Top 10 Classic Movies That Were Ahead of Their Time
I have seen thousands of movies throughout my life and I am one of those guys who enjoys movies from every single genre. But some will be works of art that continue to challenge, enlighten, or amaze me long after I turn them off. These 10 as the greatest examples of movies ahead of their time when they came out.
Note: The list contains movies which were released before 1980s.
10. Bonnie and Clyde (1967)
***A Classic Tale On Real Life Criminals And Fabulous Entertainment***
"Bonnie Parker: What would you do if some miracle happened and we could walk out of here tomorrow morning and start all over again clean? No record and nobody after us, huh?
Clyde Barrow: Well, uh, I guess I'd do it all different."
The 1960s was when motion pictures were starting to get realistic, and I mean that with every sense of the word. This picture, Bonnie and Clyde, is one of the first to depict violence in a graphic matter while telling the life and death story of one of America's most notorious bank robbers of the 1930s.
Both Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway did an impressive job with their characters, as they seemed to fill every attribute of the real Bonnie and Clyde themselves. I found this love story a little different due to Clyde's hesitation and display of emotions, but it was something different that I found somewhat interesting.
If you're offended by films that change history for their own gain then you might not be too partial to the film, but if you could care less then just sit back and enjoy Bonnie and Clyde.
Both Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway did an impressive job with their characters, as they seemed to fill every attribute of the real Bonnie and Clyde themselves. I found this love story a little different due to Clyde's hesitation and display of emotions, but it was something different that I found somewhat interesting.
If you're offended by films that change history for their own gain then you might not be too partial to the film, but if you could care less then just sit back and enjoy Bonnie and Clyde.
9. Psycho (1960)
***Timing, Technical Excellence And Hitchcock Made It Special***
"The picture you MUST see from the beginning... Or not at all!... For no one will be seated after the start of... Alfred Hitchcock's greatest shocker Psycho."
"It Is _Required_ That You See Psycho From The Very Beginning!"
"Psycho" is the most astounding, daring, and successful scary film ever
made on multiple personality disorder... Hitchcock uses pure cinema to arouse audience's emotions.
Janet Leigh plays Marion Crane, a respectable 30-year-old spinster steals $40,000 from her workplace and takes off on a solo car journey to nowhere. She makes the fateful mistake of staying overnight at the Bates Motel and her conversations with its owner, Norman Bates, and ends with her murder in the famous shower scene. If there was any doubt by the time this movie was made, `Psycho' once and for all proved that Hitchcock was, indeed, the Master of Suspense. There have been many imitators before and since, but all of them, good and bad alike, only serve to point out that nobody does it better than Hitchcock.
"8 ½ a.k.a Otto e Mezzo" is of the most original and spellbinding films I know of. One of the beauties of cinema is to merge the artist's memory and fantasy; Fellini certainly utilized this magic to present his story and characters that embody both humanity and mystery.
The film is about a film director who finds himself unable to complete the process of creating the ultimate masterpiece, a movie that is designed to represent his will to the world. The movie title symbolizes a miscarriage, because, unlike a mother, who, after 9 months of pregnancy, gives birth to her child, Guido is unable to finalize his project and kills himself when feeling at odds with the people around him and his own creation.
Time has not lessened its impact in any way. It remains a tour de force work of cinema magic that merits comparison to Welle's Citizen Kane. "8 1/2" is as good as it gets.
8. 8 ½ (1963)
***An Exhilarating Cinematic Experience And Frederico Fellini's Masterwork***
"Guido: My Dears, Happiness consists of being able to tell the truth without hurting anyone.
Guido: All the confusion of my life has been a reflection of myself! Myself as I am, not as I'd like to be.
Guido: The truth is: I do not know... I seek... I have not yet found. Only with this in mind can I feel alive and look at you without shame." - Some of the greatest Philosophical Quotes.
"8 ½ a.k.a Otto e Mezzo" is of the most original and spellbinding films I know of. One of the beauties of cinema is to merge the artist's memory and fantasy; Fellini certainly utilized this magic to present his story and characters that embody both humanity and mystery.
