David Lagachu
YouTube is one of the finest inventions of the modern internet era. It started as a simple video sharing site but over the years it has become a haven for young, up and coming filmmakers who found a platform to showcase their works. Even big studio films are available on a pay-and-watch basis thus becoming a major source of revenue generation for film industries worldwide. While most of the A list movies are available on a paid structure there are many hidden gems which are available for free if you know how to search with the right key words. Action movies are a huge favorite among the YouTube viewers as the number of views and comments clearly suggests so. Here is a list of top action movies one can watch on YouTube for free.
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9. Kung Fury (2015)
‘Kung Fury’ is the perfect film to begin the list with as it honours the tradition of action films in all its glory. It is the brainchild of David Sandberg who serves both as the director and one of the actors of this 30 minute passion project. Technically it’s more like a parody but done in an earnest manner. Designed as a tribute to the martial arts craze and fast paced police chase flicks of the 80s, it has a video game like appeal to it. The film is instantly likable and very in-your-face. It gets the mood, sentiment and look of the 80s era bang on. The cast comprises of mostly unknown action worthy performers barring David Hasselhoff whose dominant voice lends a sense of nostalgia and novelty to the short film.
8. Gone in 60 Seconds (1974)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U6eSJs06eCc
If you have watched the Nicolas Cage and Angelina Jolie starrer film of the same name then as a true film buff you need to check out the 1974 version which inspired the remake. Way back in the 70s H.B. Halicki spearheaded a film that was equally fast and furious in the true sense of the term. Since then it has influenced American pop culture in more ways than one. The film made news for destroying 93 cars in a chase sequence lasting about 40 minutes. It was an independent project made on a budget of less than a million but it grossed over $40 million at the box office and won hearts all over.
7. Street Soldiers (1991)
The USP of ‘Street Soldiers’ lies in its ability to rock the boat and to show how bad can be good sometimes. Street Soldiers is a martial arts film starring and produced by taekwondo master Jun Chong. The film would be the only Hollywood production to feature kung fu villain actor Hwang Jang-Lee, who is credited in the film as “Jason Hwang”.
6. Mr. and Mrs. Smith (2005)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=88_6Be0Evm0&ab_channel=TheCrazykush
It’s sexy, it’s gorgeous to look at – after all there’s Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie on the screen – and if gossip columns are to be believed it’s the film that ignited a fire in the hearts of the heart-throb movie stars. Not to be taken seriously at any given point the film escalates and dips at the blink of an eye. It has its own share of flaws but no one can accuse it of being stagnant. The action is constantly moving forward but not necessarily in the right direction. Also how can anyone miss those steamy scenes and lip locks between Jolie and Pitt, the two hottest movie stars in the world.
5. Django (1966)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TdVf-gyN_6Y
The 60s were considered the golden age for Italian Spaghetti Westerns in cinema and ‘Django’ is one of the finest outputs of that era. For instance Quentin Tarantino made ‘Django Unchained’ in 2012 as a tribute to the original. Actor Franco Nero who portrayed the title role on-screen became a cult figure in world cinema overnight post the success of the film. It ticks all the boxes requisite of a timeless Western film; guns, cowboys and outlaws. However the film’s biggest strength lies in its tackling of sensitive issues like racism and sexual exploitation. The DVD of ‘Django’ deserves a place in your exclusive collection list.
4. Police Story (1985)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zv2SD6O2dy0
Jackie Chan’s name is enough to sell a movie to distributors as he is such a universal star. There is hardly any place in the world where his films are not seen and when it comes to action he is in a league of his own. Despite the obvious presence of violence in his films there is also an undeniable and indescribable innocence in his demeanour. One look at his face and you know that you can trust this guy to protect you and even in ‘Police Story’ he plays a saviour in his capacity as a sergeant. Even better, his character also has a human side to him rather than being a super human who wins every battle he fights. ‘Police Story’ is as watchable as any other classic Jackie Chan movie.
3. For a Few Dollars More (1965)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8aF77Z_Jx0g
It is the second part of visionary director Sergio Leone’s ‘Dollars Trilogy’ that introduced the craze of Italian Western movies to the world. The film turned strugglers Clint Eastwood and Van Cleef into bona fide stars and launched them into a glittering Hollywood career ahead. Even after almost 50 years of its release the film can still cause excitement among movie goers and is a huge crowd pullers in theaters where they screen old classic films. It is not the best film in the trilogy but that’s only because it is succeeded by the greatest Western ever ‘The Good, the bad and the Ugly’.
2. Death Race 2000 (1975)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tvitpFkkZD0&feature=youtu.be
‘Death Race 2000’ reminds us of ‘The Hunger Games’ film series but unlike the latter it doesn’t take itself too seriously. Here satire is the key word. While the film didn’t exactly predicted the future right as we are a living proof of that but it remained a hidden gem for the longest time. All thanks to YouTube now we can enjoy this experimental piece of cinema that is both thought provoking and good looking. The film has a little bit of something for everybody. It is a family entertainer which every family member needs to watch individually.
1. The Spook Who Sat by the Door (1973)
The importance of the film can be measured from the fact that it was declared culturally significant by the National Film Registry in 2012. ‘The Spook Who Sat by the Door’ effortlessly and without causing any scandal combines satire and radicalism. The film was both contemporary as well as ahead of its time in its dealing of issues like racism and class division. The title of the film gives away a lot if you are an expert in reading between the lines. Even though the film is set in a time when racial differences were far more pronounced than today but its reverberation can be felt even today.
Read More: Best Action Movies of All Time
