Table of contents:
- 14 Breakfast at Tiffany’s (1961)
- 13 The Graduate (1967)
- 12 Our Man Flint (1966)
- 11 Witch of Love (2016)
- 10 Dr. No (1962)
- 9 A Hard Day’s Night (1964)
- 8 Valley of the Dolls (1967)
- 7 Midnight Cowboy (1969)
- 6 Once upon a time… in Hollywood (2019)
- 5 Blood and Black Lace (1964)
- 4 Easy Rider (1969)
- 3 Tokyo Drifter (1966)
- 2 Bombing (1966)
- 1 Barbarella (1968)
One of the coolest things about movies is the way they can transport their audience to another time. Whether it’s a new movie with a detailed time setting or a classic that perfectly encapsulates the era in which it was made, movies often serve as important time capsules in addition to being entertaining.
One of the most fascinating decades to study through cinema was the 1960s. It was a turbulent time of war, political intrigue, rock and roll, hippiedom, and psychedelia, and films from or about the decade reflect those traits. It was also an important decade for movies, during which many of the biggest genre hits in cinema history were published; The 1960s saw the birth of the spy movie, as well as the popularization of the hippie road movie, the “New Hollywood” black comedy, and the Italian giallo genre.
In some ways, these types of films couldn’t be more different from one another, however, from an aesthetic point of view, they all share a colorful ’60s aura. In the list below, we’ve counted down the 14 best movies that perfectly encompass the look and feel of the decade’s most glamorous and far-fetched.
14 Breakfast at Tiffany’s (1961)
No film quite captures Eastman’s luxurious pre-psychedelic, pre-war aesthetic of the early ’60s better than Breakfast at Tiffany’s. It’s the classic big-budget comedy about a young woman who falls in love with an aspiring writer who moves into her New York City apartment building. One of the best romantic films of the 1960s, the clever, Oscar-nominated screenplay was based on a Truman Capote novel, and perfectly represents the carefree attitude of the early 1960s.
The film is what put director Blake Edwards in the spotlight, who later found more fame with his filmography Pink panther Movies (all honorable mentions for this list). From lavish sets to sumptuous costumes – not to mention the acclaimed soundtrack – Breakfast at Tiffany’s is the final gate of 1961.
13 The Graduate (1967)
On the other side of the 60’s romantic comedy coin from Breakfast at Tiffany’s He is graduation. It’s a dark, satirical film that fully embraces the paranoia and political discontent of the late 1960s with its story of isolated young men trying to come to terms with their uncertain future. It stars Dustin Hoffman as a recent college graduate who gets distracted from the uncertainties of life after college with an affair with an older woman. His situation becomes complicated when he later falls in love with the older woman’s daughter.
Remembered for its radical approach to “New Hollywood” filmmaking, brilliant needle-drops from Simon and Garfunkel, and a wonderfully pessimistic ending that has been referenced and derided an inordinate number of times in the years since, graduation It is a trip to the late sixties like no other.
12 Our Man Flint (1966)
Our man is Flint is a clever and colorful parody of James Bond and other “spy-fi” flicks from the ’60s replete with flashy sets and vintage costumes. The film follows a secret agent named Derek Flynt, played by action icon James Coburn, on a mission to stop a team of mad scientists who possess the power to control Earth’s weather and tectonic plates.
It’s absolutely silly and genuinely delightful, delivering high-octane action, hard rock performances, and plenty of bright ’60s eye candy to feast your eyes on, even when some of the jokes don’t quite hit the intended mark.
11 Witch of Love (2016)
love witch is a stunning homage to the horror films of the 1960s, shot authentically on 35mm film and featuring some of the most elaborate sets and costumes. since Any movie set in the 60’s. It is about a young witch who seduces men with potions and spells in her quest to find the lover of her dreams and the violent disaster that follows.
Described by Collider as full of “bright pastel colours, brisk dancing, nude rituals, a detective named Griff and slick, purposeful acting”, love witch It’s unlike any other movie from the 2000s. It is, rather, a perfect recreation and celebration of the 1960s aesthetic, and one of the most shot films ever made.
10 Dr. No (1962)
Doctor no It is the first film in the James Bond series, and it remains one of the best films ever made. It’s also one of the greatest examples of the 1960s aesthetic, with director Terrence Young doing an excellent job of capturing the sights and sounds of Jamaica circa 1962. The plot revolves around Bond’s mission to put an end to a dark, paranoid scheme to destroy the US space programme, is a 1960s spy paradigm that inspired a number of Countless imitators.
This stylish spy thriller has aged incredibly well, and remains a highlight of the series in the 1960s.