The film is about a film director who finds himself unable to complete the process of creating the ultimate masterpiece, a movie that is designed to represent his will to the world. The movie title symbolizes a miscarriage, because, unlike a mother, who, after 9 months of pregnancy, gives birth to her child, Guido is unable to finalize his project and kills himself when feeling at odds with the people around him and his own creation.
Time has not lessened its impact in any way. It remains a tour de force work of cinema magic that merits comparison to Welle's Citizen Kane. "8 1/2" is as good as it gets.
7. Jaws (1975)
***An Intriguing, Extremely Tense Spielberg's Masterpiece***
"Mayor Vaughn: Martin, it's all psychological thing. You yell barracuda, everybody says, "Huh? What?" You yell shark, we've got a panic on our hands on the Fourth of July."
"Jaws" is one of the best Spielberg films of all time. Everything from the opening title sequence to the credits is non-stop brilliance, the acting for one is immense, Shieder's Brody is edgy and paranoid but endearing and charismatic.
The story is set on the fictitious Amity Island in the mid 70s. The film focuses on a series of shark attacks and a subsequent shark hunt. Jaws is based on a bestselling novel by Peter Bentley, who also wrote the screenplay for the film. The groundbreaking 1975 film has won Academy Awards for Film Editing, Music, and Sound. Its cast is full of talented actors, including Roy Schneider, Robert Shaw, and Richard Dreyfuss.
This one here is great entertainment with plenty to love about it. A must-see film, not only for genre and creature-feature but for movie fans in general. Highly recommended.
The story is set on the fictitious Amity Island in the mid 70s. The film focuses on a series of shark attacks and a subsequent shark hunt. Jaws is based on a bestselling novel by Peter Bentley, who also wrote the screenplay for the film. The groundbreaking 1975 film has won Academy Awards for Film Editing, Music, and Sound. Its cast is full of talented actors, including Roy Schneider, Robert Shaw, and Richard Dreyfuss.
This one here is great entertainment with plenty to love about it. A must-see film, not only for genre and creature-feature but for movie fans in general. Highly recommended.
6. Alien (1979)
***Technical Brilliance And Scott's Crowning Achievement***
"Dallas: I haven't seen anything like that except, uh, molecular acid.
Brett: It must be using it for blood.
Parker: It's got a wonderful defense mechanism. You don't dare kill it."
Almost thirty three years have passed since Alien made its first appearance, becoming an instant classic, opening the doors of Hollywood director Ridley Scott and starting one of the best-known franchises to have ever graced the screen. The movie is still as fresh, brilliant and scary as it was back in 1979, perhaps because no other film (except James Cameron's superb sequel, Aliens) has yet been able to match its claustrophobic mood and moments of sheer, unadulterated dread.
"Alien" is a landscape in horror survival where it plays like a silent motion picture where we don't know what's going to happen next. It's creepy, very effective, and it's the kind of film you don't want to watch in the dark.
"Zeus: The gods are best served by those who need their help the "least".
"Jason and the Argonauts" is a tale of love and betrayal, friendship and fortune. It is nearly 40 years old but it still holds up as one of the semi-classic mythological fantasy which provides a framework for some splendid stop-frame animation. "Ray Harryhausen" is the man of the moment here, and his stop-go animation of miniatures has never encountered serious competition. Each work is a perfect artistic miracle of painstaking attention to detail. The giant guardian statue of Kalos is particularly well suited to his technique.
I would recommend the movie to anyone who likes cinema that's enjoyably superficial like "The Lord Of The Ring Trilogy". It's the cinematic equivalent of eating your dessert without having to eat your dinner. The movie never feels weighed down by the romance or the melodrama, it's mostly just all about transporting you to the fantasy world.
"Jack Driscoll: What do you call that thing?
One of the most imaginative, creative, and spectacular action/horror films ever made. It was decades ahead of its time in many ways. It influenced Spielberg, Jackson, you name it; a whole generation of filmmakers. As a kid in pre-Star Wars days, it was breathtaking to watch on TV.
