How did you get into classic films? (and my story)
Feb 9, 2021 17:11:26 GMT
vegalyra, spiderwort, and 5 more like this
Post by lune7000 on Feb 9, 2021 17:11:26 GMT
I have only started to watch classic films the last 3 months. I am a 61 yrs old male and just didn't watch much cinema most of my life. The last 4 years I really discovered movies and watched quite a few releases from the last 2 decades.
My path to classic movies is a strange one. I traveled the US and world for many years and, even though I saw great variety, began to realize that there was a strong overall sameness everywhere. I taught history for many years and wondered what it would be like to live in an earlier age. As I aged, the time I grew up (the 60's) seemed more and more like an alien existence from how people live today. Slowly I developed the fantasy of sitting in a time machine (like Rod Taylor) and exploring the 1920's, 50's etc. I watched a lot of documentaries about the past- but these had the sameness of people with today's views commenting on earlier times. I actually wanted to hear from the people of those times themselves.
This is where classic movies came in. I had a lot of time to kill due to lockdowns and ordered some classic films from my library. I was stunned as I watched them; it was the past as interpreted not by moderns but by the people of the time period. I would stop the movie and just stare at streets, cars, clothing, etc. while fantasizing myself being there. Most importantly, I felt I was going to another country, an America so far removed from today that it is an entirely alien land. The style of speech, manners, values, direction of movie, etc. all felt foreign an interesting. Since I can never go back in time, this will be the closest I will get.
Finally, I ran into really great movies that moved me emotionally and I realized that many of the types of stories these movies told would never make it to screen today. As whole new world of plotlines and views stimulated my imagination, I came to realize that I was running from the sameness of today's films. Each age has its blinders that limit what subjects are covered and how. I now had eight more decades of different thinking to enjoy. I love all cinema now- today and the past. I just didn't realize how much the past had to offer.
Is my story unique? Is this how anyone else got here? Or were you always into classic movies?
My path to classic movies is a strange one. I traveled the US and world for many years and, even though I saw great variety, began to realize that there was a strong overall sameness everywhere. I taught history for many years and wondered what it would be like to live in an earlier age. As I aged, the time I grew up (the 60's) seemed more and more like an alien existence from how people live today. Slowly I developed the fantasy of sitting in a time machine (like Rod Taylor) and exploring the 1920's, 50's etc. I watched a lot of documentaries about the past- but these had the sameness of people with today's views commenting on earlier times. I actually wanted to hear from the people of those times themselves.
This is where classic movies came in. I had a lot of time to kill due to lockdowns and ordered some classic films from my library. I was stunned as I watched them; it was the past as interpreted not by moderns but by the people of the time period. I would stop the movie and just stare at streets, cars, clothing, etc. while fantasizing myself being there. Most importantly, I felt I was going to another country, an America so far removed from today that it is an entirely alien land. The style of speech, manners, values, direction of movie, etc. all felt foreign an interesting. Since I can never go back in time, this will be the closest I will get.
Finally, I ran into really great movies that moved me emotionally and I realized that many of the types of stories these movies told would never make it to screen today. As whole new world of plotlines and views stimulated my imagination, I came to realize that I was running from the sameness of today's films. Each age has its blinders that limit what subjects are covered and how. I now had eight more decades of different thinking to enjoy. I love all cinema now- today and the past. I just didn't realize how much the past had to offer.
Is my story unique? Is this how anyone else got here? Or were you always into classic movies?