A few ballots came in right at the end, so there’s enough for a Top 52--everything above that got multiple votes (a couple with only two, but the rest with between 3-12). I think I can milk this for three days: #51 (tie) to #36 today, #35 to #21 tomorrow, the top 20 on Wednesday.
There were 23 voters, 419 votes in total, and 168 films listed. All but a couple of ballots designated a #1--two films received more than one #1.
A number of these films are identified with one or two iconic images. I tried to avoid those, so some the images may seem puzzling--not particularly important to the film, or without any major characters. That’s why. For the seven films I haven’t seen (and a few I saw so long ago I remember little), I just went with something that looked good. I reluctantly cropped a lot of images; trying to control the size of the text is otherwise an ordeal (I’m working on a sophisticated program called Microsoft Paint).
― clemenza, Monday, 22 July 2019 15:49 (four years ago) link
51. (tie) Get Out (2017)26 points/3 votes
http://phildellio.tripod.com/political-51a.jpg
51. (tie) Sansho the Bailiff (1954)26 points/3 votes
http://phildellio.tripod.com/political-51b.jpg
― clemenza, Monday, 22 July 2019 15:52 (four years ago) link
I know these things start slow, so I'll just keep plowing ahead at intervals of five minutes or so. I've had this on the shelf for years--will make an effort to finally watch it.
50. In the Loop (2009)27 points/3 votes
http://phildellio.tripod.com/political-50.jpg
― clemenza, Monday, 22 July 2019 16:02 (four years ago) link
I didn’t mention it above, but with ties (like #51), the higher placement went to the film with more votes. A few ties remained.
49. Bob Roberts (1992)29 points/2 votes(1 #1 vote)
http://phildellio.tripod.com/political-49.jpg
― clemenza, Monday, 22 July 2019 16:13 (four years ago) link
Bob Roberts is too smug by 8 1/2, but seems super-relevant today.
― frustration and wonky passion (C. Grisso/McCain), Monday, 22 July 2019 16:15 (four years ago) link
I can't remember if this came out before or after the '92 election--Clinton and Perot certainly figured in. I watched it for a second time just before the 2016 election, when it was getting mentioned here and there in connection to Trump.
― clemenza, Monday, 22 July 2019 16:15 (four years ago) link
"(I’m working on a sophisticated program called Microsoft Paint)."
👍
― xyzzzz__, Monday, 22 July 2019 16:18 (four years ago) link
48. Welfare (1975)31 points/2 votes
http://phildellio.tripod.com/political-48.jpg
― clemenza, Monday, 22 July 2019 16:21 (four years ago) link
This is the real reason I dropped the countdown to 51, so I could get Welfare in there...I've said this many times on other threads, but one of the most great films of the '70s. I did my own screenshot from Kanopy; that scene in particular is amazing. It was one of the first Wiseman films I ever saw, at a retrospective 10 years ago. I've seen 10 or 15 since, many excellent but none the equal of Welfare.
― clemenza, Monday, 22 July 2019 16:25 (four years ago) link
"most great"--"great" will suffice.
Never - to my shame - seen anything by Wiseman.
― xyzzzz__, Monday, 22 July 2019 16:27 (four years ago) link
My favourite after Welfare would be Near Death and a few of the more recent ones. I still haven't seen Monrovia, Indiana. They're all on Kanopy (except Monrovia) if you're good with that (although Kanopy may not be in Britain).
― clemenza, Monday, 22 July 2019 16:30 (four years ago) link
47. The Conformist (1970)31 points/3 votes
http://phildellio.tripod.com/political-47.jpg
― clemenza, Monday, 22 July 2019 16:31 (four years ago) link
Really good film of a mostly good novel. Has some beautiful colours.
― xyzzzz__, Monday, 22 July 2019 16:37 (four years ago) link
I can get a torrent of it sometime (Kanopy seems to require you to be a member of a library)
― xyzzzz__, Monday, 22 July 2019 16:40 (four years ago) link
46. The Times of Harvey Milk (1984)33 points/4 votes
http://phildellio.tripod.com/political-46.jpg
I thought Gus Van Sant’s film was pretty good...but kind of unnecessary in view of this (although it's always good to reach a wider audience, and maybe the documentary benefited it some ways).
