The Ten Hardest Movies To Turn Off Once You Start Watching Them
8. Road House
Shut up, it’s a great movie! One night when my wife was out of town, I started watching this over dinner and watched the whole thing. Next night, it was on again — I watched it again. Thank heavens my wife came back, or I’d still be sitting there, a skeleton staring at Patrick Swayze ripping bad guys’ throats out. And great writing: “Pain don’t hurt.” “Be nice — until it’s time to not be nice.” One quotable line after another.
A great escape — back from the days when star-studded meant studded with stars. Steve McQueen, James Garner, Richard Attenborough versus the Nazis. How can you turn it off? The British complain that the film Americanizes what was essentially a British operation. Tough luck, Brits. Next time, don’t raise the tax on tea and you’ll be able to make your own great movies.
10. The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance
More than thirty years ago, my wife phoned me while I was watching this to tell me someone had stolen her purse and she was upset and would I come pick her up? I went — but I still bring it up in a sulky, accusatory tone of voice from time to time. She interrupted Liberty Valance. I mean, when you know I’m watching this, keep your eye on your purse, all right?
8. Road House
Shut up, it’s a great movie!
Yes.
My only complaint is that while Kelly Lynch is sure purty, someone should mention that when acting, you should only look concussed after a scene in which you were hit in the head.
Road House, a bit too cheesy, but I’ve always liked Patrick Swayze.
Spartacus, The Right Stuff, Animal House and Stripes.
There’s also the great line in the Big Red One where an inmate in a nut house turns loose a German machine gun on a crowd and yells, “See, I’m as sane as you!”
I stopped watching movies after “Showgirls” was so unfairly passed over at the Oscars.
No Question, Comment of the Week.
Pretty good list – especially Gone With The Wind and Lawrence of Arabia. I have to add Doctor Zhivago.
Absolutely the big three….and my fourth would probably be “The English Patient.”
The English Patient? Really?
The only way I survived watching that movie the one time I saw it was because I was promised nookie afterwards.
If I had to watch it again I would seriously consider taking out my Mauser and placing it to my head.
I couldn’t say it any better!
Of course. The bathtub scene in The English Patient puts all the ladies ‘in the mood.’ Just saying.
I have seen a great many tiresome movies in my (rather long) lifetime and I don’t dose off easily. But there are two movies that literally put me into deep sleep. One was “Easy Rider” and the other was “The English Patient.”
I’ll confess to Napoleon Dynamaite and Jaws.
I’m a Jaws junkie, too. Love the scene where Robert Shaw’s Quint talks about being on the Indianapolis.
I have to agree about that scene in Jaws. My first boss was a survivor of the Indianapolis and he said it was very accurate.
HOWEVER, this is such a guy list. The title should be 10 Movies Most Guys Cannot Turn Off. What about us ladies? And movies that are not dramas?
Goodfellas would absolutely NOT be on my list. It is too offensive to be entertaining.
How about Tombstone and Dances With Wolves? The Thing (Kurt Russell version) and Snatch? Jurassic Park? Indiana Jones? Ocean’s Eleven? Legends of the Fall? Pride and Prejudice? Star Wars? The latest version of Star Trek? the new Sherlock Holmes movies? Master and Commander. The Gladiator. Shakespeare in Love. Not a real girly list, but definitely movies few would walk out on.
I am glad I don’t have to pick only 10!
Body Heat. Definitely. Can. Not. Stop. Watching.
Check this and you will see what I mean about BODY HEAT! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7AA_OzWyBqs
Yes, I agree that it’s a guy list, though GWTW had me doubting that for a bit.
I’d put The Sound of Music up there, or maybe Breakfast at Tiffany’s. It’s also devoid of science fiction, but seriously, who CAN’T keep watching young Harrison Ford and feisty Carrie Fischer in Star Wars (surely I don’t have to mention which one).
OMGoodness, the uncle in Napoleon was the bomb
Casablanca. Ingrid Bergman. ‘Nuff said.
Seen it too many times; too much of a good thing. Maybe if I wait a few years, I can bear to watch it again.
Yes indeed, this is the one. It’s got an air tight script (with some of the most memorable lines in cinema), great acting from great actors, patriotism, sacrifice, and nobility. Simply the very best the entertainment industry has to offer.
2 out of 10. I’d put “Stalag 17″ up there, for personal reasons. And how did “Godfather Part 2″ not make the cut?
“I’d put “Stalag 17″ up there, for personal reasons.” Of course. I expected this from you, and I don’t disagree.
I would include:
The Caine Mutiny
El Dorado
Midway
The Caine Mutiny. Definitely.
Midway. Meh.
Have you ever seen The Godfather Saga? They cut Godfather 1 & 2 to put the story into chronological order. It’s wonderful and a great way to lose about 5 hours of your life.
I do like the Godfather Saga version of the the two movies. I wouldn’t say that it is better, but it includes some expanded scenes that really should have been in the original movies.
Yep, that’s a great version.
Thanks for lightening up my morning! An excellent piece of humor writing.
It’s a good list all right but it needs a comedy. I nominate Airplane. Surely one can’t stop watching it. I know I can’t and don’t call me Shirley.
I agree that a comedy should be included – my nominee would be “Blazing Saddles”. For my money, that is the funniest movie of all time.
Others I would add are: Godfather II, Bridge on the River Kwai, In Harm’s Way, and The Natural (I’m a huge baseball fan).
“I agree that a comedy should be included – my nominee would be “Blazing Saddles”. For my money, that is the funniest movie of all time.”
Ah, yes! And provided many a working stiff with a great Monday morning line for many years thereafter, i.e., “What’s a dashing young urbanite like yourself doing in a place like this?”
Not to hijack this thread, but what are the most quotable movies of all time.
I vote for Animal House.
“Boon, I anticipate a deeply religious experience.”
I agree completely that a comedy should be included and Animal House is a close second. My favorite is Caddyshack, without a doubt. There are more memorable one liners in that movie than any I can remember.
Al Czervik: Oh, this is your wife ? A lovely lady. Hey babe, you must have been something before electricity.
Al Czervik; This is the worst hat I have ever seen. What when you buy a hat like this, I bet you get a free bowl of soup. (looks at Judge Smails wearing the exact same hat),”It looks good on you though.
Judge Smails; I’ve sentenced boys younger than you to the gas chamber. Didn’t want to do it. I felt I owed it to him.
Ty Webb: Thank you very little.
Judge Smails: Don’t you people have jobs?
Smails; You will get nothing and like it !
Danny; I plannned on going to law school after I graduated, but it looks like my folks won’t be able to afford to go.
Smails; Well the world needs ditch diggers too.
Ty Webb; Remember Danny, two wrongs don’t make a right, but three rights make a feft.
And I didn’t even mention Carl Spackler. It’s in the hole !!
Make my day.
Legally Blonde.
If we’re gonna nominate a comedy, I would nominate “Some Like it Hot.”
I don’t know, though, that others would find it one of the hardest movies to turn off.
It’s like that for me, but not like the Godfather is – so I think what Klavin is saying is a bit different from how I respond to the comedy.
I laughed my tail off the first time I saw Blazing Saddles, several decades ago. Then got it out to watch with my kids (you know, “This is such a funny movie, you’ll love it!”) but…. ho hum, rolled eyes, “huh?!?” . Movie did not ‘age well.’
My nominee would be “Doctor Strangelove,” the best comedy-satire ever.
Once the general gives the Go-code to the B-52s to deliver their hydrogen bombs to the targets, you just can’t stop watching it. The movie’s pacing is just about perfect.
Galaxy Quest. We laughed so hard we were afraid they were going to throw us out of the theater.
Galaxy Quest had some fine moments but our family (and everyone between 40 and 55) quotes “Holy Grail” more. “She turned me into a newt!” “A newt?!” “Well, I got better” And “The Great Race”: Jack Lemmon and Peter Falk were amazing.
The Great Reace is a far too unappreciated gem.
Love that movie.
I would include the Bridge on the River Kwai.
Good one.
I wouldn’t simply because it was mostly a whitewash of the historical record.
You are right Mike. It got me again two or three nights ago when I definitely had other things to do.
Casablanca, definitely. How can you not get choked up watching the duel between “Watch on the Rhine” and “La Marseilles?” Also, Ingrid Bergman. . .
So many great movies and I agree with (almost all the ones on) your list. But no submarine movies? Seriously? Take your pick from Run Silent, Run Deep, Hunt for Red October, Das Boot, U571 etc…
Oh and seriously deficient in comedies. Everyone loves Ferris Bueller’s Day Off- that’s an easy one. But my favourite must watch movies include ‘His Girl Friday’ (Cary Grant at his best..), and though politically incorrect for PJMedia ‘What’s Up Doc’ (Barbra Streisand, I know but its a Buck Henry screenplay..) If its any consolation, Babs apparently was ‘embarrassed’ by it even though its the best thing she ever did.
Love What’s Up Doc–Streisand and O’Neal at their bests (at his best, Ryan O’Neal came as close to being the “new” Cary Grant as anyone–he did a great homage to the master in this one) and the introduction of the fabulous Madeline Kahn. I just saw His Girl Friday the other night. Grant and Russell are sublime. Wish Howard Hawks had directed more comedies.
“No submarine movies?”
Heheh. We ARE all getting just a little obsessed about our genres and subgenres, aren’t we?
I have to agree about Red October, and I don’t even like military movies. It’s more a mystery/thriller in my book, and a patriotic one at that.
2 movies, both new, I watched ALL THE WAY THROUGH!
“Moneyball”, even tho I am not a Pitt fan, and don’t understand baseball, but give Pitt his oscar, he pulled me through (to me, a confusing story) by his great (yes, great!) acting.
“The Way”, a road story, 4 completely different people travel by foot, the Camino to St. James of Compostelo (spelling?). Each person has a reason for making the trek, one to lose weight, one to write yet another travel book, one to do the trek in the place of his dead son, one to quit smoking… And how they all react, at the end of their various journeys… A really great movie!
Also, I must mention again, the series, now quite old, “Firefly” along with “Serenity”. Lovely. “a government is for getting in your way”; of course, the government takes your profit, that is the way of civilization; Lovely.
Firefly is not old! Firefly is classic- like Babylon 5 and the Star Trek (the original).
I’m surprised no one mentioned “Shawshank Redemption.” Not an action movie but one of the most gripping human interest movies I’ve ever seen. Almost always continue watching it if I come across it while channel surfing.
Another great submarine movie is “Grey Lady Down,” a riveting movie about the rescue of an injured submarine with time running out because of their limited supply of oxygen.
