BBC 100 Greatest American Movies

Schindler's list, for sure. I'm not a huge fan of Pulp Fiction, but objectively and considering how everybody else feels about it I think it belongs there. The first or third Lord of the Rings film. ET probably isn't top 20 material but deserves to be higher than it is. Tree of Life made the list, so obviously my brow isn't high enough to really appreciate it, but it seems ignorant to just dismiss the last 40 years of film as contributing nothing significant to cinema.

OMG! It's like honeykid hacked mark's account.

__________________
I may go back to hating you. It was more fun.

Wayyy too high, I actually liked the movie but 99th greatest American film ever? Absolutely not. Maybe in the 200-100 range...maybe.

I decided to give the list another chance—then I saw 25th Hour at #94—SERIOUSLY???

What in the world were they thinking? I'd rather have 12 Years a Slave take that spot. This one is average at best. I'm a huge Norton fan but even he couldn't save it for me, the movie is just a series of boring and awkward conversations. The only thing I can say about it is that it was the first movie to address 9-11 after it happened, which was pretty cool, other than that...

As for the rest of the list, there's some that I agree with, some I disagree, and some I've never seen so can't really say.

When I say "generic", I don't mean it in the sense of calling the films themselves generic. I mean that it is always the same ones over and over (and kind of in the same order). There are some really great movies that made the list. Really, I would like to see a little something different for change. What I would choose? I don't know. Just something different. And, hey, what do I know, I suppose? I really liked "A Boy Named Charlie Brown".

Yes, and not everyone has good taste either. And don't you dare turn it around and say that I am the one with the not-so-good taste or else this will go on back-and-forth forever.

__________________
I became insane, with long intervals of horrible sanity - Edgar Allan Poe

I knew this list was coming because Jonathan Rosenbaum posted his submission on his site a couple of weeks ago, as usual, the individual lists of the voters is far more interesting than the list as a whole. I've been puzzling over this Rosenbaum list for the past several weeks:

1. GREED (Stroheim, 1924)
2. SUNRISE (Murnau, 1927)
3. THE MAGNIFICENT AMBERSONS (Welles, 1942)
4. CITY LIGHTS (Chaplin, 1931)
5. LOVE ME TONIGHT (Mamoulian, 1932)
6. THE BEST YEARS OF OUR LIVES (Wyler, 1946)
7. STARS IN MY CROWN (Tourneur, 1950)
8. LOVE STREAMS (Cassavetes, 1984)
9. A.I. ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (Kubrick & Spielberg, 2001)
10. WHEN IT RAINS (Burnett, 1995)

Are they releasing a full list of the ballots? I'm interested in a number of people's submissions.

This list strikes me in two major ways. It's far less conservative than the "canonical" AFI list, which is more of a Hollywood advertisement than a serious attempt at film history (as if lists are ever much of film history). It also points to a hugely key feature of American cinema, which is that a significant portion of the directors on this list are not American. I don't feel like tallying right now, but it's important to remember that American cinema doesn't belong to just America, and especially not just to Hollywood even if their advertising may use that implicit assumption.

__________________
Mubi

I'm very disappointed they didn't have any LOTR. BBC ain't reppin their boy Tolkien?

I'll give Rosenbaum some points for including Love Me Tonight and Stars in My Crown on his list.

__________________
It's what you learn after you know it all that counts. - John Wooden
My IMDb page

Two great movies to be sure! I prefer Love Me Tonight to all of Lubitsch's Chevalier-led operettas.

I was actually surprised to see "Love Me Tonight" make Rosenbaum's list. Not that it is a bad movie. It is just that you don't often see 1930's operettas that often on anyone's list. So, it was actually a pleasant surprise that he listed it.

I was happy to see that he included 3 of the most (I think so) deserving movies to be on any list:
The Magnificent Ambersons (I have always thought this was Welles' best)
City Lights
The Best Years of Our Lives

The Sound of Music?

I nearly booked a flight to the UK to punch someone in the BBC in the d*** and throat when I saw Apocalypse Now at 90. And I will echo that It's a Wonderful Life should be in the top 10. Top 10 being quintessential American films. Citizen Kane should be number 1, The Godfather should be in the top 10, as should Ford's The Searchers, Singin' in the Rain, Vertigo and Casablanca. That being said I thought Barry Lyndon was too high, and nothing by Terrence Malick should have made the list.

__________________
Fear and Loathing in MoFo... The Gunslinger 45's Top 50 Favorite Films

In the 10 Ring: Gunslinger45's reviews

It says any film financed by an American, not necesarrily having to be directed by or even shot in Ameria. LOTR was funded by New Line, a NYC company, and shot in New Zealend, so it should qualify.

Sunrise is a masterpiece and one of the best films on this list.

