i have always been a major film hound. i just love watching movies. dramas, comedy, mystery, action, bio-pics, you name it. (if you haven't checked out netflix yet, you so should)

i know alot about alot of films. from the 1970's on up. notsomuch however, about older films. and next to nothing about many so-called 'classic films'.

to that end, i have decided recently to try and catch some of the 'classics' to see what the hub-bub is all about. after all, i can't become a film snob can i? if i'm going to be a movie buff, shouldn't i know something about alot of films?

lately, i've been watching more and more of Turner Classics (TCM) and American Movie Channel (AMC). over the past few weeks i've been able to catch quite a few of the well known b&w favorites as well as a few classics shown in that cinema oddity called 'technicolor'.

all i can say is oh....my....god.... the humanity. by and large? i've gotta say these films suck!

'the yearling'? with gregory peck and jane wyman (before she married a future u.s. president?) was painful for me to watch. granted, it was made in 1946, but that in no way excuses such awful acting. i'm telling you it was like watching a SNL skit instead of a classic american movie. the little boy that wants to raise this fawn he finds? oh dear god, i wanted to put needles into my eyes rather than have to listen or watch this kid. oddly enuf, he did work once or twice again in his career, but never reached any real success. (gee whatta shock)

then i watched 'gone with the wind'. ok, who besides me, wants to beat the living crap out of scarlett? i cannot believe so many people love this film. yes, clark gable did a great Rhett. but the majority of the other actors in this film must have majored in over-acting. this film won 8 oscars! one of which went to vivien leigh, so evidently someone loved her scarlett. i find this stunning. and they gave an oscar to hattie mcdaniel? ok, groundbreaking african american roles aside, was it really worthy of an oscar? maybe for onscreen airtime, i dunno. i'm sure hattie was a very nice woman, but an oscar winner? i prefer to think it won so many oscars as there was just far less real competition back then.

i've always liked audrey hepburn, but had never seen 'breakfast at tiffany's'. also watched that over the weekend. sorry, but i don't get it. what is the big friggin deal here people? yes, holly golightly was one wacky and zany girl. poor thing had trouble getting out of her own way sometimes, and thank goddess for men like george peppard who are able to see past her quirks and love her anyway. and what was the deal w/ patricia neal? were we to believe Paul was her gigolo? and if so, then why tip toe around it like they did? sigh...

i guess i just expect more from these 'classic films'. i mean, 'the wizard of oz' is an old classic i can watch over and over. i loved 'to kill a mockingbird'. they don't all make me want to shoot my television. so i'll continue to forge ahead and catch them when i can.