49. Carrie (1976)
Influential, how? The rise of the shock ending.
Hollywood's first adap of a Stephen King paperback melds high-school teen flick with gory horror.
The shock graveyard ending has been much imitated but this is the original - and still the best: "I knew they were going to do it," said the novelist, "and I still almost shit in my pants!"
Money shot: That grave, that hand...
50. Star Wars (1977)
Influential, how? Cinema gets spectacular.
“It ate the heart and soul of Hollywood,” grumped Paul Schrader.
OK, so Star Wars isn’t Raging Bull. But George Lucas' ubiquitous space-opera is the most popular film ever made - inspiring a whole generation to fall in love with the whole idea of Going To The Movies.
Capturing the heart and dazzling the senses, Star Wars revolutionised CG visual effects, practically invented immersive Dolby Stereo surround-sound and gave audiences something they’d never seen or heard before.
We’re betting Schrader secretly enjoyed it.
Money shot: That unbelievable opening, as a deafening Imperial Starship engulfs the star-sprinkled vastness.
51. Halloween (1978)
InfluentIal, how? The slasher movie comes home.
John Carpenter’s cheap and chilling shocker set the savage style for a new horror sub-genre: the slasher flick.
Steeped in Hawks, Hitchcock and Westworld, it introduced a villain with supernatural implacability and a score that did its own sonic stalking.
And, pre-Blair Witch, it thrived on a budget: at $320,000, Halloween was the top-grossing indie pic of its era.
Changed the face of babysitting, too.
Money shot: Laurie weeps in the foreground while The Shape, who should be dead, gets up...
52. Heaven’s Gate (1980)
InfluentIal, how? The first nail in the coffin of the American auteur movement.
Cimino’s over-long, over-budget Western was a disaster so toxic it bankrupted United Artists, killing its director’s post-Deer Hunter career stone-dead and curbing the creative freedom of the '70s movie brats.
Critics loathed it and audiences avoided it. The film's dark shadow still clouds every blockbuster, every ‘vision’ - a grim warning of what can happen when egos and budgets inflate at the expense of entertainment.
Money shot: The roller skate dance sequence. Size does matter.
Comments
avoidz
Apr 3rd 2009, 14:41
Great article; one of your best. Thanks!
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filmgeek27
Apr 5th 2009, 10:58
Great feature. I have to admit to not buying the magazine for a few months now (I've just been clicking on to the website) but after that I'm going to go out and get this issue
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waldolydecker
Apr 17th 2009, 9:44
Oops! Your "Room at the Top" still is in fact a scene from Clouzot's "Les Diaboliques", starring Simone Signoret and Vera Clouzot - another influential film, no doubt. How could you forget "Rebecca", "Laura", "Singin' in the Rain", etc. Your list is interesting however, but quite a few of the contemporary titles quoted are worthless and will be forgotten in 10 years from now. Wanna bet? See you in 2019!
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WisdomPersona
Apr 17th 2009, 14:40
For the most part, a great list. However, why choose "Mean Streets" as the film that 'plugged in the jukebox'? "American Graffiti" had far more pre-recorded songs, and was released three months earlier. What gives?
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horrorfilmx
Apr 17th 2009, 17:43
Interesting article, but you mention that "Star Wars revolutionised CG visual effects". Star Wars had no CG visual effects, at least not until Lucas redid it decades later. That's why the original Star Wars looks so much more real than all the CGI junk that followed it, and why a generation raised on video games considers it "dated" and "cheesy" --- because they have to grounding in reality any more.
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futureman
Apr 18th 2009, 4:02
Good article but s didn't Superman bring about synergy? They completed a whole series of movies before the first Batman. I was also surprised there was no mention of the movies that influenced the sequel.
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Apathygrrl
Apr 18th 2009, 18:11
I'm actually surprised to find that the original King Kong isn't on your list.
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daveman14
Apr 19th 2009, 2:02
Great list but I'm surprised you left off Trip to the Moon by Melies as it is the first narrative film in history.
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Asterix
Apr 19th 2009, 3:03
Awesome article, but..... Why "Cableguy" (1996) and not "Back to the Future" (1985) (a family movie - the most influential travel time movie)? Why "Batman" (1989) and not "Superman - the movie" (1978) (You can believe a man can fly!...perfectly - the first comic book adaptation of all time)? And, where's the Godfather?????????
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grantmccall
Apr 19th 2009, 4:14
I'm quite surprised that the first feature film ever made isn't in this list: The story of the kelly gang - It's an Australian film, 60 minutes in length.It precedes "Birth of a nation" by 9 years. Oh well, us Aussies usually get left out of most important lists. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Story_of_the_Kelly_Gang
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grantmccall
Apr 19th 2009, 4:15
I'm quite surprised that the first feature film ever made isn't in this list: The story of the kelly gang - It's an Australian film, 60 minutes in length.It precedes "Birth of a nation" by 9 years. Oh well, us Aussies usually get left out of most important lists. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Story_of_the_Kelly_Gang
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heidavey
Apr 19th 2009, 20:08
You're first film is 7 years too late - "Traffic Crossing Leeds Bridge" is widely regarded as the first film, that was followed by "Roundhay garden scene" both in 1888 - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0343112/ http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0392728/
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Jawsphobia
Apr 22nd 2009, 16:26
In the Blade Runner blurb, neon noir, looks more like a typo of the proper term neo-noir than a play on words. And although Blade Runner has some neon in it it is not wall-to-wall at all.
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ciaraosullivan
Aug 17th 2012, 17:10
I'm surprised that you left out Who Framed Roger Rabbit.
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