Movie Fanatic's list of the Top 100 Films keeps chugging along this week, with numbers #70-61. This week's installment features two films from a popular English filmmaker, as well as yet another Steven Spielberg effort.
Read through #100-91, #90-81, and number #80-71, then check out this weeks list and let us know what you think in the comments section below. Be sure to come back every Monday for a new ten films in our countdown to the best film of all time!
70. Alien
Ridley Scott set out to make a horror movie in space in 1979, and succeeded beyond belief. Melding the sci-fi and horror genres Scott created an aesthetic and deeply psychological disquiet that terrified audiences to the core. The film won an Academy Award for Best Visual Effects for such iconic scenes as the “facehugger” and “chestburster.” Check out our Alien quotes page for more.
69. The Bridge On the River Kwai
â¨The 1957 British film is considered one of the best war movies of all time. It is directed by the master of the epic, David Lean (Lawrence of Arabia, Doctor Zhivago) and swept the 1958 Oscars taking Best Picture, Best Director, Best Acting and Best Adapted Screenplay. The film follows a U.K. troupe as they construct a bridge in Burma that is vital to turning the tide of the war. Suspenseful, thrilling, emotional and visually astounding, even with technological advances in cinema, The Bridge On the River Kwai still stands toe-to-toe with the Saving Private Ryans of the world.
68. Deliverance
A landmark film based on the novel by James Dickey, deliverance sends a young Jon Vought, Burt Reynolds, Ned Beatty, and Ronny Cox into the backwoods of Georgia, where they encounter some nefarious mountain men. Best known for the “dueling banjo” scene and the graphic “squeal like a piggy” scene, Deliverance has entered into history as one of the most important films of all time. Check out some Deliverance quotes for more.
67. Blade Runner
After he triumphed with Alien, director Ridley Scott stayed in sci-fi and produced the second of his one-two punch that would define his early work. The movie starred Harrison Ford as a Blade Runner, someone who is assigned to assassinate “replicants” gone rogue. In the future, we have robots to help us with everything imaginable. The only thing is sometimes these machines that look too human, can go a little violent. Blade Runner is as stylized as a film can be and is not only one of Scott’s greatest, it is also his second film in this week’s countdown of Movie Fanatic’s greatest of all-time. Read through our Blade Runner quotes for more.
66. West Side Story
The second musical to make our Top 100 list so far, West Side Story is based on the stage musical, which in turn is based on Romeo and Juliet. One of the most revered musical films of all time, the Natalie Wood starrer won ten Academy Awards including best picture, and featured iconic songs from Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim like “Maria,” “I Feel Pretty” and “America.” Check out some West Side Story quotes for more.
65. American Graffiti
Before George Lucas wielded a light saber with Star Wars, he chronicled the car-obsessed culture of his Southern California youth. Ron Howard starred and the world got to know a little actor named Harrison Ford. Between the soundtrack, and how Lucas manages to capture to reality of his 1950’s youth, it is a monument to period pieces that can stand the test of time. Check out some American Graffiti quotes for more.
64. Seven Samurai
One of the most famous Japanese films of all time, Akira Kurosawa’s masterpiece served as the basis for the classic Western The Magnificent Seven. The film tells the story of a small village that assembles a team of samurai warriors to combat an incoming barrage of bandits. The stunning visuals and epic storyline help to make this one of the best films of all time.
63. North by Northwest
Alfred Hitchcock was beginning a streak of excellence when he released North by Northwest that has not been matched since. After the thriller that starred Cary Grant and Eva Marie Saint, he went on to make Psycho and The Birds. But it was this spy thriller, released in 1959, that set the standard for espionage thrillers that lasts to this day. Everyone remembers the crop duster scene where Grant is running away, but for Movie Fanatic, the nail-biting finale at Mount Rushmore is our most memorable moment. Head to our North by Northwest quotes page for more.
62. Jaws
It’s no surprise that Steven Spielberg is showing up on our list quite a bit. The film that launched Spielberg into the national spotlight, Jaws has served as the prototype for almost all horror thrillers to follow, and launched a tradition of high-concept summer blockbusters that still thrives today. Richard Dreyfus stars, with unforgettable music by John Williams. Read through our Jaws quotes page for more.
61. The Conversation
We think The Conversation is Gene Hackman’s best. Even with his great lifetime of work, it could be argued that the film is also director Francis Ford Coppola’s best as well. The 1974 film is a quintessential psychological thriller and has been selected by the U.S. National Film Registry by the Library of Congress for preservation for "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant." Hard to argue with that! Check out some The Conversation quotes for more.