oscar@utcsrgv.UUCP (Oscar M. Nierstrasz) (08/19/83)
It is characteristic of human beings that they seek order wherev-
er it is to be found and they impose order where there is none to
begin with. Lists and lists of lists are by-products of this
sometimes obsessive human trait. Categorization is sometimes il-
luminating, sometimes merely entertaining and occasionally down-
right offensive and ill-inspired.
Being a human being I have upon occasion wondered what the 10 or
20 "best" films of all time were, or even the 10 or 20 "best"
films that I have seen. Lists like this are in abundance, and
are generally a waste of time, though they may be an entertaining
way of passing a rainy afternoon. One thing I have noticed in
such lists is a certain quality which I shall tentatively identi-
fy as boring monotony. After all, who cares if the 20 most pres-
tigious (hoo haw!) film critics of North America agree that "Ci-
tizen Kane" is, quite simply, the best film ever made? What I as
a member of the thrill-seeking public want is to hear that Zoltan
Lasztzy of the Rhode Island Gazette thinks that "Citizen Kane" is
forgettable and trite, but that Willie Noman's 1973 "Teen Week-
end" is the unsung classic of American film; a sociological land-
mark; a hot little piece of trash: his *favourite* film.
It then occurred to me that the epithet "best" carries with it a
stigma that automatically enforces a certain set of standards
about what a "good" film is. Although there may be some varia-
tion in the application of these standards, and even some dissen-
tion about what they are, there is still a clear understanding
that certain films are "good" and some are "bad". Apply these
standards ruthlessly and you get your 10 "best" films. Very bor-
ing.
I thought some more about the movies that I liked to see over and
over again. My "favourite" film, as it turns out, is "The Third
Man" by Sir Carol Reed (1949, with Orson Welles and Joseph Cot-
ten). Now, no matter how much I like this film, I would be re-
luctant to put it on a "Ten Best List". I can think of several
films that are "better". Why is this? I can come up with expla-
nations about how films like "The Third Man" appeal to you sub-
consciously rather than intellectually, hence the distinction
between a "good" film and one that you enjoy seeing. This is not
very convincing, however.
Does anybody have any thoughts on this? Note that I am *not*
asking for lists of everybody's favourite film. This might be
entertaining, but surely inappropriate here. What I would like
to know is *why* your favourite film is your favourite, and if
you agree that it has nothing to do with (your own idea of) the
ten "best" films.
Oscar Nierstrasz @ utcsrgv
(No, it's not raining...)jab@ritcv.UUCP (John A Biles) (08/22/83)
Favorite films not being "great" brings to mind my reaction to
the second Star Wars movie. I remember telling my friends, "Go see it!
It's a better movie than the first one, but it wasn't as much fun."
They had a little trouble understanding that one.
- Al Biles, RIT
{allegra, seismo}!rochester!ritcv!jabrcj@burl.UUCP (08/25/83)
My favourite films/songs/people are all favourites for one very hedonistic reason -- they make me feel good. If I come home from a rotten day at work, any of the following will ALWAYS put me in a GREAT mood; not just get me out of the dumps but actually put me on top of the world: FILM: Seven Brides for Seven Brothers SONG: "Root Beer Rag" by Billy Joel /* Jazzy-ragtime piano piece */ PERSON: Lovely lady, ruthless businesswoman, self-assured, great poet, etc., etc., etc. -- she also loves champagne as much as I do. -- The MAD Programmer -- 919-228-3814 (Cornet 291) alias: Curtis Jackson ...![ floyd sb1 mhuxv ]!burl!rcj