No, there is a difference between a "romcom" and a classic film.  A romcom is the new, ultimate conventionalization of what used to be a light love story.  There were many great examples of this.  But it is now been so watered down and assembly-line manufactured that it is meaningless drivel. 

 A classic film is absolutely different.  It exists in NO CATEGORY.  It is simply a great film of any kind. Truffaut and Goddard and other great filmmakers deliberately avoided these mindless conventionalizations.  What they did isn't simply another interchangeable category as you cynically suggest. 

Also, I am so tired of people saying "filmmaking is storytelling."  It is ANYTHING the filmmaker wants it to be - including pure abstraction,  avant garde animation, documentary realism, anti-storytelling, ANYTHING.  It is NOT merely storytelling even if the increasingly idiotic "industry" conceives of it that way.  

I'll be the first to admit that more than half the Star Trek films were a disappointment compared to the best TV episodes. But to compare the worst of them (say IV? At least that's the worst musically) to cinematic landmarks like: 'Never Been Kissed', 'Girl, Interrupted', 'Nine Months', 'Sex and the City', 'Look Who's Talking' series, 'What Women Want' etc.... please... I would rather sit through the Lorenzo Lamas film of your choice, a Bulgarian existential film without subtitles, or Warhol's 'Sleep' rather than any of the above. 

If you itch for castration or it has already been done for you - especially the younger generation - by all means get comfortable on the couch; otherwise, I agree; don't hold these movies under your nose; they stink!!

And let's take this away from Herrmann's thread. What sacrilege!

You're an amateur Erik. I had one girlfriend who annoyed me so much I took her to the midnight showing of 10 Rillington Place and then made her walk back to her hotel alone. That's punishment for being mentally obese!!!!!  I admit I never had a girlfriend from Newcastle or even the north in general. Why?? Because I DIDN'T TO WANT TO DIE!!!!

Anyone interested in romantic films should start off with something like Bringing up Baby and work down from there.

That's nothing compared to what we guys have to go through... My erstwhile long-time girlfriend took me to see 'Sleepless in Seattle' which led to a massive quarrel afterwards, but much-much worse, another hopeful thought was doing us a favour by taking me to see an execrable, miserable, fully castrating and sex-changing misandrist (man-hating) cowpat of a film called 'Closer', starring Jude Law etc. There is no C-grade untranslated chinese action or slash horror flick that can possibly be deemed appropriate reprisal. Avoid at all costs!

Actually, If I had to sit through a Romcom I would make my date sit through one of those aforementioned 'Art Films.'  Any of the more abstract offerings from Tarkovskyif I really hated the movie but if I found it tolerable I would give her a break and we'd watch 2001: A Space Odyssey instead.

Here's a true story about Sleepless in Seattle.  A friend of mine who is a really good sax player wanted to serenade his girlfriend.  We were double dating one night and after we had a few drinks we decided to catch a flick.  We (the guys) wanted to see Jurassic Park while the girls wanted to see Sleepless in Seattle.  Needless to say the girls won out.  So we arrive at the cinema and after some discussion with the manager he let my friend into the theater with his saxophone case.  Apparently the manager was a little worried that we were trying to sneak concessions into the theater.  Once he realized it was just a saxophone in the case he let us in.  My friend played at the bar we just came from.  Throughout the film, my tipsy friend kept leaning over and asking if I was sure that serenading his girlfriend was a good idea.  The beer on his breath was burning my nose hairs so, to shut him up, I said "yeah it's a great idea do it.  Now stop breathing on me."  Although Paul was a good sax player he was lacking in the sound judgment department.  Right there in the middle of the movie he gets up and starts playing his sax to serenade her.  All I remember thinking was, he's a better player drunk than sober.  A big guy sitting behind us with his date stands up and says, "if you don't stop blowing that thing I'm going to shove it up your a$$."  I guess he was a bit upset that his date was making him watch this and not Jurassic Park too.

The manager kicked us out.  Can anybody tell me what happened at the end of Sleepless in Seattle?  I still haven't finished it.    

"On arrival the guy said we're going to the cinema in 45 miutes (in sign language) and promptly took her off to see...........

Pearl Harbour!!!!"

He got, what he deserved....

Pearl Harbor is one of the leaders in a category of film as worse as the romcoms :

Military Love comedy action desaster.

You can´t stand the story, the actors, the plot, the stupid characters and finally the bad soundtracks. I´m not a big fan of brass in general, but here it is performed in the worst kind of what I call " Jerry Br/Fuckheimer Brass"

"And now we are zooming out of the loving couple "Oh sweetie I love you sooo much" and while moving the camera crane backwards, 2 Bradley hunting tanks come into the exposure field, with the american flag bound around their weapon towers. To make the final kiss complete, a delta formation of A10 anti tank fighters in low altitude wave their wings to congratulate Romeo and Julia on their way to the church....."

Taking a girl into such at film - I can´t believe it.

With the romcoms, at least you might get your chance afterwards.....

On the other hand I remember indeed having been in Odyssee 2001 with a girl - unfortunately without romantic comedy later on :)

So the Rolling Stones are right : You can´t always get what you want.