A Filmmaker's Guide to: 20 Films of the 1930s

The Golden Age of cinema is synonymous with names such as Charlie Chaplin, Katharine Hepburn, Clark Gable and many more. The rise of Universal Studios through its Dark Universe of Horror films during the 30s resurgence was one of the greatest moments in horror film history. But, apart from horror, we had bigger budget films, bigger names being formed and some of the most memorable and loveable storylines in all of cinema history.

Through the Great Depression, not only did Horror Films become more popular as a way of escaping the dreariness of real life, but romantic films, war films and comedies were on the rise as well. With a young Alfred Hitchcock examining the scene - cinema was surely going places at this time. It was during this era where Hitchcock would meet the great Peter Lorre, an actor from "M" by Fritz Lang, and ask him to be in the first version of "The Man Who Knew Too Much" in 1934. A brilliantly made film, Hitchcock would come to remake it later on in his career with different actors, but the original version is always close to my heart, personally.

The Dark Universe was well underway by the middle of the 30s and with films like Boris Karloff's incredible "Frankenstein" and "Bride of Frankenstein" under its belt by 1935, you thought they'd done it all. Absolutely not. In 1931, we also have the incredible "Dracula" and by '33 we have the unforgettable monster movie "King Kong". Invisible Man (1933) was so good it would inspire an entire culture of films based on the terrifying HG Wells book. All this while, a young Hitchcock was busy perfecting his work "The Lady Vanishes" in 1938 starring Michael Redgrave.

Kicking off musical movies from the 20s Broadway Melody came one of the most loved storylines in all of cinematic history: "A Star is Born" was released in 1937 and would be remade over and over again until the year when Lady Gaga would win the Oscar for it which only happened in the last few years. From films like "The Artist" (2011) and yes, even the incredible musical: "Fame". This film has shown its inspiration on every aspect of musical cinema.

"Gone with the Wind" (1939) became one of the most beloved films in all of human history. With big names such as Clark Gable and Vivien Leigh, this film became known as the magnum opus for both of them. With the help of the great director Victor Fleming and a name that everyone in cinema knows: David O. Selznick, this film shot into stardom and became a cultural phenomenon. Imitated on screen in everything from Tim Burton's "Corpse Bride" to "The Simpsons" and back again, this film won the Best Picture Academy Award and an incredible legacy to go with it.

Disney was getting well underway after the release of "Steamboat Willie" in the late 20s and thought it time to make a feature length animated film: "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" (1937). A masterpiece of animation, it proves to us just how much work goes into films like this and what can come out of it. A timeless combination of music, romance, comedy and a story that is loved by children everywhere - this film has managed to keep living and living. When I was a child in the late 90s and early 2000s, I had a copy of this film on VHS which came along with a small book which shows you all the different animation styles in the film. The film is a national treasure of America and a legacy of cinema for everyone from Pixar Animation to Studio Ghibli and beyond. It isn't just the style of animation - it's the sheer amount of work that went into it.

20 Films of the 1930s

Let's have a look at twenty films of the 1930s that you probably want to watch if you're interested in investigating further into the birth of Golden Age Cinema. This is where we get a good amount of sound, better picture quality, bigger names forming, the Oscars are more popular than ever and genres are expanding left, right and centre. Ah, and most importantly, it is the birth of auter cinema.

These films are in no particular order:

1. Gone with the Wind (1939)

2. The Man Who Knew Too Much (1934)

3. Frankenstein (1931)

4. Dracula (1931)

5. The Wizard of Oz (1939)

6. King Kong (1933)

7. The 39 Steps (1935)

8. Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1931)

9. A Star is Born (1937)

10. Robin Hood (1938)

11. All Quiet on the Western Front (1930)

12. It Happened One Night (1934)

13. The Lady Vanishes (1938)

14. Snow White (1937)

15. Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939)

16. Bringing Up Baby (1938)

17. Invisible Man (1933)

18. Stagecoach (1939)

19. City Lights (1931)

20. 42nd Street (1933)