― clemenza, Monday, 22 July 2019 16:43 (four years ago) link
Let me try that again--it's not a countdown without fuck-ups.
http://phildellio.tripod.com/political-46.jpeg
― clemenza, Monday, 22 July 2019 16:46 (four years ago) link
jpeg, not jpg...Whoever came up with that dumb idea?
44. (tie) Night of the Living Dead (1968)34 points/3 votes
http://phildellio.tripod.com/political-44a.jpg
44. (tie) To Be or Not to Be (1942)34 points/3 votes
http://phildellio.tripod.com/political-44b.jpg
― clemenza, Monday, 22 July 2019 16:55 (four years ago) link
43. Grand Illusion (1937)34 points/4 votes
http://phildellio.tripod.com/political-43.jpg
― clemenza, Monday, 22 July 2019 17:06 (four years ago) link
42. The Candidate (1972)35 points/3 votes
http://phildellio.tripod.com/political-42.jpg
I thought this would have ended up higher...I think it’s been seen by enough people, but I don’t know, there were complaints even in ’72 that it was superficial, or too obvious, or something. I don’t think so--I think it holds up great. If you had to pick the Bill McKay out of the Democratic field this year, maybe Beto O’Rourke? Except his résumé's thinner than McKay's.
― clemenza, Monday, 22 July 2019 17:14 (four years ago) link
I liked this when I watched it a few years back; probably would have voted for it had it been fresher in my mind. I admittedly had some trouble filling out my ballot--wanted to stick to films that directly featured political figures, even though there aren't a whole lot of them that I love--so when I got to the latter half of my Top 10, I started going with movies that fit the bill that I'd seen recent-ishly and enjoyed.
― Herman Woke (cryptosicko), Monday, 22 July 2019 17:19 (four years ago) link
There's a certain thread on the 77 board; shall I start posting links to reasonably reliable streaming sites?
― Anne Hedonia (j.lu), Monday, 22 July 2019 17:22 (four years ago) link
Grim scene. Redford looks uptight--nobody's listening to him, and nobody's digging him.
I didn't do a count or anything, but I think the top 50's split about evenly between films with actual politicians and the more tangential Welfare/Night of the Living Dead-type film.
― clemenza, Monday, 22 July 2019 17:26 (four years ago) link
40. (tie) Casablanca (1942)36 points/4 votes
http://phildellio.tripod.com/political-40a.jpg
40. (tie) I Am Cuba (1964)36 points/4 votes
http://phildellio.tripod.com/political-40b.jpg
― clemenza, Monday, 22 July 2019 17:27 (four years ago) link
J. Lu: if it'll help people track down something, sure.
― clemenza, Monday, 22 July 2019 17:29 (four years ago) link
38. (tie) The Great Dictator (1940)38 points/5 votes
http://phildellio.tripod.com/political-38a.jpg
38. (tie) The Lives of Others (2006)38 points/5 votes
http://phildellio.tripod.com/political-38b.jpg
Never a that big a fan of Casablanca...maybe when I was younger. A lot of speechifying.
― clemenza, Monday, 22 July 2019 17:40 (four years ago) link
The Great Dictator is another one I'd've probably voted for if I'd seen it more recently.
― Herman Woke (cryptosicko), Monday, 22 July 2019 17:42 (four years ago) link
"There's a certain thread on the 77 board; shall I start posting links to reasonably reliable streaming sites?"
Not on 77.
― xyzzzz__, Monday, 22 July 2019 17:43 (four years ago) link
Love I am Cuba, great still, must've been hard to pick one
― xyzzzz__, Monday, 22 July 2019 17:44 (four years ago) link
Wide range of images to choose from, yeah.
― clemenza, Monday, 22 July 2019 17:46 (four years ago) link
37. The Leopard (1963)39 points/4 votes
http://phildellio.tripod.com/political-37.jpg
― clemenza, Monday, 22 July 2019 17:52 (four years ago) link
I’ll resume tomorrow after these last couple.
