Glamour simply no longer exists. The very word evokes stylized images from 30s and 40s Hollywood: red lips, long flowing gowns, voluptuous curves, perfectly poised hairstyles and complete elegance. And while modern Hollywood endlessly writes about stars imitating this glamorous flair, the truth is they can’t.

As society’s expectations of talent fades and the binaries between celebrity culture and stardom blur, classic Hollywood memories evoke, now more than ever, a nostalgic yearning for a period when glamour had a particular aura.

Take, for instance, the recent film, The Tourist. The Tourist recalls a golden age of cinema with it’s elaborately lush costumes and colorful romantic backdrops. The very pairing of Angelina Jolie and Johnny Depp reminds us of a time when moviegoers went to the theatre to go see the stars and the glam, and then perhaps the film.

But the second one steps outside the theatre, they are overburdened by a vast selection of images and information about Angelina Jolie’s every move online and in magazines. With pictures of Jolie walking her six kids to school or showing off her tattoo infested arms, the glamour fades. Fast.

Today, Hollywood is full of talented and beautiful women but there is no mystery. The way the media delves into star’s lives leaves little room for secrecy or control. And that, I believe, is what made the women of the classic Hollywood era so glamorous: mystery, elegance and exoticism

All these women had it: Marilyn Monroe, Audrey Hepburn, Marlene Dietrich, Natalie Wood, and Dorothy Dandridge.

Image courtesy of Reel Classics

But the woman still most synonymously associated with glamour is Elizabeth Taylor. Almost always shown in an exquisite evening dress and diamonds, of course, Taylor left a sensational legacy in the world of Hollywood still greatly remembered today. Her relationships were shown in the media, but never in excess and certainly not outside the realm of a upscale party.

Least we forget that Elizabeth Taylor, beyond her glamour and beauty, also won two Oscars in her career as an actress.

It was an era of endless beauty and talent. Actresses and actors epitomized style and yet seemed to easily evoke a sense of mystery, sex and control. It is a glamour that is no longer accessible.

The film was the 1954 version of A Star is Born and it was shown at the Scotia Bank Cineplex as part of The Classic Series. The monthly series since September has showcased some of Hollywood’s best motion pictures and will offer a total of twelve films.

The idea: showcase classic movies in theatre in digital and HD format.

The reality: just another example of classic cinema surging into the mainstream. And it’s about time. In the spirit of preserving our film heritage, it seems the major companies have finally taken to projecting these Hollywood gems onto the big screen.

But before delving into a discussion of the resurgence of classic cinema, I must admit that when I heard that A Star Is Born was playing in digital format, I could barely contain my excitement.

The film, an epic allegory for Garland’s life and the artificiality of Hollywood itself, was Garland’s reentrance into the spotlight after an attempted suicide in 1950. The re-offered version includes deleted scenes that were not shown to original audiences in the 1950s.

Judy Garland’s marvel entrance on screen in electric coloring and sparkling HD, however, quickly turned my excitement to disorientation, and then excitement again. As I sat in the exact theatre I had seen Black Swan the week before, I marveled at the fact that I was seeing Garland perform on the same screen as Natalie Portman near days apart….Toto, I’ve a feeling we’re not in Kansas anymore.

No one else in the audience seemed to have the same moment of mystification. Audience members clapped from the onset of the film, as Garland’s name appeared on the screen. The clapping continued following the prolonged (and tad egotistical) sequences of Garland performing- a reminder to the audience that true talent exists, somewhere.

Following the film, I spoke to Sara Marshall, assistant to the Communications Manager of CEO, about Cineplex’s decision to showcase classic films this year.

“I think there is something to be said seeing a movie that you’ve loved since you were kids. It’s a bit of a novelty. People really respond to that,” she told me.

The packed audience certainly showed this to be true.

So, whether you’re a movie buff or think there is something fantastical in seeing classic cinema in HD format, Cineplex in Canada will be offering Doctor Zhivago next month followed by The Wizard of Oz . Did I mention the tickets are just $5?