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Hey, Friends! I looked at the original 1998 AFI Top 100 films list today, and I seem to be working slowly through the list here on the channel (by myself or with Joe). I am hoping to get some input from you regarding the films I have not yet seen, in terms of how foundational and must-see the remaining films are (some of them are from old Hollywood, and I am unfamiliar with them at all). Thanks!#7 The Graduate (1967)#17 The African Queen (1951)#21 The Grapes of Wrath (1940)#23 The Maltese Falcon (1941)#24 Raging Bull (1980)#27 Bonnie and Clyde (1967)#35 It Happened One Night (1934)#36 Midnight Cowboy (1969)#37 The Best Years of Our Lives (1946)#43 King Kong (1933)#45 A Streetcar Named Desire (1951)#46 A Clockwork Orange (1971)#47 Taxi Driver (1976)#54 All Quiet on the Western Front (1930)#55 The Sound of Music (1965)#56 M*A*S*H* (1970)#57 The Third Man (1949)#58 Fantasia (1940)#59 Rebel Without a Cause (1955)#63 Stagecoach (1939)#68 An American in Paris (1951)#69 Shane (1953)#72 Ben-Hur (1959)#73 Wuthering Heights (1939)#74 The Gold Rush (1925)#76 City Lights (1931)#77 American Graffiti (1973)#80 The Wild Bunch (1969)#82 Giant (1956)#85 Duck Soup (1933)#86 Mutiny on the Bounty (1935)#87 Frankenstein (1931)#90 The Jazz Singer (1927)#92 A Place in the Sun (1951)#96 The Searchers (1956)#100 Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942)Note: The 2008 updated list also includes The General, Intolerance, Nashville, Sullivan's Travels, Spartacus, Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans, Swing Time, Sophie's Choice, and The Last Picture Show, which I have also not seen.

Comments

Allison O

My nonmusical foundational picks would be The Third Man and The African Queen. Classic noir, and classic Bogey and Hepburn. As a musicals nerd, An American in Paris is a must (more on the lines of Singin in the Rain, lots of abstract dance sequences) and The Sound of Music is just great fun.

Elizabeth Schnitzer

I love older movies and I would definitely recommend it happened one night, streetcar named desire, the third man and duck soup. All very different but fantastic movies that need to be seen

Erin Mileur

If you’re looking for a movie for Veterans Day you cannot go wrong with The Best Years of Our Lives or All Quiet On The Western Front.

streaky

There's an Oscar or two floating around in there :p Most of them I personally wouldn't *rewatch* by choice but..

jalen hill

We studied The Graduate for my college intro cinema storytelling course, so I'd definitely recommend it as a foundational pick. Personally, I'd love to see a Bonnie and Clyde, Frankenstein, Stagecoach, Streetcar and Midnight Cowboy.

JC

The Graduate holds up and is definitely a must-watch. Shane and Stagecoach are in many ways the quintessential westerns; so if that’s a genre you like, they are essential. I’d argue Duck Soup is the same kind of benchmark for political comedy/satire. The Maltese Falcon is pretty much the definitive film noir and a blueprint for the private eye archetype. A Streetcar Named Desire is a must-see just for Brando, IMO, he basically invents the modern approach to screen acting right in front of you. *edited because I can’t get formatting to work on my phone.

HereBeMeghan

My top nominations would be Sound of Music (#1), The Maltese Falcon, The Third Man, Bonnie & Clyde, The African Queen, and Taxi Driver (a recent first time watch for myself!). I remember seeing The Wild Bunch in a high school film class: it's a fascinating contrast to earlier Westerns and you can see its influence on modern ones that have realistic/theatrical violence. I haven't seen The Last Picture Show, but have heard good things and really been meaning to watch it myself.

Courtney

I haven’t seen a lot of these, so I’m looking forward to the comments here. It Happened One Night is the pioneer of the romcom, it’s charming and much funnier than I expected. A Streetcar Named Desire has ‘maybe’ lost a bit from being referenced and parodied so many times (although I hear Marlon Brando loved the Simpsons episode), but it’s still very worth a watch. Brando is outrageously good, brutal and repellent and magnetic all at once.

Jeff

Well, I think they're all Must-See at some point in your life, but for now I'm biased toward the older classics: The Maltese Falcon, It Happened One Night, The Third Man, Duck Soup, and Frankenstein, just to get you started.

Kristi Govertsen

They all seem pretty important in the history of film, but if I were to pick ten: The Sound of Music (a must watch if you haven’t seen it) The Graduate American Graffiti An American in Paris M*A*S*H Clockwork Orange (although I’m partial to the book over the movie) Midnight Cowboy Maltese Falcon Shane Mutiny on the Bounty Although, I don’t think you can go wrong with any of them🤷🏼‍♀️, and I can see why these all made the cut for the top 100.

