Dog Star Man's Top 100 of Sorts: (Year 2011)

[Dog Star Man]

I usually don't bode well with lists of any kind, but I thought it might be interesting to layout films I've enjoyed over the years. I hope it finds you well. I won't provide explanations of why these are placed unless asked, since I hope to do reviews of them all sometime. Enjoy my friends:



http://media.ifccenter.com/images/films/2001-a-space-odyssey_592x299.jpg

1. 2001: A Space Odyssey

http://www.the-reel-mccoy.com/movies/classics/images/godfather1.jpg

2. Godfather: Part I and II

http://www.designlessbetter.com/blogless/wp-content/uploads/2008/09/ikiru.jpg

3. Ikiru

http://beyondmediaonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/ragingbull.jpg

4. Raging Bull

http://auteurs_production.s3.amazonaws.com/stills/6491/Film_210w_WinterLight.jpg

5. Winter Light

http://www.italica.rai.it/cinema/film/ottoemezzo/otto_gr2.jpg

6. 8 1/2

http://thisdistractedglobe.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/10/Rear%20Window%20pic%202.jpg

7. Rear Window

http://alsolikelife.com/shooting/wp-content/uploads/2008/12/brakhage-dog_star_man.gif

8. Dog Star Man

http://movieblog.waiting4utopia.com/pics07/lifeanddeathof9413_6.jpg

9. The Life and Death of 9413: A Hollywood Extra

http://cdn-images.hollywood.com/site/Casablanca-Bogart.jpg

10. Casablanca

http://fest09.sffs.org/i/stills/main/woman_under_the_influence.jpg

11. A Woman Under the Influence

http://twi-ny.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/kwaidan.jpg

12. Kwaidan

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_7kgl4AycARw/TNG658I6ckI/AAAAAAAAAQE/pLzmVdqPNOc/s400/eraserhead1.jpg

13. Eraserhead

http://static0.unlike.net/system/photos/0049/7621/turtles.jpg?1247325650

14. Turtles Can Fly

http://www.all-things-reconsidered.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/Ringu.jpg

15. Ringu

http://scifiology.com/news/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/wizard-of-oz4.jpg

16. Wizard of Oz

http://www.lovehkfilm.com/reviews/ab3219/in_the_mood_for_love.jpg

17. In the Mood for Love

http://img.listal.com/image/1633479/600full-hoop-dreams-screenshot.jpg

18. Hoop Dreams

http://mediastickup.files.wordpress.com/2010/12/scorpiorisingcigskull.jpg

19. Scorpio Rising

http://media.ifccenter.com/images/films/its-a-wonderful-life_592x299.jpg

20. It's a Wonderful Life

http://bighollywood.breitbart.com/files/2009/02/61768-004.jpg

21. A Place in the Sun

http://www.lightindustry.org/warrendale.jpg

22. Warrendale

http://img.listal.com/image/1444091/600full-the-searchers-screenshot.jpg

23. The Searchers

http://timmaughanbooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/akirabr3.jpg

24. Akira

http://mowgliesq.files.wordpress.com/2010/10/hausu.jpg

25. House

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ONSQvTm-ALk/RyoYAVmGdvI/AAAAAAAAAOc/SKS5W0M4sAw/s400/faster_pussycat_kill_kill_04.png

26. Faster Pussycat! Kill, Kill!

http://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/images/reviews/76/1184330045_1.jpg

27. Ivan's Childhood.

http://gestaltmash.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/SevenSamurai02.jpg

28. Seven Samurai

http://thisrecording.com/storage/noir-doubleindemnity.jpg?__SQUARESPACE_CACHEVERSION=1248794262261

29. Double Indemnity

http://fest07.sffs.org/i/stills/main/films/snow_white.jpg

30. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs

[Dog Star Man]

http://suckerpunchcinema.com/main/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/fargo14.jpg

31. Fargo

http://cinecouch.com/image/toplist/meshes_of_the_afternoon.jpg

32. Meshes of the Afternoon

http://rancidpopcorn.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/12/blacksabbath.jpg

