Overhyped Film 'Classics'

InformationGeek · December 17, 2010, 09:18:42 PM

I have just finished my film class and I have to say, just about every single film shown did not impress me. Don't get me wrong, they were all good and I get why they are considered classics, but they all seem to be overhyped and not as good as everyone sets them up to be. As such, I found Psycho, Blade Runner (ESPECIALLY Blade Runner), Bonnie and Clyde, and The Silence of the Lambs not really amazing or knocking my socks off.

How about you guys, are there any films that are classics that you just don't get or are just not that amazing to you?

Jim H · December 17, 2010, 09:34:34 PM

Quote from: InformationGeek on December 17, 2010, 09:18:42 PM
I have just finished my film class and I have to say, just about every single film shown did not impress me. Don't get me wrong, they were all good and I get why they are considered classics, but they all seem to be overhyped and not as good as everyone sets them up to be. As such, I found Psycho, Blade Runner (ESPECIALLY Blade Runner), Bonnie and Clyde, and The Silence of the Lambs not really amazing or knocking my socks off.

I agree with you on those, except for Silence of the Lambs.

I thought M was incredibly boring. I stopped watching it, intending to go back, and never finished it. 8 1/2 I didn't find boring, but didn't like much personally.

Menard · December 17, 2010, 09:57:59 PM

I do disagree with you on Blade Runner, but I do have the advantage of having seen it when it was released on the big screen. Though I like it as much on the small set, there is for any movie something added by seeing it on the big screen; that advantage could have affected my opinion of it regardless of subsequent viewings. Also when it came out, it was something quite different; over time, with so many big budget movies and effects, it may well not be all that for someone seeing it today.

One that I don't quite yet get as a classic is Caddyshack. I guess overall it is funnier than it is not, but other than having some well known cast members in one movie, I just don't get what's suppose to be great about it.

There are some others, I just can't think of them right now.

Doggett · December 17, 2010, 10:13:04 PM

I love Blade Runner.
I just think you have to be in the right mood for it and know what kinda genre it is. Its not an action film and that disappoints a lot of people.

E.T. is mine.
Its well made but I just don't get it.

I think it tries too hard for my liking.

Doc Daneeka · December 18, 2010, 03:50:34 AM

The film that is probably the worst for me in terms of hype vs. delivery would be Rear Window. I came in expecting a tense thriller, I got a garden-variety murder mystery that didn't utilize its full potential thrill-wise (at least I didn't think it did), and that intercut the tension with some rather awkward seeming romantic interludes. I know RW is famous for both, but I think the dual plotlines kind of leech off each other; had it been a film about either the romantic plot or the murder investigation I think it would have been a lot more effective to me.

I also agree about Caddyshack, though the film has a few detractors already, so it doesn't take top-spot for me.

Horror of Dracula and Dead of Night are two others I find puzzlingly popular, but they aren't so much regarded as classic by the general film-watching public but by the horror community.

Jack · December 18, 2010, 08:02:07 AM

I thought Silence of the Lambs was a huge disappointment. Ooh, here's the bad guy, he's Mr. Evil - isn't he scary? No, not at all really. Psycho was another bland movie. I suppose it was scary at the time, but it's no longer that time.

All those Hitchcock movies don't do a thing for me either.

Blade Runner was good, but I don't understand the gigantically high regard some people have for it.

Halloween is another one. A very ordinary, average slasher. Don't really care for Jamie Lee Curtis' character at all. Never found Micheal Meyers to be scary. He kind of makes me laugh actually, sort of like Hannibal Lecter.

RCMerchant · December 18, 2010, 09:25:48 AM

STAR WARS. I seen it on the big screen when it first came out. Overblown Flash Gordon serial (oodly-I love the old Flash serials!).
ET-blah. Sugary sweet mush.
The GODFATHER. Overlong gangster soap opera.
GONE WITH THE WIND. Frankly my dear,I dont give a sh!t.
TITANIC.Took too long to sink.
I'll catch hell for this one-The CAT PEOPLE. Boring. The pool scene is interesting. I enjoyed CURSE OF THE CAT PEOPLE much more.
Any LORD OF THE RINGS or HARRY POTTER movie. Yuch. Good for tweens,I guess.
BATMAN movies. Except the 1966 one!

BTM · December 18, 2010, 10:37:07 AM

I think part of the problem with a lot of classic movies is that they've been copied, ripped off, parodied and homaged so much that we don't realize what kickass movies they were when they first came out (there's probably a term for this, but I can't think of it off-hand.)

