Single greatest year for movies?

[scott1598]

So I am kind of using this as a refresher to remember what came out when and how many really great movies came out in a particular year.

I had originally thought 1993 was a good one, but looking back it seems only "Jurassic Park" and "Schnidler's List" stand out at least for me.

So what one particular year had a slew of really great movies come out all within the same 365 day period??

[chris_sc77]

1999:
Fight CLub
Magnolia
Audition
Eyes Wide SHut
Three Kings
Amer. Beauty
Summer of Sam
South PArk
The Insider
Dogma

(and many others)

[Rad14]

1939:

Gone With The Wind
Stagecoach
The Hunchback of Notre Dame
Goodbye Mr. Chips
The Wizard of Oz
Wuthering Heights
The Roaring Twenties
Young Mr. Lincoln
Dark Victory
Mr. Smith Goes To Washington
Ninotchka
Drums Along The Mohawk

To me, 1939 was the greatest year of all for movies.

[Dr Mabuse]

1999 and 1939 huh?...

http://i260.photobucket.com/albums/ii18/drmabuse06/bestyearformovies.png

hmmm....

[zekeburger1979]

I gotta agree with chris sc77. 1999 is the only year since I started going where my Top 10 had more than 4 masterpieces on it.

[Shannon Nutt]

1939:

Gone With The Wind
Stagecoach
The Hunchback of Notre Dame
Goodbye Mr. Chips
The Wizard of Oz
Wuthering Heights
The Roaring Twenties
Young Mr. Lincoln
Dark Victory
Mr. Smith Goes To Washington
Ninotchka
Drums Along The Mohawk

To me, 1939 was the greatest year of all for movies.

Glad someone got to it early, so we don't have a silly multi-page thread. '39 is widely agreed upon by most students of cinema as the greatest year for film. It's doubtful that in today's market we'd see that many "classics" emerge again in one year. Heck, most years we can't find five worthy films for Best Picture. :)

[PopcornTreeCt]

2007

There Will Be Blood
No Country for Old Men
The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
Gone Baby Gone
Into the Wild
Zodiac
Across the Universe
Ratatouille
Atonement
Eastern Promises
Darjeeling Limited
Lust, Caution
Juno
Michael Clayton
3:10 to Yuma
Elizabeth The Golden Age
Superbad
Knocked Up
Sunshine
The Lookout
Harry Potter & the Order of the Phoenix

Also, 1994 had:

Leon: The Professional
Pulp Fiction
Ed Wood
The Crow
The Lion King
Red
The Shawshank Redemption

[RichC2]

2013, easily.

[EdTheRipper]

I agree with PopcornTreeCt, 2007 had a pretty impressive slate of movies.

[beesonosu]

1939 also had The Rains Came (I always remember is as When The Rains Came), which was based on a Louis Bromfield novel and premiered in Mansfield, OH. It beat The Wizard of Oz and won the Oscar for Best Special Effects for the flooding scenes.

[rehmus]

haha, 2007 was a good year but including "across the universe" is like including pete best in your top 4 list of favorite beatles.

im gonna agree with 1939 but werent citizen kane and casablanca released in less than a 365 day period?

[Mondo Kane]

So what one particular year had a slew of really great movies come out all within the same 365 day period??

Aside from The Flintstones and a few Van Damme movies, I loved and respected every movie that I saw in 1994.

Also, 1994 had:

Leon: The Professional
Pulp Fiction
Ed Wood
The Crow
The Lion King
Red
The Shawshank Redemption

Along with a ton of other personal favorites:

Crumb
True Lies
Quiz Show
Natural Born Killers
Jason's Lyric
Once Were Warriors
The Hudsucker Proxy
Fist of Legend
Death and The Maiden
Fresh
Il Postino
Speed
Nobody's Fool
The Endless Summer II
The Last Seduction
Dellamorte Dellamore (Cemetary Man)
Clerks
Maverick
Interview with the Vampire
Spanking the monkey
Legends of the Fall
Dumb and Dumber
Bandit Queen
Crooklyn
Drunken Master II
Hoop Dreams
Immortal Beloved
Killing Zoe

..and gump

[Brack]

I had originally thought 1993 was a good one, but looking back it seems only "Jurassic Park" and "Schnidler's List" stand out at least for me.[/SIZE]

No love for "The Fugitive?"

