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June 23, 2007
ANDYTOWN PRESENTS 20 SOME-ODD DAYS, 20 SOME-ODD MOVIES
Here's how I feel about these AFI Lists:
Links: (Onion A.V. Club assessment, AFI Web Site, Wikipedia Article - this is the best, as it shows what was dropped and what moved up)
They are a good way to promote movies. I hope that some star-struck teenager beginning to fall in love with old films sees at least five of these great movies. I hope that a fan of conventional Westerns decides to see the highest ranking Western on this list, THE SEARCHERS, because its one of the greatest movies ever made. And I hope it causes someone to ask, "What's so great about silent movies?" And then that someone reconsiders their (probable) conjecture that the 20s and 30s were just a period before movies got it right.
But it's also a way to sell and re-package movies, and that irritates me. After the first AFI list, they moved these movies to a "Special Section" at Blockbuster that had the same rental requirements as the New Releases. Let's not pretend these are about anything but money. There's a reason the Sight and Sound list isn't televised, because John Q. Public would be pretty bored by TOKYO STORY and baffled by 8%. These lists are, with a few esoteric exceptions, "a list of movies people want to see."
I missed the telecast simply because I didn't know it was on. But normally I watch them. I have no problem with voting for the 100 best movie lines, or the 100 best scores, or the 100 best villains, because that's strict fanboy territory and it's obviously not an authoratative list. But its just kooky to rank actors; Clark Gable is six spots better than John Wayne? Explain. Edward G. Robinson is the 23rd greatest star ever, two spots behind Sidney Poitier? Fred Astaire is ten spots better than Gene Kelly? And it's the same with movies, because now some Generic Katie is going to blabbing about how if something is so great, why isn't it on the damn list? In short, these lists live on with an authority that they don't deserve.
That said, I like the new list better than the old one, mainly because it boosts three of my favorite movies: SEARCHERS, THE LAST PICTURE SHOW, and CITY LIGHTS. There are still some really overrated films on here (SAVING PRIVATE RYAN, SOPHIES CHOICE, the insidious PLATOON, SILENCE OF THE LAMBS, TOOTSIE, CABARET, THE PHILADELPHIA STORY) and some are just ranked far too high (HIGH NOON, SCHINDLERS LIST, SOME LIKE IT HOT). The terrible, schlocky, badly dated DEER HUNTER has jumped somehow, while the greatest war movie ever, BRIDGE OVER RIVER KWAI, has fallen.
CITIZEN KANE is still number one and it should be. It is not my favorite movie ever, but it is one of my favorites. I have seen it many times, and each time I try to treat like an academic exercise, to deeply plunder it for its themes, style, and subtext. And each time I just get caught up in the story, with the inventiveness with which Welles tells it, and the energy of the characters and the world they inhabit.
But of course, this is all just subjective. Which is my point. Just for giggles:
MOVIES THAT WOULD MORE THAN LIKELY BE ON MY PERSONAL TOP 100 THAT ARE ALSO ON THE AFI TOP 100
2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY (#1, all the rest are in no particular order); CITIZEN KANE, THE GODFATHER, CASABLANCA, SINGIN' IN THE RAIN, IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE, SUNSET BOULEVARD, THE BRIDGE OVER RIVER KWAI, STAR WARS, THE WIZARD OF OZ, THE SEARCHERS, CHINATOWN, THE GRAPES OF WRATH, MR. SMITH GOES TO WASHINGTON, DOUBLE INDEMNITY, APOCALYPSE NOW, ANNIE HALL, THE BRIDGE OVER RIVER KWAI, KING KONG, DR. STRANGELOVE, BONNIE AND CLYDE, MIDNIGHT COWBOY, SHANE, TAXI DRIVER, JAWS, NASHVILLE, SULLIVAN'S TRAVELS, RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK, BUTCH CASSIDY AND THE SUNDANCE KID, THE WILD BUNCH, ALL THE PRESIDENT'S MEN, PULP FICTION, THE LAST PICTURE SHOW, DO TEH RIGHT THING, BLADE RUNNER
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Want to be depressed? Check out this footage of Kevin Durant. Right now, we Memphians could be engaging in a legitimate argument about NOT taking this guy, but instead we cry in our beer and stutter the words, "Yi Jianlin." Watch Durant: dude does not even have to try. His leap is such a natural motion, and the guy has a stutter step that you usually see on 5'8 point guards who have no other skills. He is the complete package and yet he is still the second best player available in the draft. Sigh . . .
| By Andytown | 06:01 PM
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Comments
I was so excited when they added The Last Picture Show, as well as Blade Runner. These are both fantatic films which should have been recognized when they made the 1st list. The Philadelphia Story, though, I think should be on the list because it is just a classic, and think of all the great performances, it's funny, romantic, and screwball, I think it should be on the list. You were so right about the point of the list is to intrest young viewers in good movies. I had always liked movies, but for my 13th birthday I recieved AFI's book on film. The thing is falling apart and has been for a/b 3 years now. I admit that it got me into film, with it's essays, information, and pictures, but I'll also admit that, if they don't like a film very much, it won't be in their book. It's wonderful to have a book of refrence, but at the same time, it's frustrating, when they don't commemorate good films, actors, and directors, who might not be their favorites.
Posted by: Emi Payne at August 4, 2007 10:45 AM