CHARIOTS OF FIRE* (1981, GREAT BRITAIN)

* This post really has nothing to do with Chariots of Fire, I just needed a blog heading.

I’ve been watching movies from the 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die book, as well as a few others, for a little over two years now. So since I’ve seen 272 films so far and taking into account supplemental volumes with additional movies in it…I’ll be finished—uh, probably never. But I’ll keep trying.



Things I’ve learned since I’ve started watching movies from
The 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die book.

1. It’s good not to read the plot synopsis in the 1001 movie book before you watch the movie because they usually give away the ending.
2. It’s good to watch these movies in some kind of sequence: Like a week of
1940’s films, Italian films or Documentary films. I honestly was going to watch One Eyed Jacks, Two-Lane Blacktop, Three Kings, Four Weddings and a Funeral, Five Easy Pieces, The Sixth Sense, The Seven Samurai, 8 ½, Nine-Teen Hundred, The Ten Commandments, Ocean’s Eleven and Twelve Angry Men on consecutive nights until I realized neither version of Ocean’s Eleven was in the book, I was cheating on the number 9 and that I probably needed to get back on my medication and abandon this whole thread.
3. There are things in life other than watching a movie and trying to come up with something original to say about it…I just can’t remember what.
4. That the 1001 movie book loves French films and Westerns, but very few French Westerns.
5. And that I just want to be loved. Is that so wrong?