Chris H.

I think there's a very strong argument that both The Graduate and Bonnie & Clyde represent two of the most important films in the history of modern cinema, and each played their respective roles in catalyzing the emergence of the 1960s counterculture/generation gap social conflict. It is also from those two films that New Hollywood -- already a glowing ember -- burst into life like a bonfire. All of which sounds very film nerdy of me, I know, I know. But also: both The Graduate and Bonnie and Clyde are incredibly entertaining , brilliantly crafted films.

dys

The African Queen is one of my mom's favorites (came out the year before she was born), it's not one I have much of an attachment to otherwise though. Similar for A Streetcar Named Desire and to a lesser extent Yankee Doodle Dandy. The Sound of Music I have a very deep emotional attachment to. Ben-Hur is one I watched in highschool Latin class when we were done with the course material one semester, iconic epic but it is super long. If I'm honest I find The Graduate pretty overrated, mainly elevated by the Simon & Garfunkel songs (and I deeply love Simon & Garfunkel, one of my mom's favorites that I do fully share).

Brian Harris

You gotta do The Graduate, Nashville, The Last Picture Show, Taxi Driver, and Streetcar. Hell, do all of them, but those are the ones that popped out as like, “He’s gotta see that right away.”

Clare Manion

You certainly can’t go wrong with any of these, but if you’re looking for notes… If you liked Singin’ In The Rain, you’ll love An American in Paris - everything about it is wonderful. The Best Years of Our Lives is an often overlooked masterpiece full of desperately important subject matter. Same for Grapes of Wrath. I forgot that Fantasia was on the list! It’s a fascinating watch, but all music, so probably an editing/copyright challenge.

acidnova

Definitely a lot of great movies on the list! I thought I'd add that if you watch A Streetcar Named Desire, that the script for the movie has one particular deviation from the play in a clear case of Hollywood censorship. One of Blanche's monologues is significantly different though I won't spoil it here. I really hope you do watch The General. I love Buster Keaton's movies!

Amelie W

My opinion is, a lot of these mentioned pictures are interesting as historical curiosities but you've got to really like movie history to enjoy sitting to watch them. A Clockwork Orange is a tremendous masterpiece, but it's Stanley Kubric so you probably already knew that. And it holds up, but it's definitely a document of a different time.

Nick Stark

I was just thinking about the Grapes of Wrath the other day and how long it’s been since I’ve watched. It’s one of Henry Fonda’s most memorable roles. Hmmm 🤔 that would make a nice connection with your last Insomnia Film (On Golden Pond). GRAPE’S of WRATH 🤓

I🖤Kraken

They are all such amazing films. My faves would be Mash, It Happened One Night, The Graduate, Sophie's Choice and American Graffiti. Just to add, Sophie's Choice is Meryl Streep's pinnacle of her career. One of the best acting performances I've ever seen in my entire life. Enjoy!

sharkey197

Movie fans such as yourself Must see SOUND OF MUSIC. BEN HUR is also a cinematic masterpiece on the chariot race alone. And MASH is a pivotal comedy from the 70's. Happy viewing!

arthistorian

Giant is one of my favorite films, but it's a long one. Still, the gorgeous imagery + Rock Hudson, Elizabeth Taylor, and James Dean is golden.

James B.

Given that everything is ostensibly good, I would watch the movies that help the most with pop culture references: Taxi Driver, The Graduate, etc. I seem to recall Buffy summers saying "Don't go Wild Bunch on me." It would be cool to know what that meant.

Ryan

The Best Years of Our Lives is the one I'd recommend the most, a movie you can't believe anyone had the guts to make at the time and it hasn't aged a day. Other big ones are King Kong, Ben Hur, and All Quiet on the Western Front.