Get it on:

100. Ace in the Hole (Billy Wilder, 1951) NA
99. 12 Years a Slave (Steve McQueen, 2013)
98. Heaven’s Gate (Michael Cimino, 1980) NA
97. Gone With the Wind (Victor Fleming, 1939) NA
96. The Dark Knight (Christopher Nolan, 2008)
95. Duck Soup (Leo McCarey, 1933) NA
94. 25th Hour (Spike Lee, 2002) NA
93. Mean Streets (Martin Scorsese, 1973) NA
92. The Night of the Hunter (Charles Laughton, 1955)
91. ET: The Extra-Terrestrial (Steven Spielberg, 1982)
90. Apocalypse Now (Francis Ford Coppola, 1979)
89. In a Lonely Place (Nicholas Ray, 1950)
88. West Side Story (Robert Wise and Jerome Robbins, 1961) NA
87. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (Michel Gondry, 2004)
86. The Lion King (Roger Allers and Rob Minkoff, 1994)
85. Night of the Living Dead (George A Romero, 1968)
84. Deliverance (John Boorman, 1972) NA
83. Bringing Up Baby (Howard Hawks, 1938) NA
82. Raiders of the Lost Ark (Steven Spielberg, 1981)
81. Thelma & Louise (Ridley Scott, 1991) NA
80. Meet Me in St Louis (Vincente Minnelli, 1944) NA
79. The Tree of Life (Terrence Malick, 2011)
78. Schindler’s List (Steven Spielberg, 1993)
77. Stagecoach (John Ford, 1939) NA
76. The Empire Strikes Back (Irvin Kershner, 1980)
75. Close Encounters of the Third Kind (Steven Spielberg, 1977) NA
74. Forrest Gump (Robert Zemeckis, 1994)
73. Network (Sidney Lumet, 1976) NA
72. The Shanghai Gesture (Josef von Sternberg, 1941) NA
71. Groundhog Day (Harold Ramis, 1993) NA
70. The Band Wagon (Vincente Minnelli, 1953) NA
69. Koyaanisqatsi (Godfrey Reggio, 1982)
68. Notorious (Alfred Hitchcock, 1946)
67. Modern Times (Charlie Chaplin, 1936)
66. Red River (Howard Hawks, 1948) NA
65. The Right Stuff (Philip Kaufman, 1983) NA
64. Johnny Guitar (Nicholas Ray, 1954)
63. Love Streams (John Cassavetes, 1984) NA
62. The Shining (Stanley Kubrick, 1980)
61. Eyes Wide Shut (Stanley Kubrick, 1999)
60. Blue Velvet (David Lynch, 1986)
59. One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (Miloš Forman, 1975)
58. The Shop Around the Corner (Ernst Lubitsch, 1940) NA
57. Crimes and Misdemeanors (Woody Allen, 1989) NA
56. Back to the Future (Robert Zemeckis, 1985)
55. The Graduate (Mike Nichols, 1967)
54. Sunset Boulevard (Billy Wilder, 1950)
53. Grey Gardens (Albert and David Maysles, Ellen Hovde and Muffie Meyer, 1975) NA
52. The Wild Bunch (Sam Peckinpah, 1969)
51. Touch of Evil (Orson Welles, 1958)
50. His Girl Friday (Howard Hawks, 1940) NA
49. Days of Heaven (Terrence Malick, 1978)
48. A Place in the Sun (George Stevens, 1951) NA
47. Marnie (Alfred Hitchcock, 1964)
46. It’s a Wonderful Life (Frank Capra, 1946)
45. The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (John Ford, 1962) NA
44. Sherlock Jr (Buster Keaton, 1924)
43. Letter from an Unknown Woman (Max Ophüls, 1948)
42. Dr Strangelove (Stanley Kubrick, 1964)
41. Rio Bravo (Howard Hawks, 1959) NA
40. Meshes of the Afternoon (Maya Deren and Alexander Hammid, 1943)
39. The Birth of a Nation (DW Griffith, 1915) (WTF is this doing on this list instead of Intolerance)
38. Jaws (Steven Spielberg, 1975)
37. Imitation of Life (Douglas Sirk, 1959) NA
36. Star Wars (George Lucas, 1977)
35. Double Indemnity (Billy Wilder, 1944)
34. The Wizard of Oz (Victor Fleming, 1939) NA
33. The Conversation (Francis Ford Coppola, 1974)
32. The Lady Eve (Preston Sturges, 1941) NA
31. A Woman Under the Influence (John Cassavetes, 1974)
30. Some Like It Hot (Billy Wilder, 1959)
29. Raging Bull (Martin Scorsese, 1980)
28. Pulp Fiction (Quentin Tarantino, 1994)
27. Barry Lyndon (Stanley Kubrick, 1975)
26. Killer of Sheep (Charles Burnett, 1978) NA
25. Do the Right Thing (Spike Lee, 1989) NA
24. The Apartment (Billy Wilder, 1960) NA
23. Annie Hall (Woody Allen, 1977) NA
22. Greed (Erich von Stroheim, 1924) NA
21. Mulholland Drive (David Lynch, 2001)
20. Goodfellas (Martin Scorsese, 1990)
19. Taxi Driver (Martin Scorsese, 1976)
18. City Lights (Charlie Chaplin, 1931)
17. The Gold Rush (Charlie Chaplin, 1925) NA
16. McCabe & Mrs Miller (Robert Altman, 1971) NA
15. The Best Years of Our Lives (William Wyler, 1946) NA
14. Nashville (Robert Altman, 1975) NA
13. North by Northwest (Alfred Hitchcock, 1959)
12. Chinatown (Roman Polanski, 1974)
11. The Magnificent Ambersons (Orson Welles, 1942) NA
10. The Godfather Part II (Francis Ford Coppola, 1974)
9. Casablanca (Michael Curtiz, 1942)
8. Psycho (Alfred Hitchcock, 1960)
7. Singin’ in the Rain (Stanley Donen and Gene Kelly, 1952)
6. Sunrise (FW Murnau, 1927)
5. The Searchers (John Ford, 1956)
4. 2001: A Space Odyssey (Stanley Kubrick, 1968)
3. Vertigo (Alfred Hitchcock, 1958)
2. The Godfather (Francis Ford Coppola, 1972)
1. Citizen Kane (Orson Welles, 1941)

