Directors BFI Tournament - The Greatest BRITISH films (1 Viewer)

[Jim_K]

I'm just messing with your head Lew.


I'll be back later to update the list.

 

[Jim_K]

List updated. We need 5 more.

Everyone has unlimited seconds & thirds.

Keep in mind I'll be using the nomination pool of the films that don't make it in. I'll need these as wild-cards when I start tossing films that nobody's seen.


Nominations

And Now for Something Completely Different
The Asphyx
Blackmail *
Carry On Cruising
Carry On Cleo
The Collector *
Contraband
Curse of Frankenstein *
The Devil Rides Out
The Day the Earth Caught Fire *
Dead of Night *
The Devils
The Elephant Man
Eyes Wide Shut
49th Parallel *
Gaslight
Help! *
The Hit (1984) *
How To Succeed In Advertising *
The Innocents *
I See A Dark Stranger
Jason and the Argonauts
A Kid for Two Farthings
Lair of the White Worm *
The Legend of the 7 Golden Vampires
Man of Aran
The Man Who Would Be King *
Matthew Hopkins: Witchfinder General
Metroland
The Mission *
The Mouse That Roared *
The Mummy (1959) *
Nanook of the North
Night Train to Munich *
O Lucky Man! *
Quatermass and the Pit *
Quatermass II: Enemy from Space *
Ratcatcher
Sexy Beast *
The Spy Who Came in from the Cold
The Thief of Bagdad (1940) *
Village of the Damned (1960) *
Wish You Were Here *
Wonderland
Yellow Submarine *

 

[Brook K]

Ok, I sit corrected.

Horror of Dracula was on one of the Spanish channels tonight.

 

[Lew Crippen]

Second:

Gaslight
The Spy Who Came in from the Cold

 

[SteveGon]

I'll third:

Curse of Frankenstein
The Man Who Would Be King
The Mouse That Roared
The Spy Who Came in from the Cold
The Thief of Bagdad

 

[MartinTeller]

As far as 2001 goes... if the BFI didn't consider it British enough to go on their top 100 list (and let's be real, it would have been up there), neither should we.

 

[Jim_K]

I do agree with Martin & have already voiced my concerns about all of the Kubrick films being included. I don't have a problem with ACO (BFI list) & Barry Lyndon but I'm having second thoughts about allowing 2001:ASO & Dr Strangelove. I'll have to think it over some.

We now have a complete field but I'll hold all of the nominated films that have been seconded in reserve, just in case we need them.

I'll post the first matchups tomorrow.

 

[george kaplan]

Well every resource I have (various books as well as the last Cinemania version released) all list both 2001 and Dr. Strangelove as British films. It's hard for me to understand how either of these is not a British film.

 

[MartinTeller]

iMDB lists 2001 as UK/USA. Dr. Strangelove is listed as UK, but I find it difficult to think of it as a British film. Takes place in America, mostly American actors, American director.

 

[george kaplan]

Well if a director from another country (say Germany or Hong Kong) comes to the U.S. and in Hollywood makes a film about Germany or Hong Kong, with a lot of actors from that country would this be an American film or a German (or Hong Kong) film?

I don't really understand what financing has to do with it. If some Swiss business concern financed a film made in Hollywood by an American independent director with American actors would that be a Swiss film?

The problem with arguing about British films is that the language hasn't changed. When a film is made in Italy, in Italian, even if it has American connections, it's pretty clearly an Italian film.

What kind of film is Lord of the Rings? I know it was made in New Zealand primarily by a bunch of New Zealanders (crew and extras, if not the primary stars), but was financed by New Line. So is that an American film or a New Zealand film?

 

[Jim_K]

I'll admit that the lines are sometimes blurry when determining country of origin. The joint ventures being the trickiest ones to determine.




If the production company is from same said country then it would be a German or Hong Kong film. It doesn't matter what locale they choose to shoot the film.

Aguirre Wrath of God is a German film though not one frame was shot in Germany.

Apocalypse Now is a US film made entirely in the philippines

etc, etc, etc.


As for 2001 & Strangelove I've decided to leave 'em in. They were nominated, seconded & thirded so whatever reservations I have should have been voiced before they made the list.

I'll start with 4 matchups to get a feel for how many abstains we'll have.

Remember, if you have to abstain name the film you haven't seen. If not then I'll assume it's both films. It'll help me to determine which film gets the boot in the event less then 3 people vote.

Round 1

Monty Python's Life of Brian

vs.

The Full Monty

----------------------------------------------

The Draughtsman's Contract

vs.

If....

----------------------------------------------

Oliver Twist

vs.

Scrooge (1951)

------------------------------------------------

Small Faces

vs.

Women in Love

 

[Scott Weinberg]

Monty Python's Life of Brian

 

[SteveGon]

Life of Brian
Abstain - No TDC.
Oliver Twist
Abstain - Seen neither.

 

[Lew Crippen]

Monty Python's Life of Brian

Oliver Twist

 

[MartinTeller]

Only one I've seen is Life of Brian, and maybe Draughtsman's Contract.

 

[PhilipG]

1. Monty Python's Life of Brian
2. Abstain
3. Oliver Twist
4. Abstain

 

[Bill McA]

Life of Brian
If....
Scrooge (1951)
Women in Love

 

[Steeve Bergeron]

Monty Python's Life of Brian

 

[Rob Tomlin]

Monty Python's Life of Brian

Oliver Twist

 

[Brook K]

Only seen 3 of these.

Scrooge (by far my favorite Dickens story)