The Classic Sicence Fiction and Horror films are being forgotten

[BAK55]

During my attendence at CONvergence this summer, I've realized the very sad fact that many of the younger generation have no knowledge of the classic films I had grown up with and have loved.

The days of late night, after school on Friday evenings or even Saturday afternoon Science Fiction or Horror films are no longer known that had a host of some kind to the genre. And the only way to see these classics these days seem to be on TCM if your lucky enough to know about them.

Just as the idea of the theme of the con this year being, "The Future though the Past", only brought up ideas of Steampunk. I'm not saying anything was wrong with it, it's just sad when no one had any other ideas other than that. And when I had talked about the original "The Day the Earth Stood Still" or the original "The Time Machine" or even mentioned "Forbidden Planet", I had deers staring at me in the headlights.

It's no wonder Hollywood cranks out remakes of classic films that shouldn't be touched. I even know of a very young lady who refuses to watch monochrome films just because they are not in color. She has no idea of the fantastic stories that are available.

Has anyone else experinced this?

 

[Colin Droidmilk]

I think this arises partly from the simple fact that as time moves on, the amount of films that have been made increases. So the pool of films we were exposed to growing up in the 70s, say, is much smaller than the pool of films available to the present generation. Thus the chances of 'The Day The Earth Stood Still' being accessed accidentally - the only way I saw it; it just happened to be on TV once when I was kid - are reduced, and its fame is thus diminished.

 

[Mullreel]

I have this conversation at work all of the time. Most of the people I know under the age of thirty do not know anything about films. Not only have they not seen classics they haven't even seen the ones that were released during thier lifetime.

I blame it on the fact that everything is available to them all the time so the put things off and procrasinate......and then never see them. I know many of the under 30 generation that will spend 3 hrs on the iphone playing games but wouldn't sit through Cool Hand Luke.

Geez I am an old fart.

 

[AJK001]

I remeber Saturday Night Chiller, or was it Thriller, Theater. They used to show some classics, and if we are being honest about it, some not so classics. They used to scare the crap out of me, but that never stopped me from watching every Saturday night.

I doubt you will see any of these movies on TV now and most of the youger generation has never heard of them.

 

[Laffo]

We host a monthly live show where we show a classic Sci-Fi, Horror or Fantasy Movie in 35mm. Our day show is a matinee free for Kids. It is ALWAYS sold out. We also do a Gore/Splatter night and a B-Movie Exploitation night at the same theatre. We have 2 festivals a year where we show classic Drive-In fare at our Drive-In.

The kids around here seem to remember the old classics.
Why?
Because we took it upon ourselves to teach them.

http://www.silverscreamspookshow.com/HOME.html
http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/driveinvasion
http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/monsterbash
http://www.plazaatlanta.com/COMING_SOON.html

Laffo.

 

[Wes R]

I think they know about them they just don't care. If it wasn't for people like us and TCM they'd really be forgotten. Every parent on here who gets their kids to enjoy old movies of all genres can get them to show their friends and it will spread. I plan on trying to get my friend's daughter, once she's old enough, hooked on old tv and movies and her folks will do it too.

 

[Laffo]

Nope. It's because the people who should have passed this on have dropped the ball and gotten lazy.
Laffo.

 

[Shylaah]

There is the THIS TV Network they show all kinds of old movies and they have theme days sometimes by actor, sometimes by genre, or some other criteria.......
And Elvira's new Movie Macabre lol!!!

There is just too much competition these days for the minds and eyes of everyone, not just the generation now growing up. The classic films and TV shows are shuffling around and will, like most things of the past, settle into their little niche groups, but surely they will always be with us.

Shylaah

 

[Wes R]

I agree as long as there are scifi nerds the classics will survive.

 

[pennausamike]

Also, the pacing of older films puts off a generation raised on non-stop-action blockbusters.
F'r'nstance, the second James Bond flic, "From Russia With Love".
One of the reviewers on IMDB notes:

From Russia... is a different pace of movie: no one here is intent on wiping out the world's population, or destroying the gold supply, or stealing submarines. Basically, it's a quiet little plot focusing on an elaborate "sting" operation. Until the end, the pace is kind of slow, and might lose more "modern" audiences, particularly those used to incredible stunt sequences every 20 minutes.

Compare Forbidden Planet with Transformers 3 in your mind;
simply NOT the same movie going experience.

I'm glad my sons can enjoy movies that develop their characters and plots in different ways.
BUT, my younger son finds it nearly impossible to watch black-and-white.
(All that great Abbott and Costello he's missing....sigh....)

Mike

 

[zredthunder]

I have passed it all on to my 16 year old son. he doesnt like everything we do but he at least will watch them with us and he likes a lot of the older horror sci-fi stuff.

 

[Apollo]

I pass it on as much as I can.

I introduce my Girlfriend and her crowd to "Classic" Movies all the time.

As far as horror my old friend Count Gore is still talking the talk and walking the walk!

Check him out!!!

Vampire Horror Host Count Gore De Vol Creature Feature

 

[ChaseKiefer]

Don't worry for I'm 17 and I love old films.

My personal favs are Creature from the Black Lagoon, The day the Earth stood still, The maltese falcon.
I refuse to watch remakes of the classics.
It is sad how kids today don't know any old films. They think Jurrasic Park is an oldie. I had a friend who thought Raiders of the Lost Ark was in black and white!

I feel like when I'm older I'll be the last of a dying breed of old film lovers.

 

[robn1]

RTV has Wolfman Mac's Chiller Drive In, they show a lot of the old horror and sci-fi movies. I remember trying to get my nephew to watch King Kong when he was little, but he couldn't get into it. He's 19 now and likes it, so my job is done! I was pleased last year when he said 3D is just a cheap gimmick :lol

Don't worry for I'm 17 and I love old films.

My personal favs are Creature from the Black Lagoon, The day the Earth stood still.

I love all of those.

The maltese falcon.

That was Han Solo's ship right?

 

[ChaseKiefer]

That was Han Solo's ship right?

No I'm pretty sure Hans Solo's ship was the aluminium falcon.

 

[nickytea]

Try finding someone to talk Chaplin films.

 

[patsmear]

Try finding someone to talk Chaplin films.

Try to find talking Chaplin films!

 

[Contec]

Try to find talking Chaplin films!

Try to find someone talking on a cellphone in a Chaplin film!

 

[payton paison]

Therea was a Chiller Theater with Bill Cardille broadcast from Pittsburgh. It was on Saturday nights I think about 1am it would air. For it's time, it was pretty damn cool. Cardille had a very small part in the original Night of the Living Dead as a tv reporter (his real job) and in the remake also.

YouTube - ‪Chiller Theater - Chilly Billy - Show open‬‏ The lady is from Get Smart

YouTube - ‪Chiller Theater - Chilly Billy - One More Time -Part 1‬‏ the intro music is so cool

 

[SurferGeek]

Most definitely agree...

It's the "SHOCK and AWE" approach to movie making.

It's become the generation of Attention Deficit Disorder. Look at all the remakes of past movies and shows. They are done with great special effects not available back in the day but they also add action where there was drama before. Today's audiences require substantially more "bang/whiz/boom" to keep their attention. Ten seconds can't go by without something blowing up, whizzing past, shot at, or have some cheesy "tie in" joke added by the writer/director/producer. Everyone has to be spoon fed nowadays.

Dialog, suspense, imagination, drama, anticipation... these are the types of things that made those old movies great.

Oh, and not taking away any one's work on some of the amazing stuff I've seen done over the past few years but I really think that Steampunk is becoming the next Renaissance Faire as it seems to be attracting some of the same types of people... just sayin'