Movies seen since 2009 in bold

1. A Trip to the Moon (1902)
2. The Great Train Robbery (1903) 1
3. The Birth of a Nation (1915)
4. Les Vampires (1915)
5. Intolerance (1916)
6. The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1919)
7. Broken Blossoms (1919)
8. Way Down East (1920)
9. Within Our Gates (1920)
10. The Phantom Carriage (1921)
11. Orphans of the Storm (1921)
12. The Smiling Madame Beudet (1922)
13. Dr. Mabuse, Parts 1 and 2 (1922)
14. Nanook of the North (1922)
15. Nosferatu, A Symphony of Terror(1922) 2
16. Haxan (1923)
17. Foolish Wives (1922)
18. Our Hospitality (1923)
19. The Wheel (1923)
20. The Thief of Bagdad (1924)
21. Strike (1924)
22. Greed (1924)
23. Sherlock, Jr. (1924)
24. The Last Laugh (1924)
25. Seven Chances (1925)
26. The Phantom of the Opera (1925) 3
27. The Battleship Potemkin (1925)
28. The Gold Rush (1925)
29. The Big Parade (1925)
30. Metropolis (1927) 4
31. Sunrise (1927)
32. The General (1927) 5
33. The Unknown (1927) 6
34. October (1927)
35. The Jazz Singer (1927)
36. Napoleon (1927)
37. The Kid Brother (1927)
38. The Crowd (1928)
39. The Docks of New York (1928)
40. An Andalusian Dog (1928)
41. The Passion of Joan of Arc (1928)
42. Steamboat Bill, Jr. (1928)
43. Storm over Asia (1928)
44. Blackmail (1929)
45. The Man with the Movie Camera (1929)
46. Pandora's Box (1929) 7
47. The Blue Angel (1930)
48. The Age Of Gold (1930)
49. Earth (1930)
50. Little Caesar (1930)
51. All Quiet on the Western Front (1930)
52. Freedom For Us (1931) 8
53. The Million (1931) 9
54. Tabu (1931)
55. Dracula (1931) 10
56. Frankenstein (1931) 11
57. City Lights (1931) 12
58. The Public Enemy (1931)
59. M (1931)
60. The Bitch (1931)
61. The Vampire (1932)
62. Love Me Tonight (1932) 13
63. Boudu Saved from Drowning (1932)
64. I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang (1932)
65. Trouble in Paradise (1932)
66. Scarface: The Shame Of A Nation (1932)
67. Shanghai Express (1932)
68. Freaks (1932) 14
69. Me and My Gal (1932)
70. Zero for Conduct (1933)
71. 42nd Street (1933) 15
72. Footlight Parade (1933) 16
73. Gold Diggers of 1933 (1933) 17
74. She Done Him Wrong (1933) 18
75. Duck Soup (1933)
76. Queen Christina (1933)
77. Land Without Bread (1933)
78. King Kong (1933)
79. The Bitter Tea of General Yen (1933)
80. Sons of the Desert (1933)
81. It's a Gift (1934) 19
82. Triumph of the Will (1934)
83. L'Atalante (1934) 20
84. The Black Cat (1934)
85. Judge Priest (1934)
86. It Happened One Night (1934)
87. The Thin Man (1934)
88. Captain Blood (1935) 21
89. Mutiny on the Bounty (1935) 22
90. A Night at the Opera (1935)
91. The 39 Steps (1935)
92. Bride of Frankenstein (1935) 23
93. Top Hat (1935) 24
94. A Day in the Country (1936)
95. Modern Times (1936)
96. Swing Time (1936)
97. My Man Godfrey (1936) 25
98. Mr. Deeds Goes to Town (1936)
99. Camille (1936) 26
100. Sabotage (1936)
101. Dodsworth (1936) 27
102. Things to Come (1936)
103. The Story of a Cheat (1936)
104. Captains Courageous (1937) 28
105. Midnight Song (1937)
106. Grand Illusion (1937) 29
107. Stella Dallas (1937)
108. The Life of Emile Zola (1937)
109. Make Way for Tomorrow (1937)
110. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937) 30
111. The Awful Truth (1937)
112. Pepe Le Moko (1937) 31
113. Jezebel (1938)
114. The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938) 32
115. Angels with Dirty Faces (1938)
116. Olympia (1938)
117. The Baker's Wife (1938)
118. Bringing Up Baby (1938)
119. Stagecoach (1939)
120. The Story of the Late Chrysanthemums (1939)
121. Babes in Arms (1939)
122. Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939)
123. The Wizard of Oz (1939) 33
124. Destry Rides Again (1939)
125. Only Angels Have Wings (1939)
126. Gone With the Wind (1939)
127. Daybreak (1939)
128. Gunga Din (1939) 34
129. Ninotchka (1939) 35
130. The Rules of the Game (1939)
131. Wuthering Heights (1939)
132. His Girl Friday (1940)
133. Rebecca (1940) 36
134. Fantasia (1940)
135. The Philadelphia Story (1940) 37
136. The Grapes of Wrath (1940)
137. Dance, Girl, Dance (1940)
138. Pinocchio (1940) 38
139. The Mortal Storm (1940)
140. The Bank Dick (1940) 39
141. Citizen Kane (1941) 40
142. The Lady Eve (1941) 41
143. The Wolf Man (1941)
144. The Maltese Falcon (1941) 42
145. Sergeant York (1941)
146. Dumbo (1941)
147. High Sierra (1941) 43
148. Sullivan's Travels (1941)
149. How Green Was My Valley (1941) 44
150. The Palm Beach Story (1942) 45
151. Now, Voyager (1942)
152. Casablanca (1942)
153. To Be or Not to Be (1942)
154. Cat People (1942)
155. The Magnificent Ambersons (1942)
156. Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942) 46
157. Meshes of the Afternoon (1943)
158. Fires Were Started (1943)
159. The Man in Grey (1943)
160. The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp (1943)
161. I Walked with a Zombie (1943) 47
162. The Seventh Victim (1943)
163. The Ox-Bow Incident (1943) 48
164. Shadow of a Doubt (1943) 49
165. Ossessione (1943)
166. Meet Me in St. Louis (1944)
167. To Have and Have Not (1944) 50
168. Laura (1944) 51
169. Gaslight (1944) 52
170. Henry V (1944)
171. Ivan the Terrible, Parts One and Two (1944)
172. Double Indemnity (1944) 53
173. Murder, My Sweet (1944)
174. The Battle of San Pietro (1945)
175. Spellbound (1945)
176. Mildred Pierce (1945)
177. The Children of Paradise (1945) 54
178. Open City (1945) 55
179. The Lost Weekend (1945)
180. Detour (1945) 56
181. I Know Where I'm Going! (1945)
182. The Best Years of Our Lives (1946) 57
183. Brief Encounter (1946)
184. Paisan (1946)
185. The Postman Always Rings Twice (1946) 58
186. My Darling Clementine (1946) 59
187. The Stranger (1946) 60
188. Beauty and the Beast (1946) 61
189. The Big Sleep (1946) 62
190. The Killers (1946) 63
191. A Matter of Life and Death (1946)
192. Great Expectations (1946)
193. Notorious (1946) 64
194. Black Narcissus (1946) 65
195. It's a Wonderful Life (1946) 66
196. Gilda (1946) 67
197. Monsieur Verdoux (1947) 68
198. Out of the Past (1947)
199. The Ghost and Mrs. Muir (1947) 69
200. Odd Man Out (1947)
201. The Bicycle Thief (1948) 70
202. Letter from an Unknown Woman (1948)
203. Secret Beyond the Door (1948)
204. Force of Evil (1948)
205. Spring in a Small Town (1948)
206. Red River (1948)
207. Rope (1948)
208. The Snake Pit (1948) 71
209. The Lady from Shanghai (1948)
210. The Paleface (1948)
211. The Red Shoes (1948) 72
212. The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948) 73
213. Louisiana Story (1948)
214. The Heiress (1949)
215. Kind Hearts and Coronets (1949) 74
216. Gun Crazy (1949)
217. Adam's Rib (1949) 75
218. Whiskey Galore! (1949)
219. White Heat (1949)
220. The Reckless Moment (1949)
