I have a confession. There are classic movies I've never seen. Not because I don't know they exist. Not because I don't respect them.

I just... never got around to them.

The other day I was listening to The Movies That Made Me podcast, and they mentioned one of those "every filmmaker should see this movie" classics.

Immediately I thought:

"I really need to put that on my ‘to watch’ list." Yes, I keep a list.

Then, just as quickly, another thought popped into my head.

"Girl... you know you’re not going to watch it."

And if I'm being honest...

That's true. There are a handful of movies that are considered essential viewing for filmmakers.

Some because they changed storytelling.

Some because they introduced groundbreaking technology.

Some because they revolutionized marketing.

Some because they simply became cultural landmarks.

I feel like such a traitor writing this. A few are movies that you’d lie and say you saw cause you don’t want to ridiculed

And yet...

I have absolutely no interest in watching some of them. But I still think you should.

Let me tell you why.

1. Napoleon Dynamite

Why I haven't seen it

I completely missed the Napoleon Dynamite phenomenon.

When it came out, I honestly thought I wasn't the demographic. It seemed geared toward a

younger audience, and I just never felt compelled to go see it. Every clip I've ever watched has

made me laugh, but somehow, I was also turned off. The film snob in me took over.  

Maybe I should.

 I know people absolutely love it, and I appreciated its success but I've never felt the urgency.

Why you should see it

Because it proves that originality wins.

By every traditional Hollywood standard, this movie shouldn't have become the cultural

phenomenon it did. It had no stars, a tiny budget, awkward characters, and an oddball sense of

humor. Yet people couldn't stop talking about it. They still bring it up.

It's a reminder that audiences don't always want familiar.

Sometimes, oftentimes, they want something they've never seen before.

2. The Blair Witch Project

Why I never saw it

When The Blair Witch Project came out, I was just beginning my filmmaking career. I was obsessed

with learning how movies were made. I read every filmmaking magazine. Watched every behind-

the-scenes tv show. (Yes... they had those back then.)

So, I already knew it wasn't real. I remember being slightly offended that the marketing tried to

convince audiences otherwise.

Looking back...

That was marketing genius. Combine that with the fact that I don't particularly enjoy horror movies

anyway I didn’t see the need to watch something that I knew wasn’t real pretending to be real. So I

skipped it.

Why you should see it

Not just because it's a horror classic. Watch it because it completely changed how movies are

marketed. It proved that a tiny independent movie could become a worldwide phenomenon.

Through brilliant found footage storytelling and even better never before done viral marketing

campaign.

Sound familiar?

I talk all the time about micro-budget filmmakers thinking beyond the movie itself.

The Blair Witch Project was doing that before social media even existed and we can still learn lots

from it today.

3. The Exorcist

Why I haven't seen it

I'm a complete wuss when it comes to scary movies. I suffered through Freddy Krueger and Jason

because that's what kids did in the '80s.

But The Omen or Poltergeist. Anything involving demons, possessions, ghosts, or anything that

even remotely felt like it could happen?

Absolutely not.

If it seemed even slightly plausible, I ran the other way. I couldn’t even talk about a scary movie

before going to sleep at night. And I make movies! I know they’re fake.

Why you should see it

Because it's considered one of the greatest horror films ever made. More importantly, filmmakers

still talk about it fifty years later. From everything I've read, The Exorcist isn't remembered because

of jump scares. It's remembered because of atmosphere.

It slowly builds dread until you're completely consumed by it. The performances. Linda Blair’s head

turning around – am I right?

That's worth studying. Even if I'll probably continue avoiding it.

4. Lawrence of Arabia

Why I haven't seen it

This one is purely embarrassing. The one that makes me go quiet and nod whenever it comes up

in a discussion.

It's one of those movies that's been on my "I'll get to it eventually" list for... well... decades.

At nearly four hours long, it requires commitment. And every time I think about watching it, I end

up choosing something shorter. I honestly have no real reason. Maybe by the time you read this I

will have watched it. Maybe 😉 is it even available.

Why you should see it

Lawrence of Arabia is considered one of the greatest achievements in cinematic storytelling and

visual filmmaking. The scale, cinematography, editing, and performances have influenced

generations of directors.

Even if you never plan to make an epic, you should understand why this one became the blueprint.

5. A Clockwork Orange

Why I haven't finished it

Okay...

But I am cheating a little. I've started A Clockwork Orange. More than once. I've just never finished it.

The violence immediately turns me off. Which is strange because I like violent movies. I'm a

Quentin Tarantino fan after all. So clearly there's a distinction my brain has made.

I just haven't figured out what it is yet.

Why you should see it

Stanley Kubrick.

Honestly, that's enough.

Whether you agree with his methods or not, his work has influenced generations of filmmakers.

A Clockwork Orange explores free will, morality, government control, violence, and human nature.

Those conversations haven't exactly gone away since 1971.

In fact, they may be even more relevant today.

Here's the lesson...

Listen...

Don't follow in my footsteps.

Students of filmmaking should always be learning, and one of the best ways to learn is by watching movies.

Old movies.

New movies.

Classics.

Forgotten gems.

Even bad movies.

Every film has something to teach you. Sometimes it's what to do. Sometimes it's what not to do.

As for me...I think its finally time to start checking a few of these off my list.

(Well... maybe not The Exorcist. Baby steps.)