One of the crucial freedoms lost during the coronavirus epidemic has been going to the movies. Like bookstores (which I will write about in another post), cinemas are a crucial and important part of a healthy democracy and society. Films are not only great art but can be very enlightening, educational, and inspirational. Sitting in a theatre and watching a film on the big screen in the dark is a great experience.
The cinematic experience varies depending on the type of theater one attends. Most common these days are the megaplexes which have huge screens and great sound. On occasion one can pay an extra $10 to have dinner in a special section of the theater and be served by a waiter or waitress. Best experience I have had while eating dinner at a theatre was seeing Quentin Tarantino’s “Inglourious Basterds”.
Three other great cinematic experiences. In 1980, I saw “The Empire Strikes Back” on the third day of its release. What a line that was at the height of Star Wars mania! Waited for a long time to get in. It was so hot that some fat guy actually fainted and fell on some people.
In 2015, I went to see “Jaws” on the fortieth anniversary of its release at the local community theatre. I got the last ticket that was available in what was a packed house. The film works after forty years. There was a woman sitting next to me with her son who left because the kid apparently got scared. Still effective after forty years.
Not long after seeing “Jaws” I went back to the same community theatre on halloween night to see a classic double feature. Alfred Hitchcock’s “Psycho”(1960) followed by Tobe Hooper’s “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre” (1974). Both are fictional stories based on the same real life serial killer. In between films there was an expert on serial killers who gave a lecture. When “Texas Chainsaw Massacre” was on, several women got up and walked out of the theatre.
The film is not as sleazy as it sounds. There is no blood in the film but it is a psychologically disturbing film about a family of cannibals.
Best film of all time is in my opinion the original Star Wars (1977). This is the film that made me love movies. An entertaining film that incorporates elements of history, Christianity, and politics. It is a classic story of good vs evil. “Jaws” (1975) is another classic and is the first film I remember seeing at a theatre. “Raiders of the Lost Ark” (1981) is a great film that is a mixture of both “Star Wars” and “Jaws” as it was made by Stephen Spielberg and George Lucas.
I am a big fan of horror cinema and so the greatest film in that genre is “The Exorcist” (1973). I originally watched the cut version on television in the 1980s, then the theatrical version on VHS, DVD, and Blu Ray. I have seen the director’s cut of “the Exorcist” on the big screen once when it was rereleased in 2000. Aside from being a horror masterpiece, it is a great theological film.
One can see a film dozens of times on television, satellite, VHS, DVD, and blu ray but never quite get the theatrical experience. In recent years, the megaplexes have brought old films back to the big screen to celebrate the anniversaries of classics. I saw “Goodfellas” (1990) and “Reservoir Dogs” (1992) on the big screen for the first time in the local community theatre. Having watched these films numerous times at home on VHS, DVD, and blu ray it was great to see them on the big screen.
Seeing “Goodfellas” in a packed theatre was tremendously fun as everybody knows the classic lines. “Goodfellas” was nominated for best picture of 1990 but lost to “Dances with Wolves”. The only thing that “Dances with Wolves” will ever be remembered for is that it beat “Goodfellas”.
“Goodfellas” is the greatest mob movie ever made without question. Other classic films I have been fortunate enough to see on the big screen after having seen them on VHS and DVD include “Casablanca” and “The Godfather”. Always good seeing the classics with an audience.
Two classic films I saw on the big screen for the first time were “The Sound of Music” and “Gone with the Wind”. I generally hate musicals but “Sound of Music” was a pro Christian and anti Nazi film which was really excellent. I saw this in 2015 at a special screening on the fiftieth anniversary of its release. In 2014, I saw “Gone With The Wind” for the first time on the big screen on the seventy fifth anniversary of its initial release.
I may write film reviews on this blog in the future but for now I will simply list the best films of all time in their categories. As I am a Greek American, I will start by listing the best Greek themed movie of all time.
Best Film with a Greek theme of all time,
Elia Kazan’s America America (1963). Nominated for several Oscars including best picture and best director. The film is a semi biographical account of the directors uncle who left Ottoman Anatolia for America. The director himself is a Greek who was born in Constantinople in 1910.
Forget garbage like “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” (I may have something to say about that piece of shit later). This is the best English language film ever made about the Greek experience. It shows the lives of Greek and Armenian Christians in Anatolia in 1896. And it shows the importance of faith. One of the best scenes in the film is the Greek father demanding silence as his family gathers to pray together in their home. Full review will be coming soon.
Best Horror Film of all time,
As mentioned above, William Friedkin’s “The Exorcist”. Runner up in this category is George Romero’s “Night of the Living Dead” (1968).
Best political film of all time,
Gillo Pontecorvo’s “The Battle of Algiers”(1966). Classic work on the Algerian war of independence. Takes a look at the brutality of French colonialism.
Best Mob film of all time,
As mentioned above, Martin Scorcese’s “Goodfellas” (1990). Scorcese is also the greatest Director of all time. Runner up in this category is Francis Ford Coppola’s “The Godfather” (1972).
Best historical fiction film of all time,
Quentin Tarantino’s “Inglourious Basterds” (2009). With everything we know about Auschwitz, who would not have wanted Nazis to be dealt with in the manner as the “Basterds” deal with them? Runner up is Quentin Tarantino’s “Django Unchained” (2012).
Best Film of all time,
Star Wars (1977) (To be reviewed later).
I have never written about movies before but decided to write about movies and the movie experience on the grounds that under the present circumstances going to the movies is no longer possible. You never miss something until its gone.
Going to the movies is not essential but it is something that I found enjoyable. As much as I like blu ray and widescreen televisions the experience is simply not the same. It will be a tremendous loss if movie theaters do not come back.
The coronavirus is a horrible disease. Without the arrogance and apathy of a certain totalitarian government, it is quite possible that the disease could have been contained. Therefore, there is definitely a political connotation to what has happened.
A few years ago, there was an excellent book “The collaboration” by Ben Urwand who wrote about failed attempts in Hollywood to make a film exposing Hitler. Hollywood depended on the German market to show its films to such an extent that it suppressed efforts to make serious films about Hitler. It was not until after war in Europe broke out that Hollywood started making anti Nazi films.
In 1933, efforts were made to make a film about the Armenian Genocide. Like the Germans, the Turks exerted pressure to enforce a policy of censorship and to deny oppressed people the ability to tell their stories. Oppressive governments fear Cinema much more than they do books.
As the world begins to slowly reopen, one can only hope that movie theaters will be back. Certainly, life will never be the same without them. Technically, movie theaters are not essential in the same way as pharmacies or supermarkets, but in terms of democracy and civilization they are most certainly essential.
Political, historical, and religious films make an impact and stir debate when they open in cinemas. Such an impact will be non existent if films are to be released only on DVD, blu ray, or netflix. For example, Mel Gibson’s “Passion of the Christ” stirred up a good deal of discussion on matters of faith when it was released in cinemas. Martin Scorcese’s movies often deal with spiritual themes that have to do with individuals who become corrupt and pay a heavy price for their sins.
Oliver Stone has produced a number of controversial but necessary films of a social and political nature. This is art. Art is best shown on the big screen.
There is no adequate substitution for the cinematic experience.