AFI’s Top 100 Films List Forum Challenge (Part 3) (1 Viewer)

[Edwin Pereyra]

I don't know that I'd necessarily include in a top 100 list personally - there are probably better examples of the great American screwball comedy

See, Crawdaddy? I'm not the only one that feels this way about Bringing Up Baby.

~Edwin

 

[Robert Crawford]

quote: See, Crawdaddy? I'm not the only one that feels this way about Bringing Up Baby. [/quote]


The reason "Bringing Up Baby" is on the list because it's not so much that it is one of the top 100 films ever made but whether because the film influenced and changed the way comedies were written by taking a funny conventional view of society.

Personally, I enjoyed the following list of comedies from the same era more than "Bringing Up Baby". However, I thought you gave "Bringing Up Baby" a less than three star rating which is much lower than it deserved.
[*]It Happened One Night[*]You Can't Take It With You[*]The Awful Truth[*]His Girl Friday[*]My Man Godfrey[*]The Philadelphia Story[*]Topper[*]The Lady Eve[*]Arsenic And Old Lace[*]Ball Of Fire

Crawdaddy

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Peter Staddon: "I didn't say you can put 'Monkeybone' back!"

[Edited last by Robert Crawford on October 14, 2001 at 08:20 AM]

 

[Edwin Pereyra]

Crawdaddy, I would also rate every single film you just listed, which I have seen higher than BUB. As you already know, His Girl Friday tops them all for me.
~Edwin

 

[Edwin Pereyra]

The French Connection (1971)

(out of four); #70 on the AFI List.
I enjoyed this film for its underlying reality based situations. The main protagonist is not depicted as some kind of supercop hero who can just walk away unharmed from a major car collision. Having been in a serious car collision myself, I know what that feels like.
Gene Hackman gives a fine, gutsy performance.
~Edwin

 

[Robert Crawford]

quote: As you already know, His Girl Friday tops them all for me.[/quote]
Edwin,
There is hope for you yet!

Personally, "His Girl Friday" would probably be listed among my ten favorite films of all-time, if I ever wanted to make such a list which I don't because it would fry what's left of my brain to determine such a listing. I wouldn't be able to make up my mind!
Crawdaddy
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Peter Staddon: "I didn't say you can put 'Monkeybone' back!"
[Edited last by Robert Crawford on October 14, 2001 at 11:46 AM]

 

[Mitty]

Are we gonna have to separate you two?
Edwin, Crawdaddy, GO TO YOUR ROOMS!!!

BTW, my review of BUB is most certainly positive and to NOT be included in one's top 100 is by no means necessarily a disgrace. Like the both of you, I've seen a LOT of movies.
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http://www.hometheaterforum.com/uub/Forum9/HTML/007822.html
Scary Movie Challenge: 13, 12, 11, 10 9 to go!

 

[Edwin Pereyra]

There is hope for you yet!

The jabs just keep coming, don't they?

~Edwin

 

[Mitty]

Fini!
Watched The Jazz Singer (1927) tonight. A passable, if maudlin, silent with a few razzle dazzle scenes with sound. There's really no other reason that this is in the AFI 100. It's not particularly interesting except as a historical footnote. Jolson was talented though, and he gives a fairly affecting performance. I also have to say I quite like the catchy "Toot Toot Tootsie Goodbye" number, although that's probably mostly because it reminds me of Goodfellas.
It is a far cry better than the 1980 remake with Neil Diamond, in which it's impossible not to feel vicarious embarassment for the entire cast. Is that damning with faint praise?
The Jazz Singer (1927) -

That's it! Say goodnight, Gracie! (Goodnight Gracie!)
[Edited last by Mitty on October 16, 2001 at 01:53 AM]

 

[Edwin Pereyra]

Hey, Mitty, Congrats!
~Edwin

 

[Robert Crawford]

Mitty,
Welcome to the club! It's been kind of lonely and hopefully some others will soon join us. Edwin, did you hear that? Come on, you can do it!

Crawdaddy
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Peter Staddon: "I didn't say you can put 'Monkeybone' back!"

