Film Yap: Double Features Are Awesome

Double features are a mixture of two fun qualities: creativity and a love for cinema. Sure anyone could say something like “Hey let’s watch The Hangover and then The Hangover Part II.” Something like that or watching all of a trilogy in a row is fun, but there’s something special when you can juxtapose two films together. It’s a great way to revisit a movie, but also see it in a new context.

For example…

Double features can be a cool way to look at an artist’s range. Like…

· 10 Things I Hate About You / Brick

· Double Indemnity / Some Like It Hot

· Good Morning Vietnam / Good Will Hunting

· Groundhogs Day / Broken Flowers

· The Lady Eve / Once Upon a Time in the West

· Mr. Smith Goes to Washington / The Naked Spur

· The Next Karate Kid / Million Dollar Baby

Similarities in story or themes can make films great companion pieces

· American Graffiti / Dazed and Confused

· The Aviator / The Bad and the Beautiful

· Black Narcissus / Vertigo

· Casino Royale / District B13

· Clue / Murder By Death

· The Conversation / Enemy of the State

· Coraline / Pan’s Labyrinth

· Dog Day Afternoon / Inside Job

· Dr. Strangelove / In the Loop

· “The End” – LOST / “The End of Time Part 1 & 2” – Doctor Who

· Enter the Void / The Tree of Life

· The Frighteners / Ghost Town

· Galaxy Quest / Star Trek

· Get Shorty / Big Trouble

· The Great Mouse Detective / “A Study in Pink” – Sherlock

· The Guns of Navarone / Inglourious Basterds

· Heat / The Dark Knight

· Me and Orson Wells / My Favorite Year

· “Objects in Space” – Firefly / “The Doctor’s Wife” – Doctor Who

· The Others / The Orphanage

· The Private Life of Henry VIII / A Man For All Seasons

· Psycho / Magic

· The Red Shoes / Black Swan

· Saboteur / North By Northwest

· Scream / Behind the Mask

· Slacker / 45365

· There Will Be Blood / The Social Network

· This is Spinal Tap / Anvil: The Story of Anvil

· Topsy Turvy / Amadeus

· TRON / Scott Pilgrim vs. the World

Two different takes on a subject can make for a great combo.

· 2001: A Space Odyssey / WALL-E

· Broadcast News / Morning Glory

· Carrie / Grease

· E.T. / Signs

· Ghostbusters / Casper

· Pocahontas / The New World

· Twilight / Let the Right One In

The best way to watch a parody film is when the referenced film is fresh in your mind.

· 28 Days Later / Shaun of the Dead

· All the President’s Men / Dick

· Airport / Airplane!

· Apocalypse Now / Tropic Thunder

· The Big Sleep / Kiss Kiss Bang Bang

· Point Break / Hot Fuzz

· Shaft / Black Dynamite

· Star Wars: A New Hope / Spaceballs

· Top Gun / Hot Shots

· Walk the Line / Walk Hard

Sometimes the remakes are different enough that together it doesn’t feel like you’re just watching the same film twice.

· 12 Angry Men / 12

· Blow Up / Blow Out

· Dawn of the Dead (1978) / Dead of the Dead (2004)

· Doc Hollywood / Cars

· Fitzcarraldo / Burden of Dreams

· King Kong (1933) / King Kong (2005)

· Hamlet / The Lion King

· Infernal Affairs / The Departed

· Macbeth / Throne of Blood

· The Seven Samurai / A Bug’s Life

· Sleuth (1972) / Sleuth (2007)

· The Thief of Bagdad (1924) / The Thief of Bagdad (1940)

· The Thing From Another World / The Thing

What are some more fun ideas for double features?

http://www.thefilmyap.com/2011/05/23/double-features-are-awesome/