It's Christmastime! A Gift Guide For Classic Film Lovers.

I've seen a few of gift guides popping up on various blogs and decided that I'd jump on the bandwagon and give it a go. Whether you're buying for someone who is already a huge classics fan or whether you're trying lure someone into the world of classic film, this list is for you!  

1. Yul Brynner: A Photographic Journey

I've been eyeing this up ever since it was first published last year. And, although I've not actually seen it in the flesh, I have seen many of the photos people have scanned from it and can vouch for their extreme wonderfulness. The photos are absolutely breathtaking and I guarantee you that the classic film fan in your life will absolutely love this!

2. Myrna Loy and William Powell Collection

Contains: Manhattan Melodrama (1934), Evelyn Prentice (1934), Double Wedding (1937), I Love You Again (1940), Love Crazy (1941).

You can't beat a bit of Loy and Powell and this box set is chock-a-bloc with five of their always wonderful films.

A cheaper alternative: The Thin Man Complete Collection

3. Forbidden Hollywood Collection (Vol.1, Vol.2, & Vol.3)

Vol.1: Baby Face (1933), Red Headed Woman (1932), Waterloo Bridge (1931).

Vol.2: The Divorcee (1930), A Free Soul (1931), Three on a Match (1932), Female (1933), Night Nurse (1931).

Vol.3: Other Men's Women (1931), The Purchase Price (1932), Frisco Jenny (1932), Midnight Mary (1933), Heroes For Sale (1933), Wild Boys of the Road (1933).

You don't get much better that a box set full of Pre-Codes. Oh, but wait, what about THREE box sets full of pre codes? Now you're talking. Someday these beautiful babies will be mine. MINE. 

4. That's Entertainment! Deluxe Four Disc Collector's Edition

I think everyone has seen parts of That's Entertainment! on tv around Christmas every year but this four disc set is just fabulous and I know I would love to find it sitting under my tree. Apparently, although Amazon says that the four disc set is Region 1, in actuality it is region free so I would definitely shell out the extra money for this superior (or so I'm told) set as opposed to the Region 2 three disc set.

5. Brief Encounter Blu Ray

I personally don't own a blu ray player yet but for anyone who does, this is a must. Can you imagine how much more depressing and heartbreaking this film must be in HD? I feel tears welling up just thinking about it.

6. The Sound of Music Gift Set

Does this really need to be explained? I thought not. 

A cheaper alternative: The Sound of Music 45th Anniversary Edition (Blu-ray + DVD)

7. Alfred Hitchcock 14 Disc Box Set

Contains: Saboteur (1942), Shadow of a Doubt (1943), Rope (1948), Rear Window (1954), The Trouble With Harry (1955), The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956), Vertigo (1958), Pyscho (1960), The Birds (1963), Torn Curtain (1966), Topaz (1969), Frenzy (1972), Family Plot (1976).

I gave this to my brother for Christmas last year to try and get him into classics. I'm not sure it worked but it's still a really brilliant box set. 

8. The Red Shoes Criterion Collection

When I eventually buy my first Criterion DVD, I just know this will be one of my top choices. I saw The Red Shoes for the first time a couple of weeks ago and it was more magnificent than I could have imagined. And come on, just look at the DVD cover! Who wouldn't want to have that in a place of prominence in their house? 

A cheaper alternative: The Red Shoes - Restored (Blu Ray)

9. Billy Wilder Collection Vol.1&Vol.2

Vol.1: Some Like it Hot (1959), One, Two, Three (1961), Irma La Douce (1963), Kiss Me, Stupid (1964), Avanti!(1972). 

Vol.2: The Seven Year Itch (1955), Witness For the Prosecution (1957), The Apartment (1960), The Fortune Cookie (1966), The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes (1970).

Billy Wilder. That is all. No, but in all honesty, as well as looking pretty snazzy, I think I'm safe in saying that these box sets would go down very well with most classic film fans.

10. Tracy and Hepburn the Definitive Collection

Contains: Woman of the Year (1942), Keeper of the Flame (1942), Without Love (1945), The Sea of Grass (1947), State of the Union (1948), Adam's Rib (1949), Pat and Mike (1952), Desk Set (1957), Guess Who's Coming To Dinner? (1967).

