Reel Old Movies

On this date in Hollywood history -- November edition: Lon Chaney stars as a tough Marine sergeant, birthdays for Joel McCrea and Mabel Normand, "The Big Parade" premieres and more ... 

Ten minutes of lost footage is now restored to the Lon Chaney classic silent horror movie, “The Unknown” (1927), and the new print is screening for audiences for the first time in the United States. 

No trick, all treats: Horror movies lurk in every corner of classic film. This Halloween, go beyond the usual suspects and sample of few of these frightfully fun movies from the silent era that may not be as well known. 

Good art can be appreciate long after its creation, and movies are no exception. The year 1924 was a banner year for movie-making, and a century of time doesn't diminish some of the entertainment on screen.  Take a look at a few 1924 silent movies across different genres from 100 years ago:

It’s not Joaquin Phoenix’s The Joker. It’s Conrad Veidt’s Gwynplaine from 1928’s “The Man Who Laughs.” 

On this date in Hollywood history -- July edition: "White Zombie," "Easy Rider" and film noir classic "Double Indemnity" premiere, Alan Arkin dies, birthdays for Theda Bara, William Powell, Clara Bow, "Phantom of the Opera" star Mary Philbin, Olivia de Havilland, Thomas Mitchell, Barbara Stanwyck, James Cagney, Ginger Rogers and John Gilbert, and more ...  Discover what happened on days throughout July in Hollywood history, from historic film premieres and industry milestones to anniversaries of birthdays/deaths of beloved Old Hollywood figures, and more. ( And explore previous months ) This story will be updated throughout the month July 29 Theda Bara (born July 29, 1885, died April 7, 1955) was one of the most popular actresses of the silent movie era and known for her femme fatale roles. She isn’t as well known to mass modern audiences in part because so many of her films have been lost to history.  One that survives: 1925’s “The Unchastened W

NOW AVAILABLE!  Movie Posters from Silent Films: Pictorial highlights from early cinema and the silent movie era

Now available! "Visual History of Silent Movies: A reissue of the 1927 pictorial survey 'Masters and Masterpieces of the Screen'"  — order your paperback at Amazon 

Calling all classic movie fans! Check out these book bargains this week during Amazon's Prime Day sale July 16-17, 2024.  From Old Hollywood trivia to a beginner's guide for newbies, and from Harold Lloyd to "It's a Wonderful Life," Reel Old Movies has discounted our books -- starting at $5 -- this week.  Here's a quick round-up of books on sale from Reel Old Movies: Beginner's Guide to Classic Movies Katharine Hepburn vs. Audrey Hepburn. “Gilda,” “Laura” or “Harold and Maude”? John Wayne, John Ford and John Gilbert. Tens of thousands of movies and hundreds of stars over several decades can be daunting. Where to even start? This guide of 50 movies is a way to jumpstart your classic movie appreciation by providing a broad cross-section of films from a variety of movie genres, directors and stars. You’ll get a solid foundation of Old Hollywood, but even better – you’ll start to discover for yourself which styles and stars you like and pursue more of those m

Whether it’s blood and gore or creepfest thrills or just a classic monster movie – what do these movies all have in common? Enough scares to last all year long.  If you’re looking for classic horror movie favorites or searching out new frightful films for the Halloween season, here are a few ideas for when you want to jump and shiver.  It’s a mix of popular fright favorites, horror classics, psychological thrillers and hidden gems, from the silent era into the 1960s. What would you add to the list? What would you remove? Share your thoughts @ReelOldMovies on Instagram.   The Phantom of the Opera (1925) While in more modern interpretations, the phantom is portrayed as a singing misdirected figure, the 1925 silent movie version showed the phantom is all his most obsessed and grotesque glory. Lon Chaney, the Man of a Thousand Faces, created the Phantom’s skull-like look himself and the big “reveal” scene would make audiences recoil for generations. Night of the Hunter (1955)  Robert Mit

September 29, 2022 is National Silent Movie Day. But what exactly is it, when did it start and what is its purpose? A few frequently asked questions (and answers) around National Silent Movie Day 2022.