How would you define a classic Movie?

To me a classic movie is a movie that you can tell has heart and soul. No matter how many times you watch that movie it still affects you. Whether it is love or fear or any emotion. If a movie truly affected you emotionally then it has become a classic. A personal example for me is the original Mr and Mrs Smith by Alfred Hitchcock just fantastic and captivating. Classic movie all of the way.

For me it is none of what you have said but whether or not they have stood a test of time. What I mean is a movie which is 10 – 20 – 50 years on is still entertaining on all levels and leaves a lasting impression making you want to watch it again. It’s for this reason that any movie which is under 10 years old can’t be called a classic because it maybe good now but will it be as good in a decade or two. For example “Mr Smith Goes to Washington” is still as powerful now as it was when first released back in 1939. “Jaws”, there are movies similar but none have captured the atmosphere like Spielberg did and which still delivers that same sense of foreboding. “The Godfather” one of the most complete movies ever made which has drama, action, horror, comedy, romance and so on and yet almost 40 years after it was released it’s still as impressive revealing something new and a little bit more of itself every time you watch.

I think a classic is because of how it touches the people who see it. The Wizard of OZ was totally blown out of the water by Gone With the Wind, but nobody will deny that "WoO" is a classic!

My definition of classic movies are those in black in white which means from 1920's-1970's (excluding Schindler's List) and the actors and actresses are triple threat which means they can sing, dance and act splendidly. My favorite classics are Gone in the Wind, Singing in the Rain, West Side Story, Breakfast at Tiffany's and to Kill a Mockingbird to name a few. Aside from the actors and actresses these movies also has a very catching screenplay that you really have to understand the lines so that you could get what the story is about.