# You had to read/see it, it was a classic!

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-had-to-read-see-it-it-was-a-classic/299083>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [April 13, 2005, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-had-to-read-see-it-it-was-a-classic/299083 "2005-04-13T04:25:01Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 6

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**Author:** ![Catamount](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/catamount/32/2840_2.png) [@Catamount](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Catamount)\
**Post date:** [April 19, 2005, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-had-to-read-see-it-it-was-a-classic/299083/101 "2005-04-19T20:21:43Z")

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I’ll probably be nicely flame-roasted for this but…

_The Catcher in the Rye_.  
OMG GOD. Could that book suck any more? I tried reading _Franny and Zooey_ recently and it, too, joined the short list of books I’ve tossed across the room.

Another book on that same short list is _Look Homeward, Angel_. 700 pages of pure tedium. That book was not only tossed, it was stomped on.

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**Author:** ![Catamount](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/catamount/32/2840_2.png) [@Catamount](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Catamount)\
**Post date:** [April 19, 2005, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-had-to-read-see-it-it-was-a-classic/299083/102 "2005-04-19T20:39:32Z")

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> [@CalMeacham](#):
>
> **The Beast in the Jungle** – Henry James at his worst. A very long story in which nothing happens. It turns out that the whole point is that nothing happens. There is no Beast – it’s purely metaphorical. I’d prefer if it were real, and rent James into tiny author-bits.

Whatever you do, do NOT watch a horrible B-movie from 1958 called _The Screaming Skull_. That book shows up in the beginning and from your description, it sounds like they took it as inspiration for the rest of the movie.

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**Author:** ![partlycloudy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/partlycloudy/32/3114_2.png) [@partlycloudy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/partlycloudy)\
**Post date:** [April 19, 2005, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-had-to-read-see-it-it-was-a-classic/299083/103 "2005-04-19T20:53:30Z")

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I’ve been trying to finish **Citizen Kane** for 2 weeks now, but I keep falling asleep. I’m about half an hour from the end and I’m pretty determined to just go ahead and return it. There are other movies I’d rather be watching. I don’t understand what the big deal is about this one.

Another one: **Brazil**. Maybe it’s just that I’m not into the sci-fi thing. I’ve heard so many people rave about this movie. Bored me to death though. 😕

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