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Greatest American film ever made (1 Viewer)

SNOWFLAKE

SNOWFLAKE

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Depends you point of view, doesn't it?

Steven Spielberg reveals his pick for the 'greatest American film ever made'​

His pick: "The Godfather," the famous 1972 film directed by Coppola.

Meanwhile, what does the AMERICAN FILM INSTITUTE have to say about this?

1. Citizen Kane (1941)
2. Casablanca (1942)
3. The Godfather (1972)
www.afi.com

AFI’s 100 YEARS…100 MOVIES

AFI’s 100 YEARS…100 MOVIES The very first edition of AFI's 100 Years...100 Movies is a list of the 100 greatest American films of all time.In 1998, AFI invited more than 1,500 l
www.afi.com www.afi.com

Meanwhile, what really constitutes an American film?
Should it involve American history, American life, American characters?
Or is it American because it was produced and directed in the U.S. by American producers and directors?

Then how does Casablanca rate? Since it is NOT about American history, or American life, and only involves an American character (Rick)
What about Lawrence of Arabia and Schindler's List? Both listed by AFI.

Does an American film have to at least be interesting or exciting? If so, how does Citizen Kane rate? (To me, longgggggggggg and boring).

I think the quintessential American movie, featuring kids growing up playing baseball, dogs, oogling girls at a swimming pool, roller coaster rides, and chewing tobacco, plus a bunch of classic 1960s hits, has got to be The Sandlot.

So two questions for you all:

1. What, in your opinion, constitutes an "American film?"
2. What, to you, is the greatest ever American film?
 
Oh man. This is likely asking someone to choose a favorite child in front of their kids. How does one decide what the greats are let alone the greatest. Of the top of my head, I might apply the same criteria I do to books.

It hast to say something important and meaningful about the human condition and inspire reflection. I would say Everything, Everywhere, All At Once is at the top for me for alot of reasons.

What makes something an “American” film? I don’t know if there is such a thing.
 
American films are produced by American producers, financed by American production companies for American film studios, and intended primarily for American audiences.

The subject and location of the film are not key factors. If the production is controlled by Americans and intended for Americans, the film cannot be anything but American. The sensibilities, the cinematography, the script, everything about the making of the film comes from the American point of view. The gestalt is American.
 
There is no such thing.
SNOWFLAKE said:
Depends you point of view, doesn't it?

Steven Spielberg reveals his pick for the 'greatest American film ever made'​

His pick: "The Godfather," the famous 1972 film directed by Coppola.

Meanwhile, what does the AMERICAN FILM INSTITUTE have to say about this?

1. Citizen Kane (1941)
2. Casablanca (1942)
3. The Godfather (1972)
www.afi.com

AFI’s 100 YEARS…100 MOVIES

AFI’s 100 YEARS…100 MOVIES The very first edition of AFI's 100 Years...100 Movies is a list of the 100 greatest American films of all time.In 1998, AFI invited more than 1,500 l
www.afi.com www.afi.com

Meanwhile, what really constitutes an American film?
Should it involve American history, American life, American characters?
Or is it American because it was produced and directed in the U.S. by American producers and directors?

Then how does Casablanca rate? Since it is NOT about American history, or American life, and only involves an American character (Rick)
What about Lawrence of Arabia and Schindler's List? Both listed by AFI.

Does an American film have to at least be interesting or exciting? If so, how does Citizen Kane rate? (To me, longgggggggggg and boring).

I think the quintessential American movie, featuring kids growing up playing baseball, dogs, oogling girls at a swimming pool, roller coaster rides, and chewing tobacco, plus a bunch of classic 1960s hits, has got to be The Sandlot.

So two questions for you all:

1. What, in your opinion, constitutes an "American film?"
2. What, to you, is the greatest ever American film?
Click to expand...
It's made in america? No wait, it's not made in america but has american actors? It has all foreign actors but it's made in America? Heck I don't know, let me see if I can reach the Donald and ask him.
 
Napoleon said:
Oh man. This is likely asking someone to choose a favorite child in front of their kids. How does one decide what the greats are let alone the greatest. Of the top of my head, I might apply the same criteria I do to books.

It hast to say something important and meaningful about the human condition and inspire reflection. I would say Everything, Everywhere, All At Once is at the top for me for alot of reasons.

What makes something an “American” film? I don’t know if there is such a thing.
Click to expand...
Might not be such a thing but we can always express our opinions about what we think constitutes an American film.
 
Loulit01 said:
American films are produced by American producers, financed by American production companies for American film studios, and intended primarily for American audiences.

