# Citizen Kane Still No. 1 on List of Best Movies



## Nesacat (Jun 21, 2007)

*Citizen Kane Still No. 1 on List of Best Movies*

*Citizen Kane* topped the list of the American Film Institute's top 100 movies, holding on to the lead spot 10 years after the list was first compiled.

The 1941 movie, written, directed and produced by Orson Welles when he was 25 years old, tells the story of newspaper tycoon Charles Foster Kane and his final word, 'Rosebud'. Welles also starred in the title role.

The American Film Institute, based in Los Angeles, updated its '100 Years...100 Movies' list issued in 1997, the 100th anniversary of the first motion picture. A jury of 1,500 film artists, critics and historians evaluated the movies based on their critical recognition, awards, lasting popularity, and historical and cultural significance, the institute said.

*The Godfather*, the first of Francis Ford Coppola's Mafia trilogy, ranked second, and* Casablanca*, the World War II drama starring Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman, took third place. *Raging Bull* and *Singin' in the Rain* were voted into the top five after ranking No. 24 and 10 on the 1997 list.
*
The Searchers*, a John Wayne western, climbed the most, to No. 12 from 96 in 1997, while *The African Queen*, one of Katharine Hepburn's three films on the list, fell to 65 from 17.

The film institute's rankings include four silent films: Buster Keaton's *The General* at No. 18, 1916's *Intolerance* at No. 49, and two Charlie Chaplin films, *The Gold Rush* at No. 58 and *Modern Times* at 78. Walt Disney Co's *Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs*, and *Toy Story*, are the only animated movies.

Among movies made in the last 10 years, only four made the list: *The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring* took the No. 50 spot; *Saving Private Ryan* came in at 71, *Titanic* ranked 83rd; and *The Sixth Sense*, made No. 89.

Nineteen other pictures were added to the list, bumping films such as *Dr. Zhivago, The Birth of a Nation, The Jazz Singer*, and *Frankenstein*.

Director Stephen Spielberg has the most films on the list, with five, including *Saving Private Ryan*. Actors Robert DeNiro and James Stewart star in the most films on the list, with five each, while actresses Hepburn, Faye Dunaway and Diane Keaton have three movies apiece. - Bloomberg


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## Connavar (Jun 21, 2007)

*Casbalanca* is the best ever to me.  

I dont see what is the fuss about *Saving Private Ryan*.  It isnt even the best WWII movie.


Sixth Sense deserves its place.

Good to see *Charlie Chaplin* movies in there, he was true comedy genius.


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## tangaloomababe (Jun 21, 2007)

I loved Dr Zhivago so I am a little sad its not there.  I have not seen Citizen Kane, mind you I keep meaning to to just havn't gotten around to it.  I am suprised that The Searchers is so high, its ok but I dont think it deserves the rating.
I agree with you Connavar I dont think Saving Private Ryan is much at all, not that I am into war movies anyway but in comparing that to others I have seen, I wouldnt have rated it in the top 100.

I am wondering if Ben Hur made the grade.  This is a fine movie made on a huge scale both in man power and sets and has stood the test of time as an excellent movies, nearly all actors were well cast in their roles with good old Charlton Heston doing a brilliant job as Ben Hur.
I personally cannot see humor in Charlie Chaplin, but this is strictly a personal view and there are many others who enjoy his work.
This will always be a debatable list as to what should or shouldn't be on because it is a personal choice thing.


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## Tillane (Jun 21, 2007)

_Titanic_?  In the top_ 100_?  What on earth were they thinking?

Hope *The Third Man* was up there somewhere.  Fabulous movie.


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## steve12553 (Jun 22, 2007)

I read through the list in the paper (I use the term loosely) and counted the films I'd seen. If my memory hasn't failed me I've seen 52 of the 100 movies on the list. I guess, statistically that make me average. It also means I wasted a few minutes counting titles on a list that doesn't reflect anything but the collective opinions of a group of people associated with that medium. I guess it's human nature to try to gauge one's self. At least they told me I was human. 



I'd always wondered about the feathers.


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## littlemissattitude (Jun 22, 2007)

I feel about _Citizen Kane_ about like how I feel about _Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band_: they're both groundbreaking as works of art in their respective fields, but neither one of them is "the best" in their categories.

I would have put _The Godfather_ first, and not just because it is one of my favorite films of all time.  It gives the feeling that Coppola and the cast jumped in a time machine and actually went on location back in time to make it, rather than having recreated the era of history in which it takes place.

I saw most of the show that presented the list last night, but I was doing some other things while I was watching, so I'd have to take a look at the list to see what sorts of changes I'd make.  I'm a bit disappointed that _The African Queen_ dropped so far on the list and that _Frankenstein_ was booted off the list, while _Titanic_ was given a place.

The most interesting thing about the show itself?  Especially in light of the main subject matter of this forum, I was very intersted to hear Richard Dreyfuss describe himself as an "alternate history freak"...but it does explain the book he co-authored (however that worked) with Harry Turtledove a while back.

I think I'm going to have to go have a look at that list.


