Top Three Classic Movies That Must Be Watched

Movies become classics because they stand the test of time.  Something either in the plots, or in the characters, strikes a chord with movie-goers.  As a result they stay in people’s hearts and minds long after their images have left the silver screen.  Here are only three out of hundreds of classics that have helped to shape the cinematic landscape.

Citizen Kane – This film almost always makes critics’ top ten lists for best movies of all time.  This is partly because Citizen Kane was a film of “firsts”.  Directed by first-time director Orson Welles, the film was one of the first to use “deep focus” a technique that allows both the background and the foreground to be in focus while shooting.  Also, Welles employed new and interesting camera angles, including the “low-angle shot” which allowed ceilings to be shown for the first time.  At that time films were almost always shot on soundstages which didn’t have ceilings.  Because of this, directors avoided changing the camera angles from the basic proscenium viewpoint, which tended to make most movies feel like stage plays that had simply been filmed.

Because of the varying camera angles and innovations in cinematography, Citizen Kane changed the way films were made.  Citizen Kane holds its relevance because every film that has come after it, owes something to it.  Its place in history is solidified and nothing short of legendary.

Casablanca.jpg" style="float: left; margin: 5px; width: 95px; height: 125px" />Casablanca – This movie deserves a place in the classics hall of fame because it combined genres cleanly and managed to surprise the movie-going populace.  It is a simple love story that includes a political subplot with a splash of war propaganda thrown in.  With its tale of true love and sacrifice it has won a place in many people’s hearts.

Riddled with memorable scenes and time-tested lines, the film took Humphrey Bogart out of the gangster mould and proved he could be a real leading man and brought Ingrid Bergman her biggest success.  The film’s twist ending broke some hearts but won critical raves.  Today’s makers of romantic fare could take a lesson from Casablanca and remember that a movie doesn’t have to have a perfectly happy ending to be considered great.

Gone With the Wind – This is a controversial choice.  The film is centered on the premise that things were so much better and beautiful before the Civil War came and ended slavery.  It’s been rightly accused of espousing the fictional idea that slaves were happy in their bondage.  On so many historical and humanitarian points the film gets it wrong.

However, as a movie, it gets many, many things right.  Among the first films to be shot completely in color, the movie was and still is a visual feast for the senses.  The costumes and sets are incredible works of art.  The score, by Max Steiner, (who also scored “Casablanca”) is luscious and stirring.

Then there is the character of Scarlett O’Hara.  She begins out as nothing more than a spoiled southern belle but throughout the course of the movie, she evolves into a determined, driven, and practical woman.  She becomes harsh and very jaded, but accurately represents someone moving out of a coddled existence into the cruel realities of life and war.  She learns to accept the hand she has been dealt and not to wallow in regrets and sadness.  It is because of these technical triumphs and incredible character development that this movie deserves to be put alongside other classic films.

There are so many movies out there that can be included in the Hollywood film lexicon it would be impossible to name them all.  And despite some cynicism out there, Hollywood is still capable of creating films destined to end up classics.