With my recent review of Stanley Kubrick’s Barry Lyndon, I have reached the end of
my original IMDB top 250 list. It’s
taken me over five years to complete the list and during that time I have
watched, reviewed and given a personal score to every film in the original list. I say original list because the current
version of the IMDB 250 has changed significantly over these years. Over eighty films have been added to the list
during this time, with others removed.
If you watched films at a slow enough interval you could go on watching
the IMDB top 250 list for your entire life and never reach the end due to the
degree of churn. Details of how the
weighting system works and the attempts made to minimize unhelpful churn can be
found here. My observation: it ain’t
working. The list is about as stable as
Mel Gibson after a pub-crawl through central Tel Aviv.
FOR ONCE, NO SPOILERS
Some people complain that the list has become
too dominated by superhero films in recent years. Personally, I’m fine on any kind of film
getting into the list so long as the spirit of the list is maintained. Genre films have received the lowest and the
highest scores from me during this exercise.
Overall, I’d say there’s evidence of a kind
of geeky male bias in the voting (considerably more films by Tarantino,
Scorsese, Nolan, Eastwood and Jackson than I would personally have included) and a
populist tendency (Jean Renoir's La règle
du jeu has long featured in the Sight and Sound top ten films, for example,
yet does appear at all in the current IMDB 250 list).
Here is a graph showing the frequency distribution of
my scores across the 250 films. I guess
you could describe it as a sort of bell curve around the score of 8, but with a
significant tail at the lower end. Of
course a personal score is just that – personal. I generally marked a film with an 8 if I
unequivocally knew I’d want to watch it again.
Review continues below...
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It’s a feature of the IMDB list that it
contains plenty of films that are not to my taste – it’s an inevitable
consequence of the way the list is compiled.
But there was a certain grim pleasure in sitting through the films that
scored 0 or 1, when I knew that there was a bound on the misery I’d have to
endure – that’s the advantage of watching a list of a fixed length. One of my motivations for this exercise was
to learn from the best films to help with my fiction writing, and a bad film is
often just as useful as a good film in helping to figure out what does and does
not work. It’s also interesting to watch
films that passed the IMDB 250 entry criteria (which suggests that a lot of
people enjoyed them) but which are different from my usual taste.
As well as watching films I read a list of
books each year. I don’t bother scoring
these because almost every one would be a 9 or a 10. Whether this says something about the
relative quality of classic film and written fiction, I don’t know, or perhaps
it’s has more to do with the fact that I self-select of my reading list. But 94 out of the 250 films got a score of 8
or more, so that’s not too bad.
In case you’re interested, the complete list of scores is at the bottom of this post.
The average
score was 6 and this is pretty consistent across, say, the top 10, top 50, top
100, top 200, top 250 films. Many of my
reviews are not online so if you’d like to see a particular one, let me know in
the comments.
So what next?
I could carry on watching the extra films that have come into the
list. I could switch lists to the more
hardcore critical Sight and Sounds list.
I could make up my own list from favourite directors. I could switch to the recently published BBCArts list of the top 100 films of the twenty-first century.
One thing I’m not going to do is stop. This has been a hugely enjoyable exercise and
watching a classic film a week has become part of my life.
| The
Shawshank Redemption (1994) |
5 |
| The Godfather (1972) |
9 |
| The Dark Knight (2008) |
4 |
| The Godfather: Part II (1974) |
9 |
| Buono, il brutto, il cattivo., Il (1966) |
7.5 |
| Pulp Fiction (1994) |
5 |
| Schindler's List (1993) |
1 |
| One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975) |
9 |
| Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980) |
6 |
| 12 Angry Men (1957) |
8 |
