People's Choice
22/09/08 by gia
As of this writing the readers' write-in top ten is as follows:
1. The Shawshank Redemption
2. Casablanca
3. 2001: A Space Odyssey
4. Brazil
5. Cinema Paradiso
6. Pan's Labyrinth
7. Some Like It Hot
8. Star Wars Trilogy (only episodes 4-6)
9. Withnail & I
10. Brief Encounter
So, The Shawshank Redemption is number one in the 'people's choice' list. Clearly there are a lot of IMDB users visiting the BFI's site. Famously, or infamously, The Shawshank Redemption has been the number one film on IMDB for ages now. The Dark Knight will probably overtake it soon.
Now, I think the film is good... but not great. If I could pass on one film for my children and their children to watch, it would most definitely not be The Shawshank Redemption. I'm perplexed by the choice. Can anyone illuminate me?
Now, the inclusion of a film that has spawned a drinking game garners my approval. Withnail & I is one of those pure gems of British film that the rest of the world never really discovered. Is it, however, worthy of passing onto future generations as one of the 'films you must see before you die'?
What do you think of the readers' top 10?
World Cinema
There have been very few non-European or non-American films included at all here. I wonder if that's because they are more difficult for the average person to see OR if the average person is just not interested in World Cinema. Outside of the odd rep cinema in the cities, there is very little chance of seeing Asian films, for example. They have to be sought out on DVD, but even that isn't always easy. I've even had to buy DVDs directly from Japan, because some films aren't even released here.
Populism
It seems that the top 10 films are drawn from a very commercial and sentimental arena - ok 'Withnail and I' - is a fantastic film about disfunctional characters but to ignore the filmaking of people such as Akira Kurosawa, Sahjit Rey,Godard to name a few is criminal!
Post new comment