For me, one of the films I thought was overhyped was Apocalypse Now. Don't get me wrong, I thought it was a good film, but for starters, I thought it was WAAAAY too damn long. I don't mind long in the "We have a lot of story to tell, so this may a bit." But long in the "Lets....pan....sloooowly...over...this....swamp. See....the.....swamp. Scene. Cut to now, let's pan....slowly....over....the...boat..."

And the ending seem kinda silly to me. It's like, "Okay, you're here to kill me, but I've captured you! So, I'll talk to you a WHOLE bunch, then I'll go ahead and free you, so you can kill me anyway."

Um.. okay.

RCMerchant · December 18, 2010, 11:15:59 AM

A cult film that most people assume I would like-ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW. A Broadway musical. With Meatloaf! Ack! Meatloaf alone is enuff to turn me off.

I kinda agree with SILENCE of the LAMBS. OK movie...but an Acadamy Award? Wha?

If any serial killer movie should have gotton an Oscar,it should have been HENRY:PORTRAIT OF A SERIAL KILLER. I cant watch a movie with Michael Rooker without feeling like he's going to kill someone at any given second.
OK. Here goes. The MUMMY (1932). Now...the photography is beautiful,and Karloff is...well...Karloff,but it's too slow-and boring. Jack Pierce did a bang up job though!
The MATRIX- "Check it out,dude! Im in slow mo!" Nuff sed.

indianasmith · December 18, 2010, 12:22:25 PM

GANGS OF NEW YORK. I've seldom been more disappointed in a historical film. Slow, pretentious, and WWAAAAYYYYY too long!

Raffine · December 18, 2010, 01:43:21 PM

QuoteFor me, one of the films I thought was overhyped was Apocalypse Now. Don't get me wrong, I thought it was a good film, but for starters, I thought it was WAAAAY too damn long. I don't mind long in the "We have a lot of story to tell, so this may a bit." But long in the "Lets....pan....sloooowly...over...this....swamp. See....the.....swamp. Scene. Cut to now, let's pan....slowly....over....the...boat..."

APOCALYPSE NOW has the dubious honor of being the only movie I ever walked out on in a theater.

I had gone with a good friend and we KNEW it was gonna be long, but it was quality and supposed to be good for us. After figuring at least two hours or more had passed I asked him how long this thing's been on. We were both surprised it had barely been an hour! We bailed.

Mind you - I saw JAWS: THE REVENGE, ANNIE, and NIGHT OF THE LEPUS during their theatrical runs!

Mr. DS · December 18, 2010, 03:23:35 PM

Going by IMDB's top 250 of which I've seen...

The Dark Knight - Horribly overhyped and rather boring in parts
Psycho - As Jack said above, not a Hitchcock fan.
Wall-E - Very slow and awfully boring
Blade Runner - Maybe because I saw this later on in life, to me the film simply doesn't hold up.
Avatar - Dances with wolves meets CGI overload. No thanks...
The Lion King - Honestly, I've always felt it was one of Disney's weakest entries.
Rocky - The first one bores me on rewatch value. The sequels seem much better on rewatch level.
Mystic River - Terribly boring, you figure it would be better with the talent in it.

RCMerchant · December 18, 2010, 03:50:28 PM

I'm surprised by the anti Hitchcock thing! I believe that Hitch is among the greatest film makers ever! Up there with Kubrick,Scorcese (did I spell that right?) ,Fritz Lang,Walter Lantz (yes-WALTER LANTZ), Mario Bava, and Sergio Leone.

I know I wont convince those who dont like Hitch-but I gotta try! Hitch wasnt about gore...it was about showing people like you and me...and putting them into horrendous situations. The films start slow so you can identify and care about the people...and he hurts or kills them. Great filmaker.

And his camera was all over the place!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jGJEqjYIEaE

The BIRDS is a classic!

Flick James · December 18, 2010, 04:23:25 PM

I don't think any of the films mentioned in the original post are overhyped. I rather like them.

Citizen Kane is certainly not a poor film, but I've never thought it deserved the "pefect example of filmmaking" tag it customarily gets.

RCMerchant · December 18, 2010, 04:37:33 PM

Quote from: Flick James on December 18, 2010, 04:23:25 PM
I don't think any of the films mentioned in the original post are overhyped. I rather like them.

Citizen Kane is certainly not a poor film, but I've never thought it deserved the "pefect example of filmmaking" tag it customarily gets.

Agree!Found it long and dull.