When somebody mentions watching a film for free online, the majority of film lovers initial reactions would be Oooooothats bad! However, just like it revolutionised online video watching, YouTube has quietly been offering web surfers a new (and LEGAL, I might add!) way of watching films for free. Now youre not going to find your
Toy Story 3s,
Scott Pilgrim vs the Worlds or other only in theatres, summer blockbusters, but for fans of retro cinema there are some real gems! The titles that these YouTube users have uploaded are predominantly those that have lapsed into the public domain (i.e. free of copyright restrictions) the kind that are released in those 50-100 film, instant movie collection boxsets on 12 discs etc and as such there is a lot of rubbish, but if you sift through this and persevere there are definitely some worth a watch! Plus, with a bit more searching there are a few box office hits that somehow have been uploaded with permission for free viewing. The plethora of movies on offer span a wide range of genres, so there really is something for everyone. The quality varies, but every one Ive sat down with has been watchableso, instead of paying for a rental tonight, check out some of the titles you could be watching for free this evening
The Big Boss (1971, aka Fists of Fury)
When Cheng Chao-an begins work in an ice factory with his cousins, his vow of non-violence seems to be an easy one to keep. However, when members of his family begin disappearing, Cheng must find out why, resulting in him being forced to break his vow and take on
The Big Boss!
Bruce Lees first major film is definitely not his best work. The Big Boss is certainly no Enter the Dragon, but it is an entertaining watch. This is the film that made Lee a star across Asia and it is clear why: ACTION! With the plot demanding no fighting from Lee in the first half, when those fists of fury start swinging its well worth the wait. The film is also worth watching because its also a rare breed: a martial arts film withwait, yepa plot!! As Im not about to reveal any secrets, I suggest you go and check it out! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z1B9KGybeBU
Blackmail (1929)
A young girlfriend of a homicide detective is invited to pose for an artist in his studio. When the man tries to rape her, she stabs and kills him. A criminal oversees this, and with one of the womans gloves in hand, decides to blackmail her. Meanwhile, the young womans boyfriend has been assigned to the case Widely regarded as Britains first talkie, this early
Alfred Hitchcock thriller was originally intended as a silent feature. As such there are some long periods of little dialogue, however, Hitchcocks unique style of direction is gripping. Featuring his famous ploy of building suspense, the film remains a tense watch and this is a great introduction to his British work. Plus, if you enjoy it youll have plenty more to seek out! Embedding disabled, so click
HERE to view.
Carnival of Souls (1962)
After a car accident leaves her friends dead, a young woman miraculously survives. Taking a job as a church organist the young woman finds herself haunted by a mysterious phantom, drawing her ever closer to an abandoned carnival that appears to hold a secret This extremely low budget ($33000!!) sixties horror film has become a cult classic with film aficionados. With its highly atmospheric style and little reliance on special effects,
Carnival of Souls has been able to transcend generations, and it remains as incredibly creepy to this day as it did nearly five decades ago. Infinitely better than the 1998 remake (there is little in common between the two films) of the same name, this film is a fun piece of retro horror! Embedding disabled, so click
HERE to view.
The Castle of Fu Manchu (1969)
In this instalment of the unashamedly anti-Asian franchise, the evil Fu Manchu plots to freeze the Earths oceans using a new deadly device. Hot on the dastardly villains trail is his arch-nemesis, Interpols Dr. Nayland Smith. After his career-defining performance as Dracula in Hammers string of hits about the count of the undead, Fu Manchu was the other villainous character
Christopher Lee was famous for playing. As the fiendish Chinese villain, contemporary audiences may find Lees - a quintessentially English man performance uncomfortable to watch. However, the screen has been filled with Westerners imitating Asian people:
Peter Ustinov in Disneys
One of Our Dinosaurs is Missing (1975) and
Sidney Toller in the
Charlie Chan series of the 1940s for instance. Whilst Castle is not the best in the Fu Manchu franchise, its worth a watch for simple cheesy pleasure. Plus, as always, Lees performance is far greater than the material hes been given actually demands of him. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BqtoAXz3RFo&ob=av1n
D.O.A (1950)
Upon discovering that he has been poisoned with a luminous toxin, for which there is no antidote, Frank Bigelow embarks on a journey to discover who and why? With up to a week left to live, Bigelow must find his murderer before their objective is met. Considered a classic of the film noir genre,
D.O.A is easily one of the most fantastic films thats slipped into the public domain. The plot sounds slightly ridiculous and it is but despite this it is a suspenseful watch that will hook you in until the end title rolls. The film is equally impressive technically and is particularly memorable for its opening scene, a languishing tracking shot that follows Bigelow as he walks the halls of a police station to report his own murder. This is certainly one of my favourite films available to watch online and you should go watch it now (well, after youve read the rest of my article!) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fj9TlNoEnsY&ob=av1n