Haven't seen so many and have to rewatch so many of these I've already seen I'll probably not do it and keep discovering non-American cinema. :P At least there will be something I'm ignorant of when it comes to cinema.

__________________
Look, I'm not judging you - after all, I'm posting here myself, but maybe, just maybe, if you spent less time here and more time watching films, maybe, and I stress, maybe your taste would be of some value. Just a thought, ya know.

Well, if you say so.

I had never heard of Meshes of the Afternoon before, so I looked it up on IMDB and it says it is a short, at 14 minutes. I was just wondering, should it have qualified as a film? Not bashing, just wondering if BBC knew that it was rating a short as opposed to a full-length film?

__________________
"Miss Jean Louise, Mr. Arthur Radley."

It basically started the David Lynch genre. It's on their for significance. I have no problem with it being there, but I bet donnie does.

I cant figure why Citizen Kane or Dr Strangelove get the love from critics that they do. . . of course most people cant figure my love of most of the movies that I love either so

__________________
You are no Vader. You are just a child in a mask.

Why? Citizen Kane, made as well as broke a brilliant career by the boy genius.

Just took the list version FM posted and I've seen 59. I agree with most that this is a more varied and unique list since it was not just taken by American critics, it shows the international appreciation of American films. While the confirmed classics and some modern titles found their place, I think it is especially refreshing to see some you'd never expect like, Killer of Sheep, Meshes of the Afternoon (Tokeza), and Heavens Gate. Also it is interesting to see The Magnificent Ambersons just missing out on the top ten, never seen It myself but I know Bluedeed is a big fan of it.

Interesting that some find the top ten boring whether meaning the films are boring or just the selection. Probably wouldn't disagree with that since they are pretty much the typical selections, the only one I've yet to see Is Sunrise.

