How To Revive Classic Films: Fun Snacks For Old Movie Nights
Short attention span? Hankering wine & charcuterie? Might I suggest a double feature...
Longer days, hotter weather, humid thunderstorms: For those in the Northern Hemisphere, summer is nigh. In these last days of spring, my movie-watching schedule is entirely dictated by the weather. As rainy days are fewer and farther between, by Memorial Day it strikes me: These may be the last good movie-watching day for weeks!
Something about late spring always gets me in the mood to watch black-and-white films.
In winter, color is almost always necessary to keep the seasonal blues at bay. Autumn is reserved for the abundance of fall-centric films and television shows. And Summer demands less time in front of a screen. But Spring? When there are still a few rainy days to get through, nothing puts a pep in my step like an old-fashioned black-and-white comedy. And really good snacks, of course.
If you’ve been meaning to dip your toe back into slapstick and screwball films but are afraid your 2024-dopamine-laden brain won’t be able to take the pacing, I’ve designed this food-and-film double feature pairing specifically for you.
Today, I humbly submit to you two films and a pairing of Elderberry Wine and Charcuterie board snacks for your enjoyment. Let’s dig in…
Dough and Dynamite (1914)
🍞 Runtime: ~30 minutes | Directed by Charlie Chaplin
One of the best things about silent films is you can talk the whole way through them. As a certified movie-theater-yapper, I get my silent film kicks from maintaining a running commentary. And boy, does this film provide a lot to comment on.
This short slapstick film kicks off with a weary waiter (Charlie Chaplin) accidentally taking away a fresh plate of food from a patron of the French restaurant in which he works.
The comedic ante only rises from there. Before you know it, pastries are flying through the air, punches are being thrown, wet dough is being flung. Soon, the bakers have gone on strike, and Chaplin’s clumsy waiter is forced to head to the kitchen. If you haven’t inferred from the title by now, the climax does indeed involve exploding bread.
To modern audiences with minuscule attention spans, I’ve always found the best way to watch silent slapsticks is with an abundance of entertaining snacks. Charcuterie boards are always a hit, as is something fruity to drink.
Below, I’ve laid out a foolproof shopping list for the perfect silent movie charcuterie board.
Silent Film Charcuterie Board Plan:
Meats & Cheeses:
I recently discovered a small brand called Midcoast Vegan that creates the most realistic vegan salamis and cheeses on the East Coast. They’re hard to track down, but once you have a bite you’ll be in heaven!
For the omnivores in the audience, I recommend a local chevre goat cheese and some spicy salami — the ultimate flavor combo for enjoying comedy.
Bread:
In lieu of crackers, a fresh baked bread is my top carbohydrate of choice for silent film snacking. The extra heft and size takes longer to eat, and keeps your tastebuds stimulated for longer as your eyes feast upon Charlie Chaplin falling down a flight of stairs or what have you. Here’s a super-easy recipe.
Olives:
What I’m about to say may shake green olive lovers to their core. I don’t make the rules, I just enforce them: The unsung hero of olive varieties, kalamatas are the only way to go here, folks. Their bitter juiciness satiates olive lovers and haters alike, and pairs perfectly with salami and goat cheese. Go forth, and free yourself from the briny medicority of green olives!
Fruit:
A heaping pile of fresh red grapes or rainier cherries!
Where to Watch:
Copies of this film are available to watch right on Youtube — you can click the play button above and watch the entire film through, if you wish!
Arsenic and Old Lace (1944)
🧂 Runtime: ~1 hour, 58 minutes | Directed by Frank Capra
And then there was sound!
A classic screwball black comedy based on a popular Broadway play of the same name, Arsenic and Old Lace follows a theater critic who discovers his spinster aunts have a nasty habit of poisoning their elderly gentlemen house guests. Set on Halloween night in Brooklyn, New York, the film stars Cary Grant and was directed by Frank Capra (of It’s a Wonderful Life and Mr. Smith Goes to Washington.)
Arsenic and Old Lace was one of the first 1940’s films I ever saw. To a kid who regularly watched So Weird and Goosebumps, I didn’t find the subject matter particularly disturbing. Even so, I might save this film to watch on an early summer evening — watching it on Halloween might give you the heebie-jeebies!
Cary Grant & Elderberry Wine
In the film, the murderous aunts mix arsenic into their homemade elderberry wine before offering a sip to their guests. Though elderberry wine often closely resembles wine from a grape, growing elderberries in large quantities isn’t financially viable for most winemakers and is often left to crafty homemakers or small-batch farms to concoct.
For those who would like to try a poison-less glass of this unique vino, a few niche wineries have bottles for sale, all for $40 USD or (much) less.
To Start the Party: Wild Elder Black Elderberry Wine, Sambucus Nigra, Dry (Pennsylvania)
With Charcuterie: Briar Patch Wines Dry Elderberry Wine (California)
Entrée Pairing: Bluegrass Vineyard Elderberry Wine (Kentucky)
For Dessert: Hidden Legend Winery’s Elderberry Mead (Montana)
If those vineyard locations sound less than appetizing, fear not: For hundreds (possibly thousands) of years, elderberries were grown for wine specifically in areas of Northern Europe where grapes weren’t able to thrive. Today, Elderberries do well in climates as cool as Maine or Wisconsin.
Long story short: If you’re going to have wine made in North America, elderberry can actually be a less risky and much tastier option than many grape-based bottles.
Those lucky enough to have access to large amounts of elderberries can try making their own elderberry wine with this old French recipe.
Where to Watch:
Arsenic and Old Lace is available to rent to stream at home via Apple TV, Youtube, Amazon, and pretty much anywhere else you can rent.
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And please, leave me a comment + let me know: 🧀 What is your favorite charcuterie board ingredient? 🥖
With gratitude,
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I hadn’t heard of Arsenic and Lace, but a Cary Grant and Frank Capra combo caught my attention - sounds like a fun storyline too!