For those who came in recently: Each week I’m comparing the American Film Institute’s (“The Scholar’s”) Top 100 films against the Internet Movie Database’s (“The Masses’”) Top 100 films.
So last week’s
Sunday Showdown didn’t happen. I blame it on yet another three hour long war movie. Seriously, this makes about
five now – or at least it feels like it.
When I saw the running time on Das
Boot, I kept putting it off and putting it off. I even thought about
cheating…only watching part of the movie to get a general gist of it.
I’m happy to
report that the better angels of my movie nature prevailed. I watched Das
Boot in all its director’s cut epicness. And I’m glad I did, for the most
part. If you haven’t seen it, it’s about
a Nazi submarine crew. It’s directed by Wolfgang Petersen, of Air Force One and The Perfect Storm fame.
I am not
much for war-time intrigue or, really, war-time anything. But I must admit that
Das Boot captured the utter claustrophobia
of submarine life pretty darn well. Definitely enough to make me feel panicked
just watching it. I had to go open a window.
But perhaps
the film’s greatest feat is that it makes you forget that the submarine crew
you begin to root for half way through the movie are actually Nazis. You cheer
for their victory as they sink ships until you remember – oh wait, that was our side they just sunk. Damn Nazis.
Good for you.
And the end
is brilliant. Because they are, after all, Nazis.
All that
compared to… Cabaret. You know, the Broadway musical about the gay
guy and the straight girl and the singing and dancing and the…Nazis. I’ll admit
Bob Fosse’s classic is not my favorite.
Compared to what Rob Marshall did with Chicago, I believe Cabaret
leaves a lot to be desired. It’s jerky and choppy and, well,…sing-songy.
So, mark
this day in your calendar. The drama major – who loves musical theatre – picks a
war film over a classic musical: Das Boot
over Cabaret. Damn Nazis. Good for you.
AFI’s Top 100
|
IMDb’s Top 100 (as of 1/1/12)
|
|
#58
|
The
Gold Rush (1925)
|
Memento (2000)
|
#63
|
Cabaret (1972)
|
Das
Boot (1981)
|
#64
|
Network (1976)
|
The Third Man (1949)
|
#65
|
The
African Queen (1951)
|
L.A. Confidential (1997)
|
#66
|
Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
|
Reservoir Dogs (1992)
|
#67
|
Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1966)
|
Chinatown
(1974)
|
#68
|
Unforgiven (1992)
|
The
Treasure of Sierra Madre (1948)
|
#69
|
Tootsie (1982)
|
Modern
Times (1936)
|
#70
|
A Clockwork Orange (1971)
|
Life
is Beautiful (1997)
|
#71
|
Saving
Private Ryan (1998)
|
Monty Python & the Holy Grail
(1975)
|
#72
|
The
Shawshank Redemption (1994)
|
Back to the Future (1985)
|
#73
|
Butch
Cassidy & the Sundance Kid (1969)
|
The Prestige (2006)
|
#74
|
Silence
of the Lambs (1991)
|
Pan’s Labyrinth (2006)
|
#75
|
In the Heat of the Night (1967)
|
Raging
Bull (1980)
|
#76
|
Forrest Gump (1994)
|
Cinema
Paradiso (1988)
|
#77
|
All the President’s Men (1976)
|
Singing
In the Rain (1952)
|
#78
|
Modern Times (1936)
|
Some
Like it Hot (1959)
|
#79
|
The Wild Bunch (1969)
|
The
Bridge on the River Kwai (1957)
|
#80
|
The Apartment (1960)
|
Rashomon
(1950)
|
#81
|
Spartacus (1960)
|
All
About Eve (1950)
|
#82
|
Sunrise:
A Song of Two Humans (1927)
|
Amadeus (1984)
|
#83
|
Titanic
(1997)
|
Once Upon A Time in America (1984)
|
#84
|
Easy Rider (1969)
|
The
Green Mile (1999)
|
#85
|
A Night at the Opera (1935)
|
Full
Metal Jacket (1987)
|
#86
|
Platoon
(1986)
|
2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
|
#87
|
12 Angry Men (1957)
|
Inglorious
Basterds (2009)
|
#88
|
Bringing
Up Baby (1938)
|
The Great Dictator (1940)
|
#89
|
Sixth
Sense (1999)
|
Braveheart (1995)
|
#90
|
Swing Time (1936)
|
The
Bicycle Thief (1948)
|
#91
|
Sophie’s
Choice (1982)
|
The Apartment (1960)
|
#92
|
Up
(2009)
|
Goodfellas (1990)
|
#93
|
The
French Connection (1971)
|
Downfall (2004)
|
#94
|
Pulp
Fiction (1994)
|
Gran Torino (2008)
|
#95
|
The Last Picture Show (1971)
|
Metropolis
(1927)
|
#96
|
Do
The Right Thing (1989)
|
The Sting (1973)
|
#97
|
Blade
Runner (1982)
|
Gladiator (2000)
|
#98
|
Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942)
|
The
Maltese Falcon (1941)
|
#99
|
Toy
Story (1995)
|
Unforgiven (1992)
|
#100
|
Ben
Hur (1959)
|
The Elephant Man (1980)
|
So the score
stands AFI – 21 to IMDb – 18. Next week is American
Graffiti vs. Requiem for a Dream.
I would’ve sworn nobody could traumatize me more than George Lucas has…but have
you seen Requiem?
No comments:
Post a Comment