Essential Films?

conzy

Name some essential films that one should be ashamed of not seeing

Chad ghostal

The godfather,
Taxi driver,
Blade runner,
Debbie does dallas,
2001: A space oddessey
The shinnning,
the list goes on. .there's dozens and dozens..

Capt'n Midnight

There was a thread a while back where you could only list one film, different people different tastes but about one third were junk , a third unknow or possibly over hyped and a third were essential. Best film list I've seen

AlmightyCushion

The spice girls film. Best film ever made.

All right seriously though.
The Shawshank Redemption
LoTR trilogy
First star wars trilogy
Back to the future trilogy (it's the kid in me)
Indiana Jones trilogy
The Godfather
Shindler's list
Memento
Terminator 2
Fight Club
The Usual Suspects
Pulp fiction
Resevoir dogs
The matrix
Fight Club
American History X
Donnie Darko


I can't think of any more at the moment.

Latchy

Glengarry Glenross

Starring Jack Lemon,Al Pacino ,Kevin Spacy, Alec Baldin ,Ed Harris and Alan Arkin ....about a bunch of real estate salesmen on the age , the acting is superb, and most of the scenes are shot in one big office giving the clustaphobic athmosphere which adds to the films suspense theme .

johnny_ultimate

No film is 'essential'. Yes, some are better than others, but you shouldn't be forced to watch and like certain films. Take peoples recommendations on board, yes, if it sounds like you will enjoy the film in question, but honestly, there is no film I would tell someone that they couldn't call themselves a film fan if they didn't like it (although some people around here are of that opinion).

PS I also find it mind boggling that every film listed so far is American and post 1960.

faceman

i sense a Hungus locking coming along! But before he does, check out the Film of the Week threads, duh!

Karl Hungus

johnny_ultimate wrote: »

No film is 'essential'. Yes, some are better than others, but you shouldn't be forced to watch and like certain films. Take peoples recommendations on board, yes, if it sounds like you will enjoy the film in question, but honestly, there is no film I would tell someone that they couldn't call themselves a film fan if they didn't like it (although some people around here are of that opinion).

PS I also find it mind boggling that every film listed so far is American and post 1960.

Agreed.

I don't really believe anything is essential.

However, I do think that all of the films on the Film of the Week list is a very good watch, so if you're looking for recommendations, it's worth looking through the films and seeing what appeals to you.

Latchy

PS I also find it mind boggling that every film listed so far is American and post 1960.

Maybe because that is the culture and genere which most people will view simply by the quantity of films produced by hollywood over the last 70 odd years .

faceman

johnny_ultimate wrote: »

PS I also find it mind boggling that every film listed so far is American and post 1960.

america is the world dominant movie manufacturer. However not everything produced there is muck, just a fair whack of it! The main cinemas and video stores in ireland stock american movies and have small if not non existent world cinema sections.

Running Bing

johnny_ultimate wrote: »

No film is 'essential'. Yes, some are better than others, but you shouldn't be forced to watch and like certain films. Take peoples recommendations on board, yes, if it sounds like you will enjoy the film in question, but honestly, there is no film I would tell someone that they couldn't call themselves a film fan if they didn't like it (although some people around here are of that opinion).

PS I also find it mind boggling that every film listed so far is American and post 1960.

Lol I was thinking the same thing. Did film exist pre 1960 and does it exist in countries outside America?


A list of real essentials if your interested in film(and why they are essential)


Nosferatu(1922): The most effective horror film ever made, the first great horror film and the greatest on screen portrayal of Dracula.

Metropolis(1926): The birth of the sci-fi film and the epic. An amazing achievement in film.

Battleship Potemkin(1925): Often cited as "the most famous film you have never seen". That about sums it up...a major leap forward for cinema.

Sunrise(1931): A technical masterpiece. Truly outstanding what Murnau achieved with limited technology in 1931.

Citizen Kane(1941): Revolutionary for its time. The greatest directorial debut ever.

The seventh Seal(1957):Stunning film. The greatest on screen depiction of the human question your ever likely to see.

A bout de souffle(1961): The death of classical hollywood:D Goddard shakes things up.

