Looking for films that tackle social issues for your next virtual movie night? Below are some “classic” genre suggestions currently streaming on Hoopla.
Conversations with Classics: Social Commentary in Film
This German expressionist sci-fi flick was first released in 1927. It takes place in a dystopian future where those on the surface thrive at the expense of the laborers down below, bringing into question the future of modern capitalism and its class divide.
Extra nerdy companion reading: Weimar Cinema: An Essential Guide to Classic Films of the Era edited by Noah Isenberg
Carnival of Souls
An examination of gender politics and religion, this 1962 b-movie centers around a woman who is haunted by a ghastly figure after mysteriously surviving a car crash and relocating to a new city.
Extra nerdy companion reading: Men, Women, and Chainsaws: Gender in the Modern Horror Film by Carol J Clover
Night of the Living Dead
A group of strangers must work together to survive an attack from the undead. This 1968 horror classic not only paved the way for a new genre, but provided a stark comment on race relations in the US.
Extra nerdy companion reading: Horror Noire: Blacks in American Horror Films from 1890s to Present by Robin R Means Coleman