Lately, while distracted from my own blog, I've become a regular contributor to the commentary on Wonders in the Dark, a great blog run by Allan Fish and friend-of-The Dancing Image Sam Juliano. At this moment, Allan is knee-deep (or deeper) in a long series exploring what he considers to be the greatest films of every decade since the thirties. If you're a movie buff of my sort, who loves list and countdowns, this is definitely for you. Until now, there has not been a collection of all the posts in this series stored in one location, so I've taken it upon myself to gather all the information here. What follows is a complete list of the entire countdown, with links to every post in question.
This list will be regularly updated as Allan continues his epic journey through the years. Feel free to drop by and leave comments, even on old posts; one of the best things about this excellent blog is the lively (to put it mildly) discussion every topic engenders, sometimes straying far away from the movie at hand. For example, 2001 has led to a debate on the value of canons, Viridiana a discussion on the intertwining of ethics and aesthetics in art, and The Young Girls of Rochefort a questioning of the merits of American cinema in the 60s and Allan's views thereof. The list follows the jump and can also be found here. (updated until its conclusion in 2010)
The Early Years (silents & early talkies, 1895-1929)
1. Sunrise
7. Nosferatu
9. The General
11. Pandora's Box
12. The Last Command
13. Intolerance
14. La Roue
15. The Crowd
16. The Wind
17. L'Argent
18. Big Business
20. Spione
21. Haxan
22. The Gold Rush
23. The Kid Brother
26. Cops
28. The Last Laugh
30. Sherlock Junior
31. Les Vampires
37. Safety Last
39. The Chess Player
40. People on Sunday
41. Easy Street
42. Erotikon
43. Un Chien Andalou
47. Lonesome
48. The New Babylon
49. Piccadilly
50. Verdun
52. Zvenigora
54. The Freshman
55. The Immigrant
56. Mother
58. Foolish Wives
59. One a.m.
60. Faust
61. Two Tars
63. Beggars of Life
64. Bed and Sofa
65. The Kid
66. Our Hospitality
67. Seventh Heaven
68. J'Accuse
70. The Lodger
71. By the Law
72. The Merry Widow
73. The Burning Soil
74. Queen Kelly
78. Strike
81. Underworld
86. Asphalt
90. The Big Parade
91. Seven Chances
93. Arsenal
95. Never Weaken
97. Variety
98. Stella Maris
99. Casanova
100. Ballet Mécanique
The 1930s
4. City Lights
6. M
10. Earth
11. Mr Thank You
12. Love me Tonight
13. Duck Soup
14. The Goddess
15. Limite
16. L'Atalante
20. The 39 Steps
21. L'Age d'Or
23. It's a Gift
25. Oh Mr. Porter!
The 1940s
4. Citizen Kane
6. Day of Wrath
7. Late Spring
13. Bicycle Thieves
17. Rebecca
18. Oliver Twist
19. Casablanca
24. Pinocchio
28. Voyage Surprise
29. Henry V
31. Double Indemnity
32. Gun Crazy
34. Notorious
35. Brief Encounter
36. Black Narcissus
37. The Lady Eve
38. Open City
40. Brighton Rock
41. Nightmare Alley
42. Cross of Love
44. Fantasia
45. Red River
46. Dead of Night
The 1950s
1. Tokyo Story
2. Vertigo
3. Sansho Dayu
5. Ikiru
8. Pickpocket
10. Tokyo Twilight
11. The Seventh Seal
13. Sunset Boulevard
15. Madame de...
16. Bob le Flambeur
17. Rear Window
18. Rio Bravo
19. Pather Panchali
22. Twenty-Four Eyes
24. Kiss Me Deadly
25. Umberto D
26. A Man Escaped
27. Paths of Glory
29. Rashomon
32. La Strada
34. Lola Montes
35. Beep Beep
37. The World of Apu
38. The Naked Spur
41. The Burmese Harp
45. Twelve Angry Men
46. All About Eve
48. Magical Maestro
49. Anatahan
The 1960s
2. Le Mépris
4. Persona
6. Red Angel
7. The Leopard
10. Belle de Jour
14. Shame
15. 8½
19. Psycho
21. Charulata
25. L'Eclisse
26. Onibaba
29. El Verdugo
31. The Round-Up
34. Le Samourai
35. The Apartment
36. Viridiana
37. Bonnie and Clyde
38. Hamlet
39. Witches Hammer
40. Vidas Secas
41. Jules et Jim
42. L'Avventura
43. Don't Look Back
44. Playtime
45. Pierrot le Fou
50. The Hunt
The 1970s
1. Duelle
2. Stalker
4. Barry Lyndon
12. The Ceremony
13. Blanche
16. Chinatown
18. The Conformist
19. Taxi Driver
20. Ai No Corrida
21. The Ascent
22. The Godfather
28. L'Innocente
29. Manhattan
30. Nashville
32. Mirror
33. Wanda
36. La Dentellière
38. Out 1
39. Claire's Knee
41. The Devils
42. Fat City
43. Straw Dogs
44. Deep End
46. I, CLAVDIVS
49. Mihai Viteazul
The 1980s
5. Dekalog
6. Heimat
9. The Shining
10. A Nos Amours
13. Raging Bull
14. Ran
16. Blue Velvet
17. The Sacrifice
19. Le Pont du Nord
24. L'Argent
25. Nostalgia
26. Comrades
29. Shoah
34. Rouge
35. Come and See
36. Marlene
37. Kagemusha
39. Scarface
40. City of Sadness
41. Le Grand Chemin
42. The Elephant Man
43. Alice
44. Interrogation
46. Loulou
47. Yellow Earth
48. Yeelen
49. Excalibur
50. Akira
The 1990s
3. Magnolia
5. Actress
13. Lone Star
14. Heimat 2
19. Fargo
20. Sátántangó
21. G.B.H.
22. American Beauty
23. Schindler's List
24. GoodFellas
25. Toy Story
26. Pulp Fiction
28. Unforgiven
29. City of Hope
31. Rosetta
34. The Piano
35. Time Regained
37. After Life
38. Howards End
42. Naked
43. The Big Lebowski
44. Mother and Son
47. Boogie Nights
48. Reservoir Dogs
49. Freeway
50. Metropolitan
The 2000s
2. Melancholia
4. 2046
9. Irreversible
10. The Prestige
12. Russian Ark
14. Lust, Caution
18. Dogville
19. Downfall
21. A One and a Two
22. Caché
25. Memento
27. Spirited Away
29. Fish Tank
31. Bleak House
32. The Reader
33. Far from Heaven
35. Paprika
37. Closer
38. Amores Perros
41. Heimat 3
42. You, the Living
43. Un Prophète
