Jan 16 2009
Buried Treasures
In the many mega-sets of cheap public domain movies I find, I’ll often run across surprisingly good, classic movies. There aren’t many, but they are quite easy to find. Here is a list of some of the great public domain movies and which DVD sets you can find them inside.
METROPOLIS (1927)
This is regarded as one of the greatest science fiction classics of all-time. And that’s saying something considering it’s in black-and-white and silent. The story is about a futuristic city where there is a struggle between upper and lower class. The lower-class work below ground in a factory-like environment, while the upper-class work in tall futuristic skyscrapers. And in the middle of all this, a female robot stirs the pot. Directed by Fritz Lang, the film features some gorgeous cinematography and special effects that are impressive for their time.
Where you can find it:
-Horror Classics 50 Movie Pack Collection (Mill Creek Entertainment)
-Tales from the Future 9 Movie Pack (St. Clair Vision)
-Silent Classics (St. Clair Vision)
THE LOST WORLD (1925)
Another silent classic, The Lost World features some impressive stop-motion of dinosaurs. Basically, a group of explorers visit an island, find some dinosaurs, and take one back to the city where it causes destruction. It’s no King Kong, but it’s a fun little flick and a great movie for those into animation.
Where you can find it:
-Sci-Fi Classics 100 Movie Pack (Mill Creek Entertainment)
-Tales from the Future 9 Movie Pack (St. Clair Vision)
NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD (1968)
Yes, even Romero’s zombie classic that started it all can be found for cheap. If you’ve never seen this classic, it’s about a bunch of people who hold themselves up in a house while zombies claw at the door. One of the greatest horror films of all-time and considering you can find it for cheap, there is no excuse for not having seen this.
Where you can find it:
-Horror Classics 50 Movie Pack Collection (Mill Creek Entertainment)
-Vampires & More! 20 Movie Pack (Mill Creek Entertainment)
-The Living Dead 9 Movie Pack (St. Clair Vision)
NOSFERATU (1922)
Its black-and-white and silent, but just take one look at that vampire walking through the darkness and tell me that doesn’t creep you out.
Where you can find it:
-Horror Classics 50 Movie Pack Collection (Mill Creek Entertainment)
-Silent Classics (St. Clair Vision)
-Vampires & More! 20 Movie Pack (Mill Creek Entertainment)
PHANTOM OF THE OPERA (1925)
Even the classic with some of the most creepy makeup ever worn by Lon Chaney can be found on the cheap.
Where you can find it:
-Horror Classics 50 Movie Pack Collection (Mill Creek Entertainment)
THE LAST MAN ON EARTH (1964)
The precursor to The Omega Man and I Am Legend, nobody could do this kind of role better than Vincent Price.
Where you can find it:
-Horror Classics 50 Movie Pack Collection (Mill Creek Entertainment)
-Vampires & More! 20 Movie Pack (Mill Creek Entertainment)
-The Living Dead 9 Movie Pack (St. Clair Vision)
Also, all the movies I mentioned can most likely be found singular in the dollar DVD bin. There also have their own remastered versions with better picture and audio. But if you don’t feel like paying a lot for them and quality isn’t a big issue, try picking up one of these box-sets.
