[This is one of many articles in the Halloween 2006 Season series. Go this way to read the rest of them.]
Movies aren't what they used to be. Movies of years ago were black and white and on film rolls. Today movies are colorized, digitalized and dvd formatted so that they can be preserved forever. That is until the dvd gets broken in half or scratched by accident.
An article from newswise about watching old Halloween films:
Source: Purdue University
Released: Sun 15-Oct-2006, 12:35 ET
Film Expert Gives 'Thumbs Up' for Old-school Halloween Movies
Newswise — Filmgoers should expand their Halloween movie list to include the odd, quirky and classic original horror films, says a Purdue University film expert.
"The old back-and-white horror films are often neglected because they lack the gore most horror films are known for today," says Lance Duerfahrd, an assistant professor of English who teaches courses that explore film theory. "These old classics inspire awe and are certainly ingenious. It's amazing how the directors did so much with limited means and technology.
"Older films can require a little more patience, but watching them is about more than just being shocked."
Duerfahrd says the first films about Dracula, including F.W. Murnau's 1922 "Nosferatu," are a must-see because so many of today's movies spoof the originals or are based on them.
"I like some of today's horror films, such as 'Halloween' or 'The Grudge,'" Duerfahrd says. "Watching these is like getting candy. But watching a classic like 'Nosferatu' is like getting an apple, it's healthier and more nourishing for the filmgoer's soul."
Duerfahrd also recommends pop culture films, like as Jim Sharman's "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" and Ed Wood's "Plan 9 from Outer Space."
"What's really entertaining about these movies is some of the fans who are so passionate about them," he says. "I think of Halloween as a celebration, and these movies celebrate more than fright, with their music and sometimes nonsensical characters and plots."
Duerfahrd is teaching an upper-level course on "bad films" this semester. The class looks at the way films, regardless of their quality, worth or credibility, affect audiences and at times attract fanatic followings. The Academy Award losing films studied in the seminar include the work of Ed Wood, "The Rocky Horror Picture Show," driver's education movies, "Reefer Madness" and the classic "How to Operate a Forklift Safely."
Related Web site:
Purdue College of Liberal Arts: http://www.cla.purdue.edu/academic/
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