The American Film Institute's new list of the top-100 films all-time

[wiegie]

1. "Citizen Kane," 1941.

2. "The Godfather," 1972.

3. "Casablanca," 1942.

4. "Raging Bull," 1980.

5. "Singin' in the Rain," 1952.

6. "Gone With the Wind," 1939.

7. "Lawrence of Arabia," 1962.

8. "Schindler's List," 1993.

9. "Vertigo," 1958.

10. "The Wizard of Oz," 1939.

11. "City Lights," 1931.

12. "The Searchers," 1956.

13. "Star Wars," 1977.

14. "Psycho," 1960.

15. "2001: A Space Odyssey," 1968.

16. "Sunset Blvd.", 1950.

17. "The Graduate," 1967.

18. "The General," 1927.

19. "On the Waterfront," 1954.

20. "It's a Wonderful Life," 1946.

21. "Chinatown," 1974.

22. "Some Like It Hot," 1959.

23. "The Grapes of Wrath," 1940.

24. "E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial," 1982.

25. "To Kill a Mockingbird," 1962.

26. "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington," 1939.

27. "High Noon," 1952.

28. "All About Eve," 1950.

29. "Double Indemnity," 1944.

30. "Apocalypse Now," 1979.

31. "The Maltese Falcon," 1941.

32. "The Godfather Part II," 1974.

33. "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest," 1975.

34. "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs," 1937.

35. "Annie Hall," 1977.

36. "The Bridge on the River Kwai," 1957.

37. "The Best Years of Our Lives," 1946.

38. "The Treasure of the Sierra Madre," 1948.

39. "Dr. Strangelove," 1964.

40. "The Sound of Music," 1965.

41. "King Kong," 1933.

42. "Bonnie and Clyde," 1967.

43. "Midnight Cowboy," 1969.

44. "The Philadelphia Story," 1940.

45. "Shane," 1953.

46. "It Happened One Night," 1934.

47. "A Streetcar Named Desire," 1951.

48. "Rear Window," 1954.

49. "Intolerance," 1916.

50. "The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring," 2001.

51. "West Side Story," 1961.

52. "Taxi Driver," 1976.

53. "The Deer Hunter," 1978.

54. "M-A-S-H," 1970.

55. "North by Northwest," 1959.

56. "Jaws," 1975.

57. "Rocky," 1976.

58. "The Gold Rush," 1925.

59. "Nashville," 1975.

60. "Duck Soup," 1933.

61. "Sullivan's Travels," 1941.

62. "American Graffiti," 1973.

63. "Cabaret," 1972.

64. "Network," 1976.

65. "The African Queen," 1951.

66. "Raiders of the Lost Ark," 1981.

67. "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?", 1966.

68. "Unforgiven," 1992.

69. "Tootsie," 1982.

70. "A Clockwork Orange," 1971.

71. "Saving Private Ryan," 1998.

72. "The Shawshank Redemption," 1994.

73. "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid," 1969.

74. "The Silence of the Lambs," 1991.

75. "In the Heat of the Night," 1967.

76. "Forrest Gump," 1994.

77. "All the President's Men," 1976.

78. "Modern Times," 1936.

79. "The Wild Bunch," 1969.

80. "The Apartment, 1960.

81. "Spartacus," 1960.

82. "Sunrise," 1927.

83. "Titanic," 1997.

84. "Easy Rider," 1969.

85. "A Night at the Opera," 1935.

86. "Platoon," 1986.

87. "12 Angry Men," 1957.

88. "Bringing Up Baby," 1938.

89. "The Sixth Sense," 1999.

90. "Swing Time," 1936.

91. "Sophie's Choice," 1982.

92. "Goodfellas," 1990.

93. "The French Connection," 1971.

94. "Pulp Fiction," 1994.

95. "The Last Picture Show," 1971.

96. "Do the Right Thing," 1989.

97. "Blade Runner," 1982.

98. "Yankee Doodle Dandy," 1942.

99. "Toy Story," 1995.

100. "Ben-Hur," 1959.

[isleseeya]

Saw the show on this last night ...citizen kane was # 1 the last time they had the vote ...

 

No Caddyshack makes this a faltered list ...lol

[jaxfactor]

Saw the show on this last night ...citizen kane was # 1 the last time they had the vote ...

 

No Caddyshack makes this a faltered list ...lol

 

 

 

No Animal House either. Why do they hate America?

[Chargerz]

Very few Westerns on this list too.

[Chavez]

50. "The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring," 2001.

 

 

According to AFI, this is the best movie of the last 10 years.

[Chavez]

Very few Westerns on this list too.

 

12. "The Searchers," 1956.

27. "High Noon," 1952.

38. "The Treasure of the Sierra Madre," 1948.

43. "Midnight Cowboy," 1969.

45. "Shane," 1953.

58. "The Gold Rush," 1925.

68. "Unforgiven," 1992.

73. "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid," 1969.

79. "The Wild Bunch," 1969.

 

I dunno, 8% of the top 100 is pretty good for a genre that has lacked overall significance since the late 60s (as great as The Unforgiven was, it was an exception - the trend has been one or two notable westerns every 5 years or so).

