The mafo's MoFo 100 List

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The People's Republic of Clogher



MoFo's first Top 200?

Dave...Whatchu talkin' 'bout?
Yes...I'm a tad out of touch with things
Just floating an idea, Annie.

Great work so far Mark.
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"Critics are like eunuchs in a harem; they know how the Tatty 100 is done, they've seen it done every day, but they're unable to do it themselves." - Brendan Behan



I am half agony, half hope.
Looks good, Mark. Lots of films I've never heard of! Keep 'em coming...
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Finally woke up enough to finish reading your list... which is excellent... I love Patton and almost added it to my list.... Can't wait to see what else you add...
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56. A Matter of Life and Death (Michael Powell & Emeric Pressburger, 1946)



A British pilot jumps out of his burning plane without a parachute, survives, and immediately meets the American woman who fell in love with his voice just before he jumped. Ecstatic romance ensues, but how did he survive, and does he have a serious illness or is Heaven still trying to collect him? Gorgeously-photographed-and-designed film crams in a ton of The Archers' love of cinematic invention.

55. The Pawnbroker (Sidney Lumet, 1965)



Rod Steiger gives his greatest performance as a Harlem pawnbroker who survived the Holocaust while his wife and children were killed. Sol Nazerman tries to keep himself emotionless, but his young assistant (Jaime Sanchez) forces him to deal more directly with the living. Great location work from Lumet and a mind-blowing performance from Juano Hernandez add to the power.

54. One, Two, Three (Billy Wilder, 1961)



Taken from Movie Tab II, July 2, 2010:

Machine-gun-paced Cold War comedy covers just about everything one could think of, not just what was happening in the divided city of Berlin at the time. James Cagney is a marvel as a Coca-Cola executive who has to "babysit" his boss's teenage daughter (Pamela Tiffin) and gets several headaches when she marries a young "Bolshevik" (Horst Buchholz) from East Berlin. The young woman's family is also on the way to Berlin to pick up their daughter, so Cagney has little time to straighten things out. There is also the usual high quota of sex jokes from scripters I.A.L. Diamond and Billy Wilder and a smart musical score which incorporates Khatchaturyan's "Sabre Dance". It's almost impossible to describe how fast the dialogue flies by as everyone speaks as quickly as possible and the plot twists come at such a frantic pace. Don't expect to go to the kitchen or the bathroom with the movie playing because you'll miss about 20 visual or verbal jokes a minute. Of course, the better-versed you are in the world history and popular culture of 1961, the more fun you'll have watching this terrific comedy, but it's also a great way to learn some of those things in between all the laughs.

53. Rear Window (Alfred Hitchcock, 1954)



It's hard to believe that James Stewart needs to spend so much time looking out his window at all his neighbors when he's got Grace Kelly lounging in his room, but, thankfully for the audience, he's just nosey enough to turn this into a classic suspense mystery with techinique and wit to burn.

52. Singin' in the Rain (Stanley Donen & Gene Kelly, 1952)



Hollywood's greatest original musical comes packed with song and dance numbers up the wazoo, and still remains the ultimate satire of how silent movies turned into talkies.

51. Gone With the Wind (Victor Fleming, several others, 1939) - Way UNDERRATED in this list



Classic filmmaking and storytelling on a grand scale. You may think it's only a racist soap opera (wrong), but whatever you think, it contains iconic performances from Vivien Leigh, Clark Gable, Hattie McDaniel and Olivia de Havilland. The only flaw I find with it is that it shoehorns too much tragedy into the last hour by rushing through it.
OK, I realize that this is not a way for me to win friends and influence people. Although it's always been obvious to me that Gone With the Wind is a great film, it's relentlessly been attacked, especially recently, as a racist film which doesn't deserve to be mentioned among "good" people, but I say "Horse Feathers!" HA!

