What Most People Think
“An old movie? Aren’t they all really bad and old fashioned?” This is usually the type of response you will get when you suggest someone watch an older movie. In a way, you can’t blame them. Not all movies stay fresh. Most age in one way or the other, and in many cases the aging is, well, very bad.
A movie that “stays fresh” is one that you can watch today and be as new, or almost as new, as when it was released. Many movies are stale the moment they are released. Quite a few actually. Most movies in fact are mediocre. But some remain timeless throughout the ages. You create a movie that will be timeless (“fresh”) when you tie into basic human emotions and needs. Especially the needs. The things everyone in the audience can identify with and either share with that character or make them root for them. There are more of them out there than you think. But how do you find those when there are thousands to choose from?
What “Movies Before 1980” is here to do
We’re here to point you in the right direction! Most people have the exact same three older movies they cite as being “okay to watch.” It’s always these three: The Wizard of Oz, It’s a Wonderful Life and Star Wars: A New Hope (simply called Star Wars in the 70’s and 80’s.) What is the one thing these three have in common? They tie into basic human emotions and needs. The story type of the first two is the oldest one of all: Get Back Home. The other is the next oldest story type: Virtuous Young Hero Conquers the Villain. Who can’t identify with those?
We’re going to get you to the right movies in two different ways: reviews and articles about film history and film/artistic technique. Read the reviews to find the right movies. The movies that are fresh. The articles will help you learn to find them on your own. Our reviews will cover a wide range of movies, from Billy Wilder’s ground breaking film The Apartment (1960) to John Huston’s Film Noir prototype The Maltese Falcon (1941) and Wilder’s Some Like it Hot (1959), widely considered to be the greatest film comedy of all time. The articles will cover topics such as the birth of the American New Wave and the stifling of films in the 50’s trying to make social commentary.
Most important of all, we’re going to show you exactly where to find them. From streaming services like Netflix and Hulu to streaming rentals on Amazon Prime and YouTube. A whole new world is about to open up for you. We hope you join us for the ride.
