# Classics that will last?



## ray gower (Oct 5, 2003)

Having had reason to book tickets for Shakespeare plays several times in recent months, I got to wondering: 
Just how many films, even the so called 'modern classics', are going to survive fifty years let alone 400.

I can think of possibly two or three sci/fi films from the fifties that are still heralded as classics, but from the last 20 years the best I can come up with is Lord of the Rings and that is on the back of a book that in its self will be well over a hundred years old!


----------



## SilverCaladan (Oct 6, 2003)

well there are film concepts that are alive and well. Like Frankenstein, Dracula, and other movies like that... Hmm maybe Carrie, or the Shining, or the Birds... heh good horror movies tend to last a while.

SciFi now... thats a little tougher


----------



## Status (Oct 6, 2003)

*Jumps in with both feet!*

I tend to agree that Lord of the Rings should last a long time; of course it came from a great author, which helps a lot.

I donâ€™t think sci-fi has a big enough following for most films to last as classics. Two that come to mind that may have a chance of survival are War of the Worlds (or The Day the Earth Stood Still) and ET.  Though War of the Worlds came from a classic in itself but within some of our lifetimes (or perhaps a little earlier ) Sorry had to go back farther than 20 years for that one 

I would be happy to come back and see some sci-fi films have survived 100 years from now, but feel it very unlikely.


----------



## Dave (Dec 3, 2003)

'Forbidden Planet', 'This Island Earth'

(Those are already nearly 50 years old, were they on your list Ray?)

But do you seriously think that people will forget *'Star Wars'* in less than 50 years?

And what about '2001', 'Alien', 'Planet of the Apes'? I don't think you were trying hard enough! 

What SciFi films have that some other genres don't have is that the films can gain "Cult Status". That means that a film such as 'Bladerunner' or 'Dune' will remembered even if it wasn't particularly good.

For that reason, I think that some SciFi films have the potential to be remembered long after the Oscar winners of their respective years. Can you remember the names of the Oscar winners from the 30's and 40's?

But yet you've heard of 'Metropolis' from 1927?

When James Cameron's 'Titanic' slowly sinks from the memory without a trace, people will still remember his 'Terminator', 'Terminator 2' and 'Aliens'.

The other thing is that film is arguably the best medium for Science Fiction. Personally, I think books might have the edge, but there have always been Fantasy and Science Fiction films. The very earliest films were what we would now classify as Fantasy and Science Fiction, and even before proper cinefilm there was a horror and fantastical content to the shows and performances. If you are ever in London visit MOMI (Museum of the Moving Image) on the South Bank and you will see what I mean.


----------



## ray gower (Dec 3, 2003)

Forbidden Planet and This Island Earth were the 2 from the 50's I would like to survive as classics.

Star Wars, I did think hard about, but ultimately I think it will disappear, unless they make another trilogy in 25 years time. It's popularity was only stirred up again by the new series.

The same goes for Terminator, Planet of the Apes and Alien. They are good enough films in their own way and go through a sudden surge of interest because a new film appears. But they all but disappear again a year later. None of them stand on their own despite a certain cult status. You could also add films like Brave New World and Logans Run, which also carry the fickle 'cult' status.

2001 is over 30 years old now, is and will remain a classic, though I can't work out why, perhaps it is the fame of the writer or the music?

I couldn't tell you who won an Oscar last year, let alone in 1933! 
As for Titanic, I hope it disappears as permanently as its ice going subject. 

But that is my opinion and fashions change. Perhaps Mars Attacks will become The Classic 90's film in 2040! 

Which is why I ask the speculative question?

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The best way of presenting Science Fiction I think depends upon the medium it is written for and the way it is presented. Books use description to create an atmosphere. Film tries to do it with effects and radio by emotion. All have to rely upon the reader/viewer/listeners imagination to create what is required.


----------



## Status (Dec 6, 2003)

*I did some homework!*

Iâ€™d like to clarify something I said in the last postâ€¦  I would be happy to come back and see some sci-fi films have survived 100 years from now, but feel it very unlikely.  I was referring to me coming back a 100 years from now and not that I donâ€™t believe that some of them would still be around and enjoyed  I think they have a very good chance of surviving. 

All right you guys, you made me do some research here because I wanted some facts to back me up if I get challenged . It took me a while to find everything I was looking for and a little more time to get up the courage to speak up, but here it is, my personal opinion. I still think *War of the Worlds* should make it, even though I found little out about it, but not likely since I could find little out about it. 

I will agree on *Forbidden Planet* and even *This Island Earth* (I hope) and I donâ€™t see any problem with *LOTR* and *2001: A Space Odyssey* making it there (itâ€™s already 35 years and still going strong). However, I will have to disagree on *Star Wars* not making it. Although it isnâ€™t one of my favorites (I did like it somewhat though), from all the research Iâ€™ve done I think it has a very good chance of making it 50 years from its start (even without any new remakes). If for no other reason than itâ€™s ground breaking of a new era of special effects. It has been around for about 25 years and I see no problems with it making another 25, even without the need of remakes. 

