UK's Empire - Top 500 Movies of all time

[Buccaneer]

Finally there is a top movies list I can readily agree with (at least the top 5). Godfather and Raiders are #1 and #2 on my personal all-time list. And I agree with the quip that it wasn't the overwrought, overrated Citizen Kane again.

The Godfather has topped the U.K.'s Empire magazine's list of the top 500 films of all time. Raiders of the Lost Ark came in at No 2, followed by The Empire Strikes Back, Shawshank Redemption and Jaws. The list was compiled from a vote by 150 directors, 50 film critics and more than 10,000 members of the public. A report about the Empire poll appearing on the BBC's website begins: "Well at least it wasn't Citizen Kane again."

[Big Fo]

Link to all 500 (http://www.empireonline.com/500/)

Sadly, it only shows a max of ten per page so there's a lot of clicking for anyone who wants to read the whole list.

Top 20:

1. The Godfather (1972)
2. Raiders Of The Lost Ark (1981)
3. Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
4. The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
5. Jaws (1975)
6. GoodFellas (1990)
7. Apocalypse Now (1979)
8. Singin' In The Rain (1952)
9. Pulp Fiction (1994)
10. Fight Club (1999)
11. Raging Bull (1980)
12. The Apartment (1960)
13. Chinatown (1974)
14. Once Upon A Time In The West (1968)
15. The Dark Knight (2007)
16. 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
17. Taxi Driver (1976)
18. Casablanca (1942)
19. Godfather Part II (1974)
20. Blade Runner (1982)


Among the top ten I've never seen The Godfather, Jaws, or Singin' In the Rain all the way through (and don't think I've heard of SItR) but I liked all the others. I know that I really ought to watch The Godfather one of these days...

fwiw Citizen Kane was #28

[MJ4H]

I'm assuming that is The Dark Knight from this year, not some movie I completely missed hearing about from last year?

[Buccaneer]

fwiw Citizen Kane was #28

That's cool. It seems like a lot of lists automatically put that in the top 2 because if they didn't, they get flamed by the noir folks.

Even though I really dislike some of the movies in the top 20, the only one I don't think should be there is #14 Once Upon A Time... As a big fan of spaghetti westerns, this was a Bruckheimer-like attempt at throwing everything in to make it bigger and badder.

[QuikSand]

Bucc, no offense, but *you* put Fight Club into the top handful of movies of all time? Or did you just miss that chance to wave your cane, and all? *shurg*

[Buccaneer]

Bucc, no offense, but *you* put Fight Club into the top handful of movies of all time? Or did you just miss that chance to wave your cane, and all? *shurg*

Lol, yeah, I missed that one. Old eyes and all... I would actually put Pulp Fiction in the bottom 20 but there are some people that would really get pissed off at that (namely Shorty).

[Izulde]

Nice to see Fight Club get some love. But Raiders of the Lost Ark #2? Shawshank Redemption #4? Not seeing it all.

No disputes about The Godfather at #1, though. Excellent choice.

[MikeVic]

You're right, Shawshank should be higher.

I'd like to see this list, but I'm not clicking every ten.

[Chief Rum]

That's cool. It seems like a lot of lists automatically put that in the top 2 because if they didn't, they get flamed by the noir folks.

Even though I really dislike some of the movies in the top 20, the only one I don't think should be there is #14 Once Upon A Time... As a big fan of spaghetti westerns, this was a Bruckheimer-like attempt at throwing everything in to make it bigger and badder.

Oh, man, Steve, you and I don't disagree often, but we do here. Once Upon A Time In The West is one of my favorite Westerns, and I would recommend it to anyone. Just to see Henry Fonda as a bad guy is worth it alone, not to mention Jason Robards as one of the more awesome Western characters I have ever seen (with his own music, to boot), and Charles Bronson playing one of his most memorable roles (only Magnificent Seven ranks higher, IMO, among his pre-vigilante days). The music and cinematography are fantasic for a 1968 movie, and I loved the epic feel. Claudia Cardinale was pretty hot, too. Even as a fan of the Good, the Bad and the Ugly and such, I still feel this movie is Leone's best spaghetti western.

Bronson's role was offered to Clint and to James Coburn before Chuck took it (interesting factoid).

This one's a 10/10 for me.

[Sgran]

"more than 10,000 members of the public"
that's all i need to know.