http://www.slate.com/blogs/browbeat/...ovies_for.html

Spike Lee Shares His List of “Essential Films”

Perhaps in an attempt to drive attention toward his struggling Kickstarter, Spike Lee has posted his list of “Essential Films,” the movies he believes every filmmaker needs to see. The list, featuring close to 100 films, is handed out to Lee’s graduate students at NYU every year, and is a fascinating peek into the director’s influences and favorites—from the expected picks (Vertigo, Rashomon, 8 ½) to the more surprising ones (Kung Fu Hustle, Bad Lieutenant, Mel Gibson’s Apocalypto).
Curiously, there are a lot of revered directors missing from the list—for example, there’s no Howard Hawks, John Ford, Fritz Lang, or Yasujirō Ozu. And some of the renowned filmmakers he does include are represented by less obvious choices: Steven Spielberg’s Empire of the Sun (along with Close Encounters of the Third Kind), Woody Allen’s Zelig. Perhaps most radically, Orson Welles’ Citizen Kane is absent, with Lee citing only the legendary filmmaker’s Touch of Evil.

One thing that does seem to align Lee’s picks with many other essential film lists is its relatively low representation of women filmmakers. Though the list does at least include three black filmmakers—Charles Burnett, John Singleton, and Michael Schultz (Spike doesn't pick any of his own joints)—only one woman, Kátia Lund, who co-directed City of God, makes the list. The omission of more films directed by women is particularly notable considering that the likes of Kathryn Bigelow (The Hurt Locker, Zero Dark Thirty) and Jane Campion (The Piano) have made some of the more significant films of recent years, and filmmakers like Chantal Akerman (Jeanne Dielman, 23 Quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles) frequently appear on even the most male-dominated lists. Can this be attributed to a failure by Lee to look further outside the box—to his credit, he is known for fostering talents like black lesbian filmmaker Dee Rees (Pariah)—or to the way the filmmaking industry has long denied opportunities to women? It's probably a bit of both.

No Clint Eastwood movies. Well, there's a surprise!

Cue the exaggerated outrage in 3... 2... ooh a penny

Actually, not a bad list.

Is fim the new joint?

hmm Zelig? I would go with Manhattan, it's a beautiful movie.

That's actually a good list. I've seen most of those. No Leone, Fassbinder or Tarkovsky though?

Where do I find a copy of this "City of Gods"?

Damn fine list.

Apocalypto is an interesting inclusion.

I had to look at the date on the article since he did end up raising his funds. It's also funny seeing all this prestige and then Raising Arizona

You don't want to see it, it's actually the follow up to City of Angels, but set in Brazilian slums with Meg Ryan and Nicholas Cage bringing down fire and brimstone to an all ABBA soundtrack.

I actually have no problem with that list.

I assume he's supporting Mel given their shared dislike of a certain group.

It's unfortunate that more women aren't on the list but I can't really fault him considering if you held a gun to my head I would only be able to mention 2 or 3 female director's, none of which I would include on a "best of..." list. I feel bad for that.

Shocked that Quentin Tarantino isn't on his list. You'd be hard pressed to find many other "essential viewing" lists without Pulp Fiction.

Haha wow.

I found it interesting both Mad Max and The Road Warrior made the list.

Alphabetized by fist name?

The title on the list that sticks out to me is Black Rain, which I'm pretty sure I saw back in '89, but don't remember anything about it other than Andy Garcia . I was under the impression it was some dime-a-dozen generic thriller. Seeing it on the list makes me curious to take a look at it now.

I suppose he could have given a shout out to Eve's Bayou, but then he might have been accused of pandering.

I admire some of Campion's films (The Piano, Sweetie), but this statement is absolutely ludicrous. I know she has a TV show now, but her last film was 10 years ago, and I don't know anyone who considered In The Cut to be "significant" other than Mr. Skins.

Ridley Scott did great on that one.

Hey, that's a different "Black Rain."

Not sure of you are serious or not, but that isn't the Ridley Scott film.

Shiiiit. Them's white boy movies.

Fixed your Spoiler tag. Also, you might want to check out the name of the director next to it.

That's a great film, btw.

I know the list is alphabetized by the first name of the director but did you happen to look at who directed Black Rain.
One of the best films of the 80's and quite possibly Shohei Imamura's best film.

Shit. I didn't see that. I just saw Black Rain and 1989, and the Michael Douglas Black Rain did come out in 1989.

I wonder how well I would have fared in Spike's classroom if I made this same mistake there?

He added some more after people complained that there weren't enough female directors: