AFI 100 Years, 100 Movies: No. 69


Back in 1998, the American Film Institute unveiled its list of the 100 greatest films as voted on by members of the cinematic community. The year, I'm looking at the films on that list, re-ranked according to my preference. Check back Fridays and Saturdays throughout the year as we walk through this list of classic films.

Ethan Edwards: Livin' with Comanches ain't bein' alive.

The Searchers (1956)
Original List Position: 96
Starring: John Wayne, Jeffrey Hunter, Vera Miles, and Natalie Wood
Director: John Ford
About: This is a fascinating film. It's one of the signature entries from Wayne, and one of his classical Westerns. It also comes from the director Ford, who is revered. And yet, in the original listing, it nearly didn't make it. This is a film that is higher for me than where it landed on this original list. But when it came to re-doing the list a decade later, this film was ranked No. 12. That is an incredible jump up for the film, and probably reflects its place in culture. I remember watching it as part of my look at Westerns and being taken with a lot of how the movie is put together. That being said, it isn't the most uplifting film. Still, this is a solid entry that is worth checking out.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Now Playing

Image
  It was an interesting week for new releases in theaters. Below is my take on the two big theatrical films from the weekend. You can keep up with everything I’m watching by following me on Letterboxd @knighthawk7734. Boy Kills World (Theaters) Starring : Bill Skarsgard, Jessica Rothe, Famke Janssen, Brett Gellman, and Michelle Dockery Synopsis : We have seen a lot of action films this year. Many have featured violent sequences, but some have been more artful than others. The new film, Boy Kills World, provides plenty of violence. It’s right there in the title. But where it falls short is in building something compelling beyond the killing spree. We’re introduced to a Boy (Skarsgard) early in the film. He tells us that his world is ruled by the Van Der Koy family, whose head, Hilda (Janssen) keeps the people in line through an annual Culling, where she kills “enemies.” Our protagonist’s mother and sister were among her victims. The Boy barely survived; saved by the Shaman (Yayan Ru...
Read more

Fall TV Roundup, Week 16

Image
  It’s Christmas week, and you might find yourself looking for some distractions in the form of new shows to check out. But which are worth checking out? Let this weekly post be your guide as I review the pilot and second episode of new shows this Fall. Don’t see a new show listed below? Check previous weeks. Tuesdays: American Auto, Tuesdays at 8 p.m. on NBC (Premiered December 13) About: A lot was made of the fact NBC, former home of Must-See TV, launched a schedule this Fall with no sitcoms. NBC isn’t planning to do the same in the winter, and they got a jump start to close the year, offering two-episode previews of a pair of new sitcoms that will begin their normal runs in January. The first, American Auto , comes from Superstore creator Justin Spitzer and centers on a new CEO (Ana Gasteyer) at a car company. She doesn’t come from the world of cars but is trying to effect positive changes. I thought the first two episodes were funny and definitely filled the Superstore vib...
Read more

Now Playing

Image
  It was a solid week for new releases, including my favorite animated film of the year. You can keep up with everything I’m watching by following me on Letterboxd @knighthawk7734.  Brats (Hulu) Synopsis : From Andrew McCarthy, this new documentary takes a look at the infamous Brat Pack. The film features interviews with the members as they look back at the title that branded them and helped define some of their career. As a member of the group, McCarthy brings a unique perspective. Often the interviews, with actors such as Emilio Estevez, Rob Lowe, Timothy Hutton, and Demi Moore, among others, feels more like old friends catching up. There’s a sweetness and a lightness to the documentary that is incredibly appealing. The film does a good job of capturing the highs and lows, and helping these actors and actresses give an account of what the pressure of that time—and these high-profile films—meant in their lives and their careers. As a child of the 1980s, I was fascinating by t...
Read more