CITIZEN KANE is no longer the greatest movie ever made...

Hammock Rider · August 06, 2012, 11:43:51 AM

#1 movie for me is The Vikings from 1958, or possibly the Michael York Three Musketeers.

Kaseykockroach · August 07, 2012, 09:42:09 AM

What exactly makes this poll more credible than any other "Greatest Movies of All Time" poll?
I'll answer that for you: Nothing.

Rev. Powell · August 07, 2012, 09:54:00 AM

Quote from: Kaseykockroach on August 07, 2012, 09:42:09 AM
What exactly makes this poll more credible than any other "Greatest Movies of All Time" poll?
I'll answer that for you: Nothing.

All "credibility" means in a poll is that the votes were counted correctly. The only point is to provoke discussion. The opinion of experts as to what constitutes a great film is more interesting, to me at least, than a random internet poll.

Kaseykockroach · August 07, 2012, 04:12:41 PM

But what exactly puts a proclaimed 'expert' above the average joe? Not much.
Besides, everyone knows THESE are the greatest movies ever made. :D
Dumbo (1941)
Harry & Tonto (1974)
Strangers on a Train (1951)
Gremlins 2: The New Batch (1990)
The Apartment (1960)
Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter (1957)
Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953)
The Great Muppet Caper (1981)
Sons of the Desert (1934)
Duck Soup (1933)
Sweet Smell of Success (1957)
To Be or Not to Be (1942)
Sherlock Jr (1924)
Night of the Hunter (1955)
Singin in the Rain (1952)

RCMerchant · August 07, 2012, 05:11:19 PM

CITIZEN KANE bored me to f**king tears.

Better-VERTIGO-sure-still aint Hitch's best film.
PSYCHO-the BIRDS-NORTH BY NORTHWEST were all better.
So were the BRIDE OF FRANKENSTEIN,LAWERENCE OF ARABIA,KING KONG,TAXI DRIVER,ON THE WATERFRONT,SAVING PRIVATE RYAN,SUNSET BOULEVARD-and soooo many others I cant count.
IMHO,of course.
Judging film is juding art-like comparing great fine art with great comic book art-it's all art and great in it's way-and all have different styles.
It's all very personal and subjective.

Rev. Powell · August 07, 2012, 07:04:12 PM

Quote from: Kaseykockroach on August 07, 2012, 04:12:41 PM
But what exactly puts a proclaimed 'expert' above the average joe? Not much.

See, that's where I disagree. Now, I know a lot more about movies than the average person. I've sat down and analyzed the hell out of hundreds of movies. If you took my blog writings and printed them out as books they would fill up several volumes of film criticism. I've been accepted into an exclusive film critics' organization.

Still, I don't know half as much about movies as Roger Ebert, and I may not reach his level of understanding by the end of my lifetime. He's seen many more great movies than I have (and many more bad ones). He can see things in movies and make connections that I can't. He can teach me to appreciate nuances I may not be able to get on my own. And, Ebert isn't even the most perceptive critic out there.

I'm an expert on what I like best. But to say that therefore my opinion should be as important as others who know a hell of a lot more than I do would be cheating myself. It would be giving myself permission to quit growing in my appreciation of a great art form, saying I don't have anything to lean about understanding and enjoying movies on a deeper level.

That doesn't mean I have to automatically and unquestioningly agree with their assessments---that would be cheating myself, too. It just means I should take them seriously.

I like a lot of your list, though.

the ghoul · August 07, 2012, 08:35:51 PM

The fact that "The Good The Bad And The Ugly" is not even included completely destroys any credibility this list may have had. It's nothing but pretentious nonsense that should be ignored until it goes away.

bob · August 08, 2012, 01:45:46 AM

Quote from: Kaseykockroach on August 07, 2012, 04:12:41 PM
But what exactly puts a proclaimed 'expert' above the average joe? Not much.
Besides, everyone knows THESE are the greatest movies ever made. :D
Night of the Hunter (1955)

Mere words cannot accurately describe how much I loath Night of the Hunter.

Trevor · August 08, 2012, 02:00:12 AM

One of my friends Professor Martin Botha contributed to this list: he's also one of those many people that goes

when I tell them what my favourite film of all time is.

Mofo Rising · August 08, 2012, 05:20:02 AM

Quote from: Rev. Powell on August 07, 2012, 07:04:12 PM
Quote from: Kaseykockroach on August 07, 2012, 04:12:41 PM
But what exactly puts a proclaimed 'expert' above the average joe? Not much.

See, that's where I disagree. Now, I know a lot more about movies than the average person. I've sat down and analyzed the hell out of hundreds of movies. If you took my blog writings and printed them out as books they would fill up several volumes of film criticism. I've been accepted into an exclusive film critics' organization.

