# Great Visual Movies **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 2, 2007, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-visual-movies/390601 "2007-02-02T20:34:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2007, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-visual-movies/390601/21 "2007-02-02T23:08:03Z")
When I first got my DVD player, well before most, I used to try an convince people how much better the picture quality of VHS was by playing the trailer to _Dark City_. The whole movie is wonderfully filmed. ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2007, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-visual-movies/390601/22 "2007-02-03T00:58:41Z")
[QUOTE=HoboStew] just visually impressive and not black & white [/QUOTE] That sound you may have heard just now was James Wong Howe, sighing in his grave. ---
**Author:** ![d11218w](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/258eb7/32.png) [@d11218w](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/d11218w)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2007, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-visual-movies/390601/23 "2007-02-03T01:13:51Z")
**Titus** , starring Anthony Hopkins ---
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2007, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-visual-movies/390601/24 "2007-02-03T01:14:03Z")
Hmm…pretty much anything by Ridley Scott. Maybe _Wild Orchid_ and _When Night is Falling_. (Might not be that great for family movie night, though.) _The Thin Red Line_ was pretty gorgeous. I didn’t think it was that good of a _movie_, but it’s very pretty to watch. The Star Wars prequels. Natch. (Watch 'em with the French dialogue and no subtitles if you have to, but you shouldn’t miss 'em.) Speaking of _Akira_—I’ll suggest _Last Exile; Metropolis_ and _Steamboy_ on the anime front. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Borgia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/larry_borgia/32/156_2.png) [@Larry\_Borgia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Borgia)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2007, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-visual-movies/390601/25 "2007-02-03T01:20:09Z")
Ghost in the Shell Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence Ghost in the shell: Stand alone Complex (TV series) Anything by Myazaki ---
**Author:** ![Zoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a4c791/32.png) [@Zoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zoe)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2007, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-visual-movies/390601/26 "2007-02-03T03:21:39Z")
Count me with those who automatically associate **Days of Heaven** with this question. I have wanted a book of still photographs from this movie since it first came out. ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2007, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-visual-movies/390601/27 "2007-02-03T03:36:46Z")
“The Searchers” is full of drop-dead gorgeous imagery of Monument Valley and environs. “The Satan Bug” is this totally boring sf flick but it has the most eye-popping visuals of a full-bore Populuxe 1960s ranch house set in the middle of the California desert (first house in a new subdivision or something). The movie itself is a total waste in terms of plot, acting and characterization, but it’s been on cable and I can’t help watching it every time it’s on … _with my EYES!!!_ ---
**Author:** ![Malienation](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4af34b/32.png) [@Malienation](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malienation)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2007, 4:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-visual-movies/390601/28 "2007-02-03T04:59:11Z")
For beautiful outside views, try **Open Range**. Great movie, too, and I’m not even really a fan of westerns. Predictable plot overcome by spectacular dialog and Oscar-quality acting at every turn, right down to the scenes with relative unknowns in tiny roles. For truly original cinematography, try **Sin City** (though Mickey Rourke’s excellent job is not enough to compensate for this violent and nasty moralistic tale) and **Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow** (predictable but fun 40’s newsreel throwback done entirely with a blue screen). ---
**Author:** ![HoboStew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/f17d59/32.png) [@HoboStew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoboStew)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2007, 5:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-visual-movies/390601/29 "2007-02-03T05:40:06Z")
[QUOTE=Slithy Tove] That sound you may have heard just now was James Wong Howe, sighing in his grave. [/QUOTE] Oh believe me I got loooooooove for the black & white movies - its just one thing that jumps out at me about my tv is how vibrant the colors are. Not a diss at the style, I promise. Good call on Sin City **Malienation** , that was actually the first movie I watched when I got this sucker. I can’t believe I left it off my list, I absolutely love the look of it. It might be the most visually stunnimg movie I have ever seen. ---
**Author:** ![Talon\_Karrde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Talon\_Karrde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Talon_Karrde)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2007, 6:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-visual-movies/390601/30 "2007-02-03T06:31:19Z")
[QUOTE=Equipoise] Mirrormask!! [/QUOTE] I thought about mentioning this. I agree about the visuals, and the overall quality of the movie as well. I think I would have loved the movie when I was 12 or so. ---