Dementia 13 (1963, aka The Haunted and the Hunted)
After the death of her husband, a manipulative young woman visits his family home in Ireland in order to forge herself a place in her mother-in-laws will. Her attempts to ingratiate herself into the family are interrupted by an axe-wielding lunatic Produced by the legendary
Roger Corman, this was
Francis Ford Coppolas mainstream directorial debut. With a brief to create a horror feature along the lines of Hitchcocks
Psycho, the film is an interesting comparison. Despite the low budget and a relatively inexperienced director,
Dementia 13 is a firm little thriller thats extremely enjoyable to watch. A great example of sixties psychological thrillers, check this out if youve only come across Psycho before and would like to discover something along similar lines. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c0ukfVt3d5Q&ob=av1e
Destination Moon (1950)
During the U.S. space race with the Russians, an American businessman funds a mission to the moon in order to beat their Eastern counterparts. The mission is a success and the U.S. set up a base on then moon, but do they have enough fuel to return home? This is a rare example within the canon of 1950s sci fi films: it attempts to be as technically accurate as possible. Now, as Im not a rocket scientist so I dont know how successful this accuracy is, but it does make for a film with a very realistic film. In an age where films exploiting the fears and paranoia surrounding atomic radiation were the norm, this film is a rare gem. Whether youre a sci fi fan or not its definitely worth a watch! Embed disabled, so click
HERE to view.
Doll Face (1945, aka Come Back to Me)
A burlesque star Doll Face Carroll (
Vivian Blaine) is denied a part in a legitimate Broadway show, as she is deemed to lack enough culture. In retaliation, Doll Faces manager suggests that she should produce an autobiography. Employing a ghostwriter to scribe the book, the manager gets more than he bargained for when Doll Face has other things in mind for her collaborator! This piece of 1940s fluff is a fun way to fill 80 minutes of a rainy Sunday afternoon (which there are undoubtedly more of on the way). Its notable mainly for
Carmen Mirandas performance as fellow showgirl Chita Chula and as an attempt by Twentieth Century Fox to make a movie star out of vocalist
Perry Como. The musical numbers by Blaine and Miranda are performed with gumption and make for enjoyable viewing. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w-oN9e3dwbg
The Driller Killer (1979)
An artist succumbs to mental decline when he can no longer handle the pressures of trying to pay his bills, look after his two female roommates and complete his paintings. As insanity takes over, he takes to the streets with a power drill and starts to randomly murder derelicts Famous for being one of the video nasties of the 1980s,
The Driller Killer should be of interest to most film fans. Today the film does not seem as controversial as it was deemed back then, but it does make for rather uncomfortable viewing. Not something to sit down to with the Mrs, but check it out when shes out with the girls to judge for yourself what all the fuss was about! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wEnFtJRxHpk
Fathers Little Dividend (1951)
Stanley Banks has come to terms with his daughter Kays marriage, only to find that she and her husband are expecting a baby. Initially opposed to the news, a number of disputes erupt between both sets of grandparents, leaving Banks having to accept he is to be a grandfather. Starring
Elizabeth Taylor and the brilliantly cast
Spencer Tracey, this is a fun family film that is good for some laughs. Following on from where
Father of the Bride (1950) finished, the film reunites all of the original cast members and the chemistry is perfect between Taylors dutiful daughter Kay and Traceys irritable but caring father, Stanley. With some genuinely hilarious moments, Fathers Little Dividend is a charming watch. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wZRetFpth1w
His Girl Friday (1940)
Chicago newspaper editor Walter Burns uses every trick in the book to prevent his crack reporter and ex-wife Hildy Johnson from retiring and marrying insurance salesman Bruce Baldwin. As his efforts spiral out of control, anyone and everyone becomes embroiled in his schemes! One of the best examples of a screwball comedy, perhaps second only to
Bringing Up Baby (1938). The quick-fire dialogue and hilarious lengths that Burns travels to prevent Hildy re-marrying are comic gold! With a brilliant cast including
Cary Grant, Rosalind Russell and
Ralph Bellamy, you dont get romantic comedies to the standard of Howard Hawks
His Girl Friday any more. One the Mrs can enjoy too! Embedding disabled, so click
HERE to view.
House on Haunted Hill (1959)
An eccentric millionaire and his wife invite five strangers to a haunted house party. For each of those who remain for the night is a prize of $10000. Throughout the course of the night the guests are subjected to murder, ghosts and other creepy goings on. But what - if anything - is real? A fun sixties chiller that will have you laughing rather than diving behind the sofa!
