Greatest B movie ever? Raiders of the Lost Ark. (perhaps)

[Derf]

Not to defend today's Hollywood, but I wonder: Was the "heyday" of Hollywood really as glorious as we'd like to think? For every Casablanca (which was, for the studios, a throwaway movie), there were dozens of cookie-cutter, generic romances, adventure flicks, mysteries, etc., that we've simply forgotten because they were, well, forgettable. The library of great movies represents only a fraction of the studios' productions, but all we see today are the ones that "made it." How many movies have been lost due to being simply terrible movies, and how would we know it today? Yes, the studio system created stars and protected them from being crucified by the press (you would never have found articles about Lauren Bacall like those you find about Jennifer Aniston in the Enquirer, partly because the studios wouldn't allow it). Yes, the stars worked on their personae, but they were also protected from too-close scrutiny by the studios. I've watched some of the "lost gems" from the thirties and forties that have been discovered again and released on $1 DVDs, and they are dreck. No characters to speak of, cookie-cutter plot, mediocre acting (sounding a bit like what we all complain about Hollywood today?). Studios churned out movies and people went to see them, at least in part because going to the movies was an event, and also because there was no option to later pick it up on DVD or VHS or any other medium.

I guess my overall point is that Hollywood isn't necessarily getting worse; it's just getting more blatant about its practices, and more people are noticing.

[raj]

Peter,
regarding Indy on the sub, these were WWII subs, which used diesel power (requireing oxygen, thus necessitating being on the surface)  They did use electric batteries when they needed to submerse, but the batteries gave out much less power and were only good for a few hours.  Subs needed to resurface and use the diesel engine to recharge the batteries.  Thus, most of the time a sub would stay on the surface, diving only in preparation for attack (such as entering a known enemy shipping lane).

As this particular sub had the Ark, Indy knew that the Nazis would try to get it to where they wanted it ASAP and not muck around with hunting enemy ships.  Thus they'd stay on the surface.  Indy was lucky that they didn't run into any allied ships or planes.

[BoyScoutKevin]

And, as I understand it, most of them were also physically tall. At least physically taller than the average person, on average. For there were only a few short actors in Hollywood. It is just when you saw them in person or a life-size recreation of them, because the big screen made them look so big, they looked so small.

[peter johnson]

Thankyou for the answer, raj -- I'll have to watch it again someday & see if your answer suffices.  Still, how many places are there to hide on the deck of a sub . . .
     Am I just not remembering it correctly?  I thought it submerged right after he got on board . . . oh, never mind -- it IS a "B" after all --
     Though it wouldn't have mattered if they HAD run into any planes or what-have-you, as Germany wasn't at war with ANYONE in the era the film is set -- per my note about the Afrika Korp.  The film is set in 1934, isn't it?
     I don't own a copy, but please:  DIDN'T the sub submerge at some point?  I seem to remember that it did --
     
    Now, "Sky Captain and The World of Tomorrow" wasn't that well-received, yet I thought that one had a certain . . . SOMETHNG too --

     The Star discussion:  Derf and Ulthar both make good, strong points.  Don't we always complain about where we are in space and time?  Yes, it's human nature to revere a Past That Never Was.
     Perhaps the entire idea of a "Star" is and should be an outmoded idea, confined to the days of carriages and Flappers.  
     I do think Angelena Jolie could qualify, and perhaps may be reveired by generations yet to come, sort of like Susan Hayward --  I do appreciate the Tom Hanks mention, and yes, he could indeed qualify as a modern Star.
     Not all of them were so tall:   James Cagney and Humphrey Bogart were nearer 5ft. than 6ft. in height, and they sometimes had to stand on apple boxes to do their kissing scenes.
     I love Badmovies
peter johnson/denny crane

[Fearless Freep]

In regards to actors working at their craft and their offscreen persona, one time Cary Grant was told by an interviewer "Everyone would like to be Cary Grant", to which he replied "So would I"

There are very few actors who just capture my attention on the screen and hold it just for the way they are acting.  Peter O'Toole is probably my favorite, and maybe Harrison Ford ("Regarding Henry" and "The Fugitive")  I think Johnny Depp and Anthony Hopkins would do tht if I took time to see more of their stuff.

[BoyScoutKevin]

Alan Ladd was another one who was so short, that he either had to stand on a box or have his co-star stand in a hole, so he could kiss her. But, if you look at the average, I think you'll find that that the actors in Hollywood are/were--perhaps--taller than average.