**Author:** ![Lakai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9de0a6/32.png) [@Lakai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lakai)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2007, 6:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-visual-movies/390601/31 "2007-02-03T06:44:47Z")
**Miller’s Crossing** is ten times a better movie on a plasma screen than on a regular TV. I never saw **Blue Velvet** in good quality, but I think it would play well. ---
**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2007, 7:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-visual-movies/390601/32 "2007-02-03T07:08:03Z")
[Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon](http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film/DVDCompare2/crouchingtiger.htm), [Black Narcissus](http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film/DVDReview2/blacknarcissus.htm), [The Red Shoes](http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film/dvdcompare/redshoes.htm), [Meet Me in St. Louis](http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film/DVDCompare7/meetmeinstlouis.htm), [The Yearling](http://www.dvdtown.com/reviews/yerlig/1328/1), [Duel in the Sun](http://www.dvdtalk.com/dvdsavant/s147duel.html). ---
**Author:** ![pool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pool/32/4152_2.png) [@pool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pool)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2007, 7:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-visual-movies/390601/33 "2007-02-03T07:26:16Z")
Silent Hill ---
**Author:** ![NDP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ndp/32/55_2.png) [@NDP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NDP)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2007, 7:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-visual-movies/390601/34 "2007-02-03T07:47:23Z")
[QUOTE=HoboStew] I’m loving my giant plasma screen, and now I’m looking for movies that bring out the best of the wonderful display. So far I have **What Dreams May Come** , **2001** , and **The Cell** , and I have **The Fountain** saved for when it gets released on dvd. What are your favorite movies are just a feast for the eyes? The movie doesn’t have to be good, as witnessed by some of my choices, just visually impressive and not black & white (so **Manhattan** doesn’t make the cut). [/QUOTE] Since you already mentioned Kubrick’s **2001** , let me also recommend **Barry Lyndon** and **Spartacus** (especially for the climatic battle scenes). Some other older titles you may want to include are **Vertigo** , **Shane** , **The Big Country** , and the first two **Godfather** movies. Also, I would strongly urge you to reconsider your bar on black & white movies because you’ll be missing out on such visually stunning films like **Night of the Hunter, Hud, The Last Picture Show, Paths of Glory, Portrait of Jennie, Touch of Evil, Raging Bull, Psycho** , and (obviously) **Citizen Kane.** ---
**Author:** ![Aquila\_Be](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a698b9/32.png) [@Aquila\_Be](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aquila_Be)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2007, 10:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-visual-movies/390601/35 "2007-02-03T10:35:43Z")
_Black Robe_ Visually impressive and much superior to _Dances With Wolves_ as a movie experience. _Lawrence of Arabia_ provides a different kind of visual experience, but it’s very thirst inducing. ---
**Author:** ![MizTina](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MizTina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MizTina)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2007, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-visual-movies/390601/36 "2007-02-03T14:56:52Z")
**The Duellists** , the landscapes are stunning. Now I have to go find MirrorMask, it sounds and looks fantastic! ---
**Author:** ![teela\_brown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d9b06d/32.png) [@teela\_brown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teela_brown)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2007, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-visual-movies/390601/37 "2007-02-03T14:56:58Z")
**The Shining Master and Commander: Far Side of the World Amelie Gladiator Winged Migration** I think we watched all of the above movies within a couple of weeks after getting our plasma screen. Visual stunners, all of them. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2007, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-visual-movies/390601/38 "2007-02-03T15:08:41Z")
I would vote for many that have been named already. One not yet mentioned that is visually stunning (in more ways than one) is [9 1/2 Weeks](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0091635/) along with other films by director [Adrian Lyne](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001490/) who somehow manages to produce a liquid feeling to many scenes. The lighting and cinematography are stunning. Kim Basinger isn’t bad either. At least she wasn’t 20 years ago. ---
**Author:** ![FilmGeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@FilmGeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FilmGeek)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2007, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-visual-movies/390601/39 "2007-02-03T15:25:51Z")
I just did this with our new DLP big screen. **Moulin Rouge** for stunning colors. Even if you don’t like the movie (which is one of my favorites) watch the love song montage scene and any of the dance scenes. Better than the **Fifth Element** even because the colors are more saturated. **Mirrormask** was disappointing because of the shadowed corners. I liked the movie, just not the way it was approached cinematographically. **Akira Kurosawa’s Dreams** is also amazing. The wildflowers. The faces of the returning soldiers in The Tunnel. Can you tell I watched this last night? ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2007, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-visual-movies/390601/40 "2007-02-03T15:50:35Z")
The Movie, [Orlando](http://imdb.com/title/tt0107756/), had some pretty amazing cinematography. Not a bad piece of Cinema at all. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-visual-movies/390601.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/great-visual-movies/390601.md?page=3)