Shawshank Redemption, absolutely.
“Dr. Zhivago” before “Lawrence”, Andrew. C’mon!
For comedy? “Bananas” (despite its whachy liberal creator). Fielding Mellish. Wearing his red-bearded “Castro” disguise. I’m still laughing. Also, “The Great Race.” Jack Lemon was amazing in the dual roles he played.
For sheer classiness? “To Catch a Thief”, featuring two of the most glamorous stars ever.
Science Fiction? 2001. It was real.
“The Sting” is entertaining. So is “Butch Cassidy …” Redford (boo!) and Newman (yay!). Great team.
And “Cuckoo’s Nest.” Nicholson at his finest.
Great list. I would add SUNSET BOULEVARD AND ALL ABOUT EVE.
Can never stop watching once I tune in.
(My own personal fav – CASABLANCA has already been mentioned.)
The list is O.K., but I also liked attack of the clones.
Aww, man, Red Dawn didn’t make the cut?
Red Dawn was crap
But I loved it to death anyway!
“all that hate’ll burn you out kid”
“keeps me warm”
Blade Runner, The Man Who Would Be King, Raising Arizona
Great List!
I would add Heartbreak Ridge, The Great Race (‘Push the Button, Max!’) and as others have said, Casablanca, River Kwai, Shawshank and The Sting
Might I add, Gunga Din, Captains Courageous (the 1937 Spencer Tracy Masterpiece).
Any/all of the Thin Man series. Fiddler. Big Trouble In Little China! They Were Expendable.
The Quiet Man. And let’s not forget……………………………
Ahh the Quiet Man – best fight scene ever put to celluloid. I’ll have to watch it on St. Patrick’s day while sipping green beer.
By all means any of The Thin Man movies though I have to put in a word for “After the Thin Man” as the best of them. Also Hitchcock’s “Notorious.” Oh and the original (and only the original) version of “Flight of the Phoenix.”
Good list, but I would add “Vertigo” & “8 1/2″.
Ray Bradbury once wrote an essay demonstrating how Singing in the Rain is actually a science fiction movie. His case was that the lives of the people in the movie were turned upside down by the science of bringing sound to movies. It really made me look at the movie in a different way
The Uninvited (Ray Milland) Rear Window, Vertigo,
Definitely Rear Window. No one likes to admit they enjoying snooping on their neighbors but we all do.
Dr. Strangelove. Peter Sellers at his zenith.
I concur.
Yes.
And not just Peter Sellers.
George C. Scott has a comedic role in that movie that he handles beautifully.
Speaking of ol’ George: where is “Patton?”
Maybe I’m on my own there….
You do realize that Dr. Strangelove was made as a savagely satirical attack on political conservatives during the early 1960′s. The ex-Nazi Peter Sellers is supposed to be the intellectual conservative (think WFB), the air-force general worried about his “precious bodily fluids” is supposed to be the conservative turned insane by his archaic sexual repressions (think of the fore-runners of the evangelical right) and of course Slim Pickens is supposed to be the stupid and aggressive Texas southern conservative (the fore-runner of George Bush).
NOOOOOOOOO…this movie was a direct attack on Curtis LeMay, after keeping the Russians at bay, along with Lucius Clay, Berlin Airlift, and a hit at McCarthy(who WAS proven to be correct)
I don’t really understand the list: I’d think it’d be something more than just movies I like. Of course I find it hard to stop watching movies I really like.
I’d think that such a list would be movies that draw you in against your normal grain, perhaps because of pacing, intriguing premise or mystery – a great start. It would have to be a movie that wins you over but once it does that then it’s a favorite once again; so, it’d only work once.
So wouldn’t it be movies that have a reputation of having been hits despite a poor rap against them? Movies I’d thought might be boring? A surprise?
It would seem to me that the most obvious choices would be movies that are almost entirely character driven, without any obvious action sequences or immediate payoff.
Maybe I’d list “Vatel,” “Sense and Sensibility,” “Emma,” “Good Will Hunting,” “Kiss of the Spider Woman,” “Glengarry, Glen Ross.” But I also found “The Mummy” drew me in when I thought it’d be just another dumb horror film like its sequels turned out to be and “The Fifth Element” because of it’s endless creativity. I guess the best candidates are also either mysteries or movies where you just can’t see where the plot will go like “Nine.”
I found “Wall-E” difficult to stop watching because of the way it drew you on to the next mystery.
How about movies that were easy to stop watching: “The Fountain,” “Black Swan,” “District 9,” “Atonement,” “The Aviator,” “Gangs of New York,” “Chicago,”
An excellent point about movies that draw you in, even against your will. I would nominate “Frailty”.
What movie draws you in? How about Elizabeth Hurley playing the Devil in Bedazzled. Funniest movie I’ve seen in a long time. In reverse-role plot twists Hurley turns Brenden Fraser’s girlfriend (wanna be) or himself into devils of a sort. The last twist makes his girlfriend without fault only to find he, himself, has been turned gay! Hurley, as the Devil, plays a knockout role as actual suitor/temptress to Brenden, who doesn’t want to trust her, since she is, after all, the Devil. When Brenden tells her he thinks women don’t know what they want, Hurley smiles and says a lusty “Amen!” Every scene has gags in it, as when Hurley is playing chess with a god-like character, and Hurley diverts his attention and cheats by rearranging the chess pieces. As a strange cheerleading Devil, Hurley grants desires to eliminate self-deceptions and increase maturity through side-aching humor.
Sometime I found myself watching movies on tv that I did not think were worth watching again, eg Demolition Man, just because I was in the mood for light entertainment. But I guess that is not relevant: the issue here is movies that are hard to turn off, and for me these are mostly comedies, particularly 2 black comedies: Dr. Strangelove, and Investigation of a Citizen Above Suspicion;
Also, the best of the Marx Brothers and Monty Python.
Also some Italian comedies, particularly Amici Miei.
And of course High Noon, and The Man Who Would Be King.
Of the movies listed by our distinguished host, I liked all those which I saw, but to be honest I am not anxious to see them again in their entirety.
But why do we have to watch again an entire movie in this day and age?
I often end the day by watching selected violence from the following:
Conan the Barbarian
Troy
Ben Hur
El Cid
Polanski’s Macbeth
Rob Roy
The Duelists
Yojimbo
The Seven Samurai
13 Assassins
The Lighthorsemen
The Untouchables
Payback
Heat
The Hunted
History of Violence
Eastern Promises
Terminator 2
Matrix Reloaded
Escape from New York
Episode 3
Call me weird, but this is the sort of violence that puts me in the mood for a good night’s sleep.
It helps if after the violence I watch a short video with cute kittens, or tiger cubs.
Good call on The Untouchables. Pretty much any De Palma film fits in this category for me. I got caught up in Snake Eyes recently, which is actually a pretty lousy movie, but it’s too beautiful to turn off. Carrie is another one – how do you not keep watching Carrie?
Actually, I have not seen Carrie. I am not much of a horror fan. Except for a few very old horror movies:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0068713/reviews-73
I know it’s nearly sacrilegious, but I think The Magnificent Seven is actually a better movie than The Seven Samurai.
I agree and I though Samurai was a magnificent movie!
Alright…I’m lowbrow, but I get stuck on “The Glenn Miller Story” and “The Buddy Holly Story”.
Gary Busey’s performance as Holly was nothing short of amazing.
Well, if we’re talkin’ Rock ‘n’ Roll, for me nobody, but nobody, has ever topped Jerry Lee Lewis, so my pick would have to be “Great Balls of Fire,” with Dennis Quaid.
Okay, then let’s add “Beyond the Sea”. Loved Spacey so much I got the soundtrack. And for a little fun, “Walk Hard”.
Ken, if you liked “The Glenn Miller Story,” you would love “The Benny Goodman Story,” starring Steve Alan and Donna Reed. A wonderful love story and beautiful Big Band music throughout as well as Benny Goodman’s amazing clarinet.
It’s a good list, Mr. Klavan, and a good idea, unturnoffable movies, as opposed to unwatchable movies — a really long list!
I have to agree about The Godfather. It definitely has that quality.
Well, I mostly agree with alot of the above movie chioces, and have seen most of the ones on Klavan’s list–here’s a few more:
Where’s John Wayne? In our home, we watch “McClintock!” and “True Grit” every time they are on cable (that’s a good litmus test I think: do you watch it every time you find it on TV?);
Agree with “Notorious”, which I have watched many times, or “Psycho”, perhaps.
“Singin’ in the Rain” has comedy in it, and is a big favorite of me and my daughters. Agree with “Airplane”, “Blazing Saddles” and “Ferris Bueller” also. How about “The Philadelphia Story” with Cary Grant and Jimmy Stewart together in the same scene?
Finally, I’d like to see “Patton” on the list.
Sheraton,
I think you hit on something Klavan starts with, but we all missed (me too) in describing our all time favorites:
“..every time you find it on TV”
Isnt that an important component? The surprise “oh wow” factor of stopping and watching because its OFFERED, rather than SELECTED?
Before Cable TV I used to run home from school to catch The Great Escape, then bring that inspiration to our tree-fort as we pretended, and practiced, what we thought we’d need to believe and do, as Men someday.
Stopping to watch it when its offered feels like a sort of reverence for its impact, rather than mere consumption by flipping in a DVD whenever I want.
As much as I love Grant (all-time favorite), I also love how Stewart out-shines him in that scene. Grant knows it, too, and urges him on. Everyone is great in that movie, but Stewart is a real stand-out. A better and far more interesting performance than Smith/Washington, in my opinion. For my Wayne flick, I choose Red River, best western ever.
It was an era of real quality, drama without vulgarity or gratuitous nudity…actors could “do more with less” back then…
And they had enough class to realize they were “guests in your home” so they conducted themselves like responsible adults most of the time…
Can you imagine Jimmy Stewart flipping the bird, or Spencer Tracey dropping an F-bomb, thinking that was OK for your kids to see that at The Academy Awards??
I think I prefer Rio Bravo to McClintock! as the always watch Wayne movie. While I find both the Man Who Shot Liberty Valance and She Wore a Yellow Ribbon superior films there is a fun factor to both Rio Bravo and McClintock that makes them compulsive. I am also a huge fan of Rio Grande for its action scenes. The new recruits training scene that concludes with Roman riding over fences is awesome. CGI has stolen much of the pure joy of the type of movie making in which real riders stood on the backs of real horses at a hard gallop.
No, sorry, no. I have to say that El Dorado is superior to Rio Bravo. The cast is better, the story is more interesting and the humor is better.
