The Most Popular Movie of All-Time?

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Your opinion. Lucas stole everything from Kurosawa, that's a fact, he's admitted that in interviews. Star Wars is a samurai movie. Just because of the immense popularity of the Star Wars franchise, does not a great director make. Well known? Ridiculously so, but he's not even close to being in the top 10.
Well, I agree that Akira Kurosawa is a much more talented artist than George Lucas (look at my top 10 ).

And yes, Star Wars is a remake of Hidden Fortress. When I watched Hidden Fortress I had the Star Wars feeling all over me.

The Leone's spaghetti Westerns are also derived from Kurosawa's work. The Good, The Bad and The Ugly is derived from films like Yojimbo.

Again familiarity and popularity do not make him great.
Well, from the perspective of a social scientist the only way to determine the greatness of an artist is by his influence over other artists and over the wider culture.

George Lucas' Star Wars is the single movie that has had the greatest cultural impact, by far.

I also think you are confusing commercial success with greatness. By that logic Michael Bay is a great director.
Michael Bay's influence over other directors and over pop culture has been rather limited. His films are soon forgotten after people watch them at the theater.



It's probably Star Wars. Honorable mentions to The Wizard of Oz, Gone With the Wind, Casablanca, The Godfather, and Jaws.
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Who do you think is the most famous actor in the world(An actor whose name is known world over)?

I can't answer for other countries.But people here(or atleast for a majority here,the biggest Hollywood actor is Tom Cruise.Arnold is also very famous.I study/work in India's leading medical college and people have no idea of Tom Hanks/RDJ/Denzel/Sandler/Stiller/De Niro.

Bruce Lee
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I get what you are saying, but I fail to see Lucas' influence over other directors, especially as a director. I can't think of a single director I've heard say they were influenced by Lucas. I honestly don't think he's held in very high esteem among his peers as a director.

I'm certainly not arguing Star Wars' impact on culture in general or even in film, I just don't think it's the direction that is influential. It's the story and the special effects.



I get what you are saying, but I fail to see Lucas' influence over other directors, especially as a director. I can't think of a single director I've heard say they were influenced by Lucas. I honestly don't think he's held in very high esteem among his peers as a director.

I'm certainly not arguing Star Wars' impact on culture in general or even in film, I just don't think it's the direction that is influential. It's the story and the special effects.
I see what you are saying. I said Lucas was one of the most influential directors in the general sense of "the man who made the movie". Not in the strict technical sense of directing methods.



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titanic??? really?



^Titanic is perhaps the most famous movie ever



I think it's Avatar!
Wrongfully so ( because the plot isn't very interesting and completely overdone).
I personally value plot over graphics which is why I'm starting to watch more foreign films.
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^Titanic is perhaps the most famous movie ever
Well, I think that a general survey would be required. In US, Japan and Europe, Star Wars is king, but in India, Titanic is more famous. Given that India has more people than the US and Europe combined, that fact should also be considered.

In Brazil, Star Wars is not that famous as well, while I watched Star Wars as a kid because my father is a huge science fiction fan. But in the first world, Star Wars is clearly the most popular film.



Of all time.. in the world?? IDK. I can't speak for the world.

In america my guess would be "It's a wonderful life"
That movie is on every year without fail in the christmas season.

Not objective or anything, just a guess.



Unless your no western junkie like me.

The Searchers
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Some very good points being made here but it all boils down to what we interpret as popularity. Finances and box office records obviously have to come into it at some point, meaning Titanic and Avatar will rule the roost in that criterion but then there has to be overall cultural impact. I think the latter is most important and defines a "popular" movie.

Taking all that into account it is hard to argue with Star Wars being the most popular movie of all time, financially it broke records at the time and still to this day, people who haven't even seen the movie knows what Darth Vader, a lightsaber and Stormtrooper look like. Easily recognisable themes, characters and that oh so famous line "Luke...I AM your father".



"Luke...I AM your father".
yeah,I wonder if anyone born later watched Star Wars without knowing who's Luke's father?
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yeah,I wonder if anyone born later watched Star Wars without knowing who's Luke's father?
I did when i first saw empire i didn't have a clue i must've been 7 or 8 so it would've been 2000/2001



Some very good points being made here but it all boils down to what we interpret as popularity. Finances and box office records obviously have to come into it at some point, meaning Titanic and Avatar will rule the roost in that criterion but then there has to be overall cultural impact. I think the latter is most important and defines a "popular" movie.

Taking all that into account it is hard to argue with Star Wars being the most popular movie of all time, financially it broke records at the time and still to this day, people who haven't even seen the movie knows what Darth Vader, a lightsaber and Stormtrooper look like. Easily recognisable themes, characters and that oh so famous line "Luke...I AM your father".
India and Pakistan contribute to one-third of the World's population.Our countries began watching English movies on a big scale only around early 1990's.The biggest movie in our countries is Titanic,Jurassic Park or Avatar.



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"Popular", as in dear to people's hearts irrespective of Box Office date/ticket sales etc, yea it probably is Star Wars(although Empire is generally regarded as better).

Maybe "Shawshank Redemption" and "The Godfather" can stand equal to Star Wars.

Shawshank was reader's no 1 film of all time in the Empire 500 list.



Some very good points being made here but it all boils down to what we interpret as popularity. Finances and box office records obviously have to come into it at some point, meaning Titanic and Avatar will rule the roost in that criterion
No they don't. Star Wars and Gone With the Wind had much larger box office gross than Titanic and Avatar when corrected for ticket price.

Taking all that into account it is hard to argue with Star Wars being the most popular movie of all time, financially it broke records at the time and still to this day, people who haven't even seen the movie knows what Darth Vader, a lightsaber and Stormtrooper look like. Easily recognisable themes, characters and that oh so famous line "Luke...I AM your father".
Indeed.