Pam Nail

Short version: My top 3 picks of these would be It Happened One Night, Sound of Music, and Ben-Hur (though put on some coffee for the last one)/ Okay, *cracks knuckes* long version (no spoilers except some cast and genre)... The Graduate - I'm surprised it's that high. It's great, but (I feel) very much a product of its time. The African Queen - Classic adventure romance. Probably inspired Romancing the Stone and the like. The Grapes of Wrath - Never seen it, but I know it's among Henry Fonda's greatest roles. The Maltese Falcon - Pretty much THE film noir. Raging Bull - This one *and* Taxi Driver are essential Scorsese (and DeNiro) viewing. Bonnie and Clyde - Not my personal fave, but really signaled a shift in filmmaking trends. It Happened One Night - Blueprint for the rom-com as we know it today. Midnight Cowboy - Another movie very much of its time (IMO). The Best Years of Our Lives - Beautiful post-WW2 drama. They literally do not make movies like this anymore. King Kong - The invention of the creature feature. Streetcar Named Desire - Probably not everyone's cup of tea. It's fascinating to see Vivian Leigh in this compared to her role in Gone with the Wind. A Clockwork Orange - Probably Kubrick's wildest movie. Great, terrifying lead performance. All Quiet on the Western Front - This is great, and I actually prefer it to the more recent version. The Sound of Music - One of the best movie musicals ever. It will bless your life. M*A*S*H* - Never seen this. The Third Man - Maybe the greatest character reveal of all time. Fantasia - Great classic animation anthology. Some segments are more memorable than others. Rebel Without a Cause - Never seen this or Giant, but they're both iconic James Dean movies. Stagecoach - Great John Wayne western. I like his early stuff more than the 50s/60s movies. An American in Paris - A lot of people love this, but I have mixed feelings. I do love the musical numbers and the ballet. Shane - Never seen this. Ben-Hur - One of the top two or three epics ever made. Wuthering Heights - Romantic melodrama. I have to be in a certain mood for this one. The Gold Rush - Never seen this, but it has the famous dinner roll dance. City Lights - This might be Chaplin's most beloved movie. American Graffiti - Never seen all of this. Always struck me as another "moment in time" movie. The Wild Bunch - Hard turn for American westerns away from romanticized view of the West. Duck Soup - Peak Marx Brothers. Mutiny on the Bounty - Great drama, infuriating villain. Frankenstein - Horror Mount Rushmore. The Jazz Singer - Never seen it. A Place in the Sun - Beautiful tragic love story. The Searchers - One of the most highly regarded westerns. Is it racist or is it *about* racism? Yankee Doodle Dandy - Never seen it, but I think it you liked Gold Diggers of 1933, this is in the same vein.

Cristy

Sound of Music for sure! One of my all time faves.

Pam Nail

Of the new stuff, at least the ones I've seen... The General - One of the great silent movies. So much physical comedy. Nashville - Another "moment in time" movie, but a great one. Sullivan's Travels - Lovely comedy. "O Brother, Where Art Thou" gets its title from this movie. Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans - Interesting to watch for the filmmaking; depressing story. Sophie's Choice - Maybe the greatest film performance of all time. No exaggeration. Why Meryl is Meryl.

Sammy Fan

These are my top ten in order: Yankee Doodle Dandy (Good luck finding a digital copy). The African Queen, A Streetcar Named Desire, All Quiet on the Western Front, A Place in the Sun, American Graffiti, Intolerance, Sullivan's Travels, Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans, and A Clockwork Orange.

Actuarial Lurker

Kevin- I have seen AND think you should watch: 7, 24, 46, 47, 85 #7 The Graduate (1967) #24 Raging Bull (1980) #46 A Clockwork Orange (1971) #47 Taxi Driver (1976) #85 Duck Soup (1933) I have NOT seen, heard one should watch and would love to see: 21, 36, 37, 54, 86, 87 #21 The Grapes of Wrath (1940) #36 Midnight Cowboy (1969) #37 The Best Years of Our Lives (1946) #54 All Quiet on the Western Front (1930) #86 Mutiny on the Bounty (1935) #87 Frankenstein (1931) I HAVE seen these and think they're over-rated: 17, 23, 27, 43, 45, 55, 56, 59, 68, 72, 82, 100 #17 The African Queen (1951) #23 The Maltese Falcon (1941) #27 Bonnie and Clyde (1967) #43 King Kong (1933) #45 A Streetcar Named Desire (1951) #55 The Sound of Music (1965) #56 M*A*S*H* (1970) #59 Rebel Without a Cause (1955) #68 An American in Paris (1951) #72 Ben-Hur (1959) #82 Giant (1956) #100 Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942) Film 58 is problematic, Fantasia leaves copyright in 2036, its animated and a masterpiece worthy of being uncut on Patreon but completely unreleasable on YouTube since you'd need to splice it every 5 seconds ruining the animation to avoid copyright strikes. You may want to do it as a Patreon only item These I have not see and have no opinion on: 35, 57, 63, 69, 73, 74, 76, 77, 80, 90, 92, 96 #35 It Happened One Night (1934) #57 The Third Man (1949) #63 Stagecoach (1939) #69 Shane (1953) #73 Wuthering Heights (1939) #74 The Gold Rush (1925) #76 City Lights (1931) #77 American Graffiti (1973) #80 The Wild Bunch (1969) #90 The Jazz Singer (1927) #92 A Place in the Sun (1951) #96 The Searchers (1956) 2008 Update List: you should see: Sophie's Choice , The Last Picture Show, and The General Question: Intolerance was D W Griffith's rebuttal to outcry against the racist Klan movie Birth of a Nation- never saw it but it has historical significance for its cinematography, Spartacus was crappy in my opinion- a bad Ben Hur or Ten Commandments clone Just the opinion of one guy...

