Must See Classic Movies
WHAT GOOD IS A LIST?
As much value as there is in many an old movie, there are simply too many to view in one lifetime. So, the classics are a good place to start. But which ones?
The dictionary defines the noun “classic” as a creation of the highest excellence. “Classic” can also be used to refer to any period considered to be a Golden Age. Although people confuse the term with “old”, neither word necessarily defines the other. However, despite the overused proclamation of a recent release being an instant classic, some distance is essential for evaluation. Generally, the accepted age of a classic film is twenty years or older.
So, if you’re at a loss when it comes to selecting a classic to watch, or have already exhausted your knowledge of the subject, the popular lists gathered here make an excellent starting point.
As you explore, you will be amazed to discover the many other lists available out there, such as ones for specific genres (Comedy, Noir, Sci Fi, etc.), nationalities (French, Danish, German, etc.), and so many more. Fortunately, for the true fanatic, the lists are virtually endless.
Here are Must Sees reviewed by ClassicFilmSchool.com:
Films of 1939 Others
Adventures of Sherlock Holmes The Apartment
Babes in Arms Adventures of Robin Hood
Dark Victory Arsenic and Old Lace
Destry Rides Again Butch Cassidy & the Sundance Kid
Drums Along the Mohawk Casablanca
The Four Feathers Citizen Kane
Goodbye, Mr. Chips City Lights
Gone with the Wind The Godfather Part II
The Hunchback of Notre Dame The Hunt for Red October
Idiot’s Delight In the Heat of the Night
Love Affair Lawrence of Arabia
The Little Princess Lilies of the Field
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington North by Northwest
Ninotchka The Philadelphia Story
Only Angels Have Wings The Searchers
The Roaring Twenties Seven Brides for Seven Brothers
The Story of Vernon & Irene Castle Singin’ in the Rain
Wings, 1927
FEATURED LIST: OSCAR BEST PICTURE WINNERS
From the first Academy Award winner, Wings in 1928 (for the years 1927/28) to Unforgiven in 1992, it’s hard to beat the past Best Picture winners for a recommendation list of classic films. I’ll admit, I have not seen them all (1985‘s Out of Africa still eludes me). However, what I have seen of the winners (as well as from nominees for each year) the varied films fairly accurately represent Hollywood’s “ideal” for the time in which each film was produced. Which gives the list the added cache of doubling as an anthropological guide to popular culture through the ages (or at least the ages of filmmaking). It is not a perfect list. I am the first to question how The Greatest Show on Earth ever beat out High Noon and The Quiet Man. I do accept the fact that the win reflected a growing need for filmmakers to be bigger, better and bolder than television. Thus, the allure of a so-called spectacle. As the whims of culture change, Hollywood does its best to provide what it thinks will satisfy. Use the picture below as a link to a list of the Academy’s past winners, and discover what once satisfied, if only for the moment.
MY FAVORITE BEST PICTURE WINNER
IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT
When it comes down to picking a favorite Best Picture winner it’s a tough choice. I’m not a big fan of all of the past winners, but I do have quite a few personal favorites among the current list of 83 contenders. Among them are the 1946 post-war drama, The Best Years of Our Lives, the 1960 comedy classic, The Apartment, and the 1962 epic, Lawrence of Arabia (all listed on the carousel below). However, if I have to chose just one, then it’s got to be the 1967 drama, In the Heat of the Night. More than a crime story, more than a mystery, Heat stands as one of the all time best films ever to depict the racial issues that burden this country, and in a way that isn’t preachy. In short, this is a very good film, period.
