Read New All-Time Top 10 Lists From Martin Scorsese, Woody Allen, Francis Ford Coppola, Quentin Tarantino & More

Features

by Oliver Lyttelton
August 3, 2012 8:53 AM
68 Comments

Features

More: Features, Woody Allen, Francis Ford Coppola, Martin Scorsese, Edgar Wright, Quentin Tarantino, Michael Mann, Bela Tarr, Jean-Pierre & Luc Dardenne, David O. Russell, Steve McQueen, Jeff Nichols, Mike Leigh, Guillermo del Toro, Sight & Sound - Greatest Of All Time Poll

68 Comments

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Thomas P | March 19, 2013 11:09 AMReply

Top Ten: "2001: A Space Odyssey" (1968), "Raging Bull" (1980), "Citizen Kane" (1941), Playtime (1967), "The Master" (2012), "Greed" (1925), "Intolerance" (1916), "Le Mepris" (1963), The Searchers (1956), "L'Atalante" (1934).

Honorable Mentions: "The Big Sleep" (1946), "The Maltese Falcon" (1941), "La RÃ¨gle du jeu" (1939), "Ordet" (1956)
Mr. Cinema | January 12, 2013 6:01 PMReply

Top Ten: Blue Velvet (1986) The Shining (1980) Taxi Driver (1976) No Country For Old Men (2007) Hour of the Wolf (1968) The Silence of the Lambs (1991) The Visitors (1971, Elia Kazan) Zodiac (2007) Memento (2000) Badlands (1973)
Cris | December 21, 2012 5:42 AMReply

I like bicycle thieves or 8 1/2 but where is La strada?
Matthew Joshua | December 8, 2012 3:41 PMReply

Top 10 in no particular order: Goodfellas
Psycho Citizen Kane There Will Be Blood Fargo Stagecoach A Clockwork Orange The Wizard of Oz Raging Bull Chinatown.
ZACH | September 30, 2012 8:06 PMReply

My Top 20 Favorites, in no particular order: Punch-Drunk Love (2002), Drive (2011), In the Mood For Love (2000), Pulp Fiction (1994), Vertigo (1958), City of God (2002), Finding Nemo (2003), Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004), Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975), Taxi Driver (1976), Oldboy (2003), Rashomon (1950), Raging Bull (1980), The Lives of Others (2006), Akira (1988), Before Sunset (2004), Tokyo Story (1953), Wings of Desire (1987), Annie Hall (1977), Solaris (1972).
Xator Nova | September 29, 2012 9:57 PMReply

Well, as everybody on here is making up their lists, I shall make mine, too. Top 30 Favorite Films:
#30. A Clockwork Orange #29. Akira #28. Cidade de Deus #27. Sholay #26. To Kill a Mockingbird #25. Lawrence of Arabia #24. Seven Samurai #23. The Shawshank Redemption #22. The Good, the Bad and the Ugly #21. Taxi Driver #20. Metropolis #19. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest #18. Brazil #17. Casablanca #16. Rear Window #15. Cinema Paradiso #14. NazarÃn #13. 2001: A Space Odyssey #12. Raging Bull #11. Stalker #10. Persona #9. City Lights #8. The Godfather Part II #7. 8 1/2 #6. Battleship Potemkin #5. Tie between "The Mirror" and "Tale of Tales" #4. Goodfellas #3. Citizen Kane #2. Vertigo #1. The Wizard of Oz.

Honorable Mentions: Hamlet (1996), Amadeus, The Dark Knight, Gone with the Wind, The Seventh Seal, Annie Hall, Good Night and Good Luck, NausicaÃ¤ of the Valley of Wind.
Michael | September 28, 2012 4:42 PMReply

Plus what's with all the obscure movie bullshit? What is it with naming some shit from the 40's that nobody has ever heard of. Citizen Kane is also incredibly boring, may be the worst movie ever
Xator Nova | September 29, 2012 9:47 PM

What are you talking about? It's because of these "shit" of the 40's that we have films nowadays as we know them! And of course there's a lot of people in the world such as me who admire these sophisticated pieces of art. So, your argument of "nobody has heard of" is invalid.