ScarlettMi

“It Happened One Night” is a foundational romantic-comedy. It’s what so many rom-coms would try to recapture and is the source of so many tropes of the genre. Also, the pop cultural impact of it can’t be understated. It’s also just a fun time and a great slice of life of the era.

Andy Schreiber

My recommendations would be Frankenstein, The Third Man, The Grapes of Wrath, Rebel Without A Cause, and Fantasia, but literally everything on this list is highly worth watching.

DelGuy03

Despite how we all kvetch about the AFI lists, this is still a list of very good movies, and rather than try to name all the good ones, I'll narrow it down to just my own personal favorites: * The Maltese Falcon -- the birth of "noir" as we talk about it now, with the perfect cast for it. * It Happened One Night -- from 1934, the birth of the romcom, again ideally cast. * The Sound of Music -- it's just unavoidable; there've been so many parodies or references to it, it's one of those formative bits of pop culture, and awfully hard to resist. * The Third Man -- a nifty little masterpiece of suspense drama, directed by a master. * Stagecoach -- I'm not much of a Westerns fan, but I love this (partly because it's kind of another genre entirely). * Nashville -- a masterpiece that's also wonderfully entertaining, a collage of 24 characters and their various lives during a few days in Nashville, with great performances & songs. * Swing Time -- For me, the peak of the Fred Astaire / Ginger Rogers musical movies. * The Last Picture Show -- A really fine novel adaptation: boys growing up in a Texas town around 1950, and the joys and disappointments they face. Also the first big-studio movie to be made in black & white "on purpose" after they stopped being made 5 years earlier.

Actuarial Lurker

Hot takes: I think Brando and Dean are horrible over-emoting idiots and that after Godfather parts 1 and 2 Pacino became a screaming idiot shouting his way through every film treating each part as the same role as the last film... De Niro, Gary Oldman, Ledger, Bale and Joaquin Phoenix are brilliant at it so there IS SOMETHING to Method Acting but IMHO frankly other "legendary" Method Actors just suck...or are one hit wonders with 1-2 great films and then coast on their reputations But I'm a Math and Science geek who likes film and not an arts guy so maybe many of the actors, film buffs etc who are Patrons think I'm crazy....

Kt B

I hate to say it, but they’re all on the top 100 list for a reason. If it helps, for context, the list is kind of shorthand for most influential films on the industry. Of course, quality, cultural impact, and general artistry are all part of the equation, but some of these films are more important for cinephiles to see because of their primacy and historical influence on the medium than for their enduring narrative merit and emotional impact. Film students and people trying to break into the industry must see all of them. I would argue that there are a number of older films that can be skipped if you aren’t interested in that angle. There are some black and white films that are still essential, but not all of them are as impactful as they once were.

Toc

Work your way through them, absolutely! The other channel I'm subscribed to (Ames) I'm there because she did the AFI list, and now is doing the AFI Thriller list. Most of those are totally worthy and I'd LOVE to see your reactions to. I'd do the 2008 list over the original list (Sunrise, The General, Sophie's Choice, Sullivan's Travels, Nashville, Last Picture Show........all essential, majorly.) The three you could put off are the two D.W. Griffith's and The Jazz Singer. There are lots of fantastic movies from the early decades of movies, and those are worth seeing if not only for historical purposes, but only after you know more about the early history of movies, because only then can one understand tangibly how "groundbreaking" they are. Other than that? Watch 'em all!!!! I'll watch every single one of them with you!

Statmanjeff

Much much better than your Movies That Helped Define a Decade poll: As to King Kong, The Sound of Music, Spartacus, Yankee Doodle Dandy, and even Frankenstein — God, yes. Yes, yes, yes. As to The African Queen, It Happened One Night, City Lights, The Gold Rush, Duck Soup, and The General — yes. As to The Graduate, The Grapes of Wrath, Bonnie and Clyde, The Third Man, American Graffiti, and The Searchers — many admire them greatly but I never saw what the big whoop was all about. As to Raging Bull, Sophie's Choice, A Clockwork Orange — I saw once and never cared to see again (for Sophie's Choice because it was memorable but so dramatically painful; for A Clockwork Orange because it was too painfully realistic. Raging Bull was a big who cares.) As to The Maltese Falcon, I thought it was okay but that I’d first seen it well past its era and too many decades away from its biggest point of appeal. For Fantasia, nice effort but didn’t think all of it worked. (Makes me think of the Warner Brothers/Oscar nominated Looney Tunes 1960 cartoon short High Note.)

