# I Can't Believe You've Never Seen/Read That! **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 28, 2000, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cant-believe-youve-never-seen-read-that/43108 "2000-11-28T23:34:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Gadarene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Gadarene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gadarene)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2000, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cant-believe-youve-never-seen-read-that/43108/41 "2000-11-29T21:05:23Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by rackensack \* > Gadarene, > > In David Lodge’s novel _Changing Places_ one of the characters (most of whom are literary academics) invents a parlour game he calls “Humiliation”. And what’s funny, of course, is that I **have** read _Changing Places_–and every other David Lodge book. 😃 Malcolm Bradbury’s better, though. > [@](#): > > And while I have read a couple of Dickens novels, I couldn’t agree more with anyone who says > > > [@](#): > > > > Dickens has never interested me as much as, say, Wodehouse > > who no doubt interests you _strangely_. Indeed. Have you ever read Wodehouse’s School Stories? Never could get into Blandings, though. **RealityChuck:** > [@](#): > > I’ve actually seen all the films on Gadarene’s list. Some are undeniably great (Citizen Kane, Singin’ in the Rain) some are OK (Titanic, It’s a Wonderful Life) and some are terrible (Alien). You’re not doing yourself any favors > by deliberately skipping them. It’s nothing to be proud of. I’m with **Veb** on this one. It’s not a point of pride with me–except, as I said, in the case of _Titanic_, my aversion to which is equal parts its length, its hype, its DiCapriosity, and its sappy love story. Nor am I deliberately skipping the movies: If Citizen Kane came on TV, I wouldn’t go “Ack! No! Classic!” and lunge for the remote control. Which reminds me… **bafaa:** > [@](#): > > Gadarene, if you really are a film buff why would you deprive yourself of such excellent movies as The Godfather, Jaws, Citizen Kane, etc? Good question. For most of the movies on my list–and you can throw _Casablanca_ in there as well–I just haven’t gotten around to it. When I have the inclination to rent a movie, there’s always something I want to see just a little bit more. And sometimes, actually, it’s not for lack of trying…my local Blockbuster carries neither _In the Heat of the Night_ nor _The Hustler_, both of which I’d really like to see. I’ve seen (and enjoyed) _Double Indemnity_ and _Mr. Smith Goes To Washington_. Alternatively, when my roommates rented _Some Like It Hot_ a few months ago, I watched it with them and wasn’t particularly impressed. So while I won’t rush out and see something just because it’s a classic (unless there’s something about it which interests me especially), neither will I consciously _avoid_ something due to it’s being a classic. To address the specific films you mentioned. I don’t want to see the _Godfather_ movies for the same reason I’ve never felt inclined to watch _The Sopranos_–I’m not big on the whole gangster motif. In fact, I find it kind of boring. So I’m sure _Godfather_ is a fine film, but it’s not for me. (I might make an exception of this kind for _Once Upon a Time in America_, if I ever have four hours to kill, just because I love James Woods.) Similarly, monster/disaster films don’t really appeal to me, so I haven’t taken time to see _Jaws_. I know it’s more than just a monster movie, but there you are–better things to do. _Citizen Kane_, on the other hand, I’m going to get around to seeing one of these days. I need to get over the fact that a)I pretty much know what the whole film is about and b)I’m hip on Rosebud (both its actual and connotative meaning). But I want to see it. Oh, and one more–I’ve never seen _Streetcar Named Desire_, and I’ve only seen a five-minute scene from _On the Waterfront_. ---
**Author:** ![bluecanary](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bluecanary/32/3614_2.png) [@bluecanary](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bluecanary)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2000, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cant-believe-youve-never-seen-read-that/43108/42 "2000-11-29T22:49:16Z")
…Tends to require couch potato status. Never watching soaps or sitcoms has done me no favours! ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2000, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cant-believe-youve-never-seen-read-that/43108/43 "2000-11-29T23:22:52Z")
I dunno if Titanic deserved all the Oscars it got. What I personally liked about it, apart from some impressive special effects, was that it was an entertaining all-rounder of a movie that managed to tug on my heart strings despite everything. (And I really wish people didn’t think that James Cameron was being arrogant when he cried out ‘I’m the King of the World!’ when he picked up his Best Director award. He was just expressing elation - just as Jack did in the movie) Anyhoo. Enough defending the movie. I’l now contribute. I’ve never seen: The Godfather movies Gone With The Wind (first five minutes had the worst acting I’ve ever seen) Almost any Julia Roberts movie um… Actually I hardly see any movies at all. There are literally thousands I won’t see, and regret seeing against my better judgement. Succumbing to people’s encouragement to see a movie I seriously didn’t want to see in the first place has without fail meant I did not like the movie. As expected. ---
**Author:** ![Flutterby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Flutterby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flutterby)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2000, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cant-believe-youve-never-seen-read-that/43108/44 "2000-11-29T23:46:57Z")
It’s funny… some of the ones mentioned I have seen (ie Titanic, Braveheart) but a lot I haven’t (I’ve never watch It’s a Wonderful Life through and I haven’t seen Casablanca and others like that) [hijack] Those who said their interested in shipwrecks have you seen the stuff from the Atosha? They are dragging up _tons_ of stuff off the floor of the ocean and they had an exhibit at a jewelry store not too long ago here in Edmonton. I wish I had had enough money to buy something but I didn’t so I’ll have to be content with saying I held peices of eight and a gold bar that were from the wreck.[/hijack] ---