This box set is just exploding with awesome. There have been many Tracy&Hepburn box sets made but this is the only one so far to include all 9 of their films. 

A cheaper alternative: The Tracy and Hepburn Signature Collection 

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Hope you enjoyed drooling over this list! (It's OK, I did too ;D) Speak to you soon!

Sophie's Top 10 Overrated Classics

So, which films do you think are overrated? A few titles, varying from person to person, always come to mind when that perennial question is asked. They might be films that 60 or 70 years on are still known by name at least by most people but that are, in essence, nothing more that exaggerated pieces of fluff (lol, you all know which blustery piece of cinema history I'm talking about.). Or they might be veritable cinematic masterpieces that, whilst the majority of the world fawns over them, you yourself find a little blegh. So please, take this list with a pinch of salt. It's deliberately flippant. There's only one film on this list that I can honestly say I absolutely detest. If you can guess which it is I won't give you a cookie (hint: it's not #1). Also, if you haven't seen some of these films please don't let my opinion of them put you off (not that any of you put such a huge weight on any of my opinions ;D) because I'm not saying these are terrible films (apart from one), I'm saying they're overrated. There's a world of difference. I think. Erm, let's get on with the show...

(Instead of writing long-winded descriptions of why I think they're overrated or why I disliked them, I'm just going to write three words that sum the film up for me. Watch me get less and less witty as the list progresses.)

#10 It's a Wonderful Life, 1946

Overly sentimental mush.

#9 Double Indemnity, 1944

That damn wig.

#8 North by Northwest, 1959

Exciting. Boooooooring. Exciting.

#7 Roman Holiday, 1953

Nauseating chick flick.

#6 The Wizard of Oz, 1939

Utterly, utterly terrifying.

#5 Pyscho, 1960

He killed her (now what?).

#4 West Side Story, 1961

(And the award for the most annoying musical ever goes to): West Side Story.

#3 Casablanca, 1942

Boring, dreary, dull.

#2 Gone With the Wind, 1939

Glorified soap opera.

#1 Citizen Kane, 1941

Everyone adores this?!
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Feel free to despise me from now on :D But AYYYEEEEAYYY WILL ALWAYS LOVE YOUUUU! Bye!

100 Essential Classic Films: Part 3 (80-71)

(You can find the other 100 Essential Classic Film posts here)

#80 The Browning Version, 1951

Dir.: Anthony Asquith

Starring: Michael Redgrave, Jean Kent, Nigel Patrick

IMDb says: Forced to retire from an English public school. a disliked professor must confront his utter failures as a teacher, a husband, and a man.

Why I picked it: When I first saw this four years ago I really thought I wouldn't like it at all but from the word go, I was completely drawn in my the story. It's a magnificent. Although certainly not the type of film that one can watch over and over again, it really does deserve two or three watches because there is so much to be gleaned from it.

#79 Cool Hand Luke, 1967

Dir.: Stuart Rosenberg

Starring: Paul Newman, George Kennedy

IMDb says: A free-spirited convict refuses to conform to chain-gang life.

Why I picked it: In this film Paul Newman plays one of cinema's most brilliant and memorable anti-heroes, Luke Jackson. This is a film that makes it impossible for you to glance away from the scene even for a second; a film that necessitates more than one viewing for even minimal understanding of the incredible story. Whilst it may not appeal to everyone, I really can't recommend it enough.

#78 The Big Country, 1958

Dir.: William Wyler

Starring: Gregory Peck, Jean Simmons, Caroll Baker, Charlton Heston

IMDb says: A New Englander arrives in the Old West, where he becomes embroiled in a feud between two families over a valuable patch of land.

Why I picked it: I'm not a fan of Westerns and I never have been but this breathtakingly stunning film is one of the exceptions. As well as having one the best casts a film ever had, The Big Country has a really intriguing and exciting storyline, beautiful cinematography, and is absolutely epic.

#77 The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp, 1943

Dir.: Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger

Starring: Roger Livesey, Deborah Kerr, Anton Walbrook

IMDb says: Portrays in warm-hearted detail the life and loves of one extraordinary man.

