Defending “bad” movies

Posted by highhurdler on August 26, 2007

I don’t know why I feel the need to defend older movies from those who don’t appreciate them, but I do. Even though I may not have liked the specific movie mentioned very much myself, I’ll still get upset if I hear or read some ignoramus – whose idea of a great movie is, for example, Napoleon Dynamite – say or write something bad about it. Most classic film fans are used to hearing contemporary moviegoers generalize by saying that they hate black-and-white movies (or silent films); some of us even take this personally. It’s not that I can’t stand negativity (O.K., maybe it is), but if someone is going to tell me that they didn’t like a particular movie, I think that they should be able to articulate their reasons why they feel that way (versus simply stating that it sucks), that is if they want anyone (like me) to respect their opinion.

Of course, some people never have anything positive to say regardless of the topic at hand, but it can take a while to figure that out; then, avoidance can be the most prudent course of action. On most Internet message boards, it doesn’t usually take very long to identify those individuals that are just trolling for shocked reactions and responses of outrage to their derogatory proclamations concerning the subject matter. Having participated in several different on-line communities with diverse sets of topics (e.g. not just movies) over more than twenty years, I know that disruptive individuals are a fact of life in such discussion groups. When I was younger, I used to take the bait and respond to anyone who wrote something negative about anything with which I had a personal connection. As I’ve grown older (and hopefully wiser), I’ve learned to engage newbies less frequently, and debate only those whom I respect.

Still, I’ve come to regard classic movies with a certain kinship; after a while, the films and their actors begin to feel like old friends to me such that any failure on my part to come to their defense feels disloyal. I have the ability to sit down a watch an old black-and-white movie with one of my favorite actors and choose to be entertained, whether the plot is any good or not. I’ll even allow myself to be manipulated by the story’s sentimentality (or film score). Recognizing the particular film’s limitations, I can chill and enjoy it. Later, I can be critical about it in my review (or synopsis) without stomping on anyone’s love for it. Sure, there are times when I’m in a particularly foul mood – usually completely unrelated to the movie at hand – such that my memory of a specific movie may be clouded with those disassociated thoughts, and my review may therefore be uncharacteristically harsh, but hopefully those times have been infrequent.

As I’ve stated before in my first official blog entry last October, my approach to this art-form is an open, honest, and straightforward one with more of an historian’s view than a critical one … I strive to find something good to say about almost any film and tend to accentuate the positive vs. the negative. For example, recently I found myself defending one of Alfred Hitchcock’s lesser efforts, Under Capricorn (1949), because I’ve always thought Margaret Leighton’s villainous performance rivals Leopoldine Konstantin’s in Notorious (1946), and even Judith Anderson’s Mrs. Danvers in Rebecca (1940). It’s a shame that the director didn’t give us more female characters like these in his films (I think Grace Kelly is to blame for starting his obsession with flawed blonde ice queens such that he never revisited truly evil women again). Likewise, when this respected friend wrote that Call Northside 777 (1948) as awful, I acknowledged that it is indeed dated, but that a lot of earlier crime dramas, especially the documentary style ones, are difficult to appreciate out of the context of their times because the methods used to solve the mysteries are taken for granted today. However, in their day, fingerprints and photo analysis were just as compelling as today’s cutting edge forensic techniques are now (per many of the top rated TV shows).

I know loyalty is a lost art, kind of like using turn signals, but insult my "friends" at your peril;-)

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7 Responses Defending “bad” movies

Posted By Mark M : August 26, 2007 1:40 pm

I too find that I identify with old films and the people in them. I grew up watching them (back in the seventies on television) and perhaps because none of my friends cared much about them they became like my personal possessions. I don't mind thoughtful criticism from people who know what they're talking about, but the "I hate old movies" or "black & white movies are boring" comments just rile me. I remember watching Red River in a film class in college. The other students just laughed at it from beginning to end. Or I assume they laughed till the end, because I couldn't bring myself to stay that long. It was like they were ridiculing my parents. And I wasn't even particularly a fan of that movie.