[Chavez]

16. "Sunset Blvd.", 1950.

 

Just saw this last night - Norma Desmond becomes a bit too much of a grotesque caricature at the end for my taste - sorta took me out of the movie - but definitely worth its high rating; maybe should be even higher, as the subject matter is still fresh meat almost 60 years on.

27. "High Noon," 1952.

A masterpiece of taut plotting. Absolutely terrific stuff.

[Duchess Jack]

I have not seen any of the bold movies...

 

1. "Citizen Kane," 1941.

2. "The Godfather," 1972.

3. "Casablanca," 1942.

4. "Raging Bull," 1980.

5. "Singin' in the Rain," 1952.

6. "Gone With the Wind," 1939.

7. "Lawrence of Arabia," 1962.

8. "Schindler's List," 1993.

9. "Vertigo," 1958.

10. "The Wizard of Oz," 1939.

11. "City Lights," 1931.

12. "The Searchers," 1956.

13. "Star Wars," 1977.

14. "Psycho," 1960.

15. "2001: A Space Odyssey," 1968.

16. "Sunset Blvd.", 1950.

17. "The Graduate," 1967.

18. "The General," 1927.

19. "On the Waterfront," 1954.

20. "It's a Wonderful Life," 1946.

21. "Chinatown," 1974.

22. "Some Like It Hot," 1959.

23. "The Grapes of Wrath," 1940.

24. "E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial," 1982.

25. "To Kill a Mockingbird," 1962.

26. "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington," 1939.

27. "High Noon," 1952.

28. "All About Eve," 1950.

29. "Double Indemnity," 1944.

30. "Apocalypse Now," 1979.

31. "The Maltese Falcon," 1941.

32. "The Godfather Part II," 1974.

33. "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest," 1975.

34. "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs," 1937.

35. "Annie Hall," 1977.

36. "The Bridge on the River Kwai," 1957.

37. "The Best Years of Our Lives," 1946.

38. "The Treasure of the Sierra Madre," 1948.

39. "Dr. Strangelove," 1964.

40. "The Sound of Music," 1965.

41. "King Kong," 1933.

42. "Bonnie and Clyde," 1967.

43. "Midnight Cowboy," 1969.

44. "The Philadelphia Story," 1940.

45. "Shane," 1953.

46. "It Happened One Night," 1934.

47. "A Streetcar Named Desire," 1951.

48. "Rear Window," 1954.

49. "Intolerance," 1916.

50. "The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring," 2001.

51. "West Side Story," 1961.

52. "Taxi Driver," 1976.

53. "The Deer Hunter," 1978.

54. "M-A-S-H," 1970.

55. "North by Northwest," 1959.

56. "Jaws," 1975.

57. "Rocky," 1976.

58. "The Gold Rush," 1925.

59. "Nashville," 1975.

60. "Duck Soup," 1933.

61. "Sullivan's Travels," 1941.

62. "American Graffiti," 1973.

63. "Cabaret," 1972.

64. "Network," 1976.

65. "The African Queen," 1951.

66. "Raiders of the Lost Ark," 1981.

67. "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?", 1966.

68. "Unforgiven," 1992.

69. "Tootsie," 1982.

70. "A Clockwork Orange," 1971.

71. "Saving Private Ryan," 1998.

72. "The Shawshank Redemption," 1994.

73. "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid," 1969.

74. "The Silence of the Lambs," 1991.

75. "In the Heat of the Night," 1967.

76. "Forrest Gump," 1994.

77. "All the President's Men," 1976.

78. "Modern Times," 1936.

79. "The Wild Bunch," 1969.

80. "The Apartment, 1960.

81. "Spartacus," 1960.

82. "Sunrise," 1927.

83. "Titanic," 1997.

84. "Easy Rider," 1969.

85. "A Night at the Opera," 1935.

86. "Platoon," 1986.

87. "12 Angry Men," 1957.

88. "Bringing Up Baby," 1938.

89. "The Sixth Sense," 1999.

90. "Swing Time," 1936.

91. "Sophie's Choice," 1982.

92. "Goodfellas," 1990.

93. "The French Connection," 1971.

94. "Pulp Fiction," 1994.

95. "The Last Picture Show," 1971.

96. "Do the Right Thing," 1989.

97. "Blade Runner," 1982.

98. "Yankee Doodle Dandy," 1942.

99. "Toy Story," 1995.

100. "Ben-Hur," 1959

[Chavez]

I dunno, 8% of the top 100 is pretty good for a genre that has lacked overall significance since the late 60s (as great as The Unforgiven was, it was an exception - the trend has been one or two notable westerns every 5 years or so).

 

...and my unofficial count shows that it is the most represented genre aside from war (9 pics - Lawrence of Arabia, Schindler's List, Dr Strangelove, Apocalypse Now, Bridge on the River Kwai, The Deer Hunter, M*A*S*H*, Saving Private Ryan, and Platoon - war is always kinda tough for me; if you do it broadly, you could include Swing Kids (plays out in pre-WWII Germany), Gone With the Wind (Civil War), Raiders of the Lost Ark (Indy vs Nazis), and Casablanca ) and comedy (9 - City Lights, Some Like It Hot, Duck Soup (could've been in either comedy or war, like Dr Strangelove), The Gold Rush, Tootsie, Modern Times, The Apartment, A Night at the Opera, and Toy Story).