Why I picked it: The Archers made so many brilliant films but Colonel Blimp has to be one of the greatest of the lot. Besides the amazing work they did of directing, the entire cast all give excellent performances too (a special nod to Deborah for so magnificently pulling of playing three different women in one film). Keep a packet of tissues handy for this one!

#76 Rebel Without a Cause, 1955

Dir.: Nicholas Ray

Starring: James Dean, Natalie Wood, Sal Mineo

IMDb says: A rebellious young man with a troubled past comes to a new town, finding friends and enemies.

Why I picked it: Everyone knows about Rebel whether they've seen it or not and, as such, I'm not going to rave about it here, I'm just going to recommend that you watch it ASAP because this is one of those rare films that actually live up to the "hype".

#75 Whistle Down the Wind, 1961

Dir.: Bryan Forbes

Starring: Hayley Mills, Diane Holgate, Alan Barnes, Alan Bates, Bernard Lee

IMDb says: When an injured wife murderer takes refuge on a remote Lancashire farm, the owners three children mistakenly believe him to be the Second Coming of Christ.

Why I picked it: Whistle Down the Wind is a beautiful film which I would venture to say is one of the greatest British films ever made. It's charm and sense of nostalgia is timeless; it has a innocence about it that is just as touching today as it undoubtedly was when it came out.

#74 I'll Be Seeing You, 1944

Dir.: William Dieterle

Starring: Ginger Rogers, Joseph Cotten, Shirley Temple, Spring Byington

IMDb says: A soldier suffering from battle fatigue meets a young woman on Christmas furlough from prison and their mutual loneliness blossoms into romance.

Why I picked it: I watched this film for the first time after Audrey included it in her Box Set Monday post . She described it as being a film that "has a very quiet and honest feel about" and I can certainly vouch for that. It's a Christmas film with a difference and, as we're in December now, I highly recommend a viewing! ;D

#73 Swing Time, 1936

Dir.: George Stevens

Starring: Ginger Rogers, Fred Astaire

IMDb says: A performer and gambler travels to New York City to raise the $25,000 he needs to marry his fiancée, only to become entangled with a beautiful aspiring dancer.

Why I picked it: When I was figuring out which films to put on this huge list, at one point realised that something was lacking on the list. After much head scratching, I realised I needed a Fred and Ginger film. As Swing Time is my favourite, I immediately chose that one. It's fresh, it's snappy, it has one the most incredible dance scenes ever, and it's FRED AND GINGER! What's not to love?!

#72 Gentlemen's Agreement, 1947

Dir.: Elia Kazan

Starring: Gregory Peck, Dorothy McGuire, Celeste Holm, June Havoc, John Garfield

IMDb says: A reporter pretends to be Jewish in order to cover a story on anti-Semitism, and personally discovers the true depths of bigotry and hatred.

Why I picked it: When I switched on the tv and saw this was playing, I have to admit I wasn't expecting too much of it. After all, Hollywood isn't really the best at handling delicate issues such as this. However, I became immediately engrossed and when the film ended I was pleasantly surprised with how amazing the film actually was. Like any film, it has it's flaws, but when you consider the year in which it was made it really is quite incredible.

#71 Modern Times, 1936

Dir.: Charlie Chaplin

Starring: Charlie Chaplin, Paulette Goddard

IMDb says: The Tramp struggles to live in modern industrial society with the help of a young homeless woman.

Why I picked it: Arguably one of Chaplin's finest films, Modern Times is a beautiful film which, whilst full to the brim with many hilarious comedy scenes that only the great Chaplin could pull off, also has a deeper, more sobering message to tell. The final scene where Chaplin and Goddard walk off, hand in hand, along a long (and winding) road with only themselves and their smiles to keep them going is definitely one of the most moving and most beautiful endings of a film ever.

Thanks for reading!