35. (tie) A City of Sadness (1940)40 points/4 votes
http://phildellio.tripod.com/political-35a.jpg
35. (tie) Army of Shadows (1969)40 points/4 votes
http://phildellio.tripod.com/political-35b.jpg
― clemenza, Monday, 22 July 2019 18:02 (four years ago) link
So far:
51. (tie) Get Out (2017)51. (tie) Sansho the Bailiff (1954)50. In the Loop (2009)49. Bob Roberts (1992)48. Welfare (1975)47. The Conformist (1970)46. The Times of Harvey Milk (1984)44. (tie) Night of the Living Dead (1968)44. (tie) To Be or Not to Be (1942)43. Grand Illusion (1937)42. The Candidate (1972)40. (tie) Casablanca (1942)40. (tie) I Am Cuba (1964)38. (tie) The Great Dictator (1940)38. (tie) The Lives of Others (2006)37. The Leopard (1963)35. (tie) A City of Sadness (1940)35. (tie) Army of Shadows (1969)
― clemenza, Monday, 22 July 2019 18:05 (four years ago) link
Voted for at least a couple of today’s. NOTLD for sure.
― Pauline Male (Eric H.), Monday, 22 July 2019 21:33 (four years ago) link
I don't think there's a better Vietnam film, and it's also pretty great, in a roundabout way--through omission--on race. There are were at least two highly political films I thought would make the list from '68; this one did, the other, surprisingly, didn't.
― clemenza, Monday, 22 July 2019 22:29 (four years ago) link
35. (tie) A City of Sadness (1940) (1989)
― calzino, Monday, 22 July 2019 22:32 (four years ago) link
Oops...cutting, pasting, cutting, pasting, etc. Got the screenshot right, at least.
― clemenza, Monday, 22 July 2019 22:33 (four years ago) link
In other screw-up news, I decided a double-post looks better for #46 than a broken link. I should have realized that that was fixable before re-posting.
― clemenza, Monday, 22 July 2019 22:55 (four years ago) link
The whole world is watching, the whole world is watching...Brexit and Trump. But I must proceed a pace.
Unfortunately, one of the seven I haven't seen:
34. Rome, Open City (1945)40 points/5 votes
http://phildellio.tripod.com/political-34.jpg
― clemenza, Tuesday, 23 July 2019 15:46 (four years ago) link
I've forgotten who plays the ruthless gestapo op in it, but she is brilliant.
― calzino, Tuesday, 23 July 2019 15:51 (four years ago) link
33. A Touch of Sin (2013)41 points/4 votes
http://phildellio.tripod.com/political-33.jpg
― clemenza, Tuesday, 23 July 2019 15:57 (four years ago) link
30. (tie) Black Girl (1966)42 points/4 votes
http://phildellio.tripod.com/political-30a.jpg
30. (tie) Cabaret (1972)42 points/4 votes
http://phildellio.tripod.com/political-30b.jpg
30. (tie) The Parallax View (1974)42 points/4 votes
http://phildellio.tripod.com/political-30c.jpg
Like the first and third; the middle, being a musical, not really for me.
― clemenza, Tuesday, 23 July 2019 16:07 (four years ago) link
The Parallax View is a blindspot for me; if anything, my recent viewing of Seven Days in May has me thinking that I may be too cynical for paranoid political thrillers (a generational thing?). I like the other two but, again, I stuck to a stricter version of "political."
― Herman Woke (cryptosicko), Tuesday, 23 July 2019 16:18 (four years ago) link
29. A Face in the Crowd (1957)44 points/6 votes
http://phildellio.tripod.com/political-29.jpg
This is the surprise I alluded to on the voting thread. Through the first half of ballots to come in, it was up in the top three or four; didn't get more than a vote in the second half, though.
I had it on my own list. Knocked me out the first time I saw it; slightly less impressive rewatching it two or three times since. McCarthy + Elvis, but it's never stopped being relevant.
― clemenza, Tuesday, 23 July 2019 16:20 (four years ago) link
(xpost) I know what you mean--that's a qualified like from me for The Parallax View. Great first scene, and the brainwashing sequence is justly famous. But a lot of it is basically a chase film.
― clemenza, Tuesday, 23 July 2019 16:22 (four years ago) link
Good to see Black Girl this high up. Cabaret as well, though neither made my top 30
― xyzzzz__, Tuesday, 23 July 2019 16:25 (four years ago) link
I saw Black Girl for the first time a few months ago. Thought the ending with the kid was amazing--I would have used that still, but bypassed it for reasons outlined above (it came up so often on Google, I assume it's the one image associated with the film).
― clemenza, Tuesday, 23 July 2019 16:27 (four years ago) link
I'm not entirely sure how to comment on this list, but this is a list of very good films
― Frederik B, Tuesday, 23 July 2019 16:32 (four years ago) link
Yesss!
