The most influential movies of all time?
April 17th, 2009 at 10:43am Will Pfeifer
As part of its 15th anniversary celebration, Turner Classic Movies (the greatest movie channel in the history of the universe, incidentally) has compiled a list of the most influential films of all time. In chronological order, they are…
1. BIRTH OF A NATION
2. BATTLESHIP POTEMKIN
3. METROPOLIS
4. 42 STREET
5. IT HAPPENED ONE NIGHT
6. SNOW WHITE AND THE SEVEN DWARFS
7. GONE WITH THE WIND
8. STAGECOACH
9. CITIZEN KANE
10. THE BICYCLE THIEF
11. RASHOMON
12. THE SEARCHERS
13. BREATHLESS
14. PSYCHO
15. STAR WARS
I’ve seen all but one (THE BICYCLE THIEF), and I’ve have to argue, this is a pretty influential bunch. PSYCHO, in particular, shaped horror movies (and even non-horror movies) for decades after its release. You can read the reasons behind the picks here.
Entry Filed under: Lists, Classic movies
4 Comments Add your own
1. odessa steps magazine | April 17th, 2009 at 6:47 pm
Kane should be higher, especially in regards to deep focus and other things developed by Welles and Gregg Toland.
2. Brian M | April 17th, 2009 at 10:32 pm
the order is chronological, odessa.
I woud add JAWS, which pretty much introduced the concept of the blockbuster, cemented 2 years later by STAR WARS. The idea of the summer movie has been changed forever.
3. Brian M | April 17th, 2009 at 10:36 pm
I’m also a little annoyed at the lack of anything from the last 30 YEARS. I mean it’s all fairly old stuff, until you have ONE from the 70’s and nothing since??? Yes, to see the influence a movie can have takes time, but NOTHING?? How about TOY STORY?? Or TITANIC?? Let’s face it, whether you liked it or not, that film’s unimaginable success woke up Hollywood to the power of young girls!
4. Will Pfeifer | April 21st, 2009 at 7:28 am
I’d definitely add JAWS and TOY STORY. Maybe THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT? And probably something like SEX, LIES AND VIDEOTAPE, which was a major step in the development of “indy” films.
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