100. Ace in the Hole (Billy Wilder, 1951)
99. 12 Years a Slave (Steve McQueen, 2013)
98. Heaven’s Gate (Michael Cimino, 1980)
97. Gone With the Wind (Victor Fleming, 1939)
96. The Dark Knight (Christopher Nolan, 2008)
95. Duck Soup (Leo McCarey, 1933)
94. 25th Hour (Spike Lee, 2002)
93. Mean Streets (Martin Scorsese, 1973)
92. The Night of the Hunter (Charles Laughton, 1955)
91. ET: The Extra-Terrestrial (Steven Spielberg, 1982)
90. Apocalypse Now (Francis Ford Coppola, 1979)
89. In a Lonely Place (Nicholas Ray, 1950)
88. West Side Story (Robert Wise and Jerome Robbins, 1961)
87. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (Michel Gondry, 2004)
86. The Lion King (Roger Allers and Rob Minkoff, 1994)
85. Night of the Living Dead (George A Romero, 1968)
84. Deliverance (John Boorman, 1972)
83. Bringing Up Baby (Howard Hawks, 1938)
82. Raiders of the Lost Ark (Steven Spielberg, 1981)
81. Thelma & Louise (Ridley Scott, 1991)
80. Meet Me in St Louis (Vincente Minnelli, 1944)
79. The Tree of Life (Terrence Malick, 2011)
78. Schindler’s List (Steven Spielberg, 1993)
77. Stagecoach (John Ford, 1939)
76. The Empire Strikes Back (Irvin Kershner, 1980)
75. Close Encounters of the Third Kind (Steven Spielberg, 1977)
74. Forrest Gump (Robert Zemeckis, 1994)
73. Network (Sidney Lumet, 1976)
72. The Shanghai Gesture (Josef von Sternberg, 1941)
71. Groundhog Day (Harold Ramis, 1993)
70. The Band Wagon (Vincente Minnelli, 1953)
69. Koyaanisqatsi (Godfrey Reggio, 1982)
68. Notorious (Alfred Hitchcock, 1946)
67. Modern Times (Charlie Chaplin, 1936)
66. Red River (Howard Hawks, 1948)
65. The Right Stuff (Philip Kaufman, 1983)
64. Johnny Guitar (Nicholas Ray, 1954)
63. Love Streams (John Cassavetes, 1984)
62. The Shining (Stanley Kubrick, 1980)
61. Eyes Wide Shut (Stanley Kubrick, 1999)
60. Blue Velvet (David Lynch, 1986)
59. One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (Miloš Forman, 1975)
58. The Shop Around the Corner (Ernst Lubitsch, 1940)
57. Crimes and Misdemeanors (Woody Allen, 1989)
56. Back to the Future (Robert Zemeckis, 1985)
55. The Graduate (Mike Nichols, 1967)
54. Sunset Boulevard (Billy Wilder, 1950)
53. Grey Gardens (Albert and David Maysles, Ellen Hovde and Muffie Meyer, 1975)
52. The Wild Bunch (Sam Peckinpah, 1969)
51. Touch of Evil (Orson Welles, 1958)
50. His Girl Friday (Howard Hawks, 1940)
49. Days of Heaven (Terrence Malick, 1978)
48. A Place in the Sun (George Stevens, 1951)
47. Marnie (Alfred Hitchcock, 1964)
46. It’s a Wonderful Life (Frank Capra, 1946)
45. The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (John Ford, 1962)
44. Sherlock Jr (Buster Keaton, 1924)
43. Letter from an Unknown Woman (Max Ophüls, 1948)
42. Dr Strangelove (Stanley Kubrick, 1964)
41. Rio Bravo (Howard Hawks, 1959)
40. Meshes of the Afternoon (Maya Deren and Alexander Hammid, 1943)
39. The Birth of a Nation (DW Griffith, 1915)
38. Jaws (Steven Spielberg, 1975)
37. Imitation of Life (Douglas Sirk, 1959)
36. Star Wars (George Lucas, 1977)
35. Double Indemnity (Billy Wilder, 1944)
34. The Wizard of Oz (Victor Fleming, 1939)
33. The Conversation (Francis Ford Coppola, 1974)
32. The Lady Eve (Preston Sturges, 1941)
31. A Woman Under the Influence (John Cassavetes, 1974)
30. Some Like It Hot (Billy Wilder, 1959)
29. Raging Bull (Martin Scorsese, 1980)
28. Pulp Fiction (Quentin Tarantino, 1994)
27. Barry Lyndon (Stanley Kubrick, 1975)
26. Killer of Sheep (Charles Burnett, 1978)
25. Do the Right Thing (Spike Lee, 1989)
24. The Apartment (Billy Wilder, 1960)
23. Annie Hall (Woody Allen, 1977)
22. Greed (Erich von Stroheim, 1924)
21. Mulholland Drive (David Lynch, 2001)
20. Goodfellas (Martin Scorsese, 1990)
19. Taxi Driver (Martin Scorsese, 1976)
18. City Lights (Charlie Chaplin, 1931)
17. The Gold Rush (Charlie Chaplin, 1925)
16. McCabe & Mrs Miller (Robert Altman, 1971)
15. The Best Years of Our Lives (William Wyler, 1946)
14. Nashville (Robert Altman, 1975)
13. North by Northwest (Alfred Hitchcock, 1959)
12. Chinatown (Roman Polanski, 1974)
11. The Magnificent Ambersons (Orson Welles, 1942)
10. The Godfather Part II (Francis Ford Coppola, 1974)
9. Casablanca (Michael Curtiz, 1942)
8. Psycho (Alfred Hitchcock, 1960)
7. Singin’ in the Rain (Stanley Donen and Gene Kelly, 1952)
6. Sunrise (FW Murnau, 1927)
5. The Searchers (John Ford, 1956)
4. 2001: A Space Odyssey (Stanley Kubrick, 1968)
3. Vertigo (Alfred Hitchcock, 1958)
2. The Godfather (Francis Ford Coppola, 1972)
1. Citizen Kane (Orson Welles, 1941)