View Full Version : what's your favorite "old-time" film?
billkilpatrick
May-02-2006, 5:53pm
my current favorite is "heaven's gate" by michael cimino. there's a scene in the film with a fiddle player - no mandolin, alas - on roller skates which is wonderful and evocative.
- bill
John Flynn
May-02-2006, 6:23pm
OBWAT
acousticphd
May-02-2006, 7:30pm
Well, that's an interesting question - how many "OT films" would you name offhand?
There was a film festival here in Nashville last weekend, and I saw a great new film called "Sweet Land", set mostly in Minnesota in ~1920, about a young German "mail-order" bride who marries a Norweigan farmer. Throughout the film I kept thinking how wonderful the music score was, with some recordings of old songs, and some very cool orginal old-timey music . Most of the music (guitar, mando, violin, strings, etc) was played by one guy, whose name I can't remember now. It reminded me of some of Peter Ostroushko's "Heartland" stuff. The film got great reviews where it has been shown, and I hope it gets released so more people have a chance to see it.
JEStanek
May-02-2006, 7:38pm
OBWAT and I'll say Cold Mountain because it led me to Songs From the Mountain by Dirk Powel, Tim O'Brien, and John Hermann. I hope more folks will chime in as I would like to see more movies with OT music so I can explore new soundtracks.
Jamie
plunkett5
May-02-2006, 9:21pm
I favorite is also the winner of the "Worst Film, Best Old-Time Music" Award. The Long Riders. Ry Cooder, David Lindley et al on the coolest soundtrack. The movie leaves much to be desired, but there is an amazing scene in a post-Civil War bar where a small string band is playing the Union version of "Ralley 'Round the Flag", and a James/Younger Gang member threatens them into segueing into "I Am a Good Old Rebel". It is priceless and mirrors many less dramatic bar incidents in many of our lives I'm sure. The Soundtrack CD is wonderful.
Dagger Gordon
May-03-2006, 5:10am
Southern Comfort has some good Cajun music scenes, if you count that (plus some atmospheric Cooder slide guitar).
DryBones
May-03-2006, 10:31am
Well, that's an interesting question - how many "OT films" would you name offhand?
There was a film festival here in Nashville last weekend, and I saw a great new film called "Sweet Land", set mostly in Minnesota in ~1920, about a young German "mail-order" bride who marries a Norweigan farmer. #Throughout the film I kept thinking how wonderful the music score was, with some recordings of old songs, and some very cool orginal old-timey music . #Most of the music (guitar, mando, violin, strings, etc) was played by one guy, whose name I can't remember now. #It reminded me of some of Peter Ostroushko's "Heartland" stuff. #The film got great reviews where it has been shown, and I hope it gets released so more people have a chance to see it.
Sounds like my ancestors. I grew up in Minnesota and my grandparents were norwegian and german.
John Flynn
May-03-2006, 4:27pm
I can tell you my least favorite: "Deliverance" While it is actually a great movie, it paints a picture of old-time music players that we are still trying to live down!
http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/sad.gif
Richard Russell
May-03-2006, 5:00pm
Ken Burns documentaries. The soundtracks are sure to please!
Adam Tracksler
May-04-2006, 5:13am
OBWAT
what does this stand for?
Sounder is great...seeing Taj Mahal come over that hill playing his National with a bunch of kids dancing around him warms my heart.
Another surprisingly good one is Bound for Glory...Carradine does some really nice pickin and singin of Woody's tunes. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/coffee.gif
jim simpson
May-04-2006, 7:28am
King of the Gypsies (1978)
An American boy is born to lead his people. Film gives a fascinating insight into gypsy culture and traditions. Hayden is hilariously miscast as the King of the Gypsies.
Starring: Sterling Hayden, Shelley Winters, Susan Sarandon, Judd Hirsch, Eric Roberts Directed by: Frank Pierson Produced by: Federico De Laurentiis
Music by David Grisman & Stephane Grappelli - no soundtrack to this one - Grisman & Grappelli both appear in the film performing.
Jim Yates
May-04-2006, 11:40am
Song Catcher
howbahmando
May-11-2006, 3:49am
Matewan
Rick Schmidlin
May-11-2006, 2:50pm
The Last Waltz offer a great musical treat.
stevenmando
May-11-2006, 8:36pm
I would say the Song Catcher and Cold Mountain but if you want to go back real far all the Roy Rogers movies, Boys of the Southwest I think that was the Rodgers group? ,Gean Audtry, hope I spelled that right? brings back memories when I was a little boy in the 50,s great music.
Steven
hoffmannia@mac.com
May-12-2006, 7:35am
Times Ain't What they Used to Be. You can get it from Yazoo records.
bones12
May-12-2006, 9:50pm
Tommy Jarrell in "Sprout Wings and Fly" makes my hair stand on end. Genius and soul. Doug in Vermont
David M.
May-23-2006, 10:52am
Here's a GOOD one (though not as good as the book):
The Education of Little Tree
Don't believe there's mando, but a couple of really good fiddle tunes in it that Pine Billy played (character in the book). Good version of Man of Constant Sorrow done before OBWAT was made. Similar to Hartford's version, but different key.
"Will Ye Go, Lassie, Go" was sung in it a bunch, too. Cool old Scots tune.
I'd recommend reading this book, then seeing the flick, but at least do one of the two.
PhilGE
Jun-01-2006, 8:11pm
Cotton Patch Gospel and Smoke on the Mountain are plays with lots of wonderful old-time elements in them.