Even though I've done over twenty reviews since I started blogging, none of them has been about a movie that's more than 20 years old. Se7eN came out in 1995 (18 years ago as of today), and to this date it's still the oldest movie that I've ever written about. The reason for this lack of older movie reviews is quite simple; For some reason, I just don't watch old movies. I used to consider myself a movie enthusiast, but honestly, how can I, when all I watch and write about is movies that are younger than myself? I'm well aware that there are hundreds of classics from before the sixties that are just waiting for me to see them, and I know that a lot of them are considered must see for anyone who sees themselves as movie fans. So, why is it I've never just gone ahead and seen a classic film? It's simple really; I'm afraid of leaving my comfort zone.
Doing new stuff is something I've always been very sceptical about. Whether it's talking to new people, trying out new sports, listening to music I've never heard of before or watching movies that aren't like the ones I'm sure I'll enjoy, testing unknown waters is something I've never been good at. Sure, I'd like to be that guy who's just able to open himself up to new people and new impressions, I'm sure that's a heck of a lot funnier than doing what I do, but that's just not the kind of person I am. Trusting people and and really letting them get to know me isn't something that happens very often, and unlike most 18-year-old guys, I only have about 5-6 friends that I'd describe myself as being really close to and open with. I don't mean to make it sound as if befriending The Andrew Lawrence is some prestigious honor, I'm just trying to explain my situation as best as possible.
So how does this apply to movies and blogging you ask? Simply put; I don't watch a lot of movies from the 80's and 70's, and none from before that. Sure, I've seen a few all time greats like Taxi Driver, A Clockwork Orange, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, The Deer Hunter and 2001: A Space Odyssey, but really old classics like Citizen Cane, Casablanca, 12 Angry Men, Vertigo and Rear Window, I have not. Seeing as I'm well aware that these are all highly praised and respected movies that any movie enthusiast with the slightest amount of self respect have seen, confessing that I haven't done so myself is something I'm not very proud of.
It's never too late to make a change though. Yesterday I accidentally came across a YouTube review of an old Charlie Chaplin movie, and there was just something special about the deeply passionate way that this guy was talking about a movie that came out all the way back in 1940, that made me realise just how much enjoyment I've been missing out on. In that moment I decided that I had had enough of Bruce Willis, Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt, and I sat myself down and watched my first 50's movie in God knows how long. Needless to say I had a great time, and I don't know how I've let myself miss out on movies like the one I saw for so long. I've always known that this is how I'd end up feeling about it, but sticking with newer movies was just so much easier to do, rather than trying out something new. Or old. You get what I' trying to say.
I plan on creating a new segment on my blog called Classic Movie Reviews, and the first installment of that series will be coming out later today. My plan is to make one classic review for every two or three of the regular reviews, since I don't intent to stop watching new movies completely. It'll be a nice, balanced mix of new and old, and I believe I'm going to enjoy this new approach greatly.
/Andrew
Pretty Much It YouTube channel link here
(these are the guys who made the Chaplin movie review I talked about)
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