Most Overrated Films of All Time?

[Rushmore]

In an effort to avoid having to change the name of this forum to "Terrorism Today," or "Zionism--Right or Wrong?," I thought something a little more innocuous might be in order. So let's try this:

I was being utterly and absolutely lazy this past Saturday. I had the remote control in my hand, and happened across an Academy Award-Winning Masterpiece on AMC or TCM or wherever. This film is called Marty.

I recalled that John Turturro's character in Quiz Show makes mention of the brilliance of this celluloid gem.

So I says to myself "Self, let us endeavor to investigate the source of these accolades."

I would have preferred to scrape the enamel off of my teeth with freezing cold razor blades.

So, I ask: What other purportedly "great" films are actually from the Emperor's New Clothes School of Cinematic Gorgeousness and Grandeurosity?

You know what I mean.

I put in additional votes for Driving Miss Daisy, Out of Africa, and Life Is Beautiful.

[Ray Zee]

it seems you may be biased against movies that arent action oriented.
but marty was a great movie but mostly for the performance of ernst bourgnine. which i think he got his only award for.

[Rushmore]

No, Ray. I love films of all genres.

To wit: The Philadelphia Story, Sling Blade, Dr. Strangelove, Gone With The Wind, It's a Wonderful Life, Eraserhead, Citizen Kane, The Shining, The Fountainhead, The English Patient, The Wizard of Oz, Il Postino, The Cook, The Thief, His Wife, and Her Lover, The Sheltering Sky, The Man Who Would Be King, The Remains of The Day, Jean de Fleurette, The Belly of An Architect, Koyannisquatsi, Salo, My Dinner With Andre, Dr. Zhivago, and, of course, How Stella Got Her Groove Back.

OK, there might be some action in some of these films, but they sure aren't "action films."

[Ray Zee]

well okay rushy. but with movies alot has to do with the time frame. people that watch them years later after being subjected to the newer movies of the period see things differently sometimes. once a time frame passes for a movie then it needs to no longer be judged as its value changes to something else i am not sure of.
except for westerns most big hits have more action than in the past.
take citizen kane for instance. if you dint know the past history and why and what it really was about back then, it would be hard to think it was a good movie. but i guess that can be said for alot of shows.

[John Cole]

Rushmore,

You're off to a good start--although I think a few on your list are fluff. (As an aside, I'm not sure anyone can "love" Salo.) Now, go immerse yourself in everything you can find by Preston Sturges (although John Sturges's Bad Day at Black Rock is a great film) and Ernst Lubitsch.

John

[Rushmore]

To the contrary, John. I do "love" Salo. I especially love this film when viewed in the context of Pasolini's disturbing life and fairly topical death.

Life imitates art, etc.

But as a film, I think it qualifies as one of the most profoundly disturbing and, obviously, visceral movies of all time. Many have derided it as merely prurient, but I tend to disagree.

In the same way as I disagree with those who dismissed Sade (on whose work the film is based) as a pornographer.

But hey. That's just me. If people prefer Porky's III--The Revenge or whatever, who am I to judge?

[RollaJ]

Most overated
1)Titanic-it was ok, but way too much hype
2)Flintstones-I walked out, and that movie was big when it came out
3)Backdoor Beauties 17-waste of time, Shanda didnt even seem interested, a real let down to the franchise....just didnt "work" for me
4)A Fish Called Wanda-How the hell is this always called one of the funniest movies?

[John Cole]

Rushmore,

When I first saw Salo in a theater nearly 3/4 of the audience had left by the end. Yes, profoundly disturbing, but important nonetheless. But, for me, it's a hard movie to love. Although the most people will remember the scenes of degradation, I still have in mind, nearly twenty years after seeing Salo, the closing scene and Pasolini's reference to Pound's Pisan Cantos. One of the geastest moments, for me, in film history.

John

[dogsballs]

You need to have Manon des Sources in there, if you have Jean de Florette. It's the second half of the film which JdF is the first half of.

[Rushmore]

Manon of The Spring is, indeed, worthy of note.

I was, however, only endeavoring to exhibit to Mr. Zee a diversity of taste not solely action-based.

In fact, I don't much care for action films at all, excepting the gangster/historical genre (Once Upon a Time In America, Goodfellas, etc.).