The Godfather 1 & 2(1972 & 1974): Taken as a whole the closest thing to a perfect film yet imo. I assume most have seen it already...if you have'nt...why?

Halloween(1971): A masterpiece in tension. Every horror film you have seen since has a great debt to pay to this.

Id also add at least one film by Scorcesse, Hitchcock, Kubrick, Leone.

Okay so things like that are always gonna come down to personal taste and to be honest in a weeks time my list might be different(not by much though) but imo these are the only films which could be described as essential viewing(if your interested in film and the development of cinema).

johnny_ultimate

faceman wrote: »

america is the world dominant movie manufacturer. However not everything produced there is muck, just a fair whack of it! The main cinemas and video stores in ireland stock american movies and have small if not non existent world cinema sections.

Yup there are indeed hundreds of great American films out there. No-one can deny that (well, maybe really stupidly pretentious people ).
But these kinds of lists always seem to be overly modern America dominated. It's a shame people don't look beyond the token classics and check out some more off beat stuff.

I suppose it's always going to be this way, so I'd probably be better off making this point to a wall of some sort, but it does seem a shame.

Latchy

people over 30 /40 will be more familier with the above,it's there for the younger generation to discover ...

Chad ghostal

johnny_ultimate wrote: »

It's a shame people don't look beyond the token classics and check out some more off beat stuff.

People do, but the OP was asking what are the 'essential films' people should watch and while I agree there are no essential films, the token classics are what most people would consider essential viewing ..

Gillie

The color purple
Se7en
Cinderella Man
Walk the Line
....

Running Bing

Gillie wrote: »

The color purple
Se7en
Cinderella Man
Walk the Line
....

Care to share why Cinderella man and Walk the line are "essential viewing"?

ThOnda

Apocalypse now (redux)
Le Grand bouffe
American Beauty
Zatoichi
Survive Style 5+
The Taste of Tea

Imho movies that can enrich your mentality and personality. Some have strong storylines, some have excellent characters, but there are ton's of emotions in all of them. I can more than recommend all of them.

Running Bing

ThOnda wrote: »

Apocalypse now (redux)
Le Grand bouffe
American Beauty
Zatoichi
Survive Style 5+
The Taste of Tea

Imho movies that can enrich your mentality and personality. Some have strong storylines, some have excellent characters, but there are ton's of emotions in all of them. I can more than recommend all of them.

Interesting...but why did you have to add in the redux bit:(

ThOnda

Because "redux" version is better - contains some scenes that have been left away in original version. The French manor scene and "Bunnies" scene. And they are very important there, to make it more surrealistic.
I've read the script and it was stunning. Seeing it was just... I forgot that I am in a cinema with a girlfriend. Such a good movie.

Latchy

JFK ,
(if only to open the whole conspiricy theory subject ie , was it oswald acting alone ? the mafia ,cia ,fbi ,castro ? ).

also .....
13 Days .
The cuben missle crisis which nearly brought the world to the brink of nuclear war .

Lolita (with james mason ) .
The subject matter as controversial when this film was made back in 1962 and is even more so today .Some might prefer the more recent version with jeromy irons

Walkabout .
Two english kids get lost in the australian outback .This film was as much famous for the lovley scenery as much as the storyline ,as well as showing a bit of jenny agutar in the flesh ..

Picnic at hanging rock .
The true story at the turn of the century about 3 australian schoolgirls who went missing around aries rock and were never seen again

The Deer hunter .
The first post vietnam film to deal with the subject and some might say the best

Swimming pool .
If you like your mysterys with a bit of erotica
throwing in then you will like this , with charlotte rampling .

Gillie

Babybing wrote: »

Care to share why Cinderella man and Walk the line are "essential viewing"?

???

Because I think so?
What I consider essential viewing may differ to you! It's called an opinion!;)

ixoy

C'mon give a reason why you think these films are essential and don't just list them. Listing movies without anything else is bad and not favoured by the charter. Babybing's post is along the lines of what I'm thinking - just a couple of lines that made it essential to you. It's that or a thread lock.

Gillie

Okey Dokey.

