Films from the 40’s for the over 40 crowd

[Musicguy]

One thing I love about blu-ray is discovering older films which had been restored to the original glory. Especially films from the 30’s, 40’s and 50’s.

The last two years alone I’ve purchased a number of films I’d never seen before and was not disappointed. The images are beautiful and the stories and acting are interesting and refreshing. I now have a new appreciation for British made films from the era.

Among the best
“Mrs. Miniver”
“Anatomy of a Murder”
“Black Narcissus”
“The Red Shoes”
“Twelve Angry Men” (wow!)

Looking forward to a few others scheduled for release (which I have seen)
“Life and Death of Colonel Blimp” (Academy of Motion Picture restoration screening last year)
“Public Enemy”
“White Heat’
“The Petrified Forest”

Would love to have “A Matter of Life and Death” the DVD is now a favorite, also like to see Criterion’s George Bernard Shaw set transfer over to Blu-ray

Now seriously considering purchasing the David Lean/Noel Coward set from Criterion even though I’ve never seen any of the films in the set. Criterion does outstanding work on these kind of titles.

The only one that left me somewhat unimpressed was “Grand Hotel” but I’m not sorry I purchased it.

Anyone else discover some older films which if it weren’t for blu-ray they never would have seen? Anything to recommend?

[Arkadin]

the Lean set is a MUST own for sure.
don't hesitate to get that one, but wait for the 1/2 off sale.
I have no doubt you will love it.
I would certainly make sure to get the following (not necessarily British and not all from the 40's)--
The African Queen
Treasure of the Sierra Madre
The Maltese Falcon
The Big Heat
Scarlet Street
The Third Man
The Dark Mirror
The Postman Always Rings Twice
Letter From An Unknown Woman
Force of Evil
Rebecca
Spellbound
Notorious
The Red Shoes (British)
A Star is Born (30's version and 50's version)
Meet Me in St. Louis
Singin' in the Rain
Easter Parade
How Green Was My Valley
Grapes of Wrath
Body and Soul
A Double Life
Laura
Citizen Kane
The Ladykillers (original British film)
Henry V (British; UK bd; region free)
Great Expectations (British; UK bd; region free)

(and if you can play locked titles the UK Ealing bds are essential--
Whiskey Galore
Kind Hearts and Coronets
Passport To Pimlico
Went The Day Well
The Lavender Hill Mob
The Titfield Thunderbolt
It Always Rains On Sunday
The Man in the White Suit

Honestly, there are tons more, but those are a good start. The nice thing about the 30's, 40's and 50's on bd at least, is that most every film that has been released in a classic film, so you can't really go wrong most of the time.

[cbs777]

I would recommend The Stranger, a movie with Orsen Welles & Edward G. Robinson you can't go wrong with. One I'm really waiting on blu is Out The Past an absolutely great film.

[The Great Owl]

Here are the 30’s, 40’s and 50’s films in my collection. All highly recommended, of course!

1930s
Dracula
Frankenstein
The Mummy
The Invisible Man
King Kong
The Man Who Knew Too Much
Bride of Frankenstein
The 39 Steps
Le Grande Illusion
The Adventures of Robin Hood
The Lady Vanishes
The Wizard of Oz

1940s
Rebecca
The Maltese Falcon
The Wolf Man
Casablanca
Phantom of the Opera
Spellbound
Notorious
Abbot and Costello Meet Frankenstein
The Treasure of the Sierra Madre
Le Silence De La Mer

1950s
The African Queen
The Day the Earth Stood Still
High Noon
The Creature from the Black Lagoon
On the Waterfront
Seven Samurai
Godzilla
River of No Return
To Catch a Thief
The Night of the Hunter
The Searchers
Forbidden Planet
Invasion of the Body Snatchers
12 Angry Men
The Seventh Seal
20 Million Miles to Earth
The Blob
Les Misérables
North by Nortwest
Letter Never Sent

Later this month, my copy of The Big Heat should be arriving in the mail. I also plan to buy A Man Escaped in late March or early April.

