In Defense of Old Movies

By: Emily

Graphic by Emily

My alarm goes off at 8AM and I immediately somersault out of bed. Those who know me know there is only one thing that can get me out of bed this early on a Monday: movies. And so I arrive to the first day of my American Cinema until 1970 class amped and ready to learn. My professor, a white-bearded yet completely bald man, welcomes me in with a small smile. Once everyone else arrives to class, he asks us a question: "How many of you actually like to watch old movies?"

Immediately my hand shoots up into the air and I see a few other stragglers raise their hands after me. I wonder if my classmates were just so lethargic because it was 8AM on a Monday or if they really just did not like old movies. It was in that moment that I realized why only a few people raised their hands. Today in our world of movie-watching, we are bombarded with too many camera tricks. From 3D to computer-generated special effects to excessive language and violence, as modern audience members we are spoiled. We will sit through three hours-worth of explosions, but getting through a one and half hour black and white drama seems nearly impossible.

Now don't get me wrong; I have been known to enjoy a good fast-paced car chase, and there are some older movies that are great if only because I can easily nap to them. But there are many benefits to watching movies more than fifty years old. For me, the magic of watching Bringing Up Baby every year with my family or experiencing Marlon Brando's powerful performance in A Streetcar Named Desire again and again is unmatched by any modern movie. After all, there is a reason these movies are still remembered by older and younger generations alike. Many films like these have stood the test of time because of the striking camera work or progressive subject matter or memorable performances by some of the greatest actors ever. I mean, what other movie has covered such important social issues in the same manor of To Kill A Mockingbird did? Or has the same grandiose cinematography as Citizen Kane?  If you like any movie ever, chances are it was inspired by or taken some aspect of it from another movie that came before it. Steven Spielberg and Martin Scorsese both say that Citizen Kane has inspired their work in one way or another, and it inspires me too. In fact, tons of old movies inspire me.

I can watch Citizen Kane a thousand times and still be amazed by the transitions in that film. Each shot is perfectly established with sturdy angles and dramatic lighting. The image of Charles Foster Kane clapping at the opera is one that will probably never leave my mind. And it's films like that--films that can stay with you long after you see them, and make you want to keep coming back for another viewing--that really matter. For me, Citizen Kane is just one example of an older film that should never be forgotten.

And so, I say that old movies should not be immediately dismissed because they may be "out of date" or "boring." They have merit and they have purpose and they can inspire. After my American Cinema class ended for the semester, I knew tons of students that discovered some great movies that they now love and will continue to love until the day they die. So next time, before you immediately write off another old movie, I urge you to at least give it a try first. Who knows? It might turn out to be one of your new favorites.

YOLO: The Modern Carpe Diem

By: Alex 

Graphic by Alex 

We’ve all heard it, the famous mantra, ‘you only live once.’ But for me, YOLO is much more than just a term coined by a rapper to make his song sell more records. For me, YOLO is the modern Carpe Diem (Latin for "seize the day"), and I’m so glad it’s become a part of our society. With so many new conveniences, it is so easy for our generation to live passively. Today, we can accomplish just as many things by sitting on our couch as we can going out in the world and participating. Nowadays, we can use these conveniences as an excuse not to participate in real life; it’s an easy way out.

Seizing the day is a term that’s become lost in a world where things are handed to us. Thanks to the popularization of YOLO, people are now realizing that you really do only live once, and there are a lot of things you should just get up and do instead of waiting for them to happen. As silly as it sounds, there really is so much truth to this motto.  YOLO has encouraged me to try things that I would have never done, and I’ve never regretted any of it.

Yes, there is definitely such a thing as too much YOLO-ing. You never want to do something that could put your life in danger. But on the other hand, you have to take risks if you want to YOLO in the most authentic fashion. So even if something is new and scary and maybe even a little crazy, if I feel safe doing it, I’m going to try it. My best advice is, as long as no one dies, it’s worth trying.  

I was talking to my friend on the phone the other night at 3AM, distraught over how much I sometimes miss out on because I don’t live in the city. She lives in Boston where there are plenty of opportunities to YOLO, and she said, “no one is stopping you from doing anything you want. You can go climb a tree right now, you can go to Taco Bell and eat all the food you want. You can go in the middle of the street and wave at cars. You can do anything. You just have to want to do it.” And I thought, she’s completely right. No matter where you are, there is always an opportunity to YOLO, and every YOLO moment makes for experience, which makes for a really awesome story. So, the more I YOLO, the more I learn about the world and myself. It’s true that every experience makes us better people and gives us more of a base to speak from.

