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There are a lot of classic movies from the 1960s, many of which are fairly unknown. Technology may have come a long way over the years, but there are many movies that came out in the 60s that are definitely worth a rewatch.
What better time to revisit than the 60th anniversary of said movies? 1962 may have been six decades ago, but that doesn’t mean these films haven’t retained their quality.
‘Dr. No’
Starring Sir Sean Connery in one of his most iconic roles as MI-6 superspy James Bond, Dr. No is the first installment in the 25 film-long run of the 007 series. Dr. No is the quintessential spy movie that not only jump-started one of the longest-running film series but also pioneered the spy movie genre.
The story follows James Bond as he travels to Jamaica and investigates the plans of the secret organization known only as Spectre. It is in this film that all the recurring tropes are established for 007. It still remains one of the best in the series even to this day.
‘What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?’
What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? is a psychological horror interspersed with bits of black comedy and gallows humor. One of the many films to come out in 1962 that is based on a novel, the film tells the story of two sisters, Jane (Bette Davis) and Blanche (Joan Crawford), living together in a luxurious mansion.
Jane, a former child actress who lost everything, is extremely envious of Blanche, who seemingly earns everything that Jane has lost. As they age, Blanche finds herself paralyzed, which is when she becomes the victim of torture and abuse at the hands of Jane. An interesting tidbit is that Davis and Crawford had a bitter rivalry between them, which makes their real-life relationship translate perfectly into the fictitious one.
‘Cape Fear’
Based on the novel The Executioners by John D. MacDonald, Cape Fear is another psychological horror that was originally set to be directed by horror movie legend, Alfred Hitchcock. Though Hitchcock drew up the storyboards for the film, it was eventually directed by J. Lee Thompson.
Cape Fear tells the chilling tale of a man released from an 8-year prison sentence who tracks down the lawyer who testified against him and begins making his life a living nightmare. The film was actually considered good enough that it was remade in 1991 by Martin Scorsese, starring the original cast in different roles. Though, theremake had more similarities to The Silence of the Lambs.
‘Lawrence of Arabia’
Lawrence of Arabia is a true story based on British Officer T.E. Lawrence, who served in the Middle East during World War I as a liaison between Great Britain and the Arab guerrilla forces. This was in an effort to combat the Ottoman Empire, which was allied with Germany at the time.
The movie received not one, not two, but ten Oscar nominations at the time of its release, seven of which it won. Even to this day, it is considered one of the most culturally significant films to ever have been made.
‘To Kill a Mockingbird’
To Kill a Mockingbird is a story beloved by children and adults alike for its showing of the harsh realities of race in the 1930s. Based on the novel by Harper Lee, it tells the story of a young Black man named Tom Robinson (Brock Peterson), who is wrongfully accused of assaulting a girl named Mayella Ewell (Collin Wilcox Paxton) despite his physical inability to do so.
Robinson’s criminal defense lawyer, Atticus Finch (Gregory Peck), is one of the few white people who remain unbiased in the town, and aims to teach his children, Scout (Mary Badham) and Jem (Phillip Alford) the importance of never judging a book by its cover. The movie details the misadventures of the Finch children, as well as their father’s struggle to prove Robinson’s innocence. It’s a very profound movie and an absolutely essential watch to understanding the negative effects of racial prejudice.
‘The Longest Day’
The Longest Day was Saving Private Ryan (1998) before Saving Private Ryan was even conceptualized. The harrowing tale of the heroic sacrifices made across the beaches of Normandy on D-Day, The Longest Day is not only based on a true story, but also on a non-fiction book of the same name by Cornelius Ryan.
Pulling no punches and never shying away from the horrors and the tragedy of war, The Longest Day is a must-see for history fans, or anyone seeking to understand more about the Second World War. Instead of being filmed as a fictitious drama in a very real setting, however, it is shot as more of a docudrama, with nitty-gritty details left right in the foreground.
‘Lolita’
Lolita is another movie based on a novel, this time written by Vladimir Nabokov. Nabokov’s writing skills combined with cinema legend Stanley Kubrick to deliver a cult classic comedy/drama that is still being talked about even decades after its release.
The film still earned stellar reviews from cinephiles and critics alike and was nominated for several awards, including a Golden Globe.
‘King Kong vs. Godzilla’
The third Godzilla movie to be produced by Toho introduces King Kong to the Toho Monster Universe. The King of the Apes faces off against The King of the Monsters in this classic 1962 monster film, which is perfectly representative of the era, and of the early Toho films.
Aside from being Godzilla’s third movie, it also happens to be King Kong’s third film incarnation ever since he debuted in 1933. The movie is directed by the legendary Ishiro Honda, who also directed the original Godzilla (1954) film and the original Mothra (1961) film.
‘Girls! Girls! Girls!’
Girls! Girls! Girls! is a musical comedy film starring none other than the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll himself, Elvis Presley. Elvis plays a Hawaiian fisherman named Ross who is caught in a love triangle between two very different women. As if that wasn’t enough, he also has to deal with his employer retiring to Arizona, and the subsequent struggle to purchase the boat Ross and his father made.
The film was nominated for a Golden Globe, and the song “Return to Sender” which is featured in the film reached Number 2 on the Billboard pop singles chart.
‘The Music Man’
A lighthearted musical based on a 1957 Broadway production of the same name, The Music Man is about a con artist who attempts to scam the people of his small town by convincing them he needs money to form a not-for-profit marching band, and all the bumps in the road he meets along the way.
The movie is well-known for its song “Shipoopi,” which was featured in an episode of Family Guy, likely due to its silly name. Apart from that, the film was wildly popular upon its release, and received nominations for six Academy Awards.
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