Every ten years or so, the question inevitably arises about which films are the most significant in the history of the film industry. Especially those that marked a milestone in the seventh art. At least those that allowed it to develop and grow as an artistic discipline. The answer usually changes not only from year to year, but also as a result of cultural and social issues of different times.
Overall, it’s a journey that allows you to explore the cinematic world and how it has, over the course of a century and a bit of existence, created its own history and influence. However, the importance of some works remains undiscussed, either due to their excellence or outstanding contribution to Hollywood and cinema in general. As far-reaching works as they are, they all demonstrate that from the division of argument and history to the vision of cinema as spectacle, each of them gave a new perspective to genres and points of view. Especially at key moments when Hollywood and other major production regions need it.
Thanks to the catalogs of streaming platforms, these unique works are more accessible to the public than ever before. To prove it, we leave you with ten feature films every cinephile should see (and where to see them), whether you live in Spain or Latin America. It’s a selection that ranges from seminal movies to new classics. Everything for the lover of the seventh art who wants to enjoy films, it is, one way or another, an important part of understanding modern pop culture.
Citizen Kane (Prime Video in Spain, Max in Latin America)
This work of Orson Welles is considered fundamental to the understanding of modern cinema. Moreover, the director and screenwriter turned the story of a ruthless businessman who looks suspiciously like William Randolph Hearst into a study of greed. In particular, exploring the darkest places of capitalism, political manipulation and abuse of economic privilege.
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But besides this, Citizen Kane This is a controversial work by necessity. Stilted, luxurious and provocative, it made its director the center of attention in a Hollywood that was just beginning to understand the extent of its influence. In the midst of controversy – from the writing of the script to its filming conditions – the film made history. And now you can enjoy it thanks to Prime Video and Max respectively.
The Cabinet of Doctor Caligari (Filmin in Spain, Prime Video in Latin America)
Cinema as we know it would not be the same without this work by Robert Wiene, released in 1920. It is not only one of the main representatives German expressionism, which is fundamental to understanding the modern horror genre.
Hans Janowitz and Karl Mayer’s screenplay delved into abstract and violent dilemmas that turned this story with gothic overtones into a story with multiple interpretations. But specifically, at the cutting edge, in the way it tells the story of fear as a human emotion.
The plot, which follows Cesare (Conrad Veidt), a sleepwalking assassin under the power of Dr. Caligari (Werner Krauss), is dark, convoluted and awkward. Especially when he expresses Janowitz and Meyer’s concerns about the use of drugs and their consequences. The most interesting thing about this indispensable film for film lovers.
King Kong (Prime Video Spain, Max in Latin America)
He monster universe He’s having a great time right now. But if you want to see the origins of everything—at least the story of King Kong—now you have the opportunity to do so by revisiting this important work. The 1933 film, directed by Merian C. Cooper and Ernest B. Schoedsack, is the source of the mythology that surrounds the famous Kong in various films. But more than that, it was a work that innovated entertainment cinema and changed it forever.
The story follows a group of explorers who capture a giant gorilla on Skull Island in order to bring it to New York. But what begins as an adventurous expedition turns into a full-blown tragedy. This premise was repeated, in greater or lesser detail, ad nauseum in all versions of the film. What makes it more interesting is going deeper into the story that was the first step to everything else.
Singing in the rain
(Max in Spain and Latin America)
In 1952, Gene Kelly and Stanley Donen made one of the most iconic films in the musical genre. Singing in the rain This is the essence of optimistic cinema with the hopeful overtones of the seventh art of its golden age. However, at the same time, this is a study that points the way when the advent of talkies and all that it caused among studios and actors became known.
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But more than that, it’s also a film that demonstrates the power of a show brought to the big screen as a complete experience. Featuring an extraordinary soundtrack and some of Hollywood’s most iconic scenes, this film is still an art film that can make you cry and laugh at the same time. And now you can enjoy it in the Max catalogue.
