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July 29, 2016 12:03 AM   Subscribe

Edgar Wright, director of the Three Flavours Cornetto film trilogy (made up of Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz and The World's End) has shared his 1000 favorite films. The films are ordered chronologically starting with Robert Wiene’s 1920 film The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari and ending with...*spoilers, sweetie*.
posted by liquorice (40 comments total)

This post was deleted for the following reason: Poster's Request -- frimble



 
It's The Neon Demon.
posted by Small Dollar at 12:12 AM on July 29, 2016 [5 favorites]


Thank you for saving future readers 20 clicks and a lot of scrolling. Also I've never heard of that movie.

Honestly, while ordering the movies chronologically doesn't strike me as terribly useful at all, when you're talking about a thousand movies I don't suppose there's any real structure that can be useful. Certainly you can't credibly sort them by subjective quality.
posted by kafziel at 12:13 AM on July 29, 2016 [1 favorite]


What number was Point Break?
posted by ejs at 12:27 AM on July 29, 2016 [2 favorites]


I found going through the list to be a surprisingly joyous experience - up to a certain point, I'm in total agreement with him, all "Oh, yes, oh yes". When it gets to the 80s, there's a slight divergence, possibly because he's that much younger than me. I'd have had more Greenaway (because I really liked Greenaway - definitely The Falls and The Draughtsman's Contract), something by Jarman (probably Caravaggio) and something by the Quay brothers (almost certainly Street of Crocodiles), and am surprised that of Miyazaki's films only Spirited Away made the list, but hey, it's his list. There would be a lot of things I would have put on there that no one else would have heard of. I think the point of the list is to express enthusiasm (as is usually the case with Edgar Wright, which is one of his more admirable qualities), and it achieves that. Any Young Person interested in film who wanted a broad education could quite easily take it as a viewing list, either chronologically or in random order. Anything not on the list would be waiting for them should they ever finish it (and actually I tend to recommend wandering away from viewing lists if anything catches your eye anyway).

It's one of those times when I'd have preferred the pages to autoload quietly, but never mind.
posted by Grangousier at 12:58 AM on July 29, 2016 [4 favorites]


And of course my list would have at least one Edgar Wright film on it.
posted by Grangousier at 1:03 AM on July 29, 2016 [4 favorites]


O Lucky Man! Yes!
posted by oluckyman at 1:23 AM on July 29, 2016 [3 favorites]


^F-zazie

All is well.
posted by Spatch at 1:34 AM on July 29, 2016 [1 favorite]


1000 favorite films?

I mean, at some point, isn't the idea of "favorite film(s)" entirely diluted by having 1000 of them listed?

Doesn't it at some point become "1000 films I have enjoyed watching"? It seems to me the moniker of "favorite film".... I just... Hrm.

Its a good list of films, I approve of many of them. But, wow.
posted by hippybear at 1:39 AM on July 29, 2016 [11 favorites]


Great to see the rarely mentioned: #68 - Dead Of Night - a delicious proto-Twilight Zone anthology from Ealing Studios
posted by fairmettle at 2:00 AM on July 29, 2016 [1 favorite]


Did anyone just feel the need to go through and count all the ones they've seen?

361. Not great, but trying.
posted by Katemonkey at 2:22 AM on July 29, 2016 [2 favorites]


@fairmettle Dead Of Night might be rarely mentioned on that side of the pond but it's well known and celebrated over here.
posted by GallonOfAlan at 2:54 AM on July 29, 2016 [2 favorites]


This is a good list.
posted by Fizz at 4:22 AM on July 29, 2016


So much awesome in this list. And with a list this size, you're bound to come across at least a few that you've never even heard of. I mean, seriously, how have I never heard of this before? A feature length stop motion film from 1967!?
posted by AlonzoMosleyFBI at 4:41 AM on July 29, 2016 [2 favorites]


My favourite thing is his inclusion of big budget hollywood musicals, including Busby Berkley.
posted by PinkMoose at 5:11 AM on July 29, 2016


> What number was Point Break?

