# Movies that still hold up but only God knows why **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 4, 2019, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-still-hold-up-but-only-god-knows-why/836541 "2019-07-04T23:02:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2019, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-still-hold-up-but-only-god-knows-why/836541/21 "2019-07-05T04:30:17Z")
> [@Spoons](#): > > If a buddy of mine and I walk into a watering hole where we’re not known, he will often ask for an Elsinore beer. Some bartenders get it, but I’m always surprised at the number who don’t. Beauty, eh? ---
**Author:** ![DWMarch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dwmarch/32/1010_2.png) [@DWMarch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DWMarch)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2019, 6:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-still-hold-up-but-only-god-knows-why/836541/22 "2019-07-05T06:07:42Z")
I think The Fifth Element is a timeless classic for reasons that are not readily apparent. Speaking of which, here is a Lana Del Rey/Fifth Element mashup that is absurdly brilliant: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/XKMnhgakmU8/maxresdefault.jpg "God Knows I Tried - Lana Del Rey") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XKMnhgakmU8) ---
**Author:** ![Encinitas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@Encinitas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Encinitas)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2019, 11:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-still-hold-up-but-only-god-knows-why/836541/23 "2019-07-05T11:15:30Z")
_ **Ice Station Zebra** _ has always done it for me. Ernest Borgnine as a Russian double agent! Patrick McGoohan as the MI6 spy! Rock Hudson as The Skipper! What more could you want? ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2019, 11:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-still-hold-up-but-only-god-knows-why/836541/24 "2019-07-05T11:32:02Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > I own this too and agree that it’s a lot of fun. “Ho-hum, a monster’s work is never done!” 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2019, 11:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-still-hold-up-but-only-god-knows-why/836541/25 "2019-07-05T11:38:54Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > I’ll watch it start-to-finish every time, and I think it’s unbelievably bad. Brightly colored and well-scored, but otherwise unbelievably bad casting, acting, cinematography, script, directing, etc. It’s also one of the most gleefully fun movies I own. It’s the last bit that makes it. Something can almost always be fun to watch when it’s clear the people involved know that what they’re doing is silly and they lean into it. ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2019, 11:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-still-hold-up-but-only-god-knows-why/836541/26 "2019-07-05T11:39:18Z")
> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#): > > No, but I own Dirty Mary Crazy Larry. > > Talk about a surprise ending. I saw that in the drivein. It messed with my preteen head. ---
**Author:** ![XOldiesJock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/ec9cab/32.png) [@XOldiesJock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XOldiesJock)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2019, 1:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-still-hold-up-but-only-god-knows-why/836541/27 "2019-07-05T13:00:31Z")
In 1975, I saw “Jaws” at a drive-in. Recently, I watched it for only the second time. I expected the clunky special effects would render it hopelessly dated. I was surprised. Although it could be done today with much better special effects, it would be a CGI gore-fest and look totally unrealistic. But what really puts “Jaws” over the top is the acting. Scheider, Shaw and Dreyfuss could never be improved upon, and that’s really what makes it still work after all this time. ---
**Author:** ![TCMF-2L](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tcmf-2l/32/16553_2.png) [@TCMF-2L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TCMF-2L)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2019, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-still-hold-up-but-only-god-knows-why/836541/28 "2019-07-05T14:50:26Z")
Although it involved director **Sam ‘Evil Dead’ Raimi** , cult favourite actor **Bruce Campbell** and writer/directors the **Coen Brothers** the 1985 film **Crimewave** had a troubled production with studio interference, insufficient budget and most of those involved hated it and have disowned it. They don’t like it. Now me? I think the mix of pulp fiction, horror, romance and comedy is great and it is one of my favourite films of all time. TCMF-2L ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2019, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-still-hold-up-but-only-god-knows-why/836541/29 "2019-07-05T15:16:00Z")
> [@DWMarch](#): > > I think The Fifth Element is a timeless classic for reasons that are not readily apparent. > > Speaking of which, here is a Lana Del Rey/Fifth Element mashup that is absurdly brilliant: > > [https://youtu.be/XKMnhgakmU8](https://youtu.be/XKMnhgakmU8) I’ll second this. Here’s a story: A buddy and I were building some display cabinets for a shoe company once. We were using his backyard/garage shop so when we took breaks, we’d usually go into his house, turn the TV on and sit on the couch. One day we did this and turning the TV on brought us into the movie about halfway through, right where Corbin and Leelu arrive at the spaceport to go to Fhloston. We had no idea what was going on but it looked so cool, we ended up watching the last half of the movie. As we’re getting up to go back to work, they announce that the movie will start AGAIN at the top of the hour, in like 10 minutes. So we make some lunch, figuring we’ll watch the beginning now and have the complete film in our heads, then we’ll go back to work. Well, when the movie ended, they announced that it was start again. So we watched it again. And again. And again. We didn’t get a damn thing done all day, we just kept watching _Fifth Element_ over and over. The second day we only watched it 3 times and we got a lot of work done, prolly even got caught up. But in a week I had watched that movie about 17 times. I got it on DVD and then on BR and I’ve seen it hundreds of times now. BUT… anytime I see it playing, I have a hard time not dropping everything and watching it. It’s absolutely one of my favorite movies: nothing but fun, great acting, fantastic script, fucking perfect casting all-around, production values and designs that are nothing less than stunning… Luc Besson’s best film by far IMO. * * * Another movie that I watch anytime I can is [The In-Laws](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0079336/). Perfect casting, great directing, an astounding script, fantastic cinematography and just funny, funny, funny. “Serpentine, Shel! Serpentine!” ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2019, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-still-hold-up-but-only-god-knows-why/836541/30 "2019-07-05T15:24:23Z")