[Apone]

Don't forget Rules of the Game, 1939.

[scott1598]

Glad someone got to it early, so we don't have a silly multi-page thread. '39 is widely agreed upon by most students of cinema as the greatest year for film. It's doubtful that in today's market we'd see that many "classics" emerge again in one year. Heck, most years we can't find five worthy films for Best Picture. :)
this thread wasn't exactly looking for what top scientists have called the greatest, but more to find out what everyone here thinks is the greatest. more iyo type thing...

[Norm de Plume]

1974 is often considered one of the best single years for American film, along with 1939.

[Groucho]

this thread wasn't exactly looking for what top scientists have called the greatest, but more to find out what everyone here thinks is the greatest. more iyo type thing...That's easy. Just find out what year everybody turned 12.

[FRwL]

1954 seemed to have a lot of good ones

Seven Samurai
Samurai I
Sansho the Bailiff
Rear Window
On The Waterfront
Dial M for Murder
Sabrina
Godzilla
La Strada
Creature from the Black Lagoon
Them!
Salt of the Earth
The Caine Mutiny

[PopcornTreeCt]

haha, 2007 was a good year but including "across the universe" is like including pete best in your top 4 list of favorite beatles.

im gonna agree with 1939 but werent citizen kane and casablanca released in less than a 365 day period?

I thought about not including Across the Universe in the list. It's one of my favorites from last year but I understand it's not universally praised.

[B5Erik]

It's hard to argue with 1939. That year was just amazing.

1954's not too shabby, either, though. And, truth be told, almost any year in the 40's was really, really good.

[TomOpus]

this thread wasn't exactly looking for what top scientists have called the greatest, but more to find out what everyone here thinks is the greatest. more iyo type thing... Okay.

I'll still vote for 1939.

[Zen Peckinpah]

1974, a high point for cinema:
The Godfather Part II
Chinatown
Lenny
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre
The Conversation
Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia
Phantom of the Paradise
Thunderbolt and Lightfoot (Clint Eastwood's most underrated performance)
A Woman Under the Influence
Death Wish
The Taking of Pelham One Two Three
California Split
Blazing Saddles
Young Frankenstein
Dirty Mary Crazy Larry

1986, great year for genre stuff:
Blue Velvet
Platoon
Aliens
Salvador
The Fly
Night of the Creeps
The Color of Money
Star Trek IV
The Hitcher
52 Pick Up
A Better Tomorrow
Cobra :D
Big Trouble in Little China

1991:
JFK
The Silence of the Lambs
Barton Fink
The Commitments
Night on Earth
The Doors
Boyz N the Hood
Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker's Apocalypse
Naked Lunch
Terminator 2: Judgment Day
The Fisher King
The Last Boy Scout :D
Stone Cold :D :D
Cape Fear

1994, a year which was personally upsetting (father died) but great for film:
The Shawshank Redemption
Pulp Fiction
Forrest Gump
Clerks
Ed Wood
Leon: The Professional
The Ref
The Crow
Wes Craven's New Nightmare
True Lies
Chungking Express
Dumb and Dumber

1999:
American Beauty
Fight Club
Magnolia
Three Kings
South Park: Bigger, Longer, and Uncut
Bringing Out the Dead
The Insider
Dogma
The Green Mile
Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai
The Matrix
Summer of Sam

2007, inarguably this decade's golden year:
No Country for Old Men
There Will Be Blood
The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
Once
Superbad
Before the Devil Knows You're Dead
Black Book
Sweeney Todd
The Bourne Ultimatum
Knocked Up
Black Snake Moan
Gone Baby Gone
Into the Wild
The Mist
Grindhouse
The Darjeeling Limited
Zodiac
3:10 to Yuma
Juno
American Gangster
Aqua Teen Hunger Force Colon Movie Film for Theaters
Shoot 'Em Up

[JPRaup]

easily 2007.