[rkolinski]

I'm 63 years old so you are talking about my favorite period of time when talking about movies (30's - 50's). The films in my collection and a few upcoming in my wish list.

1930's
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
All Quiet on the Western Front
The Man Who Knew Too Much
The Rules of the Game
The Adventures of Robin Hood
Universal Monsters: The Essential Collection (Dracula - 2 versions, Frankenstein Bride of Frankenstein, The Wolf Man, The Mummy, The Invisible Man, Phantom of the Opera and Creature of the Black Lagoon)
Modern Times
King Kong
The Testament of Dr. Mabuse
Stagecoach
Grand Hotel
The Lady Vanishes
The 39 Steps
Things to Come
A Farewell to Arms
La Grande Illusion
Clepatra
Gone with the Wind
The Four Feathers
The Wizard of Oz
Island of Lost Souls
The Blue Angel
M
The Big Trail
Mutiny on the Bounty
The Mikado

1940's
The Song of Bernadette
Bambi
Notorious
Fantasia
Dumbo
Laura
Spellbound
Brief Encounter
Double Indemnity
Rebecca
Mrs. Miniver
Easter Parade
The Maltese Falcon
Great Expectations
Alfred Hitchcock: The Masterpiece Collection (Saboteur, Shadow of a Doubt, Rope, Rear Window, The Trouble with Harry, The Man Who Knew too Much, Vertigo, Psycho, The Birds, Marnie, Torn Curtain, Topaz, Frenzy and Family Plot)
Twelve O'Clock High
How Green Was My Valley
Meet Me in St. Louis
Casablanca
The Grapes of Wrath
Pinocchio
The Treasure of the Sierra Madre
The Great Dictator
Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein
Fort Apache
Hamlet
The Third Man
Miracle on 34th Street
Lifeboat
Yellow Sky
David Lean Directs Noel Coward (In Which We Serve, This Happy Breed, Brief Encounter and Blithe Spirit)
Went the Day Well?
Beauty and the Beast
The Lost Weekend
The Ox-Bow Incident
The Postman Always Rings Twice
Black Narcissus
Gentleman's Agreement
Citizen Kane
It's a Wonderful Life
Swamp Water
The Third Man
The Red Shoes
Pursued
Ministry of Fear
Henry V
The Best Years of Our Lives (coming 11/13)
Champion
Leave Her to Heaven
The Ultimate Gangster Collection Classic (Little Caesar, The Public Enemy, The Petrified Forest and White Heat)

1950's
Peter Pan
Cinderella
The Blob
The Quiet Man
Alice in Wonderland
On the Waterfront
Harvey
The Searchers
A Night to Remember
The Robe
Fantasia
Sleeping Beauty
Ben Hur
Seven Samurai
Forbidden Planet
Quo Vadis
Legend of the Lost
South Pacific
The Horse Soldiers
Gigi
Forever Marilyn (Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, How to Marry a Millionaire, River of No Return, There's No Business Like Show Business, The Seven Year Itch, Some Like It Hot and The Misfits)
To Catch a Thief
The Big Country
The Battle of the River Plate
Touch of Evil
The African Queen
Strangers on a Train
Rashomon
Diabolique
Godzilla
12 Angry Men
The Samurai Trilogy
Dial M for Murder
High Noon
Lady and the Tramp
North by Northwest
All About Eve
An American in Paris
The Killing
The Day the Earth Stood Still
Letter Never Sent
A Star is Born
Some Like It Hot
The Seventh Seal
A Streetcar Names Desire
Anatomy of a Murder
An Affair to Remember
White Christmas
Rio Grande
The Ten Commandments
The Cruel Sea
Bell, Book, and Candle
The Black Shield of Falworth
The Dam Busters
The 400 Blows
Sunset Boulevard
Titanic
The Bridge on the River Kwai
Sweet Smell of Success
Hondo
The One That Got Away
Invasion of the Body Snatchers
The Red Balloon
Houdini
The Night of the Hunter
Singin' in the Rain
Ice Cold in Alex
Paths of Glory
Suddenly
The Big Heat
Stars and Stripes Forever
Kiss Me Deadly
The Caine Mutiny
Picnic
Summer Interlude
Guys and Dolls
The Barbarian and the Geisha
The Snows of Kilimanjaro
Vera Cruz
Demetrius and the Gladiators
Hans Christian Anderson
Summer with Monika
The Egyptian
The Burmese Harp
Pillow Talk
Orpheus
Sailor of the King
Journey to the Center of the Earth
The Magician
Ray Harryhausen Collection (It Came From Beneath the Sea, Earth vs the Flying Saucers, 20 Million Miles to Earth and The 7th Voyage of Sinbad)
The Diary of Anne Frank
Bigger Than Life
Black Orpheus
Pal Joey
Desiree
Rio Bravo
Senso
Smiles of a Summer Night
The Roots of Heaven
3:10 to Yuma
Jubal
Fear and Desire
The Lavender Hill Mob
The Men
Panic in the Streets
The Bad Seed

