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Best Film of 1955 (ongoing survey)

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Best Film of 1955 (ongoing survey)

Old 04-07-03, 12:49 AM
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Best Film of 1955 (ongoing survey)

A quick note:
  • Some people are now saying it's before their time, so they haven't seen enough to vote... If you've seen even one film that you really liked from the year, and thus you consider it the best you've seen (even if it's the only one you've seen), go ahead and vote. Heck, I was born in '82, so yeah, it's before my time too, but I've still got a favorite from most years back at least through the 70s, even if I've just seen 2 or 3 from the year.

I know we've got polls like this all the time around here, but I figure this one will be a little more comprehensive and perhaps even informative.

This thread will be for your pick for best film released during 1955 (from here on out, original release date will be used - i.e. the year beside the title on the imdb). I'm not making it a poll because whether you like it or not, that would influence some people's choice.

Results will be posted in this thread, and all subsequent threads for each year, and they will be ongoing... so you can still vote here even weeks after other year's polls have begun.

Please start your post with your #1 film from 1955 (try to limit it to one - after all, that's the point - two at the most (I'll split the vote)), and yes, discussions are more than welcome!

All Years:
2001 -- (currently) Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
2000 -- Requiem For a Dream*
1999 -- Fight Club*
1998 -- Saving Private Ryan*
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 -- 8 1/2*
1962 -- Lawrence of Arabia*
1961 -- The Hustler*
1960 -- Psycho*
1959 -- North by Northwest*
1958 -- Vertigo*
1957 -- The Bridge on the River Kwai*
1956 -- The Searchers*

If you haven't voted on the previous years, feel free to go back and do so.

*Poll closed, winner declared.
Old 04-07-03, 12:55 AM
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The [cough]French[/cough] dominate this year from what I've seen:

1) Les Diaboliques - 9/10 - Terrifying now - I can only imagine when it was first seen in 1955!! And you gotta love the message at the end to not tell any of your friends any of its secrets! I wish all films (and trailers) had this message.
2) Rififi - 9/10 - 30 minute silent safe sequence is breathtaking, and the film remains very intelligent through to the end
3) Bob le Flambeur - 8/10
4) Rebel Without a Cause - 7/10
5) Night of the Hunter - 7/10
6) Killer's Kiss - 2/10... the only Kubrick film that I don't love - it's absolutely terrible in just about every way.

The only other film of this year that I've seen is Lady and the Tramp, a favorite of mine as a child, but it's been way too long to rate it.

Oscar for Best Picture:
Love is a Many-Splendered Thing
Marty - WINNER
Mister Roberts
Picnic
The Rose Tattoo

Other Notables: To Catch a Thief, East of Eden, The Trouble with Harry, The Seven Year Itch, The Ladykillers, Bad Day at Black Rock, Oklahoma!, Guys and Dolls, Kiss Me Deadly, This Island Earth, Blackboard Jungle, We're No Angels, Pather Panchali, Ordet, Night and Fog, All That Heaven Allows, Summertime,

Last edited by JonTurner; 04-07-03 at 01:02 AM.
Old 04-07-03, 03:56 AM
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My favorite is Rebel Without a Cause
Old 04-07-03, 08:13 AM
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Rififi
Old 04-07-03, 08:58 AM
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Les Diaboliques

Easy choice for me.
Old 04-07-03, 09:00 AM
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Mister Roberts...no, Rebel Without a Cause...no,...Lady and the Tramp
Old 04-07-03, 12:17 PM
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Night of the Hunter
Old 04-07-03, 12:22 PM
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This is a tough year for me. There are several excellent films from which to choose, but none of the stands out. I think I will go with Charles Laughton's only directorial effort, Night Of the Hunter, over equally excellent fare such as Bergman's Smiles Of a Summer Night and Dreyer's Ordet, and the films listed above.
Old 04-07-03, 12:55 PM
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Rififi
Old 04-07-03, 03:08 PM
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East of Eden
Old 04-07-03, 05:34 PM
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Old 04-07-03, 06:17 PM
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Great year, but the decision for me is very easy. Probably the greatest cast ever compiled with 4 of my top 5 favorite actors all time:

1. Mister Roberts
2. We're No Angels (Very under-rated classic)
3. The Night of the Hunter
4. The Ladykillers
5. Bad Day at Black Rock
6. Rebel Without a Cause
7. Marty
8. To Catch a Thief
9. Rififi
10. The Man from Laramie


Tough to narrow this one down to just ten!
Old 04-07-03, 09:55 PM
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Top Ten:
1)Mister Roberts
2)The Man from Laramie
3)Bad Day at Black Rock
4)Rebel Without a Cause
5)Lady and the Tramp
6)To Catch a Thief
7)The Kentuckian
8)The Trouble with Harry
9)Killer's Kiss
10)The Night of the Hunter

A few more films from 1955 (not previously mentioned):
Abbott and Costello Meet the Keystone Kops
Abbott and Costello Meet the Mummy
Artists and Models
Blood Alley
Conquest of Space
The Court-Martial of Billy Mitchell
Creature with the Atom Brain
The Desperate Hours
Francis in the Navy
It Came from Beneath the Sea
Ma and Pa Kettle at Waikiki
The Seven Little Foys
Son of Sinbad
To Hell and Back



MST3K fodder:
Bride of the Monster
Revenge of the Creature
This Island Earth
Old 04-08-03, 12:14 PM
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Rififi
Old 04-08-03, 12:47 PM
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Les Diaboliques
Old 04-09-03, 12:41 AM
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1) Les Diaboliques
2) Trouble with Harry

yet to see:
Rififi, To Catch a Thief, and every other film from 1955.

-di doctor-

edited to add: i must say, it will be hard to top Les Diaboliques in my book. i really love this film.

Last edited by DrRingDing; 04-09-03 at 12:43 AM.
Old 04-09-03, 07:49 AM
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Mr. Roberts
Old 04-09-03, 09:44 AM
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Night of The Hunter.

Robert Mitchum was just amazing in this movie. Creeped the s**t out of me.
Old 04-09-03, 11:15 AM
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Les Diaboliques
Old 04-09-03, 03:11 PM
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Les Diaboliques
Old 04-09-03, 06:22 PM
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Mr. Roberts
Old 04-09-03, 07:45 PM
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Night of the Hunter
Old 04-10-03, 07:36 AM
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To Catch a Thief
Old 04-11-03, 12:30 AM
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rebel without a cause
Old 04-12-03, 08:14 PM
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Shame that some of the past threads have been lost.

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