[Daytripper]

2007

There Will Be Blood
No Country for Old Men
The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
Gone Baby Gone
Into the Wild
Zodiac
Across the Universe
Ratatouille
Atonement
Eastern Promises
Darjeeling Limited
Lust, Caution
Juno
Michael Clayton
3:10 to Yuma
Elizabeth The Golden Age
Superbad
Knocked Up
Sunshine
The Lookout
Harry Potter & the Order of the Phoenix

Also, 1994 had:

Leon: The Professional
Pulp Fiction
Ed Wood
The Crow
The Lion King
Red
The Shawshank Redemption

WOW!!! Just....WOW! Couldn't have singled out a list better for each year. Job well done PopcornTreeCt, you are my soulmate. For sure! :)

[whotony]

1939
On Borrowed Time
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0031754/

[wm lopez]

1983 for genre stuff
RETURN IF THE JEDI
SUPERMAN 3
PSYCHO 2
SMOKEY & BANDIT 3
JAWS 3
AMITTYVILLE 3
STAYIN' ALIVE
NEVER SAY NEVER AGAIN
OCTOPUSSY
SCARFACE
FLASHDANCE
SUDDEN IMPACT

[Palaver]

1999:
Fight CLub
Magnolia
Audition
Eyes Wide SHut
Three Kings
Amer. Beauty
Summer of Sam
South PArk
The Insider
Dogma

(and many others)

While I agree that 1939 was the best year, 1999 probably the best year any of us have ever seen. The above list didn't even include the top ten box office movies of that year:

Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace
The Sixth Sense
Toy Story 2
Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me
The Matrix
Tarzan
Big Daddy
The Mummy
Runaway Bride
The Blair Witch Project

[The Bus]

Yes, 1999 immediately came to mind. I'd also have to say 2007 wasn't bad, because I saw more movies theatrically last year than any year before.

I'll let film historians debate different years, I just know what I liked. :)

[Trevor]

I'd have to vote for 1939 as well.

Some of my favorite years are 1951 with:

Strangers on a Train
Alice in Wonderland
An American in Paris
The Day the Earth Stood Still
A Place in the Sun
A Streetcar Names Desire
Scrooge
The African Queen
Death of a Salesman
The Thing From Another World


You know, we could do a list that that for almost every year from 1939 on up.

The real best year is the current year, because we have access to everything, new and old.

[rehmus]

how about the single worst year for movies?

[chris_sc77]

how about the single worst year for movies?
2000 Hands down.


Other good 1999 movies:
Titus
The Green Mile
The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc
ANy Given Sunday
The World is Not Enough (Not a great movie I guess but it does have one of the best Bond songs f not the best.)
Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai
Being John Malkovich

[Nick Danger]

1962 had:

Birdman of Alcatraz
Cape Fear
Carnival of Souls
Day of the Triffids, The
Dr. No
How the West Was Won
Lawrence of Arabia
Lolita
Longest Day, The
Manchurian Candidate, The
The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance
Miracle Worker, The
Music Man, The
Mutiny on the Bounty
Ride the High Country
To Kill a Mockingbird
What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?

[GuessWho]

1984:

amadeus
karate kid
ghostbusters
indiana jones and the temple of doom
gremlins
beverly hills cop
police academy
footloose
romancing the stone
purple rain
the natural

[Shannon Nutt]

That's easy. Just find out what year everybody turned 12.

