8 Pre-2000s Films I Recommend for a Day Off

By: Nancy Aguilar ‘22

1) Comedy/Romance - Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (1986)

This is a really funny and feel-good movie that follows the charming and charismatic Ferris Bueller who lies and schemes his way to get a day off at school. He and his friends get into many shenanigans and they have to find a way to get through the day without getting caught.

2) Comedy/Romance - Lover Come Back (1961)

This stars the amazing Doris Day and her character works at an ad agency and she is out to get her rival, who is played by Rock Hudson. Rock’s character pretends to be a famous chemist and Doris Day’s character falls for him without knowing that he’s her rival. It’s a really fun, comedic and sexy story where enemies become lovers.

3) Musical/Romance - Singin’ in the Rain (1952)

This film stars the brilliant Gene Kelly and his character is a famous actor in the age where sound is first coming to television. It talks about the shift and how many actors didn’t make the shift from no sound to sound because many of them didn’t have singing voices or the best speaking voices. Gene Kelly’s character starts to fall for Debbie Reynolds' character who works as the singing voice for actresses that don’t have good voices. It’s an amazing exhibition of the triple threat (singing, acting and dancing) capabilities of the cast.

4) Action/Comedy - Rush Hour (1998)

Rush Hour is entertaining from the moment the film starts until the end. The chemistry between Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker is magic and the way that they interact on screen is so hard not to love. If you like slapstick comedy and action packed adventure this is the perfect film for you.

5) Western/Drama - The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948)

If you like Westerns and adventure this is a great film to watch. It is filmed in Mexico which is very interesting and there is some controversy on how the Mexican people are depicted in the film. Despite this, however, it is one of the few films that featured so many Mexican people in such an early time period and it marks history in this way. It will really have you on the edge of your seat and the payoff at the end is there, even if it’s not what you’d expect.

6) Horror/Mystery - The Shining (1980)

Jack Nicholson is incredible in this role as a caretaker for a hotel in the winter trying to cure his writer’s block. As the isolated winter in the hotel with his family continues, Jack Nicholson’s character starts to go insane/possessed and go on a murderous rampage as their family uncovers more secrets about the hotel.

7) Horror/Thriller - Carrie (1976)

An adaptation of a Stephen King’s novel and starring Sissy Spacek as an awkward and antisocial teen that is bullied and othered in school. At home, she lives under the strict watch of her religious mother. Meanwhile, Sissy’s character develops telekinetic powers. She goes to prom with a popular guy from school against the wishes of her mother and lets her guard down, but things take a turn for the worst.

8) Horror/Fantasy - Eraserhead (1977)

This is a famous experimental film that is written, directed, produced and edited by entire one person: David Lynch. It’s a classic film for anyone that is interested in unorthodox films or films that challenge contemporary films. It stars Jack Nance and he plays a man who has to take care of a woman that he impregnated. But she gives birth to a creature instead of a human baby and Jack Nance’s character has to grapple with that child and other strange occurrences that begin to happen in his new home with the woman.

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