1. GWTW is one of the greatest examples of cinematic storytelling in the history of film. Let's leave the plot alone for a moment. As a film which tells a gargantuan story with dozens of characters and covers many years, GWTW is basically unrivaled. In fact, the film which most closely resembles its story arc, The Godfather, is accepted as an awesome "family-based" film, even though it's about a family of murderers. Oh well, I guess it's better to be a murderer than have anything to do with slavery (at least if you find some kind of moral difference between the two).

2. David O. Selznick, the producer of GWTW, was one of the most hands-on, fastidious producers ever. Selznick produced the following masterpieces: A Tale of Two Cities, Nothing Sacred, A Star is Born, The Young in Heart (personal fave), Intermezzo: A Love Story, Rebecca, Since You Went Away, Spellbound, Duel in the Sun, Portrait of Jennie, and The Third Man. Even so, Selznick is best known for GWTW. His vision is all over the film, from the use of gorgeous special effects and matte paintings used to highlight the characters amongst their surroundings to the no-holds-barred budget he provided for the film. If somebody can, please explain to me how this mind-boggling scene which ends Part One is not incredible.



3. The actresses in this film give some of the greatest performances in film history. Vivien Leigh, well-deserving of her Best Actress Oscar, is spectacular as the spoiled Southern brat who grows through tragedy to a woman who can support her family throughout all the trials they're forced to endure. Olivia de Havilland, as Melanie, is one of the most-dignified and loving characters in film history, and the triumphant, Oscar-winning Hattie McDaniel plays Mammy as one of the most knowledgeable and beloved characters ever. Check out this "Just like a spider" scene:



Crap, you have to CLICK THIS INSTEAD:


4. Clark Gable was born to play Rhett Butler, and he is awesome in the role. I recall Caitlyn saying that he was old enough to be Scarlett's dad, but that seems like a way things were done in the South in the past. In real life, Gable was 38 and Leigh was 25. I cannot consider any other actor who could play Rhett Butler. Just watch how great The King (Gable) is here, proving both how macho and how sensitive he is.

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5. Max Steiner's musical score is one of the most memorable to ever be heard, especially over such grand visuals.



6. I've been trying to find the famous scene of all the Southern soldiers laying dead and broken as the camera pulls back to the bullet-ridden Confederate flag, but this is as close as I can get to that iconic scene. Anything which is anti-war is all right by me.

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7. GWTW is both exciting and wildly romantic...

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8. GWTW has the original Superman! (George Reeves) [the guy on the right!]



9. Thomas Mitchell won an Oscar this same year for Stagecoach, but you can be sure that his performance as Caity Scarlett O'Hara's pop contributed to it.



10. GWTW obviously has one of the most memorable ending scenes ever, and it may well be the most tragic romance ever filmed. (And none of this has to do with slavery!) And if anybody wants to call it "lame", I may shoot you! HA! (I hope.)



Fin
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50. The Shawshank Redemption (Frank Darabont, 1994)



This is one of those films that always makes me cry and feel good. Sure, it's obvious that it's manipulative, but I'd rather be manipulated by Morgan Freeman's voice than just about anybody's. Plus Tim Robbins' performance ain't too shabby either.

49. Forrest Gump (Robert Zemeckis, 1994)



After these last three picks, Holden must be spinnin' in his "grave" (he's a vampire, didn't ya know?), BUT... I enjoy Forrest Gump. I realize that it's a CliffsNotes tour of the last half of the 20th century, but there's something about the tone and Hanks' performance that I find appealing. I certainly don't cry during it, but I do laugh a lot. I especially love Lt. Dan.

48. Lawrence of Arabia (David Lean, 1962)



The film and locations are mesmerizing. You just get engulfed in it and let it take you where it does. Hopefully, you will be rewarded with a cinematic experience unlike any other. In that way, Lawrence of Arabia reminds me of 2001: A Space Odyssey. The desert seems almost as huge as outer space.

47. L.A. Confidential (Curtis Hanson, 1997)



This is a super-charged blast through early 1950s L.A., covering cops, hits, Hollywood stars, gossip columnists, TV, racism, and especially sex and violence. This movie has NO BOREDOM! Besides introducing mainstream America to Russell Crowe and Guy Pearce, it gave several stars incredibly-juicy roles.