221. The Third Man (1949) 76
222. On the Town (1949)
223. Orpheus (1949)
224. The Asphalt Jungle (1950)
225. Rashomon (1950)
226. Winchester '73 (1950)
227. Rio Grande (1950)
228. All About Eve (1950)
229. Sunset Blvd. (1950)
230. Los Olvidados (1950)
231. In a Lonely Place (1950)
232. The Big Carnival (1951)
233. A Streetcar Named Desire (1951)
234. Strangers on a Train (1951)
235. The Lavender Hill Mob (1951)
236. Pandora and the Flying Dutchman (1951)
237. The African Queen (1951) 77
238. Diary of a Country Priest (1951)
239. An American in Paris (1951) 78
240. A Place in the Sun (1951)
241. The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951) 79
242. The Quiet Man (1952)
243. Forbidden Games (1952) 80
244. Angel Face (1952)
245. Singin' in the Rain (1952)
246. To Live (1952)
247. Europa '51 (1952)
248. The Bad and the Beautiful (1952)
249. The Big Sky (1952)
250. High Noon (1952)
251. Umberto D (1952)
252. The Golden Coach (1952)
253. The Bigamist (1953)
254. The Band Wagon (1953)
255. Madame De… (1953)
256. From Here to Eternity (1953)
257. Tokyo Story (1953) 81
258. Roman Holiday (1953)
259. Wages of Fear (1953) 82
260. The Naked Spur (1953)
261. Pickup on South Street (1953) 83
262. Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953)
263. The Big Heat (1953) 84
264. Mr. Hulot's Holiday (1953) 85
265. Voyage in Italy (1953)
266. Tales of Ugetsu (1953) 86
267. Shane (1953) 87
268. Beat the Devil (1953) 88
269. Johnny Guitar (1954)
270. On the Waterfront (1954)
271. Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (1954)
272. Les Diaboliques (1954) 89
273. Animal Farm (1954) 90
274. Rear Window (1954)
275. A Star Is Born (1954)
276. The Barefoot Contessa (1954)
277. The Road (1954) 91
278. The Seven Samurai (1954)
279. The Wanton Countess (1954)
280. Silver Lode (1954)
281. Carmen Jones (1954)
282. Sansho the Baliff (1954) 92
283. Salt of the Earth (1954)
284. Artists and Models (1955)
285. Guys and Dolls (1955)
286. Pather Panchali (1955)
287. Bad Day at Black Rock (1955) 93
288. The Mad Masters (1955)
289. Hill 24 Doesn’t Answer (1955)
290. The Ladykillers (1955)
291. Marty (1955) 94
292. Ordet (1955) 95
293. Bob the Gambler (1955) 96
294. Kiss Me Deadly (1955) 97
295. The Man from Laramie (1955)
296. Rebel Without a Cause (1955)
297. The Phenix City Story (1955)
298. Smiles of a Summer Night (1955)
299. Night and Fog (1955)
300. The Night of the Hunter (1955) 98
301. The Sins of Lola Montes (1955)
302. Forbidden Planet (1956) 99
303. The Burmese Harp (1956) 100
304. The Searchers (1956)
305. A Man Escaped (1956) 101
306. Written on the Wind (1956)
307. The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956)
308. Giant (1956)
309. All That Heaven Allows (1956) 102
310. Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956) 103
311. The Wrong Man (1956)
312. Bigger Than Life (1956)
313. High Society (1956)
314. The Ten Commandments (1956)
315. 12 Angry Men (1957)
316. The Seventh Seal (1957) 104
317. An Affair to Remember (1957)
318. Wild Strawberries (1957) 105
319. The Nights of Cabiria (1957)
320. Throne of Blood (1957)
321. The Incredible Shrinking Man (1957)
322. The Unvanquished (1957)
323. Gunfight at the O.K. Corral (1957)
324. The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957)
325. Mother India (1957)
326. The Cranes Are Flying (1957)
327. Paths of Glory (1957)
328. Sweet Smell of Success (1957) 106
329. Man of the West (1958)
330. Touch of Evil (1958)
331. Cairo Station (1958) 107
332. Gigi (1958)
333. The Defiant Ones (1958) 108
334. Vertigo (1958) 109
335. Ashes and Diamonds (1958) 110
336. Horror of Dracula (1958) 111
337. My Uncle (1958)
338. The Music Room (1958)
339. The 400 Blows (1959) 112
340. North by Northwest (1959)
341. Some Like It Hot (1959)
342. Anatomy of a Murder (1959) 113
343. Eyes without a Face (1959) 114
344. Ride Lonesome (1959)
345. Black Orpheus (1959) 115
346. Shadows (1959) 116
347. The World of Apu (1959)
348. Breathless (1959) 117
349. Ben-Hur (1959)
350. Pickpocket (1959)
351. Hiroshima Mon Amour (1959) 118
352. Rio Bravo (1959)
353. The Hole (1959)
354. Floating Weeds (1959) 119
355. Rocco and His Brothers (1960)
356. La Dolce Vita (1960)
357. Saturday Night and Sunday Morning (1960)
358. Shoot the Piano Player (1960)
359. The Adventure (1960)
360. The Young One (1960)
361. The Cloud-Capped Star (1960)
362. The Housemaid (1960)
363. Psycho (1960) 120
364. Revenge of the Vampire / Black Sunday (1960)
365. Peeping Tom (1960) 121
366. The Apartment (1960)
367. Spartacus (1960)
368. Splendor in the Grass (1961)
369. Last Year at Marienbad (1961) 122
370. The Pier (1961)
371. One-Eyed Jacks (1961)
372. Lola (1961)
373. Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961) 123
374. The Night (1961)
375. Jules and Jim (1961)
376. Viridiana (1961)
377. The Ladies Man (1961)
378. Through a Glass Darkly (1961) 124
379. Chronicle of a Summer (1961)
380. The Hustler (1961)
381. West Side Story (1961) 125
382. A Dog's Life (1962)
383. Cleo from 5 to 7 (1962)
384. Dog Star Man (1962)
385. An Autumn Afternoon (1962) 126
386. The Eclipse (1962)
387. Lawrence of Arabia (1962)
388. To Kill a Mockingbird (1962) 127
389. The Manchurian Candidate (1962)
390. Lolita (1962)
391. Keeper of Promises (1962)
392. The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962) 128
393. What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? (1962)
394. My Life to Live (1962)
395. Heaven and Earth Magic (1962)
396. The Birds (1963) 129
397. The Nutty Professor (1963)
398. Blonde Cobra (1963)
399. The Cool World (1963)
400. 8 1/2 (1963) 130
401. Passenger (1963)
402. Contempt (1963)
403. Hud (1963)
404. Winter Light (1963) 131
405. Flaming Creatures (1963)
406. The Great Escape (1963)
407. Shock Corridor (1963) 132
408. The Leopard (1963) 133
409. Barren Lives (1963)
410. Mediteranee (1963)
411. The House is Black (1963)
412. The Haunting (1963) 134
413. An Actor's Revenge (1963)
414. The Servant (1963)
415. Goldfinger (1964)
416. Scorpio Rising (1964)
417. The Umbrellas of Cherbourg (1964)
418. Marnie (1964) 135
419. My Fair Lady (1964) 136
420. Woman in the Dunes (1964) 137
421. Dr. Strangelove (1964)
422. A Hard Day's Night (1964) 138
423. The Red Desert (1964)
424. Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors (1964) 139
425. The Masque of the Red Death (1964)
426. Before the Revolution (1964)
427. Gertrud (1964) 140
428. The Gospel According to St. Matthew (1964)
429. Black God, White Devil (1964)
430. The Demon (1964)
431. Vinyl (1965)
432. The Shop on Main Street (1965) 141
433. Doctor Zhivago (1965)
434. The War Game (1965)
