Why I’ve Gone Back to Watching Old Films (and Left the Modern “Message Factory” Behind)
You know that moment when you sit down after a long day, crack open a drink, and think, Right, let’s watch something good, only to realise that modern TV has turned into a therapy session you never signed up for? Well, that’s where I’m at. I’ve had it up to my eyebrows with the endless moral bushings and politically polished lectures that now pass for “entertainment.”
So, I’ve gone back to watching old films and series, back when people made things to entertain, not educate you on the correct social vocabulary of the week.
The Glory Days of Just Getting On With It
In the old stuff, people simply did things. If there was a car chase, it was real, not a green-screened Tesla soaring through space while the main character delivers a monologue about personal identity. The actors smoked, shouted, fought, laughed, and didn’t give a toss about what Twitter thought of them, mainly because Twitter didn’t exist — and life was better for it.
You had The Italian Job with Michael Caine making chaos in Minis, Only Fools and Horses where Del Boy’s get-rich schemes were more relatable than half the scripts coming out of Netflix today, and Fawlty Towers, a masterclass in bad temper and timing that would probably get banned if it aired now.
It wasn’t about ticking boxes. It was about making you laugh, think, or grip the edge of your seat. Simple, brilliant, and human.
The Modern “Message” Marathon
It’s not just that every film now needs to say something — it’s that they all seem to be saying the same thing, over and over again. I switch on a series hoping for a bit of escapism, and instead I get another 45-minute lecture about how I should feel about absolutely everything.
Look, I don’t care what people do, who they love, or how they live — good luck to them all. But I don’t need every single storyline to come with a moral checklist or a neon sign pointing out how enlightened it all is. Sometimes, I just want a decent story — with characters that exist because they’re interesting, not because the producers think I need educating.
Once upon a time, films trusted the audience to think for themselves. Now, it’s like the scriptwriters don’t believe we’ll “get the message” unless it’s hammered in with a rainbow-coloured mallet.
I’m Not Angry — Just Bored
Now, don’t mistake me for some grumpy relic shouting at clouds. I’m not against change. I’m against boring. And modern films, for all their shiny effects and moral messaging, are just that — boring.
The greats knew how to grab you. Dirty Harry, The Godfather, The Great Escape — these weren’t “statements.” They were stories. Big, bold, unapologetic tales about people doing extraordinary things. Nobody needed a disclaimer or a trigger warning before the opening credits.
Why I’m Staying in the Past
So, I’ll keep raiding the shelves of cinema history. I’ll stick with Connery’s Bond, Clint’s westerns, and Basil’s rants. Because while modern entertainment is busy telling me how to feel, those old gems still let me decide for myself.
And that, to me, is the real magic of good storytelling — it doesn’t preach. It pulls you in, gives you a ride, and lets you walk away with your own thoughts.
So yes, call me old-fashioned if you like. But I’d rather spend my evenings with Del Boy, Michael Caine, and Clint Eastwood than another committee-approved hero who spends more time making speeches than actually doing something.
At least back then, you got entertainment.
Now? You get lectures.
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