There is still a small sliver of hope for the young people of today

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mbb10429	There is still a small sliver of hope for the young people of today	Lead	[-]
(07/11/08 10:22 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite	Tags : None I had, of all things, THE MYSTERY OF THE WHITE ROOM playing today. My 14 year old daughter came into the room and sat down and watched it all the way through. When it was over, she pronounced it "pretty good". She said she liked the mix of shadowy goings on with a little bit of light comedy. Whaddaya know? And this wasn't even a straight on Universal horror. As I said, there might be a slim bit of hope left. Just thought I'd share. Mark
soundstage28		#1	[-]
(07/11/08 11:03 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite	Your daughter sounds like an angel. Enjoy. They grow up quick... PS - Ten bucks says she'll love The Invisible Man
AnthonyOsika		#2	[-]
(07/12/08 9:23 AM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite	My family lives in the Chicago area where the local horror host is Svengoolie. Several weeks ago, Svengoolie showed Ghost of Frankenstein and my 2 - 1/2 year old triplets watched the first 20 minutes or so before going to bed. Since then they have requested to watch it on DVD many times as part of getting ready for bed. They love the destruction of the castle and the discovery of the Monster in the sulphur pit. My son stands next to the screen when the lightning strikes the Monster, in hopes that lightning will strike him and make him stronger too. They especially enjoy the scenes of the Monster and Cloestine together.
Quarterman		#3	[-]
(07/12/08 12:37 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite	Great news, in an age in this industry in dire need of new life and free creativity, the classics will live on in our children. Time to break out those Legacy collections.
happydude33		#4	[-]
(07/12/08 2:18 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite	AnthonyOsika wrote: My family lives in the Chicago area where the local horror host is Svengoolie. Several weeks ago, Svengoolie showed Ghost of Frankenstein and my 2 - 1/2 year old triplets watched the first 20 minutes or so before going to bed. Since then they have requested to watch it on DVD many times as part of getting ready for bed. They love the destruction of the castle and the discovery of the Monster in the sulphur pit. My son stands next to the screen when the lightning strikes the Monster, in hopes that lightning will strike him and make him stronger too. They especially enjoy the scenes of the Monster and Cloestine together. Anthony, I grew up in Naperville, Il and my fondest memories are of Saturday afternoon double-features with Svengoolie (then called Son of Svengoolie.) I keep holding out hope that there'll be some way to catch him again in Los Angeles- I even saw preliminary talk of trying him out in syndication in this area, but it never panned out. Those kids are growing up the right way.
Tonygirbs		#5	[-]
(07/12/08 3:31 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite	I had a similar experience but with my mate who will have been in his mid thirties at the time. I had taped The Son of Frankenstein the night before as I had been out. My mate ended up staying at my house & in the morning as he lounged on the settee I insisted on putting on the film I had taped the previous night. This guy, he'd never watched a black & white film in his life for starters & fantasy,sci-fi, horror etc were just no-no's (if there were no car chases he just wasn't interested. 99 minutes later I realsied he had hardly spoke, finally he mumbled, that was pretty good. Although I have cut a short story long, that to me was a great victory & sign that all people need is a chance (or tricking) into giving these films a chance. Of course since then I've not been able to get him to watch anything similar but he has to grudgingly accept that the films I love are, actually, good. Cool.
blackbiped		#6	[-]
(07/13/08 2:47 AM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite	HERE is an IMDb thread on ABBOTT AND COSTELLO MEET FRANKENSTEIN that is pretty encouraging. Legend, oh legend, the third wheel legend...always in the way. My MySpace page BumsCorner.com
happydude33		#7	[-]
(07/13/08 3:39 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite	Tonygirbs wrote: I had a similar experience but with my mate who will have been in his mid thirties at the time. I had taped The Son of Frankenstein the night before as I had been out. My mate ended up staying at my house & in the morning as he lounged on the settee I insisted on putting on the film I had taped the previous night. This guy, he'd never watched a black & white film in his life for starters & fantasy,sci-fi, horror etc were just no-no's (if there were no car chases he just wasn't interested. 99 minutes later I realsied he had hardly spoke, finally he mumbled, that was pretty good. Although I have cut a short story long, that to me was a great victory & sign that all people need is a chance (or tricking) into giving these films a chance. Of course since then I've not been able to get him to watch anything similar but he has to grudgingly accept that the films I love are, actually, good. Cool. There's something really rousing about the climax to that movie. My last roommate before I met my wife-to-be walked in on me watching the tail end of Son of Frankenstein and got so involved he asked me to rewind it. We watched it and he was hooked- started working his way through the whole Universal canon, in fact. One at a time, friends. One at a time.