According to Damian Cannon of the Movie Reviews UK he had this to say about it. This is only one of the reviews I read on this film, but there are too many to put them all here. 



> One of the most successful movies of all time. *Star Wars* knits together fragments of mythology and space battles into a tale all can relate to.
> 
> By far the most significant aspect of *Star Wars* is that it creates a wholly believable alien universe where everything is familiar, yet subtly different.
> 
> ...



Unfortunately in my research for this I found several films I really liked and would like to see them make it but general consensus is they wont . I really enjoyed *ET* but as a general rule in my research I donâ€™t think it will make it.

I couldnâ€™t tell you who won the Oscar any year, donâ€™t pay it much mind. I watch a film and make up my own mind on it, usually doesnâ€™t agree with the general public but who cares so long as I enjoy them!

Oh and by the way, Ray, I checked out *Mars Attacks* too and it doesnâ€™t look too promising for it to make it, although that is one I haven't seen so can't make a judgement on it for myself


----------



## ray gower (Dec 8, 2003)

I'll bow to the power of research! 
Star Wars will live another 25 years!
Thinking back it was very clever for its time. I think it's biggest problem has been that it so rarely sees the light of day.

Might take issue to War of the Worlds though. Always thought it an average 'B' movie, with slightly better than average effects. Besides there is supposed to be a new rendition coming soon. The few rumours I've seen suggest it might be close to the book.


----------



## BAYLOR (Feb 6, 2017)

Quatermass and the Pit.


----------



## Rodders (Feb 6, 2017)

Star Wars and The Empire Strikes Back, for sure. I'm not too sure that any of the other movies could be regarded as a classic or deserve classic status. 

Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan is a wonderful movies that deserves classic status. 

John Carpenter's The Thing. 

Definitely agree about the Terminator, T2 and Aliens.


----------



## Danny McG (Aug 3, 2017)

BAYLOR said:


> Quatermass and the Pit.



I'd agree with this, a true classic.
One thing that always sticks in my mind is the underplayed ending.
No big pats on the back from politicians, no rousing cheers from the populace. Just two dazed and dusty protagonists standing amidst the debris, no conversation, both gazing off into the distance in what appears to be mild PTSD as the end fades out.
How many modern directors would pass up the opportunity for a grand finale?


----------



## EJDeBrun (Aug 4, 2017)

As a person who has taken a lot of film history courses, the films that will be remembered in history are the ones that provided major significance and/or breakthroughs. Because ultimately, when it's 400 years in the future, the thing that will keep something "alive" or determine if it's a "classic" or not is going to be academia.

That being said, we're talking fantasy and sci-fi movies like: 7th Voyage of Sinbad, the original Star Wars trilogy, Blade Runner, Aliens. LOTR triology. These are all films already on the film history docket. (Along with things like Godfather, Rocky, Gone With the Wind, Casa Blanca, Citizen Kane etc etc)

As far as what in the recent modern era? It's hard to say still. It has to be something genre or tech defying.


----------



## Moonbat (Aug 6, 2017)

The original post mentioned Shakespeare, but the reason we still see Shakespeare productions is because people keep remaking them. King Kong is pretty old as a story told in film (1933) and has had at least 3 remakes. The most recent being this year (Kong Skull Island might have been released last year).
The thing here isn't the film per se, as I doubt anyone except film historians will want to watch a film that is 100+years old, but the story that goes behind the film. Hollywood is fond of remakes and reboots, I don't see that changing, so I expect that in 100 or even 400 years there will be remakes and retellings of stories that began in the 20th Century in film.
Some of the classics mentioned (2001 as an example) are not only great writers but great directors too. I wouldn't be surprised to see some of the most original stories that were written or directed by the best being retold throughout the years.

FYI - you have probably heard of many best picture winners from the 30's they include - Gone with the wind (1939) Top hat (1935), all quiet on the western front (1930) also  the adventures of robin hood - which is obviously a tale that has been retold many times.


----------



## clovis-man (Aug 8, 2017)

*Star Wars* (Episode IV) came out at a time (1977) when the film industry was in a cynical and oftentimes negative trend. Thanks to George Lucas and John Williams, we suddenly had an innovatively filmed heroic story with epic music accompanying it. A real eye opener for the time. It certainly set the tone for a host of SF films that followed: Everything from *ET *to *Alien*. Whether that accomplishment meets the necessary and sufficient criteria for consideration as a "lasting classic" may be a matter of conjecture. But it certainly looks to be something of a benchmark for the SF genre as it has come to be known today. It gets my vote, as do episodes V and VI.


----------



## BAYLOR (Aug 9, 2017)

*The First Men in the Moon * 1964


----------

