In the past six months, Prime Video has become my favorite streaming service for watching classic movies, and while rivals like Netflix and Max tend to focus on 21st century films, Amazon's streaming service is not afraid to look to the past.

Now, to avoid confusion, when I say classic here, I don't mean movies from a couple of years ago, nor do I mean movies released in my lifetime. I'm referring to films released during (and just after) Hollywood's Golden Age. Therefore, some of these films are presented in black and white, which is a bonus for me.

This month Prime Video is particularly focused on James Bond films, with all of the super-spy action-adventures now available, but there are also some classics for viewers who don't drink martinis or drive vintage Aston Martins. 2024. Here's my pick of the classic films being added to Prime Video in October.

“Dr. No” kicked off a blockbuster franchise that is still going strong more than 60 years later. In this action thriller based on Ian Fleming's novel of the same name, James Bond (Sean Connery), a brilliant MI6 spy, travels to Jamaica to investigate the mysterious disappearance of a fellow British agent. There he meets the charming Honey Ryder (Ursula Andress) and confronts the villain of the same name, Dr. Julius No (Joseph Wiseman).

This first installment of the Bond cannon introduces many of the franchise's most iconic elements, including that theme song. In addition, the thrilling ending and Connery's brilliant performance make this one of Bond's most enjoyable adventures, even after all these years. Later Bond films would refine this formula and offer more accomplished spy stories, but “Dr. No” was the first to do so and remains so to this day. It is a must-see for any self-respecting Bond fan.

Rotten Tomatoes: 95%Stream it on Prime Video now

Speaking of Bond films that have refined the formula, “Goldfinger” is the perfect distillation of what made the spy series great. In Connery's third attempt as an MI6 agent, he investigates a gold bar king named Auric Goldfinger (Gert Flöbe) and ultimately uncovers a sinister plot to crash the world economy by contaminating American gold in Fort Knox. Along the way, he also meets arguably the most iconic Bond girl, Pussy Galore (Honor Blackman), and her memorable villainous henchman Oddjob (Harold Sakata).

Considered the franchise's first true “blockbuster,” Goldfinger is a relentlessly entertaining action epic that dwarfs the budgets of the previous two Bond films combined. From the beginning, when Bond first encounters the King of Gold in a Miami Beach hotel, the stakes are raised and the action quickly becomes unfettered. It is a must-see Bond film that packages everything that makes the series so endearing to this day.

Rotten Tomatoes: 99%Stream it on Prime Video now

The legendary Laurence Olivier directed and starred in this adaptation of the famous Shakespeare play. And decades later, the film still manages to captivate and entertain. It is also notable for the creative ways in which Olivier frames the play's source material, as he performs the work both on stage and in historical locations.

The film follows the English monarch, played by Olivier, as he demonstrates his abilities as a commander and leader in the Hundred Years War. Henry V attempts to unite a divided English army in order to conquer France in 1415. The 40s film also stars Renée Ascherson as Queen Catherine, Robert Newton as the Ancient Pistol, Felix Aylmer as the Archbishop of Canterbury, and Leslie Banks as a member of the chorus. The film was very well received and Olivier received an honorary Academy Award for the film.

Rotten Tomatoes: 100% Stream it on Prime Video now

“Holiday Inn” (1942)

Irving Berlin's “White Christmas” is a holiday classic played in shopping malls and grocery stores every year But did you know that it was actually written for a “Holiday Inn”? The song was one of several written specifically for this Bing Crosby and Fed Astaire musical, whose enduring legacy has since surpassed the film itself.

But that is not a knock on “Holiday Inn.” The film opens with Jim (Crosby) and Lila (Virginia Dale) preparing to leave their New York-based musical act and open a country hotel together. But when Lila reveals that she has fallen in love with the group's charming dancer, Ted (Astaire), Jim is left heartbroken and must set up the inn on his own. His prospects improve when he books Linda (Marjorie Reynolds) and falls in love, but soon a newly single Ted arrives with his eyes on the same woman... Again.

Rotten Tomatoes: 100%Stream it on Prime Video now

'Invasion of the Body Snatchers' (1956)

One of the most influential science fiction horror films, ” Body Snatchers” made a huge impact on American audiences when it was released in theaters in 1956. And now, more than 65 years later, while some of its horrors are slightly less effective, the nerve-wracking tension and the film's uncomfortable sense of paranoia are still very much in effect. Throughout this chilling film, you will be asking yourself who is your friend and who is an alien parasite.

Miles Benell (Kevin McCarthy), a doctor in the fictional town of Santa Mira, California, is puzzled when some of his patients claim that an emotionless imposter has replaced their loved ones. Miles initially dismisses the idea, but soon begins to believe that an army of shapeshifting aliens is slowly invading the town. With his ex-lover (Dana Winter) and friend (King Donovan) by his side, he sets out to stop the invasion.

Rotten Tomatoes: 97% Available on Prime Video starting October 31