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The best classic movies on Hulu right now (October 2022)

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How do you feel about the classics of cinema? It may sound strange, but there are some film lovers whose affection for the medium doesn’t extend beyond the 21st century. Conversely, we suggest that it’s a mistake for anyone to limit themselves to what they’re willing to watch. The films of the 20th century gave us some of the all-time classics and chronicled the rise of movies as we’ve known them. Sadly, Hulu’s lineup of classic films is a bit sparse at the moment. Regardless, there are still some cinematic gems from yesteryear that deserve to be rediscovered by a new generation. To begin your film education, check out our latest picks for the best classic movies on Hulu right now.

We’ve also curated a guide to the best movies on Hulu and the best movies on Netflix if you’re looking for additional recommendations.

Recently added to Hulu

Peggy Sue Got Married (1986) new

75 %
6.4/10
pg-13 103m
Genre Comedy, Drama, Fantasy, Romance
Stars Kathleen Turner, Nicolas Cage, Helen Hunt
Directed by Francis Ford Coppola
watch on Hulu
watch on Hulu
Not quite as a classic in age as most on this list, Peggy Sue Got Married is as classic as it gets when it comes to fantasy, time-travel, romance comedies. Directed by Francis Ford Coppola, the story follows the titular Peggy Sue (Kathleen Turner), a middle-aged mom in 1985 whose high-school sweetheart husband (Nicolas Cage) turns out to be not so sweet and the couple has separated. Things get wacky at Peggy Sue’s high school reunion, though, when she passes out on stage and wakes up in 1960 during her senior year and has a chance to do it all over again. Will she make the same mistakes or will she change her future life forever? 

A Boy Named Charlie Brown (1969) new

7.3/10
g 86m
Genre Family, Animation, Comedy
Stars Peter Robbins, Pamelyn Ferdin, Glenn Gilger
Directed by Bill Melendez
watch on Hulu
watch on Hulu

Charles M. Schultz started producing his beloved Peanuts comic strip in 1950, and this animated musical comedy is the first feature film based on his works. The story is classic Charlie Brown — our forever hard-done-by hero, always convinced that he’s the worst at everything, enters the school spelling bee. When he actually wins, Charlie Brown feels the pressure as he heads to New York City to compete at the nationals. Full of all the characters we know and love, including Snoopy and Woodstock, Lucy, Peppermint Patty, and more, this classic Peanuts cartoon is a must-watch for fans of Schultz’s timeless comics. 

The Princess Bride (1987)

77 %
8.1/10
99m
Genre Adventure, Family, Fantasy, Comedy, Romance
Stars Cary Elwes, Robin Wright, Mandy Patinkin
Directed by Rob Reiner
watch on Hulu
watch on Hulu
The Princess Bride has earned its reputation as one of the most beloved films ever made. Cary Elwes stars as Westley, a young man who is hopelessly in love with a woman he can never have: Princess Buttercup (Robin Wright). But when Buttercup is forcefully engaged to be married to Prince Humperdinck (Chris Sarandon), Westley recruits the outlaw, Inigo Montoya (Mandy Patinkin), and a gentle giant named Fezzik (Andre the Giant) to help him rescue his true love. Even the framing sequence for the film is great, with Peter Falk as a grandfather who relates the story to his sick grandson (Fred Savage).

Hondo (1953)

79 %
7/10
pg 83m
Genre Western
Stars John Wayne, Geraldine Page, Ward Bond
Directed by John Farrow
watch on Hulu
watch on Hulu
John Wayne made his name in Westerns, and Hondo is one of his best. In the film, Wayne plays Hondo Lane, an army cavalry member who befriends Angie Lowe (Geraldine Page) and her young son, Johnny (Lee Aaker). The local Apache tribe respects Angie and her son, but they give her a deadline to take a husband from their people if her own missing husband does not return. To save Hondo’s life, she tells the Apache that he is her husband. However, the rising tensions between the army and the Apache put Hondo and Angie in a very difficult situation. And there is no way to avoid bloodshed when the two sides converge.

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Michael Bizzaco

Michael Bizzaco has been writing about and working with consumer tech for well over a decade, writing about everything from A/V components and smart home devices to encryption software, cloud backup platforms, search engine tools, and more. He has written for Digital Trends for over three years, covering entertainment content, A/V, and smart home devices.

Blair Marnell

Blair Marnell has been an entertainment journalist for over 15 years. His bylines have appeared in Wizard Magazine, Geek Monthly, SYFY Wire, Superhero Hype, Collider, DC Universe, and the official sites for Star Trek and Marvel. He also lends his pop culture expertise to Digital Trends on a variety of TV, movie, and streaming features.

Derek Malcolm
Contributing Editor, A/V

Derek Malcolm is a Toronto-based technology journalist, editor, and content specialist whose work has appeared in publications such as Toronto Life, Canadian Business, The Globe and Mail, Business Insider, Today's Parent, and The Huffington Post. Derek has been covering the worlds of technology and entertainment for more than 20 years and is currently a Contributing Editor for the AV and Home Theater section at Digital Trends. When he's not obsessing over turntables, projectors, speakers, vintage audio gear, or what movies and shows to binge, Derek can be found at home spinning vinyl with his daughter.

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