[Vw Driver]

Those are great lists guys, I shall venture into this thread to get ideas on which to buy. I just got into getting these older movies from 30s-60s a few months ago and was I shocked how some of them look so amazing. I'm hoping to score all those listed above as well, along with all TT is offering even at premium prices.

My favorite ones have been the digibooks of those older films, especially The Hustler, Doctor Zhivago and All About Eve.

Btw, i turn 30 next month, so young people enjoy these too.

[Danny4]

I don't think you need to be over 40 to enjoys these movies?

I'm 30 and i'm watching movies from the 30s, 40s and 50s for over 10 year now.

[ZoetMB]

Originally Posted by Danny4

I don't think you need to be over 40 to enjoys these movies?

I'm 30 and i'm watching movies from the 30s, 40s and 50s for over 10 year now.

You shouldn't have to be over 40 to enjoy these movies, but most people (outside of collectors) have a resistance to watching any movie that is perceived to be "older" to them, even if it's just a matter of hairstyles or a slightly faded or softer look. Also, people who are used only to the fast cutting styles of today frequently can't deal with the slower-paced more literate films of the past. That's why films that don't need to be remade get remade.

In addition, there's a generation of people who can't deal with any film that isn't filled with explosions, big action set pieces, macho heroics and frequent vulgarity. Let's get real: if Transformers is your thing, there aren't too many films of the past that one is going to be able to enjoy.

You have be "open" to enjoy these great films of the past. When film history courses and revival theatres were popular, more people were open to the experience of enjoying older films. There's far less of that today, in spite of the abundance of different home video experiences available. That's why cable channel TCM has no commercials: not enough people watch it to make it viable, which is a good thing in a way because if they broke up those movies with constant ads, I wouldn't watch it anyway.

[BobbyMcGee]

Originally Posted by Musicguy

The only one that left me somewhat unimpressed was “Grand Hotel” but I’m not sorry I purchased it.

Grand Hotel was released in 1932.

The beginning of the film (the setup) was a bit rough in my opinion and felt very much like an early talkie.

However, once the focus of the film shifted to the Barrymore brothers I absolutely loved it. In particular, Lionel Barrymore as Otto Kringelein. I was quite moved by his character.

[Extremis]

Why must we be over 40?

I'm 18 and have a massive appreciation for foreign, classic and great cinema for many years now.

[octagon]

Originally Posted by Musicguy

Anyone else discover some older films which if it weren’t for blu-ray they never would have seen?

Discover isn't exactly right, no. I don't think there are too many films I wouldn't have seen absent blu-ray. Maybe I wouldn't have been quite as captivated by silent films as I've recently become but that's about the extent of it.

Rediscover, however, is another matter entirely. Blu-ray has caused me to revisit a lot of films I'd thought were good or okay or view them with fresh eyes and I see so much more in so many of them. Revisiting the late 60s-mid 70s has been particularly rewarding.

Originally Posted by ZoetMB

In addition, there's a generation of people who can't deal with any film that isn't filled with explosions, big action set pieces, macho heroics and frequent vulgarity. Let's get real: if Transformers is your thing, there aren't too many films of the past that one is going to be able to enjoy.