Doesn't matter, since they're ordered chronologically.
posted by davelog at 5:11 AM on July 29, 2016


A thousand films seems like a lot.
posted by kittens for breakfast at 6:19 AM on July 29, 2016 [1 favorite]


@edgarwright: 'Best thing about making a fav films list is those who reply: "I thought I was the only person who loved..."'
posted by Doktor Zed at 6:24 AM on July 29, 2016


Not that I had any doubt, but Mr. Wright has good taste. There is only a handful (maybe 11 titles?) that I'd disagree with. Certainly not strongly.

how have I never heard of this before?

This is one of my son's favorite films. I've watched it... oh man... countless times. And unlike Hotel Transylvania, I never get tired of it.

A thousand films seems like a lot.

Seems like not enough.
posted by Ashwagandha at 6:25 AM on July 29, 2016 [1 favorite]


Doesn't it at some point become "1000 films I have enjoyed watching"

Yeah, Edgar Wright is not that much older than me, and I'm not even sure I've seen 1000 films. I certainly haven't seen 1000 films I liked.
posted by 256 at 6:38 AM on July 29, 2016


Did anyone just feel the need to go through and count all the ones they've seen?

56. I'm bad at watching movies, apparently.
posted by pemberkins at 6:51 AM on July 29, 2016


On letterboxd, I've logged all the films that I can remember watching and am close to 2000 and I don't really watch that many movies. I'm ten years older than Wright but it's his job to watch movies so I'm sure that he's seen many more than I have. He's 42 so if you figure 37 years of film watching, 1000 is only 27 a year or one every two weeks.
posted by octothorpe at 6:51 AM on July 29, 2016


If you're on Letterboxd, this list of his favorites has been entered so you can see how many you've watched. I'm at 47% right now.
posted by octothorpe at 6:55 AM on July 29, 2016 [2 favorites]


Doesn't it at some point become "1000 films I have enjoyed watching"?

I'm not sure about that. I don't know Edgar Wright's viewing habits but if they are anything like mine he's likely watching, at least, 100 movies a year. When you consume movies at that rate I think it is hard to narrow down one's choices - there's always something old or new to discover or champion.

How many have I seen? 978 (yikes, I really should get out more... but I need to see those 22 movies first...)
posted by Ashwagandha at 7:02 AM on July 29, 2016 [1 favorite]


It's not that hard for him to make this list, I don't think. Out of curiosity I went through it and counted 438 I could remember seeing, even if I hated a fair few of them. But I think Wright is cinematically a lot more gregarious than me. And there were a lot of films (particularly recent ones, but also classics) that I was reminded I really ought to have seen. And as I said, a number that aren't on the list that I could swap in. If you watched ten a week it would take two years, and I suspect Wright's life is dedicated to either making or watching movies, so I easily believe this honestly represents his passions.
posted by Grangousier at 7:04 AM on July 29, 2016


It took me a rewatch of both to notice that"skip to the end", was another of Spaced's endless references, in this case to The Princess Bride.
posted by Jon Mitchell at 7:09 AM on July 29, 2016 [1 favorite]


cinematically a lot more gregarious than me

I think that's the thing. As many films as I consume, he's way more generous about some films then me. For instance, he puts more comedies than I'd put on my own favorites list.

But what I like about lists like this is that they are always revealing about the artist. Wright really dives deep into British films for instance (which makes sense of course) or his love of comedies (Where's Poppa? Really?) and horror (Xtro!).

As far as filmmaker's favorite lists go this one is pretty approachable, perhaps more so then say a Scorsese list which mostly leans to the high brow / first year film course viewings.
posted by Ashwagandha at 7:19 AM on July 29, 2016


I don't know Edgar Wright's viewing habits but if they are anything like mine he's likely watching, at least, 100 movies a year.

Oh yeah, I watch over 100 movies in a good year. And I own a thousand movies, easy, across VHS, laserdisc, DVD, and Blu-ray. (Granted, I sort of work in the business and I get a lot of stuff for free, but I've been building a regular collection over the past ~30 years and that's how big it's gotten.)

No, it's not practical, especially not in the digital age. Actually, It's kind of a sickness. But the fever is pleasurable. And it's amusing for me to note how closely Wright's list tracks my own collection.
posted by Mothlight at 7:19 AM on July 29, 2016


Harold Lloyd above Chaplin or Keaton. That's really the boldest statement on the entire list.
posted by cazoo at 7:28 AM on July 29, 2016


Actually, It's kind of a sickness.