rtt143

Raging Bull please voted best movie of the 80s

Kt B

For specifics, here are my recs: I second the others saying The Sound of Music, The African Queen, and The Maltese Falcon. Point of interest, Kate Hepburn wrote an autobiographical book about her experience making The African Queen, and it’s an absolute hoot (and a quick read). I’ll also put in my two cents for All Quiet on the Western Front, Sophie’s Choice, and Fantasia. Ever since you started watching old Disney movies, I have desperately wanted you to watch Fantasia. It’s like no other; it’s like a night at the symphony, but elevated. The animation is sublime. If your heart has even a little space for classical music, it’ll be a worthwhile watch.

trenton gragg

Giant, one my favorite films. One of the great “what if’s” in Hollywood, what would the next twenty years of James Dean career have been. American Graffiti is one the great “one night” films. It’s also a great double feature with Dazed and Confused.

Anna

The Sound of Music and Raging Bull are the ones that really stuck out to me

Jontor11

Must see movies on the list would imo be: The African queen The Maltese falcon Midnight cowboy The best years of my life All quiet on the western front The sound of music The third man Stagecoach Ben Hur Duck soup Mutiny on the bounty A place in the sun I loved all of these...but was blown away by 'All quiet on the western front'.

John Marnell

I haven't seen a lot of these but I can at least vouch for Taxi Driver, Sound of Music, and Fantasia as being valuable watches. And if you're gonna do Fantasia, it's worthwhile to add Fantasia 2000 to the list as well.

Toc

Let's do these right! You should group them together for maximum film education! Bonnie And Clyde (1967-09) The Graduate (1967-12) Midnight Cowboy (1969) These three movies should be watched in this order. Bonnie And Clyde and The Graduate are almost always cited as the dividing line, the beginning of the "70s" era, the end of the Hayes Code, etc etc. For maximum impact, might as well just proceed chronologically with the 70s masterpieces: MASH (1970) The Last Picture Show (1971) A Clockwork Orange (1971) American Graffiti (1973) Nashville (1975) Taxi Driver (1976) Raging Bull (1980) Sophie's Choice (1982) Speaking of dividing lines, Raging Bull and Sophie's Choice completely changed acting, first for male actors, then for females. Thirty years earlier....... A Place In The Sun (1951) A Streetcar Named Desire (1951) Rebel Without A Cause (1953) Giant (1955) Before De Niro or Streep, Brando, Montgomery Clift and James Dean changed the game with "the method". "Streetcar Named Desire" is THE dividing line, but Clift was onscreen first. Speaking of dividing lines in movie history: Frankenstein (1931) King Kong (1933) Clark Gable It Happened One Night (1934) Mutiny On The Bounty (1935) Humphrey Bogart The Maltese Falcon (1941) The African Queen (1951) John Wayne/John Ford Stagecoach (1939) The Searchers (1952) (Then watch The Grapes Of Wrath, also directed by John Ford) Further evolution of the western Shane (1955) The Wild Bunch (1968) Evolution of comedy masterpieces! The Gold Rush (1925) The General (1927) City Lights (1931) Duck Soup (1933) Sullivan's Travels (1941) The effects of war in three completely different masterpieces All Quiet On The Western Front (1930) The Best Years Of Our Lives (1946) The Third Man (1947) Serious romance: Sunrise (1927) Wuthering Heights (1939) Oh, and musicals! Evolution of musicals!: The Jazz Singer (1927), Swing Time (1936), Fantasia (1941),Yankee Doodle Dandy (1943), An American In Paris (1951) and The Sound Of Music (1965)! Oh, and epic Biblicals: Ben Hur (1959) and Spartacus (1960). Voila! I think that accounts for most of them! I think you'll get the most out of ALL of these movies if you group them this way!!

Carl Wilson

I mean, literally every one of these films is important and worth watching, which is why they are on the list. Though I imagine maybe the silent films would be a bit far out for the channel? (On the other hand, a reactor's dream, as you can talk over them without hazard!) Selfishly I'd be most happy to join you watching the ones I haven't seen. In order of preference I'd start with Swing Time, Yankee Doodle Dandy, and The Best Years of Our Lives. I'm not counting The Sound of Music, which it's so improbable I've managed to get through half a century without watching that I intend never to watch it just out sheer perversity. (I feel like I know more than enough about it without doing so.) But that's not what you asked. So, of the ones I *have seen - I think I've been urging you to see It Happened One Night for awhile, and The Maltese Falcon really is indispensable. The Third Man, The African Queen, and Duck Soup too. Buster Keaton would probably blow your minds in The General! Would Sullivan's Travels be your initiation into the world of Preston Sturges? If so, gotta do that. But again, you can't go too far wrong.

