Want to learn about film hisÂtoÂry? You can take a class on the subÂject, where you’ll likeÂly need a copy of Kristin ThompÂson and David BorÂdÂwell’s stanÂdard text Film HisÂtoÂry: An IntroÂducÂtion, and posÂsiÂbly the comÂpanÂion book, Film Art: An IntroÂducÂtion. These are pheÂnomÂeÂnal resources writÂten by two top-notch scholÂars who have spent their lives watchÂing and anaÂlyzÂing films, and should you have the time and monÂey to study their comÂpreÂhenÂsive introÂducÂtions, by all means do so. But of course, there’s no subÂstiÂtute for actuÂalÂly watchÂing the hunÂdreds of films they refÂerÂence, from the earÂly days of the mediÂum through its many re-visions and innoÂvaÂtions in the 20th cenÂtuÂry.
But why, ask ThompÂson and BorÂdÂwell, “should anyÂbody care about old movies?” The obviÂous answer is that they “offer intense artisÂtic expeÂriÂences or penÂeÂtratÂing visions of human life in othÂer times and places.” AnothÂer key scholÂarÂly theÂsis these theÂoÂrists advance is that in studyÂing narÂraÂtive film hisÂtoÂry, we see the develÂopÂment of film (and latÂer, by extenÂsion, teleÂviÂsion, video games, and othÂer visuÂal media) as an interÂnaÂtionÂal visuÂal language—one nearÂly everyÂone on the planÂet learns to read from a very young age.
In films like The Great Train RobÂbery (1903) and the techÂniÂcalÂly groundÂbreakÂing, if narÂraÂtiveÂly deplorable, Birth of a Nation (1915), we see the creÂation and refineÂment of cross-cutÂting as an essenÂtial cinÂeÂmatÂic techÂnique used in every visuÂal stoÂryÂtelling mediÂum. In Georges MĂ©liès’ brilÂliant fanÂtasies A Trip to the Moon (1902) and The ImposÂsiÂble VoyÂage (1904), we see the joyÂful oriÂgins of the speÂcial effects film. In Sergei Eisenstein’s BatÂtleÂship Potemkin (1925), we see monÂtage theÂoÂry brought to life onscreen. And in the many films of Alfred HitchÂcock, we see the ingeÂnious camÂera and editÂing moves that define horÂror and susÂpense.
All of these films, and many hunÂdreds more, are in the pubÂlic domain and free to view online as many times as you like, whether you do so as part of a forÂmal course of study or simÂply for sheer enjoyÂment. Nathan Heigert at MUBI has comÂpiled a list of 222 “PubÂlic Domain Greats” that repÂreÂsents a wide specÂtrum of film hisÂtoÂry, “from the silents of GrifÂfith, Keaton and ChapÂlin, to neglectÂed noirs and the low-budÂget bliss of Roger CorÂman, plus nearÂly all of Hitchcock’s British films—all free for downÂload or streamÂing (though, natÂuÂralÂly, not in CriÂteÂriÂon qualÂiÂty)” from the InterÂnet Archive. Heigert’s itemÂized list offers a tremenÂdous range and breadth, and conÂtains a great many of the essenÂtial films refÂerÂenced in most film hisÂtoÂry texts.
- A Man with a Movie CamÂera (DziÂga VerÂtov, 1929)
- ScarÂlet Street (Fritz Lang, 1945)
- M (Fritz Lang, 1931)
- D.O.A. (Rudolph Mate, 1950)
- Nanook of the North (Robert FlaÂherÂty, 1922)
- NosÂferÂatu (F.W. MurÂnau, 1922)
- The CabÂiÂnet of Dr. CaliÂgari (Robert Wiene, 1920)
- Night of the LivÂing Dead (George Romero, 1968)
- His Girl FriÂday (Howard Hawks, 1940)
- The 39 Steps (Alfred HitchÂcock, 1935)
- The Lodger (Alfred HitchÂcock, 1927)
- SabÂoÂtage (Alfred HitchÂcock, 1936—find many more HitchÂcock films at our HitchÂcock list)
- IntolÂerÂance (D.W. GrifÂfith, 1915)
- The GenÂerÂal (Buster Keaton, 1926)
- CarÂniÂval of Souls (Herk HarÂvey, 1962)
- LitÂtle Shop of HorÂrors (Roger CorÂman, 1960)
Most of the films on Heigert’s list can also be found in Open Culture’s colÂlecÂtion, 4,000+ Free Movies Online: Great ClasÂsics, Indies, Noir, WestÂerns, DocÂuÂmenÂtaries & More. That includes 16 films above that we’ve preÂviÂousÂly feaÂtured with helpÂful conÂtext on our site. So start watchÂing!
Note: You can find a list with links to all 222 films on Archive.org here.
RelatÂed ConÂtent:
HolÂlyÂwood, Epic DocÂuÂmenÂtary ChronÂiÂcles the EarÂly HisÂtoÂry of CinÂeÂma
The 5 EssenÂtial Rules of Film Noir
Thomas EdiÂson & His Trusty KineÂtoÂscope CreÂate the First Movie Filmed In The US (c. 1889)
Free: British PathĂ© Puts Over 85,000 HisÂtorÂiÂcal Films on YouTube
Josh Jones is a writer and musiÂcian based in Durham, NC. FolÂlow him at @jdmagness