Discussion of (or resulting from) DVDTalk's Best Film polls
11-21-02, 01:34 PM
#1
DVD Talk Platinum Edition
Thread Starter
Discussion of (or resulting from) DVDTalk's Best Film polls
This thread is for any questions and discussions that may arise out of JonTurner's "Best Film of..." Threads.
Primarily, I thought that there should be a place where open discussions that arise in one of the polling threads could be asked, without fear of the thread being closed. (That is not a complaint either, as I think keeping a polling thread open just for a discussion would be inane.)
Please do not ask questions about "how could [film name] win?" This thread is for constructive discussion only. No complaining about the results. They are what they are.
Here are the results, as they stand currently-
All Years:
2001 -- (currently) Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
2000 -- Requiem For a Dream*
1999 -- Fight Club*
1998 -- (currently) Rushmore
1997 -- L.A. Confidential*
1996 -- Fargo*
1995 -- (currently) Braveheart
1994 -- Pulp Fiction*
1993 -- Schindler's List*
1992 -- Unforgiven*
1991 -- Silence of the Lambs*
1990 -- Goodfellas*
1989 -- Do the Right Thing*
1988 -- Die Hard*
1987 -- Full Metal Jacket*
1986 -- (currently) Aliens
1985 -- Back to the Future*
1984 -- Ghostbusters*
1983 -- Return of the Jedi*
1982 -- (currently) E.T.
1981 -- Raiders of the Lost Ark*
1980 -- The Empire Strikes Back*
1979 -- Apocalypse Now*
1978 -- (currently) Halloween
1977 -- Star Wars*
1976 -- Taxi Driver*
1975 -- Jaws*
1974 -- The Godfather: Part II*
1973 -- (currently) The Exorcist
1972 -- The Godfather*
1971 -- A Clockwork Orange*
1970 -- Patton*
1969 -- (currently) Midnight Cowboy
1968 -- 2001: A Space Odyssey*
1967 -- The Graduate*
1966 -- The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly*
1965 -- Dr. Zhivago*
1964 -- Dr. Strangelove*
1963
*Polls closed. Decisive winner.
Discuss. Question. Go at it..
Primarily, I thought that there should be a place where open discussions that arise in one of the polling threads could be asked, without fear of the thread being closed. (That is not a complaint either, as I think keeping a polling thread open just for a discussion would be inane.)
Please do not ask questions about "how could [film name] win?" This thread is for constructive discussion only. No complaining about the results. They are what they are.
Here are the results, as they stand currently-
All Years:
2001 -- (currently) Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
2000 -- Requiem For a Dream*
1999 -- Fight Club*
1998 -- (currently) Rushmore
1997 -- L.A. Confidential*
1996 -- Fargo*
1995 -- (currently) Braveheart
1994 -- Pulp Fiction*
1993 -- Schindler's List*
1992 -- Unforgiven*
1991 -- Silence of the Lambs*
1990 -- Goodfellas*
1989 -- Do the Right Thing*
1988 -- Die Hard*
1987 -- Full Metal Jacket*
1986 -- (currently) Aliens
1985 -- Back to the Future*
1984 -- Ghostbusters*
1983 -- Return of the Jedi*
1982 -- (currently) E.T.
1981 -- Raiders of the Lost Ark*
1980 -- The Empire Strikes Back*
1979 -- Apocalypse Now*
1978 -- (currently) Halloween
1977 -- Star Wars*
1976 -- Taxi Driver*
1975 -- Jaws*
1974 -- The Godfather: Part II*
1973 -- (currently) The Exorcist
1972 -- The Godfather*
1971 -- A Clockwork Orange*
1970 -- Patton*
1969 -- (currently) Midnight Cowboy
1968 -- 2001: A Space Odyssey*
1967 -- The Graduate*
1966 -- The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly*
1965 -- Dr. Zhivago*
1964 -- Dr. Strangelove*
1963
*Polls closed. Decisive winner.
Discuss. Question. Go at it..
11-21-02, 01:46 PM
#2
DVD Talk Platinum Edition
Thread Starter
i'll start the ball rolling..
as we are coming up on the early '60's and late '50's, are we going to see Hitchcock dominate? what films would be the likely spoilers for Hitch NOT getting the top spots?
