1001 Movies to See Then You Die

broderic on May 15, 2008

I received this book for Christmas, but was reminded of it by kottke.

Here’s the original list, and there have been some additions for the later editions.

My final count: 292 of 1001. I bet there are some who can do better. I lost the entire 60s and early 70s.

1. A Trip to the Moon (1902)
2. The Great Train Robbery (1903)
3. The Birth of a Nation (1915)
14. Nanook of the North (1922)
15. Nosferatu, A Symphony of Terror(1922)
27. The Battleship Potemkin (1925)
28. The Gold Rush (1925)
31. Sunrise (1927)
32. The General (1927)
46. Pandora’s Box (1929)
55. Dracula (1931)
56. Frankenstein (1931)
59. M (1931)
61. The Vampire (1932)
75. Duck Soup (1933)
78. King Kong (1933)
86. It Happened One Night (1934)
91. The 39 Steps (1935)
98. Mr. Deeds Goes to Town (1936)
106. Grand Illusion (1937)
107. Stella Dallas (1937)
110. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937)
113. Jezebel (1938)
118. Bringing Up Baby (1938)
122. Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939)
123. The Wizard of Oz (1939)
130. The Rules of the Game (1939)
132. His Girl Friday (1940)
133. Rebecca (1940)
134. Fantasia (1940)
135. The Philadelphia Story (1940)
138. Pinocchio (1940)
141. Citizen Kane (1941)
142. The Lady Eve (1941)
143. The Wolf Man (1941)
145. Sergeant York (1941)
148. Sullivan’s Travels (1941)
150. The Palm Beach Story (1942)
152. Casablanca (1942)
154. Cat People (1942)
161. I Walked with a Zombie (1943)
162. The Seventh Victim (1943)
164. Shadow of a Doubt (1943)
168. Laura (1944)
169. Gaslight (1944)
172. Double Indemnity (1944)
178. Open City (1945)
193. Notorious (1946)
195. It’s a Wonderful Life (1946)
196. Gilda (1946)
207. Rope (1948)
217. Adam’s Rib (1949)
222. On the Town (1949)
225. Rashomon (1950)
229. Sunset Blvd. (1950)
241. The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951)
245. Singin’ in the Rain (1952)
246. To Live (1952)
257. Tokyo Story (1953)
259. Wages of Fear (1953)
267. Shane (1953)
274. Rear Window (1954)
278. The Seven Samurai (1954)
291. Marty (1955)
296. Rebel Without a Cause (1955)
307. The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956)
309. All That Heaven Allows (1956)
310. Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956)
314. The Ten Commandments (1956)
320. Throne of Blood (1957)
321. The Incredible Shrinking Man (1957)
324. The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957)
326. The Cranes Are Flying (1957)
334. Vertigo (1958)
339. The 400 Blows (1959)
340. North by Northwest (1959)
348. Breathless (1959)
349. Ben-Hur (1959)
351. Hiroshima Mon Amour (1959)
364. Revenge of the Vampire / Black Sunday (1960)
366. The Apartment (1960)
370. La Jetee (1961)
376. Viridiana (1961)
381. West Side Story (1961)
390. Lolita (1962)
396. The Birds (1963)
406. The Great Escape (1963)
407. Shock Corridor (1963)
415. Goldfinger (1964)
418. Marnie (1964)
437. The Sound of Music (1965)
449. The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly (1966)
459. The Graduate (1967)
463. Belle de Jour (1967)
467. Cool Hand Luke (1967)
470. Bonnie and Clyde (1967)
479. Once Upon a Time in the West (1968)
480. Planet of the Apes (1968)
482. Rosemary’s Baby (1968)
488. 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
491. Night of the Living Dead (1968)
495. Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969)
496. Midnight Cowboy (1969)
525. A Clockwork Orange (1971)
527. Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971)
531. Harold and Maude (1971)
536. Dirty Harry (1971)
546. High Plains Drifter (1972)
548. Deliverance (1972)
550. The Godfather (1972)
556. Pink Flamingos (1972)
560. Badlands (1973)
563. Enter the Dragon (1973)
568. Don’t Look Now (1973)
571. The Exorcist (1973)
584. Chinatown (1974)
587. The Godfather Part II (1974)
590. Dog Day Afternoon (1975)
593. The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975)
594. The Wall (1975)
595. Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975)
605. Jaws (1975)
607. Carrie (1976)
610. Rocky (1976)
611. Taxi Driver (1976)
617. Star Wars (1977)
618. Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)
620. Annie Hall (1977)
624. Saturday Night Fever (1977)
633. Five Deadly Venoms (1978)
635. The Deer Hunter (1978)
636. Grease (1978)
638. Dawn of the Dead (1978)
640. Up in Smoke (1978)
641. Halloween (1978)
646. Alien (1979)
647. Breaking Away (1979)
651. Kramer vs. Kramer (1979)
652. Life of Brian (1979)
653. Apocalypse Now (1979)
654. The Jerk (1979)
657. Mad Max (1979)
