Do Young People Appreciate Old Classic Movies?

[sjrec]

When my daughter was in HS and college she sat up many summer nights with me watching the old movies on TCM-Picnic, Splendor in the Grass, The Philadelphia Story were some of our favorites- old Bette Davis movies, Alfred Hitchcock thrillers.

 

[Jennasis]

My favorite movie of all time is 12 Angry Men. However, aside from that, I'd rather have root canal than watch old movies.

 

[low-key]

I do, I think a few do its not everybody thing, but there will be enough of us to make the old classics live

 

[disneychrista]

I'm "old" or at least my 26yo daughter keeps telling I am and I haven't seen most of the "classics." But the same can be said for new movies too. I watch maybe a dozen movies a year and rarely if ever rewatch movies.

 

[BrinkofSunshine]

I’m in my late 20’s and I love old films. I grew up on TCM and AMC; my parents had me when they were older (I have a boomer mom and silent gen dad), and they’re both in the entertainment industry, so I was very “well schooled”.

 

[AnnieBearJamboree]

I spent my 25th birthday (a few days ago) watching a screening of Casablanca! To echo what another poster has said, if you like movies, you’ll like the classics. Many people young and old don’t care for movies, period.

 

[Sabeking]

I think every generation says the same thing and what is considered old to me (51) may not seem that old to a 75 year old Disser. I watch what I consider to be classics and so do my 19 and 20 year olds. Our favorites are any Alfred Hitchcock, Gone With The Wind, It’s a mad, mad, mad world, Hello Dolly and our absolute favorite What’s Up Doc. My girl’s say, do you think any of the kids today will watch the classics like... High School Musical?

I had a real eye opener about fifteen years ago and I was teaching at a High school. I mentioned the Beatles and a student said, who are they?

 

[tinkerbellfan6880]

I love watching classic movies all the time. I am constantly watching TCM. Also I think movies were better back then. I rarely like any of today’s movies that come out now. Don’t care if the movie is in black and white or color I will still watch it.

 

[NYCgrrl]

I love the past when it comes to film and enjoy looking forward to seeing what the future will bring as well; same goes for the rest of the arts. Still I prefer good plotting and strong characters over buildings being blown up so the '30's to 50's are my favorite times for the cinema.

DGD is almost 14 and has no dislike of black and white film. Probably from living with me where TCM provides the background noise, LOL. She's beginning to enjoy silent movies with G. Méliès "Trip to the Moon" being her current favorite.

 

[NYCgrrl]

I'm "old" or at least my 26yo daughter keeps telling I am and I haven't seen most of the "classics." But the same can be said for new movies too. I watch maybe a dozen movies a year and rarely if ever rewatch movies.

When my youngest was around 5 he asked me when I had turned 100 y/o. Told him he should ask his grandmother and possibly she'd remember - kids gotta love 'em.

 

[scrhsa]

My daughters do( 27,24,21). But that is because I loved them and "made" them watch them their whole lives Seriously though, I am really glad that they have continued to enjoy them. My 24 yr old especially! I took her to see Casablanca at the theater and she was blown away. They love Hitchcock, old westerns and even appreciate some of the old tv shows. Music as well!

 

[firefly_ris]

I was raised on 50's and 60's TV shows and cinema, and have an appreciation for cinematography in general and have a good list of classic favorites. I'm 35. I think it probably depends on what they were exposed to growing up.

 

[Christine]

I'm not young (55), but I've never had an appreciation for old, classic films. Just could not get into them.

 

[barkley]

it was a rewarding day when dd 25 came home to visit during the quarter she took a film appreciation class to meet one of general ed requirements in college. she swept through the door and proclaimed 'YOU'VE BEEN RIGHT ALL ALONG-i'm so sorry i did'nt listen to you about THOSE movies'. seems while the professor has listed in the class description some newer/popular movies the class also was exposed to showings of some (to me) classics like 'sunset boulevard', 'bonnie and clyde' and 'citizen kane'. i had tried to get dd to watch all 3 growing up and she was like 'eeeeeh'. watching them in class and having the professor point out different aspects of the films (and point out which actors they might know from more recent stuff-'that's grandma bev from roseanne in her oscar winning performance', 'that's gene wilder in his first movie appearance, you know him from young frankenstein and the OLD charlie and the chocolate factory...' got her interested to watch more.

 

[RangerPooh]

I can list off movies form the 80s and 90s and my kids friends will have never heard of them. Some of this could possibly be due to a lack of exposure to these movies- by their families as well as interest and watching. I know that my kids won;t turn to a movie that they aren't familiar with. That they don;t know the franchise, actors, or their friends haven;t recommended. My boys will occasionally watch classic movies with their grandfather, but that's about it. DH and I don;t watch much classic movies either. My go to classics are Meet Me In St. Louis, White Christmas, Cheaper By the Dozen, random Disney movies, and a hodge-podge of others.

 

[Hikergirl]

There are only a few movies I can watch that are considered "classic" and those are from the 70's.
I'd rather have eye surgery than sit through any movie made before then.

 

[Hikergirl]

@L&Lfan I've tried, I really have. I just find older classics hard to hold my attention, and think the acting kind of stinks

 

[marcyleecorgan]

they can, but they have to understand the context, history, and times in which the movie was made. and the earlier you go, they need some kind of previous theatrical exposure.

 

[NotUrsula]

So, from those who dislike "older" films (however you define that, and I'd be interested in what that definition is), then what is it about them that you don't like? I personally find it strange when someone issues a statement of blanket dislike for such a huge category of entertainment. I get "I don't like musicals" or "I don't like Westerns" -- but ALL films made before a certain year, if you otherwise like film?

DH & I are film buffs. We have collections of magazines like Film Comment, Sight & Sound, and Cinefantastique. We both REALLY like film, but the range of films we like tends to take the shape of a Venn diagram. We both tend to like political thrillers, popular action films and animation, but there are places where our tastes diverge, I also like foreign and domestic "art" films (things like Truffaut, Antonioni, Ang Lee, Ishiguro, etc.), while DH tends to like what used to be called "schlock cinema" -- cheesy low-budget horror and sci-fi flicks, such as the work of Hammer Studios. I love American musicals of the 50's-60's, but DH hates them, while he loves all the "____ -sploitation" films of the 70's (just fill in the blank as to what subgroup is being exploited), which I just can't sit through. There is no way, however, that either one of us would ever reject a film on no other grounds than the year it was made. Our kids would not, either.

 

[MrsJackSparrow4Life]

I’m 37 so don’t know how young I would be considered but....

Not a fan of John Wayne or westerns in general. Nor do I like the horror genre so I have never seen a Hitchcock movie.

But give me a Clark Gable, Humphrey Bogart, James Stewart or Audrey Hepburn movie any day over some of the crap being produced lately.

We have a movie theater that does classic movies each week so my 18 year old daughter is getting exposed to some of them (I have hard time getting her to watch them at home with me since she can get up and wander )