Old movies that have left a lasting impression on modern culture

Once upon a time, you could only watch movies at the cinema and it was a magical experience. In 1906, the first-ever feature-length film entitled The Story of the Kelly Gang was released under the direction of Charles Tait. Compared to modern standards, the film most likely wouldn’t be as successful today, but it left a lasting impression on modern culture and the film industry itself.

Throughout history, there have been many films that have just captivated audiences and completely transcended the film entirely. Despite being released decades ago, many vintage movies have their own unique charm which naturally appeals to audiences even today. These movies have had such a huge impact, that they are relevant in modern society and perhaps even more popular than ever.

It would be easy to just make an infinite list of all the vintage movies that have affected people for better or worse, but here are just a few key examples of movies that have had a lasting impression on modern culture.

The Godfather

Hearing the phrases “I’m gonna make him an offer he can’t refuse” or “revenge is a dish best served cold” will instantly make you think of The Godfather. The dialogue, the acting and the overall cinematography just blew audiences away, cementing The Godfather as one of the greatest films of all time.

Based on the novel of the same name by Mario Puzo, The Godfather is an American crime classic directed by Francis Ford Coppola and released in 1972. The film spawned two different sequels, The Godfather Part II and The Godfather Part III, which continued the story of Michael Corleone as the new Don of the family. On top of the films, the franchise saw an open-world videogame adaptation in 2006, almost 24 years after the original film.

Films and TV shows released after The Godfather, such as Goodfellas and The Sopranos, were heavily influenced by the film as it set the benchmark for gangster films based on Italian crime families in the US. The film has even been parodied in sitcoms such as The Simpsons and Modern Family with episodes such as The Simpsons’ episode ‘Lisa’s Pony’ in which she finds a horse in her bed mimicking the horse’s head from the film.

With an all-star cast of Marlon Brando, Al Pacino and James Caan, there was no way that this film could’ve been a box office bomb. You can easily say one of the many celebrated lines from this film and find a fellow fan anywhere.

Grease

Whilst Grease originally came out in 1978, this film is still screened at cinemas today with singalongs encouraged. It follows a preppy transfer student called Sandy who falls in love with a greaser called Danny played by Olivia Newton-John and John Travolta respectively.

Many may not actually know that the film Grease was heavily based on a musical of the same name that focused on Rydell High School, but with a more raunchy tone focusing on working-class teenagers navigating the complexities of peer pressure. The film was such a success that the original musical actually incorporated bits from the film into the revived stage show.

Not only did Grease get a sequel with Grease 2, but there was also a live music adaptation in 2016 that revisited the story with a new cast. Amazingly, the franchise was even expanded into various videogames including a party game for the Nintendo Wii and a dancing game for the Xbox 360 and PS3. There’s even a licenced Grease slot that gives players the chance to go grease lightning in an attempt to win cash prizes.

Grease has a magical way of attracting different types of audiences thanks to their catchy songs, serious subject matters and a great cast. It’s no surprise that Paramount are working on a miniseries called Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies and a prequel called Summer Lovin’.

Die Hard

There’s a long debate as to whether Die Hard is a Christmas film or not – which surely highlights how much of an impact this film has had on modern culture. Die Hard follows John McClane, a New York City police detective, who gets caught up in a terrorist attack in a Los Angeles skyscraper.

The expectations for this film was extremely low from the studio as multiple actors turned down the leading role with Bruce Willis not even being in the top five choices. To their surprise, the film became a box office success and arguably revitalised the action genre showcasing more human heroes.

After the success of the first film, it was inevitable that a franchise would spawn with four different sequels with the latest one being A Good Day to Die Hard. Alongside the film franchise, there are various videogames such as the Die Hard Trilogy and Die Hard Vendetta which were positively reviewed.

More recently, Call of Duty Warzone and Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War feature John McClane as a character plus the film is constantly referenced by Jake Peralta in Brooklyn 99. Die Hard not only went beyond the expectations of the studio, but it became a film that will be forever celebrated by modern culture due to the action legend John McClane.

Ghostbusters

It’s almost impossible to hear the word Ghostbusters and not think of the catchy theme song by Ray Parker Jr – that’s just the huge impact that Ghostbusters has. The original film was released in 1984 and followed a group of eccentric ghost hunters.

As soon as the film was released, it became a cultural phenomenon and developed a dedicated fan following. There was an immediate sequel called Ghostbusters II and plans for a third film, but this was halted due to the death of cast member Harold Ramis. Whilst there may have not been a direct sequel to the original two films, there have been two reboots of the series including the 2016 Ghostbusters and 2021 Ghostbusters: Afterlife.

Several videogames have been released with the first one being Ghostbusters on the Commodore 64 and the most recent being Ghostbusters World in 2018 that is similar to Pokémon Go, as you catch ghosts on your phone. There have also been board games, various toys, branded haunted houses and numerous comic books that have spawned from this series. What’s not to love about a group of misfits hunting down ghosts and saving the world in secret?

The Shining

Stephen King is one of the greatest horror writers of the 20th and 21st century, having written so many incredible stories – but his most famous has to be The Shining. The book was so well received that Stanley Kubrick adapted it into a film starring Jack Nicholson that follows him and his family as they look after the mysterious Overlook Hotel.

Initially released to mediocre reviews, The Shining even garnered Razzle nominations for Worst Director and Worst Actress. Thankfully during the late 80s, there was a reappraisal that actually gave the film the respect it deserved. It’s now considered one of the greatest and most influential horror movies of all time with every generation knowing of The Shining.

The iconic phrase ‘here’s Johnny’ has been parodied countless times in pop culture along with many other phrases throughout the film. Steven Spielberg, a friend of the late Kubrick, even included a sequence dedicated to the film in Ready Player One. 

Alongside the references in film and TV, the music industry has been heavily influenced by the film. Thirty Seconds to Mars famously paid homage to the film in their music video for ‘The Kill’, but Ice Nine Kills took it even further with their song ‘Enjoy your Slay’ with vocals from Kubrick’s grandson Sam.

It’s clear that The Shining has transcended its medium and exploded everywhere. 2019 saw a sequel to the film called Dr Sleep and there’s even a spin-off TV series called Overlook which is currently in development. As a cultural landmark, this won’t be the last we see of The Shining and we can’t wait to see what happens next for this franchise.