| Casablanca (1942) |
8 |
| Star Wars (1977) |
8 |
| Shichinin no samurai (1954) |
8 |
| The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003) |
1 |
| Goodfellas (1990) |
4 |
| Rear Window (1954) |
7.5 |
| Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) |
6 |
| Cidade de Deus (2002) |
8.5 |
| C'era una volta il West (1968) |
2 |
| The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001) |
1 |
| The Usual Suspects (1995) |
3 |
| Psycho (1960) |
9 |
| Fight Club (1999) |
6 |
| The Silence of the Lambs (1991) |
9 |
| Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and
Love the Bomb (1964) |
9 |
| North by Northwest (1959) |
8 |
| Memento (2000) |
7 |
| Sunset Blvd. (1950) |
9 |
| Citizen Kane (1941) |
5 |
| WALL·E (2008) |
0 |
| The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002) |
1 |
| The Matrix (1999) |
8 |
| It's a Wonderful Life (1946) |
6 |
| Se7en (1995) |
5 |
| Lawrence of Arabia (1962) |
7 |
| Apocalypse Now (1979) |
6 |
| Léon (1994) |
9 |
| Taxi Driver (1976) |
8 |
| American Beauty (1999) |
6 |
| American History X (1998) |
6 |
| Vertigo (1958) |
8.5 |
| Fabuleux destin d'Amélie Poulain, Le (2001) |
1 |
| Paths of Glory (1957) |
8 |
| M (1931) |
9 |
| The Departed (2006) |
4 |
| Forrest Gump (1994) |
1 |
| To Kill a Mockingbird (1962) |
7 |
| A Clockwork Orange (1971) |
5 |
| Alien (1979) |
10 |
| Chinatown (1974) |
8 |
| The Third Man (1949) |
9 |
| Leben der Anderen, Das (2006) |
10 |
| The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948) |
6.5 |
| Double Indemnity (1944) |
9 |
| The Shining (1980) |
8 |
| The Pianist (2002) |
7 |
| Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004) |
9 |
| Sen to Chihiro no kamikakushi (2001) |
6 |
| Saving Private Ryan (1998) |
1 |
| Laberinto del fauno, El (2006) |
7.5 |
| Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975) |
1 |
| Requiem for a Dream (2000) |
3 |
| L.A. Confidential (1997) |
7 |
| The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957) |
8 |
| Aliens (1986) |
4 |
| Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991) |
6 |
| Reservoir Dogs (1992) |
1 |
| Boot, Das (1981) |
7 |
| Rashômon (1950) |
8 |
| The Maltese Falcon (1941) |
8 |
| Raging Bull (1980) |
6 |
| Metropolis (1927) |
5 |
| Untergang, Der (2004) |
4 |
| City Lights (1931) |
5 |
| Modern Times (1936) |
8 |
| Rebecca (1940) |
8 |
| All About Eve (1950) |
6 |
| Singin' in the Rain (1952) |
9 |
| No Country for Old Men (2007) |
7 |
| 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) |
8 |
| The Prestige (2006) |
3 |
| Amadeus (1984) |
5 |
| Vita è bella, La (1997) |
8 |
| Some Like It Hot (1959) |
7 |
| Sin City (2005) |
0 |
| The Elephant Man (1980) |
7 |
| The Great Escape (1963) |
5 |
| Sjunde inseglet, Det (1957) |
7.5 |
| Hotel Rwanda (2004) |
8 |
| On the Waterfront (1954) |
6 |
| Nuovo cinema Paradiso (1988) |
9 |
| Full Metal Jacket (1987) |
8 |
| There Will Be Blood (2007) |
5 |
| Touch of Evil (1958) |
6 |
| The Apartment (1960) |
4 |
| The Sting (1973) |
8.5 |
| Batman Begins (2005) |
2 |
| Once Upon a Time in America (1984) |
7 |
| The Great Dictator (1940) |
6 |
| Jaws (1975) |
7 |
| Braveheart (1995) |
2 |
| Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939) |
7 |
| Blade Runner (1982) |
6.5 |
| Back to the Future (1985) |
8 |
| Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989) |
6 |
| Strangers on a Train (1951) |
8 |
| Ladri di biciclette (1948) |
8 |
| The Manchurian Candidate (1962) |
6 |
| Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983) |
6 |
| High Noon (1952) |
5 |
| Notorious (1946) |
7 |
| Unforgiven (1992) |
8 |
| The Big Sleep (1946) |
8 |
| Oldboy (2003) |
7 |
| Fargo (1996) |
8 |
| The Wizard of Oz (1939) |
7 |
| The Green Mile (1999) |
0 |
| Cool Hand Luke (1967) |
8 |
| Per qualche dollaro in più (1965) |
6 |
| Yojimbo (1961) |
8 |
| Ran (1985) |
7 |
| Mononoke-hime (1997) |
2 |
| Gladiator (2000) |
6 |
| Die Hard (1988) |
7.5 |
| Donnie Darko (2001) |
2 |
| Salaire de la peur, Le (1953) |
8 |
| Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003) |
3 |
| Annie Hall (1977) |
4 |
| It Happened One Night (1934) |
7.5 |
| The Bourne Ultimatum (2007) |
8 |
| Smultronstället (1957) |
8 |
| Into the Wild (2007) |
6.5 |
| The Deer Hunter (1978) |
5 |
| Million Dollar Baby (2004) |
0 |
| The Sixth Sense (1999) |
1 |