Casablanca (Max in Spain and Latin America)
The iconic tragic romance that marked an era in Hollywood, directed by Michael Curtiz, has all the elements to become a classic. On the one hand, Humphrey Bogart’s sober and elegant performance as Rick. On the other hand, the embodiment of the mysterious woman played by Ingrid Bergman as Ilsa. Together they keep history ranging from the tension in neutral Morocco at the height of World War II to the sadness of hopelessness.
But also, White House, presents a captivating story thanks to its small details. From Rick’s bar filled with French voices singing the Marseillaise at the top of their lungs in protest against the Nazi occupation, to the now classic final scene. Everything in the film is very much a pop culture legend. Now available to a wider audience.
Gone with the Wind (Max in Spain and Latin America)
Another classic novel on the list, essential to understanding the changes in cinema, especially in modern times. Gone With the Wind, Victor Fleming (and other directors) is the apotheosis of monumental and expensive cinema that will become a classic in the Mecca of cinema. But more than that, it is a love story between two unforgettable characters who have served as an inspiration to many others over the decades.
Scarlett O’Hara (Vivien Leigh) is an impulsive heiress from the American South who has no idea that everything in her life is about to change because of the Civil War. On the other hand, Rhett Butler (Clark Gable). He is a womanizer who has no other concerns other than the great dinners and dances he enjoys.
The hopes of both will be dashed in the midst of a brutal and bloody conflict. One that would also destroy the peaceful life they had enjoyed so far. Criticized for its version of slavery and at the center of a nasty debate about racism, the film is still controversial today. An achievement that confirms his importance in pop culture.
The Exorcist (Prime Video in Spain, Max in Latin America)
William Friedkin’s film, which changed the horror genre forever, is a gritty look at dilemmas of faith and a very unusual approach to theology. But also, It’s an uncomfortable, brutal, and transgressive piece that transcends all limitations to tell its story.
From touching on child abuse with a portrait of little Reagan (Linda Blair) to exploring evil from a perspective more human than supernatural. The truth is ExorcistThis is a mature and well-made work that carefully examines diabolical possession in the form of physical, spiritual and moral abuse. By linking to all the stories that came out later, you can see both the original version and the one that contains previously unseen scenes, in streaming.
The Godfather (Netflix in Spain and Latin America)
In 1972, Francis Ford Coppola took the work of Mario Puzo and turned it into a meditation on violence, cruelty and modern evil. And all this through the mythical Vito Corleone (Marlon Brando in a performance that will make him a legend), the head of a criminal organization that he also calls family. The nuance turned the film – the first of a trilogy – into a saga about twisted people who were also anti-heroes.
But much more, in a journey through the pain of poverty, the loneliness of power and the horror of the tragedy of an unattainable person. Elegant, with the atmosphere of an auteur film and with one of the most brutal and well-shot endings in cinema. This is the perfect job for any movie lover.
Pulp Fiction (Netflix in Spain and Latin America)
Quentin Tarantino marked a before and after in film history with this ensemble film in which he fully explores his obsessions. But he also demonstrates his skills and ability to tell a complex story that ultimately adds up to the same script. And this is among dozens of references to pop culture, film classics and even books of your choice.
The result is a film that surprises with its richness of language and ambition. The film has three plots intertwined with each other in different chronological order, a brilliant look at violence, perversion and human nature. Moreover, it becomes more perverted and bloody. The story also has a great soundtrack. Irreplaceable and collectible.
The Silence of the Lambs (Filmin in Spain and Prime in Latin America)
In 1991, Jonathan Demme adapted Thomas Harris’ novel of the same name and created a modern classic. The disturbing story of Hannibal Lecter (Anthony Hopkins, in an Oscar-winning performance) and his parasitic relationship with agent Clarice Starling (Jodie Foster). But also uncomfortable and cruel, in the shadow of what their close collaboration means. A serial killer flays women in a fit of dark compulsion, and Clarice must find clues that will help her uncover his identity.
But first he will have to face the sharp and dark mind of Lecter, who has only time to waste and much to give to understand the young agent’s secrets. A terrible work that opened the door to similar dramas. Silence of the Lambs This is the rare work that always deserves a second review.
Source: Hiper Textual
