In the fall, I tend to gravitate towards certain movies. Not necessarily Halloween movies or "scary" movies, but ones that are sort of atmospheric. This month I've watched some that I'd never seen before, and while I didn't have enough to say about them to write full reviews, I thought it might be fun to mention them here.
(I say part 1 because I'm definitely planning on watching more Hitchcock movies later this month, so there might be a part 2 by November.)
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Hotel Transylvania. This one was just okay. I liked seeing the spoofs of classic monsters, but honestly, Pixar makes such amazing films that they've ruined most other animated films for me. They just never measure up!
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Dracula. I love old movies, but I feel like I'm lacking in the area of classic horror films. I watched the 1931 Frankenstein (and the Bride of Frankenstein) a couple of years ago and I caught The Blob last year on TCM, but that's about it. So a couple of weeks ago I watched the 1931 Dracula, and wow. It was entertaining and hilarious, but not the least bit creepy. (I guess I shouldn't have expected it to be. I'm a scaredy cat and don't watch truly scary movies. But I can't see how anyone could ever watch this, even back in the 30s, and be scared by it.) Bela Lugosi was so dramatic and over-the-top that it cracked me up. My favorite part was how they shined light on his face to give the appearance of his eyes glowing when he was mind-controlling people. At least I think that's what they were going for.
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The Addams Family. This one probably isn't very good, but I love it because I grew up watching it and it makes me feel nostalgic. And honestly, I much prefer it to the TV show. The humor and kookiness of it always makes me smile.
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The 39 Steps. I watched the newer Persuasion again recently (it didn't make this list because I'm rereading the book and planning a post about both), which stars Rupert Penry-Jones. That reminded me that I wanted to see him again in The 39 Steps, which reminded me that I wanted to watch the Alfred Hitchcock film before watching the remake. The 1935 version was pretty good. It was intriguing and I wasn't sure what was happening (I haven't seen the remake since it came on PBS, so I couldn't really remember the plot). But as far as Hitchcock films go, it wasn't particularly memorable or one of my favorites.
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The Age of Adaline. This movie doesn't really fit in with the fall or Halloween theme, but I was reminded recently (by Rissi) that I had wanted to see it when it released on DVD. I enjoyed it more than I expected to! It was a very quiet film, and much sadder than I expected. (Particularly the whole aspect of Adaline being "younger" than her elderly daughter. And the dog part, because why is it impossible to even have a dog in a movie without it ending in heartbreak??) The whole basis of the plot was interesting (definitely reminiscent of Tuck Everlasting, one of my favorite books), and despite the annoying narrator, I really liked it.
(I say part 1 because I'm definitely planning on watching more Hitchcock movies later this month, so there might be a part 2 by November.)
Hotel Transylvania. This one was just okay. I liked seeing the spoofs of classic monsters, but honestly, Pixar makes such amazing films that they've ruined most other animated films for me. They just never measure up!
Dracula. I love old movies, but I feel like I'm lacking in the area of classic horror films. I watched the 1931 Frankenstein (and the Bride of Frankenstein) a couple of years ago and I caught The Blob last year on TCM, but that's about it. So a couple of weeks ago I watched the 1931 Dracula, and wow. It was entertaining and hilarious, but not the least bit creepy. (I guess I shouldn't have expected it to be. I'm a scaredy cat and don't watch truly scary movies. But I can't see how anyone could ever watch this, even back in the 30s, and be scared by it.) Bela Lugosi was so dramatic and over-the-top that it cracked me up. My favorite part was how they shined light on his face to give the appearance of his eyes glowing when he was mind-controlling people. At least I think that's what they were going for.
The Addams Family. This one probably isn't very good, but I love it because I grew up watching it and it makes me feel nostalgic. And honestly, I much prefer it to the TV show. The humor and kookiness of it always makes me smile.
The 39 Steps. I watched the newer Persuasion again recently (it didn't make this list because I'm rereading the book and planning a post about both), which stars Rupert Penry-Jones. That reminded me that I wanted to see him again in The 39 Steps, which reminded me that I wanted to watch the Alfred Hitchcock film before watching the remake. The 1935 version was pretty good. It was intriguing and I wasn't sure what was happening (I haven't seen the remake since it came on PBS, so I couldn't really remember the plot). But as far as Hitchcock films go, it wasn't particularly memorable or one of my favorites.
The Age of Adaline. This movie doesn't really fit in with the fall or Halloween theme, but I was reminded recently (by Rissi) that I had wanted to see it when it released on DVD. I enjoyed it more than I expected to! It was a very quiet film, and much sadder than I expected. (Particularly the whole aspect of Adaline being "younger" than her elderly daughter. And the dog part, because why is it impossible to even have a dog in a movie without it ending in heartbreak??) The whole basis of the plot was interesting (definitely reminiscent of Tuck Everlasting, one of my favorite books), and despite the annoying narrator, I really liked it.
What are your favorite films to watch this time of year?