Movies are often a product of their times. They tend to reflect cultural, technological, and artistic trends, using common tropes, methods, and styles in their productions. But every now and then, a particular film stands out as the symbolic end of a cinematic era. These films might mark the end of a stylistic movement or the last use of certain filmmaking techniques, or they might even mark the final appearance or involvement of a cinematic pioneer. The film may not have been intended as a goodbye, and we in the audience probably didn’t realize it at the time.
But as the years pass, and the trends and major players in cinema shift, it becomes clear in hindsight when a particular film captures the last breath of a distinct creative period, making that movie both a cinematic achievement and an historical artifact. Here are 10 films that mark the end of an era in cinema, ranked by year of release.
10’The Jazz Singer' (1927)
The First Talkie
The Jazz Singer
Silent films dominated cinema during the 1910s and 1920s. And then along came the 1927 classic,The Jazz Singer.It followsa young man who defies the expectations of his strict, traditional Jewish family in order to pursue his dream of becoming a jazz singer.The Jazz Singeris regarded as the first “talkie,” the first feature-length motion picture with synchronized singing and speech.
The film’s first spoken line, “Wait a minute, wait a minute, you ain’t heard nothin' yet”, is famous in movie history. The release ofThe Jazz Singerand its box office success marked a major shift in cinema. It heralded the imminent rise of sound films and symbolically established the end of the silent film era.
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9’Modern Times' (1936)
Charlie Chaplin’s Last Silent Film
Modern Times
Even if you’ve never seen any of his films, you’ve undoubtedly heard ofCharlie Chaplin. He’s one of the most famous and important figures in cinematic history. Through his comedic on-screen persona, the Tramp, Chaplin becamea pioneer of the silent era, attaining worldwide popularity and tremendous success with his movies.Modern Timesis widely regarded as one of Chaplin’s best films. It follows the Tramp as he struggles to adjust to the ever-changing and industrialized modern world.
Of the roughly 80 movies in Chaplin’s catalog,Modern Timesstands out as a milestone film. It marks the final appearance of Chaplin’s iconic Tramp character. Not only that, but it was also Chaplin’s final silent movie. After dominating the silent era and cinema over the last two decades, the great Charlie Chaplin was forced to concede to the surging popularity of the talkies and bid farewell to the character and filmmaking techniques that had made him a star. The premise ofModern Timesalmost seems to reflect Chaplin’s own professional life, as he struggled to adjust to the ever-changing, modern world of film.
8’Psycho' (1960)
Often Considered the Final Movie of Old Hollywood
Based on the novel of the same name by Robert Bloch,Psychocaptures the aftermath of a murder at the Bates Motel, which is operated by a reclusive man and his overbearing mother. At that time,Psychowas the most terrifying movie to grace the silver screen – and in the process, it revolutionized cinema.
Widely regarded as the first slasher film, it transformed the horror genre and established a brand-new subgenre. On top of that,Psychowent where no horror film, or any movie for that matter, had gone before: it portrayed graphic violence and blended it with sexuality. This steamy approach marked a departure from the classic filmmaking style of Old Hollywood.Psychobroke many conventional Hollywood rules (like never showing a toilet)and paved the way for New Hollywood. Because of its tremendous impact on cinema,Psychois regarded as Alfred Hitchcock’s masterpiece and one of the greatest films ever made.
7’Bonnie and Clyde' (1967)
Introduced New Hollywood
Bonnie and Clyde
Arthur Penn’sBonnie and Clydefollows the crime-ridden love story of the notorious American gangsters Bonnie and Clyde, played respectively by Faye Dunaway and Warren Beatty. Although it’s set in the 1930s, the style and execution ofBonnie and Clydeis quintessential ’60s. It’s all about counter-culture and sex, as two disillusioned youths embark on a rebellious crime spree across America.Bonnie and Clydeglamorizes their bloody romance by blending violence and sex in a way that would make evenPsychoblush.
Bonnie and Clydeis now regarded as an important milestone in cinema. It’s considered one of the first films of the New Hollywood era, a cinematic movement from the mid-1960s to the early 1980s.Bonnie and Clydeinspired contemporary filmmakers to be more open about including sex and violence in their movies, leading to the birth of a reinvigorated and distinct style of filmmaking.
6’The Jungle Book' (1967)
Last Disney Film Produced by Walt Disney Himself
The Jungle Book
The 1960s weren’t only about counter-culture and sex. The decade also produced several Disney classics. Loosely based on Rudyard Kipling’s 1894 eponymous book,The Jungle Bookfollows a human child raised in a jungle by wolves, who sets out to rejoin civilization and leave the jungle upon the arrival of a man-hating tiger. Back in 1967, Walt Disney Animation Studios (known at the time as Walt Disney Productions) was a powerhouse in cinema. And that’s largely thanks to the vision of its founder, Walt Disney.
