Most influential movies of all time

[The Burgomaster]

Here is a list of movies that I believe had significant influence on the movie industry as a whole, and, in some cases, on society (briefly, at least).

* SHAFT - It didn't launch the blaxploitation craze, but it certainly solidified it more than any other film in the genre.

* JAWS - Led to a steady stream of sequels and rip-offs, both in the U.S. and abroad. It also reduced beach attendance (even at LAKES, for God's sake), and increased swimming pool sales.

* THE EXORCIST - Similar to Jaws, in that it led to sequels and numerous rip-offs. Church attendance increased noticeably during the year of its release.

* PSYCHO - Led to a few rip-offs around the time of its release, but not as many rip-offs as JAWS and THE EXORCIST spawned. However, PSYCHO sequels and rip-offs have continued for decades and will probably continue well into the future.

* BONNIE & CLYDE and THE WILD BUNCH - Led to new standards of on-screen violence.

* CITIZEN KANE - It didn't really lead to sequels or rip-offs, nor did it change the way we live our lives, but it definitely brought innovations in camera work (especially deep focus) and use of sound to the film industry.

* THE GODFATHER - Sparked the gangster movie craze of the 1970s. Also, added new words and phrases to our vocabulary, such as "I'll make him an offer he can't refuse."

* PLANET OF THE APES - Permanently raised the acceptable standards for movie make-up.

* DAWN OF THE DEAD - Rip-offs and fake sequels, especially by Italian filmmakers.

* EASY RIDER and WOODSTOCK - Didn't launch a generation, but helped to define it.

What are some others???

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[Fearless Freep]

You forgot "Star Wars"

Also, Jaws changed the movie industry in introducing the concept of the 'summer blockbuster'  Up until then, Holloywood didn't bother releasing major stuff because they thought people would be too busy outside to want to see a movie

[Funk, E.]

As horrible as it is to say Saturday Night Fever pretty much defined the 70's *shiver*
Nosferatu Symphony of Terror started off vampires as a legitemate film subject
Cabinet of Doctor Caligari pretty much birthed the Psychological Thriller
Metropolis was just awesome.
I think Excalibur has been quitely one of the most influential fantasy films ever made.

[The Burgomaster]

Funk, E. wrote:

> As horrible as it is to say Saturday Night Fever pretty much
> defined the 70's *shiver*

Yes . . . SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER certainly defined the 70s. Let's all join hands and THANK GOD that XANADU did not define the 80s . . .

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Post Edited (04-02-03 17:08)

[Evan3]

The Matrix has really pushed the level of special effects, no matter what you think of the movie.  Lord of the Rings is bot han epic and may change the ways movies are made by filming all 3 at once as well as also being an innovative special effects movie.

I would also say that Annie Hall influenced a lot of trends as far as style went and it also had some very innovative ways to film a movie.

Memento really saw how far you can push the layerings and organization of movies.

Just because movies caused lots of spin offs doesnt make them great Burgomaster.

[Creepozoid]

ALIEN

[Scott0]

Citizen Kane was both magnificant from the camera's perspective, but I also believe it was the movie that inspired every film after it that used a non-linear story line. The use of flashback to tell the story of one man as several different people remember him hasn't been accomplished as successfully since the time when William Faulkner wrote "Absalom, Absalom!" and told the fragmented story of people's memories of Thomas Sutpen.

The Godfather is the epitome of character development in film. Never before and never again have fictional characters been so brilliantly created and portrayed  than in this masterpiece.

Bladerunner gets special recognition from me, not because of its incredible depiction of the future, but instead because of its style in film terms. Take a movie like Bladerunner, and compare it to something like Hitchcock's "Notorious" and look at the similarities. Bladerunner possesses in it the qualities of a "film-noir" while maintaining its computer graphic driven, science fiction surroundings. In a movie where surroundings aren't really there, camera angles wouldn't seem to be as much an option as they would be otherwise. However, Bladerunner blows that misconception out of the water with its dark and dingy portrayl of the future. Low angle shots galore. I love it.

Plan 9 From Outer Space, simply because nothing can be more inept than this movie.

And finally: Bloodfeast, cause you gotta give props to the first gore-shocker ever to hit mainstream. Big ups to Herschell Gordon Lewis for giving us horror fans a little blood here and a lotta blood everywhere.

Scottie

[Andrew]

Definitely gets my vote.

[Vermin Boy]

I WAS A TEENAGE WEREWOLF - First horror film to be marketed to teenagers. NOW look at the damn things.

PULP FICTION and RESERVOIR DOGS have been dubbed "the films that launched a thousand rip-offs."

ET was the first major example of a movie/product tie-in.

THE USUAL SUSPECTS could probably be pointed to as the father of all the "twist ending" movies in recent years.

[Deena]

I think the Rocky Horror Picture show was pretty influential.  Love it or hate it, it's still around being shown late at night, squirtguns, toast, and all.  Plus it had a very notable cast.  It let freaks everywhere know, it's ok to be a lil freaky.

[The Burgomaster]

Evan wrote: "Just because movies caused lots of spin offs doesnt make them great Burgomaster."

Evan - no where in my comments do I say that these movies are great. I say that they are influential. BIG difference.

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[Scott]

I'm just going to thow a few films around that came to mind.

ALEXANDER NEVSKY - Clearly influenced STAR WARS.

Both LOST HORIZONS and ALEXANDER NEVSKY influenced CONAN THE BARBARIAN.

SHIVERS influenced ALIEN

LAST MAN ON EARTH influenced NIGHT OF T HE LIVING DEAD.

[hollywood bill]

Ahhh let us not forget Friday the !3th - which practically started the entire genre of slasher films
-And Conan the Barbarian- which was quite possibly one of the finest epic fantasy/action movies of the 20th century.



  "We had two bags of Grass, seventy-five pellets of Mesculine, five sheets of high powered blotter acid, a half salt shaker full of cocaine, a whole galaxy of multi-colored uppers, downers, laughers, and screamers.  A quart of Rum, a quart of tequila, a case of beer, a pint of raw ether, and two dozens amyls.  Not that we needed all that for the trip, mind you.  But once you get locked into a serious drug collection, the tendency is to push it as far as you can."
                                                          Raoul Duke "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas"

[Fearless Freep]

"Bladerunner" was also influential in that the view of the 'urban future' has been used a lot since then.

As did "Road Warrior" in it's whole 'post-apoc' feel

[Todd R.]

Didn't BULLITT start the whole idea of an extended car chase in a movie?