Citizen Kane is astounding, even by today standards, because of how many perspectives it can be seen, either as an allegory to the myth of the American Dream or as the allegory of the humanistic destruction of society. Making references to that movie in particular earned me a 98% in my English class.

You can say you didn't like the movie. That's fine, because tastes are different for each person, and I can't watch yet Le passion de Jeanne d'Arc. But calling Citizen Kane "the worst movie ever" is like calling it worse than Batman & Robin and Howard the Duck, and that is an absolute fallacy.
Michael | September 28, 2012 4:38 PMReply

My 20 In no particular order: Children Of Men, Toy story 3, The Dark knight, Heat, Up, American History X, The Prestige, Pulp Fiction, Goodfellas, Die Hard, Ferris Buellers Day Off, Stand By Me, Indiana Jones And The Last Crusade, The Great Escape, The Lord Of The Rings Trilogy, Inglorious Basterds, Saving Private Ryan, Memento
Jack | September 4, 2012 3:48 PMReply

I always debate but mine would consist of these 20:
Dumb and Dumber,
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
Magnolia
Raging Bull
There Will Be Blood
Royal Tenenbaums
Chasing Amy
MASH
Blue Velvet
Dark Knight
Hannaha and Her Sisters
Umberto D
Pulp Fiction
Taxi Driver
Dazed and Confused
Clockwork Orange
Rocky
Goodfellas
Borat
Rudy
JD | August 11, 2012 2:48 AMReply

Shocked that none of them (especially Scorsese) have included a single Kazan film on their lists would of thought at very least East of Eden made it on to Scorsese's top 12?
JoeS | August 10, 2012 10:48 PMReply

I like Woody Allen's list best, though PATHS OF GLORY isn't my favorite Kubrick (2001).

Mr. Mann - AVATAR & BIUTIFUL? They weren't even amongst the Top 10 films released in those particular years!

Scorsese's "Salvatore Giuliano" is perhaps the most obscure choice. It's a very interesting film and the events are the basis for the novel THE SICILIAN (and the Cimino film).
robb | August 10, 2012 5:35 AMReply

safe to say woody is a criterion fan
will | August 9, 2012 11:23 PMReply

"bicycle 'THEIVES?'" pitiful editing.
BEF | August 10, 2012 2:56 PM

That was the original title. It's "Thief" only in the US. I believe now it's "Bicycle Thieves" on dvd/blu-ray as well.
CPenny | August 9, 2012 9:17 AMReply

I can't be the only one positively giddy that Tarantino included the sleazeball, black comedy Pretty Maids All in a Row! Tarantino, once again, proves he is the man!
Jon W | August 8, 2012 3:14 AMReply

A lot of people getting confused between the terms Greatest and Favourite ... these directors and critics were asked to list the ten greatest films in history, not their personal favourites - which is more subjective. I think Citizen Kane is still the greatest and most important of all time, but it would never make it on to my list of favourite movies. One of those is Stand By Me, but do I think it's one of the greatest films ever made? Not a chance. Big difference between the two terms.
Ronnie d. | August 7, 2012 7:27 PMReply

I'm happy that at least one director (Michael Mann) had the bravery to include films past the 80's. I hate how both pretentious and predictable other critics are.
Husky Rump | August 7, 2012 6:12 PMReply

This list is bullsh!t. First of all, Michael Mann doesn't deserve to drink these other directors' bath water. (There are at least 50 other people you could have chosen that would have been more interesting, including Roger Corman.) Second, what's with snubbing Breakin' 2: Electric Boogaloo?
Dig Waffle, the Math Man | August 7, 2012 1:09 PMReply

