Friday, February 03, 2012

11 CLASSIC (AND NOT-SO-CLASSIC) FILMS SEEN FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 2011



When Rupert Pupkin Speaks, everyone listens. Well, everyone except me listens, it seems. It feels like a long time ago indeed that Mssr. Pupkin, Listmaster Extraordinaire and proprietor of his own fine, eponymous blog, asked me to compile a short list of favorite films I’d seen for the first time over the past year. I jumped on that request fairly quickly (I think!).

It’s been less long ago—about a month and a half, maybe— but still plenty long enough since he asked me to do the same thing again this year, and this time it’s been a little more difficult for me to find time to respond. But in an attempt to avoid further fraying of Rupe’s patience or otherwise taking advantage of its rather flexible nature, complete it I finally have. This list is actually one of my favorite exercises in looking back on the year past in movies, and I’ll have a more complete version of it when I present my own year-end package in a couple of weeks.

But for now, here are the highlights, presented for Mr. Pupkin and anyone else who might be interested of some of the golden oldies whose light shadows flitted past my eyes for the first time during the past year. How many of these movies have you seen? I ask because I’m curious, but also to defuse the inevitable catcalls directed toward me and the giant, glaring gaps in my own experience with film history. Let's kick things off with:


Aha! Got ya! Robot Monster is indeed among the chosen, but you'll have to jump on over to Rupert Pupkin Speaks to find out what makes up the rest my short list! (How's that for a tease?)

(And make sure to check out Rupert's own list of favorite older films seen for the first time in 2011 too!)

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2 comments:

dave s said...

Great list, Dennis. I was thrilled (yes, thrilled) to see you include "Hands of the Ripper", and I'm anxiously awaiting the arrival of my copy of "The Night Digger". BUT I'd love to have a friendly gloves-off match with you about "The Wrong Man", a film that I think is terrific for many of the same reasons you seemed to dislike it (Admittedly, the ending is rushed, and I could do without that dated "spinning" effect when Fonda is locked up in the clinker). A great list though, and now I know that I absolutely have to see "Don't Bother to Knock".

Chris Oliver said...

Man, now I have to hunt down Deadlier Than the Male. I hope you don't mind me spamming you, but here's my list (since I gave you a brief shout-out in my review of Hellzapoppin').