Halliwell's Best Movies 1-100 - Britmovie

DB7 · 10-06-2005, 06:15 PM

Halliwell's best movies 1-100
http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/

1. Tokyo Story
Japan, 1953, Yasujiro Ozu

An understated, beautifully composed classic of domestic disillusionment from the most classical and contemplative of directors. In his formal concentration on everyday family life, Ozu discovers universal truths about the human condition. Here, an elderly couple face the painful fact that they are a burden to their children and grandchildren. But the most devastating comment comes at the end of the film, from their daughter: “Isn’t life disappointing.” But at least Ozu never disappoints.

2. La Règle du Jeu
France, 1939, Jean Renoir

It took more than 20 years for Renoir’s film to be recognised as his masterpiece. It was originally banned as demoralising, but remains triumphantly, morally bracing and richly comic. The subject matter of a thousand boulevard comedies — a shooting party at a country mansion, where everyone is preoccupied with love affairs — becomes a devastating portrait of the society of his time; snobbish, racist and mendacious, whose obsessive frivolity leads to death and destruction.

3. Lawrence of Arabia
GB, 1962, David Lean

The real hero is the director David Lean, in overcoming immense difficulties to create an overwhelming epic. O’Toole, a great actor at his charismatic best, achieves both Lawrence’s bravado and his disenchantment.

4. The Godfather Trilogy
US, 1972, 1974, 1990, Francis Ford Coppola

It is the first two parts of the trilogy that make it a classic. Nevertheless all three have all the fascination of a snake pit: a warm-hearted family saga except that the members are murderers.

5. The Seven Samurai
Japan, 1954, Akira Kurosawa

The greatest of all samurai films is a superbly strange medieval adventure. The film later served as the basis for the western The Magnificent Seven but they pale in comparison with this vivid and violent drama.

6. Citizen Kane
US, 1941, Orson Welles

Although the movie’s technical innovations might now seem run-of-the-mill, Orson Welles identified and exposed a type of megalomaniacal media mogul who is still with us today. Every line is utterly absorbing.

7. Raging Bull
US, 1980, Martin Scorsese

Robert De Niro’s dazzling performance in the title role encompasses both La Motta as a savage fighter and his later incarnation as an overweight would-be comedian. Scorsese brought to the film what he called a “kamikaze” approach, in which he put everything he knew and felt.

8. Vertigo
US, 1958, Alfred Hitchcock

Hitchcock used a combination of a forward zoom and a reverse tracking shot to create a feeling of vertigo in this double identity thriller: as unsettling as the phobia it dealt with. Hitchcock’s study of an obssessive and haunted love is the darkest of his films, and the best.

9. Some Like It Hot
US, 1959, Billy Wilder

A milestone of film comedy that keeps its central situation alive with fresh invention. Marilyn Monroe was worth all the trouble, and Curtis and Lemmon are a brilliantly contrasting pair. “Nobody’s perfect” is the last line, hilarious in its context but, on this occasion, cast, script and director all were.

10. 8½
Italy, 1963, Federico Fellini

A coruscating, melancholy, self-reflecting spectacle of a man beginning to be at his wits’ end. Marcello Mastroianni, who used many of Fellini’s characteristic gestures and tone of voice, saw his role as a “symbol of a generation that had nothing more to give”.

