The thing about cult movies is that they seldom stay in the theaters. Even if you find them on torrents, it’s still a task to get those goddamn seeders.
Now what if someone were to tell you that some of the world’s greatest movies can be watched on YouTube for free. Would you still go and torrent them? I know, right! Many of us don’t know that YouTube is a gigantic reservoir of movies you can watch for free. This information is important because it’s the end of the month and torrenting takes time.
Hence, to sort your weekend scenes at home, we’re bringing you a list of brilliant movies that you can watch at the click of your mouse for absolutely free.
So, here are 25 great movies that you can watch on YouTube for free:
1. Night of The Living Dead (1968)
Beginning the list with the cult-est of the movies ever made. Night of The Living Dead is George Romero’s love letter to the zombies and the undead. Chancing upon zombies while visiting their father’s grave, a pair of siblings find refuge in a basement with other survivors. With every passing minute, their chance of surviving the night gets bleaker and bleaker.
2. The Gold Rush (1925)
Right from the heart of the golden age of Hollywood, The Gold Rush is Charlie Chaplin doing what he did best. If there are any film fans out there who haven’t watched The Gold Rush yet, it’s about time they put their evenings to some productive use.
When our beloved Tramp goes to Alaska in search for Gold, he ends up falling for a beautiful woman who brings more than just gold with her.
3. The Stoning Of Soraya M. (2008)
This iconic Iranian film was so devastatingly important, US distributors released it under their banner after it got banned in Iran. The Stoning of Soraya M. follows the story of a housewife under suspicion of adultery and how this suspicion leads for her to be stoned in public.
If you haven’t seen The Stoning Of Soraya M., we’d suggest you to make time for it because soon after you watch it, you’re going to recommend it to your friends like we’re recommending it to you.
4. Rashomon (1950)
The legend of Rashomon continues to live on the minds and hearts of film buffs the world around. Some of our best directors working today like Steven Spielberg, George Lucas have greatly been influenced by Rashomon and other works by the great Akira Kurosawa.
This Japanese suspense thriller started the trend of showing an event from multiple different perspectives. After a murder is committed, the incident is recollected by perspectives of three different witnesses which ultimately contradict each other.
5. Paanch (2001)
Paanch is about a group of unabashed friends and a staged kidnapping that goes horribly wrong. Anurag Kashyap’s first feature film remains unreleased till date. But thanks to the lords of the Internet, this cult film eventually found its way to the world wide web. By now, most of us have seen this gem of a thriller by Anurag Kashyap. For those who haven’t, there’s no reason for you to wait any longer.
6. Bandit Queen
This biographical film based on the life of bandit-turned-politician, Phoolan Devi’s life took the country by a storm when it released. Its unforgiving visuals and the haunting tale of patriarchy made the film controversial yet groundbreaking.
We can’t express how happy it makes film lovers to see this film available on YouTube for free.
7. Salaam Bombay (1988)
8. The White Balloon (1995)
Jafar Panahi’s feature debut film is still regarded around the world as the best study of human behavior. Set in downtown Tehran, the story is as simplistic as it is relatable. It follows a day in the life of a 7 year old who is has her heart set to buy a goldfish but loses the money on the way to the store.
If movies like The White Balloon are on YouTube, there’s no reason we should look elsewhere to quench our cinema thirst.
9. Predestination (2014)
“A man walks into a bar and loses track of time and existence.”
Predestination is often referred to as one of the most mind-fuck movies ever made, next to only being the best time travel movie to have ever been made. A time travel temporal agent goes on one last mission to catch a criminal who has eluded him throughout time.
Make sure you have at least 3 hours available before you sit down to watch Predestination. 90 minutes to watch the movie, 90 minutes to read up about what the fuck you just saw.
10. Timecrimes (2007)
Speaking of time travel, Timecrimes is also available on YouTube for free. The second greatest time travel movie, in all probability, to have been made after Predestination.
