Matt Zoller Seitz devotes his final Friday Night Seitz slideshow at Salon (he's starting as New York Magazine's TV critic Monday -- most deserved congrats!) to a list of his "Movies for a desert island." His rules: ten movies only, plus one short and one single seasons of a TV series, for a total of 12 titles. "Part of the fun of this exercise," he writes, "is figuring out what you think you can watch over and over, and what you can live without."
Matt's titles include "What's Opera, Doc?," Season One of "Deadwood," Bob Fosse's "All That Jazz," Terrence Malick's "The New World" (surprise!), Terrence Davies' "The Long Day Closes" (my #1 film of 1992), Joel & Ethan Coen's "Raising Arizona" (a movie I like, but consider among their lesser efforts) and Albert and David Maysles' "Salesman." Click here to see the complete list and Matt's comments.
OK, I'm game. So, the challenge, as MZS sets it up, is not just to pick "favorites," but to choose pictures that will stand up to repeated viewing since nobody is going to get you (or vote you) off the island and "It is assumed that you'll have an indestructible DVD player with a solar-recharging power source, so let's not get bogged down in refrigerator logic, mm'kay?"
For my short, it's a tough choice between Buster Keaton's "The Boat" (1921), Luis Buñuel and Salvador Dali's "Un Chien Andalou" (1929), and Chuck Jones' "Duck Amuck" (1953). I've seen them all countless times and never tire of them, but I'd probably choose "Duck Amuck" because I might be able to squeeze features by my two other favorite directors onto the list later. Or not.
For my TV season, no contest (or, as Spiro Agnew might say, nolo contendere): "Twin Peaks," Season One. That would include the pilot, of course, because that was how we saw it in the U.S., though rights problems kept it from being released on DVD with the pilot until recent years. It's David Lynch's greatest achievement and it's about my home. I grew up with the mystery in the woods, and if I'm going to be on a desert island (which I kind of was -- living in L.A. when the show first aired), I'm going to need Douglas Firs and Snoqualmie Falls to keep me company.
Now to the feature films: Nobody who's read this blog for any length of time over the last seven years (yes -- I started it on RogerEbert.com in early 2005!) will be surprised that my first, easiest, choices are those indelible formative experiences of my tender youth, Roman Polanski's "Chinatown" (1974) and Robert Altman's "Nashville" (1975), both of which I'm sure I've seen at least 25 times and are inexhaustible sources of soul-renewing energy. (Gee, considering the [exuberant] fatalism of these movies, that must make my tender youth sound pretty bleak, I guess...)
The rest of these I'll put in chronological order:
"Our Hospitality" (Buster Keaton, 1923). Awfully difficult to decide between this and the insanely inventive "Sherlock, Jr.," but there are passages of gentle nostalgia here (the train ride!) that make me swoon and smile. And a number of belly laughs, too.
"Trouble in Paradise" (Ernst Lubitsch, 1930). The most perfect romantic comedy, ever -- the rhythms and movements and dialogue as musical as Lubitsch's famous operetta films. A sparkling diamond of a movie that i can talk along with and feel enormously witty and sophisticated.
"Only Angels Have Wings" (Howard Hawks, 1939). The most entertaining movie ever made. Cary Grant, Jean Arthur, Thomas Mitchell, Richard Barthelmess. "Calling Barranca!"
"Ball of Fire" (Howard Hawks, 1941). Sugarpuss O'Shea, people. Barbara Stanwyck, Gary Cooper, Dan Duryea (as Duke Pastrami) the seven dwarfs working on an encyclopedia, and a script by Billy Wilder and Charles Brackett that loves American vernacular like nobody's business. Possibly the best double-pun in movie history: "It's as red as the Daily Worker and twice as sore!"
"North By Northwest" (Alfred Hitchcock, 1959) The most entertaining movie ever made. Again. Cary Grant, Eva Marie Saint, James Mason, Leo G. Carrol, Martin Landau, Abraham Lincoln. ROT.
"Monty Python's Life of Brian" (Terry Jones, 1979) Because it's so damned funny, and I can sing along with "Always Look on the Bright Side of Life," which I may need to do (with the darkest possible irony). Such spiritual sustenance will be needed on a desert isle. "Don't worry too much about the myrrh next time."
"Stop Making Sense" (Jonathan Demme, 1984). A good sound system (or, at least, decent headphones) will also be needed. I was never happier than when we played this movie at our Market Theater in Seattle's historic Pike Place Market in the fall and winter of 1984-85. What a blast. An ingeniously structured and joyfully performed show, and the most thrilling pop-rock concert movie ever, by a mile.
"Barton Fink" (Joel and Ethan Coen, 1992). "Miller's Crossing," "No Country for Old Men" and "A Serious Man" are better, deeper, movies, but this is one I can watch over and over again -- again because the dialogue is so musical and so funny. John Turturro, John Mahoney, Judy Davis, Michael Lerner, Tony Shaloub, John Goodman, Jon Polito, Steve Buscemi, the mosquito, the pelican -- every one of them giving performances of impeccable timing and virtuosity. "Where's my honey?!?"
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I'll bite.
Short film:
Geri's Game - Because it never fails to send me to the floor laughing, and on a desert island the theme of being your own best company would be appreciated. (And my movie list is sorely lacking animation.)
TV:
The Prisoner - The entire series fits nicely into one season, and again, on an island, how apropos?
Movies:
Rushmore - No movie consistently makes me laugh this much, and though I've seen it nigh on 100 times (no joke) I keep noticing new details.
Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan - I'm an unabashed Trekkie, but beyond the nerd love this is just a ripping nautical (cosmic) adventure, heartfelt celebration of companionship, and poignant contemplation of the wages of time.
Aguirre, The Wrath of God - My favorite Herzog, and a film that will accompany me through my spiral into madness as the island slowly bleeds the civilization from me.
Annie Hall - Not my favorite Allen, though it's certainly close. However, my favorites (Husbands and Wives, Crimes and Misdemeanors, Manhattan…) don't strike me as particularly good island flicks, whereas I could watch Annie Hall any time, any place.
Mulholland Dr - For the most part, this list reads like a laundry list of my favorite directors, and I certainly couldn't imagine going the rest of my life without seeing a Lynch film again. Mulholland is my favorite…the Silencio scene alone may cover the entire range of human emotion.
2001: A Space Odyssey - So I can dream of stars.
Days of Heaven - For meditations on the spirit of man during the magic hour as the sun winks over the horizon.
Lawrence of Arabia - Thinking about length, here. I'm going to have a lot of time to spend watching movies, and I'm always complaining about how I want to see LoA a few more times but I don't have the time...
The Adventures of Baron Munchausen - Nearly went with Brazil, but this film's exploration of the power of storytelling has always resonated with me a bit more, and Gilliam's sheer visual inventiveness is such a delight.
Raiders of the Lost Ark - I hope they have popcorn on this island.
Heh heh. I thought it said "Aguirre, The Wrath of Khan" there for a second! What a movie mash-up that would be.
I'd watch that!