-di doctor-
as we are coming up on the early '60's and late '50's, are we going to see Hitchcock dominate? what films would be the likely spoilers for Hitch NOT getting the top spots?
-di doctor-
11-21-02, 03:55 PM
#3
Moderator
Originally posted by DrRingDing
i'll start the ball rolling..
as we are coming up on the early '60's and late '50's, are we going to see Hitchcock dominate? what films would be the likely spoilers for Hitch NOT getting the top spots?
-di doctor-
i'll start the ball rolling..
as we are coming up on the early '60's and late '50's, are we going to see Hitchcock dominate? what films would be the likely spoilers for Hitch NOT getting the top spots?
-di doctor-
Also, the possibility of Hitch and Billy Wilder going head to head a few times is very likely...
11-21-02, 04:47 PM
#4
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There is one major problem with these poll threads: people aren't necessarily voting for the film they feel is the best or their favourite film of the year - they are voting for the film they like the best out of the few contenders that are duking it out for the #1 spot.
A case in point is the 2001 thread where one user actually asked that other users not vote for Fellowship Of The Ring as he felt it was undeserving of the "title". That kind of mentality ruins the very spirit of the poll.
Personally, I feel a blind vote is the only way to go for polls such as these. Users should cast their vote by emailing (yes, I realize that would require a lot more work). It would be quite nice if there was a feature with this forum engine that would allow a user to post a message that was only visible to the original thread creator. This would provide the "blindness" and impartiality that polls like this require.
Anyway, I'm sure we all take these threads with a grain of salt - but I just wish people out there would vote with what they believe is the best, not feel compelled to vote for something else because their fave is not a "contender".
-matt
A case in point is the 2001 thread where one user actually asked that other users not vote for Fellowship Of The Ring as he felt it was undeserving of the "title". That kind of mentality ruins the very spirit of the poll.
Personally, I feel a blind vote is the only way to go for polls such as these. Users should cast their vote by emailing (yes, I realize that would require a lot more work). It would be quite nice if there was a feature with this forum engine that would allow a user to post a message that was only visible to the original thread creator. This would provide the "blindness" and impartiality that polls like this require.
Anyway, I'm sure we all take these threads with a grain of salt - but I just wish people out there would vote with what they believe is the best, not feel compelled to vote for something else because their fave is not a "contender".
-matt
11-21-02, 05:19 PM
#5
DVD Talk Platinum Edition
Thread Starter
i was just thinking... 'cuz it's rare that i do..
i think we will also see a lot more emphasis towards foreign films in the upcoming polls... this is bad for me to say, but i believe it's true: i think we are getting to the years where it will more than likely be cineastes voting, in comparison to modern years (1980s-2002), where more people could vote because they saw the films (mostly blockbusters for the lay movie watcher...) case in point, i think the current leader for 1963 is probably 8 1/2..
just a thought.
raithen, while i agree.. i also respectfully disagree. to some extent, it could be said that people are voting out of the top movies mentioned. but as most people provide no background as to why they are voting as they are, then there is no basis to make an assumption that they are voting between the top movies mentioned, either.
and if people listen to somebody like the person defaming The Fellowship of the Ring, then that is their own dependent-thinking fault. if people cannot think for themselves, then i'd say that they have a bigger problem than following a vote in a trivial poll (no offense, everybody - i'm here after all!
) on a website. of course, that's IMO. 
-di doctor-
i think we will also see a lot more emphasis towards foreign films in the upcoming polls... this is bad for me to say, but i believe it's true: i think we are getting to the years where it will more than likely be cineastes voting, in comparison to modern years (1980s-2002), where more people could vote because they saw the films (mostly blockbusters for the lay movie watcher...) case in point, i think the current leader for 1963 is probably 8 1/2..
just a thought.
raithen, while i agree.. i also respectfully disagree. to some extent, it could be said that people are voting out of the top movies mentioned. but as most people provide no background as to why they are voting as they are, then there is no basis to make an assumption that they are voting between the top movies mentioned, either.
and if people listen to somebody like the person defaming The Fellowship of the Ring, then that is their own dependent-thinking fault. if people cannot think for themselves, then i'd say that they have a bigger problem than following a vote in a trivial poll (no offense, everybody - i'm here after all!