My faves (at least at the moment, prolly next week there'd be a few different picks):
John Carpenter's The Thing, Hell in the Pacific, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, The Naked Prey, Papillon, Deep Red, The Roaring Twenties, To Have and Have Not, Rocky II and... hm... The Cincinnati Kid.
Dig Waffle the Math Man | August 7, 2012 1:21 PM

Because you all care so much, "Honorable Mention": The Fog, A Woman Under the Influence, Rio Bravo, Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid, Walking Tall, Clean Shaven, Raging Bull, Rumble Fish, The Blues Brothers, Day of the Dead, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, Raising Arizona, Diner aaaand, heck, I'll say Friday the 13th part 4: The Final Friday. (I have a specific fetishistic love for 70s/80s horror movies, yes.)
Watches | August 6, 2012 12:56 AMReply

1. Blade Runner
2. 2001 Space Odyssey
3. Annie Hall
4. F is for Fake
5. Big Night
6. Welcome to the Dollhouse
7. The Godfather
8. Touch of Evil
9. Apocalypse Now
10. Rocky
Hon Mention: Pulp Fiction, Bambi, Dazed and Confused, The Outsiders, Empire Strikes Back, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Match Point, Manhattan, Waking Life, Rumble Fish, Risky Business, Avatar
Richard Harris | August 6, 2012 12:39 AMReply

My personal top ten no particular order: 1:Boogie Nights (1997), 2:Pulp Fiction (1994), 3:Melvin and Howard (1980), 4:Used Cars (1980), 5:Local Hero (1983), 6:Dazed and Confused (1993), 7:Point Blank (1967), 8:Goodfellas (1990), 9:Risky Business (1983), 10:Blast of Silence (1962).

Honorable Mentions: The Graduate (1967), Annie Hall (1977), Jackie Brown (1997), Something Wild (1986)
Wig Daff the Muscle Car | August 7, 2012 1:10 PM

Point Blank YES YES!
Mark | August 5, 2012 3:07 PMReply

Woody Allen
"Bicycle Thieves" (1948, dir. Vittorio De Sica)
PLEASE FIX ME
BEF | August 10, 2012 2:58 PM

That was the original title. It's "Thief" only in the US. I believe now it's "Bicycle Thieves" on dvd/blu-ray as well.
Seankgallagher | August 5, 2012 1:25 PMReply

My top 10 (or 11) would be: (1) The Godfather Part II (1974) (2) Casablanca (1942) (3) The Godfather (1972) (4) The Seven Samurai (1954) (5) Intolerance (1916) (6) Dr. Strangelove (1964) (7) Persona (1966) (8) The Tree of Life (2011) (9) Stage Door (1937) (10) a tie between Breathless (1960) and Le Cercle Rouge (1970)
tyrannosaurus Max | August 6, 2012 12:18 AM

very respectable.
William Blake | August 5, 2012 12:42 PMReply

1. Dead Man (1995)
2. Lost Highway (1997)
3. Heat (1995)
4. Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998)
5. No Country For Old Men (2007)
6. Robocop (1987)
7. The Dark Knight (2008)
8. Zodiac (2007)
9. Dazed and Confused (1993)
10. Casino (1995)
Mass | August 5, 2012 1:25 AMReply

Seriously Michael Mann....? Seriously?
fallonius | August 5, 2012 12:12 AMReply

Thrilled to see Ashes and Diamonds on two lists. It IS the greatest, frame by frame. I thought I was the only person outside of Europe who was familiar with it. Also, the first in the trilogy, Kanal, about Poles escaping the Germans in the sewers of Warsaw. Amazing films.
Fallonius | August 5, 2012 12:19 AM

The rest of my list in no particular order: The Seventh Seal, A Very Long Engagement, Pennies From Heaven, The Return of Martin Guerre, Radio Days, Tom Jones, Yankee Doodle Dandy.
Noah | August 4, 2012 9:50 PMReply

I particularly like Scorsese's list. I've seen him talk about films like The Red Shoes, The River, and The Leopard quite a few times, and it's grand to see them finally on a list of his.

