Library Roundup

While the time leading up to the holidays tends to be hectic, for a lot of folks, the end of December/early January is a nice time to take it easy and maybe catch up on some movies to watch.

If you’re interested in exploring classic Hollywood, the library has one of the best selections around! Mainstream streaming services like Netflix are infamous for neglecting classic cinema. A recent search of films from before 1970 on Netflix yielded fewer than 10 movies! Here at the library, we have a dedicated section of our DVD collection to classic film, as well as a growing selection of Blu-Ray and 4k Ultra HD discs that actually have better picture quality than is possible through streaming. And even if you don’t think you can play them: if you have any modern video game consoles (aside from Nintendo Switch), they can play Blu-Ray discs.

If you haven’t explored our collection of discs, here are a selection of some of the classic films you can find on Blu-Ray here at the library, as recommended by one of our film experts:

“The Maltese Falcon” (1941) – Directed by John Huston and starring Humphry Bogart, it helped define the film noir genre. The story centers around private investigator Sam Spade, who finds himself caught in a thrilling web of deceit centered around a jewel-encrusted golden statue.

“Roman Holiday” (1953) – Directed by William Wyler, it stars Audrey Hepburn as a princess exploring Rome and Gregory Peck as an American reporter. This beloved romantic comedy was Hepburn’s Hollywood debut and won her the Academy Award for Best Actress.

“Forbidden Planet” (1956) – Directed by Fred M. Wilcox and starring Anne Francis and Leslie Nielsen, it is a science-fiction classic. This film pioneered many of the aesthetic hallmarks of the genre and tells the story of the crew of a spaceship who lands on a planet to investigate the fate of the crew of a ship that had landed there 20 years earlier.

“Written on the Wind” (1956) – Directed by Douglas Sirk and starring Rock Hudson and Lauren Bacall, this is a melodrama as only classic Hollywood could produce. The story focuses on a wealthy but dysfunctional family wrestling with a host of self-destructive and toxic behaviors.

Of course, this is just a taste of some of the fantastic films in the library’s collection. We also have modern arthouse films like “All of Us Strangers” or “Perfect Days” and more mainstream hits from earlier this year like “Weapons,” “Superman,” or “Freakier Friday” along with popular TV shows.

The library would also like to thank the McClung family for their beautiful display of Lenox Christmas plates from around the world. These are currently on display in our local history cases and will be on view through the end of the year. We would like to extend warm winter wishes to the entire Goshen community and appreciate your continued patronage. As a reminder, the library will be closed on Dec. 31 and Jan. 1.

The Goshen Public Library and Historical Society is located at 366 Main St. in Goshen. For information, call 845-294-6606.