re: What are some classic movies 1950-present everyone should watch?

Add Billy Budd (1962) to your list.



Billy Budd trailer on Youtube

Great Herman Melville sea story about a young, naive sailor, who's played by 23 year old Terrance Stamp. Cast includes Robert Ryan, Peter Ustinov, and Melvyn Douglas. Ryan is the sadistic John Claggart, Master of Arms. Ustinov is the ships captain. Douglas is a wise old sail maker, who's the voice of reason.

100% on Rotten Tomatoes, with an 87% audience score.

IMDb

"On The Waterfront"
"The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance"
"Psycho"
"The Odd Couple"
"The Hustler"
"Butch Cassidy And The Sundance Kid"
"The Sting"
"Cool Hand Luke"
"Saving Private Ryan"
"Unforgiven"
"Forest Gump"
"Young Frankenstein"
"Blazing Saddles"

I could do this for hours.

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Dirty Rotten Scoundrels

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That's a pretty good one with Steve Martin and Michael Caine. Another Steve Martin movie I like is "My Blue Heaven" with Rick Moranis.

I think everyone should watch Touch of Evil to see film noir. Or the last legs of film-noir. Plus it's the genius Welles.

The man was a Theater prodigy in England as a teenager.

Did War of the Worlds when he was 23.

Made Citizen Kane when he was 25 years old.

Disdained big studios. Never got another contract picture after Citizen Kane. Was original Independant filmmaker.

Once shot a movie where there was no script.

Wanted to do a million things, only became a movie star to fund his movies but hated being a movie-star or really in pictures. Loved the stage. Traveled the world, lived everywhere...was almost bored by film because he conquered it at a young age. The Alexander the Great of movie-making.

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His distinctive directorial style featured layered and nonlinear narrative forms, uses of lighting such as chiaroscuro, unusual camera angles, sound techniques borrowed from radio, deep focus shots, and long takes. He has been praised as "the ultimate auteur".

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Gladiator
Lean on Me
Last of the Mohicans
Glory
Blade
Boyz n da Hood

Dammit, didn't realize this was a bump and had already posted. Doh!

Some Like it Hot
Jack Lemmon, Tony Curtis, Marilyn Monroe