As always, a new year brings with it new, milestone anniversaries. For instance, 2023 is the twentieth anniversary of Lost in Translation (2003), the thirtieth anniversary of Dazed and Confused (1993), and the fortieth anniversary of Scarface (1983). It’s also the twenty-fifth anniversary of The Last Days of Disco (1998), the thirty-fifth anniversary of two of Michelle Pfeiffer’s best films, Dangerous Liaisons (1988) and Married to the Mob, plus Tequila Sunrise too, which is definitely one of her more underrated films.
In other words, lots of big anniversaries abound this year. I just wrote about one of them towards the end of 2022 actually—The Age of Innocence turns thirty later this year. That’s an all-time favorite, so maybe I’ll write a little more about it closer to the anniversary in September.
Fiftieth anniversaries for 1973 masterpieces like Serpico, The Exorcist, Mean Streets, and The Last Detail happen this year, as well as for cult classics like Messiah of Evil and Lisa and the Devil.
Niagara, The Big Heat, and How to Marry a Millionaire all opened in 1953, meaning they have seventieth anniversaries this year! We’re talking two Marilyn Monroe classics and one of the great film noirs of all time.
A couple of modern vampire classics have big anniversaries this year: Blade (1998) turns twenty-five and Underworld (2003) twenty. Between action god Wesley Snipes and action goddess Kate Beckinsale, that’s a lot of back leather and PVC-coated spandex to celebrate this year.
I’m all over the place here, but you catch my drift. Any given year is jam-packed with memorable movies celebrating big anniversaries, so 2023 will be no different. Now the question is, which of these anniversaries will I find time to write about this year? Hopefully quite a few, because I love every one I mentioned here, along with scores of others—for example, Untamed Heart, Falling Down, Tombstone, Judgement Night, Demolition Man and True Romance all premiered thirty years ago in 1993, and I have major feelings for each of them! In fact I saw most of them in theaters, and cherish every one of those experiences. Gah, so many movies, so little time!
I almost forgot, Elvira: Mistress of the Dark (1988), another Hall of Fame movie for me, has its thirty-fifth anniversary in September. Any year with extra incentive to celebrate Cassandra Peterson as Elvira is aces in my book, so good on ya, 2023!
Here’s to some great anniversary rewatches in 2023. Which ones did I miss? And which are you most excited to celebrate this year?
The Starfire Lounge 
I’m glad to meet another fan of Judgement Night, that’s long been one of my favourite late night movies. 1973 was a great year for films wasn’t it? Off the top of my head I’m thinking of American Graffiti, Badlands, High Plains Drifter, The Day of the Jackal, The Outfit, Emperor of the North, The Friends of Eddie Coyle… I could go on and on!
LikeLiked by 1 person