44. Inland Empire
47. The Son's Room
48. The Fountain
50. Antichrist
51. Vendredi Soir
52. 10
53. Before Sunset
54. Still Walking
55. Talk to Her
56. Moolaadé
59. Wall-E
60. Moon
61. Hunger
62. Band of Brothers
64. Être et Avoir
66. The Libertine
68. The Return
69. Import/Export
70. Help Me Eros
71. Razone
72. State of Play
76. Manderlay
77. Inside
81. Funland
82. Gosford Park
85. Visitor Q
86. The Dark Knight
88. Uzak
89. Blissfully Yours
91. Brief Crossing
92. Baise-Moi!
93. The Wrestler
94. Atonement
96. The Departed
97. Sin City
100. Oui, mais...
11 comments:
Movie Man: This is an astonishing, incredible and spectacular honor for both Allan and Wonders in the Dark. Allan's lists have certainly provoked controversy, and some heated debates (present for all to see on our threads) but they are never less than superlatively-informed and in exquisite taste. It's been quite a ride with Allan over the past five years (Allan lives in the U.K. and has visited my family twice here in the NYC area over the past 18 months) No one I've ever encountered has seen as many films as he has (and he's only 35) and he is adding everyday. As it is I've seen almost every single film on these lists, and while I respect them and know what has informed their composition, my own lists on the various decade threads have been different. You won't be disappointed with that photo you have up there by the way!! LOL.
This is quite an honor, our very good friend, and an invaluable reference for all serious film lovers.
Nothing much I can say to this but - pausing to pick up jaw from carpet - THANK YOU VERY MUCH on behalf of WitD. Sterling job, and yes, Persona will be appearing, no surprise there, but at what place?
You know the spiel...
:-)
Sam and Allan, thanks very much for your own speedy responses! I only hope my readers follow the links and jump into the fray...and I'm quite sure they will (who could resist?).
And thanks to you Allan, for initiating such a great project - I wait for every new review with bated breath...looking forward, especially now, to the Persona piece...#1? We shall see...
And we will be dealing with the silent era up to 1929, that will follow after the 1990s poll before the 2000s to give chance for all 2009 releases to be seen.
I concur with the sentiments of the post, MovieMan... in fact, discovering and getting involved at Wonders in the Dark is one of the main things that encouraged me to go ahead and try my hand at a movie blog too. Great site, as is yours, so I'll piggyback on your post here to add how great WitD is.
Thanks, Dave - may we all continue to spread the wealth around the blogosphere.
Allan, that's great news - I was wondering if the silents would get their due, and I eagerly anticipate that installment too (as well as the 21st century one, by which point I hopefully will have seen more contemporary cinema, which I've more or less sat out of the past few years as I catch up on the past...)
Movie Man:
The silents will bring out your own particular expertise and affection, as I know you've expended much energy at this site showcasing them with superlative reviews. Both Allan and I favor that period above all others as well.
Hey, thanks a lot for posting this. I was wondering if I should go back into Wonders in the Dark and try to put together a to-see list based on what I haven't seen, so, selfishly, I say thanks.
Keep up the good work on discussions over there, too ... I may not say much, but I enjoy reading.
T.S.,
Funny thing about blogging, you never know who's hiding in the shadows (shades of film noir)...
Wow...this is great...it really puts WID and Allan's lists in scope...what an amazing thing they have been doing over there...and how wonderful for you to compile this!
Love your blog as well...and will be adding it to my links...
-DHS
Yes, David, sometimes it feels like Wonders in the Dark is the thread that ties us all together...the blogosphere is wild and diverse and sprawling which is great, but it's also fragmented, but I find myself losing track of so many great writers, observant film fans, and fellow travelers as my blogroll grows and I spent less time online. Wonders keeps me coming back, partly because of the gimmick - or rather, how well it's been executed - and also because of the great discussions. I've had some good comments sections on a few of my posts, but never anything to compare to the rapid-fire, enthusiastic (and sometimes tooth-and-dagger) back-and-forths on Wonders. And I can't think of any other blog that comes close - even on popular sites like Some Came Running, there's a tendency for each person to drop in and say their piece but less often a real argument, debate, or conversation. It's really unique - reminds me of my old haunts on IMDB boards, except it's more focused - and I think, developing into the core of a certain corner of the blogosphere.
It will be interesting to see where it goes after Allan's departure next year; it's promising that some of the most popular discussion-starters recently have not been from the countdown, but still that yin/yang quality of Sam & Allan will be missed - as will the great device of counting down the classics of each decade, which is really a tremendous hook.
Glad you stopped by & enjoy my own rather more intermittent work...
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