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) ???
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11 new
Pinocchio
1940, in 16 top lists Check -
12 new
Fantasia
1940, in 20 top lists Check -
57 new
Heaven Can Wait
1943, in 5 top lists Check -
82 new
Destiny
1944, in 1 top list Check -
92 new
Yolanda and the Thief
1945, in 0 top lists Check -
93 new
Anchors Aweigh
1945, in 3 top lists Check -
99 new
The Three Caballeros
1944, in 3 top lists Check -
112 new
It's a Wonderful Life
1946, in 33 top lists Check -
181 new
Mighty Joe Young
1949, in 0 top lists Check -
271 new
A Unicorn in the Garden
1953, in 1 top list Check -
359 new
The Undead
1957, in 0 top lists 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 -
451 new
Of Stars and Men
1961, in 0 top lists Check -
475 new
Mary Poppins
1964, in 15 top lists Check -
521 new
Bedazzled
1967, in 0 top lists Check -
564 new
Brewster McCloud
1970, in 0 top lists Check -
604 new
Slaughterhouse-Five
1972, in 1 top list Check -
671 new
A Matter of Time
1976, in 0 top lists Check -
675 new
King Kong
1976, in 1 top list Check -
678 new
Star Wars
1977, in 40 top lists Check -
723 new
Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back
1980, in 25 top lists Check -
752 new
Cat People
1982, in 1 top list Check -
785 new
Ghostbusters
1984, in 13 top lists Check -
814 new
Peggy Sue Got Married
1986, in 0 top lists Check -
849 new
The Milagro Beanfield War
1988, in 0 top lists Check -
853 new
Big
1988, in 7 top lists Check -
883 new
Edward Scissorhands
1990, in 10 top lists Check -
927 new
Groundhog Day
1993, in 22 top lists Check
Last updated on May 13, 2018;