A pioneer of cinema and animation, Disney introduced animation with synchronized sound and feature-length animated movies. As a film producer, he holds the record for most Academy Award wins at a whopping 22 Oscars. His films, as well as his theme parks, turned Disney into a larger-than-life figure, an American icon and a juggernaut of the 20th century. Between 1937 and 1967, Disney was involved with every film that his studio produced, infusing his creativity, imagination, and high standards into every project.The Jungle Bookwas the last film that Disney worked on before his untimely death. His studio obviously lived on, carrying on his legacy and continuing to produce high-quality animated movies. But the fact that the world would never get another film from Walt Disney himself was a sad day, and the end of an era, in cinema.
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5’Jaws' (1975)
The First Summer Blockbuster
Set in a New England beach town that’s being terrorized by a massive, man-eating shark,Jawsfollows the ragtag crew that’s been assembled to hunt and kill the great white shark. Based on the novel of the same name,Jawswas only the third film by young, up-and-coming filmmaker Steven Spielberg, a milestone that birthed one of cinema’s most significant pioneers.
This film forever changed the scope of cinema. A massive commercial success,Jawsis widely regardedas the first Hollywood blockbuster. It paved the way for the modern blockbuster that’s come to dominate cinema, creating the blueprint that Hollywood has followed over the last 50 years.
4’The Shootist' (1976)
John Wayne’s Final Film and the Decline of the Western Genre
The Shootist
John Wayne is a Hollywood icon. From the silent era to the 1970s, he appeared in a whopping 179 film and TV productions, most notably in the Western genre. He remained a top box-office draw for three decades and is regarded as one of the greatest male stars of classic Hollywood. John Wayne was a fixture in cinema for roughly 50 years, so it was a big deal whenThe Shootistbecame his final film.
Based on the 1975 novel of the same name, it follows an aging gunfighter battling cancer, a reflection of Wayne’s own real-life battle with cancer.The Shootistwas Wayne’s last film before his death in 1979. The world didn’t just lose an American icon that day. As a staple of the Western genre, Wayne’s death was a milestone moment that led to a decline in the genre’s popularity.
3’Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith' (2005)
George Lucas' Final Film in Charge of ‘Star Wars’
Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith
Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sithcaptures the long-awaited fall of Anakin Skywalker (Hayden Christensen), the birth of Darth Vader, and the rise of the Galactic Empire. Itbridges the gap between the prequel trilogy and the original trilogy, uncovering key events, storylines, and character arcs to set the stage forA New Hope.The first two films in George Lucas' prequel trilogy left many fans at the time divided.Revenge of the Sithwas a return to form andis perceived by fans asone of the best entries in thefranchise.
Little did we know at the time,Revenge of the Sithwould be George Lucas' final project for the franchise he created in 1977. Disney acquired the rights toStar Warsin 2012 and has since produced numerous TV shows and films without Lucas' involvement. ForStar Warsfans, it was the end of an era – and not one for the better. Many fans are disappointed by Disney’sStar Warscontent, especially when it comes to the movies. But there is a silver lining for Lucas. Fan opinions regarding the prequel trilogy have improved over the years, thanks to the disappointingStar Warsmovies that Disney has produced.
2’Avengers: Endgame' (2019)
The Culmination of the MCU’s Infinity Saga
Avengers: Endgame
Between 2008 and 2019, the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) dominated the box office. People couldn’t get enough of seeing their favorite superheroes in these big-budget blockbusters and CGI spectacles.Avengers: Endgamepicks up whereInfinity Warleft off, wrapping up the first major story arc in the MCU. It was the cinematic event that every MCU film had been building toward over the last 10+ years. As the final movie inthe Infinity Saga,Endgamemarked the end of a cinematic era. We said goodbye to beloved superheroes and saw the conclusions to our favorite story arcs.
The MCU was never the same afterEndgame.Now that the Infinity Saga was over, people lost interest in the MCU. Plus, Marvel no longer had its biggest stars and most popular superheroes to attract crowds. Superhero fatigue set in, which resulted in several box office disappointments, forcing Marvel to hit the brakes on their production output.Endgamerepresents the peak of Marvel’s success. The studio continues to grappe with superhero fatigue today, 6 years later, though Marvel is desperately trying to reverse that trend in 2025.
1’No Time to Die' (2021)
Last James Bond Movie Before Amazon’s Acquisition
No Time to Die
InNo Time to Die,James Bond comes out of retirement to take on a masked villain from the past of his love interest.No Time to Diemarks Daniel Craig’s final appearance as James Bond – but that’s not why it’s the end of an era. Since 1962’sDr. Nostarring Sean Connery, the 007 franchise has largely been produced by Eon Productions.
The studio has produced a whopping 25 canon films over the last 61 years, delivering some of the most iconic Bonds, villains, henchmen, and films. But in March 2022, Amazon acquired Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) and its library of films, including the James Bond franchise. Not only that, but the studio paid an additional sum to acquire creative control of the future of the 007 franchise. What does this mean? The newly created studio, Amazon MGM Studios, has taken the reins of the James Bond franchise and will develop the next theatrical iteration of the character, marking the end of an era for Eon Productions.