Timecrimes is about a man who accidentally gets into a time machine and travels back in time an hour ago, only to find himself to be the first victim of a series of disasters.
11. Zodiac (2007)
David Fincher is arguably the greatest director from his generation of filmmakers. Film after film, David Fincher continues to bring us stories that stay with us long after we’ve finished watching them. We often find ourselves recommending his movies to our friends. And continuing the trend, we recommend you Zodiac.
Based on the real zodiac killer who was active during the ’70s in the US who has never been caught. The film follows a cartoonist who finds himself drawn towards the puzzles of the zodiac killer.
12. Offside (2006)
Another one of Jafar Panahi’s gems, Offside shows the struggle of girls disguising themselves as men to sneak into a Football stadium to watch a game. Like most of Jafar Panahi movies, Offside is a great insight into the lives of Iranians and how their problems resonate with ours.
13. The Good, The Bad and The Ugly (1966)
Arguably the best movie ever made, The Good, The Bad and The Ugly is out there on YouTube in a very very clear print and none of us knew about it. For those who’ve seen this marvel, this calls for a re-run. For those who haven’t watched it yet, you better have a good excuse for not having seen it.
Clint Eastwood, as a cowboy, in the greatest movie of all times. I don’t need to say anything anymore to convince you to watch it.
14. Escape From Alcatraz (1979)
Like most films on this list, Escape From Alcatraz doesn’t need to be introduced. The fact that this prison-escape saga is on Youtube makes life a tad bit better. Like Clint Eastwood, this film refuses to date and is as fresh as it was when it first came out.
If you liked The Shawshank Redemption, you will love Escape From Alcatraz.
15. Serpico (1973)
Between The Godfather and The Godfather Part 2, there was Serpico. This was a time when Al Pacino wasn’t the Al Pacino we know today. This was a young Al Pacino, struggling to make his mark in the Hollywood scene and Serpico did more than just that for him.
This Sidney Lumet directed cop drama revolves around an honest cop (played by Al Pacino) who refuses to take bribe and hence gets alienated by his own department.
15. Green Street Hooligans (2005)
Yes, we know it’s a pretty popular movie, one that has legions of fans around the globe. But we stumbled upon this gem on YouTube and there’s no way we’re not going to include this in our list.
For those unforgivable select few who haven’t seen it, Green Street Hooligans is about the rivalry between football clubs in The UK and how their crazy obsession with their clubs gets out of hands and affects their personal lives.
Watch it right now. Seriously.
16. Malegaon Ka Superman (2012)
Malegaon Ka Superman (or Superman of Malegaon) is a documentary that celebrates the spirit of the local film industry of Malegaon run by a cinema crazy film buff who takes it upon himself to remake his favorite Bollywood and Hollywood movies.
At the core of Malegaon Ka Superman, there’s heart, a lot of heart. Filmmakers around the country went to see the film when it premiered for a wide audience in 2012 and needless to say, everyone loved it. This one’s a special film, make sure your weekend covers it.
17. Shorts (2013)
Shorts is an anthology series of 4 different movies made by young filmmakers from around the country. Featuring some of the best actors the country has to offer, Shorts is an experience that should only be enjoyed without disruption.
Each short is better than the previous one and that makes for a satisfying movie watching experience. Produced by Anurag Kashyap, Shorts features 4 stories named: Mehfuz, Audacity, Epilogue and Shor.
18. Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro (1983)
Every conversation about India’s best comedy movies circles around Andaz Apna Apna and Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro. The legacy of Jaane Bhi do Yaaro is so strong that every generation ever since has this movie in their collection.
This weekend, let’s go back to the time of Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro.
19. Pan’s Labyrinth (2006)
Another one from the popular collection, Pan’s Labyrinth is children’s fantasy as dark as it could get. This is unforgiving Guillermo del Toro doing what he does best with his characters.
If you haven’t seen Pan’s Labyrinth, count yourselves lucky because watching it for the first time was a brilliant experience that can’t be replicated.