Heh. I'm in the business as well but I try not to hang on to too much. The only VHS I have left are some tapes of experimental films I transferred from film , which are still pretty difficult to find, couple lasers left (Danger: Diabolik & Premature Burial!). The DVDs & Blus... oof I have too many and sadly the collection doesn't reflect my tastes so much as much as my viewing aspirations. There needs to be more hours in the day.

Harold Lloyd above Chaplin or Keaton.

He seems to like the more broadly comic.
posted by Ashwagandha at 7:35 AM on July 29, 2016


Dammit, I didn't see "chronologically".
posted by cazoo at 8:21 AM on July 29, 2016


Lacks Primer...makes up for it with Dark Star.
posted by bdc34 at 8:52 AM on July 29, 2016 [2 favorites]


I got 401, although in my defense I also recognized a bunch which I have wanted to watch but Netflix doesn't have them.

Although a few I'm sure I watched but I could really tell you nothing about the movie if you asked.
posted by ckape at 10:24 AM on July 29, 2016


Huh, based on the number of thrillers and noir I wonder if he's ever had an itch to do a straight up crime movie
posted by The Whelk at 11:08 AM on July 29, 2016


Is there a way to unfuck that user interface? I'd like to actually see all 1000 films, not click through 48 at a time.

(╯°□°)╯︵ ┻━┻
posted by axiom at 1:13 PM on July 29, 2016 [1 favorite]


A Mubi link on Metfilter? I had to join again to say something about that.

Yeah, 1000 films certainly would seen like a lot to most casual filmgoers, but for a lot of us who find great interest in the art form, that really isn't much at all. I know some people from that site who've seen 800 or so in a single year, so for people with a passion for the form, the number wouldn't be shocking at all.

Mubi, formerly The Auteurs, used to have a vibrant film discussion board that is now, sadly, shut down. I mention that because as interesting as this list is, the community there was deeply invested in films that tend to fall outside casual notice. Popular films weren't ignored, but the discussion board was more interested in talking about movies from places and times other than Hollywood of the past 30 years.

As such, for anyone really interested in a broader view of film history, or anyone just looking for lesser known films to watch for fun I would recommend checking out some other lists from members on the site, maybe not people as famous as Edgar Wright, but people who care about movies nonetheless.

Kenji's list of essential films directed by women

or a more comprehensive take by Ally; one of many lists she has on women directors separated into different secondary themes.

(If you go to Kenji or Ally's own pages you'll find scads of other excellent lists covering a wide range of categories for film groupings.)

Joe Bowman's list of queer films that "will serve as a cinematic guide through queer cinema, from Kenneth Anger to Pier Paolo Pasolini to Gus Van Sant. The focus will be placed not simply on films with gay images but on films that aggressively thwart (or simply ignore) the heteronormative, patriarchal notions of gender and sexuality (which applies just as often to the western gay and lesbian community). "

Or for a smaller list, maybe the Mubi forum's 21 favorite African films would be easier to wade through.

(The African Film Project has longer lists from every area of Africa on their own page too if this one whets your appetite for more from the largely ignored film history of that continent.)

I could add dozens more lists too, from virtually every country, era, and theme one could hope for. If the list isn't on Mubi, then Letterboxd, or Super Champion Film Zone, where many Mubi members went after the forum shut down, also have ones of equal interest.

I bring those up in part just to remind people that movie history and even the history of "great" movies is a much more diverse one than its commonly represented as being, even on popular film sites. It always rankles me a bit to see "canon" lists that are nothing of the sort coming from sites like Slate that are more interested in pandering to the crowd than talking intelligently about their alleged subject.

And, as much as I dig Metafilter, having read it everyday for the last decade or so, I also mention it hoping to get people to broaden their artistic horizons in the same way they've broadened their political ones. Not that the stakes are the same, but there is some intersection. When I read of the complaints over Hollywood film and representation, I keep wondering why people stick so tightly to an industry that isn't more representative of their audience or the diversity of perspectives out there.