The Hustler. Paul Newman, George C. Scott, Piper Laurie and Jackie Gleason. George C. Scott did not appear to accept an Oscar for Patton because The Hustler had failed to win the previous year, losing to West Side Story.
My 10, in no particular order:
Saving Private Ryan
Point Break
Tommy Boy
Goodfellas
Casino
Any Raiders movie (except the fourth one)
The Fugitive
Roadhouse
The Replacements
Heat
I’ve had enough of this!
30 replies and no one nominates Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure?
What the heck?
My Cousin Vinny? (Give it up for Marisa and Joe!)
Top Gun? (C’mon, you know you love it.)
Okay, I’m done.
You forgot to add “Pulp Fiction” to the list.
“The Spanish Prisoner”. If you even think of stopping it turns the whole plot inside out, and you’re caught again.
The TV equivalent of these can’t stop watching them movies is The Sopranos.
It’s A Wonderful Life and The Wizard Of Oz could have also been on the list.
I can only disagree with Heat. It’s not a bad movie, the pacing just leaves me bored sometimes. I actually try to watch from time to time and find I’m not always in the “mood”, so I don’t finish.
Maybe on Gone With the Wind, which I think is highly overrated. Again, not a bad movie and not having the same pacing problem I have with Heat. I don’t get bored with it…it’s just not as good as other movies I’ve seen.
Lawrence of Arabia and The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance would probably have to be in my personal top ten favorite movies list.
Other movies I can’t stop watching (not necessarily my favorites, which have a different criteria) include:
The Secret of Nimh.
Peewee’s Big Adventure
Well, I love lists…but I can’t think of any more right now and would have to physically look up movies to remind myself, so I’ll stop there.
No matter how many times I watch Casablanca, I never turn the channel when it’s on.
I like movies but am not an expert on them, so I’ll see/re-visite the ones in the list.
Just to ask: what about Giant(J.Dean, E.Taylor)? I saw it long long ago and liked it, but would love a critique from the experts and the cinema lovers here.
a cable movie that gets me nearly every time is “constantine”
road house does too as well
Considering the lists above, Americans basically seem to consider almost any movie difficult to stop watching and that the difference between film language to tell a story as opposed to poems, songs, novels and comic books to be mostly irrelevant.
What what? Are you assembling some kind of indiscriminate critical lump here? Over a relatively long life I have written and drawn “poems, songs, novels and comic books.” Gotten quite a few published, too. Not a one of them feels like a film.
Schmitz-
If you were a movie I would stop watching you. Asshat.
Kelly’s Heroes, “enough of the negative waves already”….the song is the best ever too (Burning Bridges), makes you want to get up and march
I’d nix Goodfellas and The Godfather, but add the usual suspects (har): Casablanca, To Have And Have Not, and The Searchers. I’ll also second The Man Who Would Be King. Possible second string (and definitely from a “chick” perspective): Two For The Road, How To Steal A Million, Roman Holiday — aw, heck, almost anything with Audrey Hepburn — and most of the other Hepburn/Tracy movies.
Finally! I can’t believe how far down the list of comments I had to go before somebody mentioned Audrey! Personal favorite of mine though is Moon River (Tiffany’s).
Now then, my personal stop-everything-to-watch list (certainly not in any order):
Moon River
)
McClintock!
History of the World part I
Lucky Number Slevin (One time only or else it loses its amazing-ness)
K-19 (Former submariner, what can I say?
Tora! Tora! Tora!
Despicable Me!
A Streetcar Named Desire
Princess Monoke (anime with superb writing, a godly soundtrack, and an all-star cast to boot!)
Amen to both Hepburns and Tracy as well!
No one ever did more for the Oscars than Audrey…..and IMO, any Hollywood claim to elegance died with her passing. Sabrina, Funny Face, Charade, and my all time favorite, Love in the Afternoon with Gary Cooper…..sigh……..
Not a movie, but a TV series.
Firefly
I own the DVD box set, so I can watch it whenever I want. But if I am channel surfing and see it is on, I watch.
“Some Like it Hot”, “The Producers”, and “Young Frankenstein”. (I like comedies.)
triplesec, a top ten comedy list would most definitely include those three, plus the In Laws, Monty Python and the Holy Grail and It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World…
Arsenic and Old Lace
Casablanca, definitely. It’s on? I’m screwed to my leather cigar-smoking chair. Not. Getting. Up.
Here are some others (for me):
Ronin
Heat (with Deniro and Pachino)
The Last Samurai (Tom Cruise, no kidding)
The Great Escape was the most influential film of my life.
Shown after school in three parts on “The 4:30 Movie” at least twice a year.
I was growing up in the 70′s (before cable TV) I must have seen it 25 times.
Steve Mcqueen, that cocky SOB, stickin it to them Krauts AND riding a motorcycle…
The paradox of military discipline, coupled with a fierce quest for freedom and autonomy…
it was my Epiphanny of what an American Patriot should be.
The following “un-changeable” movies of my youth, in no particular order:
Patton:
George C Scott scared the crap out of me.
I was literally afraid to look away.
If I did, I DESERVED to be slapped.
To Hell And Back:
20 Years after it happened, and Audie Murphy STILL looked like a kid?
What a man.
A Bridge Too Far:
Even when the Brass screws the pooch,
bravery, like hard work, is its own reward.
The Longest Day:
Still holds its own, even against “Private Ryan”
Great call on the 4:30 movie
I remember being totally blown away by To Hell And Back.
Patton is just a classic. Period.
I’m actually reading A Bridge Too Far right now, awesome, just awesome.
Klavin, Great list.
The thing I really worry about is catching the Godfather Trilogy (9 hours, 43 minutes)near the start. Adios, weekend.
Derth,
Thanks, The 4:30 movie was my favorite….must have been the all the cheap re-runs that were already 10-15 years old, always had something good on, before “radical hollywood” polluted everything right down to your local TV station.
Anything on Operation Market Garden should be a fine read.
Best scene from the movie:
British Paras pinned down, mauled, situation hopeless…
German soldier under flag of truce approaches:
“My general would like to discuss terms for surrender”
Scrappy Bit replies:
“Tell your general, we havent the capacity to take all of YOU prisoner at the moment…Sorry!”
German walks away completly befuddled.
Sure, its probably bull but its a morality tale of courage, commitment, and fortitude in the face of evil and tyranny…and I’m a better man for seeing it as a boy.
Who would we rather have influence our sons view of what manhood entails today, Oliver Stone and Michael Moore, or the Duke and Steve McQueen?
“Who would we rather have influence our sons view of what manhood entails today, Oliver Stone and Michael Moore, or the Duke and Steve McQueen?”
Spot on! Any movie by either of them is not to be missed….and I’d add Gary Cooper, “For Whom the Bell Tolls,” “Sergeant York,” “Friendly Persuation,” and all the rest of his too.
Also I’m sorry Mr. Klavan for misspelling your name the first time.
When I was a teen, NYC had a station called Million Dollar Movie which played a classic film continuously for a week. I saw many of those classics for the first time on MDM and we had a family viewing night for each of them. The week Yankee Doodle Dandy played, I watched it 13 times. Still love it.
YES! The Million Dollar Movie!
Mom was a theater usher in the ’40′s – 50′s
(uniform, flashlight,pill box hat)
Before cable and Turner Movie Classics, it was “The Million Dollar Movie” that taught me all the great classics mom loved..lots of great memories discovering Cagney, Bogart, Fonda (the good one) as a kid in the ’70′s
Thanks for reminding me
Road House??????? What????
What a turd of a movie. Crap acting and crap premise. Keanu Reeves(probably the worst actor of the last 20 years)is positively Shakespearian compared to Swayze’s role in Road Apple. You’re losing it, Klavan….
Everyone is allowed one movie like that, a movie that’s ridiculous but you can’t not watch it, a “guilty pleasure” movie. For me it’s Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell in “Overboard”.
“overboard” is fantastic — +1
Mine is Where the Boys Are. Right through to the final scene on the beach where George Hamilton walks away hand-in-hand with Mother Dolores.
And Up In Smoke. It’s irresistible.
My quilty pleasures are the Charlie Sheen movie “The Chase” and the silly teen flick “Toy Soldiers” with Sean Astin and Wil Wheaton. But “The Great Escape” is the greatest movie of all time. I fell in love with it as a little girl, watching it on local LA-area stations like KTLA or KCOP, which would air it over a two-night period. I alternated between wanting to BE Steve McQueen or marry him! His moniker, “the cooler king,” just said it all and, no matter how often I watch it, I still get excited seeing him make that final jump towards freedom.
I’m not sure you read the post carefully enough. What part of “Shut up, it’s a great movie,” did you not understand?
Gurgle, please post your address so that we might come to your house with a Monster Truck.
To quote Peter Griffin, “Rooooad House!”
Off topic: I just saw HEAT in 1080 HD and I know now there is a God.
If you want to see the greatest group-created movie book in history, read the imdb Board for HEAT.
Road House…excellent choice. And did anyone notice that the mainstream media omitted this movie from Ben Gazzara’s repertoire after his recent passing? He ably played the villainous “Brad Wesley”
No real arguments with your list but I’ve got a few more:
“Lion in Winter” O’Toole – Hepburn and dialogue !
“Breaker Morant” – how to do embarassing history with integrity
“Zulu” – the ‘history’ is bad – but the film sucks me in
and a couple of old-timers …
“San Francisco” – Gable, Tracy, Jeanette McDonald — sigh
“Showboat” – the 1951 version – Grayson, Keel, Gardner, the (to my ears) definitive ‘Old Man River’ and a ‘Happp……py New Year!!”
I, on the other hand, prefer the 1936 version of Showboat. Paul Robeson and Helen Morgan originated the roles of Joe and Julie and are really something special. Can’t Help Lovin’ Dat Man is a wonderful production number featuring both and their renditions of Old Man River and Bill give me the chills. Plus you get Irene Dunne in black face. What more could you ask?! They didn’t let Ava Gardner sing in the ’51 version. I saw a clip of her singing “Man” and thought she did a better job than her voice-over.
Good choices. I personally think Breaker Morant is the greatest movie ever made; it’s a tie along with The 400 Blows. I keep telling people, no I don’t like war films, no I don’t care for military stuff, I just know a great story, great acting and unbelievable directing restraint when i see it. Breaker Morant is my guilty pleasure. Others have mentioned Bridge on the River Kwai -another fabulous film.
I can see why you think that about Breaker Morant. It is almost in a class by itself….I think “Enemy at the Gates” is a stunningly great “war movie” too.
Was hoping someone would list Lion in Winter!!