― Pauline Male (Eric H.), Wednesday, 24 July 2019 19:22 (four years ago) link
I know these things aren't supposed to unfold like a race, but I'll have to step up the pace for the last few.
7. Paths of Glory (1957)86 points/9 votes
http://phildellio.tripod.com/political-07.jpg
I think this was one of two in the top seven that picked up a lot of votes towards the end. One of my two favourite war films, along with Casualties of War.
― clemenza, Wednesday, 24 July 2019 19:28 (four years ago) link
Bummed I missed this poll!
― flappy bird, Wednesday, 24 July 2019 19:31 (four years ago) link
Without overdoing it, I tried to get it out there--a nominating thread and voting thread preceded this.
6. All the President’s Men (1976)88 points/6 votes(2 #1 votes)
http://phildellio.tripod.com/political-06.jpg
#1 on my own list, although it's really more a film about journalism (which, admittedly, it deifies) than politics.
― clemenza, Wednesday, 24 July 2019 19:34 (four years ago) link
I believe I did give Pakula two slots on my ballot. But if not, I def prefer Parallax.
― Pauline Male (Eric H.), Wednesday, 24 July 2019 19:37 (four years ago) link
Looks like you just had Parallax.
― clemenza, Wednesday, 24 July 2019 19:39 (four years ago) link
5. Nashville (1975)104 points/7 votes(1 #1 vote)
http://phildellio.tripod.com/political-05.jpg
I left off Taxi Driver, which I really don't experience politically, but felt justified in voting for this (lower, though, than I would on a general list of favourites).
― clemenza, Wednesday, 24 July 2019 19:41 (four years ago) link
Ah yes, it was Spielberg and Watkins that got two slots each.
― Pauline Male (Eric H.), Wednesday, 24 July 2019 19:42 (four years ago) link
xp my #2
That still above captures everything that's so great about Jason Robards in ATPM.
4. The Battle of Algiers (1966)104 points/12 votes
http://phildellio.tripod.com/political-04.jpg
Kept climbing and climbing, ended up with as many votes as the #1.
― clemenza, Wednesday, 24 July 2019 19:47 (four years ago) link
3. Election (1999)107 points/10 votes(1 #1 vote)
http://phildellio.tripod.com/political-03.jpg
In the four times I've done this, I try to finish my own ballot before very many come in. I don't want to end up tailoring my own list to influence the results. I didn't vote for Election because, as weird as this sounds, I don't experience it as a political film. I like it a lot--if I'd voted knowing how close it was to the top, I might have ended up giving it a few points (and then would have had to decide how many).
― clemenza, Wednesday, 24 July 2019 19:50 (four years ago) link
If you're following, you've probably figured out the top two by now.
2. Dr. Strangelove (1964)109 points/11 votes
http://phildellio.tripod.com/political-02.jpg
Speaking of great stills...
― clemenza, Wednesday, 24 July 2019 19:55 (four years ago) link
1. The Manchurian Candidate (1962)122 points/12 votes(1 #1 vote)
http://phildellio.tripod.com/political-01.jpg
On my list for sheer audaciousness--because of the draggy Sinatra-Leigh scenes, I think it's a tiny bit overrated.
― clemenza, Wednesday, 24 July 2019 19:59 (four years ago) link
No point in a separate thread for individual lists--go ahead and post them here if you want. You should have a copy, but if you need your list, let me know. I'm in a bit of a rush now; I'll post the complete list later tonight.
