50 Years of American Cinema
Created by Fidelio.
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Since its first publication in the early sixties and over various updates, "50 ans de cinéma américain" has become the Holy Book of most french cinephiles. Initially published by Jean-Pierre Coursodon and Yves Boisset (with Bertrand Tavernier writing some unsigned articles) as an opuscule called "20 ans de cinéma américain", the book has been totally restructured by Coursodon and Tavernier in the early seventies as "30 ans de cinéma américain", then in 1991 as "50 ans de cinéma américain" and finally updated - for the time being - in 1995.
Due to its form and long sedimentation, division into many sections and the piling up of informations over the years, none list here can really do justice to this book. The highlight and largest section of the book is indisputably the "Dictionary of filmmakers" in which the authors virtually discuss the whole filmographies of more than 250 american directors (this part can't be materialized into a list).
The present list focuses on the first part of the book, a timeline between 1939 and 1993 including the most important and noteworthy movies of each year ("works"). Please note that this section also includes other comments ("facts" and "talents") impossible to transpose here.
The two authors bring up the unmissable masterpieces and commercial triumphs but also a lot of personal picks from overlooked directors or victims of the blacklist (residue of their early years as fervent publicists). They deliberately include some turkeys ("le coin du nanar") and obscurities ("à redécouvrir"), with a strong attention to short features (mainly cartoons).
I hope this list, despite its flaws and restriction to american movies, could be of some utility to ICM users and bring to light which is my favorite book about movies (along with the "Dictionary of Films" from Jacques Lourcelles).
The authors are currently working on a definitive edition of their book - presumably entitled "100 ans de cinéma américain" - that will considerably enlarge the scope, starting from 1914 and to likely reach 2014. Needless to say that most of the previously summoned french cinephiles are awaiting for this like men of God were devotedly expecting the Parousia back in the days.
Missing : "Seven lively arts" (John Hubley, 1959) ???
Pssst, want to check out the 50 Years of American Cinema list in our new look?
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6 new
The Sea Hawk
1940, in 2 top lists Check -
38 new
The Black Swan
1942, in 2 top lists Check -
39 new
Wake Island
1942, in 1 top list Check -
53 new
Air Force
1943, in 2 top lists Check -
73 new
The Story of Dr. Wassell
1944, in 1 top list Check -
144 new
Red River
1948, in 16 top lists Check -
154 new
Wake of the Red Witch
1948, in 0 top lists Check -
159 new
Rogues' Regiment
1948, in 0 top lists Check -
178 new
Twelve O'Clock High
1949, in 4 top lists Check -
179 new
Sword in the Desert
1949, in 0 top lists Check -
197 new
The Steel Helmet
1951, in 2 top lists Check -
240 new
Bend of the River
1952 — a.k.a. Where the River Bends, in 3 top lists Check -
268 new
99 River Street
1953, in 3 top lists Check -
286 new
Beat the Devil
1953, in 3 top lists Check -
341 new
Stranger at My Door
1956, in 0 top lists Check -
350 new
Heaven Knows, Mr. Allison
1957, in 1 top list Check -
360 new
The Saga of the Viking Women and Their Voyage...
1957 — a.k.a. The Viking Women and the Sea Serpent, in 0 top lists Check -
376 new
The Vikings
1958, in 0 top lists Check -
381 new
The Young Lions
1958, in 1 top list Check -
391 new
Rio Bravo
1959, in 19 top lists Check -
394 new
North by Northwest
1959, in 30 top lists Check -
402 new
Plan 9 from Outer Space
1957, in 6 top lists Check -
415 new
Exodus
1960, in 1 top list Check -
425 new
The Young Savages
1961, in 0 top lists Check -
435 new
Hatari!
1962, in 3 top lists Check -
449 new
Hero's Island
1962 — a.k.a. The Land We Love, in 0 top lists Check -
456 new
It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World
1963, in 6 top lists Check -
486 new
The Great Race
1965, in 2 top lists Check -
493 new
Red Line 7000
1965, in 3 top lists Check -
506 new
Arabesque
1966, in 0 top lists Check -
508 new
The Professionals
1966, in 2 top lists Check -
510 new
The Wild Angels
1966, in 2 top lists Check -
517 new
The Dirty Dozen
1967, in 8 top lists Check -
555 new
The Gypsy Moths
1969, in 0 top lists Check -
567 new
There Was a Crooked Man...
1970, in 0 top lists Check -
576 new
Dirty Harry
1971, in 17 top lists Check -
581 new
The French Connection
1971, in 23 top lists Check -
590 new
Duel
1971, in 4 top lists Check -
620 new
Charley Varrick
1973, in 3 top lists Check -
633 new
Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia
1974, in 10 top lists Check -
643 new
French Connection II
1975, in 2 top lists Check -
651 new
The Yakuza
1974, in 1 top list Check -
654 new
Mandingo
1975, in 1 top list Check -
658 new
The Man Who Would Be King
1975, in 5 top lists Check -
678 new
Star Wars
1977, in 40 top lists Check -
699 new
Who'll Stop the Rain
1978, in 1 top list Check -
703 new
1941
1979, in 1 top list Check -
722 new
The Big Red One
1980, in 10 top lists Check -
723 new
Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back
1980, in 25 top lists Check -
734 new
...All the Marbles
1981, in 1 top list Check
Last updated on May 13, 2018;