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What are the most influential films ever made?

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What are the most influential films ever made?

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Old 07-04-04, 11:10 PM
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What are the most influential films ever made?

For the purposes of this thread I consider an influential film one that affected a lot of people outside of the film industry, and had a large impact (positive or negative) on life in one way or another. This doesn't include movies that influenced other movies.

The inspiration comes from Farenheit 9/11, but please let this be the last mention of this film in this thread. I really don't think the forum needs another thread on MM or his politics. But if Bush loses in November I think a lot of people will be pointing to this film as having an impact on the election.

With that said, Jaws would be my pick as having the biggest impact on society. Even to this day people won't step foot in the water for fear of sharks, whereas before the film I doubt anyone thought twice about getting attacked while swimming. I honestly can't think of another movie that had this kind of affect on people, but I'm sure someone here will prove me wrong.
Old 07-04-04, 11:31 PM
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2001, star wars, jaws, citizen kane, just to name a few
Old 07-04-04, 11:38 PM
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I would consider Dead Man Walking an very influential film regarding the death penalty. More so than say..... The Life of David Gale.
Old 07-04-04, 11:38 PM
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Originally posted by Rypro 525
2001, star wars, jaws, citizen kane, just to name a few
Not saying you're right or wrong, but could you elaborate? What tangible affect did 2001 or Citizen Kane have on people after they walked out of the theater?

Star Wars I have to agree with, just because it was probably the first movie to form such a huge fanbase, basically creating a community of like-minded people that often meet at conventions, etc.
Old 07-04-04, 11:44 PM
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Another that just popped into my head- Top Gun. From what I've heard, Navy enlistments skyrocketed for quite a while after the movie was released.
Old 07-04-04, 11:50 PM
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as much as i hate to say it, Star Wars

Grease also deserved a mention as does a Clockwork Orange
Old 07-04-04, 11:53 PM
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If you mean society I would go with Psycho or Jaws.
Old 07-04-04, 11:54 PM
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Originally posted by Original Desmond
Grease also deserved a mention as does a Clockwork Orange
How so? Fashion?
Old 07-05-04, 12:33 AM
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7 Samurai
Old 07-05-04, 12:44 AM
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Unfortunately, Triumph of the Will is probably the most influential movie of all time.
Old 07-05-04, 03:53 PM
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I'd also go with Passion of the Christ. If a movie can make a man turn himself in for murder I'd say its pretty powerful.
Old 07-05-04, 04:02 PM
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Star Wars, some people even consider Jedi as a religion.
Old 07-05-04, 04:23 PM
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I hate to say it b.c I LOATHE everything about the movie, but even I have to admit it's influence on society, film, the movies over the past few years that followed it, how often it's been mimicked but The Matrix .

Also Stray Dog, the first pure Japanese crime movie. Seven Samurai had an enormous influence on countless film makers & the industry as a whole.

Breathless marked the beginning of the French New Wave movement.
Old 07-05-04, 05:01 PM
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Kurosawa is probably the most influential director ever. Seven Samurai has been remade, lifted from, and copied since its release. Rashomon was one of the first (if not the first) film to use a skewed timeline, which has been utilized in countless films since. And you guys have mentioned Star Wars; Well, without The Hidden Fortress, there would be no Star Wars. Kurosawa had so much influence over modern film, especially westerns, it's almost unbelievable.
Old 07-05-04, 05:17 PM
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Originally posted by johnglass
Not saying you're right or wrong, but could you elaborate? What tangible affect did 2001 or Citizen Kane have on people after they walked out of the theater?

Star Wars I have to agree with, just because it was probably the first movie to form such a huge fanbase, basically creating a community of like-minded people that often meet at conventions, etc.
alright, citizen kane prob. influenced alot of movies in the way of storytelling and specific shots
2001, the first realisitc looking space movie
Old 07-05-04, 05:34 PM
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Some of you guys need to read the first post more carefully.

I'd like to nominate The Thin Blue Line to the list, a film that helped set a man free.
Old 07-05-04, 05:41 PM
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Originally posted by PopcornTreeCt
If you mean society I would go with Psycho
ditto.
Old 07-05-04, 05:46 PM
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Originally posted by Groucho
Some of you guys need to read the first post more carefully.

I'd like to nominate The Thin Blue Line to the list, a film that helped set a man free.
Thanks, I thought maybe I didn't explain myself properly in the first post (and still don't ).

What I'm looking for are movies that had a direct, tangible affect on a large group of people after the movie came out. This does not include influencing future movies.

Some good examples so far:

Jaws- kept thousands of people out of the water for years to come
Star Wars- created it's own sub-culture, a society of like-minded people
Dead Man Walking- may have influenced people to be against the death penalty, but I'm not sure if there's any proof of that
Triumph of the Will- gained acceptance for the nazi party (I assume, never saw it myself)
Thin Blue Line- "a film that helped set a man free". Unfortunately I don't agree that the affect was on such a grand scale, since it only directly affected the people involved in the case.
Farenheit 9/11-To be determined, but may affect the outcome of the US Presidential election
Old 07-05-04, 05:50 PM
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Originally posted by johnglass
Thin Blue Line- "a film that helped set a man free". Unfortunately I don't agree that the affect was on such a grand scale, since it only directly affected the people involved in the case.
I would like to think that it affected our justice system as a whole in some small way as well.
Old 07-05-04, 06:08 PM
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"it's a Wonderful Life"

has changed a lot of people's feelings about depression and suicide - I'd bet it has saved some lives.
Old 07-05-04, 06:11 PM
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JFK prompted the creation of a committee to review documents related to the President's assassination.

Also, it raised many questions regarding the "conspiracy" and made many people begin to question the government's findings.
Old 07-05-04, 06:32 PM
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Night of The Living Dead
Old 07-05-04, 07:12 PM
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Originally posted by PalmerJoss
JFK prompted the creation of a committee to review documents related to the President's assassination.

Also, it raised many questions regarding the "conspiracy" and made many people begin to question the government's findings.
People are gullible
Old 07-05-04, 07:15 PM
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Someone has to say it... Gigli
Old 07-05-04, 07:40 PM
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Originally posted by Rammsteinfan
Someone has to say it... Gigli
Which also changed a lot of people's feelings about depression and suicide, unfortunately in the other direction of "It's A Wonderful Life".


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