Walk the line. Purely because I found Phoniex's performance amazing. I especially love the scene where

they are recording their first record. Loved that whole sequence

Cinderella Man. Crowe was amazing in this movie for me. It's a real rags to riches tale where all the odds where against Braddick. Paul Giamatti puts in another stellar performance.

In fairness we all have our own opinions on what is essential viewing. It's all a matter of taste or in some cases lack thereof.

Running Bing

Gillie wrote: »

Okey Dokey.

Walk the line. Purely because I found Phoniex's performance amazing. I especially love the scene where

they are recording their first record. Loved that whole sequence

Cinderella Man. Crowe was amazing in this movie for me. It's a real rags to riches tale where all the odds where against Braddick. Paul Giamatti puts in another stellar performance.

In fairness we all have our own opinions on what is essential viewing. It's all a matter of taste or in some cases lack thereof.

But are'nt you just listing your favourite movies or movies that you thought were great?


There are plenty of films I love and think are great but I would not call them essential viewing. Okay so you have said why you liked them but why are they essential viewing?


For the record I love both of those films as well but I wouldnt describe them as essential viewing.

Gillie

Not at all. There are 100's of movies that I think are great.
There are maybe a dozen I would deem essential viewing. Most have already been mentioned. I just added a couple that weren't already here.

conzy

Thanks everyone, especially babybing! some great recommendations and exactly what i was looking for

John Carpenters "The Thing". Best horror film ever, absolutely essential in my opinion.

arcade1

latchyco wrote: »

Glengarry Glenross

Starring Jack Lemon,Al Pacino ,Kevin Spacy, Alec Baldin ,Ed Harris and Alan Arkin ....about a bunch of real estate salesmen on the age , the acting is superb, and most of the scenes are shot in one big office giving the clustaphobic athmosphere which adds to the films suspense theme .

i love this film. the best acted film ever.
alec balwin is fantastic!

Aedh Baclamh

Walk The Line? Yeah, good film and all that, but essential viewing? Ha, never.

mewso

Pre-1960 then - 12 Angry Men - thankfully it's already on the movies of the week list because anything I nominate seems to stand 0 chance

*edit forgot reason it's essential imo - well to put it simply it's themes are still valid even today and the performances are out of this world. For a black and white movie set in one room I would defy even the youngest viewer not to be glued to the screen from start to finish.

DeepBlue

AlmightyCushion wrote: »

LoTR trilogy
First star wars trilogy

You must be confusing the "Essential" list with the "Essentially A Heap of Crap" list .

Wacker

DeepBlue wrote: »

You must be confusing the "Essential" list with the "Essentially A Heap of Crap" list .

Oh dear. Why bother posting that if you're unprepared to make suggestions of your own?
Even if you think them to be rubbish films, would you actually dispute the fact that they belong in the (somewhat vague) category of 'essential films', considering how massive their influence is?
Posts like this really annoy me. They contribute nothing whatsoever. It appears to me (and I may well be wrong) that DeepBlue is trying to be some sort of 'movie outlaw' or something. Well, all that is well and good, once you have made some suggestions of your own. Until then, bite your tongue.

On that subject, here are my thoughts on the topic: I don’t believe any films to be essential viewing, as film is just a form of entertainment. People can thus take it or leave it. However, if any film is to be considered essential viewing, it should be through its influence. This may be films that caused societal change (hard to pick examples here – anyone care to help me out? Maybe An Inconvenient Truth?) or films that greatly influenced future films. I could write a long list here, but instead, here’s a short one: Halloween, Citizen Kane, It’s a Wonderful Life, M, Casablanca, 2001: A Space Odyssey.
If the OP is looking for a list of really cool films, I’d refer him to the previous Film of the Week winners. Or here:

http://www.imdb.com/chart/top?tt0068646

Running Bing

Wacker wrote: »

Oh dear. Why bother posting that if you're unprepared to make suggestions of your own?
Even if you think them to be rubbish films, would you actually dispute the fact that they belong in the (somewhat vague) category of 'essential films', considering how massive their influence is?
Posts like this really annoy me. They contribute nothing whatsoever. It appears to me (and I may well be wrong) that DeepBlue is trying to be some sort of 'movie outlaw' or something. Well, all that is well and good, once you have made some suggestions of your own. Until then, bite your tongue.