It is, of course, an unreserved good everytime Hollywood does better represent their audience in casting; the new Star Wars film, the recent Mad Max sequel, and the new Ghostbusters are real steps forward by that measure. At the same time I am concerned that simply plugging women, for example, into the same old archetypal roles is going to risk spreading unhealthy attitudes and toxic masculinity to a broader audience rather than providing different perspectives for audiences along with those different casts.

While I would never suggest there is one or any "right way" to enjoy oneself or that entertainment is a universally direct cause of actions of any sort either, I do think it can inform one's point of view and feed underlying narratives that can be unhealthy especially coming from such a hegemonic perspective as that of the Hollywood film industry.

Edgar Wright's list isn't all that different from a lot of "cool" film lists, linked so much to aggressive adversarialism; lots of clever good looking films, many or even most based around the mainstream film industry's fetish for a certain kind of violent confrontation. I like many of these same films (I dislike a good share too), but they are not representative of the variety of the art form or the broader "best" of the art form that I hope people would also look to experience.

Look, I know people who only watch a few films a year aren't going to invest heavily into searching out more singular examples of the art form, so I'm not judging, time is limited, our interests our different and no one can master all things in the world, so all I'm trying to do is encourage people with any extra interest to look beyond the usual gatekeepers and see what else is out there if you haven't already since list's like Wright's are only one small but highly popularized cross section of what movies have to offer.
posted by gusottertrout at 4:41 PM on July 29, 2016 [5 favorites]


Only 482. I am ashamed.
posted by brundlefly at 4:54 PM on July 29, 2016


Please don't be. I'm sure you love at least 1,000 movies. Only just 482 of those movies.
posted by Grangousier at 5:38 PM on July 29, 2016 [2 favorites]


It's more that there are tons of movies on that list that I know I SHOULD have seen at this point but haven't. I have some weird gaps.
posted by brundlefly at 11:08 AM on July 30, 2016


Well I've only seen 557 of them, though I can't be sure, I find the titles of black and white movies really hard to remember, like Sweet Smell of Success which I always forget I've seen, every time.

Glad to see Looker on there which was a strange good/bad movie that made no splash at all but I guess I liked? Edgar Wright, any human, please talk to me about Looker.

Mrs de poop was very annoyed that Wright had Crank 2 but not Crank. (She doesn't give much of a shit about the problematicness of faves.)

I'm always surprised people liked The Band Wagon, which has (okay) a classic song at the beginning, but from there to the end are long miles of fucking sad garbage — if-this-is-a-good-musical-then-death-to-musicals level of garbage.
posted by nom de poop at 6:56 AM on July 31, 2016


I don't know about how it was in the UK, but here in the states during Wright's childhood era, Looker was on cable tv constantly. It's one of those movies that didn't do much at the box office but it seemed like everyone saw it at some point, like Eddie and the Cruisers, This is Spinal Tap, or Office Space.

Looker did manage to have an interesting enough hook, ad company using mind controlling techniques via perfecting images of female bodies by computer enhancement and mesmerizing viewers. (This at a time when there was still a lot of angst about subliminal images in the US.) And the light emitting hypno-gun was nifty twist too. So it was close enough to cutting edge reality to not be entirely ludicrous as a concept and it took it's premise seriously enough to keep it from lapsing into pure kitsch as a film.

The characters were also a little more interesting than in most movies of the time, with Finney's character having some of the same mix of imperfections that made Ford's Deckard interesting in Blade Runner (another movie that took some time to find an audience)., and Susan Dey managed to get her character to tread the line between object of male gaze, as part of the theme even, and more complex human being. She wasn't all victim and eye candy in other words.

I mean the movie was no great shakes, but it was a solid piece of adultish Hollywood craft at a time when movies were still trying to figure out the what audiences wanted from sci-fi films; simplicity and action, or something a little meatier in concept.

Don't like The Band Wagon eh? Is that how you feel about most Hollywood musicals, or is Band Wagon an outlier? Antipathy to musicals is not an uncommon thing it seems. Not sure if there is a good way to help someone who doesn't like the form to better enjoy it. Seems like a pretty strong barrier is in place for a lot of people that way.
posted by gusottertrout at 1:32 AM on August 1, 2016


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