Movies you thought "everyone" had seen

[Christie]

This happened to me last night. I was watching A Hard Day's Night when my husband came into the room and asked me what was on . I admit I was amazed that someone from my generation had never seen this movie, especially, of course, someone who is an avowed Beatles fan. Turns out the only Beatles movie he's ever seen is Yellow Submarine. I also recently met someone who is the same age I am who never saw Star Wars - how did she manage that? Anyway is there any movie that you would expect most people your own age to have seen? Not so much because you think it's so good it should be seen but because it's just one of those movies that "everybody" seems to know about.

[Ellestar]

I notice the following when having class and trying to talk about paradigm shifting and bring up the movies The Sixth Sense and/or The Matrix. However, before I start talking about them, I try to make sure everyone has seen them. There is at least one student (sometimes more) who hasn't seen one of them.

ETA: And these are college classes, BTW.

[Nick Theodorakis]

I'm usually on the receiving end of "I can't believe you didn't see ___!" (usually something like Blazing Saddles or Animal House) so there are few movies that I expect everyone else has seen.

Nick

[UEL]

I know I get some raised eyebrows when I mention that I've never seen any of the Lord of the Rings movies. I enjoyed the books immensely, but can't seem to get into the movies.

But, every once in a while I will try to descrive a scene in a famous film and get the deer in the headlights look. Most lately, it was about Forrest Gump.

But I've yet to meet a Canadian adult who has not seen Slapshot!

[Auntie Witch]

I just made a comment on a snopester's facebook page that was a reference to the armadillo cake in Steel Magnolias, and she didn't get it, nor did her husband. They're southern. It's it, like, a law to watch that movie if you're in a state that once flew a confederate flag during a war?

[Jay Tea]

Patrick Swayze died. Somebody asked me what movies i'd seen with yer man there. 'Ghost', that wasn't bad, went on a date when I was 15 to see that one. 'Road House' was classic cheese and 'Point Break' had it's teen charms.

"What about 'Dirty Dancing'?

"You what now?"

"You know, 'I've, had, the time of my life....'"

I have to say, I was aware of it, but I didn't even know it was set in the early 60s

[TallGeekyGirl]

I've met a few fellow D&D gamers who've never seen Monty Python and the Holy Grail. That's almost like required viewing, IMO!

Like the OP, I've met a few folks who've never seen Star Wars.

My Sunday-night game group is a gang of late-30-to-early-40-somethings and a mid-20-something. Every now and again, we older members go off on movie or TV-quoting tangents that leaves the younger member staring at us like we've just sprouted second heads. The most recent was a round of "space herpes" references during our Star Wars RPG. He now has Ice Pirates on his Netflix queue.

[purpleiguana]

Back to the Future. The original, not the iffy sequels.

[Jay Tea]

Originally Posted by purpleiguana

Back to the Future. The original, not the iffy sequels.

I thought that 'trilogy' tied itself together quite nicely. Now the sequels to 'Raiders of the lost Ark'? 'They' were iffy

[purpleiguana]

Originally Posted by Jay Tea

I thought that 'trilogy' tied itself together quite nicely.

They just weren't as tight as the original, IMO. One summer, I watched that movie about 20 times, and kept seeing something new... some little bit of something that was sort of hidden and that you would miss if you weren't really paying attention. The other two just felt like... fluff. Entertaining, sure, but nothing even close to the original.

[Ramblin' Dave]

I've never seen any of the Beatles movies except Let it Be, and have no immediate plans to change that. (Huge fan since I was 14, but the movies just don't hold any appeal for some reason.) I've also never seen The Breakfast Club, and I only watched Return of the Jedi in 2005.

[DoubleNaughtSaleen]

The Wizard of Oz--yearly showings since whenever to whenever, referred to by pop culture up the yingyang. Somebody name someone who's not seen it, that lucky yahoo.

[mela681]

Originally Posted by Nick Theodorakis

I'm usually on the receiving end of "I can't believe you didn't see ___!" (usually something like Blazing Saddles or Animal House) so there are few movies that I expect everyone else has seen.