My Year in Film: October & November

October

289. The Out of Towners (1970)
290. Veronica Guerin (2003)
291. The Children's Hour (1961)
292. The Good German (2006)
293. Valkyrie (2008)
294. Flying Down to Rio (1933)
295. Groundhog Day (1993)
296. Walk the Line (2005)
297. Father Goose (1964)
298. Show Boat (1936)

November

299. Together Again (1944)
300. The Guilt of Janet Ames (1947)
301. A Woman of Distinction (1950)
302. Take a Letter, Darling (1948)
303. Fast and Loose (1939)
304. Another Thin Man (1939)
305. Shadow of the Thin Man (1941)
306. Marriage on the Rocks (1965)
307. A Place in the Sun (1951)
308. The Glass Key (1942)
309. Man Hunt (1941)
310. Topper (1937)
311. The Princess Comes Across (1936)
312. Letter From an Unknown Woman (1948)
313. Wuthering Heights (1939)
314. Lifeboat (1944)
315. Love Before Breakfast (1936)
316. Frenzy (1972)
317. Love is News (1937)
318. 'I Know Where I'm Going' (1945)
319. Imitation of Life (1934)
320. The Night of the Hunter (1955)
321. The Miniver Story (1950)
322. Carefree (1938)
323. Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1931)
324. Spellbound (1945)
325. Sylvia Scarlett (1935)
326. L'Atlante (1934)
327. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)
328. Thor (2011)

1900s - 0
1910s - 0
1920s - 0
1930s - 14
1940s - 10
1950s - 4
1960s - 3
1970s - 2
1980s - 0
1990s - 1
2000s - 5
2010s - 1

Most Watched Actresses 

Rosalind Russell - 4
Carole Lombard - 2
Cate Blanchett - 2
Ginger Rogers - 2
Irene Dunne - 2
Miriam Hopkins - 2
Myrna Loy - 2
Shelley Winters - 2

Most Watched Actors

Cary Grant - 3
Fred Astaire - 2
Fred MacMurray - 2
Walter Pidgeon - 2
William Powell - 2

Favourite films of the month(s)
Walk the Line, Father Goose, Show Boat, A Woman of Distinction, The Princess Comes Across, and Lifeboat.

I thought that you would rue it; I doubted you'd do it. But now I must admit it that succeed you did!

*drum roll*

So, hi there everyone! Do you still remember me? I hope so because I have some really exciting news. Remember the last post I wrote on here back on Nov. 7? Well, despite the fact that 5 days ago I was sitting rather nervously on an embarrassing 25k words, I somehow, don't ask me how because I still don't know, managed to pull another 25k out of the bag and at around 5:30pm today, November 30th, 2011, validated my first ever NaNo novel. Granted it isn't finished yet but the point is that I wrote 50k in a month. 30 DAYS FOLKS! You'll forgive me if my modesty is thrown out of the window for a few minutes because I am so proud of myself I could scream/cry/dance etc.! I feel pretty brilliant right now, I can tell you. Until now, I had never written a story any longer than 8k and at the end of October when I signed up to do NaNo, if you had asked me whether I thought I would be able to write 50k in a month I would have probably laughed in your face. Which begs the question of why I signed up in the first place, but I don't have an answer for that so we'll skip over it. As I mentioned in my last post, my novel is about a movie star who came to fame during The Golden Age of Hollywood and as such, the novel spans almost 40 years. As such, I am only half (or possibly a third, we'll have to see) of the way through writing the novel but I've come this far so I have no intention of turning back. I'm not going to lie, there have been moments when I've felt like scrapping the whole thing because it just seemed to ridiculous, but now I'm at 50k and the novel has shape and movement to it, I'm really excited about it especially because I have basically winged the entire plot (not something I would ever recommend. Outlines, however basic, are lifesavers.). Anyway, I'm going to stop rambling now. If you're interested in reading a little bit about my novel you can click here and you will be taken to the "novel info" section of my NaNo profile where there is a short synopsis and an excerpt from the novel itself. 

(my NaNo word count graph and stats)

Now, before I go I just want to let everyone know that blogging will be commencing as normal tomorrow (or perhaps in a day or two depending on whether my hands can actually put together a coherent sentence after today). I have many post ideas written down in my Notebook of Brilliant Ideas, so keep your eyes peeled for those. I will also be commencing with my 100 Essential Classic Films posts (8 more to go!) so check those out as well. 

Thanks for reading everyone! Hope you've all have a wonderful November and are looking forward to cracking open the Christmas carols tomorrow (I've been desperate to do that all this month but I exercised my self-control and told myself that waiting for Dec. 1 would be my prize if I won NaNo ;D). Speak to you soon! Cheerio!

Here's a song I've been addicted to the last couple of weeks. :)