British Film 100

[SteNottingham22]

I know this thread should be in the favourite films section, but really it is a thread of

numerous questions on which films really are the Best 100 British Films?



The BFI released their BFI 100 (as if we didn't already know it was the BFI, expect to see Trademarks after the BFI logo soon). The list of 100 films, sorry list of BFI 100 films wasn't intended to make me laugh. But it did, then it made me kind of sad, then angry at some of the silliest selections I'd ever seen. Film institutes now seem to have this mad obsession of film lists. 100 greatest directors, 100 greatest editors, 100 greatest film lists is next I imagine.



So, I think us on this forum, as it's such a cool place to express our opinions on british films. We all should contribute to a list of some importance, to counteract the missing greatest british films that the BFI choose to ignore.



British Film 100 is what I propose to draw up with the help of all the people in this forum who care to take an interest in seeing the classics they love acknowledged more. You never know, the BFI might see it and actually take an interest in what the film public wants.



Here's a great example of the BFI's description of their very own BFI 100:



What's the best British film ever? A reflection on a full

century of British film-making and an opinion poll of

those involved in British film, who have seen more

movies than most, for an indication of where their

professional tastes lie, what their favourites are. This

list is intended, and offered, as a starting-point for

discussion.



'an opinion poll of those involved in British film-making'. Isn't the public's vote more important than the people involved in the poor state of the british film industry? I think it is, so let's do something about the films they left of the list. It'll take a lot of time and a lot of peoples opinions but it'll be worth it to have our own comprehensive British Film 100 List. Another thing about the BFI's description of the BFI 100 is about the people who made the list, apparently they have "seen more movies than most". Excuse me, It's clear they haven't seen the overlooked classic

british films that we've all seen. I'm 22 and I've seen 1000s of films. It's clear even to me that their are dozens of overlooked british gems waiting to get some attention and recognition.



I've set up a website, and I'm more than happy to contribute my spare time to adding every persons opinion on all the films they feel are special. Over time British Film 100 will be complete and more authoritive, user friendly, and enjoyable than the BFI 100. The site is just simple at the moment, over the coming weeks, more and more will be added. And unlike the BFI's attempt, the films will contain pictures, posters, quotes and user reviews and opinions. The more information on the films the better. The more enjoyable it will be to use too!



Here are some examples of the BFI 100 and how I feel that they've missed the whole point.



There are no silent films included. Surely The Lodger deserves to be mentioned.



Apparently there were twice as many more classic films made in the 80's & 90's

than there were in the 30's, 40's & 50's. Now that is ridiculous!.



Is Carry On Up The Kyhber really a classic classic that deserves to be in their over

so many bonafide classics that weren't included. I know it's good, but come on.



The Wicker Man is all the way down @ 96. I think not.



Genevieve @ 86, are they joking!



Are Sense And Sensibility, The English Patient and Shakespeare In Love better

than The Dam Busters, Hamlet, Goldfinger, and The Man In The White Suit? Don't

make me laugh.



And don't tell me that Trainspotting is better than The Bridge On The River Kwai,

The Ladykillers, Saturday Night and Sunday Morning, Brighton Rock, Get Carter, The Lavender Hill Mob, and A Matter of Life and Death because it has nothing on those classics.



And where is Accident, The Running Man (laurence harvey), The Curse Of Frankenstein, Play Dirty and even more unbelievable is the omission of The African Queen, it should be No.1. After all, do you think The Third Man deserves to be No.1 as the BFI 100 states?



Did Richard Burton not exist?, where's Look Back In Anger.



The Long Memory certainly deserves to be in along with The Colditz Story. But why ignore Ice Cold In Alex?



And what about some early films from James Mason, The Seventh Veil and The Upturned Glass would be a start.



I can understand them adding the usual Powell and Pressburger films as they should but what about some of their other films, like the excellent 49th Paralell?



Why the hell A Fish Called Wanda is in I do knot know!.



So lets make our own bonafide list of 100 British films that really do deserve to be known and let the public see what they are missing and let the BFI scoff at the notion of the public challenging their opinion. It'l be fun too :) So tell us about your favourites in reply to this message and contribute your favourite films through the British Film 100 site. The email is on the main page that exists at the moment.



http://100films.topcities.com



Your help and opinions will greatly be appreciated.



Cheers :)

[Dave Surman]

What percentage of the British film viewing public could name 100 British films before 1990?



I know I certainly couldn't under duress.



Perhaps the function of a BFI top one hundred is twofold:



1) To make those WITHOUT a canonical and archival knowledge of film go 'oh yeah i remember that it was quite good'.



2) To make those WITH a canonical and archival knowledge of film go 'you must be joking...thats a farce...but what about...'.



It seems to me these things are constructed somewhat rhetorically. Addressing the broadest spectatorship/readership through the virtues of its content -- very successfully it seems.



Such god awful polls pollute television nowdays. Greatest book, Best action movie, biggest arse...



perhaps that award goes to poor creative consultants having to shift shit like this from channel to channel.



Dave S

[SteNottingham22]

Dave,



I could quite easilly think of 100 british classic films from the 40's. Another 100 from the 50s. And another 100 from the 60's. So I don't think that the intelligent and dedicated british film fans on this forum should have any trouble coming up with a mere list of 100.



In all respect, 365 films would be more realistic to accomadate the sheet bulk of classic gems that are being ignored. The point is not to be like everyone else, but to comprise a list of 100 films that have been overlooked by the industry. Surely that's not a bad thing.

[DB7]

A Fish Called Wanda had me laughing like a drain I'll have you know; it's roots are very much in the Ealing black comedies like The Ladykillers (Palin trying to kill the old dear) and was helmed by veteran Charles Crichton. There's so many funny scenes in it I don't know where to start. Kkkk Ken!



These lists are always good for creating a vociferous argument but in the case of the BFI you know it's going to be middle-class and elitist film snobbery. In the BFI top 100 there's films like Small Faces that many people wouldn't think twice of giving special mention to whilst you know that Carry On Up The Kyber is only included as a concession despite most British filmgoers being able to reel the script off the top of their head.



The biggest ommitance imho was Will Hay's Oh, Mr. Porter! not making the BFI list. Dead of Night is also something I'd rather watch than a drawn-out soap opera like Boorman's Hope and Glory.

[SteNottingham22]

I agree DB7, but I still loathe A Fish Called Wanda lol.



Oh Mr. Porter should have been on without a doubt.



And Dead Of Night should easilly have been in the top 10!. That film still freaks me out, the mirror sequence best of all :) It has a cultural significance too. For being the first horror film to be made after World War II as well as Ealing's first film after World War II. What can I say, they were feeling a little negative me thinks. :) (Ealing as well as the BFI)