[ad_1]
The action genre is typically thought of as a big-budget one, where special effects and cutting-edge technology lead to visceral, spectacular, and over-the-top action scenes. Naturally, this can create a bias towards recent action movies, or at least those from recent decades. After all, the newer the film, the more technology it could feasibly utilize for its big, exciting moments.
However, it wouldn’t be right to for action movie fans to ignore the older ones altogether. There are plenty of great action movies that are more than 50 years old, with the 10 following examples being some of the best of those classics. They may be a little slower-paced or limited when it comes to special effects, but they still pack a punch, remain exciting, and are must-watches for all action movie fanatics out there, young and old.
‘The French Connection’ (1971)
While The French Connection was far from the first film directed by William Friedkin, and not the first to star Gene Hackman, it was an explosive enough film that it made both household names. It’s a down-and-dirty crime/action movie about a hard-nosed narcotics detective who’ll stop at nothing to find those behind a large-scale heroin smuggling operation.
It’s a film that’s perhaps more of a police procedural than a non-stop action movie, but it’s the quality of the action that counts here, rather than the quantity. And simply put, its incredible car chase alone is enough to ensure The French Connection’s a great action movie, as it easily stands as one of the best (and most dangerous-looking) in film history.
‘Waterloo’ (1970)
Several years after his monumental 4-part/7-hour adaptation of War and Peace, Russian filmmaker Sergey Bondarchuk tackled another epic war story with Waterloo. As the title implies, it depicts the infamous Battle of Waterloo where – as ABBA told us in 1974 – Napoleon did surrender.
It clocks in at just over two hours, meaning it’s a good deal shorter than the similarly epic War and Peace, but maybe not quite as impactful. Still, its shorter length ensures it’s more action-packed and straightforward, and the battle scenes are truly unparalleled when it comes to scope. There are literally thousands of extra visible in many shots, and of course, it was all done well before the advent of CGI.
‘Destroy All Monsters’ (1968)
Sure, the Godzilla films aren’t typically thought of as “action” movies in the traditional sense. They usually have sequences of action, but more often than not, the films starring Japan’s favorite giant monster would be defined as science-fiction or horror movies (and a few made in the 1970s are arguably family films, given they made the character of Godzilla a little more kid-friendly).
Of the classic Godzilla movies, Destroy All Monsters might well be the most action-packed. Once conceived as a finale for Godzilla and his fellow monsters, this movie sees alien invaders attempting to use Godzilla’s past foes to overrun the world, with a huge monster smackdown serving as the film’s climax. Having so many monsters fighting in the same movie would have made it a suitable finale, but thankfully, Destroy All Monsters didn’t end up being the last time we saw Godzilla… far from it, in fact.
‘Dirty Harry’ (1971)
Clint Eastwood has starred in countless movies throughout his career (and directed a whole bunch, too). Few of his roles have been as iconic as that of his anti-hero police officer Harry Callahan, though, with 1971’s Dirty Harry being the first time viewers saw Callahan – and his .44 Magnum – in action.
It’s a film that’s been quoted and referenced so many times that it may have lost some of its impact for modern-day viewers. However, Dirty Harry (and The French Connection, released the same year) revitalized the action/crime genres, with this gritty and consistently tense action film about the manhunt for a dangerous serial killer being one of the best of its decade.
‘The General’ (1926)
The General might well be one of the very first action movies of all time. If not, it might well have to be the oldest one that has stunts and action scenes that remain truly impressive and even awe-inspiring. Regardless of how you feel about silent movies, The General is well worth checking out.
Part of the reason it is such an essential silent film is because of how simple it is. There’s a young man (Buster Keaton, who also co-directed) who cares about little in life besides his locomotive and Annabelle, the woman he’s secretly in love with. Both are stolen/kidnapped early on by the film’s antagonists. Keaton’s character spends most of the movie trying to get them back, with plenty of great chase scenes, dangerous stunts, and creative action sequences all along the way.
‘Lone Wolf and Cub: Sword of Vengeance’ (1972)
The first of six Lone Wolf and Cub movies, Sword of Vengeance gets this samurai series off to a fantastic start. An executioner is betrayed by a corrupt shogunate and his wife is murdered, leading him to start a rampage of revenge against the clan who destroyed his life, with his infant son accompanying him on his bloody adventure.
It’s clear to see the film’s influence on the samurai genre, and it received additional popularity outside of Japan, thanks to an English language re-edit called Shogun Assassin (which itself was explicitly referenced in Kill Bill Vol. 2). Sword of Vengeance has a level of violence that lives up to its title, with numerous action scenes that remain visceral and quite spectacular to this day.
‘A Touch of Zen’ (1970)
A martial arts epic that reaches three hours in length, A Touch of Zen is probably the best movie directed by King Hu, who was one of the most important and acclaimed martial arts directors of all time. A Touch of Zen is long and slow-paced in parts, but it’s undeniably worth sticking with.
Those who are simply watching for the action scenes may find their patience tested for about an hour or so. The film takes a while to set up its fight sequences, with early scenes depicting a noblewoman on the run from assassins. These scenes are beautifully shot and interesting in their own way, but the film shines even brighter when the action does start. For fans of the martial arts seen in 21st-century movies like Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and Hero, A Touch of Zen is a must-watch.
‘Zatoichi Goes to the Fire Festival’ (1970)
The Zatoichi film series was one of the longest of all time, with 25 films released between 1962 and 1973, a 26th movie in 1989, and a reboot movie in 2003… and that’s before factoring in the TV series featuring the title character, which ran for 100 episodes between 1974 and 1979.
Zatoichi himself is one of the most iconic samurai characters in film history, with the blind masseur/swordsman getting into various adventures throughout his series. Zatoichi Goes to the Fire Festival is one of the best of the lot, even though you might not expect that from the 21st film in a series. It features some of the series’ best action (including a hilarious and exciting fight inside a public bathhouse), and benefits from having some great villains and a climactic setpiece during the titular fire festival.
‘The Dirty Dozen’ (1967)
The premise for The Dirty Dozen is simple and wonderfully satisfying. There’s a dangerous mission during WW2 that involves assassinating various Nazi officers. It’s a job few in the Allied forces want to do, so an assortment of criminals facing death sentences are given the option of taking part in the assignment and being officially pardoned, should they survive it.
It’s a similar premise seen in the recent Suicide Squad movies, but it’s done even better here. It’s tough, gritty, and fantastically entertaining throughout. The wild shootouts and action scenes that take up the final third of the film still hold up brilliantly, too.
‘Seven Samurai’ (1954)
It’s impossible to talk about classic action movies without bringing up Seven Samurai. Akira Kurosawa may have directed numerous great films, but Seven Samurai is probably his greatest, with its epic story about seven lone samurai being hired by desperate townspeople who are tired of being hounded by local bandits and want to fight back.
Like many great action movies, Seven Samurai holds back most of its action until the final third, but the extended climax here is more than worth the wait. Its epic length allows for excellent tension-building and character development, ensuring Seven Samurai is just as perfect a movie to watch in the 2020s as it was in the 1950s.
[ad_2]
Source link