10 Classic Movie Gifs You Need In Your Life

As a highly-skilled, professional procrastinator, I am always on the look out for new ways to waste valuable time. And, like a good friend, I would like to take this opportunity to share the love so that you too may squander the irreplaceable gift of time with gleeful abandon.

Perhaps one of the biggest time-wasters as we enter the mid 2010s, is that of the Animated Gif. Contrary to what you might think (if “you” happens to be a Millennial), the idea of animating images on the internet stretches alllllll the way back to that impossibly ancient decade of…the 1990s. We had them then, sure, but they were hardly the tools of self-expression that they’ve become today. Ours animated gifs were smiley faces that bounced to the music of embedded Midi Loops during the days of Angelfire and Geocities. (And Lord love you if you remember the glory of the Midi Loop and the power of Geocities … please tell me I’m not alone, here.) Web design was a free-for-all in the 90s, which is why we ended up with sites like this:

No, you’re not having an acid trip. Those were the animated gifs that used to decorate our web pages with, and what’s more we LOVED them! They make no sense whatsoever, hurt your eyes, and are so godawful ugly they defy description. (Which really isn’t hard to believe, considering our abiding love of floral print stirrup pants and plaid. So much plaid.)

But, thankfully, technology has done away with those mind-numbing eyesores, and from such primitive beginnings a sort of art form has emerged. That’s right, I said it: art form.

The art of gif-ing has taken hold of the internet and is certainly in its prime, becoming an easy and fun means of visual communication embraced by bloggers and readers alike. Buzzfeed might think they have the market on these little guys, but for this writer, Gifs are best enjoyed on the internet’s premier guilty-pleasure pleaser: Tumblr. I know many might have an aversion to Tumblr, (and rightly so, it’s like a petrie dish out there), not to mention an aversion to modern technology in general (you know who you are) and you are reading this article because you share a mutual interest in film and are probably waiting with growing impatience for me to get to the point.

Sure, the bottom line is that animated gifs are frivolous time-wasters, but they definitely reveal a lot about a person: the way they choose to use them and why. The wonderful thing is that technology has made classic movie gifs available in huge quantities, and fans who really “get” classic film have produced some marvelous images that will make you wonder how you ever lived without them. There’s a classic film gif for every occasion, mood, emotion– you name it. They’re emoticons on steroids and if you don’t already love them, hopefully this post will convert you.

I’ve decided to do the dirty work for you. Here, in no particular order, are 10 classic movie gifs that a classic movie fan definitely needs in their life.

 

#10) Because no one says “leave me the hell alone” like Barbara Stanwyck:

#9) Because let’s be honest, this is how all of us feel about work. All the time.

#8) Because sometimes you just can’t deal with anyone. Even even Cary Grant.

 

#7 Because the crap that gets thrown at us in life is ridiculous and often defies description. (That’s where Lillian Gish comes in…)

#6) Because I don’t know about you, but sometimes I just want to smack someone on the head with a club. And laugh:

#5) Because it’s important to remember what true love looks like:

#4) And talent.

#3) And charm:

#2 ) And beauty:

#1) And because classic movie fans have thousands of memories to choose from, this is what we have to say to those who just don’t “get it”:

 

Of course there are thousands more where these came from, so feel free to let us know in the comments if you have any special favorites!