Alright, we’re at the end of round one with a final set of 10 films. For background on this series, click here.
By the way, “Jaws,” “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” and “Toy Story” were the survivors from the last round. Have your say in the left sidebar by picking up to three films to move on and join the 17 waiting the next round!
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12 responses to “POLL: the most influential films of all time, round one, part six”
Bicycle Thief, Man With A Movie Camera and The Wizard of Oz.
Bicycle Thief was the epitomy of new-wave in Italian and world cinema (together with Battle of Algiers) and still stands up as a powerful piece of cinema today.
Man With A Movie Camera revolutionised editing and documentary film.
The Wizard of Oz, well, it’s still regarded as an essential classic and continues to enchant people to this day.
I agree with you on 100% on Man with a Movie Camera and Wizard of Oz.
Sadly I’m out of the loop on Bicycle Thief. I’ll be looking to rent that sometime this week.
So The Wizard of Oz is well liked and not dated but what has it influenced?
WIZARD OF OZ is the most referenced movie of all time. I’m not going to provide of list–just believe it. PSYCHO is an obvious film influence, and deserves to be #1 on this list. But MAN WITH A MOVIE CAMERA, whether anyone has seen it or knows of it, is certainly #2, regardless of how this popularity contest comes out. I’ve been very dissappointed in the slanted vote results of this ongoing project (EASY RIDER doesn’t make it–I mean, I don’t care for the movie, but it’s undeniably influential). However, as an ongoing voter, I promise to stand by the results.
I’ve liked the whole poll thing but i’m dissapointed that people aren’t voting for ballsier choices. I mean many of the top picks are obvious choices, that’s not to say they aren’t influential…but I people should consider the less obvious ones more. Was it round Battleship Potemkin didn’t make the cut whereas BOTH the first and second Godfather have made it in?
Potemkin actually made it, thankfully.
My votes in this round, by the way: Psycho, Bicycle Thief, Man With a Movie Camera.
I agree with what Chris Weitz says around the 1:50 point of this video. watch the whole thing, though. I think his worries can sometimes be seen in these poll results.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gzXdAiub3ns&feature=channel_page
“Psycho” and “Annie Hall” because they revolutionised entire genres that still get mimicked today. I also chose “King Kong” because it spawned what we know as “the monster movie”. May not have been the first, but definitely the biggest and the one most cite as the most influential.
Again, I’m taking “influential” to mean how they influenced the films that get made whereas others are taking it to mean how they ARE made. Nothing wrong that the latter, I just think that more people would have been influenced to make film by watching something like “Halloween” than by noticing some really great editing in a classic like “Man with a Movie Camera”, but that’s just me…
Still waiting for a Wizard of Oz explanation.
I chose the following:
Pinocchio: While Snow White had it’s dark moments, Pinocchio scared the crap out of me as a little kid with it showing what happens when you lie. Watching the 70th AE DVD a little while ago, I was surprised how dark in tone it is.
Raging Bull: Influenced sports movies, in particular boxing movies, by showing that you didn’t have to stay outside of the ring and could change the dimensions of the playing field to suit your shots.
Psycho: Before this movie, one could assume that the stars would survive to the end of the movie. After this movie, not so much. Also, the shower scene is a masterful piece on how to create the illusion of so much more happening onscreen than what actually does happen.
Chad: Haven’t you heard? Just because a film is the most referenced film of all time it means it’s one of the most influential. So says the guy with this proclamation on his site, anyway:
“Fill your life with only great movies. How? Get passionate film picks from an expert who’s seen over 30,000 titles! Sharpen your love of cinema here!”
Like, duh.