11. Doctor Strangelove
GB, 1963, Kubrick

12. Singin’ in the Rain
US, 1952, Kelly

13. Taxi Driver
US, 1976, Scorsese

14. The Searchers
US, 1956, Ford

15. The Seventh Seal
Sweden, 1957, Bergman

16. Sweet Smell of Success
US, 1957, Mackendrick

17. Sunset Boulevard
US, 1950, Wilder

18. The Third Man
GB, 1949, Reed

19. The Apu Trilogy
India, 1955, 1956, 1959, Ray

20. Les Enfants du Paradis
France, 1945, Carné

21. The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie
France/Spain/Italy, 1972, Buñuel

22. Andrei Rublev
USSR, 1966, Tarkovsky

23. The Passion of Joan of Arc
France, 1928, Dreyer

24. Viridiana
Spain/Mexico, 1961, Buñuel

25. Toy Story
US, 1995, Lasseter

26. Rashomon
Japan, 1951, Kurosawa

27. Wild Strawberries
Sweden, 1957, Bergman

28. To Be or Not to Be
US, 1942, Lubitsch

29. Sunrise
US, 1927, Murnau

30. The Lord of the Rings Trilogy
US/New Zealand, 2001-3, Jackson

31. 2001: A Space Odyssey
GB, 1968, Kubrick

32. The Battle of Algiers
Algeria/Italy, 1965, Pontecorvo

33. Alexander Nevsky
USSR, 1938, Eisenstein

34. Belle de Jour
France/Italy, 1967, Buñuel

35. Casablanca
US, 1942, Curtiz

36. GoodFellas
US, 1990, Scorsese

37. Tristana
Spain/Italy/France, 1970, Buñuel

38. The Magnificent Ambersons
US, 1942, Welles

39. Breaking the Waves
Denmark/Sweden/ France/Netherlands, 1996, Von Trier

40. Sullivan’s Travels
US, 1941, Sturges

41. Frankenstein
US, 1931, Whale

42. The Battleship Potemkin
USSR, 1925, Eisenstein

43. Double Indemnity
US, 1944, Wilder

44. One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest
US, 1975, Forman

45. Weekend
France/Italy, 1968, Godard

46. Jules et Jim
France, 1962, Truffaut

47. À Bout de Souffle
France, 1960, Godard

48. Bonnie and Clyde
US, 1967, Arthur Penn

49. Wings of Desire
France/West Germany, 1987, Wenders

50. Fitzcarraldo
West Germany, 1982, Herzog

51. If . . .
GB, 1968, Anderson

52. The Wild Bunch
US, 1969, Peckinpah

53. The Red Shoes
GB, 1948, Powell, Pressburger

54. Annie Hall
US, 1977, Allen

55. Tom Jones
GB, 1963, Richardson

56. On the Waterfront
US, 1954, Kazan

57. West Side Story
US, 1961, Wise

58. Saturday Night and Sunday Morning
GB, 1960, Reisz

59. The Grapes of Wrath
US, 1940, Ford

60. Great Expectations
GB, 1946, Lean

61. The Leopard
US/Italy, 1963, Visconti

62. Schindler’s List
US, 1993, Spielberg

63. Ashes and Diamonds
Poland, 1958, Wajda

64. A Nous la Liberté
France, 1931, Clair

65. Antoine Doinel Tetralogy
France/Italy, 1959-79, Truffaut

66. Mr Smith Goes to Washington
US, 1939, Capra

67. Monsieur Hulot’s Holiday
France, 1953, Tati

68. Laurel and Hardy Shorts
US, 1928-38, Parrott/Horne/Kennedy/Marshall/French/Blystone

69. Chinatown
US, 1974, Polanski

70. Star Wars Trilogy
US, 1977/80/83, Lucas/Kershner/Marquand

71. Gosford Park
US/GB, 2001, Altman

72. Rear Window
US, 1954, Hitchcock

73. Aguirre, Wrath of God
West Germany, 1972, Herzog

74. A Short Film About Killing
Poland, 1988, Kieslowski

75. M*A*S*H
US, 1970, Altman

76. Viskningar och Rop
Sweden, 1972, Bergman

77. All the President’s Men
US, 1976, Pakula

78. Cabiria
Italy/France, 1957, Fellini

79. King Kong
US, 1933, Cooper

80. Gone with the Wind
US, 1939, Fleming, Cukor, Wood

81. All Quiet on the Western Front
US, 1930, Milestone

82. Fanny and Alexander
Sweden/France/West Germany, 1982, Bergman

83. North by Northwest
US, 1959, Hitchcock

84. The Band Wagon
US, 1953, Minnelli

85. Yojimbo
Japan, 1961, Kurosawa

86. Brief Encounter
GB, 1945, Lean

87. Deliverance
US, 1972, Boorman

88. Fargo
US, 1996, Coen

89. Cabaret
US, 1972, Fosse

90. Once Upon a Time in America
US, 1984, Leone

91. Days of Heaven
US, 1978, Malick

92. The Adventures of Robin Hood
US, 1938, Keighley/Curtiz

93. High Noon
US, 1952, Zinnemann

94. His Girl Friday
US 1940, Hawks

95. Manhattan
US, 1979 Allen

96. Duck Soup
US, 1933, McCarey

97. Henry V
GB, 1944, Olivier

98. This is Spinal Tap
US, 1984, Reiner

99. Bad Day at Black Rock
US, 1955, Sturges

100. The Graduate
US, 1967, Nichols

Clinton Morgan · 10-06-2005, 07:04 PM

This is based on a collection of top-tens by various directors and not just John Walker's personal selection. Who'd have thought that 'Tokyo Story' would have come out on top? Usually it is a Kurosawa film with Mifune that is the most popular Japanese film. Some find 'Tokyo Story' slow and boring. I think it's beautiful.

