Best/most important 5 movies ever

[G. Leis]

Most important is very subjective and 5 isn't many, but here's my list (in no particular order):


The Birth of a Nation (1915). Still controversial after 95 years. I can't defend D.W. Grifith's favorable depiction of the KKK, but from a purely film making perspective, its influence is still felt today. It was the first commercially successful feature length Hollywood movie, introduced facial closeups, jump-cuts, high-angle shots and fadeouts. Tickets were $2 (about $45 in todays money), it cost $112,000 to produce and grossed $18 million, making it the most profitable film of all time up until 1937.

The Jazz Singer (1927) First feature-length 'talkie'

Fantasia (1940) Didn't make a profit for 29 years, but pretty much invented the concept of an animated feature. Visually stunning, a classical music score . . . and no dialog.

Citizen Kane (1941) WTF?, it's Citizen Kane!

Red River (1948) The prototypical Western

The Star Wars series (1977-2008) George Lucas keeps beating the horse waaaay past being dead, but his influence on special effects cannot be denied.



Now as to what I like, that's a whole 'nother thang [] :

2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
48 Hrs. (1982)
Alien (1979)
American Graffiti (1973)
Animal House (1978)
Apocalypse Now (1979)
Bang the Drum Slowly (1973)
The Big Lebowski (1998)
The Blues Brothers (1980)
Blazing Saddles (1974)
Bull Durham (1988)
The Deer Hunter (1978)
Full Metal Jacket (1987)
Good Will Hunting (1997)
The Godfather Part II (1974)
The Grapes of Wrath (1940)
Grand Prix (1966)
Kill Bill, Vol. 1 (2003)
The Last Picture Show (1971)
Pulp Fiction (1994)
Quest for Fire (1982)
Shooter (2007)
The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
The Usual Suspects (1995)
Unforgiven (1992)

And finally, tied for DFL. The 2 worst flicks ever made - so bad they're great - and both from Ed Wood: 'Plan 9 from Outer Space (1959)' and 'Glen or Glenda (1953)' [xx(] [xx(]





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