Many classic Hollywood films have withstood the test of time and continue to be considered cinematic classics, making them essential viewing for film enthusiasts or anyone just wanting a nostalgic trip down memory lane. Find out the best info about Classic Movies on DVD.
Charlie Chaplin returns as Little Tramp as a silent film is gradually replaced by talkies in this irreverent yet hilarious slapstick comedy that explores both sides of this issue.
Casablanca
Casablanca (1942) represents some of Hollywood’s finest work. This movie is readily accessible to audiences of all backgrounds, featuring relatable characters that are easy for audiences to identify with and boasting timeless values in its plotline and characters. No wonder its impactful message continues to resonate even three-quarters of a century after it was first released! Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman had already established themselves as stars before Casablanca was released; its success catapulted their careers further than ever.
Rick Blaine is an American expatriate who owns a cafe in Casablanca, Morocco. Although he appears neutral during World War II conflicts, his hardened cynicism belies his past activism and efforts for social justice, including running guns to Ethiopia and fighting Franco’s fascist forces in Spain’s Civil War.
Casablanca serves as a metaphor for choosing one’s path in life and for loyalty, love, and sacrifice amidst real crises. Furthermore, many cast members played refugees or immigrants escaping occupied Europe or settling in America for work; its release coincided with the Allied invasion of North Africa at this critical moment.
It’s a Wonderful Life
It’s a Wonderful Life is an iconic Hollywood film with multiple layers. Directed by Frank Capra and starring James Stewart, it tells the tale of George Bailey, who believes his life to have been meaningless when, on the brink of suicide, he meets Clarence, who intervenes and shows him why life would not be complete without him in it.
Capra and his team took Philip Van Doren Stern’s short story The Greatest Gift and breathed life into it, creating a character who is both sympathetic and relatable – George Bailey dreams of travel and college, but circumstance forces him to sacrifice these plans; nonetheless, despite numerous setbacks, he remains strong and supportive of his family.
Realism in this film is further strengthened through symbols and imagery; for instance, George assembling his model house shows just how hard he works for his money; Mrs. Martini’s ritual housewarming ceremony with bread, salt, and wine symbolizes George’s religious upbringing; Cary Grant plays one of his last roles before dying at 31: Freddie Ebbers in which The Digital Bits calls “a landmark in American cinema history.”
All About Eve
This 1950 film is an outstanding example of the screwball genre. Bette Davis delivers an exceptional performance as Margo Channing, a Broadway star whose vanity and paranoia have upended her marriage and career. Anne Baxter plays Eve Harrington; Eve symbolizes a gay youth escaping a small town to pursue more excellent opportunities such as love, money, and fame.
This movie warns about the perils of show business and how celebrity identity can become threatened by its traps and dark fears. Sexism and ageism are particularly prominent themes. Margo fears being replaced by younger talent who she fears might rise above her, something many celebrities experience, including Blair Waldorf from Gossip Girl.
The movie is an instant classic, but there have been multiple adaptations. Most notably, Applause the Musical was written using this film as its source material; Lauren Bacall played Margo Channing in its original production, while Anne Baxter took her place for its 1995 movie version. Although both featured similar characters and plot points, as seen in the original show, their movie version failed to capture some of its darker aspects and could have been more successful due to this factor; nonetheless, it remains an outstanding piece of cinematography.
Sunset Boulevard
A searing and honest examination of Hollywood. This classic film shows us its seedy underbelly and the potentially lethal cost of stardom. Even today, many of its themes remain pertinent within the industry.
Billy Wilder (Double Indemnity, The Apartment) directed and co-wrote this 1950 film examining the film industry at the start of a new century. William Holden plays an astute journeyman screenwriter who becomes the personal editor, companion, and keepman of former silent movie star Norma Desmond (Gloria Swanson).
This film depicts the mental decline of a once mighty Hollywood superstar who desperately clings to their past glory and believes they can still become a successful movie star. Its themes of aging, depression, and disillusionment remain as relevant today as they were back then.
Sunset Boulevard is an enduring testament to great cinema, still captivating audiences decades after its release. Many regard it as one of the greatest films ever made, and many movies, such as Pulp Fiction, credit it as an influence. Sunset Boulevard inspired directors like David Lynch, who later created his classic film Mulholland Drive. As part of its cultural, historical, or aesthetic significance, it has been honored with induction into the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress.
Rebecca
Daphne du Maurier’s 1938 gothic novel has inspired more than a dozen adaptations on film and television, most famously Alfred Hitchcock’s 1940 version that changed its ending for censors and other purposes; most recently, Netflix will produce their version in 2020 with Armie Hammer playing Maxim de Winter alongside Lily James as the Unnamed Narrator.
Rebecca stands out not just because it was the first novel featuring a murdered heroine; its significance lies in its character study of a psychopath. Rebecca exhibits many characteristics characteristic of psychopaths including habitual lying, superficial charm and expert manipulation skills combined with an apparent lack of guilt or conscience; Rebecca remains at Manderley even after she is dead; thus exerting control over its staff members such as Mrs Danvers (her personal servant) which then influence the narrative voice narrator through influence over them and control of Rebecca over its household staff including Mrs Danvers’ power over household staff staff members such as Mrs Danvers to control who controls our narrative voice-over narrator through household staff under her influence on them all – especially her influence over team like Mrs Danvers (who owns our narrative voice-infra narrator through impact on household staff members under her influence) through household staff members including Mrs Danvers’ influence over whom Rebecca exerts complete control over our protagonist narrator through influence over household staff members such as malevolent Mrs Danvers to control him over him until death occurs and controls him through power over him by controlling our narrator through controlling his/herself through influence over him/herself through influence over household staff member such as Mrs Danvers (involvement of course!).
While Rebecca may not be the murderer in this story, she exemplifies how their ego and desire for power can destroy an innocent victim. When trying to be the perfect bourgeois wife to Max, she only succeeds in making him miserable – making the marriage and love relationship worse than before as well as exploring power abuse through Rebecca’s influence at Manderley even after her death – such as when using a tie or bind as a metaphor for Rebecca’s stranglehold on both Manderley and its inhabitants despite having died a long while afterward – becoming another piece about marriage, love relationships as well as exploring power abuse within relationships despite being novella-length.
Vertigo
Vertigo (1958), directed by Alfred Hitchcock and starring James Stewart as Detective John “Scottie” Ferguson with Acrophobia (an extreme fear of heights). During a criminal pursuit across San Francisco’s Russian Hill neighborhood where Bay looms below, Scottie slips and falls. Unfortunately, his partner reaches down to help, but Scottie becomes paralyzed with Acrophobia and dies before rescue arrives.
Hitchcock frequently used San Francisco as the setting of his films due to its iconic bridges and steep hills. Hitchcock also wanted to use its architecture as a metaphor for Scottie’s emotional instability; for instance, Scottie lives on Lombard Street, which appears endless.
Vertigo pioneered many influential techniques, most notably dolly zoom. This device allowed viewers to experience life from the viewpoint of its characters, disorienting them. Also noteworthy about Vertigo was composer Bernard Herrmann’s emotive score for its soundtrack; additionally, it should be noted that while Hitchcock focused heavily on Acrophobia in this film, he wasn’t suggesting its cure; instead, he pointed out how gazing upon women will always cause anxiety.
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