33. Black Sabbath

http://www.cineclub.de/images/lola_rennt_3.jpg

34. Run Lola Run

http://media.monstersandcritics.com/articles/1135652/article_images/patkristofferson2.jpg

35. Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid

http://gangster-movies.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/gansgetrmoviesgoodfellas2.jpg

36. Goodfellas

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_sIaitixYQ2M/SvswA0jjItI/AAAAAAAAB30/SZiE4UiEAks/s400/Tales+of+Hofmann.jpg

37. The Tales of Hoffmann

http://www.thisweekontheinternet.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/08/rushmore_bill.jpg

38. Rushmore

http://hampshiredance.files.wordpress.com/2009/12/singin_rain.jpg

39. Singin' in the Rain

http://www.hi-beam.net/mkr/cb/cb-trib1.jpg

40. Tribulation 99: Alien Anomalies Under America

http://www.bloodygoodhorror.com/bgh/files/thething.jpg

41. The Thing

http://www.g-pop.net/images/schindlersList4.jpg

42. Schindler's List

http://apsbookweekblog.edublogs.org/files/2008/02/lord-rings-gollum.jpg

43. The Lord of the Rings Trilogy

http://www.tubapants.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/01/dirtyharry.JPG

44. Dirty Harry

http://www.blogcdn.com/blog.moviefone.com/media/2007/12/totoro001.jpg

45. My Neighbor Totoro

http://www.electricsheepmagazine.co.uk/features/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/whiteheat.jpg

46. White Heat

http://www.slantmagazine.com/images/house/links_for_the_day/interim.jpg

47. Interim

http://www.siffblog.com/branded%20to%20kill.jpg

48. Branded to Kill

http://madamepickwickartblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/LAvventura7.jpg

49. L'Avventura

http://www.examiner.com/images/blog/wysiwyg/image/alien-hand-5.jpg

50. Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb

http://www.screentrek.com/images/once-upon-a-time-in-the-west1.jpg

51. Once Upon a Time in the West

http://www.thedorkreport.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/solaris-1972-2.jpg

52. Solaris

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_TUdp7Beyeyk/TAa9MH22esI/AAAAAAAAAGY/EKmyUMpOjdo/s1600/Argento_suspiria_2.JPG

53. Suspiria

http://cache.gawkerassets.com/assets/images/13242/2010/03/340x_mechanics_of_love.jpg

54. The Mechanics of Love

http://www.fantasiafestival.com/2005/_media/images/films/82/photo.jpg

55. Heros of the East

http://www.filmcritic.com/features/assets_c/2010/04/jaws-sigler-thumb-560xauto-28062.jpg

56. Jaws

http://blog.briandjohnson.com/.a/6a00d83420911553ef013484edcecf970c-800wi

57. To Kill a Mockingbird

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_6qgeWVXWLfY/TMDqQfs9AlI/AAAAAAAAA_c/2aWt-q93xbE/s1600/Paths+of+Glory.jpg

58. Paths of Glory

http://blog.jinni.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/11/mr-smith-goes-to-washington.jpg

59. Mr. Smith Goes to Washington

http://www.escapeintolife.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/6a00d8341c630a53ef00e553b856c68834-800wi.gif

60. Breathless

[Dog Star Man]

http://garbledzombie.files.wordpress.com/2008/04/machiko_kyo_rashomon.jpg

61. Rashomon

http://snarkerati.com/movie-news/files/2008/09/life-of-brian.jpg

62. Monty Python's: The Life of Brian

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_HJrGkCIwYOg/Sxce7au4xzI/AAAAAAAAQro/e0d_MHlYBcY/s320/the%2Bbattle%2Bof%2Balgiers.png

63. The Battle of the Algiers

http://www.filmofilia.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/The-Secret-In-Their-Eyes1.jpg

