AFI lists are SOT (same old thing)

The first five or six American Film Institute lists of all-time greatest film whatevers were fun. Now they're just the same clips from the same movies recycled ad nauseum.

I know the TV ad revenue for these specials and public awareness of what the AFI accomplishes with film preservation and education are important. But these specials are creeping closer to a telethon vibe.

I'm hoping that last night's show -- which I TiVo'd because I was stuck watching The Love Guru (a movie contradicting everything the AFI stands for) --  will be an exception when I get a chance to view it. After perusing the list of top-10 movies in various genres, I'm not confident.

Anyway, here's the rundown of AFI's selection, picked by a few hundred film industry professionals including some movie critics. My ballot hasn't been filled out since Dueling Banjos wasn't eligible for the top-100 movie songs list a few years ago, because it didn't have lyrics. Yeah, like the listed Gonna Fly Now from Rocky does.

ANIMATION
1  SNOW WHITE AND THE SEVEN DWARFS  1937
2  PINOCCHIO  1940
3  BAMBI     1942
4  THE LION KING   1994
5  FANTASIA     1940
6  TOY STORY  1995
7  BEAUTY AND THE BEAST  1991
8  SHREK     2001
9  CINDERELLA     1950
10  FINDING NEMO     2003                          

FANTASY
1  THE WIZARD OF OZ            1939
2  THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING      2001
3  IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE      1946
4  KING KONG    1933
5  MIRACLE ON 34th STREET       1947
6  FIELD OF DREAMS      1989
7  HARVEY      1950
8  GROUNDHOG DAY       1993
9  THE THIEF OF BAGDAD    1924
10  BIG    1988

GANGSTER
1   THE GODFATHER       1972
2   GOODFELLAS      1990
3   THE GODFATHER PART II      1974
4   WHITE HEAT      1949
5   BONNIE AND CLYDE      1967               
6   SCARFACE: THE SHAME OF A NATION     1932
7   PULP FICTION      1994
8   THE PUBLIC ENEMY    1931
9   LITTLE CAESAR    1930
10  SCARFACE      1983           

SCIENCE FICTION
1  2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY      1968
2  STAR WARS: EPISODE IV- A NEW HOPE  1977
3  E.T. - THE EXTRA TERRESTRIAL   1982
4  A CLOCKWORK ORANGE     1971
5  THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL    1951
6  BLADE RUNNER    1982
7  ALIEN     1979
8  TERMINATOR 2: JUDGMENT DAY    1991
9  INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS     1956
10  BACK TO THE FUTURE    1985

WESTERN
1  THE SEARCHERS       1956               
2  HIGH NOON    1952
3  SHANE      1953
4  UNFORGIVEN     1992
5  RED RIVER    1948
6  THE WILD BUNCH     1969
7  BUTCH CASSIDY AND THE SUNDANCE KID    1969
8  McCABE & MRS. MILLER   1971
9  STAGECOACH    1939
10  CAT BALLOU    1965           

SPORTS
1  RAGING BULL    1980
2  ROCKY    1976
3  THE PRIDE OF THE YANKEES      1942
4  HOOSIERS      1986
5  BULL DURHAM     1988
6  THE HUSTLER     1961
7  CADDYSHACK   1980
8  BREAKING AWAY   1979
9  NATIONAL VELVET    1944
10  JERRY MAGUIRE      1996           

MYSTERY
1  VERTIGO        1958
2  CHINATOWN     1974
3  REAR WINDOW     1954
4  LAURA     1944
5  THE THIRD MAN    1949
6  THE MALTESE FALCON    1941
7  NORTH BY NORTHWEST     1959
8  BLUE VELVET      1986               
9  DIAL M FOR MURDER    1954
10  THE USUAL SUSPECTS   1995           

ROMANTIC COMEDY
1  CITY LIGHTS          1931               
2  ANNIE HALL       1977
3  IT HAPPENED ONE NIGHT      1934
4  ROMAN HOLIDAY    1953
5  THE PHILADELPHIA STORY      1940
6  WHEN HARRY MET SALLY…   1989
7  ADAM'S RIB       1949
8  MOONSTRUCK   1987
9  HAROLD AND MAUDE   1971
10  SLEEPLESS IN SEATTLE    1993           

