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15 Must-Watch Hollywood Classics You Need To Binge Right Now
For all the seasoned cinephiles as well as the curious newcomers, here's a carefully curated list of must-watch Hollywood classics.
What specifically turns a movie into a Hollywood classic? These are not merely vintage films; they are milestone movies that have defined the very vocabulary of film. A classic film typically encompasses timeless storytelling, legendary performances, groundbreaking techniques, and subjects that still resonate across generations. These must-watch Hollywood classics have inspired generations of directors, earned top awards, and are still deeply ingrained in pop culture.
For all the seasoned cinephiles as well as the curious newcomers, this carefully curated list of must-watch Hollywood classics is here to make your life easier.
15 Must-Watch Hollywood Classics of All Time
1. Casablanca
Director: Michael Curtiz
Lead Cast: Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman
Release Year: 1942
IMDb Rating: 8.5
Genre: Romance/Drama
Where to Watch: Max, Amazon Prime Video
Casablanca is an apotheosis of romantic movies and war drama. Against the background of World War II, it combines political suspense with individual sacrifice. Its iconic one-liners and sublime performances are still entrancing audiences, winning three Oscars.
2. Gone with the Wind
Director: Victor Fleming
Lead Cast: Vivien Leigh, Clark Gable
Release Date: 1939
IMDb Rating: 8.2
Genre: Historical Romance
Available on: Amazon Prime Video
This epic of the Civil War is a masterwork of grand storytelling and imagery. A winner of 10 Academy Awards, including Best Picture, its layered exploration of life in the South has provoked both praise and critical rethinking, particularly for its racial representations. Nevertheless, its influence on costume, set design, and film length conventions is unarguable.
3. Psycho
Director: Alfred Hitchcock
Lead Cast: Anthony Perkins, Janet Leigh
Release Year: 1960
IMDb Rating: 8.5
Genre: Horror/Thriller
Where to Watch: Peacock, Amazon Prime Video
Hitchcock's Psycho revolutionized horror and thrillers with its startling plot twists and spine-tingling music. The legendary shower sequence instantly became a cinematic landmark. Hitchcock's direction brought fresh psychological dimensions to films, affecting slashers and psychological dramas alike.
4. The Godfather
Director: Francis Ford Coppola
Lead Actors: Marlon Brando, Al Pacino
Release Date: 1972
IMDb Rating: 9.2
Genre: Crime/Drama
Where to Stream: Paramount+, Amazon Prime Video
A Shakespearean-heavy mafia saga, The Godfather is a cultural touchstone. Its exploration of family, power, and betrayal has become the standard for crime dramas. Coppola's brilliant directing and memorable performances carried the film to sweep the Oscars and redefine the genre.
5. 12 Angry Men
Director: Sidney Lumet
Lead Cast: Henry Fonda, Lee J. Cobb
Release Year: 1957
IMDb Rating: 9.0
Genre: Drama/Legal Thriller
Where to Watch: Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV
Almost entirely contained within one room, this courtroom drama showcases the strength of dialogue and character work. Its themes of justice, prejudice, and reasonable doubt are just as topical today as they were back then.
6. Schindler's List
Director: Steven Spielberg
Lead Cast: Liam Neeson, Ben Kingsley
Release Year: 1993
IMDb Rating: 9.0
Genre: Historical Drama
Where to Watch: Netflix, Amazon Prime Video
A harrowing portrayal of the Holocaust, Spielberg’s black-and-white opus is both artistically powerful and emotionally devastating. It is often cited as one of the most important films ever made.
7. Monty Python's Life of Brian
Director: Terry Jones
Lead Cast: Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Michael Palin
Release Year: 1979
IMDb Rating: 8.0
Genre: Dark Comedy
Where to Watch: Netflix, Amazon Prime Video
A classic British black comedy that follows the story of Brian Cohen (played by Chapman), who is born on the same day as and next door to Jesus and is subsequently mistaken for the Messiah. While its religious satire was controversial at that time, the film still brings forth important socio-cultural and literary discussions.
8. Chinatown
Director: Roman Polanski
Lead Cast: Jack Nicholson, Faye Dunaway
Release Year: 1974
IMDb Rating: 8.2
Genre: Neo-noir/Mystery
Where to Watch: Paramount+, Amazon Prime Video
Chinatown revolutionized the noir genre with its contemporary take on detective fiction. Its intricate plot and cinematic setting cement its status in film noir lore.
9. The Wizard of Oz
Director: Victor Fleming
Lead Cast: Judy Garland, Frank Morgan
Release Year: 1939
IMDb Rating: 8.1
Genre: Fantasy/Musical
Where to Watch: Max, Amazon Prime Video
This Technicolor gem is still a cultural reference. With its songs and lovable characters, it's a fantasy movie that still casts a spell on audiences of any age and is a must-watch Hollywood classic.
10. Sunset Boulevard
Director: Billy Wilder
Lead Cast: Gloria Swanson, William Holden
Release Year: 1950
IMDb Rating: 8.4
Genre: Drama/Film Noir
Where to Watch: Paramount+, Amazon Prime Video
A scathing indictment of Hollywood's youth and fame culture, this film noir boasts one of the greatest closing lines in movie history. Swanson's eerie turn as Norma Desmond is the embodiment of the seedy underbelly of stardom.
11. Some Like It Hot
Director: Billy Wilder
Main Cast: Marilyn Monroe, Tony Curtis, Jack Lemmon
Release Date: 1959
IMDb Rating: 8.2
Genre: Fantasy/Romance
Where to Watch: Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV
A comedy masterpiece, the movie combines gender-switching humor with quick wit and performances that have become a part of our collective memory. It defied conventions in comedy as well as in cultural expectations and set the standard for contemporary romantic comedies.
12. Lawrence of Arabia
Director: David Lean
Top Cast: Peter O'Toole, Alec Guinness
Release Date: 1962
IMDb Rating: 8.3
Genre: Historical/Biographical Drama
Where to Watch: Netflix
A cinematic epic with expansive desert vistas and an intricate hero, this movie redefined the art of telling history on screen. Its impact ranges from biopics to contemporary epics. The music, photography, and film editing are even studied in schools of cinema.
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13. Singin' in the Rain
Director: Gene Kelly, Stanley Donen
Lead Cast: Gene Kelly, Debbie Reynolds
Release Year: 1952
IMDb Rating: 8.3
Genre: Musical/Comedy
Where to Watch: Max, Apple TV
This euphoric celebration of Hollywood's leap from silent films to talkies blends dazzling dance moves with endearing wit. The title song-and-dance number is one of the film's most iconic sequences. A favorite among cinema historians, it's frequently referred to as the greatest musical ever produced.
14. Citizen Kane
Director: Orson Welles
Lead Cast: Orson Welles, Joseph Cotten
Release Year: 1941
IMDb Rating: 8.3
Genre: Drama/Mystery
Where to Watch: Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV
Widely regarded as the best film of all time, Citizen Kane influenced narrative and cinematography. Welles' application of deep focus and non-linear narrative was innovative. This must-watch Hollywood classic is still a topic of scholarly debate and artistic inspiration.
15. A Clockwork Orange
Director: Stanley Kubrick
Lead Cast: Malcolm McDowell, Patrick Magee, Michael Bates
Release Year: 1971
IMDb Rating: 8.2
Genre: Sci-Fi/Crime/Drama
Where to Watch: Max, Amazon Prime Video
Kubrick's provocative take on free will, government control, and violence is often heaped with praise for its striking visuals, classical music integration, and Malcolm McDowell's performance.
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