I would replace “Road House” with “Slingblade”.
I’m delighted that you mentioned “The Man who Shot Liberty Vallance” – a very under-rated film, and few people I know have ever even heard of it, and if they have, they think it a mere “cowboy” movie. “Shawshank Redemption” (some people above have mentioned) I thought was cartoon-like in its lack of realism, and extremely manipulative, and cliche ridden. I loved “In the Heat of the Night” – some brilliant and unforgettable scenes; Twelve Angry Men; The Pawnbroker; Schindler’s List. Among many others! Bob Aldridge
Dittos on “Shawshank” (although I understand its appeal) and “Heat.”
Excellent list and thanks for including Great Escape and Singin’ in the Rain! The only change I would make would be to leave off Road House and substitute Dirty Dancing. This way we still have Patrick Swayze!
Another Mom that loves The Great Escape?
I thought I had the only one!
My mom loved Jimmy Gardner…The Rockford Files was a popular show when The Great Escape was on TV in my youth, we always watched both together…great memories!
Ooh, “Support Your Local Sheriff”!
I don’t know about you guys but every time “Wild Hogs” comes on I can’t help myself…a lot of the others listed are too long…
The movies that always sucker me in are the spaghetti westerns. You start out with those great scores and you think I’ll just finish listening and then you hit another scene which is worth seeing again, another and finally you might as well not miss the end. Once I get sufficiently hooked in I have to see the punchline at the end of a Few Dollars More. I can’t help it.
Slapshot works for me the same way. If you get through enough good parts of the movie you might as well see the striptease on ice.
“Putting on the foil, coach.”
If the Ramones could skate, they’d have been called the Hanson Brothers!
“I’m trying to listen to the f&%#ing song!”
How could you leave out Rio Bravo — the best western of all time.
To say nothing of The Quiet Man — the best Irish-American boxer who returns to
Ireland and marries the ravishing, wonderful Maureen O’Hara and has the best
all-through-the-village fistfight and donnybrook with her brother movie of all
time.
Geeze.
Treasure of the Sierra Madre, Young Frankenstein, Animal House
No Clint Eastwood movies? Amazing.
Blazing Saddles…one of my all time favorites, but couldn’t be made today because of “political correctness”.
Some of my personal choices to include:
Unforgiven
The French Connection
Indiana Jones
Shawshank Redemption
Apocalypto
A sports movie needs to be included as well, too many to choose from.
10 movies is way too short of a list.
Hey! Not one mention of Army of Darkness??
Army of Darkness: second that!
To add a movie I can’t stop watching: The Usual Suspects
–Kevin Spacey’s greatest role as Verbal Kint
–eminently quotable and fun to watch
Stephen Bladwin’s quotes are the best
“[counting off the men he is about to shoot] One, two, three, four, five… Oswald was a f*g.”
“Old McDonald had a farm, ee-eye-ee-eye-oh/And on that farm he shot some guys… Bada bing, bada bing bang boom.”
How indeed.
My wife watches “Burn Notice” for Jeffery Donovan, I watch because of Bruce Campbell. It’s seems no matter what he does, he justs funny as hell. Maybe because it’s his “everyman” demeanor and droll delivery.
Fugitive
Mr. and Mrs. Smith
Wanted
I’ll agree with Root 83. “Patton” is one of my hardest-to-turn-off movies of all time.
Also, for some reason I do not remember any of the “dessert” scenes from “Lawrence of Arabia.”
Great list. I got sucked into The Godfather (and part II) this week thanks to AMC.
Of all the movies mentioned, Great Escape would be tops on the list for me. I will always drop whatever I am doing to watch it, no matter what time of day.
The Outlaw Josey Wales. ‘Nuff said.
Two thumbs up!
Absolutely. Some of the best lines of Eastwood’s career. Such as;
“You gonna use those pistols, or whistle Dixie?”
“Dyin’ ain’t much of a livin’, boy.”
“I guess we all died a little in that damn war.” (And strictly speaking, he was talking about Vietnam as much as the Civil War.)
And my favorite exchange between Josey and Lone Watie (Chief Dan George);
J; “When I get to likin’ somebody too much, they ain’t around long.”
LW: “I notice that when you get to DISLIKIN’ somebody, they ain’t around too long either.”
cheers
eon
This is a darned good list and I agree with every one of them. I would add “The Third Man” if given the chance, I’ve seen it about a bazillion times but whenever it is on TCM I find myself tuning in “for just a few minutes” and am hooked till the end. Same for “Strangers on a Train.”
And thanks a lot for including “Road House.” When it first came out I (like many others) said to myself, “This is the dumbest, most over-the-top flick eever made!” But (like many others) I now find it mesmerizing. Easily the best bad movie ever made.
The Shining
No even an honorable mention for “Princess Bride”? I would always stop and watch the rest if it came on. Possible exception would be if the house was on fire.
Waidmann
Millers Crossing
Lonesome Dove (miniseries I know)
Hombre
Cool Hand Luke
I think we were separated at birth! Just watched Lonesome Dove this weekend for the 50th time.
1. The hunt for red october
2. Schindler’s list
3. Diehard
4. Saving private ryan
5. Bananas
6. Take the money and run
7. As good as it gets
8. Ransom
9. Psycho
10.The long gray line
Note: Casablanca would have made the top 10 but for the insert scenes of Paris; they were not only unnecessary, but cheap and tawdry, like your neighborhood artist adding his two cents to the mona lisa.
No “High Noon” on your list?
I have to go get some of those for my library. One not mentioned that I am compelled to indulge bringing up: “Scent of a Woman.” Pacino-magnificent. Great story about manhood. Unforgettable, re-watchable scenes like the Tango scene, Ferrari scene, suicide scene, and of course, the school convocation scene.
…and . of course, the Thanksgiving scene.
….and I forgot…the Thanksgiving dinner scene!
Two years ago, when the DC area had its “Snowmageddon” (because when anything happens to the DC area’, it’s freakin’ monumental), I was playing the home version of “Jeopardy” with the kids and they kept saying “who was John Wayne?” and “didn’t “what sport did Shaquille O’Neal play?” so I stormed to the cabinet with DVDs, pulled out a pile of “classic” movies and said “Oh. My. God. Pick one movie from this pile and one from this pile and you must watch them before you go back to school. You need to learn about American culture.” All the teens misread the label and said “hey this one is only 2 hours and 27 minutes, let’s watch ‘Lawrence of Arabia’” At 1:45 AM, the screen went dark and the word “Intermission” rose. It was worth it, staying up that late, to hear their screams and see the horrified expressions on their faces when I pointed out that it was 227 minutes, in fact.
Andrew, Darling, I love you, but where is “To Kill A Mockingbird?” Gregory Peck as Atticus Finch in the scene where he is walking out of the Courtroom – I burst into tears every time I see that – And the mystery of Boo Radley (played by Robert DeNiro) and the fate of an innocent man facing the death penalty – all combine to make that film un-turn-off-able.
Please don’t hat me for this one – but Woody Allen’s Sleeper is still hilarious to every age group. My parents, myself, my children and my grandchildren crack up every time we watch it.
Finally – favorite all time musical goes to – My Fair Lady. ‘Nuff said.
Atticus Finch is one of literature’s great characters and Gregory Peck is absolutely true to him–one of the most-deserved Oscars of all time. “Mockingbird” is on my top five list. I love the scene in Sleeper where the doctors are catching Miles up on what happened while he was asleep. And who wouldn’t want to own an orgasmatron?!
Robert Duvall played Boo Radley. But thanks for mentioning a great classic.
I agree that To Kill A Mockingbird has to be on the list. I also never tire of watching Sling Blade, The Outlaw Josie Wales and the Shawshank Redemption as others have mentioned above. I also think Chariots of Fire deserves top ten billing. And even though Road House is very formulaic, trite and badly acted, I rarely turn it off when I happen upon it nad have some time to kill – probably a guy thing – although a also agree that My Fair Lady should be on the list. Finally, if a Woody Allen film is to make the list, I guess Manhatten or Annie Hall would be the expected candidates – although the lesser known Broadway Danny Rose is my favorite and I defy anyone to turn it off the first, second or third time they watch it.
Glad someone cited “The Princess Bride” –
“Allo! My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die!”
(and with a great score by Mark Knopfler)
My contributions: “Shall We Dance” – the Japanese original.
Just saw “The Music Man” for the first time in years. From 1962.
Incredibly attractive.
From the opening scene in a railroad car, with salesmen mimicking the sounds of the train singing about what a bad guy Professor Hill is—wonderful!
Gone With The Wind is definitely the alltime best movie.
I was a complete sucker for “Fanny”, with Leslie Caron, around 1961—must have seen it ten times!
The panned movie, “Cimmeron”, with Glenn Ford, also pulled me in for many viewings.
At the time, “One-Eyed Jacks” with Marlon Brando seemed so fresh and attractive. Recently, I tried to see it on a dvd, and couldn’t stand it past about an hour.
How about “The Magnificent Seven”?
Who can forget “To Kill a Mockingbird”?
And, what was the name of that flick about the deaf and blind woman, played by Patty Duke, from the 60′s?
Or, “West Side Story”?
They don’t make musicals like they used to!
My Fair Lady; South Pacific; The Wizard of Oz.
Here’s a sleeper I highly recommend, from the early 70′s–
“Zardoz”, with Sean Connery. An amazingly prescient sci-fi look at humanity.
What was that Patty Duke movie???
The Miracle Worker?
That’s right. The Miracle Worker—I remembered later. Must be getting old.
“Miracle Worker” was given a great tribute a few years back by a fabulous Indian movie called “Black”. Well worth finding and watching.
I saw Fanny as a doe-eyed teenager when it was first released and have loved it ever since (Horst Buchholz-yum). And what a great score (I’m torn between wishing they had made the actual musical and being glad that they didn’t). Patty Duke originated the role of young Helen Keller on Broadway. Can you imagine having to throw yourself into that kind of frenzy six nights a week and for Wednesday and Saturday matinees?! She and Anne Bancroft both won Tonys.
A Man for All Seasons
To Kill a Mockingbird
Chariots of Fire
Oh, and for comic relief, Hope and Glory and Waking Ned Divine with the late, very great Ian Bannen.
No mention of any of Alfred Hitchcock’s great films. Some other notable time-wasters that are fun to watch: Urban Cowboy, An Officer & a Gentleman, Home Alone, The Parent Trap (either version but I’m kinda partial to the original), Two Mules for Sister Sarah, Westward the Women, Star wars, Star Trek IV, the Voyage Home, just to name a few.