Still, I don't know half as much about movies as Roger Ebert, and I may not reach his level of understanding by the end of my lifetime. He's seen many more great movies than I have (and many more bad ones). He can see things in movies and make connections that I can't. He can teach me to appreciate nuances I may not be able to get on my own. And, Ebert isn't even the most perceptive critic out there.

I'm an expert on what I like best. But to say that therefore my opinion should be as important as others who know a hell of a lot more than I do would be cheating myself. It would be giving myself permission to quit growing in my appreciation of a great art form, saying I don't have anything to lean about understanding and enjoying movies on a deeper level.

That doesn't mean I have to automatically and unquestioningly agree with their assessments---that would be cheating myself, too. It just means I should take them seriously.

I like a lot of your list, though.

I'm in agreement with the good Rev. here.

Now subjectively, it does not matter what anybody else has to say about film. If you like a movie, or dislike a movie, there is nobody you should feel beholden to to tell you different.

However, it is not the case that all appreciation of film is equal. Many film critics have spent their lives watching movies, and really trying to understand what works and what doesn't. Now, you may disagree with them, but you can't really discount their judgement by saying every opinion is equal. These people care so much about film that they have based their entire livelihood on the idea that film is worth discussing.

Look at it this way: There are few people who can discuss why Citizen Kane is important, and there are many fewer people who even know about Tokyo Story. Are you going to hold them up against those who only choose to watch the new Transformers movie? You should already know the answer to that question.

I've seen a lot of these movies, and a lot of them I don't like, but they are challenging to what the idea of cinema can really accomplish. You're still the subjective viewer who can choose or choose to abuse the films you like. But keep your mind open. If you aren't willing to challenge your own perceptions, well...

BoyScoutKevin · August 08, 2012, 05:10:29 PM

I am surprised at how few of those movies I've seen. Only 13 out of the 50. Though, I must admit I don't have much disagreement with the ones listed, except for one. #28 David Lynch's "Mulholland Drive." I've seen it, and it is enjoyable enough. But one of the best movies of all time. One that will withstand the test of time. I don't think so.

Now, let us see them do something really useful. A list of "The 50 Worst Movies of All Time."

RCMerchant · August 09, 2012, 05:10:46 AM

Quote from: BoyScoutKevin on August 08, 2012, 05:10:29 PM
I am surprised at how few of those movies I've seen. Only 13 out of the 50. Though, I must admit I don't have much disagreement with the ones listed, except for one. #28 David Lynch's "Mulholland Drive." I've seen it, and it is enjoyable enough. But one of the best movies of all time. One that will withstand the test of time. I don't think so.

Now, let us see them do something really useful. A list of "The 50 Worst Movies of All Time."

I have only seen 13 as well!

Now if it was a 50 Worst Movies List-I'd have a much higher score....

Allhallowsday · August 09, 2012, 09:03:34 PM

I've seen about half the list, and there are several others I would really like to watch but have not yet... I thought VERTIGO was boring the first time I watched it. Then, I saw it again. And again. And again. Now, I think it's perfect and endlessly watchable and it ranks very high on my list of favorites. It's not a crowd pleaser, but there really isn't much to compare it to. Though I love at least a few HITCHCOCK films, REAR WINDOW may be my favorite film of all films, but I'm also of the opinion VERTIGO is his best.

bob · August 10, 2012, 09:51:06 AM

Out of all 50 I own Veritgo, Citizen Kane, 2001, Apocalypse Now, Seven Samurai, The Godfather, The Godfather Part II, Taxi Driver and Metropolis.

Not counting those I've seen 8 1/2, Sunrise, The Passion of Joan of Arc, Persona, Singin' in the Rain, Rashomon, Bicycle Thieves, The General, Psycho, The 400 Blows, Some Like It Hot, The Battle of Algiers and City Lights.

RCMerchant · August 11, 2012, 11:49:09 AM

Quote from: Allhallowsday on August 09, 2012, 09:03:34 PM
I've seen about half the list, and there are several others I would really like to watch but have not yet... I thought VERTIGO was boring the first time I watched it. Then, I saw it again. And again. And again. Now, I think it's perfect and endlessly watchable and it ranks very high on my list of favorites. It's not a crowd pleaser, but there really isn't much to compare it to. Though I love at least a few HITCHCOCK films, REAR WINDOW may be my favorite film of all films, but I'm also of the opinion VERTIGO is his best.

The BIRDS is his best-IMHO. PSYCHO second-then NORTH BY NORTHWEST-then REAR WINDOW.
VERIGO is good-but a little to confusing and psychological for its own good,methinks-I am an average Joe-but Im no dummy-Im a geek too-but VERTIGO-well-I like Carey Grant and Janet Leigh better than Jimmy Stewart,I reckon.