What is the oldest movie you have ever seen?

[Super Amputee Cat]

The other night, I watched a film called Down to the Sea in Ships on TMC. Released in 1922, it is the oldest movie I recall ever recall seeing.

Previously, the oldest film I had seen was Charlie Chaplin's Gold Rush released in 1925. Right now I am in the process of viewing that film again, plus the 1942 re-edit of the film.

The oldest movie I saw in the theater was a recent restoration of the landmark 1927 film Metropolis. Lost footage was recently found and they added it for the restoration, although almost an hour of the original film is still missing and is probably lost forever.

What is the oldest film you have seen, both in the theater and on TV?

[Chet]

A few in (I think) order:

-Steamboat Willie
-African Queen
-Pyscho

[nerudite]

I don't know the dates of most films I've seen... so it's hard to say. Probably the oldest I've seen on dvd/vhs is Nosferatu (1922), which I own on dvd.

In the theatre, I've seen a number of Buster Keaton films during a film festival, some of which were dated before 1920. One was The Garage which has a date of 1919. I don't remember the titles of all of the others...

Edit: On second thought, I've also seen The Tramp (1915), on t.v. (TCM channel or something).

[Super Amputee Cat]

Wow, the teens. The closest I've come to viewing a film from before 1920 is renting Birth of a Nation (1915). But at over three hours long, I have never found the time to watch it.

As my signature below shows, I have seen two Chaplin films during the past week. I have watched them both with my five year old son and three year old daughter. I thought they would be bored, but they really get into it. (Of course, they don't understand everything that is going on, especially in Modern Times and my daugther keeps asking "Is he a bad man?" whenever a new character pops up on the screen. But, it's still a joy to watch it with them, and actually enhances my interest in the film.

[The Irish One]

Refer Madness 1936, afaik.

[Cardinal]

I remember as a kid watching a number of the Laurel & Hardy and Charlie Chaplin silent movies, but don't ask me when they were made.

[Mud Princess]

I believe the oldest movie I've seen is Broken Blossoms, with Lillian Gish. 1919.

[el Guapo]

Metropolis - Fritz Lang? Untermenshen?

[Floridays]

"Holiday Inn" (1942) with Bing Crosby & Fred Astaire. If you've never seen it, it's a good one! Especially around the holidays...

[Big Easy King]

Originally posted by nerudite
Probably the oldest I've seen on dvd/vhs is Nosferatu (1922), which I own on dvd.

Nosferatu is the oldest flick that I've seen also. I enjoyed it.

[SkeLeton]

Hummm I haven't seen old movies at all, I guess the oldest movie I've seen are from the late 50's (one of Akira Kurosawa) and from there on..

[Zoning Goddess]

I like a lot of movies from the '30's: It Happened One Night, My Man Godfrey, etc. Can't remember seeing anything older. Maybe a real early Tarzan or Charlie Chan...

[biscuit]

I've seen parts of The Tramp, but Nosferatu is probably the oldest film I've seen all the way through. We rented it to get the back story after watching Shadow of a Vampire a year or so ago.

[Dan]

These black and white film revivals that I see depicted in television sitcoms ... well, I've never encountered one in real life. I've never seen a movie theater, either an art film house or a mainstream movie multiplex, devote even a single night to old classics.

I'm not a fan of films from the 1930s through the 1950s. I guess I'm turned off by the campiness and overacting. Old musicials, too ... I don't get the idea of people just randomly breaking out into song and diving into pools in a zipper-like formation with hundreds of others..

There seemed to be a lot of innovation during the early 20th century, as evidenced by Metropolis. Fascinating, tragic, timeless, something that gets you thinking.

I wouldn't mind seeing Leni Riefenstahl's films, both to satisfy my curiosity about their propaganda value, and for their acclaimed artistic merit.

[otterpop]

On AMC once I saw "The Great Train Robbery", which I believe was the first full-length movie. Not sure of the date, but pre-WWI I believe.

[NHPlanner]

City Lights - 1931

[nerudite]

Originally posted by otterpop
On AMC once I saw "The Great Train Robbery", which I believe was the first full-length movie. Not sure of the date, but pre-WWI I believe.

1903

[BiteMeElmo]

On TV: Charlie Chaplin in Making A Living (1914)

In the theater: Soup to Nuts (1930). One of the first Three Stooges movies. They used to show a bunch of oldies in Saturday afternoon matinees at the local theater where I lived. Quite a deal at $0.25

EDIT: They may have also shown some Laurel and Hardy flicks, some of which I believe predate the Stooges

[Planderella]

From what I can recall, the oldest movie that I've ever seen was either "Metropolis" or "Nosferatu."

[JNL]

The oldest ones I can think of are relatively recent: South Pacific (1959) and Brigadoon (1954).

[Tranplanner]

The oldest complete movie I think I've ever seen is Buster Keaton's "The General". I have no idea what year that was made.

[el Guapo]

Originally posted by Dan
I wouldn't mind seeing Leni Riefenstahl's films, both to satisfy my curiosity about their propaganda value, and for their acclaimed artistic merit.

You have got to see the bio an independent film maker did. We talked about this once....

http://www.cyburbia.org/forums/showt...&threadid=8269

[Super Amputee Cat]

Originally posted by Tranplanner
The oldest complete movie I think I've ever seen is Buster Keaton's "The General". I have no idea what year that was made.

1927, I believe. I have the DVD. Great film.

[pete-rock]

Originally posted by Super Amputee Cat
Wow, the teens. The closest I've come to viewing a film from before 1920 is renting Birth of a Nation (1915). But at over three hours long, I have never found the time to watch it.

I saw Birth of a Nation as part of a film class in college.

As awful as the story was, without question it set the standard for film as an art form.