Top 15 Widescreen Films as announced by Philips & Martin Scorsese (1 Viewer)

[oscar_merkx]

Hi there
I found this Link Removed
and while I did a little more digging I found the site as well http://www.cinema.ucla.edu/about/about_f.html
Top Widescreen Films?
Philips and Scorsese announce list of flicks in which format is integral.
July 24, 2002 - 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY (1968, dir. Stanley Kubrick) and THE BRIDGE ON THE RIVER KWAI (1957, dir. David Lean) are included in a list of the best movies to watch in widescreen issued today by Philips Electronics and The Film Foundation. Compiled by The Film Foundation's Board of Directors that includes acclaimed directors, Woody Allen, George Lucas, Sydney Pollack and Steven Spielberg, the top fifteen list is a collection of classic and contemporary films best viewed in their original widescreen format, including (in alphabetical order):
2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY (1968, dir. Stanley Kubrick)
THE 400 BLOWS (1959, dir. Francois Truffaut)
THE BATTLE OF ALGIERS (1965, dir. Gillo Pontecorvo)
THE BRIDGE ON THE RIVER KWAI (1957, dir. David Lean)
COOL HAND LUKE (1967, dir. Stuart Rosenberg)
THE DEER HUNTER (1978, dir. Michael Cimino)
DELIVERANCE (1972, dir. John Boorman)
DIARY OF A CHAMBERMAID (1964, dir. Luis Bunuel)
DOCTOR ZHIVAGO (1965, dir. David Lean)
EAST OF EDEN (1955, dir. Eli Kazan)
JULES AND JIM (1961, dir. Francois Truffaut)
THE LAST TANGO IN PARIS (1972, dir. Bernardo Bertolucci)
LOLA MONTES (1955, dir. Max Ophuls)
ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE WEST (1968, dir. Sergio Leone)
THE ROBE (1953, dir. Henry Koster)
The list was created in conjunction with the world premiere of the newly restored THE BAREFOOT CONTESSA (1954, dir. Joseph L. Mankiewicz), starring Humphrey Bogart, Ava Gardner and Edmond O'Brien, hosted by Philips and The Film Foundation to kick off the UCLA Film and Television Archive's 11th Festival of Preservation at the Directors Guild of America theatre complex in Los Angeles on Thursday, July 25.
The widescreen film list and screening are part of Philips' ongoing efforts with Martin Scorsese's The Film Foundation to promote the preservation of film and the viewing of films in their original format - as the director intended them to be seen.
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This sounds fantastic and they are also showing a restored print of The Night of the Hunter (1955), showing Robert Mitchum and his tattoos of Love and Hate.
Let's hope that not soon after this festival has taken place that we finally get to see the widescreen dvd edition of Once Upon A Time in the West and The Night of the Hunter. This is ofcourse speculation on my part

 

[Thomas T]

Interesting to note the inclusion of Last Tango In Paris on the list. Not that it's not important to see it in it's original aspect ratio but merely that it is the only non-scope (2.35:1) film so honored.

 

[Damin J Toell]

Check out the date of the article: this happened in July of 2001.
DJ

 

[Jack Briggs]

Yes, this is a campaign that has been in motion for a year--an official effort by a leading consumer electronics manufacturer and one of the most respected filmmakers of all time to educate the public about viewing films in their original aspect ratios.

 

[Juan C Toro]

Forget about partial list, even if endorsed by Scorsese or not... EVERY single movie should be viewed in the aspect ratio it was conceived, framed and filmed.

JC

 

[Bill Huelbig]

It's a fine list, but I'm really surprised they left out LAWRENCE OF ARABIA. Then David Lean would've had three films on the list ... as well he should!

--Bill

 

[Steve Christou]

Wow I'd have thought Lawrence of Arabia would easily be one of the top 5 best films to watch in -Widescreen-, maybe even THE best, and its not even included, which instantly nullifies this list for me.

 

[Dean Kousoulas]

What about Ben-Hur?? I have suffered through the movie in fullscreen when I watched it in school. When I bought the DVD, I jaw almost hit the floor. You miss at least 50% of the shot in just about every scene! The 3 Wise Men turned into the 1.3 Wise Men.

I agree with Juan. EVERY movie should only be seen in it's original aspect ratio (Well, maybe everybody but The Blair Witch Project.)

 

[Steve_Ch]

Alright, you guys, as I went down the list, LOA came to mind RIGHT AWAY, then when I saw that was covered, the next one that I thought was real obvious was Ben Hur, and sure enough... . Guess I will shut up now.

 

[oscar_merkx]

Would anybody care to explain to me why The Battle of Algiers is so highly regarded ?

Oscar

 

[Tom Ryan]

Hmm.......The Bridge On The River Kwai, Doctor Zhivago, but no Lawrence Of Arabia....what a shame.

 

[Peter Kline]

Not to mention the Cinerama travelogues. As a matter of fact, the third film (the best I might add), "Seven Wonders Of The World" was nominated for an Academy Award for best cinematography in 1956.

 

[Tom Ryan]

the top fifteen list is a collection of classic and contemporary films best viewed in their original widescreen format

As if there are widescreen films that SHOULDN'T be viewed in that format

 

[Guy Martin]

Another oddity: since they're honoring these films for their use of widescreen, why aren't the cinematographers mentioned with the directors? These films didn't light and frame themselves.
- Guy

 

[Damin J Toell]

Wow, there sure are a ton of critical nitpicks here for such a purposely simplistic public awareness program. The point of the endeavor is to heighten awareness, not provide your favorite list of movies or write lengthy descriptions of each film. Criticizing it from an expert's eye view is, indeed, not seeing the forest for the trees.

DJ

 

[george kaplan]

Well, in fairness, if the point is to illuminate the public, then the selection of films like Jules & Jim and Lola Montes and the 400 Blows over films like Ben-Hur and Lawrence of Arabia and It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World is a bit odd.

 

[oscar_merkx]

George

you have hit the nail as I have not heard of the three you mentioned compared to Ben Hur and LOA and It's a Mad, mad world are well known to the public.

Are Jules & Jim, Lola Montes and the 400 Blows not european movies. I know that Jules & Jim is French, but what about the other two movies ?

Oscar Merkx

 

[Peter Kline]

All the films listed above by oscar are French. Actually, all films should always be presented in whatever OAR they were originally filmed in whether widescreen or not. It is peculiar not mentioning the cinematograhers. Director hubris I'd say.

 

[oscar_merkx]

Peter
Thanks for the answer. Just how good are these, worth to buy unseen, and are they available on dvd ?

 

[John Berggren]

I'm happy that Scorcese and Philips are trying to support widescreen. It's too bad this campaign is as quiet as it is.