Movies That Have Stood The Test Of Time
In this article, I will be discussing some classic movies that are just as amazing now as they were when they were first released. Grab the popcorn and find the perfect film for your movie night on this list.
Pulp Fiction
The first film to discuss that has remained in people’s minds as a classic is Pulp Fiction. This film follows completely unrelated characters in four stories of crime and how they are aaffect each other unknowingly. These people being two hitmen from a mob, an ageing boxer, a gangster and his partner, and two bandits that rob a diner. This makes up for a unique plot that has been parodied by The Simpsons to make an episode that is just as great as the source.
Pulp Fiction also has an iconic theme tune that is featured in the opening scene which would make any fan of the movie, identify the film. The film also contains some famous quotes such as a passage, Ezekiel 25:17, quoted by Jules Winnfield, played by Samuel L. Jackson, in the first half of the film. To top that off, Pulp Fiction also won an Oscar for Best Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen, and deservedly so.
The Goonies
In The Goonies, a bunch of children find an old map and go on a quest to find a legendary pirate’s treasure. This may seem like an ordinary family adventure film but it is produced for an audience consisting of teenagers, due to the strong language and jokes about sex and drugs, while still retaining that aspect of adventuring.
The aspect of adventuring also brings along a sense of hope, which is special as it means that The Goonies can be quite uplifting and inspiring. With this effect on the audience, it can bring people back for a confidence boost even after nearly 40 years since its release.
The Wizard of Oz
First of all, when The Wizard of Oz was released back in 1939, it was truly groundbreaking with the introduction of colour film and sound, which were both relatively new technology. This was a huge hit for its audiences. Another great part of the 1939 adaptation of The Wizard of Oz is that it is a great family-friendly musical with catchy songs such as ‘We’re Off to See the Wizard’ where the characters travel to the Emerald City.
Fast forward to the present day and the legacy that this film has left behind is nothing short of incredible. This is shown by the classic story of The Wizard of Oz being adapted into TV shows, films, theatre performances, and even songs. At the 1940 Academy Awards, the film won 2 Oscars for its soundtrack, deservedly so.
Forrest Gump
Forrest Gump is all about a man, whose name is featured in the title and is played by Tom Hanks, from Alabama with a low IQ of 75 that, despite this limitation, had good intentions. In his early life, his mother teaches him the ways of life and left him to decide on his path. One of the major decisions that Forrest makes was when he joined the United States Army service to fight in the Vietnam War, where he begins a friendship with two men called Dan and Bubba.
Forrest’s story and character can be quite relatable to some people and is very uplifting for people who are struggling as the film tells the audience that anyone can achieve their dreams no matter who they are. A famous quote from this film is “Life is like a box of chocolates”, which is another part of the film that can raise someone’s spirits as the quote means that life is full of surprises and you may never know what will happen next. This movie has stood the test of time as anyone that is feeling down can watch this film and be inspired. The film was awarded 6 Oscars back in 1995 at the annual Academy Awards.
The Godfather
The Godfather is a dramatic crime film made for a mature audience that has a perfect Metascore out of over 5,000 user reviews and over 200 critic reviews, according to IMDb. This movie has also won 3 Oscars and deserves every single one of them.
The film mainly follows the Corleone mafia family’s boss and his son, who runs the family organisation later on in the film. The boss, Don Vito Corleone, played by Marlon Brando, is a powerful person who respects anyone who respects him and his family. However, when he passed his power over to his son, Michael Corleone, played by Al Pacino, the lives of his loved ones were put in danger because of Michael’s lack of interest in the business. This gave the message that it is your duty to look after your loved ones, no matter what the situation is, which is a valuable lesson to be learnt for many people, along with many other lessons about friends and family taught by The Godfather.
The Truman Show
This film has been nominated for 3 Oscars and is a comedy-drama with a unique story about Truman Burbank, played by Jim Carrey, whose entire life is featured on a reality TV show with smartly hidden cameras hidden in the environment to record him, going as far back as his birth and his first steps. The film is an amazing film to watch with the family, with the recommendation of parental guidance.
The Truman Show shows the concept of power, control, and the media and that we should fight back against people that control our lives. This concept is quite inspirational for people who are in relationships where they are controlled significantly by their loved ones.
Die Hard
Die Hard is, technically, a Christmas film, due to the period being on the festive holiday, and is aimed at a mature audience due to its violent nature. The film was nominated for 4 Oscars at the 1989 Academy Awards event.
The story of the film is quite different from the usual story told in Christmas films as it combines festivity and action into one by following a police officer called John McClane, played by Bruce Willis, who goes on holiday to Los Angeles for a party at the Nakatomi Plaza which is ruined by terrorists who break in and hold everyone hostage except him. However, due to not being able to get an immediate response from the police, he deals with the situation on his own.
Overall
Looking back at all of these classic films, they truly have earnt their way to being just as good now as they were back then. All of these films have unique, thrilling, and inspiring stories to tell, with iconic actors and their characters and great soundtracks; combining all of these factors will make a film that will stand the test of time! Thank you for reading today.
Written by Mark Murphy Director