Each month, the CMBA profiles a classic movie blog. This
month, we’re featuring Michaela of Love Letters from Old Hollywood.
CMBA: What makes a film a “classic” in your opinion?
LOVE LETTERS FROM OLD HOLLYWOOD: Personally, it needs
to be at least 25 years old (although preferably much older) and there has to
be a timelessness to it. That doesn’t mean the film can’t have dated references
or anything, but it should have a quality to it that encourages you to keep
revisiting it.
CMBA: What genres do you favor?
LOVE LETTERS FROM OLD HOLLYWOOD: I’m obsessed with
musicals and romantic comedies. I definitely enjoy more serious genres, but
it’s important to me (and my mental health, if we’re being honest) to surround
myself with movies that make me feel good. I have to be in a specific mood to
watch, say, a film noir or a melodrama, but I will always make time for
a musical or rom-com, no matter how minor or silly they are.
CMBA: Why should people care about “old” black and white
movies?
LOVE LETTERS FROM OLD HOLLYWOOD: The short answer is:
they’re the best!
The longer answer: they’re vital cultural documents. They
show us what life used to be like, but they also illustrate how the art of
filmmaking was created and evolved. There is an artistry to black-and-white
movies that, in my opinion, hasn’t really been matched since the Golden Age of
Hollywood. Old movies are still incredibly influential to this day; to dismiss
them because of their age is just insane.
I’ll stop there, but I could go on and on.
CMBA: What classic films do you recommend to people who
may not have seen many older films?
LOVE LETTERS FROM OLD HOLLYWOOD: I always struggle
with this question because I get so nervous recommending old movies to people
who aren’t super aware of them. Plus, I usually try to cater my recommendations
to what I know that specific person likes.
These aren’t the most original choices, but in the past,
I’ve had great luck with Singin’ in the Rain (you can never go wrong
with this film), Funny Face (Audrey Hepburn is a surefire way to get
most people interested in the classics), All About Eve (that script! those
performances!), It’s a Wonderful Life (never underestimate the power of
George Bailey), Casablanca (come on, I had to say it), Some Like It
Hot (still one of the funniest movies ever), and Top Hat (I will
always try to get people to watch Fred and Ginger). I might even throw Mildred
Pierce or Laura in there—film noir is often the best route for
anyone who is skeptical about classic films and those two movies are just
exceptional.
CMBA: What is the most rewarding thing about blogging for
you?
LOVE LETTERS FROM OLD HOLLYWOOD: Connecting with other people! The whole reason I
started a blog was to share my love of classic Hollywood with people who would
understand and encourage it. I didn’t really have anyone in my life I could
talk to about the magic of Esther Williams or Van Johnson’s adorableness or Eve
Arden’s withering comebacks, so when I stumbled upon blogs that were dedicated
to those same things that I cherished, it was miraculous. And everyone in this
community is just so sweet and supportive! It has been a really lovely group to
be a part of for the past eight years.