That would be 1982 for me...let's see:

E.T.
Blade Runner
Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan
Tootsie
An Officer & A Gentleman
48 Hours
Ghandi
First Blood

Yes, I ammend my answer...1982 WAS the best year for movies. ;)

[amplified]

To me nothing tops 1999 for it's overall selection, 2007 doesn't even come close. Here are a few that come to mind.

American Beauty
Cider House Rules
Magnolia
The Insider
The Sixth Sense
Being John Malkovich
The Hurricane
Eyes Wide Shut
Snow Falling on Cedars
The Matrix
Fight Club
Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace
The End of the Affair
The Talented Mr. Ripley
Girl, Interrupted
All About My Mother
Election
The Green Mile

[Nick Danger]

That's easy. Just find out what year everybody turned 12.

1974. Not bad.

The Godfather Part II
Chinatown
Lenny
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre
The Conversation
Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia
Phantom of the Paradise
Thunderbolt and Lightfoot
A Woman Under the Influence
Death Wish
The Taking of Pelham One Two Three
California Split
Blazing Saddles
Young Frankenstein
Dirty Mary Crazy Larry

[jeffkjoe]

1989

Batman
Lethal Weapon 2
Dead Poets Society
Back to the Future Part II
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
When Harry Met Sally...
Parenthood
The Little Mermaid
Cinema Paradiso

[PopcornTreeCt]

2000 Hands down.

Negative.

2000 was a great year.

Almost Famous
American Psycho
Amorres Perros
George Washington
Gladiator
In the Mood for Love
Memento
O Brother Where Art Thou?
Snatch
Traffic
Unbreakable
X-Men

4 of the films are my favorites of the decade.

[wm lopez]

how about the single worst year for movies? One comes to mind 1986. I found maybe a couple that I wanted to see or rented that I liked.

[Ky-Fi]

And just to add on to 1939:

Gunga Din (which Leonard Maltin gives 4 out of 4 stars, and describes it as THE Hollywood action-adventure movie)

and Son of Frankenstein, one of the last of the great Universal horrors of that era.

[davidh777]

I'm in for 1939. 1969 has its supporters too:

Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969)
Midnight Cowboy (1969)
Easy Rider (1969)
The Wild Bunch (1969)
On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969)
The Italian Job (1969)
Andrey Rublyov (1969)
Take the Money and Run (1969)
True Grit (1969)
Z (1969)
Sterile Cuckoo, The (1969)
They Shoot Horses, Don't They? (1969)
Anne of the Thousand Days (1969)
Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice (1969)
Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, The (1969)

[scott1598]

I'm in for 1939. 1969 has its supporters too:

Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969)
Midnight Cowboy (1969)
Easy Rider (1969)
The Wild Bunch (1969)
On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969)
The Italian Job (1969)
Andrey Rublyov (1969)
Take the Money and Run (1969)
True Grit (1969)
Z (1969)
Sterile Cuckoo, The (1969)
They Shoot Horses, Don't They? (1969)
Anne of the Thousand Days (1969)
Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice (1969)
Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, The (1969)
the first 4 are among my favs of all time.

[scott1598]

1982 wasn't so bad...

1. E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (Universal) $359,197,037
2. Tootsie (Columbia) $177,200,000
3. An Officer and a Gentleman (Paramount) $129,795,554
4. Rocky III (United Artists) $125,049,120
5. Porky's (Fox) $105,492,483

6. Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (Paramount) $78,912,963
7. 48 Hrs. (Paramount) $78,868,508
8. Poltergeist (MGM) $76,606,280
9. The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas (Universal) $69,701,637
10. Annie (Columbia) $57,059,003
11. The Verdict (Fox) $53,977,250
12. Gandhi (Columbia) $52,767,889
13. First Blood (Orion) $47,212,904
14. The Toy (Columbia) $47,118,057
15. Firefox (Warner Bros.) $46,708,276
16. The Dark Crystal (Universal) $40,577,001
17. Conan the Barbarian (Universal) $39,565,475
18. The Sword and the Sorcerer (Group 1) $39,103,425
19. Best Friends (Warner Bros.) $36,821,203
20. Richard Pryor Live on the Sunset Strip (Columbia) $36,299,720
21. Friday the 13th Part III (Paramount) $34,581,519
22. Tron (Buena Vista) $33,000,000
23. Young Doctors in Love (Fox) $30,688,860
24. Sophie's Choice (Universal) $30,036,000
25. The World According to Garp (Warner Bros.) $29,712,172
26. Victor/Victoria (MGM) $28,215,453
27. Blade Runner (Warner Bros.) $27,580,111
28. Airplane II: The Sequel (Paramount) $27,150,534
29. Fast Times at Ridgemont High (Universal) $27,092,880
30. Some Kind of Hero (Paramount) $23,671,186
31. The Road Warrior (Warner Bros.) $23,667,907
32. Bambi (Buena Vista) $23,000,000
33. Pink Floyd — The Wall (MGM) $22,244,207
34. Raiders of the Lost Ark (Paramount) $21,437,879
35. Things Are Tough All Over (Columbia) $21,134,374
36. Night Shift (Warner Bros.) $21,095,638
37. Creepshow (Warner Bros.) $21,028,755
38. Quest for Fire (Fox) $20,959,585
39. The Man From Snowy River (Fox) $20,659,423
40. Six Pack (Fox) $20,225,989
41. My Favorite Year (MGM) $20,123,620
42. Deathtrap (Warner Bros.) $19,282,134
43. Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid (Universal) $18,196,170
44. Peter Pan (Buena Vista) $17,200,000
45. Zapped! (Embassy) $16,897,768
46. They Call Me Bruce (Film Ventures Intl) $16,894,678
47. Death Wish II (Filmways) $16,100,000
48. Kiss Me Goodbye (Fox) $15,782,759
49. Star Wars (Fox) $15,476,285
50. Grease 2 (Paramount)

they may not all have been box office gold, but some of them are oft talked about genre classics in some regard.

[PopcornTreeCt]

1982 wasn't so bad...

1. E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (Universal) $359,197,037
2. Tootsie (Columbia) $177,200,000
3. An Officer and a Gentleman (Paramount) $129,795,554
4. Rocky III (United Artists) $125,049,120
5. Porky's (Fox) $105,492,483

6. Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (Paramount) $78,912,963
7. 48 Hrs. (Paramount) $78,868,508
8. Poltergeist (MGM) $76,606,280
9. The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas (Universal) $69,701,637
10. Annie (Columbia) $57,059,003
11. The Verdict (Fox) $53,977,250
12. Gandhi (Columbia) $52,767,889
13. First Blood (Orion) $47,212,904
14. The Toy (Columbia) $47,118,057
15. Firefox (Warner Bros.) $46,708,276
16. The Dark Crystal (Universal) $40,577,001
17. Conan the Barbarian (Universal) $39,565,475
18. The Sword and the Sorcerer (Group 1) $39,103,425
19. Best Friends (Warner Bros.) $36,821,203
20. Richard Pryor Live on the Sunset Strip (Columbia) $36,299,720
21. Friday the 13th Part III (Paramount) $34,581,519
22. Tron (Buena Vista) $33,000,000
23. Young Doctors in Love (Fox) $30,688,860
24. Sophie's Choice (Universal) $30,036,000
25. The World According to Garp (Warner Bros.) $29,712,172
26. Victor/Victoria (MGM) $28,215,453
27. Blade Runner (Warner Bros.) $27,580,111
28. Airplane II: The Sequel (Paramount) $27,150,534
29. Fast Times at Ridgemont High (Universal) $27,092,880
30. Some Kind of Hero (Paramount) $23,671,186
31. The Road Warrior (Warner Bros.) $23,667,907
32. Bambi (Buena Vista) $23,000,000
33. Pink Floyd — The Wall (MGM) $22,244,207
34. Raiders of the Lost Ark (Paramount) $21,437,879
35. Things Are Tough All Over (Columbia) $21,134,374
36. Night Shift (Warner Bros.) $21,095,638
37. Creepshow (Warner Bros.) $21,028,755
38. Quest for Fire (Fox) $20,959,585
39. The Man From Snowy River (Fox) $20,659,423
40. Six Pack (Fox) $20,225,989
41. My Favorite Year (MGM) $20,123,620
42. Deathtrap (Warner Bros.) $19,282,134
43. Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid (Universal) $18,196,170
44. Peter Pan (Buena Vista) $17,200,000
45. Zapped! (Embassy) $16,897,768
46. They Call Me Bruce (Film Ventures Intl) $16,894,678
47. Death Wish II (Filmways) $16,100,000
48. Kiss Me Goodbye (Fox) $15,782,759
49. Star Wars (Fox) $15,476,285
50. Grease 2 (Paramount)