I’ve learned that I have so much more to lose if I don’t go out and take a couple risks. So next time you’re contemplating actually doing something or just passively going through life, remember my mantra, ‘you only live once,’ and think again about trying something new. Seize the day. You won’t regret it. 

Hard Times, Real Friends, Wonderful Life

By: Alex

Art by Alex 

Tis the season to talk about my favorite Christmas movie, which is also possibly my favorite movie of all time—It’s a Wonderful Life. Frank Capra’s masterpiece of seasonal spirit proves that pure optimism can be found in even the gravest times. But more importantly, he proves that every human life is worth something.

Growing up with It’s a Wonderful Life, this Christmas classic was one of the first videotapes I owned. Though I appreciate it’s traditional value in my house, what I love most about this movie is that no matter how many times I watch it, its timeless themes never lose their worth.

In the story, George Bailey feels his life is worthless because he has nothing to show for it. He’s struggling as a businessman in a job he doesn’t truly love, and he hasn’t yet lived his dreams. As all these realizations come together, George feels he is worth more dead than alive.

George feels like a failure and a waste, and I identify with him in that way exactly. At some point in our lives, we can all feel these overwhelming feelings of anxiety—we question what we perceive as a meaningless life. I’m sure that many can identify; for teens, this is angst in its purest form, all part of growing up, and for people like George Bailey, it’s more like a midlife crisis. But in either case, neither is less serious than the other. Falling into these feelings causes us to question our identities and wonder if our efforts and our lives are truly worth it.

We just want to something to change, something to show us that our lives aren’t as pointless as they seem. In this film, we see that it is possible to notice the redeeming qualities of our lives, even in our most desperate times. Thanks to George’s guardian angel, we see that just by being himself, George has changed the lives of so many and didn’t even know it. By looking back on his life and all the people he has changed, George realizes that his life truly has value.

Even when I feel like the biggest failure, It’s a Wonderful Life has taught me that each person I encounter, every decision I make, has an impact on someone other than me. I learned that those people who love us give us something to show for our lives, even if we don’t have the dreams and accomplishments to prove it. This film shows us that optimism is possible in any situation, especially when we have loved ones around to help us out.

For George, it took a near death experience and a second chance from his guardian angel to realize this. But for us, all it should take is a viewing of It’s a Wonderful Life to know these values are true. Knowing that we’ve accomplished more than we think just by being ourselves should make us feel very lucky. Though we may still feel worthless at times, with the right people around, we all really do have a wonderful life. Remember, no man is a failure who has friends. 

A Triumphant Return

By: Alex 

Art by Alex 

One of my favorite things to do is drive down the highway on a Friday afternoon, appreciating Simon & Garfunkel’s ‘Homeward Bound’ on my journey south into Pittsburgh. Though I don’t make this commute often, I love it when I do. There’s something magical about the prospect of going home and getting back to a familiar place. But life gets very confusing when I pack a suitcase for a weekend at home. I love school, and I love home, but living in two different places, it becomes so hard to figure out where I belong.

As I’m bothered by these questions on my drive home, an episode of the television show Freaks and Geeks comes to mind. Even if you don’t watch the show, all you need to know is that there is this one episode where a character named Barry returns home from college. As I watched this episode, I felt so much for Barry--- returning home to a family where nothing has changed; it’s so comforting. 

When Barry comes home, his high school, family, and neighbors were all the same; it was him that had changed. Likewise, when I return home to a room that’s stayed the same, walls still crowded with posters of the Beatles and old photography, awards from high school and baby pictures, I realize that I’m the one who’s changed. But it’s not the kind of change that lets you know that you’ve outgrown something; it’s the kind of change that tells you you’re getting somewhere. 

Realizing that I’ve become a bigger person while being away from home gives me such a sense of accomplishment. In a non-pompous way, I have newfound confidence when I talk to people. I want to show them that I’ve learned a lot about myself during my time away from home and have become a better person for it. I know myself better than I ever did, and I think that being on my own is the only way I could have figured that out. 

Even though Barry had such confidence in himself, as he talked about what he hoped to accomplish in the next few years, you knew there was a part of him that truly didn’t quite know his direction. But being at home made any doubts or anxieties seem so small. 

Having a familiar place to return to after you’ve changed so much means that you have time to figure it out; that’s why I love going home. It gives me the stability I need while I carry on with my busy lifestyle away from home. We would all go insane if we didn’t have some stability in life, but we wouldn’t be able to grow if we stuck to a predictable routine.

Returning home is so much more meaningful than living there. Though it gives us comfort, returning home doesn’t always tell us where we belong. It’s hard to live a life in two different spheres, but it’s all part of the journey. Being away from home is hard but good; it gives us space and appreciation. I’m sure Barry would agree.