On that subject, here are my thoughts on the topic: I don’t believe any films to be essential viewing, as film is just a form of entertainment. People can thus take it or leave it. However, if any film is to be considered essential viewing, it should be through its influence. This may be films that caused societal change (hard to pick examples here – anyone care to help me out? Maybe An Inconvenient Truth?) or films that greatly influenced future films. I could write a long list here, but instead, here’s a short one: Halloween, Citizen Kane, It’s a Wonderful Life, M, Casablanca, 2001: A Space Odyssey.
If the OP is looking for a list of really cool films, I’d refer him to the previous Film of the Week winners. Or here:

http://www.imdb.com/chart/top?tt0068646

Cant agree with that at all...film is a lot more(to me and many others) than just a form of entertainment.

Some people may look at my list and say "why would you bother looking at a film from the 20's" Well if you are looking purely for entertainment then you wouldnt.....On this point I agree with you, if films are just entertainment to you an essential film doesnt exist.


If you however are interested in film, its developments and how it has shaped and been shaped by society as well as what ot can tell us about ourselves as human beings then I would stick by the list of essentials I gave earlier.

Wacker

Babybing wrote: »

Cant agree with that at all...film is a lot more(to me and many others) than just a form of entertainment.

Well, film is probably the single thing I am most passionate about. I have spent far more money on film than anything else I can think of, and invested far more time in it than any other leisure activity. That doesn't change the fact that film is entertainment. It only ceases to be so when you work in the business (in my opinion), which I don't.

DeepBlue

Wacker wrote: »

Posts like this really annoy me. They contribute nothing whatsoever. It appears to me (and I may well be wrong) that DeepBlue is trying to be some sort of 'movie outlaw' or something. Well, all that is well and good, once you have made some suggestions of your own. Until then, bite your tongue.

Meh, build a bridge etc.......

Some could argue that listing films as "essential" without qualifying why it's essential also contributes nothing.
We already have a thread for nominating films of the week where films with little or no merit get nominated and some win - Sin City and Serenity are just two examples.

Any film goer could easily get through life without seeing those two or the other trilogies mentioned and not have missed anything.
It's an opinion - deal with it.

Wacker

DeepBlue wrote: »

Meh, build a bridge etc.......

Some could argue that listing films as "essential" without qualifying why it's essential also contributes nothing.

Maybe one could. I on the other hand didn't do that.

Planning on suggesting some films of your own, or just slinging mud?

grames_bond

i am going to have to say pulp fiction, its just a cult classic, LOVED IT!

and one that i don't think anyone has mentioned yet:

scarface!

Aedh Baclamh

There's a good reason why nobody has mentioned it. How is Scarface essential viewing exactly? To see Al Pacino play his usual role in films? Dog Day Afternoon is his best work - by a long way.

Karl Hungus

Wacker wrote: »

Well, film is probably the single thing I am most passionate about. I have spent far more money on film than anything else I can think of, and invested far more time in it than any other leisure activity. That doesn't change the fact that film is entertainment. It only ceases to be so when you work in the business (in my opinion), which I don't.

Film can be entertainment, and yes, it can also be a business, but it also exists as an art form.

I'm of the opinion that no art is essential. There's nothing someone should have to see in order be a fan of something else. You don't need to develop an appreciation of Van Gogh before you can like Picasso, or listen to Mozart for so long before enjoying Bach.

If we're talking influential, then I think there's few film makers who've made as big an impact as Akira Kurosawa.

Running Bing

Wacker wrote: »

Well, film is probably the single thing I am most passionate about. I have spent far more money on film than anything else I can think of, and invested far more time in it than any other leisure activity. That doesn't change the fact that film is entertainment. It only ceases to be so when you work in the business (in my opinion), which I don't.

Well do you study film? Are you aware people devote their lives to this art form?

To me film has helped me better understand, and indeed shaped my views, of the world around me. It is also made me ask questions of myself and the way I perceive things. Film is an incredibly powerful thing.

Okay you spend a lot of money on it, you are passionate about it but to you it is just entertainment. I understand that, acknowledge that and respect it but you have to understand that there is a whole other class of user who dont look at it as simply entertainment.