435. Tokyo Olympiad (1965)
436. The Battle of Algiers (1965) 142
437. The Sound of Music (1965)
438. The Saragossa Manuscript (1965)
439. Alphaville (1965)
440. Chimes at Midnight (1965)
441. Repulsion (1965) 143
442. Juliet of the Spirits (1965)
443. Pierrot Goes Wild (1965)
444. Faster, Pussy Cat! Kill! Kill! (1965)
445. Golden River (1965)
446. The Man Who Had His Hair Cut Short (1965)
447. Hold Me While I'm Naked (1966)
448. Blowup (1966)
449. The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly (1966)
450. Daisies (1966)
451. Come Drink with Me (1966)
452. Seconds (1966)
453. Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1966)
454. Persona (1966) 144
455. Masculine-Feminine (1966)
456. Balthazar (1966) 145
457. In the Heat of the Night (1967) 146
458. Two or Three Things I Know About Her (1967) 147
459. The Graduate (1967) 148
460. Playtime (1967) 149
461. Report (1967)
462. Hombre (1967)
463. Belle de Jour (1967)
464. The Young Girls of Rochefort (1967)
465. Week End (1967) 150
466. The Godson (1967)
467. Cool Hand Luke (1967)
468. Point Blank (1967) 151
469. Wavelength (1967)
470. Bonnie and Clyde (1967) 152
471. The Red and the White (1967)
472. Marketa Lazarova (1967)
473. The Jungle Book (1967)
474. The Fireman's Ball (1967)
475. Earth Entranced (1967)
476. Closely Watched Trains (1967) 153
477. Vij (1967)
478. The Cow (1968)
479. Once Upon a Time in the West (1968) 154
480. Planet of the Apes (1968) 155
481. Faces (1968)
482. Rosemary's Baby (1968)
483. If… (1968)
484. Memories of Underdevelopment (1968)
485. The Producers (1968) 156
486. David Holzman's Diary (1968)
487. Shame (1968) 157
488. 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) 158
489. Hour of the Wolf (1968) 159
490. Targets (1968)
491. Night of the Living Dead (1968) 160
492. My Night with Maud (1969)
493. Lucia (1969)
494. A Touch of Zen (1969)
495. Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969)
496. Midnight Cowboy (1969)
497. Satyricon (1969) 161
498. Z (1969) 162
499. The Conformist (1969)
500. Easy Rider (1969) 163
501. High School (1969)
502. In the Year of the Pig (1969)
503. The Wild Bunch (1969)
504. Andrei Rublev (1969)
505. The Butcher (1969) 164
506. The Color of Pomegranates (1969) 165
507. Kes (1969)
508. Tristana (1970)
509. Five Easy Pieces (1970) 166
510. El Topo (1970)
511. Woodstock (1970)
512. Deep End (1970)
513. The Spider's Stratagem (1970)
514. Little Big Man (1970) 167
515. The Ear (1970)
516. Patton (1970)
517. M*A*S*H (1970)
518. Performance (1970)
519. Gimme Shelter (1970)
520. Zabriskie Point (1970)
521. The Bird with The Crystal Plumage (1970)
522. The Garden of the Finzi-Continis (1970)
523. Wanda (1971)
524. W.R.: Mysteries of the Organism (1971)
525. A Clockwork Orange (1971) 168
526. The Sorrow and the Pity (1971)
527. Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971)
528. McCabe and Mrs. Miller (1971)
529. Walkabout (1971) 169
530. Klute (1971)
531. Harold and Maude (1971)
532. Red Psalm (1971)
533. Get Carter (1971)
534. The French Connection (1971) 170
535. Shaft (1971)
536. Dirty Harry (1971) 171
537. Murmur of the Heart (1971)
538. Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song (1971)
539. The Last Picture Show (1971)
540. Straw Dogs (1971)
541. Two-Lane Blacktop (1971)
542. The Heartbreak Kid (1972)
543. Aguirre, the Wrath of God (1972)
544. Cabaret (1972) 172
545. Last Tango in Paris (1972)
546. High Plains Drifter (1972) 173
547. Sleuth (1972)
548. Deliverance (1972)
549. Solaris (1972) 174
550. The Godfather (1972) 175
551. Cries and Whispers (1972) 176
552. Fat City (1972)
553. The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie (1972)
554. The Bitter Tears of Petra Von Kant (1972)
555. Frenzy (1972)
556. Pink Flamingos (1972)
557. Superfly (1972)
558. The Sting (1973) 177
559. The Mother and the Whore (1973)
560. Badlands (1973) 178
561. American Graffiti (1973) 179
562. Papillon (1973)
563. Enter the Dragon (1973)
564. Mean Streets (1973)
565. The Long Goodbye (1973)
566. The Wicker Man (1973)
567. Day for Night (1973) 180
568. Don't Look Now (1973)
569. Sleeper (1973)
570. Serpico (1973) 181
571. The Exorcist (1973) 182
572. Turkish Delight (1973)
573. The Spirit of the Beehive (1973)
574. Fantastic Planet (1973)
575. Amarcord (1973)
576. The Harder They Come (1973)
577. Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid (1973)
578. Dersu Uzala (1974)
579. The Conversation (1974) 183
580. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974)
581. The Mirror (1974)
582. A Woman Under the Influence (1974) 184
583. Young Frankenstein (1974) 185
584. Chinatown (1974)
585. Celine and Julie Go Boating (1974)
586. Blazing Saddles (1974) 186
587. The Godfather Part II (1974) 187
588. Ali: Fear Eats the Soul (1974) 188
589. Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia (1974)
590. Dog Day Afternoon (1975)
591. One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975) 189
592. Jeanne Dielman, 23 Quai Du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles (1975)
593. The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975)
594. The Wall (1975)
595. Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975) 190
596. Barry Lyndon (1975)
597. Fox and His Friends (1975)
598. India Song (1975)
599. Picnic at Hanging Rock (1975)
600. Manila in the Claws of Brightness (1975)
601. Salo, or the 120 Days of Sodom (1975)
602. Nashville (1975)
603. Cria! (1975)
604. The Travelling Players (1975)
605. Jaws (1975) 191
606. The Killing of a Chinese Bookie (1976)
607. Carrie (1976)
608. The Outlaw Josey Wales (1976) 192
609. All the President's Men (1976)
610. Rocky (1976) 193
611. Taxi Driver (1976)
612. Network (1976) 194
613. Ascent (1976)
614. In the Realm of the Senses (1976) 195
615. 1900 (1976)
616. The Man Who Fell to Earth (1976) 196
617. Star Wars (1977) 197
618. Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977) 198
619. The Last Wave (1977)
620. Annie Hall (1977) 199
621. Last Chants for a Slow Dance (1977)
622. Stroszek (1977)
623. Man of Marble (1977)
624. Saturday Night Fever (1977)
625. Killer of Sheep (1977)
626. Eraserhead (1977)
627. Ceddo (1977)
628. The American Friend (1977)
629. The Hills Have Eyes (1977)
630. Soldier of Orange (1977)
631. Suspiria (1977)
632. The Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith (1978)
633. Five Deadly Venoms (1978)
634. The Tree of Wooden Clogs (1978)
635. The Deer Hunter (1978)
636. Grease (1978) 200
637. Days of Heaven (1978) 201
638. Dawn of the Dead (1978) 202
639. Shaolin Master Killer (1978)
640. Up in Smoke (1978)
641. Halloween (1978) 203
642. The Marriage of Maria Braun (1979)
