This past Wednesday AFI unveiled its latest list--an update of the 100 Greatest American films (10th anniversary special). I love movies and I love lists so this was no brainer for me to watch. The original list was quite influential on my movie watching agenda as it coincided with me getting into films...and getting into writing about films (as a local newspaper film reviewer). Further adding to the suspense was seeing what films from the past 10 years might make the cut. (I was holding out hope for Batman Begins...needless to say...it didn't make the cut...more on that subject later).
It didn't take me long to start yelling at my TV (much to my wife's chagrin) . Pulp Fiction came in at #94. It moved up one measly spot. As M. Night Shyamalan stated on the program...its the best film of his generation and I agree with him here and also would add that it is also the most influential. How it could barely make the list is beyond me. Furthermore how could The Sixth Sense A) even make the list and B) be higher than Pulp Fiction. I like most of Shyamalan's work and ( I guess film opinion's) but that movie is overated. In my personal top ten Pulp Fiction easily makes it.
It was refreshing that the list is not dominated by newer films...the only films from the past 10 years to make the list are The Sixth Sense (obviously not acceptable), Saving Private Ryan (acceptable), Titanic (also acceptable), and The Fellowship of the Ring (definitely acceptable).
My biggest issue with the list is that I believe that in some way the list has been finagled with. One of the big criticisms of the first list was its treatment of the silent movie era. The old list had 4 films and now the new list has 6 films... 3 that are new additions. It's very cool to see Buster Keaton's The General make the list. It is a comedic classic. But to enter the list at #18 just seems to convenient. Further perplexing is the issue with D.W. Griffith's films. Birth of a Nation goes from #44 to completely dropping off the list. That's ridiculous. I know the film is racist but it is also one of the most important films in cinematic history. It just seemed that the AFI wanted to reward Griffith (and Intolerance should be on the list anyway) but completely ignore the potential controversy of having Birth of a Nation on the list again. One doesn't deal with racism by ignoring it. I really think the AFI took the easy way out with the issue. And I don't buy for one minute that that list was not in some way messed with to make it more comprehensive.
It is also baffling to see some of the films that fell completely off the list. Two of the best films that you will ever see were completely dropped...The Third Man and The Manchurian Candidate. The Third Man is a brilliant film...but the fact that it is pretty much a British film might have indirectly hurt it this time (but that doesn't make a lot of sense). For The Manchurian Candidate...I can't even fathom how this film is less relevant now than it was ten years ago. Other notable films to drop that shouldn't have are Rebel Without a Cause, Fantasia, Fargo, and Frankenstein.
Don't even get me started on the films that didn't make the list this time around. I don't know how any greatest films list could ignore The Big Sleep, Notorious, His Girl Friday, The Hustler, The Great Escape and Cool Hand Luke.
But it was nice to see some films get some much deserved credit. As I said before Keaton's silent gem, The General made the cut. Blade Runner, Sullivan's Travels, The Shawshank Redemption, Spartacus, 12 Angry Men, A Night at the Opera, and Do The Right Thing all belong on the list.
All in all I'm not sure which list is better or more conclusive but what I do know is that I love talking movies and the AFI's lists always lend themselves to interesting debate.
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5 comments:
dude, where's the "more" on batman begins?
I meant to say more on films that didn't make the list. But I should probably talk more about Batman Begins anyway.
I definitely agree that this list was flawed. The 1997 list holds up better than this one. I mean, really, Titanic over The Manchurian Candidate? And how can you put The 6th Sense above Pulp Fiction? I'm not even a very big Pulp Fiction fan, but it had a huge impact on film making. Plus, Vertigo at #9 but Strangers on a Train left off? I'm glad to see Citizen Kane holding the top spot though. They did get that one right. Plus, it makes for some good debate.
They also left the film that introduced the world to talkies (The Jazz Singer) off, presumably to not deal with the racism of it.
I also feel like both The 6th Sense and Titanic (and in some ways Lord of the Rings) are on the list because of their effect on popular culture as much as for the quality of the movie. There's nothing wrong with doing that (Rocky certainly owes some to that, as well as The Godfather), but 5-10 years isn't really a very long time removed to start assigning cultural impact points.
Now most of those are good movies anyway and would be on the list on their own merit, but probably not The 6th Sense. That's why it's gotta go.
I liked the 6th Sense, but still... I've liked a lot of movies over the years that most people don't. As far as it's impact, I seem to remember an incident in Batesville that leads me to believe it had a huge one.
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