 

"Mob" movies (Godfathers I and II, Goodfellas, Chinatown and Pulp Fiction - the latter two are organized, but not really "mob") and science fiction (Star Wars, 2001, ET, A Clockwork Orange, and Blade Runner) both had 5. Didn't feel like parsing down the other genres.

[Chavez]

I have not seen any of the bold movies...

 

1. "Citizen Kane," 1941.

3. "Casablanca," 1942.

 

I've seen far fewer of these movies than I should have, but what the hell have you been watching man?!?!?!

 

22. "Some Like It Hot," 1959.

60. "Duck Soup," 1933.

85. "A Night at the Opera," 1935.

88. "Bringing Up Baby," 1938.

 

...apparently you dislike to laugh.

[Ursa Majoris]

2. "The Godfather," 1972. #7

7. "Lawrence of Arabia," 1962. #2

8. "Schindler's List," 1993. #3

14. "Psycho," 1960. #9

27. "High Noon," 1952. #6

30. "Apocalypse Now," 1979. #1

36. "The Bridge on the River Kwai," 1957. #5

50. "The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring," 2001. #4

72. "The Shawshank Redemption," 1994. #10

75. "In the Heat of the Night," 1967. #8

 

Amusing exercise to pick your favorite 10 from the list and reshuffle them into your own top 10.

[TDFFFreak]

As long as Raiders of the Lost Ark and Shawshank are on this list, I have little problem with it. (Well, maybe The Jerk and Animal House should be on it.)

Edited June 22, 2007 by TDFFFreak

[Riffraff]

Yo Dorey,

 

Better write them a letter.

I didn't see Red Dawn on the list.

[Azazello1313]

top 100 american films of all time, i suppose it should be pointed out.

[TDFFFreak]

I should add that this list is yet another bias against comedy in the arena of films. Are there even 7 comedies on this list? One of my biggest gripes about the snooty film critic comunity is the belief that comedy is not as worthwhile as more serious minded flicks.

 

Animal House, The Jerk, 40 Year Old Virgin, Ghostbusters, Stripes, Planes Trains and Automobiles, Trading Places, There's Something About Mary, to name a few. At least they got Duck Soup right, but there are so many good film comedies worthy of not being ignored simply because they aren't "serious".

Edited June 22, 2007 by TDFFFreak

[jackshi17]

I've seen 99 of them. Missed "Intolerence" 1916.

 

 

"top 100 american films of all time, i suppose it should be pointed out."

 

That explains why I couldn't find "All quiet on the Western Front"

[untateve]

top 100 american films of all time, i suppose it should be pointed out.

 

 

I'm glad you pointed this out as I was wondering why Holy Grail was not on the list.

 

And how has someone never seen Casablanca?

[Ursa Majoris]

Animal House, The Jerk, 40 Year Old Virgin, Ghostbusters, Stripes, Planes Trains and Automobiles, Trading Places, There's Something About Mary, to name a few. At least they got Duck Soup right, but there are so many good film comedies worthy of not being ignored simply because they aren't "serious".

 

I'm not that keen on film comedies myself but Blazing Saddles, The Producers and Airplane would be worthy, IMO.

[Kid Cid]

There are a couple of questionable placements, but a pretty solid list none the less. There's no way E.T should be that high. And Taxi Driver should be much higher. There isn't one wasted shot in that movie. The anti-Scorsese bias rears its head once again. I'm kinda surprised that American Beauty didn't make this list.

[skylive5]

I have not seen these movies:

 

 

24. "E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial," 1982.

49. "Intolerance," 1916.

78. "Modern Times," 1936.

91. "Sophie's Choice," 1982.

96. "Do the Right Thing," 1989.

 

 

For those that don't follow these sort of things....Citizen Kane has been the #1 movie of all time forever. I have never seen a list that did not have Citizen Kane at the top. Probably the greatest movie ever made IMHO.

[DMD]

Yo Dorey,

 

Better write them a letter.

I didn't see Red Dawn on the list.

 

 

That was EXACTLY my first thought. That and Groundhog Day.

[The Irish Doggy]

top 100 american films of all time, i suppose it should be pointed out.

 

 

Ahh, thanks. I was beside myself with no Clint Eastwood Spaghetti Westerns in there.

 

 

That and Groundhog Day.

 

 

+!

[DemonKnight]

Where is Braveheart on that list?

 

I have never seen Casablanca but The African Queen was great.

[Coffeeman]

I've seen far fewer of these movies than I should have, but what the hell have you been watching man?!?!?!

 

 

 

DJ, I have to agree with Chavez on CK and Casablanca - can't believe you haven't seen these. They deserve to be in the top 5 every year...

[Czarina]

I was watching the other night when Sunset Blvd. came on and I was because all I could think of was how great Carol Burnett's spoof of 'Nora Desmond' was. That and her Gone with the Wind spoof as Vivian Leigh, making the gown out of the drapes and then saying, "I saw it in the window and I just had to have it."