643. Real Life (1979)
644. My Brilliant Career (1979)
645. Stalker (1979)
646. Alien (1979)
647. Breaking Away (1979)
648. The Tin Drum (1979)
649. All That Jazz (1979)
650. Being There (1979)
651. Kramer vs. Kramer (1979)
652. Life of Brian (1979)
653. Apocalypse Now (1979) 204
654. The Jerk (1979)
655. The Muppet Movie (1979)
656. Manhattan (1979)
657. Mad Max (1979) 205
658. Nosferatu: Phantom Of The Night (1979)
659. Ordinary People (1980) 206
660. Atlantic City (1980)
661. The Last Metro (1980)
662. The Shining (1980)
663. Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
664. The Elephant Man (1980)
665. The Big Red One (1980) 207
666. Loulou (1980)
667. Airplane! (1980)
668. Raging Bull (1980)
669. Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) 208
670. The Boat (1981)
671. Gallipoli (1981) 209
672. Chariots of Fire (1981)
673. Body Heat (1981)
674. Reds (1981)
675. An American Werewolf in London (1981) 210
676. Three Brothers (1981)
677. Man of Iron (1981)
678. Too Early, Too Late (1981)
679. Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1981)
680. E.T.: The Extra-Terestrial (1982)
681. The Thing (1982)
682. Poltergeist (1982)
683. Blade Runner (1982)
684. The Evil Dead (1982) 211
685. Tootsie (1982)
686. Yol (1982)
687. Diner (1982)
688. Fitzcaraldo (1982) 212
689. Gandhi (1982)
690. The Night of the Shooting Stars (1982)
691. A Question of Silence (1982)
692. Fanny and Alexander (1982) 213
693. A Christmas Story (1983)
694. El Norte (1983)
695. Videodrome (1983)
696. Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983) 214
697. The Big Chill (1983)
698. Sunless (1983)
699. The Last Battle (1983)
700. Money (1983)
701. Utu (1983)
702. Terms of Endearment (1983)
703. The Fourth Man (1983)
704. The King of Comedy (1983)
705. The Right Stuff (1983)
706. Koyaanisqatsi (1983)
707. Once Upon a Time in America (1983)
708. Scarface (1983)
709. The Ballad of Narayama (1983)
710. Amadeus (1984) 215
711. The Terminator (1984)
712. Paris, Texas (1984)
713. A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)
714. This Is Spinal Tap (1984) 216
715. Beverly Hills Cop (1984)
716. Ghostbusters (1984)
717. A Passage to India (1984)
718. Stranger Than Paradise (1984)
719. The Killing Fields (1984)
720. The Natural (1984)
721. The Breakfast Club (1985)
722. Ran (1985)
723. Come and See (1985)
724. The Official Story (1985)
725. Out of Africa (1985)
726. The Purple Rose of Cairo (1985)
727. Back to the Future (1985) 217
728. The Time to Live and the Time to Die (1985)
729. Brazil (1985)
730. Kiss of the Spider Woman (1985)
731. The Quiet Earth (1985) 218
732. Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters (1985)
733. Prizzi's Honor (1985)
734. Vagabond (1985)
735. Shoah (1985)
736. The Color Purple (1985)
737. Manhunter (1986) 219
738. Stand By Me (1986)
739. Blue Velvet (1986) 220
740. Hannah and Her Sisters (1986)
741. She's Gotta Have It (1986)
742. The Decline of the American Empire (1986)
743. The Fly (1986)
744. Aliens (1986)
745. Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986)
746. Down by Law (1986)
747. A Room with a View (1986)
748. Children of a Lesser God (1986)
749. Platoon (1986)
750. Caravaggio (1986)
751. Tampopo (1986)
752. Peking Opera Blues (1986)
753. Salvador (1986)
754. Top Gun (1986) 221
755. Sherman's March (1986) 222
756. The Horse Thief (1986)
757. Brightness (1987)
758. Wings of Desire (1987)
759. Project A, Part II (1987)
760. Babette's Feast (1987)
761. Raising Arizona (1987)
762. Full Metal Jacket (1987)
763. Withnail and I (1987)
764. Good Morning, Vietnam (1987)
765. Goodbye Children (1987)
766. Broadcast News (1987)
767. Housekeeping (1987)
768. The Princess Bride (1987)
769. Moonstruck (1987)
770. The Untouchables (1987)
771. Red Sorghum (1987) 223
772. The Dead (1987)
773. Fatal Attraction (1987)
774. A Chinese Ghost Story (1987)
775. Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown (1988)
776. The Vanishing (1988)
777. Bull Durham (1988)
778. Ariel (1988)
779. The Thin Blue Line (1988) 224
780. Akira (1988)
781. Cinema Paradiso (1988)
782. Hotel Terminus: The Life and Times of Klaus Barbie (1988)
783. A Fish Called Wanda (1988)
784. The Naked Gun (1988)
785. Big (1988)
786. Dangerous Liaisons (1988)
787. Grave of the Fireflies (1988) 225
788. Landscape in the Mist (1988) 226
789. The Decalogue (1988)
790. Die Hard (1988)
791. A Tale of the Wind (1988)
792. Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988)
793. Rain Man (1988)
794. The Story of Women (1988)
795. The Accidental Tourist (1988)
796. Alice (1988)
797. Batman (1989)
798. When Harry Met Sally (1989)
799. Crimes and Misdemeanors (1989)
800. The Cook, the Thief, His Wife and Her Lover (1989)
801. Drugstore Cowboy (1989)
802. My Left Foot (1989)
803. The Killer (1989)
804. Do the Right Thing (1989)
805. Roger & Me (1989)
806. Glory (1989)
807. The Asthenic Syndrome (1989)
808. Sex, Lies and Videotape (1989)
809. Say Anything (1989)
810. The Unbelievable Truth (1989)
811. A City of Sadness (1989)
812. No Fear, No Die (1990)
813. Reversal of Fortune (1990)
814. Goodfellas (1990)
815. Jacob's Ladder (1990)
816. King of New York (1990)
817. Dances with Wolves (1990)
818. Europa Europa (1990)
819. Pretty Woman (1990)
820. Archangel (1990)
821. Trust (1990)
822. Close-Up (1990)
823. Edward Scissorhands (1990)
824. Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer (1990)
825. Total Recall (1990) 227
826. Once Upon a Time in China (1991)
827. Boyz 'n the Hood (1991)
828. Raise the Red Lantern (1991) 228
829. Delicatessen (1991)
830. A Brighter Summer Day (1991)
831. Naked Lunch (1991)
832. The Beautiful Troublemaker (1991)
833. The Rapture (1991)
834. My Own Private Idaho (1991)
835. Thelma & Louise (1991)
836. Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)
837. The Silence of the Lambs (1991) 229
838. JFK (1991)
839. Slacker (1991)
840. Tongues Untied (1991)
841. Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker's Apocalypse (1991) 230
842. The Double Life of Veronique (1991)
843. Strictly Ballroom (1992)
844. The Player (1992)
845. Reservoir Dogs (1992)
846. Romper Stomper (1992)
847. Glengarry Glen Ross (1992)
848. Unforgiven (1992) 231
849. Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992)
850. Candy Man (1992)
851. A Tale of Winter (1992)
852. Aileen Wuornos: The Selling of a Serial Killer (1992)
853. The Crying Game (1992)
854. Man Bites Dog (1992)
855. The Actress (1992)
856. Farewell My Concubine (1993)
857. Thirty Two Films about Glenn Gould (1993)
858. Groundhog Day (1993)
859. Short Cuts (1993)
860. Philadelphia (1993)
861. Jurassic Park (1993)
862. The Age of Innocence (1993)
