Erin Elisavet Kozak is a writer and editor living in San Francisco, CA. Her love for old movies began when she was a little girl and frequently stayed up late with her father to watch retro sci-fi and horror films on television. His penchant for 1950s monster movies probably contributed to her interest in black-and-white cinema (and her fondness for schlock). Later as an undergraduate at U.C. Berkeley, Erin’s enthusiasm for film rapidly developed and was fostered by the U.C. Theatre (now the Taube Family Music Hall), which screened films from all around the world and was at that point in its prime.
Kozak’s Classic Cinema is devoted to the exploration of American and international film from the period of the earliest silent movies to 1950. The essays included here are intended to shed light on a variety of films, including those that are held in high regard and others that are undervalued, overlooked, harder to find, or forgotten (sometimes for good reason). The author’s hope is that these pages will inspire readers to deepen their affection for movies that are already old favorites and to discover new gems.