) on a website. of course, that's IMO. -di doctor-
11-21-02, 07:29 PM
#6
DVD Talk Legend
I do get the feeling that Hitchcock and Kubrick will dominate the older polls. I can pretty much predict what I think will win for certain years, but that might take the fun of it.
Nonetheless, I can see Hitchcock films taking the crown in at least half a dozen years, without much trouble. More people have seen them than others, so they're at an advantage from the get-go.
Maybe a Frank Capra film or two will win too.
Nonetheless, I can see Hitchcock films taking the crown in at least half a dozen years, without much trouble. More people have seen them than others, so they're at an advantage from the get-go.
Maybe a Frank Capra film or two will win too.
11-21-02, 09:12 PM
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Hmm... nice thread!
I agree with pretty much everything that's been said so far, and definitely with raithen's comment about the lack of complete 'blindness' in voting and how it can influence people. Unfortunately, of course this is true, although I have faith, and hope, that dvdtalkers here won't let that be the case.
For instance, in 1986, where Aliens, Ferris, and a few others are still battling it out, if someone slightly prefers Stand By Me to Aliens, they may be inclined to vote for Aliens instead since it has a much better chance of pulling it out at this point. I hope, and encourage people in the opening of each thread, that noone does this. But I do feel that if a few people end up doing it, the chances are that it's happening fairly evenly for both Aliens and Ferris for example, so the only thing it would hurt is Stand By Me!
Anyway, I do hope that people use these threads for finding recommendations to seek out - I know that I've certainly done this!
As for the years coming up, I think we'll see a lot of Hitchcock winning, perhaps a few more Kubrick, and then some Hawks, some Ford, some Wilder, and perhaps even a little Capra! And I also agree that some foreign films are going to be having better chances, as 8 1/2 for example should pull off 63, The Seventh Seal (though I didn't like it much) could likely win, and so on... it'll be interesting to see, and of course if nothing else, hopefully it lets people know about certain flicks to check out.
There are so many great films out there from the 30s - 60s that I (and I'm sure many others around here) have still never seen and yet when they're all just called "classics," sometimes it's hard to tell which you should run out and get - hopefully this will help point me in the right direction!
I agree with pretty much everything that's been said so far, and definitely with raithen's comment about the lack of complete 'blindness' in voting and how it can influence people. Unfortunately, of course this is true, although I have faith, and hope, that dvdtalkers here won't let that be the case.
For instance, in 1986, where Aliens, Ferris, and a few others are still battling it out, if someone slightly prefers Stand By Me to Aliens, they may be inclined to vote for Aliens instead since it has a much better chance of pulling it out at this point. I hope, and encourage people in the opening of each thread, that noone does this. But I do feel that if a few people end up doing it, the chances are that it's happening fairly evenly for both Aliens and Ferris for example, so the only thing it would hurt is Stand By Me!
Anyway, I do hope that people use these threads for finding recommendations to seek out - I know that I've certainly done this!
As for the years coming up, I think we'll see a lot of Hitchcock winning, perhaps a few more Kubrick, and then some Hawks, some Ford, some Wilder, and perhaps even a little Capra! And I also agree that some foreign films are going to be having better chances, as 8 1/2 for example should pull off 63, The Seventh Seal (though I didn't like it much) could likely win, and so on... it'll be interesting to see, and of course if nothing else, hopefully it lets people know about certain flicks to check out.
There are so many great films out there from the 30s - 60s that I (and I'm sure many others around here) have still never seen and yet when they're all just called "classics," sometimes it's hard to tell which you should run out and get - hopefully this will help point me in the right direction!
11-21-02, 09:40 PM
#8
Moderator
Originally posted by JonTurner
Hmm... nice thread!
As for the years coming up, I think we'll see a lot of Hitchcock winning, perhaps a few more Kubrick, and then some Hawks, some Ford, some Wilder, and perhaps even a little Capra
Hmm... nice thread!
As for the years coming up, I think we'll see a lot of Hitchcock winning, perhaps a few more Kubrick, and then some Hawks, some Ford, some Wilder, and perhaps even a little Capra
11-22-02, 03:31 AM
#10
DVD Talk Platinum Edition
Thread Starter
i would like to say that i would give both Psycho and North by Northwest 95% chances of winning their respective years... the other hitchcock films will have a tougher time... just my thoughts...
this thought is actually what made me want to start this thread..
