SPECIAL October 2018 Thrillers Challenge

Six years ago, when my blog was still fairly new, I created an October Challenge for myself: watch 10 classic thrillers. Some I'd partly seen and some were new to me. I also predicted what I would rate each film, too, which was fun. I was pretty accurate but also surprised by some.

I thought it would be fun to do it again this year, but with fewer films (I don't have the time like I used to!). Below is my list with my anticipated ratings.

1. King Kong (1933)

Elizabeth's Predicted Rating: Q=4, P=4 Average OJ

2. Dirty Harry (1971)

Elizabeth's Predicted Rating: Q=5, P=3 Thanks But No Thanks

3. Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956)

Elizabeth's Predicted Rating: Q=5, P=5 Average OJ

4. Frankenstein (1931)

Elizabeth's Predicted Rating: Q=4, P=4 Average OJ

5. Dracula (1931)

Elizabeth's Predicted Rating: Q=5, P=4 Average OJ

Swing Time

Swing Time (George Stevens, 1936)

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Rating: Q=6, P=5 / Average OJ

Scale 1=3, Scale 2=3, Scale 3=3, Scale 4=2

Musical, Dance, Romance

What a great American classic. Swing Time is considered one of the best musicals ever and is part of the National Film Registry for being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant." The story is sweet and cheerful and captures a time and place--1930s New York City. It has witty dialogue, a few hilarious moments, incredible and captivating dances, and beautiful songs. What's not to like?

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Boys Town

Boys Town (Norman Taurog, 1938)

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Rating: Q=6, P=7 / Can't Get Enough

Scale 1=3, Scale 2=3, Scale 3=4, Scale 4=3

Coming of Age, Masculinity, Tearjerker

Instant love. Had I chosen to write my thesis about classic Hollywood films, I would have included this film. Watching this one in 2018 America was unfortunately, very relevant. Just like Father Flanagan, I believe that all people have good in them and there is "no such thing as a bad boy." Bad men, certainly, but not boys. I'm reminded of the many books I read about masculinity and coming of age in film- a favorite quote, by Guy Austin, is “Masculinity has nothing to prove yet somehow needs constantly to prove itself." This statement has been ringing in my ears for several years now, as I see more and more angry and violent men in the news. I wish our society would do more to help boys from an early age--teach them to be kind, respectful, and worthwhile. I know without a doubt that it starts with love.

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Gunga Din

Gunga Din (George Stevens, 1939)

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Rating: Q=5, P=4 / Average OJ

Scale 1=2, Scale 2=3, Scale 3=2, Scale 4=2

Adventure, Action, Based on Book, India, late-19th Century

If there was a category for "the ultimate action-adventure flick," this one might earn the title. Or at least it was one of the first greats. Gunga Din is also hilarious and has some great suspenseful moments. While watching, I couldn't help but wonder if Stephen Spielberg was influenced by this story and film for Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. I looked it up later and, of course, Spielberg's screenwriters wrote the screenplay based partly on Gunga Din. Points for the film student! :) It's definitely a fun escape.

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Moby Dick

Moby Dick (John Huston, 1956)

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Rating: Q=6, P=4 / Average OJ

Scale 1=3, Scale 2=3, Scale 3=2, Scale 4=2

Adventure, Action, Based on Book, Whaling, Philosophical

A timeless film for a timeless story--and one that I'm told is also a fine adaptation of the complicated novel (I haven't read it entirely, so I can't say). The rising anxiety and suspense is well-captured, the whaling rituals and routines are fun to observe. Gregory Peck plays the obsessed Ahab to perfection-admirable, stoic, crazy, and scary.

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Kim

Kim (Victor Saville, 1950)

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Rating: Q=5, P=4 / Average OJ

Scale 1=2, Scale 2=3, Scale 3=2, Scale 4=2

India, 19th Century, The Great Game, Adventure, Action, Politics, Coming of Age

Every once in a while I like to watch movies of the "epic adventure" category. My favorite ones are from the 1950s, when action editing was just starting to improve and the stories still took center stage. The pacing and atmosphere of these films have that nostalgic feeling that I love. Kim is a great example of this. It's especially fun to watch a young Dean Stockwell play alongside Errol Flynn. Rudyard Kipling's story is wonderful and while the adaptation may not have become a timeless classic, like The Jungle Book, it is still a fun escape.

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Wonder Woman

Wonder Woman (Patty Jenkins, 2017)

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Rating: Q=6, P=5 / Average OJ

Scale 1=4, Scale 2=2, Scale 3=3, Scale 4=2

Action, Comic, Adventure, War, Mythology, Epic

The film that took the entertainment world by force! It was a fun romp, plenty of action sequences that were full of women, which was a welcome surprise to most female audiences including me. The feminism and female lead roles wasn't my favorite part, though. I really enjoyed the mythological aspects of the film and the idea that a woman-god was born to destroy war. That sounds great, but it's not that easy to eliminate the dark side of humanity (as Diana learns, of course). A great escape.

--Don't understand the ratings? Click here