863. The Puppetmaster (1993)
864. Schindler's List (1993)
865. Three Colors: Blue (1993) 232
866. The Piano (1993)
867. The Blue Kite (1993)
868. The Wedding Banquet (1993)
869. Three Colors: Red (1994) 233
870. Hoop Dreams (1994)
871. Forrest Gump (1994)
872. Clerks (1994)
873. Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994)
874. The Lion King (1994) 234
875. Satantango (1994)
876. Natural Born Killers (1994)
877. The Last Seduction (1994)
878. Pulp Fiction (1994)
879. The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
880. The Wild Reeds (1994)
881. Chungking Express (1994) 235
882. Crumb (1994) 236
883. Heavenly Creatures (1994)
884. Through the Olive Trees (1994)
885. Riget (1994) 237
886. Dear Diary (1994)
887. Casino (1995)
888. Deseret (1995)
889. Babe (1995)
890. Toy Story (1995)
891. Strange Days (1995)
892. Braveheart (1995)
893. Safe (1995)
894. Clueless (1995)
895. Heat (1995)
896. Zero Kelvin (1995)
897. Seven (1995)
898. Smoke (1995) 238
899. The White Balloon (1995)
900. Cyclo (1995)
901. Underground (1995)
902. The Brave Heart Will Take the Bride (1995)
903. Dead Man (1995)
904. The Usual Suspects (1995)
905. The Pillow Book (1996)
906. Three Lives and Only One Death (1996)
907. Fargo (1996)
908. Independence Day (1996)
909. Secrets and Lies (1996)
910. Breaking the Waves (1996)
911. The English Patient (1996)
912. Gabbeh (1996) 239
913. Lone Star (1996)
914. Trainspotting (1996)
915. Scream (1996) 240
916. Deconstructing Harry (1997)
917. L.A. Confidential (1997)
918. Happy Together (1997)
919. Princess Mononoke (1997) 241
920. Fast, Cheap, and Out of Control (1997)
921. The Butcher Boy (1997) 242
922. The Ice Storm (1997)
923. Boogie Nights (1997)
924. Kundun (1997)
925. The Sweet Hereafter (1997) 243
926. Funny Games (1997)
927. Taste of Cherry (1997)
928. Open Your Eyes (1997)
929. Mother and Son (1997)
930. Titanic (1997)
931. Tetsuo (1998)
932. The Celebration (1998)
933. Saving Private Ryan (1998)
934. Buffalo 66 (1998)
935. Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (1998)
936. Run Lola Run (1998) 244
937. Rushmore (1998)
938. Pi (1998) 245
939. Happiness (1998)
940. The Thin Red Line (1998)
941. The Idiots (1998)
942. Sombre (1998)
943. Ring (1998)
944. There's Something About Mary (1998)
945. Magnolia (1999)
946. Beau Travail (1999)
947. The Blair Witch Project (1999)
948. Taboo (1999)
949. Rosetta (1999)
950. All About My Mother (1999)
951. Three Kings (1999)
952. The Wind Will Carry Us (1999)
953. The Audition (1999)
954. Time Regained (1999)
955. Fight Club (1999)
956. Being John Malkovich (1999)
957. American Beauty (1999)
958. Attack the Gas Station! (1999)
959. Eyes Wide Shut (1999) 246
960. The Sixth Sense (1999)
961. The Matrix (1999)
962. Nine Queens (2000) 247
963. The Captive (2000)
964. In the Mood for Love (2000)
965. Ali Zaoua, Prince of the Streets (2000)
966. Gladiator (2000)
967. Kippur (2000)
968. A One and a Two (2000)
969. Requiem for a Dream (2000)
970. Amores Perros (2000)
971. Meet the Parents (2000)
972. Signs & Wonders (2000)
973. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000)
974. Traffic (2000)
975. The Gleaners and I (2000)
976. Memento (2000)
977. Dancer in the Dark (2000)
978. O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000)
979. Amelie (2001) 248
980. What Time Is It There? (2001)
981. And Your Mother Too (2001)
982. Kandahar (2001)
983. Spirited Away (2001) 249
984. The Piano Teacher (2001)
985. The Son's Room (2001)
986. No Man's Land (2001) 250
987. Moulin Rouge (2001)
988. Monsoon Wedding (2001) 251
989. Fat Girl (2001)
990. Mulholland Dr. (2001) 252
991. The Royal Tenenbaums (2001)
992. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)
993. A.I.: Artificial Intelligence (2001)
994. Gangs of New York (2002)
995. The Pianist (2002)
996. Talk to Her (2002) 253
997. City of God (2002) 254
998. Russian Ark (2002)
999. Chicago (2002)
1000. The Barbarian Invasions (2003)
1001. Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003)
1002. Drowning by Numbers (1988)
1003. The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (1994)
1004. Muriel's Wedding (1994)
1005. Shine (1996)
1006. The Big Lebowski (1998)
1007. Lantana (2001)
1008. Adaptation (2002) 255
1009. Far From Heaven (2002) 256
1010. Hero (2002)
1011. The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002)
1012. Bus 174 (2002)
1013. Uzak (2002)
1014. Rabbit-Proof Fence (2002)
1015. Irreversible (2002)
1016. Oldboy (2003) 257
1017. Good Bye Lenin! (2003)
1018. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)
1019. The Best of Youth (2003)
1020. Lost in Translation (2003)
1021. Farenheit 9/11 (2004)
1022. The Passion of the Christ (2004)
1023. Collateral (2004)
1024. The Aviator (2004)
1025. Million Dollar Baby (2004)
1026. Downfall (2004) 258
1027. A Very Long Engagement (2004)
1028. Sideways (2004)
1029. Head-On (2004)
1030. 3-Iron (2004)
1031. Hidden (2005)
1032. Go, Live and Become (2005)
1033. Paradise Now (2005)
1034. Brokeback Mountain (2005) 259
1035. Tsotsi (2005)
1036. The Constant Gardner (2005) 260
1037. Crash (2005)
1038. Little Miss Sunshine (2006)
1039. The Prestige (2006)
1040. The Lives of Others (2006) 261
1041. United 93 (2006)
1042. Children of Men (2006)
1043. Pan's Labyrinth (2006)
1044. Apocalypto (2006)
1045. The Departed (2006)
1046. Borat (2006)
1047. Once (2006)
1048. The Queen (2006) 262
1049. The Host (2006) 263
1050. The Last King Of Scotland (2006)
1051. Babel (2006)
1052. Volver (2006)
1053. The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (2007) 264
1054. La Vie En Rose (2007)
1055. No Country For Old Men (2007)
1056. Into the Wild (2007)
1057. There Will Be Blood (2007)
1058. Atonement (2007)
1059. Surfwise (2007)
1060. The Bourne Ultimatum (2007)
1061. Paranormal Activity (2007) 265
1062. Wall-E (2008)
1063. The Good, the Bad, the Weird (2008)
1064. The Dark Knight (2008)
1065. The Wrestler (2008)
1066. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008)
1067. Gomorra (2008)
1068. The Class (2008)
1069. Slumdog Millionaire (2008)
1070. Anvil! The Story of Anvil (2008)
1071. Let The Right One In (2009)
1072. The Hurt Locker (2009)
1073. An Education (2009)
1074. The Hangover (2009) 266
1075. Precious (2009)
1076. Avatar (2009)
1077. Fish Tank (2009)
1078. The White Ribbon (2009)
1079. Inglourious Basterds (2009)
1080. District 9 (2009) 267
1081. In the Loop (2009)
1082. Monsters (2010)
1083. Of Gods and Men (2010)
1084. Black Swan (2010) 268
1085. Four Lions (2010)
1086. The Social Network (2010) 269
1087. Inception (2010) 270
1088. The King’s Speech (2010) 271
1089. True Grit (2010) 272

