THE THIRD MAN (1949)

A movie of black and white paranoia that to me is one of the all-time classics, perfectly capturing a very specific time and place.

BEN-HUR (1959)

The biggest hit of its day has a supreme technical achievement slung over a story that feels to me like middling Bible fanfic.

THE MASQUE OF THE RED DEATH (1964)

Roger Corman and Vincent Price team up for a movie about rich people torturing peasants and partying during a plague.