Films which have aged badly

[Cartman]

My wife and son want to see the new Top Gun film so we're going to the cinema tomorrow. To get up to speed with it, I watched the original 1986 film earlier and I thought it has dated quite badly, all that colour filtering giving strange backgrounds. Other ones are any 80s American action films, usually endless gun battles which Arnold Schwarzenegger always wins. Wall street is another.

Strangely I think that 60s and 70s films have aged better than 80s and 90s ones as film makers then were fearless and pushed the boundaries, whereas in later years they played safe and went for big bangs and effects

[Nightfly]

I'm not sure if this falls in to the category of films that have aged badly, or films that I had a high opinion of the time and changed my mind, but the 1972 horror film Death Line comes to mind.

I first saw it in the late 70s and recently tracked it down to see if it was still as good as I remember. Unfortunately the massive plot holes spoiled it for me. There isn't a character that you can sympathise with and Donald Pleasance's role as the Police chief almost seems like a parody with his dismissal of anyone younger than him with a "get yer hair cut" comment wears thin. There's also a lot of padding with long lingering shots of the derelict parts of the Underground that drag on too long.  Not one I will be revisiting.

Jun 2, 2022 18:57:56 GMT Cartman said:

Strangely I think that 60s and 70s films have aged better than 80s and 90s ones as film makers then were fearless and pushed the boundaries, whereas in later years they played safe and went for big bangs and effects

Spot on. There's very little of Hollywood I have time for and that includes some of the 70s stuff too.

[Cartman]

I've not seen Death Line, but it wouldn't be my bag as I don't like horror films.

The new Top Gun is an example of a sequel which is much better than the original, it's very good.

[Del Boy]

Jun 3, 2022 18:39:44 GMT Cartman said:

I've not seen Death Line, but it wouldn't be my bag as I don't like horror films.

The new Top Gun is an example of a sequel which is much better than the original, it's very good.

Sequels that are better than the original are indeed a rare thing. Can't think of too many.

[Arthur Pringle]

Funny you should mention Death Line Sparky as I watched The Black Windmill featuring Donald Pleasence a couple of days ago, I've never been sure about his eccentric acting style, he seems to play every role in the same half comic manner, I thought Michael Caine gave a bad performance in this film as well. Funny how certain films you once enjoyed can often seem flat with the passing of time. 

[Cartman]

I saw The Black Windmill in the late 70s and haven't seen it since. Might give it another go, tbh, I don't remember much about it.

[Dirty Epic]

Jun 4, 2022 21:58:32 GMT Cartman said:

I saw The Black Windmill in the late 70s and haven't seen it since. Might give it another go, tbh, I don't remember much about it.

I saw it on ITV4 a decade or so ago and quite liked it some period filming in Shepherds Bush around the Sweeney period too.