51. (tie) Get Out (2017)51. (tie) Sansho the Bailiff (1954)50. In the Loop (2009)49. Bob Roberts (1992)48. Welfare (1975)47. The Conformist (1970)46. The Times of Harvey Milk (1984)44. (tie) Night of the Living Dead (1968)44. (tie) To Be or Not to Be (1942)43. Grand Illusion (1937)42. The Candidate (1972)40. (tie) Casablanca (1942)40. (tie) I Am Cuba (1964)38. (tie) The Great Dictator (1940)38. (tie) The Lives of Others (2006)37. The Leopard (1963)35. (tie) A City of Sadness (1989)35. (tie) Army of Shadows (1969)34. Rome, Open City (1945)33. A Touch of Sin (2013)30. (tie) Black Girl (1966)30. (tie) Cabaret (1972)30. (tie) The Parallax View (1974)29. A Face in the Crowd (1957)28. Harlan County, U.S.A. (1976)27. Hiroshima mon amour (1959)25. (tie) Duck Soup (1933)25. (tie) The Passion of Joan of Arc (1928)24. Citizen Kane (1941)23. Being There (1979)22. Munich (2005)21. The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp (1943)20. Advise & Consent (1962)19. Chinatown (1974)18. Z (1969)16. (tie) A Grin Without a Cat (1977)16. (tie) Taxi Driver (1976)14. Jeanne Dielman, 23, quai du commerce, 1080 Bruxelles (1975)13. Battleship Potemkin (1925)12. The Sorrow and the Pity (1969)11. JFK (1991)10. Do the Right Thing (1989)9. 4 Months, 3 Weeks, and 2 Days (2007)8. The Rules of the Game (1939)7. Paths of Glory (1957)6. All the President’s Men (1976)5. Nashville (1975)4. The Battle of Algiers (1966)3. Election (1999)2. Dr. Strangelove (1964)1. The Manchurian Candidate (1962)
― clemenza, Wednesday, 24 July 2019 20:00 (four years ago) link
I had never seen the Manchurian Candidate until a few years ago. The guys at the local video store had it on the in-store monitor and it was the nightmare/interrogation scene where it's switching back and forth between the little old ladies and the Soviet/Chinese intelligence officials and I was so struck by the Twilight Zone-ish quality of it, had no idea it contained anything so audacious. Fantastic film.
― Οὖτις, Wednesday, 24 July 2019 20:09 (four years ago) link
The weighted/more enthusiastic portion of my ballot (i.e. top 15) was:
1. A Grin Without a Cat2. Nashville3. Advise and Consent4. Election (1999)5. The Parallax View 6. Night of the Living Dead7. Munich8. Winter Soldier9. La Commune10. The Rules of the Game 11. JFK12. The Battle of Algiers13. Memories of Underdevelopment14. BPM (Beats Per Minute)15. I Am Cuba
― Pauline Male (Eric H.), Wednesday, 24 July 2019 20:10 (four years ago) link
Here's the Letterboxd version: https://letterboxd.com/jer_fairall/list/certain-rules-and-regulations-and-procedures/(I've seen exactly half of the list)
My Top 10:
Election (1999)Ballot Box BunnyCitizen KaneDr. StrangeloveDead ZoneBeing ThereWag the DogThe Great McGintyMr. Smith Goes to WashingtonThe Manchurian Candidate (1962)
― Herman Woke (cryptosicko), Wednesday, 24 July 2019 20:23 (four years ago) link
I didn't vote because I didn't know how to circumscribe the 'genre' even for myself. A lot of the above strike me as primarily war films rather than political. (Anyway i might've singlehandedly put Bulworth into the top 51.)
The Sinatra-Leigh scenes in TMC are so fucking strange and ambiguous... they don't drag for me.
― a Mets fan who gave up on everything in the mid '80s (Dr Morbius), Wednesday, 24 July 2019 20:26 (four years ago) link
the only ones i haven't seen of the 52 are Welfare and Harlan County USA, which will be rectified shortly
― a Mets fan who gave up on everything in the mid '80s (Dr Morbius), Wednesday, 24 July 2019 20:28 (four years ago) link
I didn't vote because I didn't know how to circumscribe the 'genre' even for myself.
same
― Οὖτις, Wednesday, 24 July 2019 20:32 (four years ago) link
Same, but I slapped together an unsatisfying ballot anyway since clem asked so sweetly.
― Manfred Hemming-Hawing (WmC), Wednesday, 24 July 2019 21:23 (four years ago) link
there were too many things that have been on my to-watch list for decades for me to vote
also Don's Party should have won, you cowards
― quelle sprocket damage (sic), Wednesday, 24 July 2019 21:42 (four years ago) link
i mean, all of Wiseman's docs are political
― a Mets fan who gave up on everything in the mid '80s (Dr Morbius), Wednesday, 24 July 2019 21:53 (four years ago) link
Any genre poll has amorphous boundaries. There were arguments with the comedy and horror polls, and there was second-guessing and uncertainty on the road-film poll too. To me that's interesting, not a problem. I started this thing with one definition, and I ended up loosening that up within about five minutes.