64. A Secret in Their Eyes

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ACG6lH-LdJA/TL3LqshkwrI/AAAAAAAAAwI/89zufZbaHQg/s1600/kustom_kar_02.jpg

65. Kustom Kar Kommandos

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_OuC7AtJmM8o/TTb9oiM8HJI/AAAAAAAAC7Y/aqKwTMELi2Q/s1600/livingdead.jpg

66. Night of the Living Dead

http://www.moviemail-online.co.uk/images/large/7574_F-For-Fake-03.JPG

67. F for Fake

http://pixhost.info/avaxhome/2006-09-20/PDVD_012_149.jpg

68. I am Cuba

http://www.mrrl.org/readerseye/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/nicholson.jpg

69. Chinatown

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_OvryYdVtfSo/SbNHFuipR9I/AAAAAAAAD0A/tltIUs4VW0U/s400/Diabolik_car.png

70. Danger: Diabolik!

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/alm005/images/amelie123.jpg

71. Amelie

http://oi54.tinypic.com/314z3hc.jpg

72. Xala

http://j.imagehost.org/0737/A_Study_in_Choreography_for_Camera_Maya_Deren_1945_002513_22-22-28.jpg

73. A Study in Choreography for the Camera

http://daily.greencine.com/sherlock-jr-350.jpg

74. Sherlock Jr.

http://www.dcenvironmentalfilmfest.org/images/uploads/3/media.743.jpg

75. Little Deiter Needs to Fly

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/huff-wires/20080618/film-afi-top-100/images/2c8dc527-df84-4d48-87b2-8e8e85584f54.jpg

76. City Lights

http://filmsdefrance.com/La_roue_1.jpg

77. La Roue

http://www.moviediva.com/MD_root/MDimages/Copy_of_BikeT.jpg

78. Bicycle Theives

http://www.moviemail-online.co.uk/images/large/17971_The-River-Renoir-1.JPG

79. The River

http://image.guardian.co.uk/sys-images/Film/Pix/pictures/2007/02/08/Shadows460300.jpg

80. Shadows

http://filmsdefrance.com/img/Pepe_le_Moko_01.jpg

81. Pepe le Moko

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_203N03RKSAs/TPdXWvzaBVI/AAAAAAAAAek/z44fwNn8svc/s1600/EdWood3.jpg

82. Ed Wood

http://andrewsidea.files.wordpress.com/2009/10/shoponmainstreet.jpg

83. Shop on Main Street

http://img.alldownloadlinks.com/2010-06-03/235057/bscap0000.jpg

84. The Celebration

http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film/articles/redesert_files/RD_1_26_00.JPG

85. Red Desert

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_jalm22zr-80/S4vZ-_ySPzI/AAAAAAAAARM/mt3Mw10bR6E/s400/yojimbo-ladder400.jpg

86. Yojimbo

http://www.filminamerica.com/Movies/InvasionOfTheBodySnatchers/invasion02.jpg

87. Invasion of the Body Snatchers

http://bristol.indymedia.org/cache/imagecache/local/attachments/aug2008/460_0___30_0_0_0_0_0_apu_pather1.jpg

88. The Apu Trilogy

http://www.onmilwaukee.com/images/articles/me/metcalffurst/metcalffurst_story1.jpg

89. Animal House

http://www.filmint.nu/files/fckeditor/Image/DVD%20Reviews/Hiroshima-2.jpg

90. Hiroshima mon Amour

[Dog Star Man]

http://www.ebertfest.com/seven/playtime003.jpg

91. Playtime

http://media.oregonlive.com/madaboutmovies/photo/the-red-shoes-shearerjpg-e01213bf599d5677_large.jpg

92. The Red Shoes

http://image.guardian.co.uk/sys-images/Film/Pix/pictures/2008/01/31/potemkin2460.jpg

93. The Battleship Potemkin

http://www.fandor.com/images/thumbnails/000617.jpg

94. Pacific 231

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_xZJJnE--nE8/TQ_ZPv_OdkI/AAAAAAAABcE/yhgANpeKy8I/s1600/opera.jpg