46. Excalibur (John Boorman, 1981)



Certainly one of the most-breathtaking visual extravaganzas ever. This King Arthur movie is suffused with sci-fi, action and sex. Then, at the end, it turns into a horror film. World class filmmaking of the highest order.

45. The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (John Huston, 1948)



Gritty adventure of down-on-their-luck Americans prospecting for gold in 1920s Mexico. It's a terrific adventure, filled with colorful characters. Fred C. Dobbs gets to deal with somebody who doesn't have to show him "any stinking badges". My vote for Bogart's and Walter Huston's greatest performances.

44. A Clockwork Orange (Stanley Kubrick, 1971)



Scathing social satire, filled with sex and ultraviolence, uses Beethoven's music brilliantly. The story and character arcs are painted with poison-pen precision. This film, made almost 40 years ago, would never be financed or even allowed to be made (probably) in our wonderful PC times.

43. Next Stop, Greenwich Village (Paul Mazursky, 1976)



A truly special and spectacular autobiographical comedy-drama about a New York actor trying to make the big time. The entire cast is tremendous, but kudos to young Lenny Baker who turns in a seemingly-effortless brilliant performance in the lead role. R.I.P.

42. Diner (Barry Levinson, 1982)



What Greenwich Village in 1953 did for the last film, Baltimore in 1959 does for this one. The time, place and characters are so perfectly realized in these particular coming-of-age films that I just wish that I could be involved in one personally. I almost gave Brenda a movie quiz before our wedding (inspired by this flick), but I was never serious about it, although I had her going there for a minute. (Now you can see why my coming-of-age movies usually involve the "immature sex".)

41. Rosemary's Baby (Roman Polanski, 1968)



Probably the greatest Hitchcock film which Hitch didn't direct. This film is scary as hell, but all the more so because you can believe that it could happen. Maybe Satan did spawn the baby or maybe these crazy Satan-worshippers want it for their own. You tell me. Which is scarier? Rosemary does put up a good fight though.



Bright light. Bright light. Uh oh.
I fully expect some backlash on GWTW, but if I get anyone to rewatch it or even check it out for the first time, that's all I'm trying to do. Did anybody notice that I placed it in the middle of my list?



I fully expect some backlash on GWTW, but if I get anyone to rewatch it or even check it out for the first time, that's all I'm trying to do. Did anybody notice that I placed it in the middle of my list?

I've tried re-watching GWTW a couple of times and still dislike it... immensely... but I'm cool with the fact others do like it... 'tis what makes us all individuals... and yes, I noticed it was in the middle of your list... and that it is also losing ground on the all the "official" Best Movie lists every year....



Man this is good stuff mark! Love Excalibur! And Forrest Gump (obviously) and I have been putting off seeing GWTW and now I think I'm a lot closer to seeing it.



A system of cells interlinked
Oh man... I need to spend some time in this thread... which I will do as soon as it isn't Friday night...

"A dream to some... a nightmare to others!!!"
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Bright light. Bright light. Uh oh.
First off, excuse my overuse of the word "awesome", but when it fits the best, I'm sorta stuck with it.

40. Beauty and the Beast (Gary Trousdale & Kirk Wise, 1991)



Disney's greatest traditional animation since the 1950s has gorgeous artwork, a wonderful score and plenty of action, humor, and suspense.

39. An American Werewolf in London (John Landis, 1981)

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Truly horrific tale which just happens to be incredibly sexy and witty. Really, it's a once-in-a-lifetime flick since none of the newer attempts at such a thing are nearly as successful or complex.

38. Chinatown (Roman Polanski, 1974)



Polanski is a master, but screenwriter Robert Towne has to take a bow for his great original script. Nicholson and Dunaway are terrific, but bringing in John Huston (The Maltese Falcon) was a stroke of genius.