This 30s Hollywood twist on the Beauty and the Beast story starts when a pretty young girl is picked to star in the next film producer of Carl Denham, known for his exotic locations and animal photography. This film has been so successful that a couple remakes have been made, and it has spawned a few video games. The scene where Kong climbs the Empire State Building is probably one of the most memorable and classic moments in cinema.
"Obi-Wan: There was nothing you could have done, Luke, had you been there. You'd have been killed too, and the droids would now be in the hands of the Empire.
What can I say about George Lucas's "Star Wars" that hasn't already been said? It's one of the most authentically shot films, the great things about "Star Wars" is the visuals, the opening shot where the Star Destroyer flies over while chasing the Rebel Blockade Runner is amazing. The music is also fantastic, it evokes early epic movie scores by the likes of Erich Wolfgang Korngold and Miklos Rozsa and also hearkens back to Classical music in the romantic period, especially to Wagner and Holst.
Lucas also studied motifs of Greek mythological creatures to design the aliens, sets and robotic character shots of many of the fictional characters. Therefore, these styles of thematic elements were carried into many other space action creations that Lucas has directed in future films, including the Star Wars Trilogy.
"Maria: There can be no understanding between the hand and the brain unless the heart acts as mediator."
Hands down, and without a shadow of a doubt, So much has been said about "2001: A Space Odyssey" and how revolutionary it is. Even if something similar is attempted today, it will inevitably still be streets behind Stanley Kubrick's influential masterpiece. After making a name for himself with classic films such as Paths of Glory (1957), Lolita (1962) and Dr. Strangelove (1964), Kubrick bolstered and cemented his reputation as one of the greatest and influential filmmakers ever to grace our planet with the release of 2001, at a time when space exploration looked real and promising.
"2001: A Space Odyssey", triumphant film that asks a lot out of you. You are asked to accept lengthy scenes of apes, long scenes of spacecraft and classical music, and many other drawn-out sequences. I loved every second of it.
"Alien" is a landscape in horror survival where it plays like a silent motion picture where we don't know what's going to happen next. It's creepy, very effective, and it's the kind of film you don't want to watch in the dark.
5. Jason and the Argonauts (1968)
***A Special Stop-Frame Animation Master Of Its Time***
"Zeus: The gods are best served by those who need their help the "least".
"Argos: Pray to the gods, Jason!
Jason: The gods of Greece are cruel! In time, all men shall learn to live without them."
"Jason and the Argonauts" is a tale of love and betrayal, friendship and fortune. It is nearly 40 years old but it still holds up as one of the semi-classic mythological fantasy which provides a framework for some splendid stop-frame animation. "Ray Harryhausen" is the man of the moment here, and his stop-go animation of miniatures has never encountered serious competition. Each work is a perfect artistic miracle of painstaking attention to detail. The giant guardian statue of Kalos is particularly well suited to his technique.
I would recommend the movie to anyone who likes cinema that's enjoyably superficial like "The Lord Of The Ring Trilogy". It's the cinematic equivalent of eating your dessert without having to eat your dinner. The movie never feels weighed down by the romance or the melodrama, it's mostly just all about transporting you to the fantasy world.
4. King Kong (1933)
***Perhaps The Best Ever In Early Special Effects***
"Jack Driscoll: What do you call that thing?
Carl Denham: Something from the dinosaur family.
Jack Driscoll: Dinosaur, eh?
Carl Denham: Yes, Jack; a prehistoric beast."
One of the most imaginative, creative, and spectacular action/horror films ever made. It was decades ahead of its time in many ways. It influenced Spielberg, Jackson, you name it; a whole generation of filmmakers. As a kid in pre-Star Wars days, it was breathtaking to watch on TV.
This 30s Hollywood twist on the Beauty and the Beast story starts when a pretty young girl is picked to star in the next film producer of Carl Denham, known for his exotic locations and animal photography. This film has been so successful that a couple remakes have been made, and it has spawned a few video games. The scene where Kong climbs the Empire State Building is probably one of the most memorable and classic moments in cinema.