Carl Wilson

(Click on the "1 to 250" button to see the list from the top.)

Carl Wilson

I'd pick The Searchers above the other westerns, though I admit that might be because I don't like westerns much and it's an outlier, almost an anti-western. Hugely influential on other directors though.

Naomi Bronner

Putting in my vote for The Sound of Music

Daniel Andersen

Ben-Hur is just as awesome as you would think it is. I just can't watch it because of Heston because of his affiliation with the NRA.

Carl Wilson

A lot of the people who are held up as the big examples of "Method" are the showy extremists, who are definitely not to everyone's taste. (I like Brando and Dean, but in small doses.) But the fact is that the basics of Stanislavski and his American proponents are part of pretty much all American actors' toolkit now - how people break down characters in order to understand their psychology, relate to them, and consider their motivations and intentions. For details you could look to Isaac Butler's recent book called The Method: How the Twentieth Century Learned to Act, or some of his interviews and pieces about it, like this one: https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2022/02/07/how-the-method-made-acting-modern

danzthename

The Sound of Music would be at the top of my list. But there are a lot of good ones there.

Ben Gilbert

The Last Picture Show would be a great choice. It was nominated for 8 Academy Awards, with Cloris Leachman and Ben Johnson both winning supporting actor Oscars. It also stars Timothy Bottoms, Jeff Bridges, Cybill Shepherd, Eileen Brennan, and Ellen Burstyn. It’s a great coming of age tale about high schoolers in a dying Texas town. It’s based on a Larry McMurtry novel. As an aside, you could do worse than reacting to the western miniseries Lonesome Dove with Robert Duvall, Tommy Lee Jones and Diane Lane. It was one of the best things on TV in the late 80s. It was based on the Pulitzer Prize winning novel by Larry McMurtry.

Kathy A

The African Queen—Katherine Hepburn and Humphrey Bogart together at last. They have amazing chemistry together! The Maltese Falcon—quintessential noir with not just Bogart, but also the amazing Peter Lorre and Sidney Greenstreet, and Mary Astor. Bonnie and Clyde—a very influential film, with incredible performances. It Happened One Night—wonderful comedy! The first film to win the big five Oscars (Picture, Director, Actor, Actress, and Screenplay) The Sound of Music—an iconic musical and required viewing! It was the first musical I remember seeing in the theater, when I was around 5 (in a rerelease). M*A*S*H*—first big studio film to include the word “fuck”. Stagecoach—a fantastic Western that made John Wayne a star. Another required viewing! Yankee Doodle Dandy—I love this film just for James Cagney in a rare musical, showing off his considerable dancing abilities. He actually changed his dancing style to match that of his character, the Broadway star George Cohan. The General—peak Buster Keaton!

Actuarial Lurker

Thanks for the reference, I will look these up ...as a big film fan I understand that one needs to familiarize themselves with the subject like De Niro driving a cab to learn what being a cab driver is like or Phoenix "becoming" Johnny Cash or gaining or losing SOME weight to look like the character Not being an actor I never got the people like Heath Ledger who drove themselves to insanity and death for a role like the Joker...I always think of Olivier saying to Dustin Hoffman during Marathon Man "why don't you just try acting?"

kosmickrab

The Third Man is a must!

Tara

Here to 2nd ‘It happened one night’ as foundational to an entire genre as well as a fascinating depiction of cultural history and an extremely fun yarn!

Ben Gilbert

I have to agree with you about Dean in Rebel Without a Cause. I haven’t seen him in anything else. There are some other good things about the movie though. From what I’ve seen, Brando was a better actor when he has the right part.

Hu Main

You’ll want to see/enjoy seeing: The Graduate (1967) The African Queen (1951) The Maltese Falcon (1941) Bonnie and Clyde (1967) The Sound of Music (1965) M*A*S*H* (1970) The Third Man (1949) Fantasia (1940) City Lights (1931) Duck Soup (1933) Also should see: The Grapes of Wrath (1940) Raging Bull (1980) Midnight Cowboy (1969) A Streetcar Named Desire (1951) A Clockwork Orange (1971) Taxi Driver (1976) The Best Years of Our Lives (1946) An American in Paris (1951)

Lola Lirola

Duck Soup is still a masterpiece of fast-paced delirious comedy and I can't believe it's almost 100 years old! It feels modern

Lola Lirola

Well, I found myself nodding and agreeing with all of this, so I guess I'll just say "ditto" and save myself a long comment basically repeating it! 😅

Guy Francisco Polin

These are my picks for those movies I'd post on my "wall of shame" for not having seen: THE GRADUATE BONNIE AND CLYDE MIDNIGHT COWBOY A CLOCKWORK ORANGE TAXI DRIVER THE SOUND OF MUSIC AMERICAN GRAFFITI

Isaacblue72

It Happened One Night, The Third Man, and Taxi Driver are all movies that are the best versions of what their genres were at the time they were made. Importantly though, be nice to yourself: watch The Sound of Music

Barbara Panigot

Must see movies include The Graduate, The Sound of Music, M*A*S*H, and American Graffiti. 😃😃

vala p

There's quite a lot of heavy emotions left on that list. I will say that A Place in the Sun made me want to punch someone in the face after watching it which means it was an impactful movie even if it wasn't a fun one. And wow was everyone in that movie just beautiful.