37. Deliverance (John Boorman, 1972)



Awesome film about man's interaction with nature seems to have passed into some psycho folklore full of snide jokes. Even if you think there's something "funny" about this film, it's very serious, exciting, scary, beautifully-photographed and strangely poetic. Wonderful use of "Dueling Banjos" at the beginning to set the mood.

36. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (Milos Forman, 1975)



Hilarious, uplifting, disturbing and tragic reinvention of Ken Kesey's novel. I LOVE Jack Nicholson, and this may well be his greatest performance. Just him, sitting in front of a turned-off TV set, giving play-by-play of the World Series, is enough for someone to fall in love with the movies.

35. American Graffiti (George Lucas, 1973)



My favorite coming-of-age film, with just about the coolest use of a soundtrack, and a wonderful collection of characters and performances.

34. The Manchurian Candidate (John Frankenheimer, 1962)



Damn, what a great movie! The Chinese kidnap and brainwash American soldiers during the Korean War to have one ticking time bomb do their bidding when required. An awesome combo of political satire, suspense and dark comedy which has never remotely been duplicated, unless you count Dr. Strangelove. This one has Angela Lansbury though.

33. The Innocents (Jack Clayton, 1961)


I've discussed this film many places around the site, including its own thread twice, so maybe this is overkill to mention it again, but I just watched it with someone who has never seen it, so I'll try to post something new and thoughtful, if I can. The bottom line for me is that this is the creepiest, scariest, most-unsettling horror film I've ever seen. The Innocents is so frightening because it's open to so many interpretations, and no matter which way you interpret it, it's just as disturbing as possible. It's based on Henry James' The Turn of the Screw which tells the story of a new governess, Miss Giddens (Deborah Kerr), and her effect on two angelic children who seem to be far more mature than their ages would allow. The boy Miles (Martin Stephens) is sent home from school for being "an injury" to the other boys, and the girl Flora (Pamela Franklin) seems to realize that Miles is coming home before anyone else does. This is only the beginning of many incidents which seem to possibly have more than one explanation, and as the film progresses, it becomes more-difficult to decide what the truth of the situation is.

The photography is spectacular and the sound design awesomely conveys what could either be Miss Giddens' deepening madness or a presence of unspeakable evil which threatens to possess and corrupt the children in the form of two dead servants who formally helped to raise the children while freely carrying on an open S&M sexual relationship in front of them. Since the film was made in 1961, you have to pay attention to pick up all the plot nuances and possibilities, but all you have to have are eyes and ears to be transfixed and lost in another world of a large house full of rooms of whispers and scary "games" of hide-and-seek. Make sure you watch this one after it gets dark.

32. Casablanca (Michael Curtiz, 1942)



Bogart, at the center of WWII, deciding who lives and who dies. Is he the ultimate Anti-Hero or just a plain old romantic? Does he stick his neck out for anybody or not? Is Ingrid Bergman gorgeous beyond belief? Are the cast and script the most perfectly-oiled machine ever conceived by classic Hollywood?

Casablanca (Michael Curtiz, 1942)



1. The script is probably the greatest which Hollywood ever concocted and comes closest to the complete, utter wit level which rivals playwrights such as Oscar Wilde and Bernard Shaw. This, despite the fact that it was constantly being rewritten all the way up to the final day of shooting. Casablanca is a film with dialogue so good that many people still do not comprehend how entertaining it is because the whole thing comes across as effortlessly amusing while feigning seeming seriousness.

2. The technical acumen gathered together for the film is mind-boggling. This includes everything from Don Siegel's montages to the special effects utilizing midgets to convey proper scale, cool matte paintings, the light tower at the airport, the biff, bang, pow of the editing, the super costumes, Max Steiner's musical score, the sets of the various locations and even Sydney Greenstreet's flyswatters and Peter Lorre's haunting eyes. This is certainly the apotheosis of Curtiz's Warner Bros. career.

