This Day in Film History

Marking the anniversaries of the release of major films!

[This Day in Film History @DayFilmHistory]

What are five films you love in five different languages?

- M (German)
- The Battle of Algiers (French)
- In the Mood for Love (Cantonese)
- The Hunt (Danish)
- Roma (Spanish)

[This Day in Film History @DayFilmHistory]

Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery was released on this day 25 years ago – 2 May 1997.

It starred Mike Myers and Elizabeth Hurley, and was directed by Jay Roach. It was also written by Myers.

What's your favourite line from the film?

[This Day in Film History @DayFilmHistory]

Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery was released on this day 25 years ago – 2 May 1997.

It starred Mike Myers and Elizabeth Hurley, and was directed by Jay Roach. It was also written by Myers.

What's your favourite line from the film?

[This Day in Film History @DayFilmHistory]

Koyannisqatsi was released on this day 40 years ago - 28 April 1982.

The experimental documentary film took almost six years to shoot, and featured music by Philip Glass.

It was directed by Godfrey Reggio.

[This Day in Film History @DayFilmHistory]

Spider-Man had its premiere on this day 20 years ago - April 29, 2002.

It became the first film in history to gross more than $100 million in its opening weekend.

It was directed by Sam Raimi, and starred Tobey Maguire, Kirsten Dunst and Willem Dafoe.

[This Day in Film History @DayFilmHistory]

Koyannisqatsi was released on this day 40 years ago - 28 April 1982.

The experimental documentary film took almost six years to shoot, and featured music by Philip Glass.

It was directed by Godfrey Reggio.

[This Day in Film History @DayFilmHistory]

Romy and Michele's High School Reunion was released on this day 25 years ago.

It was written by Robin Schiff, and starred Mira Sorvino and Lisa Kudrow.

[This Day in Film History @DayFilmHistory]

The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance was released on this day 60 years ago – 22 April 1962.

It was directed by John Ford, and starred John Wayne, James Stewart and Lee Marvin.

Famously, it was the first film in which Wayne referred to someone as “pilgrim”.

[This Day in Film History @DayFilmHistory]

Hard Boiled was released on this day 30 years ago.

It was directed by John Woo, and starred Chow Yun-fat and Tony Leung.

Empire magazine described it as “more exciting than a dozen Die Hards.”

[This Day in Film History @DayFilmHistory]

Bend It Like Beckham was released on this day 20 years ago.

It was directed by Gurinder Chadha, and starred Parminder Nagra, Keira Knightley and Jonathan Rhys Meyers.

On a budget of $6 million, it grossed over $100 million.

[This Day in Film History @DayFilmHistory]

Singin’ in the Rain was released on this day 70 years ago.

It was directed by Gene Kelly and Stanley Donen, and starred Kelly, Donald O’Connor and Debbie Reynolds.

It was listed as one of the five greatest films ever made by the American Film Institute in 2007.

[This Day in Film History @DayFilmHistory]

Scarface was released on this day 90 years ago.

It was directed by Howard Hawks, and starred Paul Muni, Boris Karloff and George Raft.

In 2008, it was listed as one of the ten greatest gangster films of all time by the American Film Institute.

[This Day in Film History @DayFilmHistory]

Ivan’s Childhood was released on this day 60 years ago.

It was the first feature film directed by Andrei Tarkovsky, and won the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival.

Director Pablo Larraín considers it one of the ten best films ever made.

[This Day in Film History @DayFilmHistory]

Chasing Amy was released on this day 25 years ago.

It was written and directed by Kevin Smith, and starred Ben Affleck, Joey Lauren Adams and Jason Lee.

Lee won Best Support Actor at the Independent Spirit Awards, and Smith won Best Screenplay.

[This Day in Film History @DayFilmHistory]

The Player was released on this day 30 years ago.

It was directed by Robert Altman, and starred Tim Robbins.

Over 65 celebrities make cameo appearances in the film, which was nominated for three Oscars.

[This Day in Film History @DayFilmHistory]

On this day 30 years ago – 20 March 1992 – Basic Instinct was released.

It was directed by Paul Verhoeven, and starred Michael Douglas and Sharon Stone.

The screenplay by Joe Eszterhas prompted a bidding war, before being bought for $3 million USD, a record at the time.

[This Day in Film History @DayFilmHistory]

On this day 40 years ago – 16 March 1982 – Conan the Barbarian had its worldwide premiere at Fotogramas de Plata, an annual cinema awards ceremony in Madrid, Spain.

It was directed by John Milius, co-written by Milius and Oliver Stone, and starred Arnold Schwarzenegger.

[This Day in Film History @DayFilmHistory]

On this day 50 years ago – 14 March 1972 – The Godfather had its premiere at Loew's State Theatre in New York.

The film was directed by Francis Ford Coppola, and starred Marlon Brando and Al Pacino.

It received ten Oscar nominations, winning three, including Best Picture.

[This Day in Film History @DayFilmHistory]

On this day 30 years ago – 13 March 1992 – My Cousin Vinny was released.

It was directed by Jonathan Lynn, and starred Joe Pesci and Marisa Tomei.

Tomei won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in the film.

[This Day in Film History @DayFilmHistory]

On this day 50 years ago – 10 March 1982 – What’s Up, Doc? was released.

The film was directed by Peter Bogdanovich, and starred Barbra Streisand and Ryan O’Neal.

It was the third highest-grossing film of 1972.