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## Quokka (Jun 22, 2007)

I still havent seen _Citizen Kane_ but I will get around to it one day. As with _Some Like It Hot_ as best comedy I think they have topped the lists for so long they're not likely to change any time soon. Hopefully _12 Angry Men_ is still in the top 10 or 20 as its a great movie.

I think the two animated movies are a fair representation of the genre, although Mononoke-hime would have been a nice addition. I really shudder that _Titanic_ is in the list at all, its one movie I really can't stand. Was thinking about what other recent movies deserved to be on the list and IMDB has these as the top 9 from the 90's

The Shawshank Redemption
Pulp Fiction
Schindler's List
Goodfellers
The Usual Suspects
The Silence of the Lambs
Fight Club
The Matrix
American Beauty
I'd add Apollo 13 (1995) 

Any of which I would have been happy to take _Titanic_s place.


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## GOLLUM (Jun 22, 2007)

What about The Crow or Blade Runner, did it get a guernsey or how about Jesus Of Montreal?


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## littlemissattitude (Jun 22, 2007)

steve12553 said:


> If my memory hasn't failed me I've seen 52 of the 100 movies on the list. I guess, statistically that make me average.



I went and looked, and I've seen exactly half the films on the list.  If my memory serves, anyway.  Of the half of the list I haven't seen, there are two (_Psycho_ and _Rocky_) that I refuse to see.  I've see eight of the top ten (the ones I haven't seen are _Lawrence of Arabia_ and _Vertigo_), and 26 of the top 50.  So I guess I'm pretty average, as well.  This means that I've wasted time seeing some pretty poor films when I could have been watching classics.  I suppose.

I guess the biggest question I have is, why in the name of all that is holy is _Chinatown
_rated behind _It's A Wonderful Life_?  That's just nuts.


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## iansales (Jun 22, 2007)

Why would you refuse to see *Psycho*? It's a classic film.


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## Ragnar (Jun 22, 2007)

tangaloomababe said:


> I am wondering if Ben Hur made the grade.


 
Just. It scraped in at number 100.

2007 AFI list of top 100 movies - USATODAY.com


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## littlemissattitude (Jun 22, 2007)

iansales said:


> Why would you refuse to see *Psycho*? It's a classic film.



Because just seeing short clips from it freaked me out so much that I wouldn't take a shower without locking the door for awhile when I first saw a bit of the shower scene.  Same reason why I will never, ever watch the original _Night of the Living Dead_.  I was freaked out for two weeks after just seeing the previews at the theatre.


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## dustinzgirl (Jun 22, 2007)

I don't like most of those movies. Except, Casablanca, Dr. Zhivago, Raging Bull, Frankenstein, the original Snow White, and that's about it. Saving Private Ryan was boring as hell. African Queen and Kane take so loooong to watch....its not that they are long movies, they just take a long time to watch. 

By not like, I mean I have seen them a few times but wouldn't choose to watch them over and over again. 

Why didn't An Officer and a Gentleman make this list? I love that movie. The Deer Hunter, definetly a classic favorite of mine. Apocolypse Now should definetly be in the top 20. In The Year of The Pig is an excellent movie I caught on Bravo, but haven't seen or heard of it since. 

Another great movie I caught on Bravo was about women in a japanese war camp....Three Came Home...absolutely beatiful movie that will leave you crying. Which reminds me of Paradise Road, both great flicks about the often forgotten part of history and women in japanese war camps during WW 2, those should be in the top 50 because they show a part of history that is often forgotten and the women who faught to keep thier children and each other safe in war camps.


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## Connavar (Jun 22, 2007)

Ragnar said:


> Just. It scraped in at number 100.
> 
> 2007 AFI list of top 100 movies - USATODAY.com




It shows what crappy list it is.

Ben Hur is one of the best but movies like Titanic,Saving private Ryan and even Toy Story is before it.


Toy Story is the worst animated movie i have seen.


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## dustinzgirl (Jun 22, 2007)

Connavar of Rigante said:


> It shows what crappy list it is.
> 
> Ben Hur is one of the best but movies like Titanic,Saving private Ryan and even Toy Story is before it.
> 
> ...



I like toy story, but not that much! ben hur totally owns those three flicks. We should make our own top 100 list.


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## Connavar (Jun 22, 2007)

It looks like Toy Story they still have it in cause it was one of the first computer animated in hollywood.

Yeah our own list would be interesting to see what movies people think is the best.


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## tangaloomababe (Jun 22, 2007)

Have seen the full list and please to see Ben Hur was there, just.  Pleased with the inclusion of Shawshank and Blade Runner, I was a little suprised that they would have included Blade Runner but  pleased.  Much as I enjoyed Toy Story i dont think it deserves a top 100 place.
Rightfully Gone with the Wind was up in the top ten but I didnt see Metropolis there and that was for its time a pretty amazing film.
Still lists likes this will always be open to debate and your not going to please everyone.


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## Connavar (Jun 22, 2007)

OMG i just saw they didnt have The Good,The Bad and The Ugly by Sergio Leone.  How can what everyone think is one of the best western ever not be in the list?

If it wasnt italian it would be in top ten.......

Looks like people in IMDB has better taste then these guys.  It ranked 3 after Godfather  and Shawshank.


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