The Fans' Top 100 American Films
As many of you know, last month the AFI recalculated their Top 100 American films of all time. They compiled the data by circulating a shortlist of 400 films to “1,500 leaders from across the American film community - screenwriters, directors, actors, producers, cinematographers, editors, executives, film historians and critics.”
With a few exceptions the list was remarkably similar to the list of 1997. So it was a bit of a let down. We didn’t see something like “Blue Velvet” invade the list for instance, or a cult classic like “Evil Dead”. In fact, genre films were largely absent.
So I decided to conduct an experiment - recreate AFI’s list but cull the information from film bloggers, cinephiles, fanboys/girls, who are equally informed as the 1500 leaders surveyed by the AFI, but represent a completely different demographic. Therefore, the question will be answered – what are the fans’ top 100? Do scholars, historians and industry people think differently than fans?
I will keep the parameters the very close to the AFI’s guidelines with the exception of the shortlist. Four hundred films are too short of a shortlist to pick from. This is why the list was pretty much the same as ten years ago. And, who choose the top 400 anyway? Though the shortlist is available for reference and a reminder, voters are not obliged to stick to this.
Thus a ‘shadow list’ of the Top 100 American films will be compiled as chosen by the fans of the world.
How will it compare to the AFI list?
Any predictions?
Eligibility to vote is on the honour system, but I would preferably like to hear from cinephiles or fans who will have seen the majority of the films on the list.
So here are the rules:
1)Voting is first-come-first-serve. Just download the ballot and email it back to me – dailyfilmdose@hotmail.com
2)Voting will stop at 1500 entries or after 6 weeks, whichever comes first
3)You can only vote once
4)For demographic comparisons, please include your age and country of origin on the form.
Here’s the voting procedure:
1) Each person votes for up to 100 movies aided by using the official ballot attached below. There is NO need to rank the films.
2) You may include as many films as you want that are not on the 400 short list just as long as your total doesn’t exceed 100. These are called ‘write-in’ candidates. Write-ins must be feature-length American movies released in the United States before January 1, 2007
3) Ballots with votes for more than 100 movies – including write-in candidates- will not be counted.
4) Rank your five greatest American movies in order (#1 being your choice for the greatest American film of all time). This ranking system will be used for tie-breaking purposes only.
Click HERE to download the voting ballot. And email them back to me at dailyfilmdose@hotmail.com
HERE's the AFI Website, with all their lists.
Thanks,
Alan
Friday 6 July 2007
A CALL FOR VOTERS - THE FAN'S TOP 100 AMERICAN FILMS
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28 comments :
I'm just about to send my list! This is very exciting for me, since I was so disappointed with both the updated list and the AFI's dismissal of movies on their nominee ballot. I'm very excited.
This is great! Thanks for doing this!
Well, the absence of Lubitsch, Walsh or Anthony Mann is an example of the lack of precission of the Afi list.
I'll going to send my own list too
No more lists!
Why is the Lord of the Rings series on the AFI to begin with? Wasn't made with american crew or in america, but still finds a place in the AFI...the AMERICAN FILM INSTITUE!
Hi, I just e-mailed you my list. There's only about 60 movies on it, but it's the best I can do. I'd love to see the results!
I think one big problem with this list is that you allowed people to vote for all 3 lord of the rings films. Knowing how internet voters are going to favor the recent films, there's a chance that 2 or 3 of the LOTR trilogy will make the list and one or two more deserving films might be denied
Lubitsch was overrated.
sweet idea
Does anyone know when the results will be in?
He said it'll be done when he gets 1500 entries or in 6 weeks.
Great idea ...
I do think you should allow users to delete films off the list if the end up over 100 films ...
Difficult choices ...
Forgot to put Bull Durham in .. Not sure if Monty Python and the Holy Grail would be eligible ..
Have a guess the list will lean heavily to recent films...
But allowing editing would be a big improvement ...
I did 100 films and triple counted it ..
If this is supposed to be a list of American films, WHY are there so many here on the 400 that have virtually NOTHING to do with America? If they wanted to make it a list of 'English-speaking' films, OK, because presumably then Australian films would be eligible ;-) But Tom Jones is NOT an American film, Gandhi is NOT an American film, Last Tango in Paris is NOT an American film, Lawrence of Arabia and The Bridge on the River Kwai are NOT American films (I don't care if producer Sam Spiegel was based in Hollywood)- I could go on...it's ridiculous! Either the list is American or it's not!
should be interesting to see the results.... Ed
Is "Amadeus" an American film or merely a film starring American actors? As far as I'm concerned it should be on the top 100 list and #1 on the top musicals list. This film has everything! The acting, the direction, the script, the costumes, the sets, the cinematography, the musical score, and that MAGNIFICENT MOZART MUSIC--all overlooked by AFI's l,500 "professionals" and "critics" and superseded by too much fluff over substance.
To my understanding what makes a film "American" has more to do with the production company than anything else. Warner Brothers just released Letters From Iwo Jima last year which has virtually no lead actors who are American and the film is spoken almost entirely is Japanese. However this is an American film because it was produced by an American film company. All the films on and nominated by the AFI top 100 list follow this guideline (to the best of my knowledge) and I believe this is the deciding factor as to what makes a film an American film or not.
FYI by contrast would a film with an American director, American actors, and spoken in English yet filmed and produced in a Foreign country be an American film? I think not.
The issue of what constitutes an Being from Canada the issue of nationality of our films is always discussed. Generally it's decided by the how the film is developed or financed. So anonymous is correct. Warner Bros financed and owns the copyright (probably) for the film, therefore that makes it American.
But for the purposes of this secondary list we will be very flexible in that regard.
No Red River? The General from zero to No. 18? Raging Bull from No. 24 to No. 4? Vertigo from No. 61 to No. 9? The Searchers from 96 to 12? These are all radical. Your credibility is shot.
Hey Loknload,
I didn't create that list - the AFI did by a vote. So, it's not my fault The Searchers moved to #12. The point of my exercise above is to give regular movie goers a chance to make their own Fanlist.
Excellent website. Good work. Very useful. I will bookmark!
What's the status of the fanboy list?
Hey guys,
The Fanboy 100 has been tabulated. It's a good list, which I'm proud of. I think everyone will be happy.
I'm writing the article to accompany the list right now. It will be posted soon.
VeW2cz Your blog is great. Articles is interesting!
9nttsr Nice Article.
is it too late? what are the results of this wonderfully inventive idea?
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