Time marches on.
It sucks, but that is reality of this frail human existence.
While everything feels very ‘now’… now just left, and has become the past, just like that.
Sometimes this can best be illustrated by the friends we’ve made in the movies we love. Characters that remain unchanging in the ‘now’ of when they were made, ready for us to visit again and again as we grow older, they themselves frozen in time on the screen.
But just like us… the actors who played those characters must age. And when we see how MUCH they’ve aged, it comes with a sadness in the realization that we ourselves have also added on some years.
Check this list of ‘then and now’ actors from some of your favorite films and try not to feel old…
Twenty-five years after the movie was released, the Lost Boys reunited (and donned their costumes) to celebrate the anniversary. Dante Basco (Rufio), Raushan Hammond (Thud Butt), Isaiah Robinson (Pockets), Jasen Fisher (Ace), James Madio (Don’t Ask), Thomas Tulak (Too Small), Alex Zuckerman (Latchboy), and No Nap (Ahmad Stoner) gathered for a group picture 25 years after their adventures in Neverland made Hook a classic.
The Rockford Peaches were some of the most badass ladies in the 1940s all-female baseball league. In the movie, they managed to impress and entertain crowds with their athleticism and skill – despite having to wear idiotic and impractical skirts while they played. But hey, there’s no crying in baseball.
Remember those spoiled brats from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (well, with the exception of good old Charlie Bucket, of course)? They represented the inner monster in all of us – stuffing themselves with candy, begging for attention, and dealing with some major daddy issues. But still, who didn’t want to be one of those lucky kids who scored a ticket in the 1971 film starring Gene Wilder?
All hail The Dude! The seminal bowling movie of all time, this Coen Brothers film from 1998 is loved for its stoner comedy, quirky characters, and peek into the Los Angeles underworld. The diverse cast includes everyone from John Goodman and Julianne Moore to Flea, and has become a favorite of cinephiles worldwide (even if it’s not the Coen Brothers’ favorite). “That movie has more of an enduring fascination for other people than it does for us,” Joel Coen said in an interview.
Oh, those Goonies – that pack of outcasts running through caves looking for the treasure of One Eyed Willie! This film connected so deeply with young people that, to this day, it is a favorite not only of Generation X, but Y and Z as well.
As if this movie would ever not stand the test of time! Starring Alicia Silverstone as Cher in this modern re-telling of Jane Austen’s Emma, the 1996 movie Clueless defined a generation of valley boys and girls who were richer, snottier, and better looking than the rest of us. Yet it still found in a place in our hearts.
If you don’t know the phrase “Vote For Pedro,” then you must have lived under a rock in 2004. The indie film Napoleon Dynamite came out of nowhere, turning their budget of $400,000 to a gross of $44 million! Yet more importantly, it introduced us a rising star – that beautiful llama named Tina.
In 1987, the world received a gift known as The Princess Bride. Princess Buttercup, Westley, Inigo Montoya, and Vizzini are some of cinema’s most quoted and memorable characters of all time. Plus, this movie really brought the grandfather and grandson relationship to a whole new level.
There was the jock, the nerd, the criminal, the princess, and the basket case. The John Hughes decade-defining film from 1985 is revered as the classic high school archetype movie starring members of the Brat Pack. Plus, it featured “Don’t You (Forget About Me)” by Simple Minds, which became an anthem of angst!
Talk about a perfect comedy. Starring Bill Murray and Dan Aykroyd, this ghost hunter slime-filled movie, directed by Ivan Reitman in 1984, was nominated for Oscars, Golden Globes, Grammys, and more. Did you know Eddie Murphy was initially offered the role of Winston, but he turned it down?
“It’s astounding! Time is fleeting,” are the first words of “Time Warp” in The Rocky Horror Picture Show, and boy were they right. The 1975 rock musical was risqué as can be for the time, but today looks almost timid in comparison. It touched on something in our culture that obviously resounds, as RHPS is still shown at midnight on screens across the world.
In 1994, Forrest Gump hit the world and gave people an American history lesson through the story of one man and his mama. The movie starred Tom Hanks as the lead character and featured a talented cast including Gary Sinise, Robin Wright, Sally Field, and even a young Haley Joel Osment.
Perhaps the cutest kids ever assembled in one movie ever, Richard Linklater’s School of Rock (2003) was about a substitute teacher (Jack Black) who teaches kids about music. It took months and months to cast, but in the end, they got the perfect group together.
In 1973, two of the biggest stars in the world, Barbra Streisand and Robert Redford, got together to film the romantic drama The Way We Were. Not only is the film a classic, but the song from the movie (by Streisand) was the number one song on the charts in 1974. The screenplay by Arthur Laurents was based on his own experiences at Cornell and with the House Un-American Committee.
The hills were alive with a cast of characters in 1965’s movie musical version of The Sound of Music. The film swept the Oscars that year, telling the story of the Von Trapps and the governess who brought music and life into their home.
When you think of mob movies, Goodfellas is always at the top of the list. With Ray Liotta as a made man who gets in over his head, the violent yet amazing film from Martin Scorcese got an Academy Award nod – and star Joe Pesci even won. Made in 1990, the film also stars Martin Scorcese’s real mother!
Did you know that Sigourney Weaver became the highest paid actress in town in 1986 by making $1 million dollars for her reprisal as Ellen Ripley in Aliens? This is one of the few sequels that people argue is as good (or better) than the original, mainly for one reason – Newt. What happened to her?
Referred to by many as their favorite Christmas movie ever, A Christmas Story is a great comedic tale about a young boy who just wants a BB gun. Never before has a lamp gotten more famous from a movie (you know the one we’re talking about), nor has a group of kids been more relatable during Christmas time.
In 1986, Rob Reiner directed the movie adaptation of Stephen King’s short story Stand By Me. The film, about a crew of young kids on a hunt to find a dead body, not only became an instant classic, but it created a few movie stars, including River Phoenix and Kiefer Sutherland.
1.21 Gigawatts! Back to the Future, the sci-fi adventure film from 1985, has spawned a theme park ride, two sequels, and of course, a generation of time traveler wannabes. Directed by Robert Zemeckis, the $19 million dollar budget film went on to gross over $210 million bucks domestically.
Schwing! Wayne and Garth took their Saturday Night Live characters to the big screen in 1992. Starring Mike Myers and Dana Carvey, the film made everyone appreciate Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” more than ever, and it introduced us to Cassandra, one of the hottest screen babes ever.
Telling the story of Tony Montana, the 1983 film (written by Oliver Stone) is considered by many to be the best gangster film of all time. Starring Al Pacino as the powerful drug kingpin, the film is a classic, and “say hello to my little friend” is forever etched into everyone’s brains.
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