they may not all have been box office gold, but some of them are oft talked about genre classics in some regard.

I think we have a winner for worst year. All those movies suck except Raiders of the Lost Ark and Blade Runner.

[B5Erik]

I think we have a winner for worst year. All those movies suck except Raiders of the Lost Ark and Blade Runner.

Uhhhh...

I hope you were just kidding.

Star Trek II - GREAT movie
Rocky III - Hell of an entertaining movie
First Blood - Damn good movie

(and that's just a few of the good/great ones)

[PopcornTreeCt]

Uhhhh...

I hope you were just kidding.

Star Trek II - GREAT movie
Rocky III - Hell of an entertaining movie
First Blood - Damn good movie

(and that's just a few of the good/great ones)

Uhhhh...

I stick to my post. Citing Rocky III as a good example from 1982 is like saying 2008 was pretty good because of Cloverfield.

[scott1598]

I think we have a winner for worst year. All those movies suck except Raiders of the Lost Ark and Blade Runner.
movies don't have to be Oscar caliber to be quite enjoyable, endurable loves of yesterday. most of the ones that i bolded are popular as hell, classic in the genre sense, not Oscar worthy, but just re-watchable and entertaining as hell.

1. E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial...bonafide classic
2. Tootsie...very highly regarded
3. An Officer and a Gentleman...romantic schmaltz that has lasted thru years
4. Rocky III...not deep by 1 & 2 standards, but a lot of fun.
6. Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan...bonafide classic and arguably best in entire series.
7. 48 Hrs....genre defining
8. Poltergeist...horror staple
12. Gandhi...Oscar winning
13. First Blood...cult favorite
16. The Dark Crystal...cult favorite
22. Tron...cult favorite
27. Blade Runner...cult God
29. Fast Times at Ridgemont High...cult favorite
31. The Road Warrior...genre defining
33. Pink Floyd — The Wall...mind-bending classic
37. Creepshow...cult favorite
45. Zapped! ...c'mon now!

[Mountain Biker]

I think we have a winner for worst year. All those movies suck except Raiders of the Lost Ark and Blade Runner.



Gee that's interesting because...


2007

There Will Be Blood
No Country for Old Men
The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford
Gone Baby Gone
Into the Wild
Zodiac
Across the Universe
Ratatouille
Atonement
Eastern Promises
Darjeeling Limited
Lust, Caution
Juno
Michael Clayton
3:10 to Yuma
Elizabeth The Golden Age
Superbad
Knocked Up
Sunshine
The Lookout
Harry Potter & the Order of the Phoenix


I think we have a winner for worst year. All those movies suck except No Country For Old Men, Juno, and Superbad.

[Trevor]

I think we have a winner for worst year. All those movies suck except No Country For Old Men, Juno, and Superbad.

Many would argue that those three all sucked. And that many you thought sucked were awesome.

Personally, I think Juno and Superbad were mediocre films. But There Will be Blood and No Country for Old Men are two of the best films of the last ten years, so they bring the year up.