Have you heard of the website, They Shoot Pictures, Don't They? Well if not, get over there right now (well, when you finish reading this) and check it out. Site founder and curator, Bill Georgaris, has created a master list of the 1000 Greatest Films of All-Time. He has taken lists from all over (AFI, Sight & Sound, BFI, The Cinematheque's Top 10 Project, a slew of critics and directors lists, et cetera, et cetera and so on) and compiled a composite list (through great mathematical heartache I am sure) of those aforementioned 1000 Greatest Films of All-Time.
My interest in this (besides my obsessive thirst for list-making!) is my desire to see all 1000 of these suckers. When the list was first compiled I checked off what I had already seen and began from there. Bill updates the list every two years so at times there may be some minor adjustments, but right now I am at #575. Just 425 more to go. I know, I know, pretty lame figure for a cinephile such as I, but hey, give me a break, I'm working on it.
At first I was just listing (there's that damned obsessive thirst again!) each one I saw, counting down to eventual number one thousand, but as of late, I have taken to writing up critiques of each one.
My critiques can be found on this blog for the following films:
Of course, as always, I procrastinate and therefore there are a bunch of films I (finally) saw for the first time that I have yet to write on. Films such as Pink Flamingos; Man of the West and The Man From Laramie (in a double feature at Film Forum the day after my birthday); The Good, the Bad & the Ugly; Blood Simple; Bigger Than Life and Black Narcissus. Over the next few weeks I will be catching up on these critiques (in between my duties as film reviewer for new releases and writing pieces on various other films - those not in that quite subjective 1000 Greatest Films list! - as well as joining in on every Blogathon I can get my grubby little keyboard on) right here at The Most Beautiful Fraud in the World.
Many of the films on the list are rather obscure and will take a bit of effort. A few are near-impossible, but the quest goes on. At least I was able to find a copy (albeit a pretty crappy one) of Louis Feuillade's Tih Minh. Now to find the near seven hours to sit down and watch it!? I suppose what I am saying is I have faith that my quest will be fulfilled someday - possibly within the next two years (how's that for confidence!?).
To see the evolution of my quest, check out my "Quest to See the 1000 Greatest Films" page. And remember to check back here as I catch up on the old as well as adding critiques for the next 425 movies on the list.
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