Essential American Genre Films

[Mr. Lobo]

I'm doing some research for er, my website.
A space alien lands on earth and asks what 10 films he should view to have an understanding of our culture and film in our country. What are your picks and why? These are not neccesarily your geeked out faves or "AFI bests" but ones for the history books--if you wrote the history books.

Your horror host,
Mr. Lobo
http://www.cinemainsomnia.com

[Jay]

"To Kill A Mockingbird"
"It's a Wonderful Life"
"A Christmas Story"

[Andrew]

But still, one that would give the aliens something to think about.  

Breakin
Deliverance
Godzilla vs. Monster X
Greaser's Palace
Gymkata
Petey Wheatstraw
Repo Man
Any "Santo" movie
Solarbabies
The Warriors
Almost any John Waters film

Granted, what the aliens might be thinking about is the best way to kill us all off.

[dean]

Well then, I guess Independence Day woudln't exactly give a flattering view of human society then?  Show them how many movies we have made make fun of aliens, and they'll be screaming for our blood.

That and if we ever subject them to anything involving Fran Drescher and the Cast of Friends.  

I wonder, though, are there any alien movie-type-things which depict humans?  That would be interesting to watch.

Also, why American Genre Films?  Doesn't the world have a say to how they should be depicted?  If we go by just American films, then the aliens would think that all Asians know Karate, all Arabs sit in caves and own AK-47's and Russians always say 'capitalist Dog' alot.

Mind you, if we ever showed the majority of 'popular' Aussie films, then they'd think we were a bunch of beer drinking larrikans and smart alecs who like sports.  Damn Aussie movie industry.

[Mr_Vindictive]

I'd have to say that all three Dead films would be in my list.  

Lets see:

1. Night Of The Living Dead

2. Dawn Of The Dead

3. Day Of The Dead

4. Fight Club

5.  Requiem For A Dream

6. Goodfellas


Now if they are evil aliens plotting to kill us, then I would subject them to Labyrinth.  That movie is awful enough to kill anyone or anything.

[Mr. Lobo]

Well, Mr. Lobo is not going to try to represent another culture other than my own. Surely, you can, for your own edification apply this question anyway you wish...I can't name ten movies from your country cause I'm ignorant. i'm certainly not going to try to give this list to a space alien...


Mad Max
Road Warrior
Mad Max 3
Young Einstien
Crocodile Dundee
Crocodile Dundee II
Rescuers: Down Under
The Adventures Of Priscilla: Queen Of The Desert
Whatever the Hell the name of The Crocodile Hunter movie is
Ace Ventua II: When Nature calls?


Your International Horror Host,
Mr. Lobo

[raj]

American Grafitti
(for American pop culture)
A Fistful of Dollars
(Americans as individuals who, though flawed, stand up for what's right).

[Chopper]

the Deer Hunter! throw that somewhere in there. and if you wanted to thwart the alien's plan of destruction getting it drunk and forcing it to watch the Deer Hunter would surely influence it to commit suicide.

[Chopper]

"Now if they are evil aliens plotting to kill us, then I would subject them to Labyrinth. That movie is awful enough to kill anyone or anything."

LoL. I used to hang out with these morons that loved that film. To this day I don't see what they saw in it.

[odinn7]

I would automatically assume that the alien is hostile so with that in mind, my list would be (in order):
Close Encounters- To show what we thought aliens were or should be
ET- To show how we thought aliens could be "cute"
Terminator- To show massive carnage
Alien Nation- To show how we wouldn't mind co-existing too much but don't step outta line Mr. alien
The Hidden (1987)- To show our idea of bad aliens and what we do to them
House of 1000 Corpses- To show how disturbed some of us can be. "Would you like to take a chance on that Mr. Alien?"
If the alien still wants to see more at this point, I pull out the secret weapon:
Gigli- This will kill the bastard.

[nobody]

American Beauty

Fight Club

Requiem for a Dream

Natural Born Killers

Quills

Kids in the Hall: Braincandy

Office Space

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas

...those films sum up humanity nicely, I think.

[Mr. Lobo]

Great! Very funny stuff, Odinn7. Mr. Lobo may be stealing some of your material! Actually, everyone has given me great "fast food for thought". I really like the vibe at this bulletin board. You B-maniacs are not snobby like some of those others. You know the ones. They're hiding under the floorboards with their turtlenecks and espressos! There they are--Shine a light on them!

Anyway, keep it up...Mr. Lobo likes where this thread is going!

Your Horror Host,
Mr. Lobo
http://www.cinemainsomnia.com

[Mr_Vindictive]

Nobody,

I applaud that list!  It's almost like you were in my mind!  

All of those films are among my top 50

[AndyC]

The international angle is interesting. Imagine if the alien attempted to understand all of humanity with a limited sampling of films from each country.

What would your impression of Canada be if you judged it by Strange Brew and the works of David Cronenberg? What if all your information on Britain came from the Carry On movies, or your assessment of Japan was based on Gamera films? Taken a country at a time, it would confuse the hell out of an alien.

Kind of reminds me of Galactica 1980, when they judged humanity based on monitoring television - mostly cartoons and cop shows.

[Mr. Lobo]

After we get 10 films from each country, then I'll compile the world list. Yeah, right. Like, I'M qualified to do that! I really can't think of any films made by South America...Iceland...Norway...Finland...Belgium...Most Of Africa...Vietnam...Korea...Thailand...Other than Ballywood nothing in the Middle East...and on and on. I guess I'm not much of a film buff after all,

Your Horror Host,
Mr. Lobo