3. The romance is compelling in far more significant ways than the usual melodrama. The three main characters all are confused about each other's motives and it's unpredictable what will happen right up to the final scene. Yet, everything seems almost inevitable once you watch and rewatch this perfection. Take, for example, the scene where Rick gets Ilsa's letter in the rain as the train prepares to roll out of the station... how could anything ever be topped for emotional power? Look closely at Bogie's face as he tosses the "bleeding, crying" note to the ground.

4. Dooley Wilson's Sam is a hell of a singer and a perfect partner for Bogart's Rick. The scenes where Sam sings "As Time Goes By" are wonderfully nostalgic and even were when the film came out. Add to that the fact that's the one song which stabs Rick in the heart every time he hears it.

5. Speaking of music, the scene where "La Marseillaise" is sung at Rick's always generates lots of emotion and shivers down the backbone. Victor is able to rally the crowd to overcome the Nazis' singing of their patriotic song with an onslaught of honesty and newfound patriotism from the seemingly jaded crowd in the "saloon".

6. The supporting cast is unrivaled in films of the era. Maybe it seems as if there are better casts, but character-for-character, the casting could scarcely be more perfect, and Claude Rains' Louis has to take extra bows for the perfection of his line deliveries, character development and rapport with Bogie's Rick. "I'm shocked... shocked to find gambling going on here!" "Your winnings, sir." "Oh, thank you."

7. Ingrid Bergman is so damn beautiful. She's obviously younger than Bogie, but their relationship seems destined to be and what he gives her in security, she gives him in pure love. They're able to humanize and improve each other in ways far beyond the simple cliche. By the way, did I mention that Bergman is incredibly gorgeous?

8. Bogart is THE MAN in this film. He had played the cynical lead before in the wonderful The Maltese Falcon, but this solidified him as the leading man, the hero, a romantic icon, and the man far more together and capable than even our current role model -- The XX Man.

9. The finale is probably the greatest ever presented in a Hollywood film or anything even resembling a romantic thriller. Rick is able to work everything out to a T and make it all happen, all the while sharing some of the greatest lines in film history. "Round up the usual suspects." "Louis, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship." If you don't dig the final scene, I don't know what to say...

10. Casablanca is many viewer's gateway into the films of Humphrey Bogart and classic films in general. It may be difficult for some people to realize this, but Bogart was probably in more films which stand the test of time than any other actor of his day and perhaps even ever. Besides that, he was a character actor who was able to straddle the line between cynicism and heroism and create a very-flawed sort of hero which eventually became the Anti-Hero so well popularized by later actors such as Jack Nicholson, Al Pacino and Robert De Niro. The thing about Bogie though was that he was a far-huger romantic leading man than any of them ever proved to be, and that is mind-boggling in and of itself. Movies would not be the same if Bogie and Casablanca did not exist.

31. Richard Pryor Live in Concert (Jeff Margolis, 1979)





First off, Richard Pryor released a few concert films; or at least, people trying to make money off his talent did. This review is only concerning the very first film, and it's called exactly this title. This will always be my "go-to" film when I need to just laugh and feel a bit better about life. I've talked to many people of many ages, and they all have their fave stand-up comics, but I find it hard to believe that a truthful person could watch this film and not tell me that Pryor is the funniest, most-honest person on the face of the Earth here. If you deny that, then tell me somebody who can remotely perform so many human and animal characters on stage. The man pours his entire soul out in this wonderful movie, and I feel privileged to relive it two or three times a year with my friends and family. R.I.P.



I am half agony, half hope.
There are quite a few of my favorite movies in this bunch, Mark.

About The Pawnbroker, my husband said it was the first film he saw in film analysis class way back in college. He didn't care for it then, but we'll watch it together soon since I haven't seen it. We'll see if he feels the same way.



I thought it was an awesome (sorry had to be done ) choice to have Richard Pryor on your list. That is the one where he does most of his talking about some of his drug experiences yes? The Heart attack in particular I think. I seem to remember that I saw this maybe 5 or 6 years ago and had been sober for a little while at that time. I was completely blown away by his honesty. I wish he was still with us.



