A Quick List Of Some Notable Movies That Did Not Make The Top Eleven
Apocalypse Now: This has some of the most startling scenes ever put to celluloid, and you'd be hard pressed to find a weakness. The depressing nature of the story doesn't bother me, either. I think Vertigo's tenuous grasp on the eleventh spot is more challenged by Apocalypse Now than any other movie.
The Princess Bride: Consider it an honorable mention.
The Seventh Seal: You can only handle so much Ingmar.
Citizen Kane: Ironically enough, another Orson Welles movie actually came closer...
Touch of Evil: One of the best shots of all time opens this classic noir, and the tale of skullduggery, moral crises and Charlton Heston's absurd attempt at being Mexican make it an incredibly entertaining work of art. But Charlton Heston as a Mexican really cannot be allowed on this list.
Wall-E: I do love this movie, but 2001+Blade Runner give me my sci-fi fix, so...
A.I. Artificial Intelligence: Another very difficult movie to set aside. Again, though, 2001 is so overpoweringly, mindbogglingly, flabergastingly good that if forced to leave out a sci-fi film, it is less painful. And then when I need another sci-fi film, I have Blade Runner, which would be the greatest sci-fi film ever if it weren't for that nasty ol' bully.
It's a Wonderful Life: It isn't Christmas year-round, unfortunately.
Chinatown: Heh. Yeah, right.
Tokyo Story: Great, great film. Probably one of the best ever made. But I could see getting bored if I watched it too many times. Same goes for Rashomon.
Yojimbo: I very badly wanted this on the list. But alas, there was simply no room for a second Western with 19th century Jedi.
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly: Another great film, and another marathon, but I don't like Westerns enough to give them a real spot. They get a half a spot from No Country. Once Upon A Time in the West, The Searchers, Rio Bravo and Red River were left off for the same reason.
Shane: I didn't want to put any outrageously overrated, outmoded, silly, boring, hackneyed movies on my list, so I left this one off. It was a tough call.
Schindler's List: Another marathon epic of high repute, but this isn't the kind of movie I think of as a "favorite". Sort of like the Passion of the Christ, it is "important" but I don't necessarily want to watch it fifty times. (Although, if I live to be seventy, I will have watched the Passion fifty times, because I watch it every Good Friday...)
Double Indemnity, Out of the Past, In A Lonely Place and a host of other spectacular noirs: I love them. But I can't have all of them, so I took the best two (did you notice how Chinatown wasn't one of them?)
Ben-Hur, Spartacus, and other classic Hollywood epics: I have just never been that impressed by these. Sorry.
Every Kubrick film that isn't on the list: Simply no room. I could put Dr. Strangelove, Paths of Glory, the Shining and The Killing on the list without any compunction. And A Clockwork Orange was highly interesting if difficult to endure. But I mean, you run out of spots, even for Stanley...
The Piano: If this were a list of the worst films ever conceived, I suppose it would have been a shoo-in...
The Sting: Marvelous movie. But it isn't exactly unique, and most of the films on this list are, to my eye. (Of course, if you have a list only harboring "unique" films, then you are completely missing out on the putative "non-unique" genus, which seems to defeat the whole point, but I digress...)
Pulp Fiction: Couldn't put Tarantino on here.
Aguirre, Wrath of God: Another great, but if I put this on, I would have had to put Apocalypse Now first, even though Aguirre came first. Another stunning opening shot, though.
8½: Fellini is awesome, but a movie about a movie seems like a cop out on a favorite movie list.
Night of the Hunter: Was an honorable mention. Then I realized I needed to keep this thing from growing completely out of control… (Of course I failed anyway, but…)
On the Waterfront: I really have no excuse for this one…
Field of Dreams: Oh how I wanted to get this one on. Just couldn’t find room…
This is Spinal Tap: If nothing else, the list is at least inspired by Nigel’s amp.
Into Great Silence: Monk smut.
The Insider, Master and Commander: Wouldn’t have minded having the best actor of a generation on here twice, but how to choose between those two?
Casablanca: Great love story, great Bogey, great lines, but nothing visually virtuosic about it.
Miller’s Crossing, Fargo, Blood Simple, A Serious Man: Awesome Coen feats, all. But none are as good as No Country, and that’s that.
Raiders of the Lost Ark: I couldn’t have Harrison Ford in every movie on my list...
A Man for All Seasons: This is another killer. I suppose if I had to invent a reason why it isn’t on the list, I’d say that as inspiring and amazing as it is, I don’t exactly enjoy seeing Thomas More get his head cut off. (And yeah, some wiseacre could respond that you actually don’t see him get his head cut off…)
Le Voyage dans le Lune: This is absolutely one of my favorite movies. If it were more than nine minutes long, it would have been #1. You’re the man, Georges.
Up Next: If You Don't Know By Now...
~Right Thumb~
All these movies and not one of them is Butch Cassidy.
ReplyDeleteI would ask what is wrong with you, but I already know the answer, so I won't.
The real question is which movie is your #1 movie. Given that Blade Runner, 2001, and the Godfather part II are already on the list, my money is on ESB.
Either that or that full-length Ewok movie.
Casablanca - does it have to be anything other than what it is to be virtuosic? Perfection ain't easy. Its THE movie-est of movies.
ReplyDeleteGood shout outs to Red River and Double Indemnity.
Field of Dreams would definitely have made it past some of your movies on any list of mine. (not one baseball movie???)
Also, I am sure there is no tinge of sarcasm in Post Hill's comment about Butch Cassidy since he appreciates the film so much. Way to speak for the unspoken-for, Danny-boy.
After thoroughly enjoying reading these posts, I further look forward to reading the comments. I have to say that "Cat" has very insightful and hilarious posts. Keep 'em coming. ALso, after the movie list is complete, Thumb Guy has to find something else to rate. I would miss the blog.
ReplyDelete