I loved the old Halliwell books for the pig-headed snobbishness. "Everything made after 1936 is complete tripe." seemed to be the underlying message of Leslie Halliwell's arguments. He did like 'Monty Python and the Holy Grail' though. 'Seats In All Parts', his autobiography, is a great account of cinemagoing in days gone by.

Who voted 'Toy Story' over 'The Red Shoes'? I ask you!

A Pemberton · 10-06-2005, 07:45 PM

Would Leslie Halliwell been happy with his name headlining this ? Clinton Morgan made a good point on Halliwells tastes ,Halliwell adored Casablanca yet it lies at 35 ,I think critical analysis of films has its important place in movie history yet these 100 best,100 favourite serve no real purpose only as a conversation piece possibly ,but as a definitive statement of the best movies ? no .Adding Halliwells name gives it stature which gives it the look of a defining statement ,that in my view is wrong.

Clinton Morgan · 10-06-2005, 09:53 PM

The books should have been renamed 'Walker's Film Guide'. The last bona fide Leslie edition was the 6th. 'Empire' noticed a change when films like 'Raging Bull' suddenly got a rave review in 'Halliwell's Film Guide'.

After Leslie had died Channel 4 screened a season of his favourite films <span style="font-size:8pt;line-height:100%">(with the announcer saying with no hint of cynicism or irony, "...and if they are his favourites, then they must be the best.")</span> at a ridiculously late time in the evening. I only saw the beginnings of most of the films but they whetted my appetite for black and white thirties cinema. Always in a double bill the films in the tribute season included:

The 39 Steps
Duck Soup
The Bride of Frankenstien
Sons of the Desert

Seeing glimpses of these scratchy negative and scratchy audio films combined with their lateness was like looking into another world for me. Ahhh! Old school Channel 4. Remember when they used to show Marx Brothers movies at two o'clock in the morning over the Christmas period?

Gibbie · 10-06-2005, 11:29 PM

Certainly more international, but another list of tastes. It is an interesting cluster opinion.

Marky B · 12-06-2005, 12:02 PM

I am just glad my favourite made it to number 3.
Ta Ta
Marky B [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/thumbsup.gif[/img]

Gibbie · 12-06-2005, 01:10 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Marky B@Jun 12 2005, 12:02 PM
I am just glad my favourite made it to number 3.
Ta Ta
Marky B [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/thumbsup.gif[/img]
<div align="right">Quoted post</div>

Which means if this was a Brit list, yours would be number 1!

My favourite didn't make it in the 100 list, but then again, Chariots is more about story and character than cinematography.

12-06-2005, 12:02 PM	#6
Marky B is Is still looking for a change in career Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Billingham,Cleveland Posts: 3,774 My Mood: Country: iTrader: (0)	I am just glad my favourite made it to number 3. Ta Ta Marky B [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/thumbsup.gif[/img] __________________ I once shot an elephant in my pyjamas - how he got in my pyjamas,I'll never know