More great movies and more great reccomendations. Good job, mark. It's good to see Rosemary's Baby and American Werewolf in your list.
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There are quite a few of my favorite movies in this bunch, Mark.

About The Pawnbroker, my husband said it was the first film he saw in film analysis class way back in college. He didn't care for it then, but we'll watch it together soon since I haven't seen it. We'll see if he feels the same way.
The Pawnbroker is certainly an unusual film, from the plot to the cast to the technique. It's probably about the furthest thing from "entertainment" on my list, but I find it to be powerfully moving and love the editing. I'd be interested in seeing Slug's comments.



Bright light. Bright light. Uh oh.
30. Pygmalion (Anthony Asquith & Leslie Howard, 1938)/My Fair Lady (George Cukor, 1964)




George Bernard Shaw's peerless romantic comedy is just as good, whether it has songs or not. I actually prefer the performances of Leslie Howard and Wendy Hiller and the cool technique in the original film, but the songs are so much fun and no expense was spared on the later production. When Rex Harrison goes into another one of his soliloquies, and Audrey Hepburn responds by wishing him grisly deaths in various ways, it has to bring smiles. My only disappointment is that they dubbed Marni Nixon's voice in for Audrey Hepburn. (Audrey does a good job of singing in the Extra Features they have on the My Fair Lady DVD.) I obviously recommend both films, but for potential haters, the older one is in B&W and the newer one is a musical. Yikes! What are you supposed to do? Sit back and enjoy them both.

29. Saving Private Ryan (Steven Spielberg, 1998)



I'm a big fan of the film, obviously. The opening scenes at Normandy draw you in immediately. The closing battle is even more intense and action-packed. In between are a number of scenes and characters who illuminate the insanity and heartbreak of war. I find all the central characters to be very flawed humans, but together, they create a truly thought-provoking, yet highly-visceral experience. I understand that some people have a distaste for the bookends, and although I'd just as soon see them excised, I don't feel they detract and are an appropriate tribute to WWII veterans.

28. Mary Poppins (Robert Stevenson, 1964)



I can hear it now... what's wrong with mark throwing in musicals and Spielberg flix (just wait), but I don't get hung up on musicals or Americans with "lousy English accents". What kind of movie do you expect Mary Poppins to be? A docudrama? I expected it to be a joyous, funny celebration of the power of the imagination to help people of all ages to improve their life. I expected Julie Andrews to do a magnificent job. I expected to enjoy the animated scenes and to feel good while watching the movie. I expected a cinematic treat. All my expectations were met and surpassed, and they continue to be to this very day.

27. The Graduate (Mike Nichols, 1967)



A social satire about the upper class in 1960s California, the film struck a nerve with the public who related to Benjamin's (Dustin Hoffman's) dilemma of having finished college at a young age and having no idea whatsoever to do with his life. His affair with Mrs. Robinson (Anne Bancroft) leads to some great verbal and visual wit, but it's his growing love for her daughter Elaine (Katharine Ross), who he sees as his only way of saving what's left of his future, which propels the film's second half. Simon and Garfunkel's song score adds a lot, and the film builds to a frenzied finale as Benjamin tries to get to the church on time to stop Elaine's marriage. It may not be as completely fresh as it once was, but it's still better than any similar-themed films.

26. Close Encounters of the Third Kind (Steven Spielberg, 1977)



Richard Dreyfuss gives his greatest performance as visionary power lineman Roy Neary, caught in an enigma he cannot understand but refuses to ignore, even at the expense of losing his family. Spielberg tells the story impressionistically with a series of striking scenes which he never really explains and leaves it up to the audience to tie the thing together. In that way, we experience the film the same way as Neary and his family do. There is also a scientific team, led by François Truffaut, trying to figure out what's going on, but rest assured, things come to a beautifully-moving conclusion. In fact, the final 45 minutes is almost like a mini-movie opera all by itself, but one which is suffused in warm light and hope with no tragedy.