Ten Essential Films Part 1
The other day a coworker asked me for a list of essential films they need to watch, and of course I told them I would put together a list.
As much as I love movies there are still many essential films I have not seen, so if you’re looking for a truly comprehensive list I always recommend film site.org. This was really the first web site I found while I became obsessed with films in college, and Dirks has been very influential on my thinking about movies in general. But his site is primarily dedicated to English language films, especially American.
This first top ten recommendation list is designed not to be a completely comprehensive list, because how could it be, but to do a couple of things:
Introduce a novice to several essential classics
Introduce a novice to black and white film
Give a novice some enjoyable entry level films
If you were looking for the most important films ever made you’d have to start with citizen Kane, battleship Potemkin, buster Keaton etc. Things we all need to watch if we care about movies but not necessarily films we all equally enjoy. Introducing someone with films like that is a good way to turn them off to film as a hobby. This list is a bit more fun than that.
Casablanca. Arguably the greatest film ever made. It’s a tour de force from beginning to end of production design, cinematography, acting, and most importantly scripting. The script is absolutely fantastic. By our standards of a drama this film is soaked in melodrama, but it just works so well. Its sentimentality feels completely earned. It’s heart warming and thrilling, while also gut wrenching. This film is absolutely wonderful and needs to be pushed to the top priority of films you must see if you love movies.
In a lonely place. Another Bogart, but this is completely opposite to his turn in Casablanca. There he didn’t get to do much real acting, here he practically chews the scenery. This is arguably the greatest of the film noirs (dark, tragic films often set in cities around detectives or crime) but it’s also deeply engaging as a drama. Highly effective and often forgotten this film is absolutely essential.
Notorious. Not Hitchcock’s best film, but possibly his most stylish and entertaining. Definitely his best film in black and white. This has Ingrid Bergman and Cary Grant as spies in South America going after some escaped Nazis. It’s a lot of fun, romantic, and complicated. There’s incredible tension throughout and an unforgettable climax.
Seven Samurai. The greatest film of Japanese Cinema and possibly the greatest film ever made. It is artistic, epic, and action packed. It doesn’t get more essential than this. While it’s long the pacing makes it fly by. An utter and complete masterwork of storytelling.
High Noon. Quite possibly the best western, ever. It’s a real time story about a sheriff who is trying to move on and start a new life but the nastiest outlaws he ever put away are getting out of jail to come take him out. It’s tense and complicated throughout.
Some like it hot. One of the greatest comedies. Marilyn Monroe at her peak combined with cross dressers on the run. Whats not to love?
Invasion of the body snatchers. This film has been remade multiple times but never as disturbing or entertaining as it is here. The paranoia is palpable throughout and it still feels remarkably restrained and contemporary. Most horror films from this period have aged poorly and are enjoyed more for their b movie goodness, this one still works.
Double Indemnity. Every time I return to this movie I think there’s no way it’ll be as good as I remember, and if anything it gets better every time. There’s no heroes here, just hot garbage. This movie pulls you in with its sheer prurience.
Dr. Strangelove. Just watch it, there’s nothing like and there never will be.
12 Angry Men. About as close as you can get to a play that still manages to feel like a movie. It’s absolutely incredible from beginning to end and knowing what’s going to happen doesn’t detract from the tension or brilliance.