A millennial's guide to classic films (a.k.a. movies made way before we were born)

I'm already predicting that a total of maybe, I don't know, 2 people will read this post. I've decided to write about classic films (in my opinion this means films that were made before 1970) because they're such a huge part of my life. I literally almost never watch films that were made in this day and age (I mean, other than must-see films like Home Alone, for example) because basically, I'm 80 years old... and I'm definitely okay with that.

When I was younger, classic films were always on in my home and my earliest film memories are The Sound of Music, The Wizard of Oz, Pollyanna, and The Parent Trap. I remember my parents mentioning names like Maureen O'Hara or John Wayne and I'd think "who?" and wonder what films made them so famous and why hadn't I heard of them? This was during the time when to me the only movie stars who mattered were Princess Jasmine and Aladdin.

As I got older, I started watching more classic films but mostly the family-friendly ones. They just were so easy to watch and become captivated by. 13 Ghosts. The Ghost and Mrs. Muir. Calamity Jane. Swiss Family Robinson. That's the gist of it. Anything with Hayley Mills. Or Doris Day. Or Audrey Hepburn.

There's always been this sort of magic that classic films bring and it's not just due to their story lines. It's like catching a glimpse of a world I knew nothing about- a world before I was born. I know Hollywood tends to exaggerate or glamorize things but I am still able to get a bit of an idea of the general lifestyle that people led back then. I can sense the bad- the racism and addiction problems that we still face today, for example. And at the same time, I see a lot of the good- the catchy soundtracks and amazing fashions, for example.

Some of the best ways to watch classic films that I've found are: Warner Archive (monthly subscription service like Netflix), Amazon (I rent films that look particularly interesting without having to commit to buying in case I don't like the film, plus I like that you can instantly stream them), and sometimes YouTube has some really old films or parts of films. Netflix occasionally has some good classic films (as of now, my favorites that are currently listed on there are The Parent Trap, Desk Set, & Cheaper by the Dozen so that's a good place to start if you're interested). Additionally, you'll probably find that your local library has a ton of classic films to borrow for free or for a small fee. (None of these sites are sponsored, by the way!)

These days, you'll catch me watching any category of classic films from westerns to film noirs. I'd like to make this a more regular thing where I highlight and talk about a current favorite classic film or film star especially if I can relate it to fashion/personal style. I hope you won't mind too much. :)

I'd love to hear what your favorite classic film is, if any!