The 10 Best Movies That Are Over 100 Years Old, Ranked
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Collider presents a ranked selection of silent-era films released more than a century ago, arguing that their historical importance is matched by qualities that can still engage modern viewers. The list emphasises early cinema’s ambition in spectacle, romance, literary adaptation and horror, while acknowledging that its pacing may feel unfamiliar today.
– ‘The Big Parade’ is highlighted as an underappreciated First World War epic combining battlefield spectacle with romance and melodrama.
– ‘Dante’s Inferno’ (1911) is praised as a surviving early feature adaptation whose unsettling atmosphere suits its vision of hell.
– ‘The Phantom of the Opera’ (1925) is noted for Lon Chaney’s performance, striking make-up and enduringly eerie tone.
– The article frames these films as worthwhile both for film-history enthusiasts and viewers interested in the periods they portray.
- Silent films can still be compelling.
- Early cinema combined ambition with innovation.
- ‘The Big Parade’ receives particular praise.
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Films made in the silent era used images, music and short written captions instead of recorded dialogue. By the early 20th century, film-makers were already attempting large-scale war stories, romances, literary adaptations and horror, often with elaborate sets, large casts and visual effects.
The First World War, which lasted from 1914 to 1918, became an important subject for films made soon afterwards, including stories about soldiers and civilian life. Classic novels and stage works also provided familiar material for early cinema, while tales such as The Phantom of the Opera and Dante’s Inferno helped establish screen horror through make-up, lighting and dramatic imagery.
Many films from this period have a different rhythm and acting style from modern releases, partly because they were designed for silent cinemas. Their survival also matters because many early films have been lost or damaged, making the remaining works a record of how cinema developed.