The 2012 Sight & Sound poll - Citizen Kane dethroned after fifty years

[CarloOos]

Vertigo's a strange one, the pacing is all over the place what with how you're basically told the ending two thirds of the way through, leaving the actual ending really flat. I did read that Hitchcock wanted the letter scene out but was convinced to leave it in, which has always felt like a mistake to me.

But then again, how many films do I have in the top 100.

[Marlowe]

The list reflects the age of the participants more than anything, with the films the critics/directors saw in their younger days much more likely to have made a profound and lasting impression on them.

[Chopsocky]

Having just seen Psycho and Vertigo almost back to back for the very first time I have to agree. Even though the ending of Psycho had been spoiled for me long ago the film still manages to amaze me both with the cinematography and the pacing

holy crap at the shower scene and Janet Leigh

.

Vertigo just left me a little drained being overlong and some effects like the nightmare scene and

the push off the tower

feeling very outdated. I also read that bit about

the letter scene

on wiki. I agree that it should have been left out or simply hinted at instead of being spelt out. Much worse than the chit chat at the end of Psycho. There probably is a good story in there somewhere but I don't think that the movie does justice to it. It starts great, Kim Novak is amazing and there's some nice scenery as well but I prefer every other Hitchcock movie i've seen so far to it.

Haven't seen much else on the list.

[The Grand Pursuivant]

I don't think that Vertigo is Hitchcock's best film. but it's really nice to see that someone who was considered to be a populist movie maker and who was sneered at by highbrow critics is being recognised in this way by the very same people decades later.

That said, Vertigo is still an absolutely amazing film, and is easily one of the best of all time. Zizek's section on Vertigo in Perverts Guide To Cinema explains why in a much better way than I ever could. It's well worth a watch if you haven't seen it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Uq-kaUFylk

[Rsdio]

I don't think that Vertigo is Hitchcock's best film. but it's really nice to see that someone who was considered to be a populist movie maker and who was sneered at by highbrow critics is being recognised in this way by the very same people decades later.

Yeah, I've found it quite funny that a lot of the criticism being levelled at the list in general has been based around it being stuffy and elitist despite the fact a bloody Hitchcock film came out on top.

As far as it reflecting the ages of those polled and the films they were excited about in their youth, in one sense that's a fair point but personally I don't believe you can just boil the results down to that. I'm 30 years old, have seen all but a couple of the top fifty as well as most of the later films that might be considered to be contenders and I think it's a fair enough top fifty. Obviously I don't agree with it all (the order of certain films in particular), but I doubt any individual ever will.

I suppose I think it's important that the poll exists since there are plenty of lists out there that reflect the most popular films if that's what you're after.

[Nick R]

Ten years later, we have another pair of lists!

 

Critics' list: https://www.bfi.org.uk/sight-and-sound/greatest-films-all-time

Directors' list: https://www.bfi.org.uk/sight-and-sound/directors-100-greatest-films-all-time

 

On the critics' list, the number of animated films increased...

Spoiler

from zero to two! (Spirited Away and My Neighbour Totoro.)

 

The most recent films on the critics' list:

Spoiler

Parasite (2019)

Portrait of a Lady on Fire (2019)

Get Out (2017)

Moonlight (2016)

Tropical Malady (2004)

Spirited Away (2001)

Mulholland Drive (2001)

In the Mood for Love (2000)

The Gleaners and I (2000)

Yi Yi (2000)

 

I have seen 32 films on the critics' list, and 32 on the directors' list.

[Fitzcarraldo]

Laughing at the thought of all the people about to give Jeanne Dielman a go. 

[Benny]

Have they actually been watching any films in the last ten years?

[Benny]

Have to admit, that's a pretty strong list:

 

[Festoon]

In The Mood For Sleep

[Graham S]

79% and 78%. It would be doable to try and complete the set but I’m watching 90s action movies while I listen to the Rewatchables podcast instead. 

[Nick R]

This NYT article uses some flashy web layout tricks to illustrate the way the poll results have changed over time:

 

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2022/12/02/arts/sight-and-sound-best-movies-of-all-time.html

 

 

As for the individual directors' lists that have been published so far... many of them come across like a grown-up telling you to eat your vegetables, they're good for you, at least try them, you never know, you might like them.

 

But occasionally you get one that's like a cool babysitter telling you of course you can fill up on sweets first, and you can start eating your pudding whenever you want:

 

 

Unlike everyone else, Marty gets 15 votes:

 

 

 

If anyone wants to see more of the directors' lists, Josh Lewis seems to have got an early copy of the magazine and has been tweeting photos from it:

 

 

[Festoon]

You know Rajamouli's list makes absolute sense after seeing RRR.

[Paulando]

Just wish they’d all stop pretending a 70 year old black and white film was their favourite film ever and put Dumb & Dumber on there or something.

[Hanzo the Razor]

Not much love for Holiday On the Buses.

 

Cunts.

[Dr Nookie]

7 hours ago, Paulando said:

Just wish they’d all stop pretending a 70 year old black and white film was their favourite film ever and put Dumb & Dumber on there or something.

Quite. 
Or Aliens, Predator, 2049, Risky Business, Raiders, Back to the Future literally so many choices that they’re all too scared to pick😀

 

[Broker]

On 01/12/2022 at 19:48, Benny said:

Have they actually been watching any films in the last ten years?