9 A Hard Day’s Night (1964)
a hard day’s Night is one of the best capsules of the sixties; It’s the Beatles’ feature film debut, so it’s a pop culture compact that won’t be of much interest to music fans and fans of the ’60s aesthetic. The satirical film follows the band throughout “A Day in the Life” and, as Screen Rant puts it, “represents the astronomical level of fame the Beatles saw in the 1960s”.
Innovatively portrayed by director Richard Lester, it is full of fun fashion, vintage cars and of course, rock and roll music. a hard day’s Night Both of its time and timeless.
8 Valley of the Dolls (1967)
Valley of the Dolls is a classic drama about three women trying to launch a career in the entertainment industry, and the trials and tribulations they encounter along the way. With a cast of many of the decade’s important stars – including the great Sharon Tate – Valley of the Dolls is a colorful portrait of life in the big city during that turbulent decade. Also more worth checking out is the satirical 1970’s follow-up Beyond the Valley of the Dollswhich is generally a better movie than the original, although it has more of a ’70s feel to it than a ’60s movie.
7 Midnight Cowboy (1969)
Midnight Cowboy is one of the many masterpieces of the 1960s which, along with the aforementioned graduation, establishes Dustin Hoffman as one of the greatest actors of the 20th century. It follows Texas dishwasher Joe Buck, played by the legendary Jon Voight, on his mission to hit the jackpot as a New York City con-man. Along the way, he befriends the shady Ratso, played by Hoffman, who proves to be a threat to his project. If you’re looking for a seedy, sleazy, and honest depiction of New York City in the late 1960s, look no further than this fantastic drama.
6 Once upon a time… in Hollywood (2019)
Once upon a time in hollywood is Quentin Tarantino’s deep love letter to the history of cinema, specifically the famous actors, fading fads, and exciting and uncertain nature of the industry circa 1969. Its sweeping story follows an underrated actor and his struggle to make it in an industry that doesn’t value them anymore. Their adversities are soon intersected by a fictionalized retelling of the true story of the Manson Family’s rise and the crimes they committed in August 1969.
The film is glorious to look at, as the filmmakers clearly spared no expense in bringing a richly textured and authentic recreation of Hollywood in the late ’60s to the screen, complete with all the cars, clothes, architecture, and music one could possibly want. Expect.
5 Blood and Black Lace (1964)
Blood and black lace is Italian maestro Mario Bava’s moody horror masterpiece about a masked killer who stalks models at a prominent fashion house in Rome. One of the earliest examples of the popular Giallo genre, as well as one of the best examples of the “proto-slasher,” the film is a genre-defining horror gem with a lasting impact that can’t be overstated. Plus, the movie is full of gorgeous ’60s art and baroque style, making it a great watch for fans of the decade’s aesthetic.
4 Easy Rider (1969)
Easy Rider is the ultimate hippie road movie and one of the greatest and most influential independent films of all time. It introduced the world to a new kind of film, one that could be made without famous stars or huge studio involvement, and remains a powerful achievement and inspiration for young filmmakers everywhere. The particular aesthetic that this film captures perfectly is that of the late 1960s—a mix of psychedelia, roadside music, symbols of freedom, country rock, and imagery representing fallen heroes and shattered dreams.
3 Tokyo Drifter (1966)
Tokyo Drifter is an underrated Japanese action masterpiece directed by new wave auteur Seijun Suzuki. It concerns the flight of a highly skilled yakuza member through the snowy countryside after he is scheduled to be assassinated by a rival gang. While the intro may not look completely original, the visuals are unique; From fashion to photography, and all the beautiful Art Deco-inspired ensembles and expressive lighting settings in between, the aesthetic Tokyo Drifter It is quintessential sixties.
2 Bombing (1966)
Explodes is a dark thriller from Italian director Michelangelo Antonioni – his first in the English language – and an unrivaled portrait of London during the Swinging Sixties. It stars David Hemmings as a fashion photographer who accidentally takes a picture of what appears to be an attempted murder.
His curiosity leads him into a pit of danger and deceit, taking the audience on all the drug-fuelled parties, underground rock shows, and 1960s high and low society homes they could desire.
1 Barbarella (1968)
Barbarella It is the quintessential center of all the excesses of the psychedelic – heady space age Sexual A sci-fi journey through the wild settings of the 41st century, starring counterculture icon Jane Fonda and artfully directed by French director Roger Vadim. It’s surreal, silly, and unabashedly goofy, filled to the brim with extravagant design and far-fetched costumes.
Every frame drips with that special brand of the ’60s, with brightly painted skies and carpeted spaceships, plus an eerie Baroque pop that’s guaranteed to make its way to your ears, never to be heard again.
