searching for Bobby Fischer" and "All That Jazz" listed...

I'll add:
Raging Bull
A Clockwork Orange
Amadeus
Pollock