662. The Shining (1980)
663. Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
664. The Elephant Man (1980)
665. The Big Red One (1980)
667. Airplane! (1980)
668. Raging Bull (1980)
669. Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
672. Chariots of Fire (1981)
673. Body Heat (1981)
675. An American Werewolf in London (1981)
679. Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1981)
680. E.T.: The Extra-Terestrial (1982)
681. The Thing (1982)
682. Poltergeist (1982)
683. Blade Runner (1982)
684. The Evil Dead (1982)
685. Tootsie (1982)
687. Diner (1982)
693. A Christmas Story (1983)
696. Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi (1983)
697. The Big Chill (1983)
705. The Right Stuff (1983)
707. Once Upon a Time in America (1983)
708. Scarface (1983)
710. Amadeus (1984)
711. The Terminator (1984)
713. A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)
714. This Is Spinal Tap (1984)
715. Beverly Hills Cop (1984)
716. Ghostbusters (1984)
719. The Killing Fields (1984)
720. The Natural (1984)
721. The Breakfast Club (1985)
722. Ran (1985)
725. Out of Africa (1985)
727. Back to the Future (1985)
729. Brazil (1985)
730. Kiss of the Spider Woman (1985)
731. The Quiet Earth (1985)
736. The Color Purple (1985)
738. Stand By Me (1986)
739. Blue Velvet (1986)
743. The Fly (1986)
744. Aliens (1986)
745. Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (1986)
746. Down by Law (1986)
749. Platoon (1986)
751. Tampopo (1986)
753. Salvador (1986)
754. Top Gun (1986)
761. Raising Arizona (1987)
762. Full Metal Jacket (1987)
764. Good Morning, Vietnam (1987)
768. The Princess Bride (1987)
770. The Untouchables (1987)
773. Fatal Attraction (1987)
774. A Chinese Ghost Story (1987)
776. The Vanishing (1988)
777. Bull Durham (1988)
779. The Thin Blue Line (1988)
780. Akira (1988)
781. Cinema Paradiso (1988)
783. A Fish Called Wanda (1988)
784. The Naked Gun (1988)
785. Big (1988)
787. Grave of the Fireflies (1988)
790. Die Hard (1988)
792. Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988)
793. Rain Man (1988)
795. The Accidental Tourist (1988)
797. Batman (1989)
798. When Harry Met Sally (1989)
803. The Killer (1989)
804. Do the Right Thing (1989)
805. Roger & Me (1989)
806. Glory (1989)
814. Goodfellas (1990)
815. Jacob’s Ladder (1990)
817. Dances with Wolves (1990)
819. Pretty Woman (1990)
823. Edward Scissorhands (1990)
824. Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer (1990)
825. Total Recall (1990)
827. Boyz ‘n the Hood (1991)
829. Delicatessen (1991)
831. Naked Lunch (1991)
835. Thelma & Louise (1991)
836. Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)
837. The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
838. JFK (1991)
841. Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker’s Apocalypse (1991)
844. The Player (1992)
845. Reservoir Dogs (1992)
848. Unforgiven (1992)
849. Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992)
858. Groundhog Day (1993)
861. Jurassic Park (1993)
862. The Age of Innocence (1993)
865. Three Colors: Blue (1993)
869. Three Colors: Red (1994)
871. Forrest Gump (1994)
872. Clerks (1994)
873. Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994)
874. The Lion King (1994)
876. Natural Born Killers (1994)
877. The Last Seduction (1994)
878. Pulp Fiction (1994)
887. Casino (1995)
888. Deseret (1995)
889. Babe (1995)
890. Toy Story (1995)
891. Strange Days (1995)
892. Braveheart (1995)
894. Clueless (1995)
895. Heat (1995)
897. Seven (1995)
907. Fargo (1996)
908. Independence Day (1996)
914. Trainspotting (1996)
915. Scream (1996)
917. L.A. Confidential (1997)
919. Princess Mononoke (1997)
923. Boogie Nights (1997)
930. Titanic (1997)
933. Saving Private Ryan (1998)
936. Run Lola Run (1998)
937. Rushmore (1998)
940. The Thin Red Line (1998)
944. There’s Something About Mary (1998)
945. Magnolia (1999)
947. The Blair Witch Project (1999)
950. All About My Mother (1999)
951. Three Kings (1999)
955. Fight Club (1999)
956. Being John Malkovich (1999)
957. American Beauty (1999)
960. The Sixth Sense (1999)
961. The Matrix (1999)
966. Gladiator (2000)
971. Meet the Parents (2000)
973. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000)
976. Memento (2000)
978. O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000)
983. Spirited Away (2001)
991. The Royal Tenenbaums (2001)
992. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)
993. A.I.: Artificial Intelligence (2001)
996. Talk to Her (2002)
999. Chicago (2002)
1001. Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003)

