First, I’d like to respond to the charge levelled in comments that I am pretentious. Yep! Been practicing since I was eleven. Second, while I agree with the idea that this list isn’t for people like me but for the masses, I don’t see why the masses can’t take a little bit of smart cinema now and then. Even though I know that the idea of a populace well-educated in art is against the founding intent of America.
Enough of that, though: on to the list itself. (This, by the way, is invaluable)
I’d reiterate being shocked – shocked! – that Spartacus made the list. There’s an obvious reason for just about every other entry, but that film? Who actually loves that film?
I haven’t seen Sophie’s Choice, but my understanding has been that, absent its central performance, nobody particularly likes it.
Generally, the additions made up for what was dropped, although Fargo, Stagecoach and especially The Third Man are particularly missed (especially The Third Man: if you’re going to have the balls to call it “American,” it damn well ought to be on your damn list).
On reflection, I should not have said last night that It’s a Wonderful Life was “the classic example of of a movie that I liked a lot more before I know much about the movies.” What that meant is that, like Woody Allen’s Deconstructing Harry, I though much more of its story structure before I learned how very far from unique that structure really was. It’s a good movie with some strikingly bleak imagery and one of Jimmy Stewart’s five best performances. There’s no justification for ranking it in the top 20.
It is good that Preston Sturges has been ranked, although I’m not entirely sure why Sullivan’s Travels got more votes than e.g. The Lady Eve. I think it has to with ST’s presumed “importance.” Which is ironic, given the film’s theme.
It is very good that Buster Keaton is ranked. It is bad, but not very surprising that Harold Lloyd is not ranked. FWIW, I still feel sort of guilty for only including one Lloyd film on my list.
I ask this periodically: why do people love The Shawshank Redemption? I mean that in the spirit of sincere inquiry. I have never encountered an explanation that isn’t tautological (I love it becuase it is something I love). The AFI brought out M. Night Shyamalan to defend it, and I was too busy screaming inside my brain to listen to what he had to say.
Given how surprising and interesting so much of the list was, all the way up to City Lights at 11 and The Searchers at 12, the top 10 – minus Vertigo – felt horribly pre-ordained.