To reiterate your point, this wouldn't be my regular 'favorite films of all time' list. Personally though, I'd take a printed edition of all of Shakespeare's works over any movie or tv show I can think of.
Night on the Galactic Railroad
Citizen Kane
Abel Gance's Napoleon
An Inn in Tokyo (ozu)
Andre Rubelov
Sunrise
Fantasia (would definitely NOT have this on a regular favorite film list)
MGM Midsummer Night's Dream
Mystery of Kaspar Hauser (Herzog)
Pennies from Heaven (Herbert Ross)
TV: I Claudius
Short: Draftee Daffy or Meshes of the Afternoon (can't decide)
"Kane" and "Sunrise" were painful omissions from my list. I watch them over and over and they never cease to give me great joy -- "Sunrise" for its heartwrenching beauty and "Kane" for its irreverent, exuberant energy. "Sunrise" is a dream; "Kane" is... well, Welles himself said it best: "the biggest electric train set a boy ever had!" No movie has ever exuded such crazy, ebullient FUN.
Sansho the Baliff- It might be one of the most powerful films I have ever seen. I love the moving camera. It is a sad film, but isn't depressing, and this is because the film making is so assured.
Citizen Kane- The fast pacing makes this one feel very modern. If there has to be a greatest movie of all time, I'm fine with it being Kane.
2001 A Space Odyssey- The special effects still look great, and are better used than just about any movie that is trying to be awe inspiring. I still don't know how anybody could be impressed by Avatar. I love how Kubrick holds his shots for a long period of time to allow them to resonate. It is impossible for me to imagine the music Kubrick selected for his movies without thinking of his images.
Only Angels have Wings- You are right Jim. This is one of the most entertaining films of all time. I don't understand why both Hawks and Arthur found her own performance dissatisfying. She a natural.
Nashville- This one physically effected me. I had chills on the back of my neck when Barbara Harris took the mic at the end of the movie. Altman is my favorite director, and Nashville is my favorite movie.
Days of Heaven- The narration by Linda Manz gives me chills. Terrence Malick's movies feel more like music than stories to me, and this is because he throws out the script and finds his movies in the editing room.
Taxi Driver- This is the best first person film ever made, and both Scorese's and De Niro's most powerful work. Bernard Herrmann's score is terrifying.
No Country For Old Men- This one completly captures my view of life. Like a lot of Coen brothers work it is grim, but also very funny, and despite what some critics say, full of humanity. They were the right directors to adapt Mccarthy's writing. I can't think of any modern directors who are as good at sequencing a scene of action than the Coen's, except David Fincher. No Country for old Men is the type of movie you can feel in your chest.
Paris Texas- This is the type of movie that gets under your skin. The combonation of Robby Muller's cinematography and Ry Cooder's steel guitar are impossible to seperate. I love red sky in the movie, and the green lights on the highways. Harry Dean Stanton is the Greatest actor of all time.
Boogie Nights- Paul Thomas Anderson is allowed to show off because he is so good. It is hard for me to think of a movie that is made with as much enthusiasm as Boogie Nights. It is an epic, and the music selections and the characters always make me happy.
Freaks and Geeks first and only season. It was between this and Deadwood season 2, but if I brought along Deadwood, I would miss the rest of the series too bad. Despite the fact that Freaks and Geeks was sadly cancelled, it found a way to find a sort of a resolution. No show makes me happier and I feel like the cast are my best friends.
The Subway Violin scene from Louis in the episode Pamela. I'm not too knowleable about short films, but that scene, and a lot of the scenes from Louis feel like complete short films to me. It is hilarious and bizarre.
This is uncanny. I seriously considered every one of these, right down to "Louie." (And "Barry Lyndon," also.) This could easily have been my list, too. (And, yes, I think "Sansho" is possibly the greatest film ever made.)
I've been reading Roger Ebert and your blog since I was 15 or sixteen years old and I'm now 21, and I have been reading Matt Seitz about just as long. So, I would definitely say that your and Matt's way of seeing movies has influenced the way I see them.
Thank you. Nothing makes me happier than to hear something like that.
I just have to say that I feel the very same way as cmilne. I started reading Scanners when I was about seventeen; now I'm a twenty year-old film studies major at University of Colorado Boulder, and the people who I hold most responsible for inspiring my passion for film are Roger Ebert, Andrew Sarris, and yourself. I owe a great debt to this blog for the way I watch and think about movies. So thank you, Mr. Emerson.
My pleasure, cmilne and Max! Thank you.
First, I'm gonna be stuck on this island for a long time so I'm not going to try to be "balanced" for the sake of erudition. Virtually everything on my list is relatively recent (last 50 years) and it also skews heavily to English language - that's just the way it plays out, no agenda. I think Godard is the greatest director but there isn't a single Godard film I'd want to "live with" as much as these movies. Similarly, it's tough to imagine never seeing a Fassbinder again but I couldn't single out just one, not even "Ali."
Short Film: "Three Little Pirates." I'm pretty sure I need a Three Stooges film but it's tough to make a choice and this is the choice I most fear would grow stale, but gotta go with Moe.
TV Series: Star Trek: TOS: Season Two. The only tough decision was whether to go with Season One or Season Two. No other show was in contention. I love, dearly love, these people more than any other cast ever assembled, and I simply need them with me or else I'm not going to make it through a five year mission, or maybe even five weeks.
Movies:
2001: A Space Odyssey: Also a no doubter. I am not exaggerating when I say that I think about this film at some point virtually every day of my life. I've seen it nearly 100 times (and the Stargate sequence close to 1,000 times) and I'm just getting started.
The Tree of Life: Yeah, let's make it a double bill. I've thought about this movie every day since I first saw it too.
The Shining: Two Kubricks out of ten sounds right to me.
Help!: A Hard Day's Night is almost surely the better movie, but Help! makes me laugh the most, and I like the soundtrack a little better.
Stroszek: I'm not going anywhere without Bruno. And I will probably finish many days watching the Stargate sequence and the Dancing Chicken back to back.
The Big Lebowski: A common theme here seems to be that I want the characters/cast I love the most as companions. And it would really tie the island together.
Jeanne Dielman, 23 quai du commerce, 1080 Bruxelles: I will need some good recipes.
Dancer in the Dark: Because I fell in love with Bjork with this movie and never fell out.
Evil Dead 2: Who's laughing now? Me, that's who.
Dead Man: I look forward to spending a lot of time with Nobody.
Toughest cuts: An Orson Welles film (either Kane or F for Fake), Star Trek 2 (never enough Shatner), Playtime, Night of the Hunter (but I can still sing "Leaning" whenever I want to), Satantango (tempting to get my money's worth out of a single title), Life of Brian, Sissy Boy Slap Party for the short.
Can do a full list right now, but one slam-dunk is Chris Marker's SANS SOLEIL, not only because it's one of the greatest films ever made, but because after four or five viewings, I'm only beginning to understand it. FINK might be on there if I hadn't already seen it a dozen times.
1. THE HUNT FOR THE RED OCTOBER
I consider this as one of the few absolutely perfect movies. Endlessly entertaining, funny, suspenseful, so many great actors and performances and a wonderful tight script with many great setups and payoffs.