ThOnda

Scarface? I don't think so. Bad acting, too theatrical, very schematic figures. Absolute disappointment after hearing a lot about it.
Alfred Hitchcock's The Birds is more important for me than Scarface. But still not essential.

Galvasean

johnny_ultimate wrote: »

No film is 'essential'. Yes, some are better than others, but you shouldn't be forced to watch and like certain films. Take peoples recommendations on board, yes, if it sounds like you will enjoy the film in question, but honestly, there is no film I would tell someone that they couldn't call themselves a film fan if they didn't like it (although some people around here are of that opinion).

Quoted For Great Truth

Pride Fighter

Ong Bak, Legend of a Fighter, Tai Chi Boxer, Police Story1 and 2, Winners and Sinners. If martial arts are your cup of tea that is. Too many more to name so apologies for leaving out some gems!!

Wacker

Babybing wrote: »

Well do you study film? Are you aware people devote their lives to this art form?

Am I aware of this? Emmm…. Yeah, I think I might have picked that up somewhere. Thanks for the clarification though. I don’t study film myself, although I might do a Masters in it at some point. Probably not though – I’m very lazy.

I think both yourself and Karl Hungus misunderstand what I mean by ‘entertainment’. By saying that film is entertainment, I am not denigrating it whatsoever. Entertainment for me is what people choose to do with their spare time, i.e. it is what they do with their time while not working, eating, sleeping, taking the kids to football practice, etc. ‘Person X’ might choose to spend this time banging a ladle of a saucepan lid, while ‘Person Y’ may spend it taking notes on Kant’s Critique of Pure Reason. Both are entertainment, by my understanding of it. What is great about film as an art form (See? I used the word ‘art’. My previous posts have given the impression that I don’t believe film to be art, which I absolutely do) is that it is broad enough to appeal to both Person X (something by the Wayans, maybe?) and Person Y (Waking Life, Belle du Jour, and whatnot). All of it is art, and all of it is also entertainment. Entertainment is very inclusive.

And none of it is essential.

faceman

Karl Hungus wrote: »

I'm of the opinion that no art is essential. There's nothing someone should have to see in order be a fan of something else. You don't need to develop an appreciation of Van Gogh before you can like Picasso, or listen to Mozart for so long before enjoying Bach.

i agree for to some degree, however i do believe that while its not essential to see one film to see another, it does help to appreciate the art in the broader sense. taking a simple example, an individual loves the sci fi genre but has limited their viewings to recent sci fi flicks. it would be in theirt interest and much to their benefit, to view some of the older classic films. even if they dislike the film, they will still broaden their appreciation for the genre. Ultimately it depends on how much you love film etc. A casual movie goer doesnt really give a toss.

Babybing wrote: »

Well do you study film? Are you aware people devote their lives to this art form?

To me film has helped me better understand, and indeed shaped my views, of the world around me. It is also made me ask questions of myself and the way I perceive things. Film is an incredibly powerful thing.

clearly you are quite passionate about film as are many of us here im sure. however be careful not to shape your views of the world on the films you watch. Film is indeed powerful but its also a medium open to abuse.

Running Bing

faceman wrote: »

however be careful not to shape your views of the world on the films you watch. Film is indeed powerful but its also a medium open to abuse.

No, no I understand your point...but I think anyone who likes film will have their perceptions of the world around them shaped even slightly by it....the same with any art(litreture, music, painting etc.)


Im not saying I watch the shining and believe their is a big haunted hotel that makes people crazy or Taxi driver and believe there is a vietnam war vet who drives a cab and goes around killing pimps in his spare time and Im not gonna watch a Jean Renoir film and all fof a sudden become left wing:D

Wacker wrote: »

I think both yourself and Karl Hungus misunderstand what I mean by ‘entertainment’. By saying that film is entertainment, I am not denigrating it whatsoever. Entertainment for me is what people choose to do with their spare time, i.e. it is what they do with their time while not working, eating, sleeping, taking the kids to football practice, etc. ‘Person X’ might choose to spend this time banging a ladle of a saucepan lid, while ‘Person Y’ may spend it taking notes on Kant’s Critique of Pure Reason. Both are entertainment, by my understanding of it. What is great about film as an art form (See? I used the word ‘art’. My previous posts have given the impression that I don’t believe film to be art, which I absolutely do) is that it is broad enough to appeal to both Person X (something by the Wayans, maybe?) and Person Y (Waking Life, Belle du Jour, and whatnot). All of it is art, and all of it is also entertainment. Entertainment is very inclusive.