1. All the President’s Men – 232. The Candidate - 213. Advise and Consent - 184. The Champions - 175. Welfare - 166. Nixon - 157. Carlos - 148. Nashville - 139. The War Room - 1210. Malcolm X - 1111. A Grin Without a Cat - 1012. The Weather Underground - 913. The Best Man - 814. Night of the Living Dead – 715. Watergate – 616. Guerrilla: The Taking of Patty Hearst - 517. The Times of Harvey Milk - 518. A Face in the Crowd - 519. Paths of Glory - 520. Hearts and Minds - 521. The Manchurian Candidate (1962) - 522. Primary Colors - 523. The Ides of March - 524. The Contender - 525. Going Upriver: The Long War of John Kerry - 5
― clemenza, Thursday, 25 July 2019 01:49 (four years ago) link
Thanks for setting up the Letterboxd page, Jer.
― clemenza, Thursday, 25 July 2019 01:54 (four years ago) link
Other films getting votes (just points, without breaking ties, without #1s, and without italics...too much work):
53. Gabriel Over the White House - 25 points Matewan Nixon Germany, Year Zero Burn After Reading
58. The Weather Underground - 24 points Medium Cool Punishment Park La Commune
62. Malcolm X - 21 points BPM (Beats Per Minute)
64. Meet John Doe - 20 points The President Vanishes Xala Red Psalm The Second Awakening of Crista Klages Come and See Hearts and Minds Day of Wrath If.... The Baader-Meinhof Complex Lincoln
75. Wag the Dog - 19 points
76. The Best Man - 18 points
77. The Champions - 17 points The Godfather Part II
79. Mr. Smith Goes to Washington - 16 points The Deer Hunter Watergate Nocturama
83. The Corporation - 15 points In the Year of the Pig The Great McGinty Report The Other Side Winter Soldier
89. Seven Days in May - 14 points
90. Ballot Box Bunny - 13 points The Battle of Chile
92. The War Room - 12 points Point of Order
94. All Quiet on the Western Front - 10 points Body and Soul Intolerance The Manchurian Candidate (2004) The Nasty Girl The White Rose Princess Mononoke Chimes at Midnight Ice The Third Generation The Human Condition Trilogy Primary Colors Eldridge Cleaver, Black Panther In the Line of Fire Dick A Report on the Party and the Guests Deserter 23rd Psalm Branch My Son John West Indies: The Fugitive Slaves of Liberty From the Other Side Race d'Ep: un siècle d'images de l'homosexualité We Want Roses Too Sekigun-P.F.L.P: Sekai sensô sengen La guerre est finie Fail Safe The Bonfire of the Vanities Fahrenheit 9/11 Week-end Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956) Black Panthers (1968) Shin Godzilla Election (2005) Narita: Peasants of the Second Fortress A Soft Note on a Sharp Scale Too Early/Too Late Being Gypsy Here and Elsewhere Germany in Autumn Postwar History of Japan as Told by a Bar Hostess Far from Vietnam Le Gai Savoir Death by Hanging Hitler: A Film from Germany Memories of Underdevelopment The Taking of Power by Louis XIV All the King's Men Milk The Rise of Michael Rimmer Amazing Grace
144. The Dead Zone - 9 points
145. 2 or 3 Things I Know About Her - 8 points Washington Merry-Go-Round
147. No - 7 points Tanner The Fireman's Ball
150. Pierrot le Fou - 6 points The Normal Heart
152. Going Upriver: The Long War of John Kerry - 5 points Guerrilla: The Taking of Patty Hearst The Contender The Ides of March Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room Missing How to Survive a Plague Magic Mike, XXL Moi, un noir It Is Not the Homosexual Who Is Perverse Zero Patience
163. Alexander Hamilton - 4 points Dave The Birth of a Nation The House of Rothschild Zootopia
168. Wild in the Streets - 1 point
― clemenza, Thursday, 25 July 2019 05:29 (four years ago) link
Bolded...meant to code non-proportional text. Carry on.
― clemenza, Thursday, 25 July 2019 05:31 (four years ago) link
Er...The Manchurian candidate...ok
― xyzzzz__, Thursday, 25 July 2019 08:26 (four years ago) link
Never seen it, like not on my radar at all so I'll look at it.
Thanks for the work Clemenza, a few interesting things came out of this.
And lol @ JFK. Purely voted for it because it's a very ilx thing. Just had to.
