Classic Movies

Me son Charlie and I exchanged a series of text messages last night talking, basically, about the classic holiday specials and movies. It reminded me that, like the many books I haven't read, there are many great movies I'd like to see.

I love what I've seen by Frank Capra of It's a Wonderful Life fame. Among my standards of what makes a film classic is that it needs to leave a lump in your throat at least once, and Wonderful Life does that several times. When George Bailey is begging for his life back and it begins to snow, signaling that he's alive again, wow. That's how you make movies. Still, Capra's made many highly regarded, even legendary, films which I have yet to see. It Happened One Night, Lost Horizon, and Mr. Deeds Goes to Town head that list.

Stanley Kubrick is one who's made some solid movies, although he tends to excess. But unless and until I see something better 2001: A Space Odyssey will be my favorite movie. Of his movies which I haven't seen, I want to see Spartacus.

After seeing Metropolis (I wrote about that here) I'm open to silent films, yet nothing comes to mind as I write. Any suggestions?

Charlie and I agreed we need to make lists of what movies we need to see. Perhaps this will serve to start.