**Reefer Madness** has no redeeming qualities. I still love watching it. ---
**Author:** ![Isamu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/7c8e57/32.png) [@Isamu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isamu)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2019, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-still-hold-up-but-only-god-knows-why/836541/31 "2019-07-05T15:28:36Z")
> [@DWMarch](#): > > I think The Fifth Element is a timeless classic for reasons that are not readily apparent. > > Speaking of which, here is a Lana Del Rey/Fifth Element mashup that is absurdly brilliant: > > [https://youtu.be/XKMnhgakmU8](https://youtu.be/XKMnhgakmU8) Cool. ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2019, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-still-hold-up-but-only-god-knows-why/836541/32 "2019-07-05T15:48:39Z")
> [@galen\_ubal](#): > > [_Flash Gordon_](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0080745/) from 1980. The effects are either badly dated or just bad, the acting ranges from nonexistent to completely over the top, with no middle ground, and it’s just generally silly. Oh, yeah, and the soundtrack is…unique. > > I _love_ it! I don’t know if it holds up for others, but it certainly does for me. > > (dundundundun FLASH! AH-AH!) Have you ever noticed what sound the “sex rays” make? Fuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuck… ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2019, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-still-hold-up-but-only-god-knows-why/836541/33 "2019-07-05T15:55:58Z")
> [@hogarth](#): > > I’ll vote for “Goldfinger”. A bizarre plot, a deadly hat/frisbee, a villain who lets Bond escape several times, and a main character with an amazingly crass name. But I still like it better than any Daniel Craig folderol. When I first watched _Goldfinger_ with my young son, he said skeptically, “For a top secret agent, James Bond sure gets captured a lot.” > [@Encinitas](#): > > _ **Ice Station Zebra** _ has always done it for me. Ernest Borgnine as a Russian double agent! Patrick McGoohan as the MI6 spy! Rock Hudson as The Skipper! What more could you want? You and Howard Hughes would have a lot to talk about. > [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > …Another movie that I watch anytime I can is [The In-Laws](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0079336/). Perfect casting, great directing, an astounding script, fantastic cinematography and just funny, funny, funny. “Serpentine, Shel! Serpentine!” “Dear Vince: At least we tried. All the best, John F. Kennedy.” ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2019, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-still-hold-up-but-only-god-knows-why/836541/34 "2019-07-05T15:56:17Z")
I totally agree about The Fifth Element. It’s just so much fun and I like the set design and costumes, and the way they created the aliens, spaceships and so forth. (And then I went to see Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets in the theater, hoping it would be as much fun. I was _so_ disappointed. I do that a lot actually; if I like a director’s movie, I’ll seek out others made by him or her. Sometimes I’m happy but usually I’m disappointed.) ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2019, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-still-hold-up-but-only-god-knows-why/836541/35 "2019-07-05T16:00:25Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > I totally agree about The Fifth Element. It’s just so much fun and I like the set design and costumes, and the way they created the aliens, spaceships and so forth. (And then I went to see Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets in the theater, hoping it would be as much fun. I was _so_ disappointed. I do that a lot actually; if I like a director’s movie, I’ll seek out others made by him or her. Sometimes I’m happy but usually I’m disappointed.) Valerian was a disaster in all the ways that 5E was not, but especially in the casting and the script. The casting was arguably worse than having Kyle “I’m made out of wood” Maclachlahn and Courtney “Look at me!” Love in the lead roles. And let’s not even delve into the shitty, misogynistic script… ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanub/32/132_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUB)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2019, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-still-hold-up-but-only-god-knows-why/836541/36 "2019-07-05T16:06:54Z")
> [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](#): > > The Poseidon Adventure (1972) > > I can’t tell you why, but if it’s on, my butt’s in the seat for the duration. I can tell you why. Because it’s delightfully cheesy, that’s why. Hot pants with boots - check Shelly Winters performing daring deeds of do - check Leslie Nielsen playing it straight as a giant wave comes heading straight for his ship “Oh. MY. God.” - check I only wish it was on more often. Yes, I could buy a copy (I might even have one) but it’s more fun when it’s a delightful surprise. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2019, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-still-hold-up-but-only-god-knows-why/836541/37 "2019-07-05T16:29:34Z")
> [@beowulff](#): > > Have you ever noticed what sound the “sex rays” make? > > Fuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuck… I, uh, think you’re referring to the abovementioned _ **Flesh Gordon** _ (1974). 😉 I’ll add\*\*\* Journey to the Seventh Planet\*\*\* (1962) to the list. Not too long ago, I watched it on-line just to see if it was as wonderfully cheesy as I remembered, and it was. It’s hard to beat a lovely pair of Swedish boobs walking straight into the camera! :o ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2019, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-still-hold-up-but-only-god-knows-why/836541/38 "2019-07-05T16:44:11Z")
This far down, I’m surprised no one has mentioned _ **Forbidden Planet** _ or _ **The Day the Earth Stood Still** _. When it comes to “holding up over time,” I’d say these two are strong contenders for first place. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2019, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-still-hold-up-but-only-god-knows-why/836541/39 "2019-07-05T16:59:39Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > Possibly the best line in any movie at one point. Anyone know it?😉 Yes. ---
**Author:** ![TheCuse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thecuse/32/2854_2.png) [@TheCuse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheCuse)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2019, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-still-hold-up-but-only-god-knows-why/836541/40 "2019-07-05T17:10:41Z")
> [@Alpha\_Twit](#): > > _Blazing Saddles_ has a deranged, nearly non-existent plot. It revels in it’s own excess while taking us on a pointless journey of hilarious vulgarity. I just watched it again on TV last weekend. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-still-hold-up-but-only-god-knows-why/836541.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movies-that-still-hold-up-but-only-god-knows-why/836541.md?page=3)