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10-06-2005, 06:15 PM	#1
DB7 is just a prescription talkin' Administrator Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Shrops Posts: 6,093 My Mood: Country: iTrader: (10)	Halliwell's best movies 1-100 http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/ 1. Tokyo Story Japan, 1953, Yasujiro Ozu An understated, beautifully composed classic of domestic disillusionment from the most classical and contemplative of directors. In his formal concentration on everyday family life, Ozu discovers universal truths about the human condition. Here, an elderly couple face the painful fact that they are a burden to their children and grandchildren. But the most devastating comment comes at the end of the film, from their daughter: “Isn’t life disappointing.” But at least Ozu never disappoints. 2. La Règle du Jeu France, 1939, Jean Renoir It took more than 20 years for Renoir’s film to be recognised as his masterpiece. It was originally banned as demoralising, but remains triumphantly, morally bracing and richly comic. The subject matter of a thousand boulevard comedies — a shooting party at a country mansion, where everyone is preoccupied with love affairs — becomes a devastating portrait of the society of his time; snobbish, racist and mendacious, whose obsessive frivolity leads to death and destruction. 3. Lawrence of Arabia GB, 1962, David Lean The real hero is the director David Lean, in overcoming immense difficulties to create an overwhelming epic. O’Toole, a great actor at his charismatic best, achieves both Lawrence’s bravado and his disenchantment. 4. The Godfather Trilogy US, 1972, 1974, 1990, Francis Ford Coppola It is the first two parts of the trilogy that make it a classic. Nevertheless all three have all the fascination of a snake pit: a warm-hearted family saga except that the members are murderers. 5. The Seven Samurai Japan, 1954, Akira Kurosawa The greatest of all samurai films is a superbly strange medieval adventure. The film later served as the basis for the western The Magnificent Seven but they pale in comparison with this vivid and violent drama. 6. Citizen Kane US, 1941, Orson Welles Although the movie’s technical innovations might now seem run-of-the-mill, Orson Welles identified and exposed a type of megalomaniacal media mogul who is still with us today. Every line is utterly absorbing. 7. Raging Bull US, 1980, Martin Scorsese Robert De Niro’s dazzling performance in the title role encompasses both La Motta as a savage fighter and his later incarnation as an overweight would-be comedian. Scorsese brought to the film what he called a “kamikaze” approach, in which he put everything he knew and felt. 8. Vertigo US, 1958, Alfred Hitchcock Hitchcock used a combination of a forward zoom and a reverse tracking shot to create a feeling of vertigo in this double identity thriller: as unsettling as the phobia it dealt with. Hitchcock’s study of an obssessive and haunted love is the darkest of his films, and the best. 9. Some Like It Hot US, 1959, Billy Wilder A milestone of film comedy that keeps its central situation alive with fresh invention. Marilyn Monroe was worth all the trouble, and Curtis and Lemmon are a brilliantly contrasting pair. “Nobody’s perfect” is the last line, hilarious in its context but, on this occasion, cast, script and director all were. 10. 8½ Italy, 1963, Federico Fellini A coruscating, melancholy, self-reflecting spectacle of a man beginning to be at his wits’ end. Marcello Mastroianni, who used many of Fellini’s characteristic gestures and tone of voice, saw his role as a “symbol of a generation that had nothing more to give”. 11. Doctor Strangelove GB, 1963, Kubrick 12. Singin’ in the Rain US, 1952, Kelly 13. Taxi Driver US, 1976, Scorsese 14. The Searchers US, 1956, Ford 15. The Seventh Seal Sweden, 1957, Bergman 16. Sweet Smell of Success US, 1957, Mackendrick 17. Sunset Boulevard US, 1950, Wilder 18. The Third Man GB, 1949, Reed 19. The Apu Trilogy India, 1955, 1956, 1959, Ray 20. Les Enfants du Paradis France, 1945, Carné 21. The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie France/Spain/Italy, 1972, Buñuel 22. Andrei Rublev USSR, 1966, Tarkovsky 23. The Passion of Joan of Arc France, 1928, Dreyer 24. Viridiana Spain/Mexico, 1961, Buñuel 25. Toy Story US, 1995, Lasseter 26. Rashomon Japan, 1951, Kurosawa 27. Wild Strawberries Sweden, 1957, Bergman 28. To Be or Not to Be US, 1942, Lubitsch 29. Sunrise US, 1927, Murnau 30. The Lord of the Rings Trilogy US/New Zealand, 2001-3, Jackson 31. 2001: A Space Odyssey GB, 1968, Kubrick 32. The Battle of Algiers Algeria/Italy, 1965, Pontecorvo 33. Alexander Nevsky USSR, 1938, Eisenstein 34. Belle de Jour France/Italy, 1967, Buñuel 35. Casablanca US, 1942, Curtiz 36. GoodFellas US, 1990, Scorsese 37. Tristana Spain/Italy/France, 1970, Buñuel 38. The Magnificent Ambersons US, 1942, Welles 39. Breaking the Waves Denmark/Sweden/ France/Netherlands, 1996, Von Trier 40. Sullivan’s Travels US, 1941, Sturges 41. Frankenstein US, 1931, Whale 42. The Battleship Potemkin USSR, 1925, Eisenstein 43. Double Indemnity US, 1944, Wilder 44. One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest US, 1975, Forman 45. Weekend France/Italy, 1968, Godard 46. Jules et Jim France, 1962, Truffaut 47. À Bout de Souffle France, 1960, Godard 48. Bonnie and Clyde US, 1967, Arthur Penn 49. Wings of Desire France/West Germany, 1987, Wenders 50. Fitzcarraldo West Germany, 1982, Herzog 51. If . . . GB, 1968, Anderson 52. The Wild Bunch US, 1969, Peckinpah 53. The Red Shoes GB, 1948, Powell, Pressburger 54. Annie Hall US, 1977, Allen 55. Tom Jones GB, 1963, Richardson 56. On the Waterfront US, 1954, Kazan 57. West Side Story US, 1961, Wise 58. Saturday Night and Sunday Morning GB, 1960, Reisz 59. The Grapes of Wrath US, 1940, Ford 60. Great Expectations GB, 1946, Lean 61. The Leopard US/Italy, 1963, Visconti 62. Schindler’s List US, 1993, Spielberg 63. Ashes and Diamonds Poland, 1958, Wajda 64. A Nous la Liberté France, 1931, Clair 65. Antoine Doinel Tetralogy France/Italy, 1959-79, Truffaut 66. Mr Smith Goes to Washington US, 1939, Capra 67. Monsieur Hulot’s Holiday France, 1953, Tati 68. Laurel and Hardy Shorts US, 1928-38, Parrott/Horne/Kennedy/Marshall/French/Blystone 69. Chinatown US, 1974, Polanski 70. Star Wars Trilogy US, 1977/80/83, Lucas/Kershner/Marquand 71. Gosford Park US/GB, 2001, Altman 72. Rear Window US, 1954, Hitchcock 73. Aguirre, Wrath of God West Germany, 1972, Herzog 74. A Short Film About Killing Poland, 1988, Kieslowski 75. MAS*H US, 1970, Altman 76. Viskningar och Rop Sweden, 1972, Bergman 77. All the President’s Men US, 1976, Pakula 78. Cabiria Italy/France, 1957, Fellini 79. King Kong US, 1933, Cooper 80. Gone with the Wind US, 1939, Fleming, Cukor, Wood 81. All Quiet on the Western Front US, 1930, Milestone 82. Fanny and Alexander Sweden/France/West Germany, 1982, Bergman 83. North by Northwest US, 1959, Hitchcock 84. The Band Wagon US, 1953, Minnelli 85. Yojimbo Japan, 1961, Kurosawa 86. Brief Encounter GB, 1945, Lean 87. Deliverance US, 1972, Boorman 88. Fargo US, 1996, Coen 89. Cabaret US, 1972, Fosse 90. Once Upon a Time in America US, 1984, Leone 91. Days of Heaven US, 1978, Malick 92. The Adventures of Robin Hood US, 1938, Keighley/Curtiz 93. High Noon US, 1952, Zinnemann 94. His Girl Friday US 1940, Hawks 95. Manhattan US, 1979 Allen 96. Duck Soup US, 1933, McCarey 97. Henry V GB, 1944, Olivier 98. This is Spinal Tap US, 1984, Reiner 99. Bad Day at Black Rock US, 1955, Sturges 100. The Graduate US, 1967, Nichols