 

[Edwin Pereyra]

Edwin, did you hear that? Come on, you can do it!

I am not leaving my other brothers and sisters behind. I'm with them until the very last day.

~Edwin

 

[DonMac]

I've been a bit slow in completing my top 100 since joining this challenge, but last week I finally saw Yankee Doodle Dandy, the bio-pic on George M. Cohan. I have to admit that I wasn't looking forward to seeing this movie at all and would not have bothered watching it if not for the AFI challenge. But now, I'm very glad that I did see this film. Although the movie's plot is rather conventional and a bit dated in filmmaking style, James Cagney is exceptional and so good in the lead role that the movie's flaws are easily forgotten. Plus, with all of the current events going on in the world, the film's unabashed patriotism actually felt so right for our times. It's interesting that this movie was made during the early years of WWII, and the patriotism of the times back then strongly match the patriotism felt now in America. If this movie is still on your "Need To See" list, I highly recommend moving it to the top of the list.

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"It is the customary fate of new truths to begin as heresies and to end as superstitions." - T. H. Huxley

 

[DonMac]

VCR Alert - AFI film, uncut and in OAR, on TV:
AFI #86: Mutiny on the Bounty - Turner Classic Movies (TCM)
Wed Oct 17 7:00AM - 9:30AM EDT
**** NR, Adventure, 1935 (150 minutes)
Synopsis: Crew members rebel against a tyrannical, sadistic captain on a voyage to the South Pacific aboard the H.M.S. Bounty.
Cast & Credits
Starring Charles Laughton, Clark Gable, Donald Crisp, Dudley Digges, Eddie Quillan
Directed by Frank Lloyd
Written by Carey Wilson, James Norman Hall, Jules Furthman, Talbot Jennings
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"It is the customary fate of new truths to begin as heresies and to end as superstitions." - T. H. Huxley

 

[Mitty]

Thanks for the congrats, dudes.
You know what's funny? I'd been sitting at 97 since the list was announced. I saw Shane for the first time just after the DVD came out, and I've been sitting at 98 ever since. I had planned on just watching Bringing Up Baby and The Jazz Singer when they came out on DVD, but since that may not happen during my as-yet-unborn children's lifetime, I thought I'd better take matters into my own hands and dust off the VCR.
Cheerio!

 

[Walter Kittel]

Hey Mitty, A (mildly) belated congrats on finishing. I still recall your plaintive posts concerning Turner Classic Movies when I posted about Bringing Up Baby last year.
I really need to get back on track with the AFI 100 Challenge. I've been stuck at 15 for some time. Between work and all of the new releases, I just haven't been allocating anytime to these films. Nice to know that Edwin isn't leaving me behind.
- Walter.

 

[teapot2001]

Congratulations Mitty.
I should stop watching movies for the Sight & Sound Challenge and try to finish the 1 movie I have left for this challenge.
~T

 

[Dome Vongvises]

Congrats Mitty.
BTW, where in the hell did you find, The Jazz Singer? I've tried my local library, but it's not there. Is there a VHS copy of it in local stores somewhere?
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"I don't know, Marge. Trying is the first step towards failure." - Homer J. Simpson
"Stranger things have happened..." - Wes Deskins
"It's not Pikeville, Kentucky. It's Pikevool!!! And it's not Louisville, it's Loolvool!!! Get it right, damnit!!!"
My DVD Collection

 

[Mitty]

Thanks again all.
Dome, we have a rather excellent rental/purchase shop here in Vancouver called Link Removed
Scary Movie Challenge: 13, 12, 11, 10 9 to go!

 

[DonMac]

Here's a Greatest Films website ( http://www.filmsite.org/ ) with a very good top 100 list - IMO, better than AFI's list - that's worth a look for other movies to watch after completing the AFI challenge. (And the "100 More Great Films" list at the site is also very good.)

 

[Rob Willey]

Welcome to the club Mitty! The Elite Club that is...
I've been away several days, but I just wanted to add Holiday to Crawdaddy's list of "screwball comedies that are better than Bringing Up Baby". Grant and Hepburn from the same year, but much funnier and more touching.
Rob
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"That suits me down to the ground."