Nick

I am, too. Usually the most popular movies are the ones that I have no interest in seeing.

Originally Posted by Auntie Witch

I just made a comment on a snopester's facebook page that was a reference to the armadillo cake in Steel Magnolias, and she didn't get it, nor did her husband. They're southern. It's it, like, a law to watch that movie if you're in a state that once flew a confederate flag during a war?

It was filmed about 60 miles from where I live and I've never seen it and have no interest in seeing it. I remember the big deal when they were filming it, but it didn't seem interesting. I think the biggest reason that I haven't seen a lot of popular films is that if one of the main characters dies and I know it is going to happen, I won't watch the movie.

[Noctilca]

I actually watched A Hard Day's Night yesterday for the first time! I have no idea how I went so long without seeing the whole thing (I had seen bits and pieces, but never the whole film). I loved it, btw. I'm going to watch the rest of the Beatles movies this week.

I also haven't seen The Matrix and often get looks of incredulity over that. I do know a lot of the plot, though, because I've heard people talk about it so much.

My FIL has never seen all of E.T..

[Silas Sparkhammer]

I had a friend who was positively outraged -- turned red, shouted, called me an idiot! -- because I'd never seen "The Magnificent Seven." Apparently, to him, it's an absolute cultural universal.

How many movies get released in a typical year? Seems to me it'd be a full-time job seeing 'em all! Take someone who's young, who's just starting out on a lifetime of movie appreciation, that's a lot of movies to cover, a lot of catching up to do. It's almost as silly as expecting someone to have read every book ever published.

Best we can do is recommend the best to our friends, show them at small parties, rent them over weekends, etc.

Silas (so I recommend "Murder by Death." often)

[BookWork]

Originally Posted by DoubleNaughtSaleen

The Wizard of Oz--yearly showings since whenever to whenever, referred to by pop culture up the yingyang. Somebody name someone who's not seen it, that lucky yahoo.

Never seen it, probably never will.

[TwoGuyswithaHat]

Originally Posted by Ramblin' Dave

I've never seen any of the Beatles movies except Let it Be

You've seen Let it Be?

Colour me jealous.

[Magdalene]

I am frequently on the receiving end of this, to the point where some friends of mine have decided I need to be 'kidnapped' and caught up on movies that "I should have seen".

For reference, understand that I was born in 1970, so I was a teenager in the 80's.

I have not seen:

The Breakfast Club
16 Candles
Pretty In Pink
St. Elmo's Fire
Fast Times At Ridgemont High

A whole slew of other "Must See Movies of the 80's!" Name it, I probably didn't see it.

I only recently saw "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" (thanks to my 'kidnappers'.)

I also recently saw "The Princess Bride" (which knocked everybody in my Ren Faire circle on their butt when they realized I had never seen it.)

Magdalene

[quink]

This is a running joke between my boyfriend an I. I rarely go to moves, but I tend to know most of the references. A usual conversation will go:

Him: "pop-culture-reference-blah-blah-blah"
Me: *laugh*... "You know, I've never actually seen Popular-Movie-That-Even-Deep-Sea-Dwelling-Fish-Have-Seen"
Him: *Sad head-shake*

(followed by trip to blockbuster, followed by night of cuddling up on the couch)

Hey, it's a system that works for me

Our first date involved renting Clerks after I let it slip during our very first dinner together that I'd never actually seen a Kevin Smith movie. The Matrix was the next date.

He's more surprised now if I have seen a movie, but I'm slowly getting caught up on the classics. If nothing else, it's a project we can work on together.

[Gayle]

Originally Posted by TwoGuyswithaHat

You've seen Let it Be?

Colour me jealous.

Then you'll hate me. I saw in it's original theatrical release.

but I have never seen a Harry Potter movie nor read the books. Not bragging. I simply don't care for the genre.

And "Hard Days' NIght" is definitely on my Amazon wish list.