(More meaningless statistics)
1001 films viewed by decade

1900’s 1
1910’s 0
1920’s 6
1930’s 28
1940’s 41
1950’s 43
1960’s 46
1970’s 39
1980’s 20
1990’s 20
2000’s 19
2010’s 5

ITS A WONDERFUL LIFE (1946) vs. A CHRISTMAS STORY (1983)

Brent Musberger: We are…LIVE from Pauley Pavilion for the 3rd annual finale of the 64 film tournament as the battle for the definitive Christmas movie sweepstakes has reached its highly anticipated climax.

To recap: A Christmas Story defeated Santa Claus Conquers the Martians, Black Christmas (which forfeited for being directed by A Christmas Story director Bob Clark and therefore creating a conflict of interest), National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, and Holiday Inn to reach the final four where the instant classic last second victory over the 1951 version of A Christmas Carol earned the coming of age story of Ralphie and his hunt for a Red Ryder BB gun a spot in the finals.

In the other bracket, It’s a Wonderful Life defeated Ernest Saves Christmas, Elf, Jingle All the Way, and Christmas in Connecticut to reach the final four where the story of George Bailey defeated Miracle on 34th Street in double overtime.

Onto the final: It’s a Wonderful Life vs. A Christmas Story:

Round 1
The protagonist:

It’s a Wonderful Life: George Bailey
George’s best moment: Loans out money to Bedford Fallians to prevent Potter from taking over the building and loan.
George’s worst moment: yells at his kids after Uncle Billy loses $8000.

A Christmas Story: Ralphie Parker
Ralphie’s best moment: Saves his family from Black Bart
Ralphie worst moment: He says THE word and it wasn’t fudge!

Winner: It’s a Wonderful Life. The everyman is just a tad more sympathetic than the everyboy.

Round 2
The villain:

It’s a Wonderful Life: In the person of Mr. Potter and in the set of circumstances that keep George in Bedford Falls.

A Christmas Story: The heavies here are assorted bullies, teachers, parents and grownups whose sole purpose seems to be preventing getting Ralphie his Red Ryder Carbine-Action Two-Hundred-Shot Range Model Air Rifle!

Winner: It’s a Wonderful Life. Mr. Potter (the very definition of evil) is the difference here.
Potter to George: “Look at you! You used to be so cocky. You were going to go out and conquer the world. You once called me a warped frustrated old man. What are you but a warped frustrated young man? A miserable little clerk crawling in here on your hands and knees and begging for help…Why don’t you go to the riff raff you love so much. You know why? Because they’d run you out of town on a rail!”

Evil. Evil. Evil

Round 3
Supporting cast:

It’s a Wonderful Life: Thomas Mitchell as Uncle Billy or Henry Travers as Clarence.

A Christmas Story: Darren McGavin as Dad

Winner: It’s a Wonderful Life. McGavin is most funny as the long-suffering, cursing dad with the obsession for leg lamps, but he did steal the fra-jilly joke from The Marx Brothers.
Nobody does nincompoop like Mitchell and nobody can order “Mull wine, heavy on the cinnamon, light on the cloves” like Travers.

Round 4
Auteur curriculum vitæ:

It’s a Wonderful Life: Frank Capra directed Arsenic and Old Lace, Meet John Doe, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, Mr. Deeds Goes to Town, Lost Horizon, It Happened One Night, and You Can’t Take it With You. One of the most famous American directors with one of the most impressive resumes.

A Christmas Story: Bob Clark’s less impressive film output includes: Rhinestone, From the Hip, Porky’s I and II, Baby Geniuses I and II, and of course the TV movie classic Karate Dog.

Winner: A Christmas Story. Seems like a slam dunk for It's a Wonderful Life on paper, but since Mr. Clark dug so deep to come up with one classic within a career of such mediocrity, that I think even Mr. Capra would love this underdog story. Imagine Ed Wood pulling off Lawrence of Arabia.

Round 5
Recreation of the era:

It’s a Wonderful Life: Most of the story is set in the 1940’s and the film was made in the 1940’s.

A Christmas Story: Entire story is set in the 1940’s

Winner: A Christmas Story. The recreation of a simpler time at a simpler age is what makes the film work. It may not be a fair comparison since It’s a Wonderful Life was set in its own time, but George Bailey knows that life is not fair.

Round 6
Catchphrase:

It’s a Wonderful Life: Lots of candidates, but “Teacher says every time a bell rings, an angel gets his wings” is probably the best. It’s certainly better than Sam Wainwright continually saying “HEE-HAW”

A Christmas Story:”You’ll shoot your eye out, kid”

Winner: A Christmas Story. Close call, but “You’ll shoot your eye out” defines A Christmas Story.

Round 7
Screenplay:

It’s a Wonderful Life: Frances Goodrich & Albert Hackett

A Christmas Story: Jean Shepherd

Winner: It’s a Wonderful Life. You’d think I’d know who wrote the screenplay for a movie I’ve seen twenty times, but I admit to having to look it up. As retribution I’m giving this to Frances and Albert. Sorry, Jean.

Round 8
The strange cameo competition:

It’s a Wonderful Life. The guy that opens the gym floor to make George and Mary go into the water is Carl “Alfalfa” Switzer of Our Gang.

A Christmas Story: Ubiquitous screenwriter Jean Shepherd has the wonderful credit line of Man in line for Santa.

Winner: It’s a Wonderful Life. How can you beat getting dunked by Alfalfa! Sorry Jean, that’s 0-2.

Round 9
Narrator wars:

It’s a Wonderful Life: Mostly Henry Travers as Clarence

A Christmas Story: Jean Shepard

Winner: A Christmas Story, Well Jean, your narration style that was later copied for The Wonder Years finally gives you a win.

Round 10
Musical interlude:

It’s a Wonderful Life: Buffalo Girls

A Christmas Story: Deck the Halls from the Chinese restaurant.

Winner: It’s a Wonderful Life. As funny as “Deck the Halls with boughs of horry” is, Buffalo Girls is sung by George to woo Mary and later played as George asks Mary to marry him. George lassos the moon on this one.

Round 11
Longevity award:

It’s a Wonderful Life: A Christmas classic since the advent of television

A Christmas Story: A Christmas classic since the advent of cable

Winner: It’s a Wonderful Life: It may not be fair to punish A Christmas Story for only being under 30 years old, but you know-sometimes you get a Red Ryder BB gun for Christmas and sometimes you just got to drink your Ovaltine and like it!

Round 12
Symbols:

It’s a Wonderful Life: Bedford Falls has Christmas lights, bells, carolers, a movie theater showing Bells of St. Mary’s, and the wonderful old Building and Loan.
Pottersville has bars, blaring sirens, night clubs, pool halls, fights every Wednesday night, pawn brokers, girls-girls-girls burlesque, and a Dance Hall where Violet Bick gets picked up for prostitution!

A Christmas Story: The leg lamp or the bunny suit

Winner: It’s a Wonderful Life. But you got to admit that sometimes it’s more fun to live in Pottersville than Bedford Falls.

Round 13
Hot mom award:

It’s a Wonderful Life: Donna Reed

A Christmas Story: Melinda Dillon

Winner: It’s a Wonderful Life. Melinda Dillon was much more attractive in other movies such as Slapshot and Close Encounters as she was a bit frumped up here to be believable as Darren McGavin’s wife.
Donna Reed was at the height of her beauty here, at least when she’s not closing up the library!!!

