To my relief The Third Man was a fun movie. It’s one of those old movies that film buffs speak of in hushed reverent tones — and you never know if that means it’s Actually Good or just some boring old movie that had cool lights, which I never give two shits about. No one should ever speak of anything in hushed, reverent tones — it makes me feel like I’m in church. From what I can tell, The Third Man is simply a good yarn that gets moving quickly and is smart and interesting. I don’t give a shit what it means about post-war society or evil or friendship or lights or cinema or Orson Welles’ career or sewers or America. It was fun.
Other old movies spoken of in hushed reverent tones that are actually fun: His Girl Friday, Casablanca, The Manchurian Candidate and The Thin Man.
Movies spoken of in hushed reverent tones that maybe are good but still feel like homework: Citizen Kane, Roshoman, Modern Times.
Half fun, half-homework: City Lights, Notorious, The Seven Samurai.
All opinions in this blog are 100% right.
P.S. I actually speak of things in hushed reverent tones all the time, but I am acknowledging in this sentence that that is annoying and I should stop.
On my iTunes now:
Child Star by The Unicorns from "Who Will Cut Our Hair When We're Gone?"
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Aug 21st, 2007 at 3:34 pm
GAH! the thin man series are sooooo good!! i am planning on forming a 3-woman improv team called nick and nora (to take advantage of the obvious irony) shortly. nobody steal my idea plz. i need to obtain all those films on dvd STAT.
Aug 21st, 2007 at 3:56 pm
I’ll be on that team with you!
My cats are named Nick and Nora.
Aug 21st, 2007 at 4:50 pm
I was just talking to somebody this weekend about Citizen Kane and the general feeling of “THIS is what all the fuss is about?” after watching it. I appreciated it a little more after I learned that it was the first time anybody had thought to rip up the floorboards and dig a hole in the ground so that a scene could be shot from the perspective of a shoe looking up at Welles’s greatness.
The only other film that you mention and I’ve seen is Casablanca, and I agree with your assessment (actually fun). Thus, I must conclude the opinions on your blog are 100% right, per your assertion.
Aug 21st, 2007 at 5:01 pm
Orson Welles cannot be overhyped for me.
The dude’s whole life was one of those fun cracking good not-homework movies, and he made up seven or eight other lives as well through lying incessantly in interviews.
Aug 21st, 2007 at 5:05 pm
Also: I think Citizen Kane would benefit from being sold to people as one of those fun cracking-good movies, not THE MONOLITH OF EAT-YOUR-SPINACH CINEMA. Turns a lot of people off, understandably so.
Aug 21st, 2007 at 5:18 pm
I have some old movies that are pretty fun.
White Heat with Jimmy Cagney and Double Indemnity with Fred MacMurray.
Citizen Kane didn’t have any real punch for me because the ending has become part of the shared subconscious of the English-speaking world.
Aug 22nd, 2007 at 10:41 am
No real film buff thinks Casablanca is a good movie. Only plebs and housewives do.
Aug 22nd, 2007 at 10:51 am
Then I’m a pleb or a housewife — I thought that was a really fun movie.
Aug 22nd, 2007 at 10:56 am
CATS
Aug 22nd, 2007 at 11:23 am
100% right? I’d shave a few percentage points off that. Rashomon and Seven Samurai should switch places.
Aug 22nd, 2007 at 12:58 pm
i liked casablanca. i need to see someone about changing my patrician status, clearly.
Aug 22nd, 2007 at 4:39 pm
Catsablanca.
Aug 23rd, 2007 at 1:24 pm
I love me some citizen kane–I think its a really fun movie. Third man is a blast too. The critical hushed-toned film that I really cannot get behind is “Touch of evil.” What a clunker!
Aug 24th, 2007 at 2:43 pm
His Girl Friday
Aug 27th, 2007 at 9:08 am
Don’t get me wrong: Casablanca is a “fun” movie, it’s just not a “good” movie.
As for critical darling filmmakers I can’t stomach: Ozu and Fassbinder.
Buy American!
Sep 12th, 2007 at 11:22 am
I speak in hushed reverent tones only when wasted.