I’ll watch any of Hitchcock’s films all the way through each and every time. I love the scene in Rebecca where Maxim is relating to little miss no-name (well, the second Mrs. DeWinter) what happened the night Rebecca died. In retrospect, I would swear that I had watched those actual events take place in a flashback, but, in fact, it was only Maxim’s telling. That’s a real testimony to Olivier, cinematographer George Barnes and, of course, the master himself. Great stuff.
andrew,
your dad, who had a wonderful sense of humor, would be horrified that you neglected two movies: repo man and escape from new york. nb: harry dean stanton is the common denominator.
OK, I have too many that I will stop and watch. I’ll list them anyhow:
Saving Private Ryan; Platoon; Independence Day; Godfathers I and II; Cast Away; Pulp Fiction; Once Upon a Time in the West; In the Line of Fire; The Fugitive; Planet of the Apes (the original); The Long, Long Trailer; any of the 60′s Doris Day romantic comedies; The Naked Prey; On the Beach; Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House; Treasure of the Sierra Madre; Strangers on a Train; Sunset Boulevard; Zulu; any of the Thin Man movies; and various 50′s sci-fi movies, including Them, The Day the Earth Stood Still, The Thing, Invasion of the Body Snatchers, The Incredible Shrinking Man, and others.
I know that’s a terrible long list (and not complete as it is), but all those movies will make me stay tuned. (I will often be doing something else at the same time, though.)
A few that I find impossible to turn off (in no particular order):
“O Brother Where Art Thou”
“Cold Comfort Farm”
“Brazil”
“Legally Blonde” (My wife teases me relentlessly.)
“The Big Lebowski”
“Hang ‘Em High”
“Big Trouble In Little China”
“Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid”
“The Holiday”
“The Egg and I”
“The Longest Day”
“Band of Brothers” (Yeah, I know. It’s a mini-series, not a movie. Whatever.)
“Groundhog Day” (Watched it countless times, and each time is like watching it countless times.)
“Miracle on 34th Street”
And, of course, the greatest movie of all time… “South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut”
The Egg and I (a very funny movie–I read the equally funny book when I was a kid) reminds me of Marjorie Main and Marjorie Main reminds me of a little-known Fred MacMurray comedy called Murder, He Says. Absolutely hilarious. A real gem.
read all the way down here to see Groundhog Day mentioned.
Legally Blonde! Yes! I was bitterly, bitterly disappointed to find that it didn’t make Bloomberg’s 10 Best Legal Film Quotes list. Who could NOT remember such classic lines as:
(Some guy whistling at Elle)- “I object!”
“The rules of haircare are simple and finite- any Cosmo Girl would have known.”
“Since you have retained this… residence, my client is entitled to full canine compensation”.
“What?!?”
“I’m taking the dog, dumbass!”
And last but not least, “Don’t go tapping your little last-season Prada shoes at me, honey.”
From Russia With Love. Best Bond movie ever made!
The Wind and The Lion. Sean Connery as a Berber chieftain, Scottish accent and all, but it still works.
Flash Gordon. The 70′s version with Queen doing the soundtrack. Kind of a guilty pleasure for me.
Love The Wind and the Lion, too. It’s a bit of a guilty pleasure, but it has a little something for almost everyone.
Oh yes! How could I forget James Bond? (But only the Sean Connery ones.) Those are also channel-flip-proof.
“Lawrence of Arabia” just got 100% more spectacular after the introduction of HD. Maybe big screen was just as good but I saw it at a drive inn in the early 60s. I recently saw it for the first time in HD and had to watch it again.
Black Hawk Down, We were soldiers, Braveheart, Wizard of oz, the War of the worlds (1953)
Well, guess I’ll throw in my two cents.
Open Range
Dark City
O Brother, Where Art Thou?
Fifth Element
Blade Runner
I’m not much in the way of a George Clooney fan, but I thought his performance in “Brother” was delightfully eccentric. The brothers Cohen are a mixed bag, but when they score, they score.
North By Northwest! Suspense, beautiful woman, and some of the most sophisticated “adult” but polite talk between a man and a woman.
Rear Window!The perfect movie, it has everything in it, including the most beautiful ever….Grace Kelly.
My turn, my turn!
Stripes
Who Framed Roger Rabbit?
Day of the Jackal
Gunga Din
The Misfits
A Hard Day’s Night
From Here to Eternity
The Fugitive
The Battle of Algiers
Raiders of the Lost Ark (the first one only)
Don’t care much for Heat or Goodfellas and I’ve never seen Roadhouse (although I’ll make it a point to do so), but the rest are worthy choices. I can’t imagine how many dozen times I’ve seen Godfather. It endlessly captivates. I have a series of films I watch through the month in December starting with Miracle on 34th Street on Thanksgiving and ending with Ben Hur after the festivities are over on Christmas Day. The Great Escape is one of my very favorite WWII movies. He’s been gone so long, most people don’t remember what a superstar Steve McQueen was. Great cast, great film.
There are a number of films I would add to the list, but first among them is Casablanca. It’s virtually impossible to look away from that one. Went to see it on a big screen for the first time a couple of years ago. It was great, of course, but Casablanca is ideally suited for the home screen because of the level of intimacy it creates. My husband and I watch it like a couple of Rocky Horror Picture Show groupies, anticipating all the great bits of dialogue and doing things like counting the number of cocktails the characters order and then leave behind without drinking. My absolute all-time favorite.
I’ll add that I couldn’t stop watching Chinatown if the house were on fire.
Thank you, I was stuck on this thread wondering when this unsophisticated rabble would come to my all-time favorite!
So you have a handle from one of the few noir musicals, and say you are down with one of the best (albeit in color) noir movies; I like you more all the time!
Jack Nicholson at his best. Faye Dunaway at her best. Roman Polanski before he got caught!
Great lines from Jake: “You’ve gotta have a little subtlety in this business.” To a thug: “What’re you doin’ at the water department? You don’t drink it. You certainly never bathe in it.”
The idea here is to name movies you just could not turn off, not the movies you think are the greatest. They may not be the same in all cases. I certainly agree that “Gone With The Wind” is one of the very greatest movies ever made, but if I encountered it while channel-surfing it would be easy to continue past it (partly because I own a copy of it and can watch it anytime I wish).
But “Casablanca”… and “Young Frankenstein” (“That’s Frahnk-en-steen!”) — ah, let’s watch this, Honey, OK? Yes, I know we own it, but… My older daughter gave me the second one on DVD for Father’s Day a few years ago, because of (or despite?) the fact that we both can quote at least half the screenplay from memory already. Obviously there were many times when we didn’t turn the movie off.
I also suggest that “The Maltese Falcon” ought to be on this list.
Two words: The Blues Brothers.
Mr. Klavan’s ‘Roadhouse’ movie had me think of yesterdecade’s, ‘TNT’s Movies for Guys Who Like Movies’. If TNT or like-minded television was still playing I may have kept my cable t.v.
Many others have mentioned some of the following but:
Drama: Miller’s Crossing, The Razor’s Edge (original though I do like the Bill Murray version as well), Shane, Serpico, Little Miss Sunshine, Gran Torino, Drive
Action: Mad Max, The Punisher, Dirty Harry, The Good, the Bad.., Outlaw Josey Wales, Locked Stocked & Two Smoking Barrels
Sci-fi: Dark City, Invasion of the Body Snatchers (original), They Live, 2001, Moon, Forbidden Planet
Comedy: 8 Heads in a Duffel Bag, Army of Darkness (sadly being remade as we speak), Raising Arizona, Blues Brothers, Beetlejuice, Old School, Super Troopers, ..Holy Grail, The Ref, Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz, Slither, Up, Stripes, Rushmore, Royal Tenenbaums, Dr. Strangelove, Blazing Saddles, The Jerk, Caddyshack, Drowning Mona, The Life Aquatic.. (gets better with each viewing)
Horror: The Thing (original and ’82 version), The Haunting (original), Suspiria, Silence of the Lambs ( Q Lazzarus’ ‘Goodbye Horses’ song, Buffalo Bill character ‘dancing’.. whoa!), Jacob’s Ladder, Alien, Evil Dead 2, Serpent & the Rainbow, Dawn of the Dead (original)
The original is the best, of course, but the first remake of “Body Snatchers” (Donald Sutherland) isn’t half bad. Great ending.
The list should also include:
Rob Roy
Castaway
The Sixth Sense
Pat Garrett and Billy The Kid
Blazing Saddles is very easy to turn off. A much better comedy western is Rustlers’ Rhapsody.
This thread is careening way off course. ALL the movies mentioned are great films, and many of them are my favorites.
As far as not being able to turn off the TV when it’s on, here are three films
I just can’t turn off. I don’t even channel surf during commercials. Are these
my favorite movies of all time? No. But, like a mile long train wreck, I can’t look away………
Sex Beast w/Ben Kingsley. Yes, THAT Ben Kingsley. You’ll never believe it.
Bad Lieutenant w/Harvey Keitel. What piece of acting. What a low life.
The Last Samurai w/Tom Cruise and Ken Wantanabe. “This has been a good conversation”
Great list – as for me – I can never stop watching The Shawshank Redemption, On The Waterfront or Casablanca. And recently, I caught a moment frm an early part of Platoon and did not move until it was over.
I scrolled to 83 FR in SC before i saw one of my favorites original Day of the Jackal and i would add Das Boot and Swept Away the one Lina Wertmueller? directed for foreign films. Also the Hustler, Gleason was classic.
The original Swept Away is a great film. It was the impetus for me to check out Wertmuller’s other fine films. You’d have to put a gun to my head to make me watch the Madonna version. They should have titled that one “Look Away.”
Dr. Strangelove
Red Dawn (“Wolverines!”)
Dogs of War (for my money, Chris Walken’s finest performance)
Burn After Reading
Repo Man
The Manchurian Candidate (the 1962 original, not the more recent shitpile with Denzel)
LOOOOVVVE ‘Repo Man’.
Best punk movie soundtrack of all-time.
Forrest Gump, not that this is my all time fav…..but whatever is happening when I turn it on, I’m there till Ginny dies, he puts his son on the bus and the feather floats again.
Aww… me too. Sniff. It’s also great for the kids, since so many of the others on these lists probably aren’t.
Remember it was the hardest movies to turn off. There are a lot of movies that are great but I can easily stop watching them after I’ve seen them. Usual Suspects, Sixth Sense to name two.
There are a lot that others have been mentioned but here are mine
1. Rio Bravo
2. Quiet Man
3. Magnificent Seven
4. Longest Day
5. Singing in the Rain
6. Philadelphia Story
7. Lion in Winter
8. Forbidden Planet
9. Zulu
10. Open Range – A great western marred only by Kevin Costner.
Honorable mention to Road House.
