All of the above and probably 75% of what's to come It's not because I don't like films, it's because when they first appear the hype surrounding them always leads to disappointment in my case and I mostly never watch them anymore. I've probably watched about 20 minutes of a few of the films mentioned though.

Al

Haven't seen the Godfather series... Keep meaning to buy it.

Kill Bill and 300, you aren't really missing anything. I'm the same a pcernie, on Kill Bill, it is totally dreadful - great music and great visuals, but the acting and story let it down, and as they are the most important parts...

Same for 300, if you liked the graphic novel, you'll probably like the film. If you are looking for a "proper" film along the lines of Ben Hurr, Gladiator, Troja etc. then you will be disappointed.

My missus being a little younger than me missed out on loads of good stuff I've now been forcing her to watch. Die Hard (her new favourite film!), The Goonies, Gremlins, too many to list.

I've not seen a lot to be fair. Mainly older stuff though. From late 80's/90's onwards I feel like I've seen everything!!

I've still not seen Escape From New York

Ernie, for someone into movies your admissions are shocking!

Let's be clear on what's "mainstream". After all, there are plenty of "classic", or "great" movies that one can be forgiven for not seeing. There are also a great many "mainstream" movies, some great, some just good, some not so good, which there really is no excuse for not seeing. There's also an age thing involved.

In this current day and age, I don't believe you can really call anything before about 1975 "mainstream", as the majority of the movie going public (statistically) weren't born or of an age they can remember anything launched before then. Also Jaws is widely regarded as the first blockbuster.

Get Carter certainly isn't mainstream, neither is Crouching Tiger (subtitled films aren't mainstream by definition). Despite this both films are excellent and I would recommend them. Does that mean you "should" have seen them? Not necessarily.

Anything by Hitchcock isn't mainstream. I've not seen Citizen Kane, but I that isn't either. Lawrence of Arabia is an interesting one as it may get an age exemption based on it's epicness and virtual guaranteed playing on TV at least once a year. Does that mean Spartacus and anything with Kirk in it gets a pass? Dunno, discuss. Then of course there's Ice Cold in Alex. But I think I'm straying into great films and not mainstream ones actually, so maybe the age rule should stand fast.

Halloween is a landmark movie because of the use of Steadicam and is actually a great horror movie. Most of the stuff they put out now is the same old pap. Should you have seen it? Possibly on the edge of the age rule so yeah, probably. I have.

It's A Wonderful Life absolutely gets an exemption and I would call it mainstream. I'm embarrassed to say I haven't seen it. Miracle on 34th probably goes in the same category and that I have seen.

I can't think of that many off the top of my head, but I can think of plenty "great" movies that I haven't yet seen.

Any of the films I haven't seen mentioned here are because they're the sort of films I'd need to be in the right mood for, mostly. Some are just ones I haven't gone out of my way to watch due to their rep or just the fact I know they're gonna be interrupted by ads on TV...

I'd consider mainstream to be anything in popular culture really, which means the likes of Get Carter and Crouching... I certainly would watch a lot of older films over today's general dross if I had the time - film-watching in general I intend to do more these days, believe me

How many people would know Get Carter if you asked them in the street? How many would know Die Hard?

Get Carter is a superb film, but it's just not mainstream. Crouching Tiger possibly at a push, but I still think it wouldn't have that much name recognition amongst Joe Public. I thought the point was, that if it's "mainstream" you should probably have seen it at some point. Whether you liked it or not, or even remember it, is another matter. The Star Wars prequels are definitely not in that category. Neither are half the movies mentioned here, but maybe I'm being a pedant.

Relax, the term mainstream can mean what you want it to mean. I'd say anything that was top of the box ofice from the big Hollywood studios, MGM, Warner Brothers, Universal etc. So, Harry Potter, Ice Age, The Matrix...

I'd also say that films like Spirited Away and Crouching Tiger are very mainstream.

+1 but it always seems really exspensive for something so old.

Same as Trainspotting, I've been meaning to watch that for ages, but just haven't gotten 'round to buying it.

If you're a fan of film, but more than that, you enjoy life in all it's complexity and want to be entertained and learn at the same time, it's a must. Even Part 3. Leeds is right (two agreements in as many weeks ) it's a very, very interesting story.

Two that immediately spring to mind are

Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
Bullitt.

I also haven't seen Citizen Kane and 1984 is a film that I feel I should have watched at some point.

There are loads of films that I don't want to see even though they are "mainstream" and as mentioned The Sound of Music is one that I would rather drill a hole in my own head than watch.

Strangely enough I wached both Hostel 1 and 2 over the past few days and there's a little bit of drilling in them. I wonder if anyone else would have a direct connection from Julie Andrews to torture. I'm not entirely sure if the Hostel films count as mainstream though.

Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid is very entertaining, Bullitt is OK but the best car chase is in The French Connection in my opinion; in fact it's a far better film all round.

With 1984 you are better off reading the book.

It's a good job this thread isn't about books we haven't read.

My definition of mainstream would be films that play for at least a week at the multiplex in the provincial town near where I live (or in the old days, used to play in the, long closed, art deco Odeon). So definitely Get Carter, Crouching Tiger and Hitchcock; probably not Citizen Kane, David Lynch and Mike Leigh; and definitely not Bergman, Von Trier and Fellini.

Ahhh Ice cold in alex,

Got the DVD and it was on German TV the other week, that was amusing.