This is one of the movies where i cant switch the channel when its on tv, so it's a perfect candidate for a desert island.
2. RIDE THE HIGH COUNTRY
On of the first movies Peckinpah made and one of his best. Surprise, surprise: I have only seen it about two or three times. But when the titles start it's almost a religious experience for me.
3. MONTY PYTHON'S THE MEANING OF LIFE
Life of Brian is a better movie, all right. But this is the best anthology movie ever made. It's the summation of the pythons career. I love it more than any other Python movie.
4. E.T.
Another perfect movie. Which (commercial) movie today would have the guts to begin like E.T.? Plain titles to the sounds of a forest.
5. THE GOOD, THE BAD & THE UGLY
There are so many great western, that I would have loved to put onto my list (The Searchers, My Darling Clementine, High Noon). I chose this one, because you gotta have some Ennio Morricone on a desert island.
6. SLAP SHOT
The Charlestown Chiefs and the Hanson Brothers will cheer me up, when i get too lonely.
7. HANNAH AND HER SISTERS
I will be forever grateful to Woody Allen for giving two characters the most wonderful happy ending.
8. THE GODFATHER, PART I
What could I add, what has not been said before. If only for the "garden scene" between Marlon and Al - this has to be on my list.
9. THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK
I love Star Wars, okay? Sue me.
10. THE GREAT DICTATOR
Tough decision. I almost gave this place to CITY LIGHTS. Two other candidates were North by Northwest or Vertigo. I'm german so i go with my nations legacy. Charlies final speech - though often criticized and ripped apart for being sappy, shallow, etc. - aims right into my soul.
11. SHORT FILM: THE MUSIC BOX
I'm not a Keaton or Chaplin Guy (I love them both). I'm a Laurel and Hardy person.
12. TV-SERIES: LOST (SEASON 1)
What else on a desert island?
The Miracle of Morgan's Creek
JFK
The Thin Red Line
Star Wars
Zodiac
Rebecca
Amadeus
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
Star Trek 3: The Search For Spock
LA Confidential
For the tv show I can't decide between Firefly and Mad Men. Any season of Mad Men would do. For the short film I would probably also choose Duck Amuck.
I already posted this on Seitz's piece, but here it is again:
Features:
Belle de Jour – my all-time favorite
2001: A Space Odyssey – I just hope the TV on the island has a nice biiiiiiiig screen
Play Time – for those days when I’m missing the city
Once Upon a Time in the West – for those days when I’m not completely sick of the outdoors
Jeanne Dielman – it’ll be a nice change to get caught up in someone else’s routine, methinks
Orpheus – to escape into the realm of fantasy
Annie Hall – for a good laugh
The New World – for a good cry (and not just to be a kiss-up!)
A Hard Day’s Night – because I couldn’t give up the Beatles
The Passion of Joan of Arc – to remind myself that, hey, things could be much worse
Short film:
Does “La Jetee” count? If so, that. If not, Alexeieff and Parker’s pin-screen masterpiece “Night on Bald Mountain,” which is even more mindblowing when you think about how it was made.
TV season:
Much as I’d love to be the smartass who answers “Lost,” I gotta go with season 2 of “Monty Python’s Flying Circus.” Hilarious and infinitely re-watchable, it finds the lads firing on all cylinders.
I think if you had to pick ten movies to watch for the rest of your life you'd want to choose ones that offer endless variations of themselves: multiple interpretations, contradictory points of view, rich amounts of subtle detail. Trying to come up with ten off the top of my head...
Certified Copy, I could make figuring this one out my life's work.
Inception
Inland Empire
The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou. I don't know if this is a depressing or affirming look at relationships. I have a feeling it would change between viewings.
The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp, so sad, so inspirational
The Limits of Control
Play Time, for obvious reasons
Rear Window
Red
A Serious Man
I'd like to comment further on "Midsummer Night's Dream":
I felt like for a desert island I had to pick ONE Shakepeare film - and for me, none really quite live up to the experience for me of just reading the text. On further reflection I MIGHT pick "Chimes at Midnight" but still....
...some of the imagery in the Reinhardt film is so beautiful - especially close-ups of Oberon and Titania. Mendelssohn's music (mined for the score) is great as well. I like Cagney's Bottom a lot (if there is an afterlife I bet Shakespeare always get a laugh out Bottom puns). Also - it would keep me endlessly occupied trying to decide whether I love or hate Micky Rooney's Puck.
Short film: "9" I haven't seen many short films, though.
TV: "The Office" Season 2. The first time I really loved TV.
And the features (in random order):
"Magnolia" - Currently my favorite film.
"The Dark Knight"
"The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"
"Raiders of the Lost Ark"
"Jaws"
"2001: A Space Odyssey"
"Annie Hall"
"Citizen Kane"
"Hoop Dreams"
"Up"
Casablanca- If I had to pick a favourite film, it'd has to be this. Roger Ebert says of "The Third Man," that it captures the romance of going to the movies. I feel that way about this film.
Casino Royale (2006)- My favouite Bond film.
The Pink Panther Strikes Again- Probably my favourite of the series.
The Apartment- A romantic comedy which blends tenderness and cynicism very well.
Shutter Island- It may sound blasphemous but this may be my favourite Scorsese film.
Rear Window- Hitchcock is my favourite director and it's hard to pick just one of his films. I think I'd go with this one, which takes a premise which sounds uncinematic and makes it in to pure cinema
The Haunting (1963): A really fun and scary horror movie. The fact that you never see a ghost makes it all the more terrifying and surprisingly satisfying.
The Godfather- Mafia life played at almost Shakespearean heights.
Out of the Past- It really encapsulates the film noir genre-or style
Hamlet (1996)- Kenneth Branagh's uncut adaptation of one one Shakespeare's masterpieces in to a genuine epic.
TV: Season Five of The Simpsons
Short: I think I would have to go with Geri's Game as well.
The King of Comedy
Evil Dead II
Citizen Kane
Rio Bravo
Bringing Up Baby ( I could easily make up a list of - and be perfectly happy with - 10 Hawks films)
A Matter of Life and Death
The Wizard of Oz
The Big Lebowski
Bride of Frankenstein
No Direction Home Bob Dylan - I'd need my Dylan fix occasionally.
All of these I've seen countless times and they never fail to bring me pleasure.
For a short it would have to be Keaton. If Sherlock Jr. is too long then I'd go for One Week.
TV Series - Whichever season of The Simpsons has the Cape Feare episode in it,
Short: I plead ignorance in this category, but I have seen "Un Chien Andalou" so I'll go with it.
TV Season: "Band of Brothers" (2001).
Films:
"The General" (Buster Keaton, 1926). I’m blown away every time I watch Keaton perform these stunts.
"City Lights" (Charlie Chaplin, 1931). This seems the perfect film for a big screen on a quiet, desert island night.
"Holiday" (George Kukor, 1938). Katharine Hepburn, Cary Grant, and childlike enthusiasm I’d likely need on my solitary island.