Alec Baldwin disagrees with all of you. The only thing he has ever been right about is that the best movie of all time is: The Best Years of Our Lives. Seven Oscars, it’s worth watching if you only listened to the musical score. Like Gone With the Wind, Casablanca and others, you can’t watch it just once.
Alright, I have been meaning to create a list of my movies, here it is. As you can see, I watch a lot of sci fi-
12 Monkeys 1995
13 Assassins 2010
2001 A Space Odyssey 1968 720p
2010 The Year We Make Contact 1984
2012
Alien Anthology 1979-1997
Atlas Shrugged Part 1
Avatar 2009 Extended Collectors Cut
Back To The Future Trilogy 25th Anniversary
Batman Begins 2005
Battle Los Angeles 2011
Blade Runner The Final Cut 1982
Boondock Saints
Captain America The First Avenger
Casino Royale 2006
Cloverfield 2008
Constantine 2005
Cowboys and Aliens
District 92009
Dreamcatcher 2003
Drive Angry
Dune
Elektra 2005
Fantastic Four 1 & 2
Final Fantasy -The Spirits Within 2001
Firefly – The Complete Series
Flash Gordon 1980
From Hell 2001
Ghost Rider 2007
Green Lantern 2011
Harry Potter
Heavy Metal And Heavy Metal 2000
Hellboy
Hitman 2007
Hulk Movies
I Am Number Four 2011
Independence Day 1996
Inglourious Basterds
Iron Man 1 & 2
Ironclad 2011
Jurassic Park Trilogy 1-3
Kill the Irishman 2011
Killer Elite 2011
King Arthur 2004
Kingdom Of Heaven 2005 Directors Cut
Last of the Mohicans 1992
Legion 2010
Limitless 2011
Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels 1998
Men In Black Complete
Merlin 1998
Minority Report 2002
Monty Python Collection
Mutant Chronicles 2008
Natural Born Killers Directors Cut 1994
Outlander
Pandorum 2009
Paul 2011 EXTENDED
Planet Of The Apes 2001
Predators 2010
Priest 2011
Pulp Fiction 1994
Punisher War Zone 2008
Push 2009
Quantum of Solace 2008
Real Steel
Reign of Fire 2002
Resident Evil Quadrilogy
Riddick Movies Directors Cut
Rise of the Planet of the Apes 2011
Ronin 1998
Salt Director’s Cut 2010
Saving Private Ryan 1998
Season of the Witch 2010
SERENITY 2005
Sherlock Holmes 2009
Shooter 2007
Short Circuit 1986
Short Circuit 2
Soldier 1998
Source Code 2011
Spawn 1997
Sphere
Spy Game 2001
Star Trek I-XI Complete Collectors Edition
Star Wars
Star Wars COMPLETE
STARDUST 2007
Stargate Ext Cut 1994
Stargate Movie Trilogy 1-3 1994 2008
Starship Troopers 1997
Super 8 2011
SUPER NOVA
Swordfish
Terminator
Terminator 1 1984
Terminator 2 Judgement Day 1991
Terminator 3 Rise Of the Machines 2003
The Abyss 1989
The Adjustment Bureau 2011
The Book Of Eli
The Bourne Trilogy
The Brothers Grimm 2005
The Chronicles of Narnia – Trilogy
The Dark Knight 2008
The Day The Earth Stood Still 2008
The Fifth Element 1997
The Forbidden Kingdom 2008
The Godfather Trilogy Coppola Restoration
the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy 2005
The Island
The League Of Extraordinary Gentlemen 2003
The Lord of the Rings Trilogy
The Matrix Trilogy
The Mist 2007
The Patriot 2000
The Sorcerers Apprentice 2010
The Spiderwick Chronicles 2008
The Sum of All Fears 2002
The Thomas Crown Affair 1999
The Time Machine 2002
The Dead Zone 1983
The Last Starfighter 1984
The Mechanic
The Warriors Way
Thor 2011
Titan A E 2000
Transformers
Tron Legacy 2010
Ultraviolet 2006
Unbreakable 2000
Underworld Trilogy
V For Vendetta 2006
Vanilla Sky
War of the Worlds 2005
Watchmen – The Ultimate Cut 2009
Wizard of Speed and Time
X Men
Serenity
They Live 1988
I just wanted to add, the list I have is just the movies I keep that I would watch again. Normally, if I see these being played on the TV, I usually just switch to the computer and watch them in their entirety. I really hate it when I see a Rings saga beginning to play. It usually screws up my plans for the next day.
Almost every movie people mentioned, I have watched, but for some reason I do not want to watch them again. Do not know why, I am the Sci Fi guy. Yes I love a lot of the classics, but once you see them, to me it is like watching a commercial over and over again.
Of course, if you notice, the penultimate movie series is in my list, Godfather.
OCD?
Very respectable list, David.
I’m a sci-fi junky as well!
It takes a very special person to say that 2001: A Space Odyssey is a movie that you can’t stop watching once you turn it on.
I, however, am in that group. We may be the only ones, you know.
Too many mobster movies, and too much confusion in the comments between “best” and “can’t stop watching”.
I’d add “She wore a Yellow Ribbon”. If you’re still with it when the patrol rides out the gate, you’ll end with the Capt’s report to his wife.
For “what’s next” comedy, how about “Bringing Up Baby” with Grant and Hepburn.
If these show up on a channel, I can’t continue surfing.
Schindler’s List
Sound of Music
Fiddler on the Roof
The Green Mile
Independence Day
Deep Impact
Armageddon
The Alamo
To Kill A Mockingbird
We were Soldiers
I’d throw Tom Jones into the mix. Maybe Ghostbusters as well.
C’mon
The Devil’s Disciple with Burt Lancaster, Kirk Douglas, Larry Olivier
Elmer Gantry
The Name of the Rose
Agora
Master and Commander
Bell, Book and Candle
Kingdom of Heaven
The Hanging Tree
Manos Hands of Fate (just kidding)
Here are some of mine:
Apollo 13
Ferris Bueller
Tora, Tora, Tora
Midway
Longest Day
Unforgiven
The whole Band of Brothers series
Great list, although the real old ones you don’t find on TV that often.
A few more I didn’t happen to see mentioned that I must watch when they are on: Forest Gump, Kindergarten Cop, Running Scared (with Vera Farmiga), The Shining, Tommy Boy, Billy Madison, Powder, The Usual Suspects, Fire In The Sky, Dirty Dancing, Close Encounters Of the Third Kind, Resident Evil, The Mask… SOMEBODY STOP ME!!!
I looked through all the comments and I don’t think a saw anybody mention “A Fist Full of Dollars,” “For a Few Dollars More,” or “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly.” COME ON. How can those not get a mention?
Another unmentioned great is “The Graduate.” I watched this film death in my early 20s and I haven’t seen it for nearly a decade now. It is in my Netflix instant queue…maybe I’ll catch it this weekend.
Blade Runner…Aliens…Terminator 1+2…Die Hard…Dazed and Confused are other movies I just can’t turn off.
Check out my list, some of what you mention are there. I only keep movies I can watch more than once though, otherwise I sell them.
I mentioned them in my comments with for A Few Dollars More as the standout because of the punchline at the end.
I also mentioned Slapshot and got some agreement on that one. Do spaghetti westerns and Slapshot fans run together?
What do you think?
I haven’t seen Slap Shot… But I will now.
If I’m surfing on a lazy afternoon or evening, which is rare, I will most likely stop to finish the following in progress…
1) Unforgiven: Gene Hackman’s greatest role of all time.
2) The War of the Worlds (1953): I love this film.
3) Fast Times at Ridgemont High: can pick this up at any point and finish
4) The Bad News Bears: Near perfect Matthau, O’Neal
5) Scarface: just near impossible to ignore this flick.
Star Trek (all but the last TV series), Shawshank Redemption, Apollo 13, Green Mile.
I probably have seen Shawshank Redemption somewhere around 50 times not to mention owning the DVD, and the original Star Trek series so often, I have the dialogue memorized.
I’m currently watching the Godfather for the 99th time as I type.
Movies on TV always feel more enjoyable to me, even if I didn’t like the movie as much in theatres (or DVDs) . That’s probably because -
(1) you get like 15-20 commercial breaks, which are essentially 15-20 intermissions that helps you take a breather. You use the bathroom, go grab a snack real quick, check scores of various games, and then you jump back to the movie again. Commercial breaks help pace the movie and build anticipation, IMO.
(2) You can’t obsessively rewind or fast forward certain scenes like you would with DVDs.
AMC plays the Godfather series and Goodfellas every other month. I can’t seem to find movies like “Casablanca”, “Citizen Kane” or “Singing in the Rain” in basic cable channels.
Braveheart
Patton
Exorcist
Movies I can’t turn off once I’ve started watching them?
The Outlaw Josey Wales, as above.
Dirty Harry. The later films in the series never hit even close to its level of tension. (No, not even “Magnum Force”.)
The Godfather, absolutely.
The Seven-Ups.
Bullitt. Never mind the car chase, it’s one of the most complex “police procedurals” ever filmed.
In Harm’s Way.
Forbidden Planet. It’s Shakespeare’s “The Tempest”- literally.
The Trollenberg Terror, aka The Crawling Eye. An SF/horror film basically constructed as a police procedural.
Them. Another example of the “police procedural” in SF, and just flat-out scary.
The Thing (From Another World)- 1951 Howard Hawks version, OR the later John Carpenter version. Carpenter’s is closer to John W. Campbell’s original story “Who Goes There?”, and is even more frightening than the Hawks version for that reason. It’s also not for anyone with a weak stomach.
The Exorcist. Another one not for those with weak constitutions.
The Big Sleep- either the 1945 pre-release version or the 1946 re-edited theatrical version. Lauren Bacall is beautiful, but Raymond Chandler’s story of the seamy underside of L.A.’s elite’ culture of the day, and the sheer abruptness of the violence, is what makes either version riveting. Opening a door can be a bad idea in that movie.
Please note; I don’t even necessarily like a couple of these movies (hint; Carpenter & Blatty). But even so, they just don’t let go when I hit “Play”.
cheers
eon
The Usual Suspects belongs on any list. Kaiser Saysso
The Searchers. John Wayne in a role he should have won an Oscar for in a movie with that is not only one of the great westerns, but great. Wayne is at his best ever or evermore.
Deliverance.
Animal House.
King Kong.
South Pacific.
i cant believe i forgot “that thing you do”
‘Chad fell down’…
A family favourite. Very underrated and very funny.