COURTROOM DRAMA
1  TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD     1962
2   12 ANGRY MEN    1957
3   KRAMER VS. KRAMER   1979
4   THE VERDICT      1982
5   A FEW GOOD MEN    1992
6   WITNESS FOR THE PROSECUTION     1957
7   ANATOMY OF A MURDER     1959
8   IN COLD BLOOD     1967
9   A CRY IN THE DARK   1988
10  JUDGMENT AT NUREMBERG   1961           

EPIC 1   LAWRENCE OF ARABIA      1962   
2   BEN-HUR      1959
3   SCHINDLER'S LIST      1993
4   GONE WITH THE WIND     1939
5   SPARTACUS       1960
6   TITANIC      1997
7   ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT     1930
8   SAVING PRIVATE RYAN     1998
9   REDS      1981
10  THE TEN COMMANDMENTS      1956

Interesting facts about the list include:    
* The earliest entry on the list is THE THIEF OF BAGDAD (Fantasy) from 1924; with the most recent being FINDING NEMO (Animated) from 2003.    
* Alfred Hitchcock is the most represented director with 4 films; Steven Spielberg and Stanley Kubrick follow with 3 entries each.    
* James Stewart is the most represented actor with 6 entries; Tom Hanks is next with 4; Warren Beatty, Robert De Niro, Gene Hackman, James Earl Jones, Paul Newman, Jack Nicholson, Al Pacino and John Wayne all have 3 films each.    
* Diane Keaton is the most represented actress with 4 films on the list; Grace Kelly and Talia Shire each have 3 entries.

Comments

[GlennS.]

There used to be a half-hour show on the weekends that featured clips from classic movies. I can no longer remember the name of it but I do recall that Tom Bosley (yes, of Happy Days) was the narrator. I was just a teen at the time but that show really sparked my interest in movies, not just the current releases but the classics too. If these AFI shows do the same for the next generation of movie fans, I think they are worth it.

[Steve Persall]

Yes, I also remember those shows (or something like them).

But this generation of moviegoers has more channels, pastimes, needs for immediate gratification, etc. than those of us who would take/have time to see those movies, or appreciate them as something more.

Shows like the recent AFI lists don't reach today's main movie-going audience like the MTV awards. Heaven help us if that's what it takes to make memorable films. (If it already hasn't.)

[Mike]

I watched parts of the AFI special (in between breaks of the Celtics whipping the Lakers) and it was pretty ho-hum like you said, Steve.

One entry that I was pleased to see was 'White Heat'; they even ranked it above 'Public Enemy'! 'White Heat' is definitely one of my all-time favorites - Cagney was outstanding.

[albert]

Having been in the Motion Picture Industry for over 30 years it is always a thrill to see that a movie you have worked on is on the List.
As a member of Local #728 I.A.T.S.E. Lighting Industry I was fortunate to have worked from start to finish on "RAGING BULL" We started shooting at the Olympic Auditorium in Downtown Los Angeles and then moved over to the Culver Studios in Culver City for all the Boxing sequences. Di Nero was in great shape shape and was in Makeup for upto 2-3 hours everyday. Michael Westmore who is regarded as one of the best Makeup Artist of alltime did bobby`s Makeup. We then took time off so he could gain over 60 pounds for the second half of Jake LaMottas life. Jake was on set alot and we got visits from a Who`s Who of Hollywood at the time not only to see DiNero but Marty Scorsese.. I was 25 at the time and we had a few New Yorkers come out with Marty to help Production including DP Mike Chapman. They treated us great and Joe Peci really was an unknown at that time was just great with the Crew.

Scorsese should have won best Director but to have worked with DiNero and watching him win Best Actor was really something.

I remember years later when I moved to Florida and I had a chance to work on the "TRUMAN SHOW" that was filming up in Seaside, Florida, the DP and Gaffer asked for a resume and they said I was hired because I had worked on RAGING BULL.

We filmed alot in Black and White and did some creative Shoots that at the time had never been done before. I got to hold the "Eye Light' in the Ring for all the close ups which we used an Inkie Light. So I got to know DP Mike Chapman, Director Marty Scorsese and Di Nero very well which happens on sets anyway. The best part was at that time in life the Egos were not what they are now. We were just making a movie and having fun..

Wow, number #1 sports movie that is pretty cool

[Kennedy]

GlennS,
I'm pretty sure that the show you mean was called "That's Hollywood." I remember it being on weekends as well and if I had to guess a year, it was around '78 when it debuted.