The answers to these questions lie in simple knowledge of which movie can be qualified as a classic and which can’t. A movie can be called a classic if it has certain features which can classify it as a classic. However, a movie has its own individuality, appeal and power and hence, there are no specific rules or defined guidelines that can make a movie classic. Sometimes it is the story that makes an impact and strikes the right chord with audience as well as the critics, other times it is the acting, treatment or direction that matters. An ideal classic movie is one that has all the ingredients along with novelty, innovation and uniqueness. One of the most important characteristic of a good classic movie is that it is timeless and a-cultural. This implies that the relevance of a motion picture is not subjected to any particular time or place in history and is also not specific to any culture. The thematic strains of a classic movie are generally universal and deal with subjects that have become romanticized over a period of time. For instance, a lot of movies related to wars and epics were generally considered as classics. However, the word ‘classic’ connotes different things for different people. Sometimes, declaring a movie a classic also has a deep-seated political motives. There are many instances, which show that movies that were considered to be classics were in fact not as good as they were hyped to be, for eg, Gone with the Wind and Casablanca had better competitors. One can say that for a movie to qualify as a classic, 40% depends on the potential of the movie and the significant 60% depends on popular consensus and other external factors.

What we are interested in is not the two-way process of influence and impact but the sole role that movies play in inspiring or molding mass culture. Some movies develop a cult following and are considered as socially transforming. They present an ideology which becomes the popular notion that governs the collective psychology of society. Not only do movies help in spreading a cultural perspective in a nation but also help in dispersing it to other countries and regions. Movies are the best way to spread your cultural roots in foreign countries. Cinema is considered one of the most powerful tools in introducing your culture in a strange land. People get an idea about others through a visual medium that precedes language in understanding. Mass culture is so easily established in a society through cinematic representation because people connect to the medium of movies very readily.

For example, American movies outside America have done greatly well and are successful in making people aware of the American culture. Within America, movies such as Fahrenheit 11, etc. completely turned the political ideologies and affiliations of people. Hence, movies and mass culture go hand in hand. Probably the existence of mass culture among other things is also significantly dependent on movies.