I don’t actually watch movies much and I have never seen any movie on the list or most of the movies mentioned here. However, there was one time, years ago, that I happened across The King and I with, I believe, Jody Foster. I think it was probably close to the beginning and I was captivated by the look of it. Thailand is a gorgeous place and even on my T.V. the cinemetography, costumes, etc. were stunning. Also, I found I quite liked the plot and was really curious how it all turned out in the end which was believable and sad. I actually cried during their last dance when they realized that they loved each other but could never be together because of who they were. I thought at the time, Hmmm, so THIS is why some people like movies better than books. I am sure that should I happen across it again I would watch it. Lawrence of Arabia sounds like it might be that sort of movie so I may have to look for it somewhere.
Just my 2 cents worth here:
Silence of the Lambs: “I’m having an old friend for dinner.”
The Usual Suspects
Like Water for Chocolate – yeah, a chick flick, but a good one
The Pink Panther (the original)
Blackhawk Down, Juno, The Two Towers.
the criteria being once hooked, you watch through
Patton, Casablanca and Das Boot. As for comedy how can you pass on A Fish Called Wanda?
Well, this article and comments has already wasted a chunk of my time.
A great list, Klavan. I realize that this isn’t about being “the best movie ever,”, but I would argue for the funniest (and least turn-offable) comedy ever: RAISING ARIZONA. Nicholas Cage’s only watchable film, and the soundtrack alone justifies watching it with the sound on.
But then, my favorite film of all times is THE SEARCH FOR ONE-EYED JIMMY.
Hmmm. I find that I’m decidedly low brow, too.
The only one on that list would be Liberty Vallence.
Would also include:
Josey Wales
Music Man
Open Range
Yellow Ribbon – Beautiful black and white photograpy. Historically accurate details
Repo Man
Casablanca
African Queen – These old movies are like watching a well done play
With me it’s Tombstone and why Val Kilmer wasn’t even nominated for an Oscar is mind-boggling. “I’m your huckleberry”
You speak for me on both counts. First, I will ALWAYS watch “Tombstone”, whenever I stumble across it. Second, Val Kilmer’s portrayal of Doc Holliday is one of the greatest performances by a movie actor, recognized or not … EVER.
I agree. Val Kilmer was great. And, regardless of less-than-perfect acting, I am always riveted by the scene at the train station when Kurt Russell says, “Tell ‘im the Law’s comin’. Tell ‘im I’m comin’! And Hell’s…Comin’…with me!”
Val Kilmer–best Doc Holliday ever. I have a sentimental attachment to My Darling Clementine, but that’s a stylized version of the Earp story. Tombstone was pretty much the real deal. Both films will keep me glued to the end.
I don’t believe anyones mentioned on of my favorites: The Wages of Fear
Stay far away from the 1977 re-make Sorcerer.
I agree, on both counts. And before I forget, another French film that fits the requirements is “Les yeux sans visage’ (Eyes Without A Face), directed by George Franju’.
cheers
eon
What -no sci-fi or horror?
Thanks for not selecting Wizard of Oz -I’ve avoided Kansa ever since I saw that as a kid.
1) Yeah, I’ll bite—Citizen Kane. Never get tired of it, and it seems to go by in a flash. And so agreeably mean-spirited.
2) Only Amurrican? Let me throw in Cocteau’s Beauty and the Beast and Bertolucci’s, The Conformist.
3) Swingtime.
Lots of good suggestions– for me it’s Jeremiah Johnson/ Groundhog Day / Braveheart/ Rocky3/ Oh Brother, Where Art Thou..
How about a computer check which scores the top ten of all these suggestions?
#1 The Best Years of our Lives….without a doubt, no contest. #2. The Killers,1946. #3. The Bank Dick. #4. L.A. Confidential. #5. My Darling Clementine. #6. The Last Waltz. #7. From Here to Eternity. #8. Chinatown
#9. The Postman Always Rings Twice, 1946. #10. Some Like it Hot.
I’d add “Gigi”, “Two-Lane Blacktop”, Tarkovsky’s “Solaris”, “True Grit” (with John Wayne) and “Around the World in Eighty Days”!
“The Searchers” with John Wayne
There have been many, many good films listed here, however three of my all time favorites:
LONESOME DOVE – Tommy Lee Jones and Robert Duvall, awesome huge cast of stars and an epic film.
SECOND HAND LIONS – Robert Duvall and Micheal Caine. Excellent film.
BRAM STOKER’S DRACULA – In my opinion, the greatest love story ever told.
Here are two I watched twice.
“Layer Cake” with Daniel Craig and Michael Gambon
Great acting and production values in “Topsy Turvy”
Hated the premise, though. Craig was pretty much on criminal easy street and the one thing he couldn’t do was go after the boss’s girlfriend. So what does he do?
What about The Magnificent Seven?!
You people are old!! and I am over 50.
What about;
Animal House
Airplane
Gump
Hugh grant-Julia Roberts one.
Saving Private Ryan.
Young frankenstein
Its a Mad mad mad World.
Caddy Shack
Sixth sense
Pulp Fiction
Schindlers list
What is with all the artsy and genre films of old?
25 yrs ago I was watching North by Northwest when my wife said a boy was walking down our driveway with my motorcycle. I said, “yeah yeah thanks he doesn’t have the key”. At least that’s her story…
I’ve looked through the replies and might have missed it, but I can’t believe no one has mentioned White Heat with James Cagney yet. Absolutely impossible to stop watching once I start. Starts with a bang, moves like lightning and Cagney gives his best performance ever. Put it this way, if Cody Jarret and Tony Montana were cellmate at Hollywood State Prison, Montana would be Cody’s bitch. Scarface isn’t even close to White Heat.
The list just proves that you can’t hold it to ten:
Rocky
National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation
It’s a Wonderful Life
Field of Dreams
The Eiger Sanction
Pale Rider
Silverado
Seven Brides for Seven Brothers
Apollo 13
Kelly’s Heroes
Rocky.
something’s coming, something’s building, something’s growing….
doubt, determination, …. the movie is always building.
Classic climax; classic denouement.
Peple above have mentioned music scores. Again I say: Rocky.
my family has just about Memorized the lines from “Monty Python/Holy Grail”–”I,m not dead!”–Yes yer are! ,”I,ll bite yer legs off’, and of course the classic about the killer rabbit–”Big teeth”–!(We live on a farm, and find humor in that kinda stuff)I,d like to see somebody comment on Steve Mc,Queen,s last movie with Ally–something like GETAWAY with James Woods—he shot the s–t out of 1a lotta bad guys!–and the bad guy who had kidnapped the horny wife was great
Yes, my family has memorized it, too. So have I- and I haven’t ever even seen it!
As a kid I couldn’t resist Gene Wilder flicks when movies would (finally!) make it on broadcast TV, especially Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, I would watch the oompa loompas over and over. “Do you know what happened to the boy who got everything he ever wanted, Charlie?” I found the movie to be a delightfully moral tale. My wife calls it repugnant. “He lived happily ever after.” When Wilder’s emotions bubble up and out it is delightful. Even in his less funny movies I would watch in anticipation of those moments. Silver Streak, Stir Crazy.
I hate mobster flicks that hint at the glamorousness of thug behavior, but Godfather sucked me in last night. I noted the movie tried to ruminate on the early quote “We aren’t murderers, no matter what others might think.” vs. today’s mob movies.
Strange is okay. I liked Dune (80s version). The latest Chocolate Factory is an instant channel switch, though. A Teeth fetish is not delightful.
I agree with a couple but not most. Here are a few of my “must watch” movies.
1) Pulp Fiction
2) The Man Who Would Be King
3) Aliens
Comedies
A) Dumb & Dumber – funniest movie ever. Lloyd & Harry’s use of the mustard and ketchup bottles at about the 1:00 mark cracks me up every time. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J7L9THry9QM
B) Princess Bride. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U_eZmEiyTo0
C) Its a Mad Mad Mad Mad Mad World. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sla845GW9YM
Dear Mr. Klavan,
Terrific fun, great list. But Roadhouse? Really? Tell you what – here’s a list of 10 alternatives to that ‘gem’. Try them in any particular order, and if you still feel Roadhouse their cinematic superior, I will be happy to ‘shut up’.
1 Bad Day at Black Rock
2 Marathon Man
3 Cinema Paradiso
4 The Asphalt Jungle
5 The Train
6 1941
7 A Bronx Tale
8 The Secret of Santa Vittoria
9 Sleuth
10 Rear Window — when Grace Kelly walks in . . . (now shut up!!)
I remember watching the 4:30 movie, too! My sisters and I would watch “Gypsy” with Rosalind Russell and Natalie Wood over three days! Other movies I stay with when they are on: “The Russians are Coming, the Russians are Coming!”, “The In-Laws” (original, not the re-make), “The Searchers”, “The Sound of Music”, “The Shawshank Redemption”, “To Hell and Back”, “Casablanca”, “The Wizard of Oz”, “Ordinary People”, “Remember the Titans”,”Shenandoah” with Jimmy Stewart, “I was a Male War Bride”, “The Rage of Paris”, “Singin’ in the Rain”. There are others, but I can’t think of them.
How about the original King Kong 1933, ditto Stagecoach, Double Indemnity, and The Maltese Falcon. Nearly perfect films- with nary a scene that strikes a wrong note.
I can’t resist…
The Princess Bride
Airplane
Shenandoah
Star Trek: The Wrath of Kahn
Showboat
Gigi
Pillow Talk
A Night to Remember
Ladyhawke
Red
Fail Safe, 1964.
I’m pretty sure El Awrans never traveled through the “dessert.” I think that’s more Chris Christie territory. El Awrans did venture into the “desert” now and again, however.
“Road House?” “ROAD HOUSE!?” No, Andrew, I won’t shut up. Any movie that tries to make Swayze a bad-ass is ipso facto ludicrous.
I would say “Raiders of the Lost Ark” is impossible to stop watching–and, at least for me and most of the other 783 million Tolkien fans, ditto for any and all of the “Lord of the Rings” movies.
My personal favorite: The Black Stallion (the original one)
Great lists by all. And there are differences between must watch when it is on TV and guilty pleasures. Godfather, Jaws, or Shawshank are must watch. Taps with a young Tom Cruise or Red Dawn would be guilty pleasures.
Also, in all this long list of comments with so many great films does anyone find it amazing that very few listed were made after 2001?
Is it age or does Hollywood just churn out crap now as compared to the previous fifty years or they haven’t made it to late night TV yet?
