There are all kinds of movie lovers in the world, and picking out the right gift for each of them can be a hassle. That’s why CraveOnline is dedicated to helping you find the perfect presents this year with a series of gift guides for every type of film fan. And few cinephiles can be harder to shop for than lovers of classic movies. After all, the movies they love have been out for decades. What if they have them all?
Check Out: The 2014 Horror Movie Gift Guide
Fortunately, what’s old can always be made new again. Every year Hollywood strikes incredible new transfers of the most beloved movies ever made, and finally brings a timeless classic to Blu-ray for the first time. And 2014 was absolutely no exception. Thanks to dedicated home video distribution companies like Criterion and Warner Home Video, to name just a couple, there are plenty of all-new releases of all-time classics to buy the classic movie lover in your life.
Check Out: The 2014 Blu-ray Movie Gift Guide
And what’s more, there’s also always plenty of new books illuminating the production of iconic films and the lives of their unforgettable stars. But figuring out which books are worth buying and which are just recycling the same old tales can be tricky if you’re not already a connoisseur. So we’ve got you covered there as well in our 2014 Classic Movie Gift Guide.
Happy holidays, and happy hunting!
CraveOnline’s 2014 Classic Movie Gift Guide:
William Bibbiani is the editor of CraveOnline’s Film Channel and the host of The B-Movies Podcast and The Blue Movies Podcast. Follow him on Twitter at @WilliamBibbiani.
The 2014 Classic Movie Gift Guide
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Scandals of Classic Hollywood: Sex, Deviance, and Drama from the Golden Age of American Cinema
PRICE: $12.35
BUY IT NOW: Amazon.com
The Golden Age of Hollywood was a lot like the Modern Age, full of scandals, obsessions and rumors. Anne Helen Peterson’s new book chronicles the rise and fall of 14 iconic movie stars, including Jean Harlow, Judy Garland, James Dean and Marlon Brando, and argues that the hype only adds to their legends. A great gift for young fans who need to learn more about Hollywood history, and older fans who remember it all.
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Christmas in Connecticut (Blu-ray)
PRICE: $13.89
BUY IT NOW: Amazon.com
One of the best Christmas movies ever made finally comes to HD in a fine new transfer from Warner Bros. Barbara Stanwyck stars as a city girl masquerading as a proto-Martha Stewart, but she’s forced to play the part for real when her publisher insists on coming over for Christmas and bringing a World War II hero along as a publicity stunt. A damn funny movie that belongs in every classic film lover’s collection.
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As You Wish: Inconceivable Tales from the Making of The Princess Bride
PRICE: $15.60
BUY IT NOW: Amazon.com
The Princess Bride star Cary Elwes has teamed up with author Joe Layden to bring you a definitive look at the making of everyone’s favorite movie. New interviews with the filmmakers, exclusive photos, and an original poster by Shepard Fairey mark the 25th anniversary of a classic in just the right way. It’s such a good gift, it’s inconceivable.
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Holiday Inn (Blu-ray)
PRICE: $15.59
BUY IT NOW: Amazon.com
Not everyone knows this (for shame), but the classic song “White Christmas” isn’t from the movie White Christmas, it’s from Holiday Inn, another feel-good romp about Bing Crosby saving a hotel through the power of song and dance. And this time, Fred Astaire is along for the ride, performing a firecracker of a tap dance routine (literally). The Blu-ray comes with a colorized version (meh), and a new commentary. Just watch out for the blackface routine. Needless to say, it hasn’t aged well…
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Five Came Back: A Story of Hollywood and the Second World War
PRICE: $19.70
BUY IT NOW: Amazon.com
Mark Harris’s new book details the way Hollywood was influenced by, and then directly influenced World War II, focusing on filmmakers John Ford, William Wyler, Frank Capra, George Stevens and John Huston. Any book chronicling the lives and works of five of the best filmmakers of all time belongs on a classic film lover’s shelf, but the intriguing focus and historical significance of the subjects makes Five Came Back an especially intriguing gift.
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The Audrey Hepburn Collection
PRICE: $21.99
BUY IT NOW: Amazon.com
Most movie collections include at least one or two bad movies along with the good ones. Not so for The Audrey Hepburne Collection, which features three of the iconic movie star’s best films for a satisfyingly low price. Roman Holiday, Sabrina and Breakfast at Tiffany’s all rank among the actress’s finest work, and although the discs are available separately, having them all in one place makes it a very fine gift indeed.
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A Hard Day's Night (Criterion)
PRICE: $26.99
BUY IT NOW: Amazon.com
Every film lover needs some Criterion Collection Blu-rays on their shelves, and this year brought several of their most eagerly anticipated films. First up is A Hard Day’s Night, the beloved first Beatles movie, which comes with a fantastic new 4K transfer, an audio commentary, documentaries new and old, and Richard Lester’s Oscar-nominated short The Running Jumping & Standing Still Film. Needless to say, it’s all very “clean.”
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It Happened One Night (Criterion)
PRICE: $29.99
BUY IT NOW: Amazon.com
Another great Criterion release this year, It Happened One Night, is the best home video release of one of the most important comedies ever made. If you’ve ever seen a romantic comedy before, it owes a distinct debt of gratitude to this Clark Gable/Claudette Colbert classic, which one Oscars for Best Picture, Director, Actor, Actress and Screenplay (a feat only repeated by two other films). As a bonus, it also comes with an all-new transfer of Frank Capra’s first film, Fultah Fisher’s Boarding House.
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It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World (Criterion Collection)
PRICE: $32.95
BUY IT NOW: Amazon.com
But Criterion really outdid themselves this year with It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World, beautifully restoring the 1963 all-star comedy classic in its traditional version and the 197-minute roadshow cut, featuring tons of different footage. And since this is Criterion we’re talking about, there’s bonus feature galore. It’s one of the funniest movies ever made, and it’s never looked or sounded better.
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My Fair Lady: 50th Anniversary Edition (Blu-ray)
PRICE: $35.99
BUY IT NOW: Amazon.com
The best Audrey Hepburn movie that didn’t make it onto the collection we recommended earlier, the Oscar-winning musical My Fair Lady comes to Blu-ray with an all-new transfer and plenty of special features on December 9, and that means any self-respecting film lover will probably wait to see if they get it under the tree before they buy it for themselves. Wouldn’t it be loverly if they got it from you?