Liv Heskett

A clockwork orange is wild. One of my faves. Def not for the faint of heart. Def gotta see it at least once. The graduate and the sound of music are also must see.

elle

Hello! I agree that most of these are 'milestones' (although I do question Yankee Doodle Dandy being on this list at all LOL) and worth seeing. However, some are must-see: Worth seeing first: #17 The African Queen (1951) #23 The Maltese Falcon (1941) #35 It Happened One Night (1934) #45 A Streetcar Named Desire (1951) #55 The Sound of Music (1965) #56 M*A*S*H* (1970) #77 American Graffiti (1973)

Daniel Bickermann

I'm actually a film scholar and massive fan of old movies, but (without wanting to insult anyone) there is a lot of filler on this list - most of the Westerns and Musicals and dramas from he 30s and 40s on this list haven't aged great... the silent classics are amazing (#74 and #76 by Chaplin, plus The General by Keaton, all of them a lot of fun and brillant), the New Hollywood 60s/70s are very watchable and will give you a lot to discuss (I chose to support your channel because I think you guys are genuinely smart people with interesting takes and disucssions), so #7, #27, #36, #46, #80, The Last Picture Show, Nashville and especially #56 and #46 will all be super interesting social commentary and controversy. Personally my favourites would be the Screwball comedies, with #85 not strictly one but tonally, #35 an all-time classic of the genre and Sullivan's Travels... well, that was (like all of Sturges) almost forgotten for decades and is still being redeiscovered, and Sullivan's Travels is one of my Top Five all time, next to hard-hitting masterpieces from all eras and continents, so this one is my biggest recommendation.

Comic_Sams

IT HAPPENED ONE NIGHT is an EXCELLENT screwball comedy, maybe the platonic ideal of the form. TAXI DRIVER is iconic for a reason and will surprise you. Same for REBEL WITHOUT A CAUSE. And THIRD MAN bc it’s gorgeous and we all need more Orson Welles.

Abby T W

I think all of them are worth it, but the following are the ones I think are the best: #7 The Graduate (1967) #23 The Maltese Falcon (1941) #35 It Happened One Night (1934) #47 Taxi Driver (1976) -- I wouldn't say I necessarily *enjoy* this movie, but it is very very influential in a lot of other films so I'd say it's an important one. #55 The Sound of Music (1965) #58 Fantasia (1940) #76 City Lights (1931) ***#85 Duck Soup (1933) -- Truly one of the best screwball comedies ever made * The General is also one of my faves!!

Claire Eyles

Just a heads up, I'm going to be making a case for my choices individually or else I'll run out of room. All Quiet on The Western Front (1930) This is a must see film. The acting is very much of its time, but considering there were a lot of German WW1 veterans as either bit players or advisers on the film, it's about as accurate a portrayal of WWI as you're going to get in an English language film (recommendations also for WestFront 1918, Wooden Crosses, Die Andere Seite, and J'Accuse). The actual war scenes are frenetic, realistic, and at times brutal for the era it was filmed in. The film actually has the guts to show the effects of repeated bombings and shell shock. There is mis en scene and props used to show the insanity of war. It's just an overall brilliant film, that I think everyone needs to see at least once in their lifetime. (please note I can get copies of any of these films for you if required, just ask)

Claire Eyles

The Maltese Falcon: Classic Bogart, wonderful use of Chiaroscuro lighting, an admittedly somewhat convoluted plot that still holds ones attention, and some excellent examples of getting around the censors with some rather brilliant queer coding. There's several reasons this became the classic that it is. Another must see at least once from me.

Claire Eyles

Midnight Cowboy: First X rated film to win an academy award. Brilliant performances all round, especially from Dustin "I'm walking here" Hoffman. Deals with themes of trauma, dreams of a better life, friendship and male prostitution. Semi ground breaking for its time. Another must see at least once in a lifetime.

Claire Eyles

King Kong 1933 Worth seeing for Willis O'Brien's ground breaking stop motion work, that went on to inspire the legendary Ray Harryhausen.

