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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15 new
A Wild Hare
1940, in 0 top lists Check -
16 new
Knock Knock
1940, in 0 top lists Check -
34 new
The Trial of Mr. Wolf
1941, in 0 top lists Check -
48 new
Blitz Wolf
1942, in 1 top list Check -
59 new
Coal Black and de Sebben Dwarfs
1943, in 2 top lists Check -
60 new
Tin Pan Alley Cats
1943, in 0 top lists Check -
61 new
Red Hot Riding Hood
1943, in 5 top lists Check -
83 new
The Barber of Seville
1944, in 1 top list Check -
85 new
Duck Soup to Nuts
1944, in 0 top lists Check -
102 new
Swing Shift Cinderella
1945, in 1 top list Check -
119 new
Rhapsody Rabbit
1946, in 0 top lists Check -
136 new
Uncle Tom's Cabaña
1947, in 0 top lists Check -
160 new
What Makes Daffy Duck
1948, in 0 top lists Check -
163 new
Robin Hoodlum
1948, in 0 top lists Check -
183 new
Little Rural Riding Hood
1949, in 2 top lists Check -
184 new
Fast and Furry-ous
1949, in 1 top list Check -
185 new
The Magic Fluke
1949, in 0 top lists Check -
186 new
Ragtime Bear
1949, in 0 top lists Check -
211 new
Gerald McBoing-Boing
1950, in 4 top lists Check -
213 new
Ventriloquist Cat
1950, in 0 top lists Check -
229 new
Rooty Toot Toot
1951, in 3 top lists Check -
248 new
Madeline
1952, in 0 top lists Check -
249 new
Operation: Rabbit
1952, in 0 top lists Check -
270 new
The Tell-Tale Heart
1953, in 2 top lists Check -
271 new
A Unicorn in the Garden
1953, in 1 top list Check -
272 new
Toot Whistle Plunk and Boom
1953 — a.k.a. Toot, Whistle, Plunk and Boom, in 1 top list Check -
274 new
Don't Give Up the Sheep
1953, in 0 top lists Check -
275 new
The Three Little Pups
1953, in 0 top lists Check -
296 new
Fudget's Budget
1954, in 0 top lists Check -
318 new
Lighthouse Mouse
1955, in 0 top lists Check -
319 new
I'm Cold
1954, in 0 top lists Check -
320 new
The Legend of Rockabye Point
1955, in 0 top lists Check -
342 new
Gee Whiz-z-z-z-z-z-z
1956, in 1 top list Check -
343 new
The Adventures of an *
1957, in 0 top lists Check -
363 new
Three Little Bops
1957, in 0 top lists Check -
364 new
Birds Anonymous
1957, in 1 top list Check -
365 new
Greedy for Tweety
1957, in 0 top lists Check -
389 new
Knighty Knight Bugs
1958, in 0 top lists Check -
403 new
Moonbird
1959, in 2 top lists Check -
431 new
Blazes
1961, in 2 top lists Check -
432 new
Catalog
1961, in 0 top lists Check -
450 new
The Hole
1962, in 1 top list Check -
466 new
Now Hear This
1962, in 0 top lists Check -
467 new
To Beep or Not to Beep
1963, in 0 top lists Check -
468 new
The Critic
1963, in 0 top lists Check -
540 new
Windy Day
1968, in 1 top list Check -
624 new
The Crunch Bird
1971, in 0 top lists Check
Last updated on May 13, 2018;