Certain Rules and Regulations and Procedures: The ILX Political-Film Poll Results Thread

24. Citizen Kane (1941)
47 points/5 votes

http://phildellio.tripod.com/political-24.jpg

Looked like it wouldn't place early on, got some late votes. I didn't have it on my own ballot--I guess I experience it differently--but no argument that it's political, or political enough.

23. Being There (1979)
48 points/4 votes
(1 #1 vote)

http://phildellio.tripod.com/political-23.jpg

Not my favourite film, but fascinating as a then-common view of Reagan--and I'm guessing this was in part Ashby's contribution to avoid him getting elected.

22. Munich (2005)
49 points/5 votes

http://phildellio.tripod.com/political-22.jpg

I tried again last year. Its greatness escapes me.

I'll finish off with the Top 20 tomorrow. Saw this 10 or 15 years ago; don't remember anything.

21. The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp (1943)
50 points/5 votes

http://phildellio.tripod.com/political-21.jpg

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 (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)

I would characterize The Parallax View (which is shockingly low on this list) as something far more significant than a "chase film."

And at the very least bridges the gap I had in balloting for this poll between "great movies that have political themes/resonance" and "movies that are great political statements."

Voted for Kane and Being There, both of which elicited "oh, yeah!" reactions from me when I saw them on the noms list (I was initially afraid I didn't like enough explicitly "political" films to submit even a Top 10).

Also, I neglected to vote for Duck Soup, and I have no idea why.

If you were to total up the minutes in The Parallax View where Beatty is being chased, I don't think it would be insignificant--10 to 15 minutes? That's what it felt like last time I watched it. I realize there's more to it than that, and I tried to single out those parts. But my own feeling is that the brainwashing sequence is so memorable, it overwhelms the rest of the film, some of which is pedestrian.

I've had [In The Loop] on the shelf for years--will make an effort to finally watch it.

The series is even better, and you've got time now!

I like how unceremonious the killings/assassinations are in TPV.

I missed this but the results look interesting (except for being there which i hate). I haven't seen 10 of the ones that have made it so far. I would have voted for Bob Roberts, Harlan County, Kane and The Leopard for sure.

colonel blimp - a great film only improved by churchill's disdain for it

love the movie but its politics are its worst part -- advocating for torture and retaliatory civilian bombings IMO

Hmm it's been a while since I've seen it. Just love the friendship at the centre of it.

The retaliatory bombings, yes I can see where it kinda argues for that. But I don't remember much about torture?

The friendship that ensures between two people who should be enemies is surely part of its good politics?

I was going to hold off on this till tomorrow, but may as well push it through while Robert Mueller grabs some lunch.

20. Advise & Consent (1962)
52 points/4 votes

http://phildellio.tripod.com/political-20.jpg

I love this film. I still haven't totally figured out why I keep rewatching it every few months.

19. Chinatown (1974)
53 points/6 votes

http://phildellio.tripod.com/political-19.jpg

Didn't include this on my own ballot, which is not a reflection of how much I love it.

18. Z (1969)
54 points/5 votes
(1 #1 vote)

http://phildellio.tripod.com/political-18.jpg

16. (tie) A Grin Without a Cat (1977)
55 points/4 votes
(2 #1 votes)

http://phildellio.tripod.com/political-16a.jpg

16. (tie) Taxi Driver (1976)
55 points/4 votes
(1 #1 vote)

http://phildellio.tripod.com/political-16b.jpg

Don't mean to vote not-in-character, but I had the first on my ballot and not the second. I don't claim to understand every nuance of A Grin Without a Cat, but the tone registers--derisive, sardonic, disillusioned--and the four-hour cascade of footage is incredible.

15. Carlos (2010)
57 points/5 votes
(1 #1 vote)

http://phildellio.tripod.com/political-15.jpg

I changed my mind about not commenting on omissions from the IndieWire decade-end list; Carlos not being on there was a surprise.

I'm going to put this monologue on hold for a couple of hours--more Mueller.

I was one of the two #1 votes for A Grin without a Cat (entirely within character).

Also placed Advise & Consent within my top 10, maybe even top 5?

You had it third...Golfing tonight, so I gotta finish this up.

14. Jeanne Dielman, 23, quai du commerce, 1080 Bruxelles (1975)
61 points/5 votes

http://phildellio.tripod.com/political-14.jpg

If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen.

13. Battleship Potemkin (1925)
65 points/7 votes
(1 #1 vote)

http://phildellio.tripod.com/political-13.jpg

Earliest film on the list..I saw it in film class sometime between 1925 and 2019.

12. The Sorrow and the Pity (1969)
66 points/5 votes
(1 #1 vote)

http://phildellio.tripod.com/political-12.jpg

11. JFK (1991)
72 points/7 votes

http://phildellio.tripod.com/political-11.jpg

Think I reached my limit last time I watched this; it looks worse to me every time out, mostly due to Costner.

Top 10.

10. Do the Right Thing (1989)
73 points/7 votes

http://phildellio.tripod.com/political-10.jpg

I had Malcolm X on my ballot.

xp "You're as crazy as your mama. Goes to show it's in the genes."

DTRT is probably the closest I came to voting for a movie just because I love it, regardless of its qualifications as a "political" movie, which it does fuiud.

I love how much ILX loves JFK.

9. 4 Months, 3 Weeks, and 2 Days (2007)
74 points/7 votes

http://phildellio.tripod.com/political-09.jpg

8. The Rules of the Game (1939)
83 points/6 votes

http://phildellio.tripod.com/political-08.jpg

Yesss!

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.

Bummed I missed this poll!

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.

I believe I did give Pakula two slots on my ballot. But if not, I def prefer Parallax.

Looks like you just had Parallax.

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).

Ah yes, it was Spielberg and Watkins that got two slots each.

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.

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).

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...

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.

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)

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.