It was a year that reinforced Scottish cinema as a global force to be reckoned with, while a Hollywood superstar would earn praise and criticism, after receiving a $20 million payday for a film that was—honestly?—a little hit and miss with critics, but has since become a cult classic.
1996 saw franchises being given a new lease of life, with successful shows transitioning from the small screen to the silver screen. Disney started their tactic of making live-action versions of some of their classics. And a little film noir, set in cold, snowy climates and dealing with moral ambiguities, would become the Oscar darling that season. We were also set to have the future of home cinema released a year later after their initial release in Japan - something they call a “doovd.”
Sorry, I meant DVD.
Feeling old yet? It’ll be 30 years in 2026 since we last went to the cinema to see some of these incredible and/or cult classics. Here are 30 films throughout that year that became mainstays on television and video rental stores (remember them? They existed back then still!), and in some cases would influence many films to come decades later.
Did you go to the cinema or hire any of these films out upon their release?
13. The Nutty Professor (June 28)
This remake demonstrated Eddie Murphy's enduring comedic genius, with the star playing seven different characters under heavy makeup. The film was a huge hit, grossing $274 million worldwide and winning an Academy Award for its transformative makeup design. | Universal Pictures
14. Independence Day (July 2)
Roland Emmerich’s sci-fi spectacle was the definitive blockbuster of the year, grossing over $817.4 million and becoming the highest-grossing film of 1996. Its teaser trailer, featuring the iconic destruction of the White House, debuted during the Super Bowl, establishing the modern template for event-movie marketing. | 20th Century
15. The Frighteners (July 19)
A pivotal film in Peter Jackson's career. It served as a critical early proving ground for Jackson and his Weta team’s sophisticated digital effects, which would define their later, multi-billion dollar work on The Lord of the Rings trilogy. | Universal Pictures
16. A Time To Kill (July 24)
Based on the John Grisham novel, this intense legal drama was a major commercial hit, grossing over $152 million worldwide. Grisham sold the film rights to the book for a record-setting $6 million, highlighting Hollywood's frenzy for high-concept novel adaptations. | Warner Bros.
17. Kingpin (July 26)
The Farrelly Brothers comedy, starring Woody Harrelson and Bill Murray, cemented their status as kings of aggressive, high-concept gross-out comedy. It features cameos from numerous professional athletes, including the legendary baseball pitcher Roger Clemens. | MGM
18. James and the Giant Peach (August 2)
This film, dedicated to the memory of the author Roald Dahl, masterfully blended live-action and stop-motion animation sequences created by director Henry Selick. It confirmed stop-motion's place as a viable, artistic alternative to the growing dominance of CGI animation. | Disney