And who wouldn't have given anything to see Woody Allen's list? Not as spectacular as I would have imagined, but it's interesting to only see one Bergman.

As for my top ten, they would be (completely ignoring the rule about trilogies and such):
Citizen Kane, The Double Life of Veronique, F for Fake, The Godfather/The Godfather Part II, Grand Illusion, The Leopard, Red (Three Colors), Seven Samurai, Sunrise, The Tree of Life.
rm | August 4, 2012 3:25 PMReply

Some of my favorites: L'Atalante (Jean Vigo), The Color of Pomegranates (Parajanov), L'Avventura (Antonioni), Jules et Jim and Fahrenheit 451 (Truffaut), La Dolce Vita and Amarcord (Fellini), Persona and Fanny and Alexander (Bergman), The Double Life of VÃ©ronique (Kieslowski), Three Times (Hsiao-hsieu-Hou), Schindler's List (Spielberg), Don't Look Now (Roeg), and many more ...
BUTSeriously | August 4, 2012 4:48 AMReply

If any of you bums think you can do a better job on these, as opposed the easy meaty flicks - then show us: 10 Commandments, Jailhouse Rock, Wizard of Oz, Awara and the Nutty Professor - hah?
daveydown | August 3, 2012 11:09 PMReply

Q. The Bad News Bears. Seriously? You know who on a tricycle...
RorshachLives! | August 3, 2012 9:03 PMReply

In no real particular order;
1) The Exorcist
2) JFK
3) Star Wars
4) The Empire Strikes Back
5) The Abyss: Special Edition
6) The Shawshank Redemption
7) The Godfather
8) Zodiac
9) The Dark Knight
10) Jaws
Honorary inclusions;
The Matrix
Fight Club
The Iron Giant
The French Connection
The Silence of the Lambs
Superman: The Movie
tyrannosaurus max | August 6, 2012 12:20 AM

no. god no.
Red Apple | August 3, 2012 7:54 PMReply

QT must have fallen out of love a little with Rio Bravo and Blow Out. Or perhaps he was restricting himself to one film per director.
Tom | August 3, 2012 5:05 PMReply

So while on the face of it QT's list is more contemporary, look more closely and 7 of his 10 come from a four year period (and 8 from the 70s). Guess we're all more susceptible to "greatness" in our teens.
JD Ripper | August 3, 2012 4:18 PMReply

Can someone please explain to me why there are 12 films listed for Scorsese and Tarantino? I haven't seen anybody else mention that here.

I didn't think Sight & Sound made exceptions with how many movies are allowed on the ballots.
oliver Lyttelton | August 3, 2012 4:33 PM

Yup, both have 12 in their lists, as printed in S&S. No idea why.
Katie Walsh | August 3, 2012 4:16 PMReply

Oh my god, I want to make out with QT for putting "Carrie" on his list. My favorite movie.
All the Best People | August 3, 2012 6:09 PM

I hope you like having your toes sucked.
Chuck | August 3, 2012 3:52 PMReply

Funny that Woody didn't pick a single comedy. All great classics though. Everyone should see all of his picks.
Paul | August 10, 2012 8:49 AM

And the only two in colour?
JD Ripper | August 3, 2012 6:14 PM

Look again. The Discreet Charm Of The Bourgeoisie and Amarcord are most definitely comedies.
Pope | August 3, 2012 1:40 PMReply

I love the the "Ashes and Diamonds" love. What an amazing film. I didn't know Marty liked that film that much. Very very happy to see "Biutiful" on Mann's list. That film is severely underrated.
Paul | August 10, 2012 8:47 AM

