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With roughly a dozen new movies released in theaters each week, one doesn’t often think to skip the latest and greatest and revisit classics of the past. Such is why anniversaries are great for old films — they provide an event through which titles of yesterday can be recognized, and sometimes, inspire new viewers to catch a gem they regrettably missed. In honor of this anniversary issue, 10 films have been selected for celebration, each one hitting a milestone this year. All are worth rediscovering, or perhaps, discovering for the first time.
20th Anniversary:
The Crying Game
(1992)
Known by many as a movie with one big gender-bending shocker, Neil Jordan’s “The Crying Game” isn’t often given proper credit as an air-tight, highly unique drama, with an unlikely love triangle tied to the events of the Irish Troubles. With superb performances from Stephen Rea and Jaye Davidson, this gritty curio captivated critics upon release, and rode its buzz to a handful of Oscar nods.
25th Anniversary:
The Princess Bride
(1987)
Indeed, it may seem inconceivable that two-and-a-half decades have passed since Princess Buttercup (Robin Wright) braved the Fire Swamp with Westley (Cary Elwes). After all, Rob Reiner’s rendering of William Goldman’s fantasy novel holds up remarkably well, still deeply funny and superbly paced in all its genre-mashing. It’s hard to pick a favorite supporting player, but odds are many would choose Billy Crystal as Miracle Max, a medicine man like no other.
30th Anniversary:
Blade Runner
(1982)
Rightly deemed as one of the greatest sci-fi films of all time, Ridley Scott’s “Blade Runner” is a visionary titan of the genre, and surely the signature adaptation of a work by the brilliant Philip K. Dick. A rain-soaked, dystopian noir that explores the subculture of artificial “replicants,” the movie boasts Harrison Ford’s best brooding tough-guy performance, his Rick Deckard serving as a bogie for the future.
35th Anniversary:
Killer of Sheep
(1977)
Released a whopping 30 years after it was completed (simply due to music rights not being secured), Charles Burnett’s “Killer of Sheep” made a whole lot of top-10 lists in 2007. But the film is still considered a ’70s title, and regardless, its episodic, neorealist nature helps to keep it unbound by time altogether. Shot in black and white and depicting urban struggles in L.A., it’s the rarest gem on this list.
40th Anniversary:
Cabaret
(1972)
“The Godfather” will forever be 1972’s biggest triumph, but Bob Fosse’s “Cabaret” is equally worthy of observance, standing as one of the best musicals ever made. Uncompromising in its frank sexuality and 1931 Berlin setting, the film includes the performance of Liza Minnelli’s career, not to mention an unforgettable turn from Joel Grey. Contained within a nightclub, the music never invades the drama, it only accents it.
45th Anniversary:
Bonnie and Clyde
(1967)
What would the movies be without “Bonnie and Clyde?” Far more influential than many folks know, this raw crime drama about America’s favorite outlaw couple emerged as a response to the French New Wave, and ushered in a New Hollywood that wouldn’t shy away from tough violence. Warren Beatty cemented his chops as both star and producer, and Faye Dunaway brought heart to the criminal pair, whose death by hail of bullets is stirringly indelible.
50th Anniversary:
Lawrence of Arabia
(1962)
Before computers gave us eye-poppers like the “Lord of the Rings” films, “Lawrence of Arabia” was the film epic by which all that came after would be judged. Directed by David Lean and featuring Peter O’Toole’s defining performance, this two-part biopic of T.E. Lawrence is as sprawling as it is timeless, with Freddie Young’s cinematography celebrated as a game-changer.
55th Anniversary:
The Three Faces of Eve
(1957)
A landmark film about mental illness, “The Three Faces of Eve” tells the true story of Chris Costner Sizemore, who secretly suffered from Dissociative identity disorder. In her Oscar-winning performance, Joanne Woodward portrays all three of Sizemore’s personalities: Eve White, Eve Black, and Jane. It was Woodward’s breakout role, and a mammoth one at that.
60th Anniversary:
High Noon
(1952)
Told in gripping real time, “High Noon” sees Gary Cooper independently square off against a gang of murderers, whom no one in his New Mexico town will help bring to justice. The movie is home to a memorable supporting turn. The glorious Grace Kelly’s Quaker character is forced to choose between her beliefs and her love for Cooper’s troubled marshal. Not until the whistle of the noon train are all fates decided.
65th Anniversary:
Black Narcissus
(1947)
A stunning Technicolor masterwork from Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger, “Black Narcissus” tells of a rare convent of nuns serving in the remote Himalayas, which provide breathtaking atmosphere for the unfolding drama. Deborah Kerr is a vision as the convent’s Sister Superior, and Kathleen Byron is a bit of a terror as the jealous Sister Ruth, whose final climactic attack results in a famed scuffle that sends her over a cliff’s edge. Heightened by Powell and Pressburger’s trademark sweep, the film, like all in this list, is one to treasure, and one to which you should return.
Contact the South Philly Review at editor@southphillyreview.com.
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