It’s been almost a century since the Golden Age of Hollywood, but its legacy still remains strong today. Figures such as Marilyn Monroe, Audrey Hepburn, and Judy Garland have enduring legacies able to withstand several decades. Along with being a time of star-making talents, the era was also full of technological innovation. Whether it’s famous faces, films, or revolutionary technology, most of what came out of this age has made its mark on film history. So where did it all begin?
The Golden Age of Hollywood
The exact dates of the Golden Age are up for debate. Some say it was finished by the 1950s, while others say the 1970s is when it ended. But it all began with silent film, and the technological advancements throughout the decades are what really defined the era. The silent age moved to sound on film, which pushed boundaries, letting filmmakers tell more complex stories.
In addition, other filmmaking advancements such as technicolor and windscreen formats were not only technologically revolutionary, but they enhanced storytelling as well. Around this time, more movies were being made than ever before, and of varying genres. Cinemagoers saw comedies, westerns, musicals, film noirs, and biographical films.
Still Relevant Almost a Century Later
The look of old Hollywood has struck a chord with Gen Z. A 2022 study by LG Electronics found that over half of British Gen Z and millennials enjoy re-watching classic black-and-white movies. Those polled said they can’t get enough of the aesthetic or that they feel that the lack of color helps create an atmosphere and helps them focus on the film’s content. With the popularity of classic films, streaming services are tapping into this market. While the major players each have a number of contemporary options, they and other niche services are now offering a plethora of movies from Hollywood’s Golden Age.
The Best Streaming Services to Watch Classic Cinema
1. The Criterion Channel
The Criterion Channel is run by The Criterion Collection, a service focused on restoring and distributing important classic and contemporary movies. Their streaming service is home to many of the films in their library. Most of which include Hollywood classics starring icons such as Gene Kelly, Jane Fonda, James Stewart, and more. The Criterion Channel is also home to a number of iconic international movies from directors such as Wong-Kar-Wai, Jacques Tati, and Stanley Kwan.
Keeping the spirit of curation, the service features collections centred on specific subjects, such as “100 Years of Columbia Pictures” or “The Essential Jacques Demy.” In addition, special features such as interviews and commentaries are available for select films, making The Criterion Channel a cinema lover’s dream.
2. Kanopy
Kanopy is a free streaming service for members of select libraries and academic institutions. Like The Criterion Channel, Kanopy offers curated collections on topics ranging from Canadian cinema to cult films. Along with having a number of contemporary movies, series, and foreign films, it is home to a library of classics. From silent-era films like Nosferatu to French New Wave cinema such as The 400 Blows, Kanopy is a way to explore classic and contemporary cinema from around the world free of charge.
3. Tubi
Tubi is a free, ad-supported streaming service that is a treasure trove of Golden Age-era cinema. Much of their catalogue features films from decades past, which to some may sound dated, but to old film lovers, it is just a part of the appeal. While the picture quality of each film varies, the service is home to classics such as In the Heat of the Night, 12 Angry Men, and The Seven Year Itch. It houses many films from iconic directors such as Alfred Hitchcock, Billy Wilder, and Fritz Lang. It also features hidden gems of the era, including a number of lesser-known westerns, film noirs, horror movies, war epics, and historical films.
4. Max
Max is known for its award-winning originals, such as Euphoria, but it is also the new hub for Turner Classic Movies and has numerous titles from their catalog. Seminal films such as Citizen Kane, Casablanca, and Gone with the Wind are only a few in their vast library. Like The Criterion Collection, Max is also home to many foreign classics, such as The Umbrellas of Cherbourg, Black Orpheus, and Breathless. With such a large library, Max has content that appeals to the average consumer and film buffs.
5. Prime Video
Along with original programming, Prime Video is known for housing independent cinema. But a collection of beloved favorites are available to stream. Movies such as Charade, His Girl Friday, Royal Wedding, and The Last Time I Saw Paris are just a few of the titles the service has to offer. In terms of world cinema, Prime Video houses a number of classic Bollywood movies from the 1960s onward. If that’s not enough, it also has a built-in home video service where you can rent or purchase a number of movies to watch on the app at any time.
The Fall of the Golden Age
The rise of TV was one of the main factors that killed the Golden Age. It became widely popular among households in the 1950s, which slowed down movie theater attendance. Around this time, the studio system was also dismantled. In its prime, the system dominated the film industry, run by five production companies known as the “Big Five”: Warner Bros., Paramount, 20th Century Fox, RKO Radio Pictures, and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. Actors during the Golden Age were signed to studios, meaning they could only be in films produced by that company. It was also common for studios to purchase theaters and only show their films.
With the “Big Five” commanding the film industry, legal action was eventually taken against them. They were viewed as violating the Sherman Antitrust Act, able to create monopolies thanks to a lack of regulation. After the case was brought to court, studios could no longer own cinemas or show more than five of their films at once at a theater. This gave leeway to independent and arthouse cinema, which, during the Golden Age, didn’t have much room to thrive.
The Best of Both Worlds
The history of Hollywood is very extensive, but it is essential to preserve as it highlights how far we have come in the world of cinema. Today, with the abundance of watch options we have, we aren’t regulated to seeing what studios push. We have the luxury of watching independent cinema and studio films. And if you want to revisit the classics, they are just a click away.
