Good Old Movies- Boring to most, but rewarding if you watch

I'm a great fan of old movies before of their more in-depth dialogue and better acting skills. There's very little CGI to cover up bad acting or distract me from the skills of the main actors. =)

I'll share a few good classic shows with you guys here:

Magic Voyages of Sinbad (1953)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fAmev0oYg1c&feature=channel
This show is very cute. If you notice, the costumes don't look as middle eastern as what Sinbad would typically wear. Instead, the costumes have a very distinctive Viking/Russian in design. This show was released in 1953, it was filmed in Russia and the original story was about a Norse legend- Sadko. Unfortunately, the US released it as "Magic Voyages of Sinbad" after dubbing it in English and editing the original video. If you guys recall, the Cold War was in play at that point in time, so the US would do anything to degrade a Russian film.

The Hunchback Of Notre Dame (1923)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7boNOrs-v4g&feature=related This is a silent film. I know many people at this age have never experienced the joy of silent movies. It's called silent because there's no dialogue, not because there is no sound... It is a good experience because the actors have to rely a lot more on body language to express their feelings. Just to let you know, I hated the disney cartoon about this story. I think it didn't cover Quasimodo's feelings enough.

The 300 Spartans (1963)
Part 1: http://www.tudou.com/programs/view/rrzmOVdNO6c
Part 2:http://www.tudou.com/programs/view/Ek0VQqtVYnM
This is my favorite quote from the show "The Gods have a sense of humor, they make pretty girls and turn them into wives". Hehehehe, the death of the honeymoon period. Unlike the new version "300", it is a lot less graphic as it deals more with the political aspects of prior to the battle. How the Spartans would reject one of their own just because that man's father was assumed to have less than honorable dealings with the Persians, and his journey to prove himself as a capable Spartan regardless of his father's deeds.

Hercules (1958)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dSSVvEz-hAI
This movie features Steve Reeves, Mr. Universe (1950). He was one of the body building icons made of 100% natural muscles without the help of drugs. This is a rather interesting movie that focuses on Hercules' sturggle between the choice to be human or immortal, and how he learns that being a mortal only meant pain and suffering but he chose to be human rather than a cold blooded immortal, immune to time and feelings. I particularly like this movie because it dwells on concepts such as how difficult it is to be "special", how positive encouragement can motivate a person to belief himself more than any criticism, etc.

Jason and the Argonauts (1963)
http://www.supernovatube.com/play.php?viewkey=c694cd0fd49e71249d61
I'm not sure if this show is a public domain film, but it is a definite must see due to its then "state of the art" stop motion feature than generated the fight scene between Jason and the Skeletons. =)

Cleopatra (1963)
Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pzruB19CFgI
I'm not sure if this show is a public domain film (so please search for Part 2-25 on youtube by yourself). I can never get enough of Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton. Not because they're sex icons, but because of the way they delivered their lines! Taylor is always brimming with sensuality and suppressed emotions, whereas Burton delivers his lines with confidence and authority. The effort channeled into creating the costumes and sets were simple breath taking! Remember, they didn't have CGI to create the fake landscapes at the background.

The Ten Commandments (1956)
http://static.youku.com/v1.0.0052/v/swf/qplayer.swf?VideoIDS=cc00XMTUyNzM0MzI&embedid=-&showAd=0
This is another breathtaking costume drama movie that stars Yul Bryner (I can never get enough of his intense gaze), Charlton Heston and Anne Baxter. I really enjoyed this show because it examines the Journey of Moses as he progresses from being a prince to a commoner, how he struggles to adapt to his new role as a spiritual leader and his secret doubts and fears.

Ben Hur (1959)
http://static.youku.com/v1.0.0052/v/swf/qplayer.swf?VideoIDS=XNDYzNzY3NTY&embedid=-&showAd=0
This is another breathtaking costume drama movie that stars Charlton Heston and examines the whole notion of faith, integrity and revenge. Will revenge help to quench the fire of vengence? The setting is in classical Rome under the reign of Emperor Tiberius.

The King and I (1956)
- no links -
I find this movie really unique because it reflected the white man's superiority mentality at that point in time. Yul Bryner adopted one of the most disgusting oriental accents I have every heard for this movie. Beyond that, it was a good show that shows the learning journy of Anna, her son, the King and his children/wives.

The Sound of Music (1965)
http://static.youku.com/v1.0.0052/v/swf/qplayer.swf?VideoIDS=cc00XMzAwOTIzODg&embedid=-&showAd=0
I adore Julie Andrews, period. =D Boy can she sing... This is one of my all time favorites because of it's light hearted tone. How a scruffy girl learns her place in her world by filling everyone around her with joy and laughter, how a stiff Captain von Trapp learnt how to bend a little and love his children with a lot more flexibility, communication, hugs and laughter.

Ulysses (1955)
http://www.veoh.com/browse/videos/category/entertainment/watch/v14079501ksfsyets
I can only find this on veoh, so just sign up for a free account or something. It's pretty good film based on Homer's Odyssey. The story of a man who pit himself against the Gods and lost, how his love for his wife guided him back home after being seperated for 1o years. It's a good movie, but I prefer the 1997 version with Armand Assante though.