It would be great to see a summary of all of the alternative top ten movies suggested within these comments – in order of the number of times mentioned.
Only if more girls show up!
From a chick’s POV, howsabout the following:
American Graffiti
Mame
The Hallelujah Trail
Up Periscope!
The Sting
A Christmas Story
I Was A Male Warbride
Patton
We Were Soldiers
Pale Rider
Airplane!
Duel (Steven Spielberg directed)
The Changling (George C. Scott)
Scarface, Wild Bunch, Fargo, Casino, Wonderland Drive
King Kong and Jaws
The Searchers, The Best Years of Our Lives, and A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum.
“The World According to Garp” —how can this be missed?
Duel–yes, great movie the first time
Hey Patrick1:
“…in all this long list of comments with so many great films does anyone find it amazing that very few listed were made after 2001? ” — I have to agree with you there — but there are a few new ones that seem to have potential. Maybe i’m naive, but hope springs eternal. I’m looking forward to seeing:
War Horse
Extremely Loud/Incredibly Close
Hugo
Midnight in Paris
The Artist
And Hey, She Is Not Amused:
You’re sooooooo right — A CHRISTMAS STORY!
I feel like a Bumpus Hound…
Good grief. “Gone with the Wind”? Give your man-card back…
I thought this was supposed to be a list of movies anyone can’t stop watching once they’ve caught ya. I didn’t realize the title of the article should be amended to MEN’S list of movies men can’t stop watching … altho it should’ve been. Then I wouldn’t have wasted time with reading a list of violent war/western/mafia movies. “Gone with the Wind” is one on the list that will catch & hold me, and frankly it’s *still* a war movie. The other Is “Singin’ in the Rain”. But “Road House”? Seriously?! He!! no, if it’s Patrick S., gotta be either “Dirty Dancing” or “Ghost”. “The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance”? Another wth? “Paint Your Wagon”, o.k., but NOT Liberty Valance.
Great list.
For me, it’s a toss-up between Singing in the Rain and The Music Man.
Hard Times (Charles Bronson, James Coburn) is something that still rivets me every time I see it.
Ditto for Dark Blue World. I keep trying to imagine how it must have felt for young Czechoslovak officers to have to turn over all their plentiful hardware to the Germans in 1939, but I keep coming up short.
The Man Who Shot Liberty Valence.
Choice actors.
BORING MOVIE!
What, no one has mentioned “Anchorman?” Sixty percent of the time, it makes me laugh every time.
“Honey, Roadhouse is on again.”
Pulls back slide on .45. Presses barrel against temple. Pulls trigger.
I can’t believe no one has brought up Shane.
Nobody likes Shane. Shane is the ‘Citizen Kane’ of westerns. People mention it to sound smart, as noted above.
The actual best western is “True Grit” (1969).
Also Godfather II & III, Any Jack Nicholson movie, The King and I (very sad ending), The Goodbye Girl, any Mel Brooks movie, and the list goes on and on.
My flypaper movie is “Point Break”
Keanu Reeves and Patrick Swayze collide in a cosmic supernova vortex of cheesy greatness.
Reeves jumping out of the plane with no chute and a .357 Magnum? Cinematic genius.
I wish to add to the list:
Once Upon a Time in America
Pulp Fiction
The Silence of the Lambs
Casino
Basic Instinct
Unforgiven
Million Dollar Baby
Desperado
1.THX1138
2.The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
3.The Ten Commandments
4.Star Wars (first one)
5.The Ring (Amerikan version)
6.Blair Witch Project
7.Alien
8.Glengary Glenross
9.The Wizard of Oz
10.Taxi Driver
House of Games
SUSPICION!!!
Bringing Up Baby
Mystic River
Some Like It Hot
6th Sense
DOUBLE INDEMNITY!!!
Chinatown
Back to the Future – I, II, & III
The Birds
I defy anyone to surf past A Christmas Story.
Also can’t help watching:
Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels
The Usual Suspects
Holiday Inn
Blazing Saddles
Patton
Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner
Cat on a Hot Tin Roof
1) “The Gospel Of John” – forget all of Hollyweird’s forays into the life of Jesus Christ. This one sticks to John’s Gospel. If you haven’t seen it please do. This movie along with John’s Gospel really opened my eyes to who Jesus Christ really is.
2) “Stagecoach” – This is one of the most unsung John Wayne movies & also one of his best. “The Man Who Shot Liberty Valence” puts me to sleep every time I try to watch it.
3) “The Cincinnati Kid” – A personal favorite & while not McQueen’s best performance, still riveting in it’s own way.
4) “Mr. Roberts” – Yes, Jack Lemmon is incredibly annoying, but James Cagney is hysterical as the despotic captain. His tantrum on the ship’s p.a. system is classic.
5) “Bullitt” – Already mentioned, but I never tire of it or Steve McQueen.
6) “The War Wagon” – Not one of Wayne’s best, but he & Kirk Douglas should have worked together more. Fun movie that doesn’t take itself too seriously.
7) “The Last Train From Gun Hill” – My favorite Kirk Douglas performance & Anthony Quinn was very good in this as well. Never miss this on TCM. Very underrated western.
8) “Duel” – This has also been mentioned already, but even having seen it many times since my childhood I just never tire of it. The camera work during the chase down the mountain to “Chuck’s Cafe’” is awesome. “Duel” is the suspense movie Alfred Hitchcock should have made.
9) “The Guns Of Navarone” – Fictional, but one of the best WWII movies ever made. Wish I had been around to see it on the big screen.
10) “Stalag 17″ – Another war movie I never tire of. Great cast & dialog. Robert Strauss & Harvey Lembeck steal this one as Harry & The Animal. They are very funny in what is an otherwise serious movie. Is it just me or does anyone else think of Larry Linville’s Frank Burns character when you see William Holden in this movie. Like twin brothers.
Of the original ten movies chosen by Andrew Klavan here “The Great Escape” is the only one on the list I can’t turn off once I start watching. That cast was great.
Braveheart
River Kwai
Guns of Navarone
The Great Escape
The Magnificent Seven
To Kill a Mockingbird( It was Robert Duvall who played Boo Radley, not Robert DeNiro) Response to an earlier poster
Great list, Andrew. Glad we agree on GWTW as greatest movie. Not my absolute favorite, but still the greatest. Great Escape, Liberty Valance – wonderful. Also Singin’ a great choice. The others are all good; I would add Magnificent Seven, Patton, Longest Day, Some Like It Hot, The Searchers, True Grit, and, I know a weird choice, Father Goose with Cary Grant and Leslie Caron. One of the cleverest comedy scripts ever with great performances. Check it out. Oh, and how about Psycho?
Groundhog Day
Memento. You can’t stop watching it, because if you do, you’re doomed to never understand it. In fact, you probably are anyway.
A movie that when I am channel surfing that stops me every time is Big Trouble in Little China. I should just buy the dang thing
I’ve seen 2 of the 10, and parts of two others. I really liked The Godfather (I and II) but I hated Goodfellas. Not because it was a bad movie–it was a great movie. It was just depressing. I felt sick to the stomach seeing the main character become a drugged up moron, betray his boss, and get away stock free, even though HE was the one who pushed the boss into the drug business. I don’t know. Well made movie, but I just felt tired and depressed by the end of it. It’s one of those films that I will never watch again.
Now to add a couple films /I/ thought were so amazing and that I couldn’t turn it off no matter what:
Big Fish. I cry every time. I can’t help it. I frickin love this movie.
Pride and Prejudice (not the one with Kiera Knightly, but the 1995 miniseries.) Seriously, Colin Firth ////is//// Mr. Darcy. Anytime it’s on, I lose 5 hours of my life. And Jennifer Ehle makes a better Elizabeth Bennett than that anorexic plastic actress Kiera Knightly ever would! (I may be biased here)
And Gettysburg. I have a love for Civil War films, and this one is my favorite. I happily throw away 4 hours of my life to watch this.
I can’t think of anything else because now I can’t stop thinking of Colin Firth. <3
Many great offerings. I would add Red River, The Joker is Wild, Toy Story, Mary Poppins, My Fair Lady, Irma La Dulce, The Searchers, Serenity, Bambi, Elizabeth R, Metropolitan (Still Whitman), Money Can’t Buy Me Love, Trainspotting, Lord of the Rings, Forbidden Planet, The Apartment, Bell Book & Candle, Farewell to Arms (Rock Hudson), Rosemary’s Baby, The Bodysnatchers (First Version), Back to the Future (First Movie), Hoosiers, North Dallas Forty, North by Northwest, The Trouble with Angels, The Nun’s Story, All About Eve. Well, I could go on.
Love, Gale
Maybe not the greatest film, but the greatest movie experience of my life: watching ID4 on opening day (4 July 1996) at Fort Hood with the fellas (I was in 1st Cav at the time). The applause when the aliens blew up the White House was something I’ll never forget…makes me laugh my butt off to this day.
I think the biggest omission is “A Man For All Seasons”. I saw it in the theater when it was released. It was the first VHS pre-recorded tape I bought. I now have the DVD. Occasionally I want to review a scene, but I find I wind up watching the whole thing again.
“A Man For All Seasons” is a brilliant movie, due mostly to Bolt’s brilliant play which was altered very little for the screenplay. The scene with Orson Welles (directed by him) as Cardinal Wolsey and Scofield is fantastic. Wolsey: More! You should’ve been a cleric! More: Like yourself, your grace?
And More’s line in the trial: Why Richard, it profits a man nothing to give his soul for the whole world… but for Wales?
I remember seeing it at age 16 and thinking, “Wow, this is the crap that gets pulled on you at the highest levels!” Little did I know it isn’t that rare at even the lowest levels–except for beheading, of course.
I haven’t seen 2, 5, and 8. The only one of the others I’ve seen more than once is “Ben-Hur”.
Personally I don’t understand all the love for GWTW. The first half was pretty good, through “As God is my witness, I’ll never be hungry again!” The rest of it was just a soap opera. Ah, well, different people, different tastes.
A few missed in the original and all the comments.
Ronin
Breaker Morant
True Lies
A Top 100 List of Unturnoffables would be too short, but, people, have you forgotten:
Thunder Road – Mitchum is magnetic
Millers Crossing – afraid you’re going to die
12 O’Clock High – aerial combat procedural and OCS refresher
All Quiet on the Western Front – the flower slips away
Pretty good list. One comment on Ben Hur though. While the roman parts, like the galley slave portions, and the chariot race, were indeed riveting, the other parts were kind of boring to me. When i see it on, I often turn the channel until it gets to the galley slave part, then turn it again until the chariot race, and then skip the rest.