3. Star Wars (1977)
***One Of The Most Enduring Sci-Fi Movies Of All Time***
"Obi-Wan: There was nothing you could have done, Luke, had you been there. You'd have been killed too, and the droids would now be in the hands of the Empire.
Luke: I want to come with you to Alderaan. There's nothing for me here now. I want to learn the ways of the Force and become a Jedi like my father."
What can I say about George Lucas's "Star Wars" that hasn't already been said? It's one of the most authentically shot films, the great things about "Star Wars" is the visuals, the opening shot where the Star Destroyer flies over while chasing the Rebel Blockade Runner is amazing. The music is also fantastic, it evokes early epic movie scores by the likes of Erich Wolfgang Korngold and Miklos Rozsa and also hearkens back to Classical music in the romantic period, especially to Wagner and Holst.
Lucas also studied motifs of Greek mythological creatures to design the aliens, sets and robotic character shots of many of the fictional characters. Therefore, these styles of thematic elements were carried into many other space action creations that Lucas has directed in future films, including the Star Wars Trilogy.
2. Metropolis (1927)
***One Of The Most Influential Film That Presents a Futuristic View***
"Maria: There can be no understanding between the hand and the brain unless the heart acts as mediator."
"Maria: "We shall build a tower that will reach to the stars!" Having conceived Babel, yet unable to build it themselves, they had thousands to build it for them. But those who toiled knew nothing of the dreams of those who planned."
"Metropolis" is a fantastic futuristic view of the fight of classes in society. When "Metropolis" was shot, it was a romantic revolutionary period of mankind history, with socialist movements around the world. Fritz Lang directed and wrote the screenplay of this masterpiece certainly inspired in this historical moment and defending a position of agreement and understanding between both sides, showing that they need each other. I wonder how this great director was able to produce such special effects in 1927, with very primitive cameras and equipment.
t is a landmark film and an ignition for the evolution of the science fiction/fantasy film genre. The story itself is simple,a Biblical allegory, about how people with a vision should share that vision in order to make it happen. The film is anything but simple. It is immense, and a rich legacy that director Fritz Lang has left us.
t is a landmark film and an ignition for the evolution of the science fiction/fantasy film genre. The story itself is simple,a Biblical allegory, about how people with a vision should share that vision in order to make it happen. The film is anything but simple. It is immense, and a rich legacy that director Fritz Lang has left us.
1. 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
***Stanley Kubrick's Unmatched Accomplishment***
"Dr. Dave Bowman: Well, he acts like he has genuine emotions. Uhm, of course, he's programmed that way to make it easier for us to talk to him. But as to whether or not he has real feelings is something I don't think anyone can truthfully answer."
Hands down, and without a shadow of a doubt, So much has been said about "2001: A Space Odyssey" and how revolutionary it is. Even if something similar is attempted today, it will inevitably still be streets behind Stanley Kubrick's influential masterpiece. After making a name for himself with classic films such as Paths of Glory (1957), Lolita (1962) and Dr. Strangelove (1964), Kubrick bolstered and cemented his reputation as one of the greatest and influential filmmakers ever to grace our planet with the release of 2001, at a time when space exploration looked real and promising.
"2001: A Space Odyssey", triumphant film that asks a lot out of you. You are asked to accept lengthy scenes of apes, long scenes of spacecraft and classical music, and many other drawn-out sequences. I loved every second of it.
Honorable Mentions:
As you know, the list contain movies which were released before 1980s. There were so many that I had to include at least a few honorable mentions (random selection)...
Solaris (1972), Forbidden Planet (1956) , Jurassic Park (1993), The Fifth Element (1997), Starship Troopers (1997), The Matrix (1999), WarGames (1983), Tron (1982), Blade Runner (1982), A Scanner Darkly (2006), The Fountain (2006), Children of Men (2006)...
Solaris (1972), Forbidden Planet (1956) , Jurassic Park (1993), The Fifth Element (1997), Starship Troopers (1997), The Matrix (1999), WarGames (1983), Tron (1982), Blade Runner (1982), A Scanner Darkly (2006), The Fountain (2006), Children of Men (2006)...
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