And none of it is essential.

Ahh I can understand your POV a bit better now faceman. I think the argument lies in art being essential to life?

I would say of course it is not essential but then when you break it downwhat is? Food, water, shelter...are love and friends even essential to life?

Pride Fighter wrote: »

Ong Bak, Legend of a Fighter, Tai Chi Boxer, Police Story1 and 2, Winners and Sinners. If martial arts are your cup of tea that is.

Bloody criminal;)


The one armed swordsman-It is hard to believe that the martial arts genre once existed with only one on one fights between two martial artists. This was the first film to have one fighter take on hundreds at the one time and completely destroy them:D This is where it all began for the MA movie as we know it today.

36th chamber of shaolin-Hugely influential. Perfected the much loved "training sequence" found in nearly every MA movie from that point on.

Drunken Master-Completely gave the genre a shot in the arm and changed direction just when it was beginning to get a bit stale

The big boss-Bruce Lee's first staring role in a feature length film....essential for that alone imo.

Fist of fury-The greatest MA film of all time by general consensus. A must see

Enter the dragon-East meets west. A fascinating project that began hollywoods love affair with martial arts.

Ong Bak-Again at a time when the genre was getting seriously stale, Tony Jaa added something new, exciting and truly groundbreaking.

faceman

dude, your second 2 quotes in your post aint quoted from me!

Pride Fighter

Babybing wrote: »

Bloody criminal;)


The one armed swordsman-It is hard to believe that the martial arts genre once existed with only one on one fights between two martial artists. This was the first film to have one fighter take on hundreds at the one time and completely destroy them:D This is where it all began for the MA movie as we know it today.

36th chamber of shaolin-Hugely influential. Perfected the much loved "training sequence" found in nearly every MA movie from that point on.

Drunken Master-Completely gave the genre a shot in the arm and changed direction just when it was beginning to get a bit stale

The big boss-Bruce Lee's first staring role in a feature length film....essential for that alone imo.

Fist of fury-The greatest MA film of all time by general consensus. A must see

Enter the dragon-East meets west. A fascinating project that began hollywoods love affair with martial arts.

Ong Bak-Again at a time when the genre was getting seriously stale, Tony Jaa added something new, exciting and truly groundbreaking.

I have seen all of those except one and I stated in my post I was stopping naming kung fu flicks as I would be there all day. Have you ever seen prodigal son, that film kicks ass!!!

Running Bing

Pride Fighter wrote: »

I have seen all of those except one and I stated in my post I was stopping naming kung fu flicks as I would be there all day. Have you ever seen prodigal son, that film kicks ass!!!

No I didnt PF. Looks good though I must check it out. Sammo Hung is a complete legend:D


Just seen on IMDB that is has Prodigal son(2008)...there's no details but kn doubt its a fvcking remake:mad:

Running Bing

faceman wrote: »

dude, your second 2 quotes in your post aint quoted from me!

LOL sorry faceman forgot to change the names:o:p

kashi

While I agree that no movie is essential, here are the movies I would reccomend to anyone:

Some like it hot: has to be one of the funniest movies of all time. A fabulous cast, and a movie that will probably be still funny in 100 years.

LoTR trilogy: movies that were made with such love and devotion to the books. Amazing to look at (and not just for the eye candy!!;))

Star Wars trilogy (original): while not everyone's cup of tea, they were the benchmark of the genre. Without them, sci fi would be a different scenario now.

The Godfather 1 & 2: as someone said before.......practically perfect.

There are loads of good movies, which I personally think are fab, but they might not be everyone else's cup of tea. I love movies like Brotherhood of the wolf (great twist), potc (Johnny Depp is god!), interview with the vampire, and stuff like highlander. To be honest I could be listing from here till the cows come home. Would I consider them essential..........no.