"Citizen Kane" (Orson Welles, 1941). Not taking this film with me would be like leaving Hamlet at home on the shelf. Not happening.
"Sullivan’s Travels" (Preston Sturges, 1941). Serious and silly. With a little sex in it.
"Letter from an Unknown Woman" (Max Ophüls, 1948). I hope I have my region-free player. It’s breathtaking, unsettling, and so inspiring.
"To Catch a Thief" (Alfred Hitchcock, 1955). Not Hitchcock’s best. Not even close. But I need to see Grace Kelly, and while I’d normally choose Rear Window, Kelly is at her most beautiful here with Cary Grant. Do you want a leg or a breast?
"Vertigo" (Alfred Hitchcock, 1958). Beautiful film with a beautiful score. Hitchcock's best?
"The 400 Blows" (François Truffaut, 1959). Some films stick in the mind. This might be the stickiest film I’ve seen.
"WALL-E" (Andrew Stanton, 2008). Love found in the most desolate of places.
Oh man...this is purely off the top of my head, now (aren't they always?).
Short - "The Great Piggy Bank Robbery." Everything I love about Daffy, and Clampett for that matter.
Season of TV - "The West Wing," Season 2. When the show was really at its stride. It's also juuuuust self-contained enough that I won't miss the rest too much.
The New World - Not to harp on Matt's choice; I actually started reading him because he knew exactly how important this film was, and perfectly articulated what it meant to me.
Barry Lyndon - A film I've said I could watch once a month and never tire of. It'd be good to put it to the test.
Trouble in Paradise - Didn't know you were such a fan, Jim. It's my third-favorite film of all time.
Joe Versus the Volcano - A film I love deeply, but it'd also give me hope that I may some day be discovered, or wash ashore.
The Long Goodbye - Because every desert island should have an Altman film from which to pick apart the tiny fragments of dialogue.
Persona - Because my island could be worse; I could have a companion who won't speak to me (bonus: might learn Swedish).
L'Avventura - Another great film about an island (bonus: might learn Italian).
Fanny and Alexander - TV version? I don't THINK I'm cheating there...
Speed Racer - I get enough flack for loving this as it is, so I might as well take my contrarianism all the way! Besides, I'd need a great action film.
The Double Life of Veronique - Because like Persona, I'll never figure it out, but I never tire of watching it.
Short: Stan Brakhage's The Act of Seeing With One's Own Eyes
Series: Kieslowski's Decalogue (there's really no other choice, for me; this is simply the greatest TV series ever made)
Films:
Persona
Vertigo
Annie Hall
Short Cuts
The Godfather, Part Two
Von Stroheim's Greed
Time Regained
Prospero's Books
Short:
One Froggy Evening. Chuck Jones is a given.
TV:
Series 1 of Fawlty Towers. I couldn't pick just one season of the The Simpsons or Twin Peaks without season 2 (and miss out on Benjamin Horne: Confederate General?), so this is plan C, but I'm very happy with it.
Movies (chronologically):
Horse Feathers- The Marx Brothers are a must. Plus this movie has football and makes fun of higher education.
Twentieth Century- For my money, the funniest movie I've seen. My life would not be complete without Oscar Jaffe and Lily Garland and Max Mandelbaum/Jacobs.
Captain Blood- I've loved this movie from the first time I heard Korngold's fanfare over the opening credits the first time I saw it.
Meet John Doe- Had to have Capra. This brings in the added bonus of Stanwyck, Cooper, Edward Arnold, and Walter Brennan.
On An Island With You- It's a silly island movie but 1) I'd also be on an island and 2) take one look at Esther Williams, and, well.....plus it's got a Busby Berkeley number in there and Cyd Charisse dancing.
North by Northwest- "With such expert playacting, you make this very room a theater"
That's Entertainment Pt2- Saves me the pain of having to choose any 1 musical. So many great numbers without the [usually] inconsequential stories between them (though I will miss the character actors; my lists lack of Eric Blore concerns me greatly).
Annie Hall- One of my 3 or 4 all-time favorites, I've probably watched this one more than anything else since I first saw it 7-8 years ago.
Commando- Arnold Schwarzenegger blowin stuff up. 'nuff said.
The Lion King- My favorite animated movie ever, brilliant songs, and it reminds me of THE pivotal year in my childhood.
Feature Films:
I tried to choose movies that would give me great joy.
Black Narcissus - I can think of no other film that has meant more to me than this one.
Days of Heaven - Can I stipulate that it must be a Criterion Blu-ray edition? Beauty finds its ultimate expression when you pop that movie into your player and watch it on a nice TV. Does this island include the best possible TV and sound system?
Meet Me in St. Louis - You can't leave this kind of fun behind.
Stars in My Crown - This is a more recent discovery for me, but Tourneur's slice of Americana is righteous to the core and funny at the same time! I'm pretty sure I could watch it over and over again. And, as an added benefit, it would help me remember at least one hymn for the rest of my life, though I'd probably get sick of hearing it in my head again and again.
The Shop Around the Corner - Jim picked "Trouble in Paradise". I'd be happy to do the same if "The Shop Around the Corner", my favorite romantic comedy, didn't exist.
A Man Escaped - Living on an island without Bresson would be a waste of my time.
How Green Was My Valley - There are a half dozen Ford films that I could pick. Since I can't bring along that giant Ford at Fox box set, I'm choosing "How Green Was My Valley" for its perfect evocation of a family breaking apart. No movie captures community as this one does, which is probably a horrible idea considering I'll be stranded on an island. But you could do a lot worse for tearjerkers and pick "Make Way for Tomorrow".
Mr. Thank You - There's no director that I can think of quite like Shimizu and "Mr. Thank You" is the purest expression of his gracefulness.
The Wild Child - Because I'm pretty sure I'll want to be reminded of what it means to be human every now and then.
E.T. - I would keep it as a link to my childhood. I would watch it and fantasize about an alien coming to visit me.
Short:
Un Chien Andalou - There's far too much narrative cohesion in my feature films selections, and this is a nice way to sneak Bunuel into the mix.
TV Show Season:
I confess that I don't watch enough television to make an educated selection here. So, I'm just gonna say Parks and Recreation Season 3. It would make me laugh at least.
Finally, Jim, Ball of Fire is the BEST! No one I know of, other than you, seems to champion it among Hawks' films, but it's a riot. I thought about including it and I also thought about including "The Awful Truth", my favorite screwball comedy.
short - something by Tex Avery
TV: Seinfeld Season 4 (the only season with an arc, where Jerry tries to get that pilot off the ground)
Movies:
Sunrise
City Lights
Les Vampires (I'm counting it as a movie, not a serial since my TV spot is already filled)
Stalker
The Spirit of the Beehive
The Life of Oharu
Late Spring
Mulholland Dr.
L'eclisse
Through the Olive Trees
I love reading these lists...but I have to think about mine for a while....but J-Mac "I close the iron door on you!". Love that movie! Although I think I love My Man Godfrey a little more...actually Leo McCarey could have a few films on the list for me.....but I'd need Sirk and a few others......