cabmangray		#8	[-]
(07/14/08 12:51 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite	I have been indeed fortunate to see young people's reactions first hand, the way they should bee seen...on the big screen. The Lafayette theatre in Suffern NY has shown several Frankie classics, and the young one's reactions are interesting. During the original Frankenstein, several people laughed at the monster's dumbfounded expression when Maria shows no fear of him. When House of Frankenstein was shown, one young man came out after the end of the film, endlessly questioning his mother; "So, is Dracula really dead? He can't come back, can he? I wanna sleep with the light on tonight!" But the audience reactions to A&C meet Frankenstein were the best. When Bud and Lou did their routines, everyone laughed. But when the monsters started prowling, NO ONE laughed. In fact, several scenes were quite tense; Talbot's first transformation in London is one example. Dracula putting the bite on Sandra and Bud getting trapped on the wrong side of the wall with Dracula and the Monster advancing on him are two others. Nice to know that even today, the old monsters can still summon up a few scares!
Speanistar		#9	[-]
(07/14/08 12:56 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite	Yes I belive there is a small sliver of hope. I personally think that small children will carry on the love of classic horror films, but first we have to indroduce them to these films. First you start out with Abbott and Costello and then you go on to the serious stuff.
Joe Karlosi		#10	[-]
(07/14/08 4:54 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite	But the audience reactions to A&C meet Frankenstein were the best. When Bud and Lou did their routines, everyone laughed. But when the monsters started prowling, NO ONE laughed. In fact, several scenes were quite tense; Talbot's first transformation in London is one example. Dracula putting the bite on Sandra and Bud getting trapped on the wrong side of the wall with Dracula and the Monster advancing on him are two others. Nice to know that even today, the old monsters can still summon up a few scares! Several years ago I was watching A&C MEET FRANKENSTEIN at the Film Forum in NYC. There was a little boy with his dad watching the movie too, and during the entire early chamber of horrors scene with Dracula , the moving candle, and the creaking coffin, this kid was freaking out. He kept telling dad he was scared, and "please, let's leave!". Dad kept trying to tell him this movie was supposed to be FUNNY, so the kid stuck it out for a little bit until the final straw came when the Frankenstein Monster burst out of his crate. That was it --- the kid went nuts with fear, and a very annoyed dad took him out of the theater! ---------------------- "It's MORE ... than a hobby!"
SteveZodiak		#11	[-]
(07/14/08 5:32 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite	I think these movies have a great shelf life because have a very manageable thrill/scare quotient, interesting charactors, and easy to follow, but engaging storylines. Those are timeless qualities. Kids like the crap on TV now because that is what is being delivered. Just the same as fast food. Its not that they don't like better stuff, its that the crap is the most accessable. Engage them with some quality and you'll find they will take a liking to it. Today is only Yesterday's Tomorrow. Last Edited By: SteveZodiak 07/14/08 7:05 PM. Edited 1 times.
Joe Karlosi		#12	[-]
(07/14/08 5:36 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite	That's what I figure, Steve. I've always thought that WE got into it because we didn't know any different and the old classics were routinely shown on TV when we were growing up. If the kids today were more regularly exposed to that old stuff -- and especially on broadcast TV so they feel more in tune with everyone else while watching it -- I think it would be more "cool" and interesting to them. But then there is always the factor that there are so many alternative television stations today.... ---------------------- "It's MORE ... than a hobby!"
killer meteor		#13	[-]
(07/14/08 5:36 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite	I think kids TV is good or at least average. What sucks is many of the adult shows. Reality TV, talk shows etc....
oglebee	Class act	#14	[-]
(07/14/08 7:53 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite	mbb10429 wrote: I had, of all things, THE MYSTERY OF THE WHITE ROOM playing today. My 14 year old daughter came into the room and sat down and watched it all the way through. When it was over, she pronounced it "pretty good". Mark My daughter loved The Time of their Lives and the Frankenstein series (Universal & Hammer), and after a few years continues to watch. There is hope.
cabmangray		#15	[-]
(07/15/08 12:29 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite	I also think the classic monsters will live on is because they are family friendly. No gore, cursing, or real violence to speak of. Just the occasional good scare and tons of atmosphere. Most parents know what is coming; it's just how the kids will react to it all.