95. A Night at the Opera

http://nighthawknews.files.wordpress.com/2010/01/southstreet.jpg

96. Pick up on South Street

http://media.web.britannica.com/eb-media/25/90625-004-C0B931E4.jpg

97. La Strada

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Y32nBaee2kw/S9RcE_SXtfI/AAAAAAAAA5I/geCudj3j6gQ/s1600/caligari1%5B2%5D.jpg

98. The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari

http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01417/this-sporting-life_1417215c.jpg

99. This Sporting Life

http://www.curragh-labs.org/blog/wp-content/uploads/2008/09/plan9.jpg

100. Plan 9 from Outer Space

[wintertriangles]

Unique list. I own a lot of these so yay me. Some interesting things, not nitpicking, just curious: Why City Lights out of Chaplin, Red Shoes from Powell, Suspiria, and (this one is nitpicking) It's a Wonderful Life?

[Dog Star Man]

Unique list. I own a lot of these so yay me. Some interesting things, not nitpicking, just curious: Why City Lights out of Chaplin, Red Shoes from Powell, Suspiria, and (this one is nitpicking) It's a Wonderful Life?

Well as far as City Lights and It's a Wonderful Life are concerned. Much of the reason they rank with me is because I myself hold the vision and philosophy of the Romantics. I tend to appreciate films that hold this sort of vision and philosophy in mind, whatever their degree may be. The Red Shoes and Suspiria on the other had are extremely visual films, stunning really, in their use of color and effects on how they portray their story and or message. So they score points with me there. I hope this helps.

[wintertriangles]

In that case I'm surprised Black Narcissus wasn't picked, though the 15 minute ballet scene is pretty hard to beat.

[Dog Star Man]

In that case I'm surprised Black Narcissus wasn't picked, though the 15 minute ballet scene is pretty hard to beat.

Don't get me wrong, I love Black Narcissus, but I didn't want to bombard my list with Powell and Pressburger.

[wintertriangles]

Fair enough :p I feel like I could ask about all of them and not get bored.

Just for the sake of conversation, why do you feel a Romantic concept fits It's a Wonderful Life? It seemed a bit far-reaching to blend enough Romantic idealism with sombre realism, instead it seemed George was a complete tool of everyone around him and I felt no reason to care about his woes because he brought them upon himself through thinking he needed so much. Even through his realization later, it doesn't even point out what's so wonderful about life, but instead something too superficial to really take home like continuing his altruism. I'll stop before it sounds like a tirade plus I could be simply reading it differently.

[Dog Star Man]

Just for the sake of conversation, why do you feel a Romantic concept fits It's a Wonderful Life? It seemed a bit far-reaching to blend enough Romantic idealism with sombre realism, instead it seemed George was a complete tool of everyone around him and I felt no reason to care about his woes because he brought them upon himself through thinking he needed so much. Even through his realization later, it doesn't even point out what's so wonderful about life, but instead something too superficial to really take home like continuing his altruism. I'll stop before it sounds like a tirade plus I could be simply reading it differently.

These are all 'real' concerns and arguments, much of them owe due credit. In fact I believe there was an article put out by the Mises Foundation about "Christmas Movies and Bad Economics." However, the Romanticists, if you recall, put aside the 'rational' as it were to produce illustrations, music, literature, etc. that would instead move people on a more visceral level, rather than something that was say more tangible. They were the ones, after all, that proceeded the Modernists. Think of a Van Gogh painting whereby the image is distorted, it creates images more so through color and less so with the precision of the stroke, which creates the profound illustration, and it's inherent emotion. This is much of what I see in that film.

[wintertriangles]

So more of a folk tale than an allegory?

However, the Romanticists, if you recall, put aside the 'rational' as it were to produce illustrations, music, literature, etc. that would instead move people on a more visceral level, rather than something that way say more tangible.I know what you meant, and I could be mistaking this for something else, but I always thought a Romantic, in full sequence, goes through a visionary, chimerical to create and always returning at some point to, but not necessarily concluding with, a stroke of reality for comparison and a yin-yang effect.

