Twilight Lexicon Discussion Forums

I need to start watching more classic movies. I've seen a decent amount, but not too many. Although I love Jimmy Stewart, he's awesome! And Audrey Hepburn is an excellent actress.

Goodnight Elizabeth wrote:While in Graduate School I really wish I would've preferred Brit Lit. My Comprehensive Exams were brutal because I had to study 105 years of American Literature. Do you know how many different genres, themes, and movements there are??? My friends who were "smart" studied Brit Lit and only had to focus on maybe one decade - sometimes two. I was so jealous. My advice: go with Brit Lit. Hahahaha

You wouldn't believe it but here in Italy it's quite the opposite...Brit Lit is the toughest one since you have to cover practically everything from Beowulf to contemporary literature. The whole programme is divided in three (four for those who decide to go on with the MA) one-year courses. The second one covers about three centuries...I was going crazy!!!!!! I had to study English literature (plus some Irish and some Americans) from 1600 to 1900, plus two monographic studies on the pre-raphaelit poets....GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA People who choose American literature have to study the basics of English literature and the big authors of American, such as Henry James, Hemingway. Almost nothing compared to the Brit Lit curriculum. I wouldn't change my choice though...I've loved it, and thanks Gog I'm almost done with the Ph.D as well.

I saw The Holiday some weeks ago: it's pretty good, though I think it won't become a classic...just to keep the conversation on, any fans of sci-fi and fantasy classics?

Is the orginal Star Wars a classic? I saw that 14 times when it came out. Crazy I know but we didn't have video games back then and the movies were cheaper.

I saw The Holiday. It was really good. In answer to someone's earlier question, I like the smaller budget movies too. The Women is one of my favorites that not too many people mention. The remake was ok but I prefer the B&W. I have to be in the mood or doing laundry to watch the Epic ones like Giant.

I have to admit that I find myself in love with many of the cliched classics

Singing in the Rain is my all time favorite movie...but Casablanca too...oh, and Funny Face...

And Pride and Prejudice and Emma have to be my favorite books...and I love Shakespeare...

I found it interesting (about myself) that when I was studying Lit in college I found just as many books I hated as I found ones I loved...I felt like a traitor because all my other classmates seemed to love every piece of literature put in front of them, especially if it was deemed "classic".

~Michelle

This is the perfect thread for me. I love old movies. They're better then today's movies, in my opinion. The actors back then carried themselves in a way that you very rarely see anymore. I think my favorite actor back then is Cary Grant, and my favorite actress is Audrey Hepburn. So amazing. I'm glad to see other people who enjoy some of the same things.

What is a "classic" movie these days? Because I've had people tell me that movies from the '80s are classic, like Princess Bride and Pretty in Pink.

Bewitched I think Star Wars is definitely a classic, not only of the sci-fi genre. I love it as well. It might not be in touch with today's special effects and stuff like that but for the time when it was released it was revolutionary. And the story is so good!!!

Debussygirl That's a tough question. If you talk with film studies fanatics they'll give you a list of classics that is completely different from that of the man in the street. Since we're talking about preferences I guess a classic can be defined as a book or a movie that still stands after a lot of years, regardless genre and fashions. For example, Jane Austen is definitely a classic because her books are still read by millions of readers all over the world.
In this sense, I think some of the movies released in the 1980s can be considered as 'classics', like Breakfast Club or Pretty in Pink because they still have a huge fan base and they are able to catch the attention of the younger audiences as well.
On the other hand, Twilight and SM's books are not a classic yet...they might be still read within ten years as they might be forgotten, who knows?

Dimber...

I think you explained that really well! I agree...

Some people tend to believe that a book isn't a classic until it's been cannonized...but I think that it should be based on the amoutn of time it's stood as a favorite among readers...same with movies!

You know what we haven't talked about yet? Classic music!
I love Frank Sinatra and Nat King Cole. Their voices are soooo amazing. To this day the only version of The Christmas Song that I can listen to is by Nat King Cole.

Everytime I check out a classic book at my library, the librarian always makes some comment I take slight offense at.

For example:
This summer, I checked out a few Shakespeare books, and she says, "Getting a head start on your required reading for this year?"

and today, I checked out Wuthering Heights, and she says, "Oh, it's report time, huh?"

Ugh. Every teenager is not as ignorant as the majority of my school.