The American Film Institute named the 10 best movies in 10 classic film genres last night. Beleive it or not, once upon a time, I used to find AFI to be one of the few institutions who's word was law when it came to films- besides EW of course ;) But as the years have gone by, they've proven to be even more snobby than that prestigious Academy of Motion Pictures.
I get the appreciation of vintage classics, but these past few years I feel like they go out of their way to honor ancient movies only. I guess my question is: just because something is older, does that make it better?
Here's the rundown and some of my thoughts:
ANIMATION
Pretty good list. We're off to a good start.
- Snow White
- Pinnocchio
- Bambi
- Lion King
- Fantasia
- Toy Story
- Beauty and the Beast
- Shrek
- Cinderella
- Finding Nemo
FANTASY
Half of these are considered fantasy?
- The Wizard of Oz
- Lord of the Rings
- It's a Wonderful Life
- King Kong
- Miracle on 34th st
- Field of Dreams
- Harvey
- Groundhog Day
- The Theif of Bagdad
- Big
SCI-FI
Planet of the Apes, where are you?
- 2001: A Space Odyssey
- Star Wars
- E.T.
- A Clockwork Orange (sci fi? really?)
- The Day the Earth Stood Still
- Blade Runner
- Alien
- Terminator 2
- Invasion of the Body Snatchers
- Back to the Future
SPORTS
They spread the sports love around but...
- Raging Bull (boxing)
- Rocky (boxing)
- Pride of the Yankees (baseball)
- Hoosiers (basketball)
- Bull Durahm (baseball)
- The Hustler (pool)
- Caddyshack (golf)
- Breaking Away (cycling?)
- National Velvet (horse jockey)
- Jerry Maquire (Where the HELL is Rudy??)
WESTERN
Looking at westerns in their hayday
- The Searcers
- High Noon
- Shane
- Unforgiven
- Red River
- The Wild Bunch
- Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
- McCade and Mrs. Miller (swap out for Tombstone)
- Stagecoach
- Cat Ballou (never heard of it)
GANGSTER
No duh.
- The Godfather
- Goodfellas
- The Godfather pt 2
- White Heat
- Bonnie and Clyde
- Scarface: The Shame of a Nation
- Pulp Fiction
- Public Enemy
- Little Ceasar
- Scarface
MYSTERY
Almost all Hitchcock- the master
- Vertigo
- Chinatown
- Rear Window
- Laura (? who?)
- The Third Man
- The Maltese Falcon
- North by Northwest
- Blue Velvet
- Dial M for Murder
- The Usual Suspects
ROMANTIC COMEDIES
Jessica Alba looked SUPER pregnant introducing this!
- City Lights
- Annie Hall
- It Happened One Night
- Roman Holiday
- The Philedelphia Story
- When Harry Met Sally
- Adam's Rib (Huh?)
- Moonstruck
- Harold and Maude
- Sleepless in Seattle
COURTROOM DRAMA
This isn't even a main genre in movies! This is a sub-genre! Oh, and the winner is obvious as hell.
- To Kill a Mockingbird
- 12 Angry Men
- Kramer vs. Kramer
- The Verdict
- A Few Good Men
- Witness of the Prosecution
- Anatomy of a Murder
- In Cold Blood
- Cry in the Dark
- Judgment at Nuremberg
EPIC
Finally back on track.
- Lawrence of Arabia
- Ben Hur
- Schindler's List
- Gone with the Wind
- Sparticus
- Titanic
- All Quiet on the Wester Front
- Saving Private Ryan
- Reds
- The Ten Commandments
I guess the whole idea is to get people to go seek some of these lost gems out. But I was surprised to see no categories for one of film's most popular genres: Suspense/Thriller. This means no Psycho. No Jaws. No Silence of the Lambs.
They had sub-genres like Gangster and Courtroom, but they forget about War (Apocalypse Now, Platoon) and musicals (Singin' in the Rain, The Sound of Music) two highly more popular "classic" film sub-genres.
And last, but not least, my favorite genre of movies is overlooked. If you were to look at the some of the highest grossing movies ever made, most of them would fall under Action/Adventure. Sorry, Raiders of the Lost Arc, I guess AFI had no time to place you atop that list.
What do you think? Am I overreacting? Did they nail it, or are they missing some of your favorites, too? Did the sports category have enough football movies? No.
Comments
Liz 06/18/08
Love your blog!! AFI has already done a Thrillers list and Psycho was number one. They have also done a Musicals list and Singin' In the Rain was number one. Yeah, I agree that courtroom drama is not a main genre in movies. They could have done another genre like Action/Adventure. I totally predicted number one in all of the categories except Fantasy, Romantic Comedy, Sci-Fi, and Epics. I thought that there was a nice balance between old and new. And yes, Jessica Alba looked majorly pregnant during her introductions. Why she was introducing anyway? Has she ever been in any romantic comedies? I know she had been in movies that have attempted to be funny but weren't.
Rose Tyler 06/18/08
I thought a war list would have been better served then a gangsters list. Also Big is a fantasy? It's a buddy comedy or a coming of age story. Where was Princess Bride? Cat Ballou is a really stupid movie.
Liz 06/19/08
Rose, I think war could have been put in place of courtroom drama. War is such a major genre in movies that is should been included.
loglady 06/19/08
This list certainly skews old, but i was happy to see at least a few "modern classics" in there....i can't really agree w/the ordering in the animation category or the sports category (really we had to put field of dreams in fantasy???) but was very happy to see a david lynch nod....
and as much as big is a coming of age story, i have to say i suppose it's a fantasy (as much as field of dreams is as well)....it would seem to me to be a way to include some more great films that don't fit anyplace else
huge agreement to the lack of thriller category, what about horror?? there's plenty of classic horror flicks, but i suppose that most of the best aren't american so there goes that...
double_agent 06/19/08
Yes, where is the WAR genre??! I didn't find as many "modern classics" as I had hoped: i.e. in the gangster genre: what is "Little Caesar?" I bet you can't even find it on DVD. Likewise, I was a bit disappointed that There Will Be Blood was left out of the list: that is truly the best movie ever. Ah well, it took 50 years for Citizen Kane to catch on...
double_agent 06/19/08
Ah, and Clint Eastwood looked a little "pregnant" introducing the Westerns. Age has finally caught up to him.
Oh, and I hate Westerns.
Liz 06/19/08
Double agent. I think there is a certain time limit before movies can put on the list. I think it is like two years. That's why There Will Be Blood wasn't even considered.
Rose Tyler 06/19/08
You bite your tongue Doubel Agent! Clint is as attractive as he ever was. You better watch it pal!
Leewhys 06/20/08
Just wondering... isn't horror/supernatural films a separate genre? If not, then why not?! I mean there are a whole bunch of supremely creepy spine chilling horror films out there that won't (obviously!) fit into any other genre - so why not have a Top 10 horror films list? Bring on the Exorcists, the Evil Deads, the Sixth Senses, the Rings and the Others of the world!
chicflich8r 06/20/08
Where's Chariots of Fire? And Titanic? I do have a heart, but yet I find that movie to be a three hour crap fest, as much as I love Kate Winslet. I was the idiot who laughed when DiCaprio died. I'm no feminist or anything, but is it a good thing to have Snow White so high up on the list? You need a prince to come save you....Come on. I like the fish movie better.
Rose Tyler 06/20/08
I only watch the second half of Titanic. It doesn't get interesting to until people start falling the water. Call me heartless if you will but the movie's story just isn't that good. It shouldn't be on any list except maybe "movies that made more money then they ever should have".
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