**Author:** ![ElusiveMiser](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c37758/32.png) [@ElusiveMiser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElusiveMiser)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2000, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cant-believe-youve-never-seen-read-that/43108/45 "2000-11-30T00:07:29Z")
> [@](#): > > _Originally posted by bafaa \* > \*\*\*\* Gadarene_\*, if you really are a film buff why would you deprive yourself of such excellent movies as _The Godfather, Jaws, Citizen Kane_, etc? (not Titanic though, good move there) > > Having said that, I’ve never seen _The Sound of Music, Gone With The Wind, or Singing in the Rain_ either and I have a friend who’s never seen _Rocky_. > One day I was quoting Mickey at him “You’re a BUM!” and he just looked at me in confusion. > I was like, “Hello? Burgess Meredith in Rocky?” > “Oh, I’ve never seen Rocky…” > What?!? And you call yourself an American?!? 🙂 \*\* Well, here’s a helpful strategy for your pal, seeing as I’ve never seen any of the Rocky movies: Memorize key quotes and character/actor names. If the movie ever comes up in a discussion, be the first to make a joke, and you’re home free. Just smile and nod. Works for me. ---
**Author:** ![ThisYearsGirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/73ab20/32.png) [@ThisYearsGirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThisYearsGirl)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2000, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cant-believe-youve-never-seen-read-that/43108/46 "2000-11-30T00:39:08Z")
_hijack_ > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Cisco \* > i absolutely loathe taxi driver I can’t stand Taxi Driver, either. I am so sick of people treating me like I’m ignorant when I say that, too. It’s nice to meet you! _hijack_ I’m adding a new category to the thread title: I have never heard the following songs: Stan by Eminem (sp?) That “Who Let the Dogs Out?” song I’ve only heard two Brittney Spears song (“One More Time,” and the one where she was a waitress or something with Sabrina the teenaged witch in the video) I’m not purposely trying to avoid them; I just never listen to the radio, and I no longer have cable, so I can’t watch MTV (big loss, too). . . I don’t think I’ve ever heard “Jumping Jack Flash” either. I’m not a huge Stones fan, so I only have two of their albums, and I honestly don’t think I’ve ever heard that one. ---
**Author:** ![Sangria](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/87869e/32.png) [@Sangria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sangria)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2000, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cant-believe-youve-never-seen-read-that/43108/47 "2000-11-30T00:51:48Z")
Forget about you movie list\* The Godfather trilogy Jaws Citizen Kane Gone with the Wind Titanic It’s a Wonderful Life The Sound of Music Terminator Alien Singing in the Rain Beauty and the Beast Braveheart Rocky Annie Hall \* These are all too old to bother with. Only Titanic is new enough for me to ever have cared about, and it was shown on TV just yesterday, for 4 hours. After 1 hour I was glad I’d never seen it in the theater. It was just the standard rich girl-poor boy BS. Try to set your goals on newer movies, or you will be behind the rest of your life. ---
**Author:** ![NicePete](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ee7513/32.png) [@NicePete](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NicePete)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2000, 5:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cant-believe-youve-never-seen-read-that/43108/48 "2000-11-30T05:48:45Z")
TOO OLD TO BOTHER WITH? WTF? Do you apply this standard to other works of art as well? Those Rembrant pix are too old to bother with – not worth looking at. That Shakespeare guy is so passe. Bach? Nah. Too old. Whatever. A great movie is a great movie, regardless of its date of origin. Some of the ones on your list are WELL worth taking the time to see – moreso than any new releases from the past 3 - 5 years. Your loss. ---
**Author:** ![rackensack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e5b9ba/32.png) [@rackensack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rackensack)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2000, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cant-believe-youve-never-seen-read-that/43108/49 "2000-11-30T22:38:50Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Gadarene \* > \*\* . . . what’s funny, of course, is that I **have** read _Changing Places_–and every other David Lodge book. 😃 Malcolm Bradbury’s better, though. \*\* Maybe better _in toto_ . . . Besides _Changing Places_ and _Small World_ I’ve liked but not loved Lodge’s books. Having first read both of the them in my first year of an English lit Ph.D. program at the height of the post-structuralist, post-colonialist, post-modernist 80s, _CP_ and _SW_ will always be among my favorite books – not least because they contributed heavily to my decision to bail out of grad school. > [@](#): > > **Have you ever read Wodehouse’s School Stories? Never could get into Blandings, though.** I haven’t. I’ve done most of the Jeeves tales, a fair amount of the Blandings stuff, the Drones Club stories, and a certain number of the Mulliner/Ukridge/miscellaneous stories. I can’t say that I’m as fond of Emsworth _et cie_ as of Jeeves and Bertie or even the Drones Club stories, but it was the Mulliner stuff I found insufficiently toothsome. ---
**Author:** ![Gadarene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Gadarene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gadarene)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 2000, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cant-believe-youve-never-seen-read-that/43108/50 "2000-11-30T23:09:16Z")
You’ve probably read _Lucky Jim_. Bradbury’s best, in my opinion, are _The History Man_ and _Eating People is Wrong_, both of which are academic satires _a la_ David Lodge. Oh, and Wodehouse’s School Stories are collected in his books _The Pothunters_ and _The Golden Bat_. They’re his earliest works, and I think you’d enjoy them. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-cant-believe-youve-never-seen-read-that/43108.md?page=2)