Vincent Price is fantastic as the eccentric Fredrick Loren, whose motives for the haunted house party remains a mystery until the compelling climax. Infinitely better than the atrocious remake in 1999, check this out if you fancy a slice of horror cheesecake! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7BeUWMfqELk&ob=av1n
The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1923)
The classic tale of Quasimodo, a deformed bell-ringer and his love for the Queen of the Gypsies, Esmerelda. Fifteenth century Paris is home to Jehan, the evil brother of the citys archdeacon and master of Quasimodo, who plots a peasant revolt with the help of the Gypsy King. Esmeralda is in love with Phoebus, one of the cities soldiers. When Jehan will stop at nothing to make Esmerelda his own, it is down to Quasimodo to save the beautiful woman from Pariss most despicable resident. The first screen version of this classic, oft told tale is by far the most atmospheric. The incredible
Lon Chaney, who was the horror genres first star, plays Quasimodo to great effect. The grotesque makeup effects are not only testament to the talent of their creators, but also to the cinematographer who lights Chaney in a dramatic fashion. This is one of the horror stalwarts defining performances and should be watched by everyone. The fact that its free is simply a bonus! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qfSZmHa8qi8&ob=av1n
The Little Shop of Horrors (1960)
After creating a carnivorous plant, a young man is forced to kill in order to satisfy his creations appetite From veteran horror director
Roger Corman, this classic black comedy is a hoot! Whilst perhaps not as fondly remembered as its 1986 musical remake, this version is worth a watch if simply to see where it all began. Its also notable for being one of
Jack Nicholsons breakout roles. Made in two days on the sets left over from another product, it is Cormans skill as a director that prevents the film from looking like a low budget, rush job. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HABYchwBjcg&ob=av1n
Marijuana Menace (1937, aka Assassin of Youth)
A young heiress gets tangled up with a group of marijuana smokers and so begins her social decline. A young reporter goes undercover and infiltrates the gang in order to save the youth of the town from a fate worse than death: marijuana addiction! This film is utter tripe, but is equally fantastic as a piece of 1930s paranoia nostalgia! Its a great watch despite the awful acting and the extremely melodramatic plot, simply because it serves as an indication of the attitudes towards drug abuse at the time. Although I do not advocate drug use in any way, the lack of facts and the unashamed use of scare tactics are nothing short of comic genius in todays society! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nsyc2kV-wdY&ob=av1n
Night of the Living Dead (1968)
When the dead rise from their graves with a taste for the living, a group of people must barricade themselves inside a rural farmhouse with the hopes of staying alive The original film about the undead, all I can really say is you NEED to watch this! With a host of imitations on offer (some good, some atrocious), the beginning is a necessary watch. Still extremely unnerving today,
George A. Romero redefined horror cinema with
Night of the Living Dead. He also successfully altered the definition of the term zombie. Having previously referred to a living person under a voodoo spell, Romeros redefinition has obviously stuck. If you love zombie flicks, this is how its done! Embed disabled, so click
HERE to view.
Santa Fe Trail (1940)
Set in pre-Civil War America, this is the true story of Jeb Stuart, his love affair with the fictional Kit Carson Holliday and his friendship with George Custer and his battles with abolitionist John Brown. This, the seventh collaboration between
Errol Flynn and
Olivia De Havilland, is an epic attempt to look at the issues that lead to the American Civil War. With excellent performances from the aforementioned leads, the film is also interesting for those who wish to see what sort of actor
Ronald Reagan was. Also interesting is Reagans portrayal of Custer, an unyielding traditionalist who welcomed racism and prejudice perhaps his role as such an individual fuelled his discriminatory Presidency later in life Directed by
Michael Cutiz, famous for such gems as
Casablanca (1942) and
Mildred Pierce (1945), this is a well-made film that is definitely worthy of your time. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YKF9Cv7l13k&ob=av1e
Till the Clouds Roll By (1946)
A musical biopic of Broadway pioneer Jerome Kern, the film features a host of 1940s stars performing hits from his biggest productions. Included are songs from Showboat, as well as other classics such as Ol Man River, A Fine Romance and Look for a Silver Lining. A great example of an MGM musical when they were at the height of their popularity. With performances from the likes of
Judy Garland, Frank Sinatra, Angela Lansbury, Kathryn Grayson, Dinah Shore and
June Allyson, to name but a few. Forget Glee, forget High School Musical and Moulin Rouge, this film may not be the best example out there, but its worth a watch to get a glimpse of how a musical was made during the genres heyday. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lRrokHMQVeg&ob=av1n With hundreds of other films available too, what are you still doing here!? So go on, hit up
YouTubeeven if none of the above take youre fancy, there really is something for everyone!