Haven't there always been people ready to flock to explosions or giant radioactive ants or burning high rises or terrorist-filled high rises or guys in white hats shooting it out with guys in black hats or any number of similarly low-brow pursuits?

What's the real difference now? Die Hard was awesome but they just don't make 'em like that anymore? Eh, maybe. There are more of those people now? Eh, maybe.

But maybe the only real difference is these kids today stick more metal through their heads than we did.

[oildude]

My collection on this site is arranged by decade, for the most part. Since it is already conveniently arranged to answer your question, I invite you to visit.

This will take you to the page where the 1930s begins, followed by the other decades:

https://www.blu-ray.com/community/co...oryid=7&page=5

Exceptions to this are my digibooks category (where I have Mutiny on the Bounty (1935), All About Eve, The Commancheros, etc) and a few other categories such as music, documentaries, and Disney. My Universal Monsters collection is under my Film Collections category, which is where I put box sets that have films from multiple decades.

I love the 1930s to 1950s, as you can see.

[dsman71]

if it wasnt for this thread I wouldnt have known Great Expectations 1946 had a Blu Ray release, which I am getting

[RiFiFi1955]

Originally Posted by cbs777

I would recommend The Stranger, a movie with Orsen Welles & Edward G. Robinson you can't go wrong with. One I'm really waiting on blu is Out The Past an absolutely great film.

Out of the Past......Oh I hope they are planning on releasing that one soon. Out of print DVD, HD materials available...that's always a good sign.

[HyperRealist]

I'm 39. I guess I can enjoy some of the films in collection next year.

[Old Geezer]

Originally Posted by oildude

My collection on this site is arranged by decade, for the most part. Since it is already conveniently arranged to answer your question, I invite you to visit.

This will take you to the page where the 1930s begins, followed by the other decades:

https://www.blu-ray.com/community/co...oryid=7&page=5,,,,,,,,,,,,,

I love the 1930s to 1950s, as you can see.

I checked out your collection (absolutely fantastic I might add) and the film that caught my eye was Nothing Sacred from 1937. One of my all-time favorites and one I need to watch again soon.

[dsman71]

Ive been a classic movie fan for over a decade, in my 30s I watched TONS of classics - renting, buying...I went on this binge. My movie collection quadrupled in size! Ive been a fan of Wizard of Oz for all my life
I have a ton of classics and will recommend a handful from different studios..I have discovered a lot of wonderful classics

Young and Innocent
Godzilla 1954
House of Secrets
She
The 39 Steps
The Lady Vanishes
Nora Prentiss
The Unsuspected
Ladies in Retirement
The Brasher Doubloon
Murder My Sweet
Beware my Lovely
Wizard of Oz
M
The Blue Angel
ALL the universal classic monsters
Dr X
King Kong
Face of Fu Manchu
Laura
Lady for a Day
A Farewell to Arms
Mutiny on the Bounty
Island of Lost Souls
Key Largo
The Big Sleep
Maltese Falcon
The Thin Man - the entire series
Public Enemy
the original Flash Gordon serial
the Tarzan movies with Johnny Weismueller
Charlie Chan movies
Fear in the Night
Tomorrow at Seven
Eyes in the Night
They Made Me A Criminal
Wayne Murder Case
The Quiet Man
Body and Soul
Force of Evil

[Bruce Morrison]

These are the films from the 1950's and 1940's that I own on Blu-ray (including some foreign-language films):

1950's

Anatomy Of A Murder
North By Northwest
Rio Bravo
Some Like It Hot
Ashes And Diamonds
Bridge On The River Kwai, The
Night To Remember, A
Paths Of Glory
Sweet Smell Of Success
Bigger Than Life
Killing, The
Searchers, The
Amiche, Le
Diabolique
Dial M For Murder
Smiles Of A Summer Night
Caine Mutiny, The
Johnny Guitar
On The Waterfront
Sabrina
Sansho The Bailiff
Senso
Seven Samurai
Big Heat, The
Ugetsu Monogatari
Wages Of Fear
High Noon
Umberto D
African Queen, The
Strangers On A Train
Streetcar Named Desire, A
All About Eve
Orphee
Rashomon
Sunset Boulevard

1940's

Fort Apache
Red Shoes, The
Treasure Of The Sierra Madre, The
Bicycle Thieves
Notorious
Third Man, The
Enfants du Paradis, Les
Lost Weekend, The
Double Indemnity
Casablanca
To Be Or Not To Be
Maltese Falcon, The
Grapes Of Wrath, The

[RipleyLV426]

Originally Posted by Extremis

Why must we be over 40?

