Are you prepared for a revelation? You might want to take a seat for this shocking news. It’s crucial to be seated for what I’m about to share.

Can you believe that the year 1975 is now a remarkable 50 years in the past?

To truly grasp this concept, let’s reflect on the cinematic landscape of 1975. The most significant film of that year was a groundbreaking horror thriller centered around a shark being pursued by three individuals, driven by the shark’s unforgivable act of simply being hungry. This film, Jaws, became a cultural phenomenon. Interestingly, fifty years prior, the cinematic highlight was Charlie Chaplin’s silent masterpiece, The Gold Rush.

It’s astonishing to consider that Jaws has now aged to the same extent that silent films had when it debuted in theaters. I really meant it when I said you should be prepared for this stunning realization.

If you experienced life in 1975 — or if you fondly recall watching films from that era during your childhood in the 1980s or ’90s — this reflection can indeed be challenging to accept. However, the passage of time is inexorable, and we must confront this truth. Time continues to advance relentlessly.

As we look at the 25 films listed below, spanning an impressive range from blockbuster hits to art-house classics and significant award-winning pieces, as well as the smaller independent films that marked the beginnings of some of the 20th century’s most influential directors, we see that they have all aged to the point of being half a century old. Each film in this collection has reached this milestone. It’s a sobering thought. Sigh.

Are you still sitting down? Here’s another staggering fact: the movies released in the year 2000 are now celebrating their 25th anniversary. Yes, the year 2000 was a quarter of a century ago. None of this seems to make any logical sense. Nevertheless, let’s dive into the list of 25 iconic movies that will turn 50 years old in 2025.

READ MORE: 10 Influential ’70s Movies That Could Never Be Produced Today