Teenage veiwers

[gingerrogers25]

I know that all sorts of ages come to these TCM forums, from kids that have yet to see all Hitchcock movies to those that went to go see Gone with the Wind premier.

 

However, as a 16 year old myself, I just want to 'shout out' to other teenage or lesser TCM fans that might come to this forum.

 

My question is - How did you get into the whole classic film thing? God knows its not the most common thing to get into for teenagers.

 

My Story:

So, as a avid reader, I'm reading this one World War II book called "Coming Home" by Rosamund Piltcher (side note: They later made this into a movie with Peter O'Toole, for you O'Toole fans). Anyroad, at one point she goes to see 'Top Hat' at her local theatre, yada yada yada.

 

Anyway, so I'm reading this and I set it down to watch TV for a bit. The TV Guide channel says, lo and behold, that Top Hat is on the old movie channel. So I flip to it and settle down, prepared to be bored but at least more knowledgeable. I was 12.

 

By jove. Top Hat always remains quite firm in my head as what a classic film means to me. It was lively - colorful in a black and white way - catchy - had great songs - beautiful women with plumed dresses - funny circumstances - and tap dancing.

 

Hence the screen name Gingerrogers25. My little tribute to my introduction. Naturally, I watched almost all of Fred Astaire's movies, then all Ginger Roger movies. Then, one day, after Going Down to Rio, the movie 'Pal Joey' was on, so I decided to watch it. Thus began my obsession with Frankie. and so on, and so on.

 

Tell me your story, teenagers and younger, how you got into this special little clique that is the classic movie fan.

[ljenson71]

What's up...

 

I'm 17 years old. I've always been interested in arts and culture for as long as I can remember. A few years ago, I was looking around the net and found AFI's 100 Years, 100 Films. For the helluva, I decided to watch a few, maybe the top 10. I'd seen a couple...The Wizard of Oz, It's a Wonderful Life, Jaws before.

 

One of the first ones I watched on the list for the list was The Godfather when I was in 8th grade. I didn't really get it the first time. But a few weeks later I watched it again and absolutely loved it. And I loved the second one, obviously. That got me into some Brando - I received On the Watetfront for a birthday and loved that too. I got into De Niro, Duvall, and Pacino. And I just got deeper into that list. Hitchcocks, Scorsese, Kubrick, all of them I watched and enjoyed, with a very few exceptions.

[loveoldmovies04]

Im 15 (soon to be 16 ) The main way I got started in old movies was because I loved frank sinatra music, dean martin, bing crosby and all of those oldies. One night I saw that there was a movie on with bing crosby (it was holdiay inn) and I sat down and watched it, I loved it and began just randomly watching more and more of Turner's classics. That was like 3 years ago.

 

I am also an avid reader and after reading Gone with the wind I became a strong fan of the movie and book and Vivien leigh and of corse Clark Gable so I began watching all of their movies.

Now classic movies fasinate me more than anything out there.

-phoebe

[kimbo3200]

Hey everyone~

I just turned 18 (well, a few months ago, actually) and I have loved classic movies ever since 9th grade. It's a weird story how I came to love them:

I read Pride and Prejudice over the summer for my English class freshman year. I went to Blockbuster to watch the movie, and in front of me were two choices: one black and white movie and one A&E version that was like 5 hours long. The black and white one was only 2 hours long, but it was made in 1940. 1940! I didn't even know movies were made back then! (honestly)! I was even kinda scared of black and white movies because I had this weird thought that everyone on screen that I was watching was dead (which is certainly not the case). But, I took that old one anyway, just for the time factor. I ended up loving it (and I was hooked on Greer Garson and Laurence Olivier) and from there...well, I love all old movies now; I've expanded my tastes.

It's such a big obsession that I plan on majoring in Film Studies in college and I hope to work for TCM. That is truly my dream job. I even wrote my college essay on the way I stumbled onto old movies. I guess it was a weird enough topic, because the college that I go to said they loved my essay.

Anyway, here at school, I don't get TCM, so I am basically going through withdrawal. Whenever I go home, I watch the channel every spare moment I get!

 

This is a great topic by the way - I've always wondered how many other people on the boards are teenagers too.

~Kim

[gingerrogers25]

There are only two books in this world that dont live up to the movies. Funnily enough, it replies to all three posts posted here.

 

Gone with the Wind and The Godfather.

 

I suggest, ljenson71, that you read the Godfather - you'll love it even more. It gets kinda nasty at parts (who'd think that that Wolfe guy was a disgusting pedophile?)

 

And to kimbo3200, DO watch the A&E five hour one. I own it and its by far the most watched DVD in my collection. I adore Mr. Darcy more in that movie than the Olivier version. Seriously, my absolute favorite miniseries.

 

I also plan on majoring in Film Production and Film Studies. I dont want to work for TCM - I want them to play my movies in 20 years :-D

 

Thank god people replied to my post. I was beginning to feel like, as one post-person called me once, "a yung-un".

 

[loveoldmovies04]

What about the book pride and prejudice.. do You think either of the movies own up to the book? I read the book over the summer and I loved it and I have seen both of the movies. I agree with you on the book gone with the wind, the movie definately owns up to the book but I had seen the movie first so when I read the book I had clark gable and vivien leigh in my head as the characters and I love both of them.

gingerrogers25- I am curious, what college are you planning in majoring in film production and film studies, do you know of any certain colleges that are best for that sort of thing? I only ask cause I am interested in the same sort of thing.

-phoebe

[kimbo3200]

loveoldmovies04~

I think the 1940 movie version of Pride and Prejudice was altered a little bit for the screen. They changed a few things, but I thought that it kept the storyline well. Obviously, they couldn't fit everything into 2 hours of screen time, that's why the A&E version is probably much more precise in following the book. I'll have to check that one out.