I'm 18 and have a massive appreciation for foreign, classic and great cinema for many years now.

Originally Posted by Danny4

I don't think you need to be over 40 to enjoys these movies?

I'm 30 and i'm watching movies from the 30s, 40s and 50s for over 10 year now.

Agreed! I'm 29 and have been enjoying the classics regularly since I was probably 12 or so (beginning with Gone With the Wind). But I agree that we of my generation are in the minority, and today's generation even lesser so. It's increasingly rare to bump into anyone that has seen or knows of classics and/or "original" movies and not the remakes (ie. Carpenter's The Thing versus the 2011 The Thing...or even further back with "The Thing From Another World")

On a good note, I love to be amongst friends here on bluray.com that appreciate and keep the classics and our film history alive through blu and beyond.

[danmovie]

I am 33 years old and this era is definitely my favorite as well and has been since I was in my teens. I have ranked every movie I have ever seen (I think anyways) in a giant spreadsheet which currently totals to 1,062 movies. My #1 and #2 decades are the 1940s & 1950s, following by the 1930s. The 2000s rank #4 and interestingly the 1970s is my least favorite decade by quite a bit.

Blu-ray has definitely provided greater visibility to some of these classics for me and I currently have around 70 Blus from this era.

Some of my top hidden gems from the 1930s-50s are:

Make Way for Tomorrow (1937) – a fantastic analysis of family and generations (I had never heard of this movie before Blu-ray and now it is in my Top 25)

Went the Day Well? (1942) – a gritty, tense film that exhibits sacrifice well without overdramatizing it

My Son John (1952) – tense and thought-provoking (good for some conversations afterward)

The Stranger (1946) – Orson Welles elevates what could have been a rather generic story into a compelling film


These films are not as much of “hidden gems” perhaps, but they maybe are not as well known?

A Night to Remember (1958) – heroism and tragedy come together well in this film

Ealing Comedies – Kind Hearts & Coronets, Ladykillers, Lavender Hill Mob, etc. – truly fantastic films with delightful dry wit

Shadow of a Doubt (1943) – it is hard for Hitchcock films to be “hidden” yet this is one of his best and is less well known

Late Spring (1949) – a beautiful movie about a father & daughter (and I have 5 daughters)

Fort Apache (1948) – great to have John Wayne & Henry Ford in this John Ford film

Black Narcissus (1947) – a very unusual film that is beautiful and ominous
Tati films – Mr. Hulot’s Holiday, Mon Oncle, etc. – very fun and imaginative (grows on me more and more each time I see it)

I also really enjoyed Ice Cold in Alex (1958) (odd title though), Swamp Water (1941), Hamlet (1948), and the Humphrey Jennings films. Also, several of the films in these lists are only available on Region B.
Buster Keaton is fantastic too, but he’s mostly in the 1920s.

There are many more well known classics that could have been listed as well.

Some of the films from this era that I would most love to see in Blu are:
Sergeant York (1941), The Talk of the Town (1942), The Thief of Bagdad (1940), Bringing Up Baby (1938), Roman Holiday (1953), Young and Innocent (Hitchcock from 1937), Testament of Dr. Mabuse (1933), The Awful Truth (1937), The Sea Hawk (1940), Captains Courageous (1937), and Only Angels Have Wings (1939).
Finally, I’d love to see the Marx Brothers and the Bing Crosby-Bob Hope “Road To” movies on Blu.

What else would you all recommend?
Thank you to all who have posted some of their favorites and hidden gems.