Classic film shapes life of student

By Jessica Pickens

We all have events that shape and form who we are.

Some people’s lives might be altered by a car accident, finding God or a pat on the back from a teacher.

However, mine was irrevocably changed by a movie.

Ever since I was young, I enjoyed watching classic films with my parents. However, as a small child movies aren’t exactly life- changing.

 A third grader isn’t really aware of the year a movie was made, let alone paying attention to acting skills or great plots.

It wasn’t until middle school that I became interested in movies, music and culture from the past, but my limit was 1960s television shows and the Monkees.

In eighth grade, I opened the door to the classic film world a crack more and discovered actresses such as Doris Day and Audrey Hepburn.

Again, however, it was a passing interest and my passion for classic film had not yet developed.

It wasn’t until I was 14 that I saw the movie that would forever change my life: “West Side Story.”

I still remember that fateful March night when Robert Wise’s film graced my television set.  Perhaps more clearly I remember the next two years of my life that followed where I was totally consumed by the movie.

My dad suggested “West Side Story” to me and later said he created a monster.

I did some crazy things after seeing the 1961 movie for the first time.  I learned to snap my fingers specifically so I could be like the gangs, the Sharks and the Jets, in the movie.  But the antics didn’t stop with finger snapping.

Hours were spent perfecting my whistling skills.  Eventually I was able to give the signal whistle the gang members used in order to alert each other of danger.

I also was foolish enough to think I could learn the mambo dance moves from “The Dance at the Gym,” even though the people in the movie are clearly professional dancers.  Many fruitless months later I finally gave up on learning the dance.

But those years of obsession with cool dance moves and snapping of fingers aren’t why the film changed my life.

West Side Story was a personal revelation for a very simple reason.

It made me realize that there were more actors, actresses and movies other than those that starred Doris Day or Audrey Hepburn.

I like to call “West Side Story” my gateway drug into classic movie addiction.

Initially, continuing down the path laid by West Side Story, I overdosed on musicals. Later my addiction for classic film brought me to World War II themed movies.  I continued to go down the list of genres until I’d seen movies from every category.

Now, I watch any old movie I can get my hands on, going so far as to create lists of actors, actresses and directors whose films I wish to see. 

Currently I have lists for 15 actors, 22 actresses and eight directors.  The plan is to watch every movie that each actor or actress starred in or watch every film that each director created.

In addition, Excel spread sheets have helped me keep track of how many musicals and silent movies I have watched.

To date, I have viewed 365 movie musicals and only 25 silent films, but the lists continue to grow.

This organized chaos of movie passion couldn’t have happened without that first motion picture that really resonated with me.