Movies that could never be made today
 

There are a number of movies that are absolute classics that could never be made today. There are obvious examples of this: the Cecil B Demille epics come to mind, due to the expense of such productions in today's dollars.

Less obvious examples would be those where today's Hollywood would be less willing to take chances on. I was watching Inherit the Wind last night, and couldn't help but enjoy it once again, but also couldn't help wondering whether a movie like it would ever make it into production today. The actors/actresses are actually required to act, the film moves along on the power of their individual skills. They are, of course, supported by an excellent screenplay, which touches on a number of themes to draw their viewer in. I'm not sure how the theme of religious tolerance would be treated today, either.

What classic films do you believe wouldn't stand a chance in today's Hollywood?

I watched a piece of that myself the other night and thought some similar thoughts, but most about what an innocent age it was made in and how some/much of the material might not fly with today's audiences.
I think the film COULD be made as there is talent out there to do it, but financially it would be very demanding because the old school talent required would be megabucks.

I think a big part of the problem is that today's "stars" lack charm or charisma, certainly the younger ones. I mean where are our modern day Spencer Tracys, Cary Grants, Jimmy Stewarts, Humphery Bogarts, Gregory Pecks, Robert Mitchums, Jimmy Cagneys, Paul Newmans, Katherine Hepburns etc, etc, etc. Maybe I'm still half asleep, but I can't think of any big names since DeNiro, Hoffman, Pacino, Connery, and Nicholson and they actually play themselves, or their most common screen personas, quite a bit. Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman are pretty good too; I just remember The Shawshank Redemption
Ben Affleck, Jude Law, Leonardo DeCaprio, Matt Damon; I don't think so, but I haven't seen "The Departed" yet either, so maybe I'm selling the last two short.

Films, maybe "To Kill a Mockingbird", "The Hustler", "Key Largo", "The African Queen", "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof", "The Philadelphia Story", or any film based upon a play, which seem to demand real acting skills and not just a pretty face going through the motions. I probably should include "The Godfather" too, but who would even TRY on that one???

Then again, maybe some Hollywood douchebag would try it with an all black cast and include Wesley Snipes, Cedric the Entertainer, Eddie Murphy, Martin Lawrence, and some rappers......:lmao:

My very first thought: all of the movies where people are lighting up cigarettes in nearly every scene. Heaven forbid people enjoy a smoke. "Good Night, and Good Luck" got made, but it was amazing to see people smoking like chimneys.
Tom

My Darling Clementine, evidently.

All those wonderful old Sci-Fi films w/that incredibly cheesy "stop-action" animation. Nowadays it would by done by computer, seamless as can be, but the old ways DID have a certain charm...

Geez, wouldn't that be darn near every film set in 1920-1967 made before 1970?????
Can you imaging a WWII prison camp film w/o someone hawking smokes, chocolate and nylons??? :no:

Spartacus, Cleopatra, and Lawrence of Arabia all come to mind. Those movies today would all be done with computer animation because there isn't a studio anywhere that would afford the huge casts and the massive battle scenes as they were done in those movies, not to mention the lavish sets. The final battle scene in Spartacus has to be one of my all time favorite in the movie world.

Easy Rider...

Looking at TV this week, it seems the only movies they will make are sappy romantic comidies like whatever the crappy one with Jennifer Garner is, but especially if they have Diane Keaton as an older woman finding love. If they make that moive one more time I'm going to puke.

Kohlberg (1945). This was a German proproganda film made to glorify the Prussian sacrifice during the Napoleonic Wars. Meant as a metaphor for the then current struggle against the Allies in WWII, Kohlberg was intended to rally the people to ever greater feats of heroism. It didn't work. Kohlberg premiered in 1945 as Germany was being pincered from the west by the Americans and from the east by the Russians. In addition to the Bombs dropped by the Allies, Germans were subjected to theatrical indignity as Kohlberg itself was a bomb. In the 60's, German TV attempted to revive the movie but the bitter taste of the war spurred massive protest and Kohlberg bombed again. It is safe to say, this film will never be made again.

All the military movies made DURING WWII where they called a spade a spade.

"they called a spade a spade"

That reminds me of a joke about two nuns in a parish school in Chicago.

The punchline is "Oh no Mother Superior, they call it a fuckin' shovel".

Definetly D.W. Griffths "The Birth Of A Nation" due to its blatant racisim which glorifies the KKK as national heroes. Oh the fallout would be tremendous!


Russ

You beat me to it!
Jimmy

Can you imagine Hollywood making Chinatown now?Lessee,almost 3 hours long,expensive period piece,very literary,extremely depressing subject matter,very downbeat ending,the leading lady gets killed,a sexual predator gets away with it,and we watch him starting the cycle all over again.
I dont think so.
Jimmy