Claire Eyles

Taxi Driver 1976 Absolute classic film with stand out performances by De Niro and Jodie Foster, plus makeup by Dick Smith. Gorgeously filmed, with New York itself almost becoming a character of its own. A definite must see.

Claire Eyles

The Third Man: Another brilliant example of Chiaroscuro lighting usage, and camera angles in an excellent film noir. Worth seeing for the fantastic cinematography alone.

Claire Eyles

Fantasia: I adore this film and up until a few years ago I had never missed a theatrical screening since I was 3 years old. One of the first films to show what could really be done in terms of animation. This needs to be seen at least once for the pure innovation and experimentation it bought to the animated film.

Claire Eyles

An American in Paris: Gene Kelly choreographs and performs a 15 minute ballet sequence within the film, Studio is hesitant and worries the film will flop, film goes on to win best picture. Enough said, but also let me reiterate 'Gene Kelly!'

Claire Eyles

Frankenstein 1931: Wonderful early American production example of the influence of German Expressionism. Wonderful performance by Boris Karloff as the Monster. Iconic makeup design by Jack Pierce. See it at least once.

Skinny_Obelix

The General is a must watch, and not just for it's significance in movie history, it's just a good movie. Taxi Driver will have a lot of afterthought, but can be a one watch only type of movie. It's one of those movies that attracts the wrong people for the wrong reasons, but in my opinion a must watch. Expect a shitstorm in the youtube comments though. But both the style and story, and performance are reaction worthy. Probably better with both of you watching. Then you have the movies I really like but are just a good watch: Sound of Music, Ben Hur, Spartacus, Stagecoach, City Lights, Grapes of Wrath, African Queen, Raging Bull, The Maltese Falcon. The only one I really didn't like is A clockwork Orange, that's not why I watch movies, but I get that this is very personal to me.

Just Lily

If you keep somehwere any additional recommendations, I would like to add to your old Hollywood list the following Leave Her to Heaven 1945 Rear Window 1954 Judgment at Nuremberg 1961 Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? 1966 The Night of the Hunter 1955 The Children’s Hour 1961 Gaslight 1944 His Girl Friday 1940 Harvey 1950 Funny Girl 1968 Arsenic and Old Lace 1944 Holiday 1938 The Thin man sequels Shadow of a Doubt 1943 The Ghost and Mrs. Muir 1947 Cape Fear 1962 How to Steal a Million 1966 Gentlemen Prefer Blondes 1953 The Asphalt Jungle 1950 How to Marry a Millionaire 1953 Room for One More 1952 The Lady Vanishes 1938 Lady on a Train 1945 Come September 1961 Strangers on a Train 1951 The Man Who Came to Dinner 1941 Gilda 1946 Hello, Dolly! 1969 Romance on the High Seas 1948 A Letter to Three Wives 1949 Sleuth 1972 The Barefoot Contessa 1954

Philine Trnka

Being from Vienna I definitely have to say The Third Man. Timless classic that holds up well. Ben Hur is still impressive as well.

BrummaGen

The fact that you've not seen any of these surprises me, as you both seem so 'well read' in films compared to me. Maybe as I'm of an older generation, and despite no streaming, DVDs or even VHS for most of my youth I would have seen quite a few of the older films on this list as they were regularly on TV in the 70s. Some others that I"d missed I eventually saw in the 2000s when I worked my way through a similar list. The one I've seen most often is The Sound of Music, as in my childhood my family used to go to a screening of this every year at Christmas in a small local cinema. It's definitely one you should both see. I have fond childhood memories of watching and rewatching Fantasia - I think my Dad must have hired a copy to do a home screening as this was before VHS but well after its release. I'd recommend the Maltese Falcon, the African Queen and the Third Man among many others. Midnight Cowboy - only seen it once but left a lasting impression. The Graduate great for its soundtrack (not so good for a reaction video from that point of view). Your list has reminded me of quite a few I still have not seen - an incentive to keep subscribing and watch the uncut versions along with you if/when you get round to them.

Dani

Oh some of my favorites left on that list is Giant, Streetcar, Taxi Driver, The Searchers, and The Sound of Music. Can't wait for you to get through some more! They're all top notch films, obviously.

Veronica Chennell

Absoute musts are The African Queen and It Happened One Night! Would love to see your thoughts on those!

Martin Kelly

This is a great list - Nashville is the Altman masterpiece even though MASH is more well known. I would skip MASH and do Nashville

Martin Kelly

I agree with most of your comments. My list is #7 The Graduate (1967) #35 It Happened One Night (1934) #36 Midnight Cowboy (1969) #37 The Best Years of Our Lives (1946) #47 Taxi Driver (1976) #68 An American in Paris (1951) #77 American Graffiti (1973) Nashville Sullivan's Travels The Last Picture Show