And the only two in colour?
Wes Anderson | August 3, 2012 1:32 PMReply

No Country for Old Men (2007, Coen Bros); Persona (1966, Ingmar Bergman); Vertigo (1958, Alfred Hitchcock); Citizen Kane (1941, Orson Welles); 2001: A Spacy Odyssey (1968, Stanley Kubrick); Mirror, The (1975, Andrei Tarkovsky); Raging Bull (1980, Martin Scorsese); Apocalypse Now (1979, Francis Ford Coppola); Fargo (1996, Coen Bros); Chinatown (1974, Roman Polanski).
tyrannosaurus max | August 6, 2012 12:21 AM

haha.
I appreciate this.
You sir, have a great name.
And a very solid list.
Wes Anderson | August 3, 2012 7:07 PM

My name really is wes anderson, but I'm not thee wes anderson.
alish | August 3, 2012 4:24 PM

^playlist can you validate this?^
Travis Bickle | August 3, 2012 1:07 PMReply

My Top Ten:

Citizen Kane
Harakiri
Le Circle Rouge
12 Angry Men
Rear Window
Stalker
Night of The Hunter
Blue Velvet
Wages of Fear

(for this year)
Christopher Bell | August 3, 2012 12:49 PMReply

Lovin the love for "Ashes & Diamonds"
Mike | August 3, 2012 12:29 PMReply

So basically Quentin got his Western from "The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly" and fast dialogue from "His Girl Friday"
jack | August 3, 2012 12:19 PMReply

Cool and a bit shocking to see Linklater on this list.
Keil Shults | August 3, 2012 8:44 PM

It's surprising, but not shocking. For starters, QT put Dazed on his list in 2002 as well. Secondly, Linklater has always been underrated and has made several phenomenal films, as well as many other very good ones.

And finally, Dazed and Confused is one of the best films of the past 25 years, and it more than deserves to be hailed as a modern classic. Honestly speaking, it might make my Top 10 when I get around to making one. And before you assume that my list will be populist stoner crap, other entries would include Gidfather, Taxi Driver, and The 400 Blows.
John | August 3, 2012 12:16 PMReply

What is "Palsa" (1946, dir. Roberto Rossellini)? Is that a typo? Don't they mean "Paisan"?
The Playlist | August 3, 2012 1:48 PM

Whoops, yup, corrected, thanks.
Rob | August 3, 2012 12:23 PM

Yeah that looks like it should be Paisan/Paisa
Cinematic_high | August 3, 2012 11:34 AMReply

Avatar? Really Micahel Mann?
Shane | August 4, 2012 6:13 PM

Say what you like about Avatar, it's a technological marvel beyond the skills of most film-makers, and won't be forgotten. Wim Wenders adores it too.
Stevo the Magnificent | August 3, 2012 8:54 PM

Ha ha, I was thinking the very same thing myself! 'Avatar' was a technologically groundbreaking and visually striking film, but the script and overall narrative was cliche-ridden and clunky environmentalist claptrap of the highest order, I don't care how much money it made, box-office numbers are no gauge of quality... but kudos to Tarantino for including William Friedkin's underrated masterpiece 'Sorcerer', let's hope QT can influence the powers-that-be into giving it a beautifully remastered new DVD and Blu-Ray release...
AS | August 3, 2012 10:11 AMReply

Very interesting to see Paths of Glory on Woody Allen's list. I wouldn't have expected that. It's also interesting how almost no one had The Godfather on their list. I guess they all just love Raging Bull too much.
Miguel | August 3, 2012 10:08 AMReply

Nice lists. Good to see that some people had the guts to name films like "The Goonies" or "Groundhog Day". Quite refreshing. But Michael Mann? I mean I totally respect his decision if he genuinely likes the film. But "Avatar"? Really?
Huffy | August 3, 2012 10:38 AM

I'd give him more shit about including "Biutiful". While pretty average at least "Avatar" succeeds on its own terms.
AS | August 3, 2012 10:13 AM

Michael Mann has always been a very visual director so I can see why Avatar may have impressed him. He probably admired the scope and ambition of the project.