-di doctor-
this thought is actually what made me want to start this thread..
-di doctor-
11-22-02, 05:10 AM
#11
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Originally posted by raithen
There is one major problem with these poll threads: people aren't necessarily voting for the film they feel is the best or their favourite film of the year - they are voting for the film they like the best out of the few contenders that are duking it out for the #1 spot.
A case in point is the 2001 thread where one user actually asked that other users not vote for Fellowship Of The Ring as he felt it was undeserving of the "title". That kind of mentality ruins the very spirit of the poll.
Personally, I feel a blind vote is the only way to go for polls such as these. Users should cast their vote by emailing (yes, I realize that would require a lot more work). It would be quite nice if there was a feature with this forum engine that would allow a user to post a message that was only visible to the original thread creator. This would provide the "blindness" and impartiality that polls like this require.
Anyway, I'm sure we all take these threads with a grain of salt - but I just wish people out there would vote with what they believe is the best, not feel compelled to vote for something else because their fave is not a "contender".
-matt
There is one major problem with these poll threads: people aren't necessarily voting for the film they feel is the best or their favourite film of the year - they are voting for the film they like the best out of the few contenders that are duking it out for the #1 spot.
A case in point is the 2001 thread where one user actually asked that other users not vote for Fellowship Of The Ring as he felt it was undeserving of the "title". That kind of mentality ruins the very spirit of the poll.
Personally, I feel a blind vote is the only way to go for polls such as these. Users should cast their vote by emailing (yes, I realize that would require a lot more work). It would be quite nice if there was a feature with this forum engine that would allow a user to post a message that was only visible to the original thread creator. This would provide the "blindness" and impartiality that polls like this require.
Anyway, I'm sure we all take these threads with a grain of salt - but I just wish people out there would vote with what they believe is the best, not feel compelled to vote for something else because their fave is not a "contender".
-matt
11-22-02, 11:02 PM
#12
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For 1999, I don't think Fight Club is the best movie. My opinion on the film is that it was slow, althought there have been very many good movie that are slow. My main problem is although it had teh chance to turn into a very good story about something deeper, it stayed in this story of a bunch of guys fighting. Sure there was still the deeper part that you could get out of it, but it was made so minor that most people wouldn't find it. I'm not sure if I'm making a lot of sense so I apologize. Also, it seemed at times that there were quite a few loopholes in the movie. I don't want to ruin the movie for anyone who still hasn't seen it, but the loopholes involve the obvious thing that I would be talking about. And yes, I'm too lazy to look for what movies came out that year that I would top Fight Club with, but I think Fight Club is an overrated movie.
Also, for 2001, I would definitely say someo ther movie is more deserving. Possibly Amelie or Donnie Darko.
Also, for 2001, I would definitely say someo ther movie is more deserving. Possibly Amelie or Donnie Darko.
11-23-02, 10:48 AM
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Originally posted by DrRingDing
raithen, while i agree.. i also respectfully disagree. to some extent, it could be said that people are voting out of the top movies mentioned. but as most people provide no background as to why they are voting as they are, then there is no basis to make an assumption that they are voting between the top movies mentioned, either.
raithen, while i agree.. i also respectfully disagree. to some extent, it could be said that people are voting out of the top movies mentioned. but as most people provide no background as to why they are voting as they are, then there is no basis to make an assumption that they are voting between the top movies mentioned, either.
People have actually admitted to this practice - so yes, I do believe I have some basis for my assumptions.
But anyway, regardless of which films win or not, I do appreciate what Jon is attempting - and it has certainly been an entertaining group of threads (with a grain of salt).
-matt
11-23-02, 03:32 PM
#14
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
Yeah, people for some reason think that they'll look bad if the vote for the person/thing that doesn't win. It's soooo stupid, but I've heard tons of times "I'm voting for _____ he's going to win!"
11-23-02, 04:21 PM
#16
DVD Talk Legend
Originally posted by Robert
The people have spoken! The Star Wars Trilogy reigns supreme is its respective years.
The people have spoken! The Star Wars Trilogy reigns supreme is its respective years.