I think I would've done anyway. It's my go to film for conspiracy as a mode of politics, but it's so ridiculous. I often stop caring when it gets to court.
---
Hiroshima Mon AmourThe Battle of ChileNarita: Peasants of the Second FortressJeanne Dielman, 23 Quai du Commerce, 1080 BruxellesThe Battle of AlgiersA City of SadnessXalaA Grin Without a CatA Soft Note on a Sharp ScaleLa CommuneToo Early/Too LateBeing GypsyHere and ElsewhereGermany in AutumnPostwar History of Japan as Told by a Bar HostessFar from VietnamRed PsalmZThe Life and Death of Colonel BlimpLe Gai Savoir4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 DaysThe Sorrow and the PityDeath by HangingCome and SeeGermany, Year ZeroHitler: A film from GermanyI Am CubaJFKBattleship PotemkinThe Second Awakening of Crista Klages
― xyzzzz__, Thursday, 25 July 2019 08:36 (four years ago) link
Top 20, Enthusiasm (3 or more votes):
1. Duck Soup (15.67 points per voter) The Passion of Joan of Arc (15.67)3. Nashville (14.86)4. All the President's Men (14.67)5. The Rules of the Game (13.83)6. A Grin Without a Cat (13.75) Taxi Driver (13.75)8. The Sorrow and the Pity (13.20)9. Advise and Consent (13.00)10. Jeanne Dielman, 23 Quai du Commerce (12.20)11. Being There (12.00)12. The Candidate (11.67)13. Carlos (11.40)14. Night of the Living Dead (11.33) To Be or Not to Be (11.33)16. Z (10.8)17. Election (10.7)18. 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days (10.57)19. Black Girl (10.5) Cabaret (10.5) The Parallax View (10.5)
So three of the top four, including #1, drop off the list.
― clemenza, Thursday, 25 July 2019 13:27 (four years ago) link
thanks for running the poll clemenza!
my unranked ballot:
A city of sadnessA touch of sinArmy of shadowsBlack panthersBurn after readingChinatownCitizen kaneDo the right thingElection - 2005Grand illusionJeanne dielmanPaths of gloryRome open citySansho the bailiffShin godzillaBattle of Algiers Taxi driverThe leopardLife and death of Colonel BlimpThe rules of the game
― devvvine, Thursday, 25 July 2019 13:31 (four years ago) link
Sometimes I think I'm too contrarian for my own good. My ballot (ranked):
1. Gabriel Over the White House2. The President Vanishes3. Duck Soup4. I Am Cuba5. In the Loop6. The Manchurian Candidate (1962)7. Z8. The Manchurian Candidate (2004)9. Dr. Strangelove10. Intolerance11. The Great Dictator12. Washington Merry-Go-Round13. No14. Battleship Potemkin15. A Face in the Crowd16. Alexander Hamilton17. Dave18. Bob Roberts19. The House of Rothschild20. The Birth of a Nation
Nonetheless, thanks for running this poll. Maybe the next poll should be finance movies? Or media?
― Anne Hedonia (j.lu), Friday, 26 July 2019 00:48 (four years ago) link
One that I forgot about and didn't nominate was Spin (1995), a doc on the media's coverage of the 1992 US election using satellite feed footage. It's easy to find on youtube if anyone's interested.
― adam the (abanana), Friday, 26 July 2019 02:51 (four years ago) link
Washington Merry-Go-Round (1932) is apparently considered by some to have been plagiarized by the guy who wrote the story for Capra's Mr Smith... I don't think it holds water, bcz aside from a (much briefer) visit to the Lincoln Memorial by its hero, it checks the same boxes most of these populist ant-corruption morality plays do.
Intriguing for Lee Tracy to be playing an idealist firebrand instead of a cynic/realist. Early on he visits a Hooverville in the Anacostia Flats and berates its WWI-veteran residents for not fighting for democracy.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anacostia#Great_Depression
(This is some third-act foreshadowing.) Also the villain is a steel magnate / bootlegger with fascist aspirations.
Constance Cummings, who went on to have a distinguished career esp on the stage, is very good as the more solidly grounded (and amoral) Jean Arthur figure.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3RucCOCy8cU
― brooklyn suicide cult (Dr Morbius), Friday, 7 August 2020 17:23 (three years ago) link
Man, this list is surprising in a lot of ways: https://newrepublic.com/article/173376/100-political-films-new-republic-list
― fair but so uncool beliefs here (Eric H.), Thursday, 22 June 2023 16:43 (ten months ago) link
Biggest duds on the list in a quick glance are probably The Lives of Others, Syriana, American Sniper ... and obv The Birth of a Nation. (High and Low seems a bit of a stretch to me, but hey.)