Just Get Out apparently. 

[Loik V credern]

Ultimately the films are always going to be old aren't they as they're serious films for people really into cinema seen at formative years of their life. And I doubt the list will change much as younger directors and critics replace them as in their search for serious cinema they'll go to these kind of lists and watch generally the same set of films recommended and held up. We all in a way want to feel a connection to either filmmakers or others who love film* and give way to any apprehension to embrace films we otherwise are cold by. There's a reverance for art and cinema where people aren't just going to be like 'well that was fucking boring' are they, more likely 'well, it was trying but I'm going to go away and try to understand why it's a masterpiece'. 

 

*but I wouldn't say that is me, that I love cinema even though new releases excites me and I enjoy seeing/listening to responses. That's something else isn't than just someone who watches more than the average amount each year. 

 

anyway it's void because there's no tetsuo 2 body hammer anywhere 

[Paulando]

It reminds me of an article I read listing Edgar Wright’s favourite films:

 

Quote

Blow Out (Brian De Palma, 1981)

Brazil (Terry Gilliam, 1985)

The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie (Luis Buñuel, 1972)

Eyes Without a Face (Georges Franju, 1960)

Head (Bob Rafelson, 1968)

Peeping Tom (Michael Powell, 1960)

Rushmore (Wes Anderson, 1998)

Le samouraï (Jean-Pierre Melville, 1967)

This Is Spinal Tap (Rob Reiner, 1984)

Walkabout (Nicolas Roeg, 1971)

Two-Lane Blacktop (Monte Hellman, 1971)

It’s like, fuck off mate, you love Jurassic Park as much as the next person.

[Exidor]

4 minutes ago, Paulando said:

It’s like, fuck off mate, you love Jurassic Park as much as the next person.

 

And it's in his list of 1000 favourites. If you're asked to pick a top ten and you've spent your whole life inhaling films like air, there's not going to be room for everything. 

[Festoon]

1 hour ago, Exidor said:

 

And it's in his list of 1000 favourites. If you're asked to pick a top ten and you've spent your whole life inhaling films like air, there's not going to be room for everything. 

 

I love that when people do it's always a really dull, worthy, list like Wrights.

[Michael J Glocks]

 

2 hours ago, Paulando said:

It reminds me of an article I read listing Edgar Wright’s favourite films:

 

It’s like, fuck off mate, you love Jurassic Park as much as the next person.

 

I haven’t seen Head or Discreet Charm* but everything else on that list is a banger. 
 

*Maybe I should, Edgar Wright obviously has good taste.

[Exidor]

I'll give you the Bunuel and Walkabout, and maybe Rushmore counts as dull if you don't like Wes Anderson, but the rest are far from worthy. Spinal Tap and the Monkees movie?

[Festoon]

18 minutes ago, Exidor said:

I'll give you the Bunuel and Walkabout, and maybe Rushmore counts as dull if you don't like Wes Anderson, but the rest are far from worthy. Spinal Tap and the Monkees movie?

 

I'm just grumpy because I don't like Wright's films much.

[Nick R]

3 hours ago, Paulando said:

It reminds me of an article I read listing Edgar Wright’s favourite films:

 

It’s like, fuck off mate, you love Jurassic Park as much as the next person.

 

Someone on Twitter posted the image below of one of his previous lists. It looked familiar; I think I recognise it from their Top 500 poll in 2008, issue #233. (I tried to find my copy of that issue to check, but annoyingly, it's not where it should be.)

 

 

 

And according to Reddit he did the one below more recently, for another Empire feature:

 

 

 

[g wings]

9 hours ago, Paulando said:

It reminds me of an article I read listing Edgar Wright’s favourite films:

 

It’s like, fuck off mate, you love Jurassic Park as much as the next person.

Nah, this is just a perfect example of an incomplete Criterion Laserdisc Collection on eBay

[FalconGR]

I watched Tokyo Story based on these lists. To be fair, it is a ridiculously good movie and deserves its place right near the top. 

[Paulando]

8 hours ago, Nick R said:

 

Someone on Twitter posted the image below of one of his previous lists. It looked familiar; I think I recognise it from their Top 500 poll in 2008, issue #233. (I tried to find my copy of that issue to check, but annoyingly, it's not where it should be.)

 

 

 

And according to Reddit he did the one below more recently, for another Empire feature:

 

 

 

OK this is more like it!

[Broker]

11 hours ago, Festoon said:

 

I love that when people do it's always a really dull, worthy, list like Wrights.

With one “fun” choice to prove you’re a human

 

Jokes aside, the reality of these lists is that most of these people will have seen a lot more films that most people and will be incredibly invested. I can’t imagine that the Rllmuk top 100 games is very similar to what your average person would vote for, and give it 30 years I’m guessing most of us will still be listing Resi 4 when it’s the equivalent of a movie from the 50’s. 

[Stig]

On 01/12/2022 at 19:48, Benny said:

Have they actually been watching any films in the last ten years?

 

I noticed that too. I think there's like only 5 films from the last 20 years and not many from the last 30 either. I've no doubt a lot of the films on the list are great but there's definitely a wiff of pretentiousness about it all.

 

The film at number 1 sounds dull as fuck.