I would provide explanations, but I have to run.
Short: I'd go with Duck Amuck as well.
TV season: Buffy the Vampire Slayer, season six. Haters to the left. Maybe the best portrayal of depression in agonizing, strung-out detail ever made, along with some of the funniest and most moving and most exciting and most etc. etc. etc. And a happy ending!
Movies:
Our Hospitality
City Lights
Citizen Kane
Casablanca
Black Narcissus
Rear Window
Dr. Strangelove
This is Spinal Tap
Pulp Fiction
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Most painful omissions: 2001: A Space Odyssey, and the lack of any Billy Wilder, and the lack of anything from the 1970s, and, and....
This is going to be tough, but I think I got it.
Short Film:
'Buster Keaton's Playhouse': The technical brilliance of this film alone would attract me. Of course, Keaton's humor and mannerisms make it so much better.
TV Show:
I don't watch many TV shows at all so I'll just go ahead and say 'The Simpsons' and maybe season 11...there really isn't any reasoning behind that, sorry.
Feature Films:
'My Neighbor Totoro' (Hayao Miyazaki 1986): I need to have a quintessential film about youth imagination. This film encompasses this feeling with such gentleness and care.
'2001: A Space Odyssey'(Stanley Kubrick 1968): Mostly because it is so open-ended; the lack of much dialogue resists any sort of linearity. Moreover, the excellent special effects by the incomparable Douglas Trumbull makes this a feast every single time I watch it.
'Alien' (Ridley Scott 1979): My favorite horror film. The sets and tone of the atmosphere always make me anxious. The design of the alien is one of the greatest works of a monster I have ever seen and the stark symbolism that this film expresses always leaves me frightened but in awe.
'Gates of Heaven' (Errol Morris 1978): Thanks to Ebert, I have found this film one of the most compelling pieces I have ever seen. Such mystery, such complexity, yet strange and funny. It is kaleidoscopic in nature, just like we, humans are, and I think that is why it is always such a treat to watch again and again.
'Ikiru' (Akira Kurosawa 1951): A film about a life and life, itself. I have never seen a film that observes both with such intricacies and has made a profound impact on the way I live.
'Close Encounters of the Third Kind' (Steven Spielberg 1977): Much like 'Totoro', I enjoy the sense of wonderment and imagination this seems to wildly express. I also enjoy the very human component to the story with Dreyfuss dealing with his family.
'Yojimbo' (Akira Kurosawa 1960): I have to say, I have a thing for Kurosawa; he's an inspiration to me. Toshiro Mifune's performance is why I keep coming back to this. That, and its presentation and expert composition.
'Fargo' (Coen Bros. 1995): What you think of 'Fink' is what I think of this film. I've written an essay about this film in college which had me research much analysis on the film. I am always excited to watch this film again and again to find something new, something subtle and significant.
'The Circus' (Charlie Chaplin 1928): This was the toughest one, simply because I love all of Chaplin's films. I chose this one because it was, to me, his most laugh-out-loud funniest, but also his most tormented. I feel a certain connection with a man so famous and legendary.
'Singin' in the Rain' (Donen and Kelly 1952): I had to put a classic musical. It either this or 'The Band Wagon' or even 'Swing Time'. I love dance and this film is a joyous celebration of dance, music, and film all in one. Maybe, after watching so many times, I can get all the moves down.
Film:
The Godfather - my favorite film, and one that I believe to be the best.
The Godfather Part II - one of my top 3 pictures, and since The Godfather will whet my whistle, I'll need its companion piece.
Goodfellas - a delightful roller coaster of a picture that I could watch no matter what mood I'm in.
Boogie Nights - a masterpiece of the highest order. It's like Goodfellas if the whole cast was in on some kind of private joke.
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly - beautiful.
Raging Bull - one scene begins with DeNiro telling a soda jerk, "C'mon, gimme a Coke." Enough said.
Apocalypse Now - the most moving (for me) picture on the list, and the most maddening.
Forrest Gump - a movie that is just brimming with joy of life. Makes me smile like few others.
The Princess Bride - fills me with joy and wonder.
Citizen Kane - the movie that introduced me to great film.
TV:
The Sopranos Season 1 - best 13 hours of TV ever.
Short:
Tear Stain - a friend's film school short.
This is a much more interesting and fun way of making a list then simply picking your favourites.
Short Film:
"A Movie" (Bruce Connor, 1958)
Like any great avante-garde film, I'm not entirely sure why I'm so captivated with A Movie. But I am, and dammit, that's good enough sometimes.
TV Show:
"Stella" Season 1 (2005)
I immediately thought of Ultraman, just for the sheer ridiculous fun of it, but I have to go with Stella. It's my absolute favourite television comedy. It only lasted one season, which I will be eternally bummed about.
Feature Films:
"Tokyo Story" (Yasujirô Ozu, 1953)
Because sometimes you need a good cry, you know?
"Our Hospitality" (Buster Keaton, 1923)
Few films, if any, make me happier.
"Stalker" (Andre Tarkovsky, 1979)
The cinematography in this film is just magic to me. This, and probably Citizen Kane, are consistently the best reminders as to why I love movies so much. I'm always inspired to start writing after watching it, which I suppose I'd have plenty of time to do.
"2001: A Space Odyssey" (Stanley Kubrick, 1968)
For pretty much the same reasons as Stalker, now that I think about it.
"Punch-Drunk Love" (Paul Thomas Anderson, 2002)
Magnolia is my favourite Paul Thomas Anderson film, and one of my favourites of all time, but Punch-Drunk Love is the most personal for me. I kind of wish that wasn't true, but it is, and I always feel better after watching it. It's just so reassuring.
"Seven Samurai" (Akira Kurosawa, 1954)
Because it's the best.
"Ghostbusters" (Ivan Reitman, 1984)
I grew up watching this movie. Although I couldn't possibly come up with an accurate count, it is certainly the movie I've seen the most times. I haven't grown tired of it yet, so I doubt I ever will.
"The New World" (Terrence Malick, 2005)
The Tree of Life might be my new favourite Malick film, but I haven't seen it enough times to see how well it would hold up in this desert island scenario. I could pick anything else by him, but
The New World is all about discovery, which would either be inspiring or depressing, depending on what island I wind up on. I'm willing to take that gamble.
"Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" (Ang Lee, 2000)
I would need to bring a good kung fu movie with me, and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon offers some great over-the-top action with a romance plot that's just as ridiculous. Everything is taken to the extreme in this movie, but it never loses its elegance. I love this movie.
"Once Upon a Time in the West" (Sergio Leone, 1968)
Without a doubt my favourite western, and probably my favourite film score as well. If for some reason I'm allowed a television but not an iPod, this movie would really come in handy.
Alternatively, swap out any of these for a pornographic film I won't name. For strictly utilitarian purposes.
