Films come and go all the time. They come out in theaters, do their time there, and move on to home movies. However, not all films are forgotten so quickly. Others make an indelible mark on pop culture. Whether they're simply near-perfect, define their genre, or influence all of cinema, some films have much more an impact.
In 2022, Jaws saw a re-release in cinemas. This allowed a whole new generation of audiences to see the film as its original viewers did. Many cinemas screen older films, but few have a widespread re-release many years after they come out. Jaws isn't the only film that deserves this honor. Plenty of revolutionary films would benefit from the same.
10 Singing In The Rain Might Be The Best Musical Ever
Movie musicals are an enduring genre, but they aren't always popular in the mainstream. Films like La La Land or Grease are widely-adored by many audiences. However, no single movie musical holds quite as much prestige as Singing in the Rain. The film was originally released in 1952 to some acclaim but has since become much better regarded.
Singing in the Rain does well in home sales and entertains generations of families. However, it's best viewed on the big screen. Its fantastic visuals deserve a cinema screen and its music deserves a silver screen's audio quality. This is especially fitting as Singing in the Rain is about cinema as a whole.
9 Die Hard Launched The Modern Action Movie
Action films have always been popular, but they've undergone a great many changes over the years. In the 1980s and before, action movies were very different as they typically starred big-name actors playing invincible heroes. The good guys were impossibly muscle-bound and the villains died in droves.
Die Hard provides the template for more familiar action movies. Its hero is a vulnerable, relatable man who suffers over the course of the film. His emotions, doubts, and flaws are all key to the story. Between its influence and its sheer quality, Die Hard deserves another go in cinemas.
8 John Carpenter's Halloween Remains The Gold Standard Of Slasher Movies
Slasher movies have waxed and waned in popularity over the years. They've gone from cutting edge to cliché to self-aware, and have sometimes faded from the public eye. However the genre as a whole has performed, one film has always been beloved: John Carpenter's iconic 1978 slasher, Halloween.
Halloween isn't the first slasher movie ever made, but it is undeniably the most influential. Drawing its cues from Psycho and Black Christmas, it focuses on a slow build of tension that's intercut with brutal and bloody murder. Slasher movies and horror as a whole owe a great debt to Halloween, and the film would still hold up for modern audiences in the theater.
7 Tron's Visual Effects Started An Age
Every part of film is always evolving. New storytelling techniques and genres make it big, so the technical and skill-based sides of the craft progress. Nowadays, special effects are an omnipresent part of filmmaking, as they're nearly as realistic as practical effects and are the go-to choice for many filmmakers.
Audiences might gain useful context from Tron. The film's use of visual effects was revolutionary, blending real actors with computer-generated imagery as far back as 1982. Many films, including beyond the sci-fi genre, owe much to Tron. Audiences might also enjoy a chance to see just how far visual effects have come in forty years.
6 Alien Is A Major Epoch For Both Horror And Sci-Fi
Both horror and sci-fi are traditionally overlooked genres. They're considered lowbrow and immature by many. However, they hold a much higher prestige than they once did. Many films in either genre are considered utter classics of cinema. Several films have caused this, but few have impacted both genres as much as Alien.
Alien earned middling reviews upon its release in 1979, but it won an Academy Award and has been retroactively considered one of the best science fiction films ever. Alien is impactful for both the sci-fi/horror genre and for audiences. A re-release could also emphasize just how frightening the film was with its groundbreaking visual effects and direction.
5 Cinema Owes Psycho For Pushing The Boundaries
Cinema is a diverse art form. Many films are known for pushing boundaries, whether in filmmaking potential, contemporary standards, or basic decency. A lot of the freedom to push these boundaries comes from Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho and its immense renegade nature.
Psycho pushes back against the standards of its day. It includes vicious murder, a shower scene, and the appearance of a toilet. It also plays with conventional storytelling by killing the supposed protagonist a third of the way through. Alfred Hitchcock is a revered filmmaker and Psycho represents his greatest mark on cinema.
4 A Fistful Of Dollars Is Genre-Defining
Although the Western genre hasn't had much of a resurgence in recent years, it remains a pop culture cornerstone and its influence can be felt in media as diverse as Star Wars and Breaking Bad. One popular subgenre is the Spaghetti Western, European-made films that are set in the American West.
Some Spaghetti Westerns are still beloved throughout the world. The genre wouldn't be nearly as iconic or well-stocked without A Fistful of Dollars. It's the first of Sergio Leone's Dollars trilogy and the film that popularized the genre as a whole. A Fistful of Dollars is also a great movie in its own right, even if it's lesser-regarded than The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly or Once Upon a Time in the West.
3 Night Of The Living Dead Is Responsible For So Much Pop Culture
Zombies are one of cinema and horror's most enduring monsters. They represent a huge number of fears and can be used to tell a great many stories. Nearly all zombie fiction owes a great debt to George A. Romero's Night of the Living Dead. The film is considered the first modern zombie film and the one that codified the genre.
Zombies had a major heyday in the 2010s, the aftereffects of which are still being felt. A rerelease of the original Night of the Living Dead could be a valuable opportunity for audiences. Fans could see the many influences the film has on fiction like The Walking Dead, and World War Z. Similarly, fans could see what hasn't changed and how the genre could evolve even further.
2 The Wizard Of Oz Brought Color To Cinema
Nowadays, black and white in films is a simple artistic choice. While all viewers know that films were once sepia, most fans are used to films with vivid colors. The shift to color was a major moment for cinema, and few films encapsulate it as well as The Wizard of Oz. It wasn't the first Technicolor film, but it was one of the best-known and remains enduringly popular.
The shift between black-and-white Kansas and colorful Oz was likely the first time many cinemagoers saw color on the screen. That moment can't be recaptured for modern audiences. However, a re-release of The Wizard of Oz, perhaps alongside another film of its day for comparison, could be an educational moment for audiences.
1 Citizen Kane May Be The Most Influential Film Ever Made
Few films present as big a leap in cinema's evolution as Citizen Kane. The film is incredibly famous for its revolutionary cinematography, storytelling, and structure. Countless films were inspired by Citizen Kane, which in turn went on to affect other films until its touch was felt throughout cinema.
Citizen Kane is widely considered to be one of the greatest films ever made, with numerous directors citing it as a key inspiration. Audiences can enjoy Citizen Kane perfectly well at home, but a re-release in cinemas could help viewers appreciate just why it was so revolutionary.