| The General (1927) |
8 |
| Ben-Hur (1959) |
6 |
| Notti di Cabiria, Le (1957) |
8 |
| Kind Hearts and Coronets (1949) |
6 |
| Platoon (1986) |
5 |
| Heat (1995) |
8 |
| Ratatouille (2007) |
8 |
| Life of Brian (1979) |
3 |
| Diaboliques, Les (1955) |
8.5 |
| The Killing (1956) |
6 |
| Amores perros (2000) |
5 |
| Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969) |
7 |
| Judgment at Nuremberg (1961) |
6 |
| Finding Nemo (2003) |
8 |
| Witness for the Prosecution (1957) |
8 |
| 8½ (1963) |
8.5 |
| The Big Lebowski (1998) |
6 |
| Brief Encounter (1945) |
8 |
| The Graduate (1967) |
8 |
| Battaglia di Algeri, La (1966) |
9 |
| V for Vendetta (2005) |
2 |
| The Wild Bunch (1969) |
7 |
| Dog Day Afternoon (1975) |
7 |
| Stand by Me (1986) |
7 |
| The Night of the Hunter (1955) |
3 |
| The Incredibles (2004) |
7 |
| Snatch. (2000) |
4 |
| The Princess Bride (1987) |
3 |
| Gandhi (1982) |
7 |
| The Grapes of Wrath (1940) |
6 |
| Children of Men (2006) |
4 |
| Trainspotting (1996) |
6 |
| Gone with the Wind (1939) |
9 |
| Shadow of a Doubt (1943) |
8 |
| The Gold Rush (1925) |
8 |
| Harvey (1950) |
4 |
| Scarface (1983) |
5 |
| The Thing (1982) |
7 |
| Groundhog Day (1993) |
7 |
| Letters from Iwo Jima (2006) |
3 |
| Toy Story (1995) |
6 |
| The Lion King (1994) |
6 |
| The African Queen (1951) |
8 |
| The Terminator (1984) |
7 |
| Sleuth (1972) |
5 |
| Crash (2004/I) |
1 |
| The Conversation (1974) |
9 |
| Twelve Monkeys (1995) |
1 |
| Duck Soup (1933) |
6 |
| The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938) |
7 |
| The Hustler (1961) |
8 |
| The Lady Vanishes (1938) |
8 |
| Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (1998) |
4 |
| The Ox-Bow Incident (1943) |
3 |
| The Best Years of Our Lives (1946) |
6 |
| Belle et la bête, La (1946) |
8 |
| Kill Bill: Vol. 2 (2004) |
1 |
| Hotaru no haka (1988) |
3 |
| King Kong (1933) |
8 |
| Ed Wood (1994) |
5 |
| Iron Man (2008) |
9 |
| Umberto D. (1952) |
7 |
| Wo hu cang long (2000) |
3 |
| Little Miss Sunshine (2006) |
8 |
| Nosferatu, eine Symphonie des Grauens (1922) |
8 |
| The Lost Weekend (1945) |
8 |
| Patton (1970) |
8 |
| Scaphandre et le papillon, Le (2007) |
7 |
| Stalag 17 (1953) |
5 |
| The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951) |
4 |
| The Exorcist (1973) |
9 |
| Casino (1995) |
2 |
| Glory (1989) |
3 |
| Frankenstein (1931) |
7.5 |
| Dial M for Murder (1954) |
6 |
| The Kid (1921) |
6.5 |
| Rope (1948) |
7 |
| Anatomy of a Murder (1959) |
9 |
| Bonnie and Clyde (1967) |
7 |
| Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans (1927) |
8 |
| Magnolia (1999) |
5 |
| Spartacus (1960) |
5 |
| Rosemary's Baby (1968) |
8 |
| The Philadelphia Story (1940) |
4 |
| All Quiet on the Western Front (1930) |
7 |
| A Streetcar Named Desire (1951) |
8 |
| Bride of Frankenstein (1935) |
6 |
| Cabinet des Dr. Caligari., Das (1920) |
8 |
| Big Fish (2003) |
1 |
| In the Heat of the Night (1967) |
9 |
| Roman Holiday (1953) |
9 |
| Manhattan (1979) |
5 |
| Mystic River (2003) |
5 |
| His Girl Friday (1940) |
8 |
| Network (1976) |
1 |
| Stalker (1979) |
10 |
| The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962) |
7 |
| Strada, La (1954) |
4 |
| Mou gaan dou (2002) |
5 |
| Young Frankenstein (1974) |
5 |
| Dolce vita, La (1960) |
8 |
| In Bruges (2008) |
8 |
| Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl
(2003) |
7 |
| The Searchers (1956) |
7 |
| Lola rennt (1998) |
3 |
| Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1966) |
7 |
| Arsenic and Old Lace (1944) |
2 |
| Rocky (1976) |
7 |
| Barry Lyndon (1975) |
8 |
| Hauru no ugoku shiro (2004) |
2 |
| Haine, La (1995) |
6 |
| Shaun of the Dead (2004) |
3 |
| Great Expectations (1946) |
7 |
| Planet of the Apes (1968) |
4 |
| Sweet Smell of Success (1957) |
7 |
This is part of a series of film reviews where I give my comments on IMDB Top 250 films as a writer. The idea is that over time these posts will build into a wide-ranging writing resource.
For more details about the approach I've taken, including some important points about its strengths and weaknesses (I make no claims about my abilities as a film critic or even the accuracy of my comments... but I do stand by the value of a writer's notes on interesting films), see my introductory post here.
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