One day, while trying to nail down my favorite movies (future post?), I recalled a few that go way back, I've only seen once and I really loved. For now at least they wouldn't fit, but they've remained stuck in my memory and deserve to be shared.
I'm assuming most people I know probably haven't seen many or any of these. They're all considered classics, appearing on the IMDB Top 250, but they're very old and in black-and-white and may not seem worth the time or effort. I'm here to tell you these are great and absolutely still worth watching today. With this list I've stuck to silent and foreign made films because, even more so than other old ones, they're likely to have been missed. The first two feature huge stars of the silent era and the others were directed by, or starred, some of the most influential directors of all time. I'm not ranking these, instead putting them in chronological order, though I will include their placement on IMDB as of today.
75 minutes
For this silent comedy film, Buster Keaton, one of the biggest names of the age, plays a train engineer in Georgia at the outbreak of the Civil War. He repeatedly tries to enlist but can't be spared. A short time later, still an engineer, he sees Union soldiers hijack a train and gives chase, alone. The most hilarious bits in the movie are Keaton singlehandedly clearing the tracks to keep moving and, if I remember correctly, even running back and forth to manage more than one train at a time. All this with a flat expression on his face. Make sure to stick around for the finale, which has a memorable, famous and expensive shot.
Where to watch: free on YouTube, and Prime (with ads)
87 minutes
Easily my favorite silent film, I also think this is also Charlie Chaplin's best work. Once again playing the perpetually downtrodden yet high-spirited Tramp, we follow the iconic character as he pursues love and navigates a tricky relationship with a drunken millionaire. Chaplin was the king of physical comedy and in this film weaved that gift into an emotional story that can't be beat. I'll never forget the intricately choreographed boxing match nor the ending, maybe the most touching, heart-melting scene ever made.
Where to watch: appears to be on HBO Max, or for rent on Apple/Prime/more
99 minutes
In this German film (with subtitles) from Fritz Lang a serial child-murderer preys in Berlin, frequently drawing victims by whistling a familiar tune. A manhunt begins and the local police use then revolutionary evidence-gathering and majorly ramp up pressure in the city, particularly on the local criminal community. Watching this group work together to catch someone so heinously evil, with methods of their own, is an endlessly fascinating endeavor. Remarkably far ahead of its time, this movie was at the forefront of the crime stories and thrillers around today. For sure you'll hear 'In the Hall of the Mountain King' differently.
Where to watch: free on YouTube
93 minutes
Maybe I'm cheating my own rules but this is technically a British made film so I'm counting it. Set just after WWII, an American comes to Vienna for a job and quickly discovers the man he's supposed to meet (Orson Welles!), who's also his friend, is dead. Instead of leaving after the funeral he stays and investigates, soon searching for an unknown third man who could potentially explain what happened. The underworld is figuratively and literally explored in this unusually European-set noir story, which is surely aided by the camera work. It's also got a terrifically tense chase at the end and an all-time great movie theme.
Where to watch: rent on Apple/Prime/more
88 minutes
This Japanese film (with subtitles) from famed director Akira Kurosawa (who later did Seven Samurai) is a case-study in the fallibility of firsthand accounts. A samurai is found murdered. His wife, a well-known bandit, and a local woodcutter are witnesses. Each individual, including the dead samurai (through a medium), tells their own version of events one at a time and each lies within the circumstances of the story to make themselves look better. More of the truth trickles out through the retellings but the whole story is never revealed. It's a lot to sift through for both the priest operating as a judge and the viewers. If you're anything like me you won't stop thinking about it afterward.
Where to watch: appears to be on HBO Max, or for rent on Apple/Prime/more
Afterward you too can finally get this old joke:
If you've seen any of these, let me know! If not you may enjoy checking them out. For tonight, sayonara.
Comments