[Dog Star Man]

So more of a folk tale than an allegory?

I would find this position aids the film, yes. Even though this is most likely not Capra's intent, it certainly can function in these terms too.

I know what you meant, and I could be mistaking this for something else, but I always thought a Romantic, in full sequence, goes through a visionary, chimerical to create and always returning at some point to, but not necessarily concluding with, a stroke of reality for comparison and a yin-yang effect.

Is this not It's a Wonderful Life in question. The point at which reality chasms from itself to a world without George, (the chimerical), concluding back to the reality in question to produce its illustrated point, as you precisely and accurately put, "Yin-Yang" Effect?

[wintertriangles]

I would find this position aids the film, yes. Even though this is most likely not Capra's intent, it certainly can function in these terms too.It may have been Bertolucci who said " I don't film messages. I let the post office take care of those." and with that I imply that films don't come with their own meaning, but it comes from the viewer.
Is this not It's a Wonderful Life in question. The point at which reality chasms from itself to a world without George, (the chimerical), concluding back to the reality in question to produce its illustrated point, as you precisely and accurately put, "Yin-Yang" Effect?I guess I didn't see enough of a stark difference to think so. Though if we begin to blur the lines between fantastical and Romantic, or just pure daydream (which is what I would consider this to be, just personified by an angel), I'm not sure where it will leave us other than confused over labels. And labels are for cans of peas :p

[nebbit]

Nice list Doggie :yup: would have preferred if you had started with 100 and then counted down to 1 but still a nice list :yup:

[Dog Star Man]

Nice list Doggie :yup: would have preferred if you had started with 100 and then counted down to 1 but still a nice list :yup:

Yeah, sorry about that. I got too far into the list to reverse the order, so I didn't want to change it. However, I'm glad you enjoyed my list all the same! :D

[Harry Lime]

Nice list Dog Star Man. We have somewhat similar taste in film so I'll have to check out the ones I haven't seen yet from your list.

[Dog Star Man]

Nice list Dog Star Man. We have somewhat similar taste in film so I'll have to check out the ones I haven't seen yet from your list.

Thank you very much kind gentleman. I was discussing with W.T. that if I wanted to make a more "accurate" list it would have to range, more or less, in the thousand category. The limitations of a "Top One Hundred" seems daunting, if not completely unfair all together. I find this to be the case because:

1. I try to find movies that I like that are historically important. Though that may sound pretentious a bit, I literally, (like most people on here I assume), eat, breath, sweat, bleed film. In fact, when I'm depressed, the first sign that I'm in a depression as it were is that I stop talking about film, (which is 99% of what I talk about all day long). Much like Kurosawa, "If you remove film from my being, there is no me." I digress. I adore film history. So, without hesitation I would incorporate films like The Edison-Dickson: Experimental Sound Film, or to go further, Monkeyshines no. 1 and no. 2, or even further, The Eadweard Muybridge: Series Photography. I love all of these things with my heart and soul. "God" did not create me, I don't believe, film did. So to see it in it's infancy is so exhilarating to me.

Also, how can I incorporate other things in the list that deal with this history perspective? Film movements, (Expressionism; Impressionism; Soviet Montage; Dada; Surrealism; Cinema Pur; City Symphonies; French Poetic Realism; Italian Neo-Realism, or their earlier Superspectacles; Film Noir; French, Italian, German New Waves, etc.; New Hollywood; Dogme 9; etc. etc.). Or countless directorial influences, actors, cinematographers, producers, etc. This all means so much to me I can't even begin.

2. After History comes Theory and Criticism, which makes me look at films in a certain aesthetical way which somehow makes me adore films I might otherwise disregard had I not looked through a different lens.

3. Then its all personal. What films do I like in general, no matter what the history or the aesthetical theory or critique behind them.

