Before I became a teenager and had a little of my own spending money, my only access to films were on TV.
One single TV in the house.
3 channels.
No video recorder.

Sunday afternoon movies were something to be relished.
You were lucky if the film was shown again in the next year or two so if you missed it there was no catch up or on demand service. You simply had to wait and hope that it would be shown again in the future.

Scanning the TV times and book marking movies were a weekly hobby.
The Xmas edition was ‘really’ exciting!!

Typical Sunday afternoon movies consisted of what I would consider ‘classics’.
Movies that spanned cinema history.
Movies that would never be shown in a cinema again and that found a new audience on TV.

Some of my favourite Sunday afternoon movies included……
Seven Brides for Seven Brothers.
Possibly my favourite musical. I love this film. The colour, the songs, the dancing, the smushy happy ending.
The barn raising scene is a Magic Movie Moment I can watch again and again.

Ben Hur
Almost 4 hours long!! Winner of 11 Academy Awards.
This film was a true EPIC. There’s no CGI here. Just some amazing sets, beautiful costumes, incredible cinematography, THOUSANDS of extras.
Just take a look at some of the stunts in this scene!! They could put some of today’s stunts to shame.
The chariot race, another Magic Movie Moment.

The king and I
An amazing musical and Yul Bryner was just born to play the king.
Beautiful scenery, incredible costumes and this truly astounding dance scene.
Deborah Kerr became known as the Melting Miss Kerr on set as she lost 12 pounds during filming. All of her dresses weighed between 30 and 40 pounds and she would continuously get bruises from dancing with the hoops in the skirts.
Yul Bryner had lost a lung due to his smoking habit prior to filming and required oxygen between takes. But the finished product is just magical.
Shall We Dance is another Magic Movie Moment.

Oliver
Another loved musical.
Ron Moody is undeniably the best Fagin there has ever been and Oliver Reed will always be Bill Sikes in my mind.
There is always one scene that makes me want to sing along.
Oom-pah-pah!! is another Magic Movie Moment.

Unfortunately, trying to get my kids to sit and appreciate some of these film is damned near impossible.
They have been spoilt with modern movie effects and blockbuster stories.
They can’t see the beauty and creativity that went into these ‘OLD’ movies.
However, I won’t give up trying to change their minds!