10-06-2005, 07:04 PM	#2
Clinton Morgan has no status. Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 158 iTrader: (0)	This is based on a collection of top-tens by various directors and not just John Walker's personal selection. Who'd have thought that 'Tokyo Story' would have come out on top? Usually it is a Kurosawa film with Mifune that is the most popular Japanese film. Some find 'Tokyo Story' slow and boring. I think it's beautiful. I loved the old Halliwell books for the pig-headed snobbishness. "Everything made after 1936 is complete tripe." seemed to be the underlying message of Leslie Halliwell's arguments. He did like 'Monty Python and the Holy Grail' though. 'Seats In All Parts', his autobiography, is a great account of cinemagoing in days gone by. Who voted 'Toy Story' over 'The Red Shoes'? I ask you!

10-06-2005, 07:45 PM	#3
A Pemberton has no status. Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: at home Posts: 505 Country: iTrader: (3)	Would Leslie Halliwell been happy with his name headlining this ? Clinton Morgan made a good point on Halliwells tastes ,Halliwell adored Casablanca yet it lies at 35 ,I think critical analysis of films has its important place in movie history yet these 100 best,100 favourite serve no real purpose only as a conversation piece possibly ,but as a definitive statement of the best movies ? no .Adding Halliwells name gives it stature which gives it the look of a defining statement ,that in my view is wrong.

10-06-2005, 09:53 PM	#4
Clinton Morgan has no status. Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 158 iTrader: (0)	The books should have been renamed 'Walker's Film Guide'. The last bona fide Leslie edition was the 6th. 'Empire' noticed a change when films like 'Raging Bull' suddenly got a rave review in 'Halliwell's Film Guide'. After Leslie had died Channel 4 screened a season of his favourite films <span style="font-size:8pt;line-height:100%">(with the announcer saying with no hint of cynicism or irony, "...and if they are his favourites, then they must be the best.")</span> at a ridiculously late time in the evening. I only saw the beginnings of most of the films but they whetted my appetite for black and white thirties cinema. Always in a double bill the films in the tribute season included: The 39 Steps Duck Soup The Bride of Frankenstien Sons of the Desert Seeing glimpses of these scratchy negative and scratchy audio films combined with their lateness was like looking into another world for me. Ahhh! Old school Channel 4. Remember when they used to show Marx Brothers movies at two o'clock in the morning over the Christmas period?

10-06-2005, 11:29 PM	#5
Gibbie has no status. Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Posts: 714 iTrader: (0)	Certainly more international, but another list of tastes. It is an interesting cluster opinion.