The subject and location of the film are not key factors. If the production is controlled by Americans and intended for Americans, the film cannot be anything but American. The sensibilities, the cinematography, the script, everything about the making of the film comes from the American point of view. The gestalt is American.
Click to expand...
Got a favorite?
 
SNOWFLAKE said:
Might not be such a thing but we can always express our opinions about what we think constitutes an American film.
Click to expand...
My opinion is that I don’t know that there is such a thing. It’s all so dependent on foreign talent and money.
 
bongsaway said:
There is no such thing.

It's made in america? No wait, it's not made in america but has american actors? It has all foreign actors but it's made in America? Heck I don't know, let me see if I can reach the Donald and ask him.
Click to expand...
Got any favorites?

Never mind, saw your favorites.
 
It is tough to argue against so many that reference The Godfather as the greatest film ever made. So many nominations, awards, critical reviews, etc.

Is it my favorite film? No, but it is in the top 10 in appreciation for all it was as a great movie.
 
SNOWFLAKE said:
Depends you point of view, doesn't it?

Steven Spielberg reveals his pick for the 'greatest American film ever made'​

His pick: "The Godfather," the famous 1972 film directed by Coppola.

Meanwhile, what does the AMERICAN FILM INSTITUTE have to say about this?

1. Citizen Kane (1941)
2. Casablanca (1942)
3. The Godfather (1972)
www.afi.com

AFI’s 100 YEARS…100 MOVIES

AFI’s 100 YEARS…100 MOVIES The very first edition of AFI's 100 Years...100 Movies is a list of the 100 greatest American films of all time.In 1998, AFI invited more than 1,500 l
www.afi.com www.afi.com

Meanwhile, what really constitutes an American film?
Should it involve American history, American life, American characters?
Or is it American because it was produced and directed in the U.S. by American producers and directors?

Then how does Casablanca rate? Since it is NOT about American history, or American life, and only involves an American character (Rick)
What about Lawrence of Arabia and Schindler's List? Both listed by AFI.

Does an American film have to at least be interesting or exciting? If so, how does Citizen Kane rate? (To me, longgggggggggg and boring).

I think the quintessential American movie, featuring kids growing up playing baseball, dogs, oogling girls at a swimming pool, roller coaster rides, and chewing tobacco, plus a bunch of classic 1960s hits, has got to be The Sandlot.

So two questions for you all:

1. What, in your opinion, constitutes an "American film?"
2. What, to you, is the greatest ever American film?
Click to expand...
1- my guess would be one produced and perhaps directed by Americans.
2- hard to compare a Rembrandt with a Van Gogh. Casablanca is an almost perfect film, with symbolic of its perfection the Marseillaise scene, with the great capper Claude Rains being shocked that gambling was going on, then receiving his winnings. When the titles of two movies “Play It Again Sam” and “The Usual Suspects” come out of mere phrases in another film, you’ve got something. And the Godfather is an epic, a friend of mine calling it Homeric. One simple event, Sonny Corleone’s mistake in commenting favorably about the heroin trade in the meeting with Solozzo, sets the whole epic in motion. It is the equivalent of the “apple of discord” which caused the Trojan war, the Odyssey, and Aeneas’s founding of Rome. I believe that Coppola referred to the film as more than about one family, but also about the US, with our great idealism and contributions to the world also being corrupted at times, and our idealists ignoring the genocide and imperialism that also made us what we are and pretend to be.
 
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SNOWFLAKE said:
Got a favorite?
Click to expand...
While I'm not a movie buff I do think there are many excellent American films. I really don't have a specific favorite but I'll give you a representative list of my faves.

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
2001 A Space Odyssey
The Lion in Winter (Most likely British)
Animal House
All the President's Men
Duck Soup (or another Marx Bros. flick)
The Lady Eve (Barbara Stanwyck blazing hot with all her clothes on.)
Do the Right Thing
Five Fingers of Death
The Princess Bride (Shut up.)
 
Loulit01 said:
While I'm not a movie buff I do think there are many excellent American films. I really don't have a specific favorite but I'll give you a representative list of my faves.

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
2001 A Space Odyssey
The Lion in Winter (Most likely British)
Animal House
All the President's Men
Duck Soup (or another Marx Bros. flick)
The Lady Eve (Barbara Stanwyck blazing hot with all her clothes on.)
Do the Right Thing
Five Fingers of Death
The Princess Bride (Shut up.)
Click to expand...
The ending 2001 scene has to be one of the best scenes ever, a magnificent religious statement of what life is or should be about. Coming after the taking up of the first destructive weapon — the club the ape-man used — and the destruction of the last — the evil HAL.
 
I can’t believe no one has mentioned the original Star Wars movie yet:

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