History of Film, Part 5: 1950-1959

A variation on the yearly threads we did a few years ago, with these monthly threads we will talk about individual eras of film, from the obvious classics to the forgotten masterpieces to those giants that might need to be re-evaluated.

In October we continue with a decade that saw the Golden Age of Hollywood, as American political dominance meant the money flowed into American households and out into searching for entertainment. Alfred Hitchcock dominated the decade with films like Vertigo, Rear Window, North by Northwest, Strangers by the the Train, and Dial M for Murder. Japan's three-headed behemoth of auteurs really showed off their talents with films like Ozu's Tokyo Story, Kurosawa's Seven Samurai, and Mizoguchi's Ugetsu. You have the beginning of the French New Wave, the beginnings of Stanley Kubrick, and even Singin' in the Rain!

Other major films of the era include the Western Rio Bravo, the acting showcase of A Streetcar Named Desire, and the entirety of James Dean's career. Despite the reputation of censorship of the era and a stuffiness that would eventually lead to the New Hollywood era, there is so much to see and experience here without it feeling like a homework assignment.

What are your thoughts? Favorites? Recommendations? Challenges to the canon?

Other decades:

History of Film, Part 1: 1888-1919 • forum.chorus.fm

History of Film, Part 2: 1920-1929 • forum.chorus.fm

History of Film, Part 3: 1930-1939 • forum.chorus.fm

History of Film, Part 4: 1940-1949 • forum.chorus.fm

 

Now we’re talking. Some favorites:
Night of the Hunter
400 Blows
Vertigo
A Face in the Crowd
The Killing
On the Waterfront
Singin’ in the Rain

 

I spend so much time making these for you people and you ignore me.

 

I watched Rear Window last week while I was in the cast, Ill try and do a write up soon

 

It's a bit too broad a thread to know how to respond really. Pre-30s it was a bit easier, because I'd only seen a dozen or so films, but there's just too much more from the 40s and onwards that I don't really know what to contribute here.

 

1950

1. Sunset Boulevard
2. Los Olvidados
3. Gun Crazy
4. Caged
5. Rashomon
6. All About Eve
7. Winchester ’73
8. The Gunfighter
9. In a Lonely Place
10. Girl with Hyacinths
11. To Joy
12. The Asphalt Jungle
13. The Breaking Point
14. Born Yesterday
15. Harvey
16. Stromboli
17. Cinderella
18. La Ronde
19. Portrait of Madame Yuki
20. Variety Lights
21. The Munekata Sisters
22. No Way Out
23. Woman on the Run
24. Whirlpool
25. Orpheus

Since I'm still working my way through the 50's and there's so many great films in this decade I'll probably just do yearly lists. A great start to the decade.