Classic Films
By Holly Anderson
This month I have chosen to make a change and write about something a little bit different, and very dear to my heart: classic films.
Appreciation for classic films is something that is an acquired taste in general, and especially for the younger generations. I, myself, am only 27; however, I spent many of my teenage years watching classic movies with my mother and father and a love for them is something that has stuck with me all these years.
At first, I was like most younger people today and found it very difficult to watch black and white movies, but after opening my mind and imagination and allowing myself to really delve into them they became more and more interesting. Consequently, I can now proudly claim the label “classic movie addict” and honestly prefer a black and white vintage film making over just about any of the newer movies that are cranked out today.
Some of my favorite stars of bygone days are Cary Grant, Bette Davis, Clark Gable, William Powell, Myrna Loy, Jack Carson, and Doris Day, just to name a few. Some of allure of the earlier era can be attributed to the need for the viewer to still possess and actually utilize their imagination, in contrast to viewers of modern films in which nothing is left to the mind’s eye and all the blanks are filled in.
Modern movies don’t require use of the creative part of your brain to connect the dots. For example, in movies from the ‘40s and ‘50s, and as typified in films directed by Alfred Hitchcock, the gore, guts, and such is never actually displayed on-screen, yet you still know exactly what happened and can draw your own conclusions. And today’s releases include raunchy sexual scenes, violence, and blood and guts projected right in front of the audience, while in the past you would simply be left to draw your own conclusions about what was going on.
I personally feel that we have lost our imaginative abilities by not leaving anything left unseen or unsaid, which is why many of us have such difficulty in sitting down and enjoying a decades-old masterpiece.
There were many occasions while watching black and white productions that my mother and I would discuss what color of dress an actress might be wearing, and observe the unique decor of the time in the background and scenery. There is just something about these films that has captured my heart, something which will always be an integral part of my life and in which I will always find comfort and solace.
One day, I hope to start a small local classic film meet-up where like-minded fanatics of the genre can gather to watch and converse about their favorite classic films and movie stars. The group would be open to fans of all ages, but it sure would be nice to accomplish the daunting task of finding others possessing this interest within my own age group.
