Catching Up to Film Speed
I have decided I'm only 45 movies away from being an average American film connoisseur/aspiring filmmaker, in terms of movies I've seen. Some of the strange (read unimportant) films featured come from the AFI's Top 100 American Movies. Whatever the faults of that list (boring, uninspired, "where'd they put _______?", etc.), it is a good synopsis of popular American film history. It is important that any aspiring American filmmaker see everything on that list at least once, even if one doesn't like Gene Kelly or David Lean. So, there are 24 AFI films I have not seen. I added 21 other important films from around the world to shade the list with a healthy dose of truly important films that I need to see soon (not just Guess Who's Coming to Dinner types). The list I am posting is placed in order of importance. Seeing as how I have seen most of the important films on AFI's list, there's only a handful that make it in the top 20.
In Order of Importance
1. Intolerance (D. W. Griffith, 1916)
2. Battleship Potemkin (Sergei Eisenstein, 1925)
3. Lawrence of Arabia (David Lean, 1962) [AFI]
4. Triumph of the Will (Leni Reifenstahl, 1934)
5. Singin’ in the Rain (Stanley Donen, 1952) [AFI]
6. All Quiet on the Western Front (Lewis Milestone, 1930) [AFI]
7. Stagecoach (John Ford, 1939) [AFI]
8. Nanook of the North (Robert Flaherty, 1922)
9. The Jazz Singer (Alan Crosdale, 1927) [AFI]
10. Open City (Roberto Rossellini, 1945)
11. Hiroshima Mon Amour (Alain Resnais, 1959)
12. The Last Laugh (F.W. Murnau, 1924)
13. West Side Story (Robert Wise, 1961) [AFI]
14. Persona (Ingmar Bergman, 1966)
15. Shoot the Piano Player (François Truffaut, 1960)
16. Double Indemnity (Billy Wilder, 1944) [AFI]
17. Salesman (Albert Maysles, 1969)
18. Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (Frank Capra, 1939) [AFI]
19. La Strada (Federico Fellini, 1954)
20. High Noon (Fred Zinnemann, 1952) [AFI]
21. M (Fritz Lang, 1931)
22. The Red Shoes (Michael Powell, 1948)
23. It Happened One Night (Frank Capra, 1934) [AFI]
24. All That Heaven Allows (Douglas Sirk, 1955)
25. Mutiny on the Bounty (Frank Lloyd, 1935) [AFI]
26. From Here to Eternity (Fred Zinnemann, 1953) [AFI]
27. Ali: Fear Eats the Soul (Rainer Werner Fassbinder, 1974)
28. Belle de Jour (Luis Buñuel, 1967)
29. Sweet Smell of Success (Alexander Mackendrick, 1957)
30. Yankee Doodle Dandy (Michael Curtiz, 1942) [AFI]
31. Cool Hand Luke (Stuart Rosenberg, 1967)
32. The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (Sergio Leone, 1966) [AFI]
33. The Searchers (John Ford, 1956) [AFI]
34. Doctor Zhivago (David Lean, 1965) [AFI]
35. Rebel Without a Cause (Nicholas Ray, 1955) [AFI]
36. The Best Years of Our Lives (William Wyler, 1946) [AFI]
37. Hearts & Minds (Peter Davis, 1974)
38. My Fair Lady (Gerge Cukor, 1964) [AFI]
39. Giant (George Stevens, 1956) [AFI]
40. Lost Horizon (Frank Capra, 1937)
41. A Place in the Sun (George Stevens, 1951) [AFI]
42. Patton (Franklin L. Schaffner, 1970) [AFI]
43. Shane (George Stevens, 1953) [AFI]
44. Wuthering Heights (William Wyler, 1939) [AFI]
45. Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner (Stanley Kramer, 1967) [AFI]
In Order of Importance
1. Intolerance (D. W. Griffith, 1916)
2. Battleship Potemkin (Sergei Eisenstein, 1925)
3. Lawrence of Arabia (David Lean, 1962) [AFI]
4. Triumph of the Will (Leni Reifenstahl, 1934)
5. Singin’ in the Rain (Stanley Donen, 1952) [AFI]
6. All Quiet on the Western Front (Lewis Milestone, 1930) [AFI]
7. Stagecoach (John Ford, 1939) [AFI]
8. Nanook of the North (Robert Flaherty, 1922)
9. The Jazz Singer (Alan Crosdale, 1927) [AFI]
10. Open City (Roberto Rossellini, 1945)
11. Hiroshima Mon Amour (Alain Resnais, 1959)
12. The Last Laugh (F.W. Murnau, 1924)
13. West Side Story (Robert Wise, 1961) [AFI]
14. Persona (Ingmar Bergman, 1966)
15. Shoot the Piano Player (François Truffaut, 1960)
16. Double Indemnity (Billy Wilder, 1944) [AFI]
17. Salesman (Albert Maysles, 1969)
18. Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (Frank Capra, 1939) [AFI]
19. La Strada (Federico Fellini, 1954)
20. High Noon (Fred Zinnemann, 1952) [AFI]
21. M (Fritz Lang, 1931)
22. The Red Shoes (Michael Powell, 1948)
23. It Happened One Night (Frank Capra, 1934) [AFI]
24. All That Heaven Allows (Douglas Sirk, 1955)
25. Mutiny on the Bounty (Frank Lloyd, 1935) [AFI]
26. From Here to Eternity (Fred Zinnemann, 1953) [AFI]
27. Ali: Fear Eats the Soul (Rainer Werner Fassbinder, 1974)
28. Belle de Jour (Luis Buñuel, 1967)
29. Sweet Smell of Success (Alexander Mackendrick, 1957)
30. Yankee Doodle Dandy (Michael Curtiz, 1942) [AFI]
31. Cool Hand Luke (Stuart Rosenberg, 1967)
32. The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (Sergio Leone, 1966) [AFI]
33. The Searchers (John Ford, 1956) [AFI]
34. Doctor Zhivago (David Lean, 1965) [AFI]
35. Rebel Without a Cause (Nicholas Ray, 1955) [AFI]
36. The Best Years of Our Lives (William Wyler, 1946) [AFI]
37. Hearts & Minds (Peter Davis, 1974)
38. My Fair Lady (Gerge Cukor, 1964) [AFI]
39. Giant (George Stevens, 1956) [AFI]
40. Lost Horizon (Frank Capra, 1937)
41. A Place in the Sun (George Stevens, 1951) [AFI]
42. Patton (Franklin L. Schaffner, 1970) [AFI]
43. Shane (George Stevens, 1953) [AFI]
44. Wuthering Heights (William Wyler, 1939) [AFI]
45. Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner (Stanley Kramer, 1967) [AFI]