I illustrated and briefly explained my list (linked on my name), but here's my desert island collection, based less on artistry than what excites my imagination (staying away from anything too depressing, of course):
Short: "Un chant d'amour" by Jean Genet
TV Season: The Twilight Zone Season 1
1. L'Atalante by Jean Vigo
2. Gueule d'amour by Jean Gremillon
3. La ronde by Max Ophuls
4. Touch of Evil by Orson Welles
5. Day of the Outlaw by Andre de Toth
6. The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly by Sergio Leone
7. Raiders of the Lost Ark by Steven Spielberg
8. The Big Lebowski by Joel & Ethan Coen
9. Beau travail by Claire Denis
10. I'm Not There by Todd Haynes
Hard to cut The New World, but everyone else has that covered. I'll just have to canoe over to another desert island when I need my Malick fix.
Short: Duck Amuck
TV: Buffy Season 6
Films:
Spartacus
Bridge on the River Kwai
A Tale of Two Cities (1934)
Olivier's Richard III
The Band Wagon
The Thing From Another World
North By Northwest
Oliver!
Becket
Casablanca
Been reading this blog for a few months now...great stuff...
never left a comment before, but had to respond to this, even though i'm a bit late to the party...
Short Cuts (Robert Altman, 1993) - I love these characters so much, flaws and all. I could watch this movie over and over again...If forced to pick a favorite film, this may be it.
Happy Together (Wong Kar Wai, 1997) / Ghost World (Terry Zwigoff, 2001) - my young life summed up in two films. I need these films by my side, they're comfort movies, poignant reminders that I'm not alone.
Do the Right Thing (Spike Lee, 1989) / Happy-Go-Lucky (Mike Leigh, 2008) - I like the idea someone above brought up about desert island movies being ones that should have ambiguous/contradictory elements, so that repeat viewing would be encouraged. These two fit the bill, I think, and manage to balance their unresolved content with humor and joy.
Election (Alexander Payne, 1999) - Will Payne ever make another film as biting, concise and hilarious as this one?!
Showgirls (Paul Verhoeven, 1995) - enormously entertaining, gorgeously shot epic/melodrama/satire/trash...but I love it most for Elizabeth Berkley's earnest performance, which is all the more moving for the unfair drubbing she got for it
Julia (Erick Zonca, 2008)- Tilda Swinton, possibly the world's greatest actress, is at her uninhibited best as an alcoholic kidnapper in this bonkers film. Heaven for actressexuals.
House of the Devil (Ti West, 2009) - A great slow-burn horror film. Exhibits love for technique in an unflashy, modest manner.
Playtime (Jacques Tati, 1967) - nowhere near an actual favorite, but so watchable, ambitious and unforgettable. Is there anything else out there like it?!
TV Show: Freaks & Geeks, Season 1 (1999-2000) :(
Short: On the Line (Reto Caffi, 2007) - don't watch many shorts, but i remember this one a few years back when I caught a presentation of Oscar nominees for the live-action short category. It's got the thematic depth, rich characters and compelling camera work of a great feature length film. Impressive.
These aren't necessarily the best films I've seen, but I can watch them again and again. Some are hang-out movies. Some have a deep sense of place. Some are complex and reveal something new every time I watch them. There might be some good road movies I'm not thinking of that could make this list. I can repeatedly watch films that feel like they took me some place -- that are a collage of scenes and characters.
Rio Bravo
Only Angels Have Wings
Dazed and Confused
Three Women
Barry Lyndon
Ran
La Dolce Vita
Lawrence of Arabia
And, believe it or not...
The Life Aquatic with Steve Zisou
I love the characters, the voyage and the cinematography. I'm sure I could watch it repeatedly.
and, believe it or not...
Taking Woodstock
I just saw this one and really liked it. It's very underrated. I hope it's reputation grows over time. A week before I saw the Director's cut of Woodstock again. Actually, Taking Woodstock made me like the documentary better. This film gave me a sense of place that the original didn't. Now I feel like I know where the town was relative to the concert, and where other places were, such as the lake of skinny-dippers, and the road where people were walking to Yasgur's farm. The portrayal of the period is fresh and authentic and feels free of the typical Hollywoodization of the '60's in films like "Across the Universe" (which I tried watching last night, and just had to turn off). Actually, the characters in this film seemed less like hippie caricatures than some of the interviewees in the original! I think Ang Lee is a master at organizing scenes with several layers of action (like Altman). Taking Woodstock is a great hang-out picture, and helped me to have a sense of the '60's I feel I missed out on, since I was only seven in 1969. This film has so much detail, and has sequences built around famous moments from the original. It is a movie I can watch repeatedly. I've never taken LSD, but I've read that the acid trip is spot-on. Actually, when I was young I tried mushrooms, and smoked some pretty trippy pot that I think was laced with something. The acid trip seemed like a stronger version of those experiences. Best of all that scene features "The Red Telephone" by Love. I love it when films have songs that aren't the usual iconic tunes of the period (Scorsese, bless his heart, tends to pick songs, especially by the Stones, that are the overplayed hits. I wish the concert he filmed had more of their great, lesser-known songs, such as from "Black and Blue"). Wes Anderson is also good at picking great songs that people might not know -- such as Love's "Alone Again Or" and "7 and 7 Is" that he used in "Bottle Rocket." Anyway, if you've seen Taking Woodstock, and you didn't connect with it -- give it another chance.
Series: The Decalogue
Short: La Jetee (A shout out to the person who put Sans Soleil on his list. I just saw it recently, and think it is one that can be watched again and again. But like Tati's Playtime and Varda's Vagabond, it didn't make my cut.)
The only other thing would be to pick ten movies just from one director who has such a strong vision, that he immerses you into his own world. I'm thinking especially of Josef von Sternberg.
Short: Harvie Krumpet (2003)
TV Season: Night Stand with Dick Dietrick season 1 (95/96)
Movies:
Dodsworth (1936)
The Lady Vanishes (1938)
Pieces (1982)
Milo and Otis (1986)
The Mosquito Coast (1986)
Joe Versus the Volcano (1990)
Legends of the Fall (1994)
LA Confidential (1997)
Dogville (2003)
Pan's Labyrinth (2006)
ICE STATION ZEBRA!!!
Actually, I'm only half-joking. Howard H. may have been on to something there. Certainly on a desert island, an arctic adventure could be quite appealing, as opposed to "Lawrence of Arabia," which I put on my list. I saw "Ice Station Zebra" last summer and enjoyed it. John Sturges directed some very good films, including "The Great Escape," which is three hours long but feels like two. I can think of a lot of movies that are appealing because they give one a sense of time and place, such as "Summer of '42." Remember in "The Shining," Kubrick had Shelley Duvall and Danny watching that while snowed in. Others I've seen recently that bear repeated viewings are "Zabriskie Point" and "Alice's Restaurant."
TV - Flight of the Conchords Season One
Short - Not sophisticated enough to watch them. Can i substitute the scene in True Romance between Chistopher Walken and Dennis Hopper?