Again, this list was mostly for fun on my part, but I cannot begin to say how unfair it is when there are so many more films I appreciate or enjoy on one level or another. I want to make films, that's my work, but my life is in films all together, in its histories, theories, criticisms, personalities, everything. I say this will all honesty and intent, but I'd rather not live if the world rid itself of film. Film is my pagan religion with many directorial Gods above producing the joys I take for granted every single day I'm on this Earth.

[MovieMad16]

your top 2 choices are what i would have picked, although Godfather would be one

[planet news]

http://oi54.tinypic.com/314z3hc.jpg

72. Xala


I just saw this in my African film class along with Sembene's Borom Sarret and La Noire De... They are fascinating films in how basically every line is can be taken as some sort of metaphorical commentary on post-colonial Senegal.

[Dog Star Man]

I just saw this in my African film class along with Sembene's Borom Sarret and La Noire De... They are fascinating films in how basically every line is can be taken as some sort of metaphorical commentary on post-colonial Senegal.



Xala, much like most African and/or Third Cinema, is quite astounding. One of the reasons I put it on my list outside of liking it is because it is a Third Cinema film, much of it provides amazing allegorical commentary on their political culture. There are these kinds of cinema's the world over, but in the Third World, it takes precedent over most aspects of film making. This seems largely in due to the political fever of these nations who wish for strong, if not radical, change. Glad you seem to enjoy them as much as I do.

[TheUsualSuspect]

The only two I would really disagree with would be Rushmore and Eraserhead.

Good list mate.

[Dog Star Man]

The only two I would really disagree with would be Rushmore and Eraserhead.

Good list mate.

Rushmore scores points with me because it is very aesthetically "punkish", (through British New Wave music and very direct composition), even though its central characters and settings, for the most part, do not exhibit this characteristics. To me, Anderson provides a dialectical example of what can be utilized in film to create this kind of synthesis. But we all have our own tastes of what works and what doesn't in this regard I suppose.

Eraserhead, to me, is Lynch's best film. House maybe my church, but Eraserhead is its cult. I am a big fan of aesthetical stillness in film. One example of this is the Masha sequence in Ivan's Childhood. Or perhaps 2001 all together. To me, if a director can pull off this kind of "meditative" stillness, without losing interest of the viewer, they are doing something that few other, lesser, film makers can pull off. How Lynch achieves this is through auditorial composition, rather than visual composition, much of which is dark and abstract. But again, to each his own my good friend. I'm glad you enjoyed my list!

[Brodinski]

Nice list. I do have one question: why do you like Pat Garrett & Billy The Kid so much? I guess what drew you in was the film's beauty and dreamlike feel mixed with Bob Dylan's soundtrack. Am I about accurate there?

I remember one scene I loved, which was the scene where some guy is stumbling towards a stream after being fatally injured in a gunfight. It's like he's walking towards the end of his life while also symbolizing the end of the outlaw era, a theme that runs through Pat Garrett and Billie The Kid.

It's not that I disliked it, I just think Peckinpah has made films that are far superior.

[Dog Star Man]

Nice list. I do have one question: why do you like Pat Garrett & Billy The Kid so much? I guess what drew you in was the film's beauty and dreamlike feel mixed with Bob Dylan's soundtrack. Am I about accurate there?

I remember one scene I loved, which was the scene where some guy is stumbling towards a stream after being fatally injured in a gunfight. It's like he's walking towards the end of his life while also symbolizing the end of the outlaw era, a theme that runs through Pat Garrett and Billie The Kid.

It's not that I disliked it, I just think Peckinpah has made films that are far superior.

Your pretty much spot on. To me, Patt Garrett and Billy the Kid is the most beautiful of Peckinpah's westerns. The scene you mentioned I believe is one that I recall to be Peckinpah's finest moments. Where Slim Pickens looks off to the sunset, just sitting down, waiting on his own death. Giving his companion a loving look before he passes on. The film seems to have this kind of feel throughout, especially at the end. That's why I enjoy it so much.