I am not exactly what you would refer to as an “avid moviegoer.” I have no idea what’s currently playing in theaters, I couldn’t even begin to tell you who the hot new celebrity is capturing everyone’s attention on screen (wait, is it Zendaya???), and I rarely watch movies unless my friend group convinces everyone to marathon a horror movie franchise, from beginning to end. Which is how I’ve recently watched several Saw films in a row and yet I still have not seen Barbie. All of that is to say, maybe don’t come to me for opinions about new and/or upcoming movies, because when it comes to buzz-worthy flicks, I’m years behind. In fact, I’m just Ken! (Did I do that right? Is that still funny? Am I still funny? Someone please take this keyboard away from me, I’m tired.)
“But, Adam,” you might say to me, “what about the title of your blog post? It’s all about watching movies! Are you click baiting me? Are you tricking innocent library patrons to read your garbage perfectly fine blog post in order to boost your flailing ego?!!! What’s happening?!” And to that I would say, “HAVE YOU HEARD ABOUT THE GOLDEN AGE OF HOLLYWOOD!!!!?!!!!”
While I am completely out of touch with reality the movies people are actually interested in watching these days, I’m extremely familiar with the pictures that were popular about one hundred years ago, and that’s not even an exaggeration. Some of the best movies I’ve watched recently were released in the 1930s. What is it about Old Hollywood that I find so appealing? (It’s definitely not the blatant onscreen misogyny, holy crap.) Is it the hairstyles? The high-waisted pants? The meticulous attention to detail? The patently absurd Transatlantic accents? Who knows, but I am completely obsessed. For awhile I was averaging about one classic movie per night, but then I remembered I have adult responsibilities, or whatever.
There's a lot of value in revisiting classic media (which I've already rambled about here) and watching films from the early days of cinema feels oddly new, and exciting. Styles and aesthetics have changed so much over the decades that watching an older film might sometimes be jarring, but at the same time, it's shocking how modern some of them feel, how gloriously watchable they are, in spite of the horrendously outdated moral conventions and eye-rolling lack of inclusivity. Some of them are even new favorites!
And the cool part is, I've found some real bangers on Kanopy which, in case you didn't know, is a totally free service you can access with your library card. For instance, on Kanopy you can watch one of the funniest movies I have ever seen: My Man Godfrey. Starring the adorable and hilarious Carole Lombard, who was kind of like the Sandra Bullock of the 1930s/40s, only blonde. The premise of the film might sound silly, but trust me on this one, it's perfect. Once you're finished watching that film, you can watch Ball of Fire for another spectacular romantic comedy (and the movie that finally made me understand the appeal of Barbara Stanwyck, since--sorry--I just don't get The Strange Love of Martha Ivers. Which is another movie on Kanopy, by the way.)
If you're old school and prefer physical media, see below for some recommendations. Whether you're obsessed with Hollywood starlets, like me, or just looking for something new (/old) to watch that isn't a random blockbuster everyone else has been talking about (at least not this decade), I think you'll find something you'll like, especially if you're fond of unhinged leading ladies.
What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?
-Adam Lopez is a Readers' Services Assistant at Lawrence Public Library.
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