Movies
Goodfellas
Heat
Natural Born Killers
This is Spinal Tap
The Big Lebowski
Layer Cake
Caddyshack
Apocalypto
Saving Private Ryan
Midnight Run
Movies
Barry Lyndon
The Day of the Jackal
Schindler's List
E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial
Goodfellas
Apocalypse Now
No Country for Old Men
Vertigo
The Wild Bunch
Jurassic Park (my own pick for the most entertaining movie of all time)
Short - "Daffy Duck Slept Here"
TV - The first season of Twin Peaks, much for the same reasons as Jim: because I've grown up in the woods, and because I would no doubt miss the magic of the woods while I'm trapped on this island for years and years. I'd probably also miss some choice moments from the second season, but... ah well :(
Isn't there more "magic of the woods" in season 2 of Twin Peaks with Admiral Briggs and Windam Earle and the owls and the White/Black Lodge stuff? Or are you talking about something else entirely, something less direct/literal perhaps?
Forgive me, I have a complete lack of experience with the woods.
The trees, the wind, the mystery of what's out there. You could be 30 feet from "civilization" and still be deep "in the woods." One of the things I've always loved about my home in the Pacific Northwest. The wild is right next to the urban.
Let's see...
TV:
Firefly: One season, brilliant writing and characters, way too much fun.
Short:
What's Opera, Doc?: Because I must have watched it hundreds of times as a kid and never once was bored.
Films, in no particular order:
Breathless (Yang Ik-june, 2008): Because it's the rare movie that will make me cry every single time.
The Big Lebowski (Joel & Ethan Coen, 1998): It was either that or Fargo. Neither is my favorite Coen brothers film per se, but they never fail to make me laugh, and I love the characters so much.
The Man Who Knew Too Much (Alfred Hitchcock, 1956): My favorite film as a kid, and one of the best thrillers ever made.
Mulholland Dr. (David Lynch, 2001): Because one needs a good mind screw every once in a while, especially if it's as brilliantly directed as this one.
John Carpenter's The Thing (John Carpenter, 1982): Because one needs a good scare every once in a while.
Bringing Out the Dead (Martin Scorsese, 1999): Not Scorsese's best, but perhaps my favorite. Plus, every list should have at least one demented Nic Cage performance.
Raiders of the Lost Ark (Steven Spielberg, 1981): For pure entertainment value. Either that or the first Back to the Future.
Casablanca (Michael Curtiz, 1942): Because I'd never tire of playing it again.
Les Tontons flingueurs (Georges Lautner, 1963): For Lino Ventura and the brilliant dialogue by Michel Audiard.
The Great Dictator (Charles Chaplin, 1940): Because it was my second favorite movie as a kid, and because Chaplin's speech at the end is just so damn good.
Is that ten already? A list without any Kurosawa (I'd go with Kagemusha) or Herzog (Aguirre maybe, or his Bad Lieutenant remake for sheer entertainment value and another crazy Nic Cage performance) feels wrong. Kinda feels like I should have Alien or Blade Runner in there somewhere, too.
I love that you added Stop Making Sense, because when I read your rules, I instantly made that my number one! I am getting married in August and my fiancé and myself are going to sing songs to each other during the reception. I am singing "Life During Wartime" including all of the awesome dance moves from Stop Making Sense. If her family hasn't figured out that I am a little eccentric by then, I think that my performance will make it abundantly clear.
TV series:
The Decalogue
(Counts as TV, right? It was broadcast as a miniseries, right? Screw it, it’s my list, it counts if I say it counts. And it lends itself to endless interpretation.)
Short:
What’s Opera Doc?
(I’ll watch this first thing every morning. Good pick-me-up.)
Films:
Wizard of Oz & Empire Strikes Back
(Despite having both memorized, the thought of never seeing them again is too painful to bear.)
Swing Time & Singin' in the Rain
(I could spend a lifetime trying to emulate Astaire and Kelly)
The Little Mermaid and The Prince of Egypt
(I figure musicals have the most repeat watch potential. I also think Prince of Egypt may be the most underrated film of my lifetime, at least as good as anything Disney ever produced.)
The Land Before Time and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
(Neither one great, but both have high nostalgia value. I’ll need a reminder I wasn’t always stuck on a desert island.)
The Fifth Element
(No matter how many times I watch this movie, I still can’t figure it out. It plays like a stream of consciousness, and I’m content to be baffled forever by what I’ve just witnessed.)
The Lord of the Rings
(It’s a single narrative broken apart only for marketing purposes. It’s one movie if I say it is, this is MY list!)
Hmmm....Not sure how to answer this. Free association it is, then!
Short: Meshes of the Afternoon, because I'm probably not taking any David Lynch and because I've had a crush on Maya Deren for decades.
TV Series: The Twilight Zone 1985 revival, season one, which was richly literary.
Movies:
The Gold Diggers of 1933, because I can't live without Ginger Rogers singing "We're in the Money" in Pig Latin.
Singin in the Rain, because Donald O'Connor.
Girl Shy, because every chase film known to man is encapsulated in the last 40 minutes.
Chimes at Midnight, because I'm a bardolator.
Seven Samurai, because it has everything in it.
Notorious, because of the kiss, and because of Claude Rains
Wall-E, because it makes me cry.
Pandora's Box, because Louise Brooks was unbearably hot.
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, because it's my favorite horror movie.
The Harder They Come, because I'm guessing that I don't get to take a desert island iPod with me.
This is such a tough endeavor. But I'll have a crack at it...
For my short, I'm going with the Fleischer-produced Bimbo and Betty cartoon "Snow White." Practically for one reason only: to see Cab Calloway (as Koko the Clown) do his rendition of "St. James Infirmary." The singing, the movement, the way the animation is like something out of my most beautiful and terrible dream at the same time; as much as Duck Amuck is probably my favorite cartoon, I doubt I could live without this one.
The TV season is easily Freaks and Geeks. Whenever I started feeling lonely, I would just pop this in and feel like I'm with close friends all over again.
For the films, chronologically:
Sherlock Jr.- My pick for the funniest Buster movie, and the most magical and entrancing. When he walks into that screen, I'm transformed into a child again with all the wonderment that accompanies one.
Sunrise- Possibly the single most transcendental work of art I've ever experienced. It makes me laugh, cry, love, break, and swoon all in one sitting. Essential for life alone on an island.
Duck Soup- Because it gets me laughing harder and faster than any other movie. I'll have consolation that even though I may be stranded on an island, at least I've escaped some of the absurdity of society. I'll also be able to watch the bit where Groucho and Harpo mirror each other whenever I need a pick-me-up.
Swing Time- Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers excite me like no other people. Their dancing gives me energy and life, and this movie just gives me so much joy from witnessing these two play off each other in such thrilling fashion. And who knows, with all the time in the world on the island, maybe I'll be able to learn their dances perfectly.
Only Angels Have Wings- For Cary Grant. And Jean Arthur. And their banter. And that plane crash. And for the whole damn perfect thing.
In a Lonely Place- I honestly couldn't imagine going the rest of my life without Humphrey Bogart, and this movie is the one I can watch endlessly and still lose myself in time after time. "I was born when she kissed me, died when she left me, lived a few weeks while she loved me."
