Movie night is the absolute best. Think about it, you kick back in front of a larger-than-life tv, crack open some beverages, eat some popcorn, and watch your favorite movies at extremely loud volumes. Extra points if your surround sound scares the neighbors. However, not every movie should be an explosion-fest courtesy of Michael Bay. Sometimes, the best option for movie night is a classic film from before most of us were born.
Many of my favorite movies were filmed when my parents were kids, but I still found an appreciation for the stories, the humor, and the action. Obviously, most people are aware of the classics like Star Wars, The Godfather, The Untouchables, and The Apple Dumpling Gang (Tim Conway rocks), but I wanted to highlight some of the lesser-known movies created before the year of my birth (1988). Therefore, I present “My 5 Favorite Movies Made Before 1988”.
5) Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975)
Monty Python is quite possibly the most famous comedy group of all time. This team, composed of Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, and Michael Palin, created some of the most memorable sketches and films of all time. Monty Python and the Holy Grail is one of the most famous of these films, and I spent the majority of junior high and high school quoting lines with my friends.
Why is Monty Python and the Holy Grail essential? The movie may have been created in 1975, but the jokes are still entertaining today, and the lines are endlessly quotable. The knights who say “NI”, the killer bunny, and the Black Knight are all hilarious bits that tie this film together. Even the small bits like using coconuts to create horse sounds still get laughs. Monty Python and the Holy Grail may be low budget, but it’s one comedy worth watching.
4) Support Your Local Sheriff (1969)
James Garner was a great actor, may he rest in peace, and he made some absolute gems. Garner may have been known mainly for Maverick, but I think his best role was that of Jason McCullough in Support Your Local Sheriff. McCullough was the best gunman in the Old West, and he didn’t take any crap from the local villains. However, McCullough also had a fun-loving side that relished messing with people.
Support Your Local Sheriff follows McCullough as he is journeying across the West on his way to Australia. He comes across a small town in desperate need of a Sheriff and decides to spend some time cleaning up the filth. The town’s weirdest citizen, Jake, becomes McCullough’s deputy as they begin to fight back against the ruthless Danby clan.
This plot may sound dramatic, but Support Your Local Sheriff is anything but serious, which is why I love it.
Like the other films on this list, Support Your Local Sheriff features a stellar cast including James Garner, Jake Elam, a young Bruce Dern, and Harry Morgan (Colonel Potter from MASH). All of these characters play to their goofier sides to create a very funny film. Bruce Dern in particular does an excellent job playing the dumbest member of the evil Danby clan, and his attempted escapes from jail are hilarious. Honestly, where else are you going to see a character stop someone from shooting a gun simply by sticking his finger in the barrel?
Support Your Local Sheriff is a fantastic film, and you should go watch it right now.
3) Father Goose (1964)
Cary Grant was a phenomenal actor with the ability to switch between serious and humorous roles at the drop of a hat. Grant also had the ability to woo any leading lady with his charming (or gruff) demeanor. It only makes sense that Grant’s talent would result in some fantastic movies, but I chose to go with one of his lesser-known films for the essential list.
Father Goose is the tale of a drunken bachelor who is coerced into working for the Royal Australian Navy during World War II. His job is to spot Japanese planes that may affect the war, and his reward is the location of some hidden whiskey. However, Grant’s alone time on a desolate island is quickly disturbed by the arrival of a schoolteacher—played very well by Leslie Caron—and seven young schoolgirls. At that point, Father Goose becomes a romantic comedy centered on Grant’s relationship with Caron, mixed with jokes about his drunkenness and disdain for children.
Father Goose is an essential movie because it is a sweet-hearted comedy with jokes that are still entertaining today. In addition, Cary Grant headlines a fantastic cast that actually sells the plot and the growing relationships between the characters. Don’t worry about Father Goose’s age; the movie only gets better with time.
2) Kelly’s Heroes (1970)
Clint Eastwood has made some important movies during his time as an actor and director, but most of them were focused on hard boiled, serious characters. Kelly’s Heroes takes the standard Eastwood character and mixes it with a bunch of money-hungry American soldiers to create an entertaining heist movie set in World War II.
Kelly’s Heroes revolves around a unit of American soldiers who discover that the Nazis have hidden a stockpile of gold behind enemy lines. The soldiers say, “screw the war” and go off on a secret mission to hijack the gold. Sure, this isn’t the best message to give to viewers, but it makes for a fun movie.
While Kelly’s Heroes may have some great action sequences, the real draw is the cast. Eastwood’s crew includes a young, hippie version of Donald Sutherland, a wisecracking Don Rickles, and a straight-laced Telly Savalas. Each actor brings a unique craziness to the different soldiers, and they blend together well to create a lovable group of protagonists. It also helps that the soldiers spend the entire movie joking around, drinking wine, and insulting a private named Babra. In my opinion, Kelly’s Heroes is endlessly entertaining, and it’s still funny even today.
1) Silverado (1985)
Look, I grew up in a home that adored Westerns, so I automatically think about them in a positive manner. However, even when I set my bias aside, I still view Silverado as the best movie ever made. This may sound strange coming from a person obsessed with Star Wars, but it makes sense. Trust me.
Silverado is a story of two brothers on journey to California. Along the way, they meet up with two other cowboys and end up in the small town of Silverado. Their time in this town is spent fighting evil and corrupt men, righting wrongs, and meeting some ladies. These four friends also manage to stop a robbery, avenge a murder, and creatively herd cattle.
Silverado is great for multiple reasons, but the main one is the cast. Silverado’s director Lawrence Kasdan created an ensemble cast featuring Scott Glenn, Kevin Costner, Kevin Kline, and Danny Glover. As if those actors weren’t enough, Kasdan also brought in Linda Hunt, Jeff Goldblum, Brian Dennehy, and FREAKING JOHN CLEESE! Watching John Cleese as a British Sheriff in the Old West is fantastic.
Silverado is an entertaining movie with an impressive cast and divine soundtrack. So, why aren’t you watching it yet?
Have you seen all of these movies?
I absolutely love all 5 of these films, but how do you feel about them? Let us know in the comments, and tell us your favorite movies from before 1988.
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