Vertigo@50

broderic on May 14, 2008

It’s interesting finding out that the most recent film I watched is celebrating its fiftieth year since release. And it’s always a pleasure to read another’s take on the nature of that film in particular since it is one of Hitchcock’s greatest.

While not originally loved, it has gained in stature every year since it’s release. It’s great film to know and appreciate. If you have time, The Charles still has one more showing this week.

Vertigo

broderic on May 13, 2008

Marge and I caught the latest Hitchcock film at the Charles, Vertigo. After sitting in traffic and getting to the theatre just in time, we settle in for a really great film.

Jimmy Stewart’s character’s obsession is one of the loneliness and sad realizations in film. Novak’s Madeliene/Judy should’ve gotten out of there when she had the chance. She should’ve forgotten all about Scotty.

My reaction to the film was very different from the one I had when I saw it on DVD. I think that in private, at home, I was able to connect with Scotty’s obsession. It was more intimate and immediate. At the theatre, that feeling of obsession out in public was replaced with apprehension and I connected more with Judy. It is like I was acutely aware of my obsessiveness, and I was embarrassed by it so I chose to be appalled for my self like Judy was for Scotty’s choices. I don’t need her to wear a grey suit.

5 of 5 stars.

Speed Racer

broderic on May 12, 2008

The Wachowski’s Speed Racer is certainly ambitious. With it’s candy coated visuals and cgi backdrops, it makes for an entertaining experience. Yet, it fails because of the use of cgi, because the meager plot couldn’t hide behind the pretty lights, the film relied on the flash rather than the story. And that is what’s so frustrating about this movie, the flashy visuals were good, but the tale was weak especially in the exposition of the fiendish Royalton. It was boring.

Until the races started up. I loved it. They looked like skaters doing ollie shove-its and 360 kick flips. This was the first time I felt like I had to play the video game. If it was about bashing other cars, it would be awesome like Mario Cart.

Christina Ricci is dangerous. Her Trixie enters and you know that the sugar coated affair has changed to something slightly off-kilter. John Goodman looking old, but serviceable as Pops. Sprittle was annoying, but needed to provide some comic relief for the children in the audience to laugh. Emile Hirsch is once again a blank 2d character like the animated version of speed racer.

The story did pick up until the racing. The early part was boring. In fact, I still don’t get the fiendish Royalton’s machinations because my eyes glazed over and I checked out for a bit.

It’s not as bad as the reviews its getting, but it needs some work. This is the first movie that seems to have been expressly made for high definition DVDs. I couldn’t help but think that hd DVD should’ve been its original release format.

3 of 5 stars.

Link of the Day [5.10.08]

broderic on May 10, 2008

If every year a Pixar film had to go up against a Studio Ghibli film for the Best Animated Film Oscar, I think Pixar would lose. It’s not that Pixar’s films are not the best, but that they seem to lack the maturity towards storytelling and to the story that you find in a Studio Ghibli film.

I can honestly say that Studio Ghibli’s films rank higher than most Pixar films in my book, the exception being the phenomenal, The Incredibles.

Again, I am sending you to a Japanese only site. Sorry. If you want to know more about Studio Ghibli, but in English, google.

http://www.ghibli.jp/

Iron Man

broderic on May 5, 2008

Bully for Jon Favreau for directing Iron Man to the opening of Summer Movie Season 2008, and making some bucks as well as garnering well deserved kudos.

I found it good. Not on the Spidey 2 level, but better than a Fantastic Four catastrophe. That a suit is fantastic. The iron monger one reminded me of Appleseed’s Mecha.

The cast was first rate. Robert Downey, Jr. displayed a flair for being debonair and an asshole but winningly so. Gweneth Paltrow was hot as Pepper Potts. The dude, Jeff Bridges, was the villainous Lex Luthor out to make bombs not love. Shield was there.

The interesting part was the play on the military industrial complex. If I didn’t know it, Stark industries is a facsimile of Lockheed Martin. Even down to the corporate logo. They got that covered.

All in all, an enjoyable comic book movie. Good opening salvo for the Summer of 2008.

4 of 5 stars.