― fair but so uncool beliefs here (Eric H.), Thursday, 22 June 2023 16:50 (ten months ago) link
Oh, and Triumph of the Will ... understandable why it and Nation are in there, but doesn't make it any easier to see them listed alongside so many genuinely great films
― fair but so uncool beliefs here (Eric H.), Thursday, 22 June 2023 16:52 (ten months ago) link
You know who weighs in: https://www.nationalreview.com/2023/06/the-ten-best-political-movies-of-all-time/
(As usual, he's on his comparatively best behavior when it comes to canonization.)
― fair but so uncool beliefs here (Eric H.), Wednesday, 28 June 2023 14:53 (nine months ago) link
Just learned of this from a friend tonight:
https://newrepublic.com/article/173376/100-political-films-new-republic-list
Hoberman writes some kind of introductory essay. Looking at their Top 10 vs. this poll's, there is overlap of five films. Their title is "most significant," which ought to give them some cover for two of their Top 10.
― clemenza, Friday, 7 July 2023 02:48 (nine months ago) link
Geez, as hard as this is to believe, I missed the posts above mine.
― clemenza, Friday, 7 July 2023 02:49 (nine months ago) link
Armond White has Health in his Top 10? That's truly eccentric...makes me want to finally see it.
― clemenza, Friday, 7 July 2023 02:52 (nine months ago) link
Some things I like seeing on the New Republic list:
81. The Times of Harvey Milk78. Eight Hours Don’t Make a Day69. The Best Man67. Point of Order!56. The Fog of War39. Hearts and Minds10. A Face in the Crowd
At least a couple of those are surprises.
― clemenza, Friday, 7 July 2023 15:18 (nine months ago) link
Most glaring omission (unless I missed him): Wiseman. So many to choose from--Welfare for me.
― clemenza, Friday, 7 July 2023 15:21 (nine months ago) link
Love, love, love A Grin Without a Cat making the list, along with all the Third Cinema titles. From a glance, it almost seems like the roster of voters is, more or less, the National Society of Film Critics?
― fair but so uncool beliefs here (Eric H.), Friday, 7 July 2023 15:38 (nine months ago) link
I was glad to see that too, and voted for it here. I haven't yet read Hoberman's long essay, but skimming I saw he mentioned Tanner '88, which I think should have been on there (and which I have no idea why I omitted it from my own list).
― clemenza, Friday, 7 July 2023 15:42 (nine months ago) link
Nice to see two films by Jia on that list. It looks like Robert Kramer's Ice only received one vote in this poll, it might be top of my own list.
― Halfway there but for you, Friday, 7 July 2023 15:51 (nine months ago) link
Nice to see two films by Jia on that list
This. It was disheartening to see him so out of favor in that December 2022 poll I've written about too much here
― fair but so uncool beliefs here (Eric H.), Friday, 7 July 2023 16:04 (nine months ago) link
Another surprising omission: no Jordan Peele. (One or both of the first two, I'd say, though I know others like the third.)
― clemenza, Friday, 7 July 2023 17:54 (nine months ago) link
"Love, love, love A Grin Without a Cat"
Hate, hate, hate the low ranking.
That top ten is also not good. Though that's a great No1.
― xyzzzz__, Friday, 7 July 2023 22:56 (nine months ago) link
#81, showing the White Night Riots and the candlelight march, The Times of Harvey Milk is an amazing film with a really moving ending. I think everyone should watch it.
TNR’s link to the NYT article in 1985 shows how conservative and bigoted the NYT was at the time.
https://www.nytimes.com/1985/10/22/us/dan-white-killer-of-san-francisco-mayor-a-suicide.html
They refused to use the word ‘gay’ which was the term everyone had already long accepted at that time. Their pigheadedness went on for years after that and eventually became ridiculous and a topic of conversation among my friends. They kept referring to gay people as ‘homosexuals’, a term that had long since been seen as derogatory and that had been used in many negative contexts.
― Dan S, Saturday, 8 July 2023 00:42 (nine months ago) link