Round 14
Citation for scene disparaging to libraries:

It’s a Wonderful Life: When George asks Clarence where Mary is in the reality in which George was never born, Clarence informs him that the ultimate tragedy has happened: First she’s an old maid and even worse: “She’s closing up the library!”
I’ve got to dock It’s a Wonderful Life for this one.

Winner: by default is A Christmas Story

Round 15
Evilest teacher:

It’s a Wonderful Life: Mrs. Welch gets admonished by George when she checks on Zuzu. Mr. Welch later punches George. Should Mrs. Welch suffer for the sins of Mr. Welch?

A Christmas Story: Ralphie’s teacher can’t seem to understand the importance of the Red Ryder BB gun!

Winner: A Christmas Story. Sorry, Mrs. Welch. Nobody punches out George Bailey and gets away with it! I'm giving this round to A Christmas Story just because I don't want to award Mr. Welch's unacceptable behavior!

Round 16
Remake Problems:

It’s a Wonderful Life: I know I shouldn’t keep punishing for the sins of others, but the 1978 television remake with Marlo Thomas as the female equivalent of George Bailey and Cloris Leachman as the female equivalent of Clarence was just wrong and someone should be held responsible!

Winner: A Christmas Story, but I just found out it has a sequel of it’s own called It Runs in the Family from the 90’s. I’ve already awarded the round, so A Christmas Story may have gotten away with one here.

Round 17
Unsympathetic authority figure:

It’s a Wonderful Life: Gower the druggist smacks George on his bad ear. Booooo!

A Christmas Story: Santa Claus can’t seem to understand the importance of the Red Ryder either. Booooo!

Winner: It’s a Wonderful Life. Mr. Gower wins because he does become a good guy and a friend to George (Except in the world without George where he is an alcoholic child murderer!) Ahem. Wait a second. George isn’t born and Gower becomes a drunken psychopath? On second thought, A Christmas Story wins. Santa just doesn’t want him to shoot his eye out, after all. He doesn’t kill anybody!

Round 18
I discovered it:

It’s a Wonderful Life: It’s just been around forever so gets no credit for discovery for me.

A Christmas Story: I was the one to discover this movie. Okay, not really. But I was one of the first to appreciate it. “Why wasn’t this more popular?” I said when it first came out. Now it is.

Winner: A Christmas Story

Round 19
Dumbest kid stuff dealing with ice:

It’s a Wonderful Life: Harry Bailey sleds onto thin ice and almost drowns.

A Christmas Story: Ralphie’s friend sticks his tongue to a frozen flagpole.

Winner: A Christmas Story. Equally stupid thing for a kid to do, but funnier in A Christmas Story.

Round 20
The ending:

It’s a Wonderful Life: George’s friends bail him out, his family embraces him and they sing Auld Lang Syne.

A Christmas Story: Ralphie dreams of making hip shots with his gun.

Winner: It’s a Wonderful Life: A Christmas Story’s ending is OK. It’s a Wonderful Life’s ending might be the most inspirational ending in filmdom. A no-brainer for It’s a Wonderful Life.


Brent Musberger: And the winner in the definitive Christmas movie sweepstakes is…wait a minute, here comes Tiny Tim Cratchit and the Little Match Girl…What could they want? Tiny Tim seems to be trying to tell me something. Excuse me…we seem to have a new development. Little Match Girl, are you in agreement? All right then. Everyone grab hands. George, Ralphie, Uncle Billy, Mr. and Mrs. Parker, Bert, Ernie, Flick, Mary, Department Store Santa...come on out. Form a line.
The final decision from these two adorable little children is that you the viewer need to find room in your holiday season for both of these Christmas classics.

Merry Christmas everybody! This is Brent Musberger reporting.

*This blog is a reprint from last year, but I couldn't think of anything else new to do for Christmas. Maybe next year.

BLUE VELVET (1986)

My niece, Kara Demetropoulos, has been staying in New York City as part of the Occupy Wall Street movement. She texted me some messages pertaining to what she was doing and also told be she saw the film Blue Velvet while she was up there. So I decided to watch this unusual film again and relate quotes from that movie to the texts she sent me as well as I could.

Kara: I’ve been dumpstering for food with a freegan I met. We dumpster for clothes, electronics, things we can sell, etc.
Blue Velvet: Are you the one that found the ear?

Kara: Got out and marched on Wall Street.
Blue Velvet: Here’s to an interesting experience…Man, I like Heineken!

Kara: Witnessed police brutality at its finest.
Blue Velvet: Why does there have to be so much trouble in this world?

Kara: I spent 36 hours in jail.
Blue Velvet: It’s a strange world, isn’t it?

Kara: Now I’m staying with this really nice woman who is going to let me stay until I find a job and get my own place.
Blue Velvet: In the dream, there was our world. And the world was dark because there weren’t any robins. And the robins represented love and for the longest time there was just this darkness. And all of a sudden, thousands of robins were set free. And they flew down and brought this blinding light of love And it seemed like that love would be the only thing that would make any difference. And it did.

Good luck, Kara.

TRUE GRIT (1969), TRUE GRIT (2010)

Awhile back,. someone recommended I read the Charles Portis novel True Grit for my book group. After the success of the Coen Brothers new film version of the novel, an Audiotape version of Portis’s book was recorded for the first time. I listened to the reading. A fine rendering by Donna Tartt. I thought it was a simple, but involving story of a 14-year-old hiring a surly U. S. Marshall to help her get revenge on the man that killed her father.

Then I watched the 1969 version of the movie with John Wayne, which I had never seen before. I followed that by watching the Coen Brothers version, which is listed in the latest editiion of 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die.

After that, I listened to the book again. (It’s pretty short, only 6 discs in Books-on-CD speak.)

The night of my book group was a dark and stormy night. Only a couple of people showed up. Both had positive things to say about True Grit. One lady in my group was even inspired to purchase other books by Charles Portis. That made me glad.

As far as the movies go: I did appreciate the 1969 version. I’ve always found John Wayne rather hit or miss depending on his role, but this was truly a part he seemed to get his teeth into. He wasn’t playing John Wayne as he often did; he was the drunk, one-eyed U. S. Marshall Rooster Cogburn. But since Mattie Ross is the one telling the story, the success of the movie rides on her. Kim Darby as Mattie Ross, I liked very much.

I didn’t think the Coen Brothers version would be able to top it, but I liked it as well. It is interesting that though many parts of the new movie vary from the original, I was struck by how some scenes between the two movies were very similar. One example is the scene where Mattie negotiates with the businessman to take back the horses her daddy bought before he was killed and is a highlight of both movies. And the staging of the scene where Rooster rides against the four members of Ned Pepper’s seemed to be almost identical in the two films

But I can see by the clock on the wall that I need to pick a winner. And the winner is….Charles Portis’s book. Or at least the very least, the Book-on-CD version.