Pickpocket- My introduction to Robert Bresson, this film might be my most watched. And considering how perfect the minimalism reflects my view of cinema, and how the scenes of the pickpocketing are the most entertaining I've ever seen, I'm sure I'd continue to watch it for the rest of my life.
Playtime- The hilarity and pathos of Jacques Tati always astounds me. This movie has the peculiar effect of making me feel all the laughs that it brings up. Or, to put it another way, I'm put right beside Tati as he navigates such an odd and humorous world.
Nashville- My all-time favorite film, I inhabit this movie like no other. It doesn't even seem like I'm watching it; I live in this movie, and the whole thing has the effect of stripping away the outside world and just presenting me with these characters and this world they live in.
Kings of the Road- It is my ultimate journey film. This movie brings up all of the thoughts I have of life, cinema, art, the world, and those around me. It is a meditation, an observation on ourselves. Perfect for when I just need to think.
Whoo, that was hard to whittle down. So many left out. Just for kicks, an alternate ten if for whatever reason these were unavailable: The Blue Angel, L'Atalante, The Rules of the Game, The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp, Rear Window, Rio Bravo, Dr. Strangelove, The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes, The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie, Barry Lyndon.
Here are mine, Jim:
http://cinememories.blogspot.com/2012/01/my-desert-island-dvds_10.html
1. Melody-An underrated gem that is one of the best films ever made about childhood. It is also the antithesis of the horrifying Kes. In Melody, it is still morning in the world for these children. Features a beautiful and apt score by the Bee Gees.
2. Fargo-The Coens’ best IMHO. What a brilliant morality play set in the snow. Marge’s speech at the end is so simple on the surface, yet almost Shakespearian in its brevity. William H. Macy’s performance as the imploding Jerry Lundergaard is one of the greatest performances in film history.
3. Mulholland Drive-David Lynch’s wondrous puzzle runs the gamut from funny to eerie to horrifying. Also important: it’s sexy as hell (which feels a need if stranded on a desert island).
4. Deep Red-My guilty pleasure. The best giallo ever made is a tour de force of direction by Dario Argento, as numerous frightening set pieces fit together at the end for a wonderful twist ending (in which the killer was hidden in plain sight-literally!-all along). Features a perfect score by Goblin.
5. The Good, the Bad and the Ugly-A three hour film so well made and entertaining that it seems to breeze by in an hour. The score is obviously perfect. Leone’s direction of the final gunfight, in the center of a cemetery that seems to stretch into infinity, is akin to seeing Beethoven conduct.
6. 2001: A Space Odyssey-I’ll obviously have time on a desert island to ponder the mysteries of life and the universe. Why not bring along the masterpiece that dares to ponder these questions as well?
7. The Shining-I’m a horror fan, so why not bring what I consider the greatest horror film ever made? It is to me one of the only horror films that actually grows scarier every time I see it. It can also be viewed at a different angle every time I see it (Are the ghosts actually there?)
8. This Is Spinal Tap-To me, the funniest film ever made. Has many hysterical moments beyond the classics, such as “We go to 11” and the pod sequence. Also, are the songs really that much worse than what other metal bands were putting out at the time?
9. Close Encounters of the Third Kind-My personal favorite Spielberg film, and one that makes me smile every time I see it. It’s not only the best example of the “Spielberg face,” but also is one of the best examples of the extra touches of charm that makes Spielberg at his best so special (the car lights that go vertical; the woman holding a hair dryer as a weapon; the Frenchman smiling at Dreyfuss’s escape; the mother jumping up and down like an excited child).
10. Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory-Another film that makes me smile every time I see it and never grows old to me. Gene Wilder is perfect in the role (sorry Depp!). To this day, I wish I could visit the chocolate factory, scary tunnel and all.
Series: Breaking Bad Season 4-This was my hardest decision. I considered other shows, as well as Breaking Bad Season 2. However, though Season 4 had some flat moments, it also featured some of the most powerful moments I’ve ever seen on television: Gus’s horrific act in the season opener; the devastating and angering final shot of the season; Gus’s grotesque yet fitting final scene; Jesse holding a gun on Walt (great performance by Aaron Paul); and-most notably-the final scene in “Crawl Space,” in which Walt’s world seems to be crashing in on him, leaving him laughing hysterically under his house. Unforgettable.
Short: The House of Tomorrow -This wonderfully imaginative, gag a second cartoon by the underrated Tex Avery is a joy to behold. I wish I lived in this house too!
Few things here that haven't been mentioned already, but here goes:
TV: The Wire, Season 1: The best season of the best show ever made. So many great characters, eminently quotable, and McNulty and Bunk's "F**k" crime scene investigation--a deliciously low-brow exercise in delivery--might nicely compliment my marooned state of mind.
Short: I second The Great Piggy Bank Robbery. It sticks in my mind more than any of the others, it's an incredible noir knock-off (with a lithp!), and it has the best lineup of baddies ever: "Puh-puh-Pickle-Puth! Puh-puh-Pumpkinhead! Neon Noodle!"
The New World: I'm definitely riding shotgun on this bandwagon. Poetic filmmaking at its best.
Forrest Gump: My childhood favorite, and a great piece of storytelling. If I need a good cry on my island, I can let it out when Gump puts Forrest Junior's letter on Jenny's grave. Kills me every time.
His Girl Friday: I could almost survive with Hawks alone--Rio Bravo, The Big Sleep, and Ball of Fire were hard to leave out--but His Girl Friday gets my vote. Never fails to get nonstop laughs, and if I could pick anybody to talk my ear off on a desert island, it would be Grant and Russell.
Heat - I love heist movies, and this one is my favorite (though Le Cercle Rouge deserves an honorable mention). Terrific and believable characters, loaded cast, and one of the most exciting robbery scenes ever. The conversation between Pacino and De Niro, only possible in the movies, is brilliant.
The Big Lebowski: A rare movie that gets better with every single viewing. Terrific cast and characters, and unforgettable dialogue.
Laura: Preminger said that the secret to suspense was a great gimmick, and Gene Tierney's return from the dead is a doozy. I wrote my undergraduate thesis on this noir gem, and have seen it many times since. More fun than a barrel of monkeys.
Dersu Uzala: A beautiful, quiet story of a friendship that breaks language, cultural, and social barriers, this underseen Kurosawa movie makes me feel happy to be alive.
No Country For Old Men: I hesitated to include two Coen pictures, but I couldn't stand to leave this one behind. It's thoughtful, exciting, and Anton Cigurh is the most harrowing incarnation of evil I've ever seen on the screen.
Vertigo: I like Psycho more, but Vertigo has better replay value, and all-time favorite actor Jimmy Stewart.
Pulp Fiction: For movie lovers, by a movie lover. I never get tired of watching Tarantino weave his threads together; I'll always be game to twist at Jack Rabbit Slim's; and Uma Thurman can keep me company on my private beach any day of the week. Ketchup!
Keeping it simple:
Sideways
Vertigo
My Winnipeg
Paris Texas
The Player
Ruby in Paradise
Stranger Than Paradise
Trouble In Mind
Waiting for Guffman
Strictly Ballroom
TV: I Claudius
Short: not sure
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