I’ve been extremely busy so haven’t been to the cinema much or reviewed many films recently, but I’m not letting that get in the way of another quiz. Especially on a topic I’ve always taken a big interest in: films lambasted on release that have since become classics. Do you have a favourite among the six below? Is there a film you love but was left the critics unimpressed? As always the answers are below and your scores and comments are always welcome.
Film 1 – 1940s
Film 2 – 1950s
Film 3 – 1960s
Film 4 – 1960s
Film 5 – 1980s
Film 6 – 1990s
Answers below
1. It’s a Wonderful Life (1946)
2. Night of the Hunter (1955)
3. Peeping Tom (1960) – May
4. Psycho (1960) – September
5. The Shining (1980)
6. Fight Club (1999)
Alex Raphael 
I am a total sucker for It’s a Wonderful Life! 😀
Do you watch it more on Thanksgiving or Christmas? And you might recognise the name of that that second film haha.
It’s usually on Christmas Eve. And oh, that’s the Charles Laughton film you referred to the other day!!
It is. And even if you watched it without sound, you’d still love it. The cinematography and use of shadows is incredible.
I love that about black and white films anyway. Definitely going to check it out.
I’d recommend all six but that and Peeping Tom are my faves. Films just way ahead of their time. Really angers me the critics destroyed the careers of both directors.
Those are the only 2 on that list I haven’t seen!
Not for long I hope!
No, at my first opportunity! 🙂
I got them all right! I have seen all of them apart from Peeping Tom. I think I like The Shining the best. So creepy!
Not a horror fan usually, but I loved it. You got Peeping Tom right without seeing it? Impressive stuff 🙂
I’ll admit It’s a Wonderful Life is a bit corny, but c’mon! I faithfully watch this EVERY Christmas Eve, much to my husband’s dismay. And I had no idea that Psycho and The Shining received bad reviews. I thought Psycho was Hancock at his best. The Shining, however I have mixed feelings about. I loved Jack Nicholson of course, but Shelly Duvall annoyed the heck out of me. Plus, the ending left me cold (yes I went there). I like the original ending in the book much better and I can understand why King never spoke to Kubrick again.
That ending left you cold. I never knew you were so good at puns haha! That film really is all about Jack for me. And the amazing imagery. I wonder if people have that carpet too. I’m a big fan of Kubrick but never read the book it was based on so can’t say too much other than I really liked the film.
I have my punny moments. If you ever have the time Alex, read the book. I think it’s one of Kings best!🙋🏻
Thanks for the heads up. Have you read The Different Seasons collection?
I have! I’ve read everything by him except for The Gunslinger series which I just haven’t been able to get into.
I got them all. I’m impressed. My favorite among them would normally be anything by Alfred Hitchcock and this is no exception. Psycho is one of my all time favorite films.
Bravo Emilio. I love Pyscho too. One of the great horror films. Night of the Hunter and Peeping Tom are up there too as among the best in the genre.
I watched Night of the Hunter just last year but haven’t seen Peeping Tom for maybe five years. Guess it’s time to watch it again.
I could do with watching it again too.
Before ‘The Woman in Black’ the only time a film has sent the hair up on the back of my neck (spoiler alert in Psycho) was the revelation of the mummified Mummy in ‘Psycho’
I know!
….. and ‘Psycho’ is the only one I got
I remember when I first saw it. I got up to have a snack and then put it back on again from the start 🙂
I saw it in the gloom of cinema lighting
Really interesting post Alex! I didn’t know some of those movies were slated upon release. I knew Night of the Hunter was because I’m fairly certain Charles Laughton never made a movie again purely based on the reviews he got at the time.
I knew about Peeping Tom too, but not the others!
And there’s load of movies I like, that got panned haha.
I know. It still makes me so mad to think about. Peeping Tom didn’t have much luck either for its director. Interestingly though, Peeping Tom did affect the impact of Psycho after Hitchcock saw how critics could ruin a film’s release.
3 out of 6 … not too bad, I suppose. Fight Club is my favourite…and not because Brad looks smoking HOT in it… Okay, Okay…partially that. The shining still scares me… that scene with the kid on the tricycle *shudder*
It won’t surprise you that personal trainers get asked to generate that physique more than any other celeb look.
Fun quiz. I was onyl able to guess three 1,4 and 6. Thanks for sharing this.
It covers quite a few decades so was going to be tricky.
True.
4/6 – Got all the ones I saw. I still need to see #2 and 3. Badly.
Let me know when you do.
4/6 🙂
Not too shabby Abbi 🙂
5/6! Missed #1 because I’ve never seen it. I do love Night of the Hunter ever so much though.
You’ve seen Peeping Tom? It’s incredible isn’t it. Just brilliant. Such a fan of it. I mention it loads to people.
I got em all.
Very impressive dude. Can’t say I’m surprised. Each of the films were so far ahead of their time. Well apart from It’s a Wonderful Life. I was really surprised to see it when researching it.
I guess it goes to show that opinions can alter drastically over the years.
I really like It’s Wonderful Life. It says a lot about what life is.
It really does. I still can’t believe it wasn’t popular at the time and only became so well known when it was shown regularly on TV.
Fight Club (1999) and Psycho (1960) 😀
Shocking to think they weren’t popular straight away