And also to you - I know your question about colleges wasn't directed towards me, but I'm in college and I went through the whole process of trying to find ones with Film Studies and Film Production. Film Studies is not a very popular major, and schools that are big and small have it, you just have to search for it.

I know that the school I am at now does not offer Film Studies as a major, but as with many schools today, you can design your own major, which is what I am doing. At some schools, Film Studies is listed under English, because it is a combination of Communication Arts and English. I go to a small school, and even many of them offer Film. Some of the bigger state schools, of course, have excellent film programs. My friend goes to a state school and she is majoring in Film as well, and her school has an excellent program - I almost wish I went with her to school. But you can find Film Studies anywhere, you just have to search for it.

Sorry since the question wasn't directed towards me, but I figured since I already went through this process, I'd give you guys some hints.

[ljenson71]

Hey, gingerrogers25 , I have read Puzo's The Godfather. Twice. And some others of Puzo's - although none have even been half as good as The Godfather. And yeah, some parts, esp. with Lucy Mancini, do get a little graphic.

 

Now soon as I get some money, I'll read The Godfather Returns by Mark Winegardner, which just came out earlier this month.

 

 

[loveoldmovies04]

Thanks kimbo for all the info, thats awsome. I'll definately check it out.

-phoebe

[gingerrogers25]

I personally am going to go to the University of Nebraska for a year (as I live here) and then transfer to New York University. They have an excellent film school.

 

Quite frankly, most places on the east and west coast have film schools. States that come to mind are New York, South Carolina, Florida, and California.

 

What kind do you want to study? Film Studies or Film Production? Film studies is criticism and history and theory (way too interesting stuff, I've taken a theory class) OR you can go the 'dangerous route' and go into Film Production in hopes of becoming a Director/Producer/Editor/Etc..

 

Good luck, anyhow!

[gingerrogers25]

Say, Kimbo, if it isn't prying into your 'secret identity', what college did you go to?

 

At the University of Nebraska (god, I hate saying that) they have it under english, like you said, but allow you to call it your major, so its a half and half.

 

What do you plan on being when you grow up? (as this is a teenage forum, I think I can use the phrase)

[gingerrogers25]

I wasn't aware there was another Godfather! Way too cool! Will ask for for Christmas. My Christmas list is insane - I had about 30 DVD's down when I realized that they might just pick randomly from the list. So I decided to bold the ones I really want - and I still had about 20 bolded.

[kimbo3200]

gingerrogers25 ~ I go to a really small school - Allegheny College - it's way out in the northwestern part of PA. There are a lot of schools in Florida, New York, and California that have great film programs. I know friends of mine that are going to schools in those states that are doing film (mostly Film Production) and they have great programs. NYU also has a great film school. I live near the city, and my friend was accepted into a film program at NYU when we were in high school. I went in with her to see the films, and they were pretty good (she didn't end up going there though). New York is a great resource for filming and films in general - there are so many little theaters and festivals with classic movies (Film Forum is having a Film Noir festival right now, for anyone who lives near there - I can't wait to go see that!)

After I was accepted to my college, I found out about another college in NYC that is geared towards film. I forget what it is called, but it was The School of Film and something or other. I think it had more to do with the history of it, and that's what I am into. I want to major in Film Studies because it is not only the history, but also theory and criticism. I really need to learn how to look more into films.

Film Production is fascinating as well. My high school had an excellent film program, and I was in it for all 4 years. We made and edited our own films and learned how to make animations as well (that is a lot of fun). My school participated in small film festivals and stuff like that. It was a lot of fun. I love making movies and editing them, but I do not think I could do that for my career - way too stressful. I still love playing around with the equipment and all that.

I would like to write for films, however. I'm trying to write a novel about pre-code Hollywood (Well, it's set in the 30's in New York and Hollywood, but that's not all it's about) and I would love to make that into a movie someday, but that would be really hard to do...

 

Wow, I feel like I have practically written a book here. So, I hope some of my info helps everyone out there and good luck with the school searching!

 

[eowyn927]

Might as well post my story...

 

I'm 15 and have loved classic movies for years. But what really got me into them (ok, obsessed with them) is when, for a summer assignment, I had to watch about 20 movies for my freshmen English class. I was in awe at all these wonderfull movies that my peers were discarding as boring just because they were in black and white. After that I tried to get my hands on as many DVDs as possible, and have now built my collection to about 60 DVDs. Not back for a girl without a job, and I've got a few priiiccey Criterion DVDs. I went through several "phases" in my classic movie discovery-- there was my Hitchcock phase (which I'm still not out of because I've yet to see some lesser known works), my Bergman phase (not out of that) and my Cary Grant phase. I would watch as many Cary Grant movies that were available to me. And don't get me started on Chaplin. He's honestly, my hero.

 

And then--- waalaa! TCM came along. TCM, oh TCM. I love it, and I don't know where I'd be without it! I love film history, and I wish everyone could appriciate classics.

 

Also, I've always wanted to be a writer and I love stage acting. Theatre is probably the 2nd most wonderful thing ever to come into my life. After movies.

[gingerrogers25]

Stage acting is great fun, too. I'm in plays at my high school and they are pretty awesome.

 

I'd rather make a movie, though. ;-)

 

Film study is so much fun. I took a Film Theory class this summer - we watched what my teacher considered the essentials. We watched Great Train Robbery, Nanook of the North, The Wild One, Paranoiac, The Red Balloon, Vincent Price movies, Abbott and Costello, Zero for Conduct, and a lot of rarer ones he owned himself.

 

It was the most fun I've ever had in a summer - and that's saying a lot!