Old Movies Are The Best Kind Of Movies

Old Movies Are The Best Kind Of Movies

Old movies, what is it that makes them so appealing? In saying that, it's not merely movies which draw many back to their childhood or teenage years, television shows and music also have this strong pull. A television series you watched through your childhood almost becomes a comfort in later years. I read somewhere once, that re-watching your favourite TV show repeatedly can have a calming effect on you, as you know the outcome of the story. 

The development of film over the years since it's creation is a phenomenal one. Actors and actresses from their own era have individually changed the face of film through the centuries. Throughout this time various individuals stood out in their own individual way. From Charlie Chaplin who's considered one of the most important figures in film history to Leonardo de Caprio of the current era. In terms of actresses, these women have fought for the recognition of the female role in the film industry since the start of cinema. Ladies like Audrey Hepurn, Marilyn Monroe, Meryl Streep and Helena Bohen Carter have all empowered women throughout time. Hepburn and Monroe became iconic symbols for women around the world during their era, inspiring women through their glamour and sophistication. However, society chose to concentrate on their image rather than the inspirational words they had to share.

Getting back to the topic of old movies... (let's not turn this into a post about empowering women) Movies draw individuals into a new world in unique ways. Our generation is repeatedly drawn back to movies from the 80's and 90's. While our parent's generation is generally drawn back to movies from the 50's and 60's. Why is this? Is it a nostalgia for the past? Or is it curiosity towards times gone by? 

The youth of the current generation are drawn to the 'high-concept' films of the 80's. These films can be explained by one or two sentences and as a result it was easily marketable and understandable as a result. Although less experimental and original as films from the 70's, films from the 80's were more formulaic and explored new special effects newly available to them. 80's teen movies held definitive scenes; (1) a cool kid gives a geek advice (2) a moment of bottled rebellion (3) at least one surreal WTF moment (4) the ultimate happy ending (10 scenes that define 80's teen movies) These films include:

  

Looking at this short list of movies (all of which I love) they each fit into the short description of 80's movies. While the story lines were simple to each of these movies, they each managed to capture their audience. Despite the many love films that followed, Dirty Dancing will undoubtedly remain my favourite. There's something about a dance film that makes you want to get up and 'attempt' to copy their moves. 

Jumping foreward to the 90's (you know that period only 90's kids remember...) and cinema attendance had largely increased and with that the cost of film production increased significantly. At this time there was an increase of high-cost demanding actors and the introduction of home viewing allowed the audience to expand. Independent film productions were introduced which expanded the scale of film production. In reality, our generation is strongly drawn to these films due to the fact that we were born in that era. A few of these films include 

                          

Comparing the two short lists of films, it is obvious that in the 90s a stronger diversity of genres emerged. As well as this, Disney films exploded during this era establishing a strong place in the lives of children (and of course 19 year old girls of 2016). Actors and actresses gained a prominent role in society, idolised and worshipped by many, as they are today.  

Movies have captured audiences since the beginning of their creation. Old movies draw in a new audience through each generation. There's no denying my love for old movies. They allow us to compare and contrast to current films, taking both the strong and weak elements of each era. The appeal of a movie created before I was born tends to draw me in, and gives me a snapshot of times gone by. So while the movies of today will eventually become 'old movies', they will not have the same appeal as the 80s and 90s movies do for our generation. Movies transport us into a new world, allowing us to expand our knowledge and explore a new universe. Movies are and will always be an escape from reality, but also shows us the beauty of our own reality.