Posted By Chris : August 27, 2007 12:35 pm

Very valid topic. I'm sure all of us are exasperated at one time or another by this problem. And it seems to happen more frequently as time goes on. At my house, if it was made ( music as well ) before the mid 90's it is considered "old People" stuff. Unless it has Ah-nald in it, then it's acceptable. Try getting a 14-year old to see the finer points of cinematography and story-telling as used by Welles in a scene in a shadow-filled tunnel. And don't even mention Kurosawa… black and white is bad enough, but sub-titles?!! Perish the thought! I imagine some of the younger generation will grow into an appreciation of older movies, butI'm not holding my breath on most of them. But like our generation, there should be a few. Heck, we defied the odds, didn't we?

Posted By Ed : August 27, 2007 6:08 pm

Here's the flip side: When my daughter was a teenager (the 90s) she would have her favorites among new or recent films and we would dutifully watch some of them with her to be fair. Despite lacking the polish and the charm and the wonderful writing and acting (etc.) of the classic films we–the parents–love, we had a good time watching entertaining movies we otherwise would not have even thought twice about.We still remember funny little bits from Adventures in Babysitting! I gave up trying to convince others of the intrinsic quality of the old Hollywood product a long time ago. Just like the old adage–"You can't argue with a libertarian." Meantime, my daughter grew to understand why we liked the old stuff, and knowing about them and the people who made them has made her a more "rounded" person.

Posted By Medusa : August 27, 2007 6:35 pm

Okay, HighHurdler, you are a fellow Morlock and everything, but I happen to love Napoleon Dynamite, and I do think it's truly great, in its own peculiar and adorable way, of course.

Posted By Rick J : August 27, 2007 8:07 pm

Being born in the early 40's and reaching teen status in the 50's, I was raised with B&W films and grew up with the classics. The first time I saw "Citizen Kane", it was on my parents B&W TV. Even as a teenager, I was drawn to this film. Over the years I have watched many of the classic, and not so classic films. Some of my favorites are not even classic, but I enjoy them just the same. Sometimes it's the actors, or maybe the plot, or music, or how it was filmed. I have my favorite directors too.And there's something about the last line of the "Maltese Falcon" that always gets me, as it is not even in the Dashiel Hammets's book. Ward Bond asks Humphrey Bogart, "What's this, Sam?" And he reply's, "It's the stuff dreams are made of." They just don't write them as they used to.

Posted By MDR : August 28, 2007 7:29 am

Thanks for all the comments and responses; it appears that I've struck a cord with some kindred souls and inadvertently upset a fellow Morlock (sorry Medusa).Ed, every Saturday night in our household is family movie night and we watch a mix of newer (sometimes at the theater, despite the less than ideal environment) and older films. It's interesting to see what the kids choose to watch, e.g. movies they've heard about through friends etc., and the latest ones keep us current with what's going on these days on the dating front, peer pressure issues, and other situations (as well as helping us to understand the newest slang;-) Regardless as to whether it's a new or old one, watch a movie with one's kids is good family time that prompts discussion and (ultimately) bonding.Don't forget to read my article today, ironically similar to this topic.

Posted By MDR : August 28, 2007 7:31 am

Thanks for all the comments and responses; it appears that I've struck a cord with some kindred souls and inadvertently upset a fellow Morlock (sorry Medusa).Ed, every Saturday night in our household is family movie night and we watch a mix of newer (sometimes at the theater, despite the less than ideal environment) and older films. It's interesting to see what the kids choose to watch, e.g. movies they've heard about through friends etc., and the latest ones keep us current with what's going on these days on the dating front, peer pressure issues, and other situations (as well as helping us to understand the newest slang;-) Regardless as to whether it's a new or old one, watching a movie with one's kids is good family time that prompts discussion and (ultimately) promotes bonding.Don't forget to read my article today, ironically similar to this topic.

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