Speanistar		#16	[-]
(07/15/08 2:40 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite	Other than my previous post I do know that there is hope for young people. I'm a teenager that loves the classic Universals. And also I indroduced my little sister to the classics, Her favorite monsters are Wolf Man and Frankenstein's Monster. Hopefully there are other teens out there like me. And my parents encouraged me to watch the old creature feature when it was on in our area.
Michael Elliott		#17	[-]
(07/18/08 6:44 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite	There have been topics in the past where people swear up and down that classics will die when the "Monsterkids" do but I find that to be a bunch of hogwash. Fans of film die off day after day yet these classics are still remembered by generations to come. The 'death' of certain items, be it movies or music, happens all the time but has yet to ever really happen. For one thing, it's a lot easier for people to get ahold of these films. Having to wait up until 3am one day a year to catch a movie is no longer an issue. If someone wants to see FRANKENSTEIN then they can have it in their hands in a day. Even with music I've read threads where people say certain artists will be forgotten because the "younger" crowd don't know them. I've seen countless concerts with artists who started in the 60s and 70s and yet 2/3ds of the crowd were in my age group. There were certainly a lot more "newer" fans than those who might have been seeing someone like Dylan back in the 60s. Not to mention, it's a lot easier getting someone young to try something new over trying to get someone old to watch something new.
Wich2		#18	[-]
(07/19/08 11:00 AM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite	Michael, it's true that good work always lives on... But it's also fair to say that the "true believers" for each era's material gets smaller with every generation. Are there still folks who appreciate Silent Cinema from the 1920's? Sure. But as many as in the 1950's? I doubt it. Nature and Time. Best, -Craig W.
Michael Elliott		#19	[-]
(07/19/08 1:30 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite	I think it comes and goes Craig. The silents were forgotten about from the early 30's up to the late 50's or early 60's when the "new generation" brought all of them back. Foreign films were a no-no in this country until that same wave of filmmakers picked up on Bergman, Bunuel and those types. Silents seemed to have disappeared once again throughout the 80's and 90's but they are stronger than ever today. Now, I'm sure the living folks who actually watched LONDON AFTER MIDNIGHT are mostly passed now but the film still lives on. I'm not sure if anyone living got to see FRANKENSTEIN (1910) when first released but the film lives on. These classic films aren't going anywhere people they are a lot stronger than the fans who watch them.
happydude33		#20	[-]
(07/19/08 1:43 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite	Michael Elliott wrote: I think it comes and goes Craig. The silents were forgotten about from the early 30's up to the late 50's or early 60's when the "new generation" brought all of them back. Foreign films were a no-no in this country until that same wave of filmmakers picked up on Bergman, Bunuel and those types. Silents seemed to have disappeared once again throughout the 80's and 90's but they are stronger than ever today. Now, I'm sure the living folks who actually watched LONDON AFTER MIDNIGHT are mostly passed now but the film still lives on. I'm not sure if anyone living got to see FRANKENSTEIN (1910) when first released but the film lives on. These classic films aren't going anywhere people they are a lot stronger than the fans who watch them. 100% agree. I'm guessing there aren't too many folks who saw the Universal classics on their first run in the theater on this board. You can argue that 50's television and the 60's monsterkid wave are responsible for the select times when these things come back, but here's the thing: They keep coming back. I'm a child of the 70's and I got into this stuff when little because I sought it out. Not because I was bombarded with it. My friends and I watch these things and are always bringing new folks into the fold. So I for one think the Universals will always be there. If they had the power to shock, move, and be effective 20 years after their initial run on t.v., they'll always have that power. Granted, not every fan in the future will know who Evelyn Ankers is by sight, or be able to say why James Whale is top tier and Erle Kenton is not (necessarily,) but they'll be watching Frankenstein and Dracula for sure.