That was the best part of the movie, without a doubt. The captain utters his death line hilariously. And of course, it's followed by the main character refusing to climb the debris he was holding on to (safe spots are for pssies), and swimming for god-knows-how-many miles towards the island in those shark-infested waters (I guess he had a shark-repellent bat spray).

I agree. Well not great but I thought it was still quite a good movie. Like I said, the main action sequence was very well done, and the movie itself kept me intrigued. But back in the first half of the 20th century movies had a lot of such lame scenes that just wouldn't pass the final cut in any movie today.

Isn't it amazing how far movies have come? How on earth could anyone think this is still a great movie when movies 100000000 times better exist? I mean, the action sequence was the only good part, even in today's standards. I was impressed by that, but back then people were impressed by the whole movie because that's as good as it got back then. They didn't know how much better was possible.
People in eighty years time will be looking back at today's mega-budgeted CGI tent-pole blockbusters and saying the exact same thing.
And incidentally, in my humble opinion
The Most Dangerous Game
is still a great movie.
http://hexfan.proboards.com/

Sad, but true, for movies anyway. The irony in all this is that most movies cater to the prevailing hipness, which is largely a matter of fashion more than truth; thus, when people die in films it's often in ways that are, depending on the style of the time, either gruesome and terrifying or cool and understated. Is there a
right way for characters to die in films
? I doubt it.
The Most Dangerous Game
worked beautifully for me. It was funny at times, and that was, occasionally funny even as the film itself was far from a comedy. There were some creepy shots of sharks swimming underwater. I found most of the death screams unsettling, and I never chuckled once. I've heard death and near death scream IRL, and I never so much cracked a smile.
As to
The Most Dangerous Game
, the movie, the original version, I think it's a masterpiece of its kind and its time. There's a technical perfection to it. The sense of isolation was well conveyed. The first time around, when one doesn't know how and how likely it would end, damn near throttles the viewer's throat. There's not a wasted moment.

You're sooo right, "Coolbrett." Movies are sooo much better now that they have graphic violence, explicit sex, and CGI!
(sarcasm)

isn't it amazing how far movies have come?
No, the truly amazing thing is the paradox of evolution; as we become more technologically advanced, the collective intelligence of our species plummets.
Thanks for spoiling it for the rest of us, IDIOT.
"
if that was off, I'd be whoopin' your ass up and down this street.
" ~ an irate Tarantino

isn't it amazing how far movies have come? How on earth could anyone think this is still a great movie when movies 100000000 times better exist? I mean, the action sequence was the only good part, even in todays standards. I was impressed by that, but back then people were impressed by the whole movie because thats as good as it got back then. They didnt know how much better was possible. I had to stop and think whether or not that was a joke, or what he exactly meant by "agh he got me!".. and then I remembered it is a 1930's movie and yes he was just eaten by a shark, haha

and then he just sinks below the surface, no threshing or anything. Most hilarious death scene ever.
"Worthington, we're being attacked by giant bats!"

yes that was funny. probably not as much at the time of it's release. james remar in "48 hours" was not just the funniest but maybe the best death scene in history. it was meant to be ridiculous. a villain so arrogant he can't believe he has been shot. classic.
"everybody wants to go to heaven but nobody wants to die"

I watched it tonight (last night?) and that part cracked me up.

Yeah absolutely hilarious! That scene alone makes the entire film worth watching.
BTW in tribute to this film it is reported that Spielberg was going to have Quint say the same line upon his death scene in Jaws but decided to cut that out and go with something more heavy handed.:-)
There is NO Gene for the Human Spirit.

Just saw this classic for the first time, and while mostly good, that shipwreck came off as very forced dramatically. I'm not knocking the limited effects of that time, but the overall direction of that sequence just didn't work for me.
And yes, I laughed out loud at "Agh! He got me!" (I was reminded of Yosemite Sam in a WB cartoon.)
The war is not meant to be won it is meant to be
continuous
.

Yeah, I loved that he had the time and inclination to make the announcement! Guess thats the sign of a true salty dog, no simple scream and gurgle for him.