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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27 new
Man Hunt
1941, in 3 top lists Check -
29 new
Suspicion
1941, in 4 top lists Check -
44 new
Cat People
1942, in 15 top lists Check -
50 new
Shadow of a Doubt
1943, in 15 top lists Check -
58 new
Hitler--Dead or Alive
1942, in 0 top lists Check -
64 new
Lifeboat
1944, in 2 top lists Check -
125 new
Out of the Past
1947, in 16 top lists Check -
126 new
Dark Passage
1947, in 5 top lists Check -
128 new
Pursued
1947, in 4 top lists Check -
138 new
Rope
1948, in 10 top lists Check -
149 new
Pitfall
1948, in 2 top lists Check -
157 new
Alias Nick Beal
1949 — a.k.a. The Contact Man, in 2 top lists Check -
199 new
Panic in the Streets
1950, in 5 top lists Check -
204 new
Armored Car Robbery
1950, in 1 top list Check -
208 new
Where Danger Lives
1950, in 2 top lists Check -
217 new
Strangers on a Train
1951, in 17 top lists Check -
221 new
The Day the Earth Stood Still
1951, in 12 top lists Check -
223 new
The Prowler
1951, in 4 top lists Check -
233 new
5 Fingers
1952, in 1 top list Check -
235 new
High Noon
1952, in 18 top lists Check -
239 new
Park Row
1952, in 3 top lists Check -
242 new
The Narrow Margin
1952, in 7 top lists Check -
256 new
Niagara
1953, in 3 top lists Check -
258 new
The Naked Spur
1953, in 10 top lists Check -
263 new
The Big Heat
1953, in 18 top lists Check -
265 new
Pickup on South Street
1953, in 14 top lists Check -
277 new
Rear Window
1954, in 31 top lists Check -
287 new
The Wild One
1953, in 2 top lists Check -
289 new
The Naked Jungle
1954, in 0 top lists Check -
339 new
The Man Who Knew Too Much
1956, in 0 top lists Check -
357 new
3:10 to Yuma
1957, in 7 top lists Check -
366 new
Vertigo
1958, in 42 top lists Check -
377 new
The Defiant Ones
1958, in 7 top lists Check -
380 new
Touch of Evil
1958, in 31 top lists Check -
392 new
Suddenly, Last Summer
1959, in 2 top lists Check -
407 new
Psycho
1960, in 39 top lists Check -
434 new
Advise & Consent
1962, in 3 top lists Check -
441 new
The Manchurian Candidate
1962, in 15 top lists Check -
446 new
What Ever Happened to Baby Jane?
1962, in 15 top lists Check -
470 new
Seven Days in May
1964, in 2 top lists Check -
482 new
Marnie
1964, in 8 top lists Check -
489 new
The Tomb of Ligeia
1964, in 1 top list Check -
491 new
Bunny Lake Is Missing
1965, in 1 top list Check -
494 new
The Collector
1965, in 1 top list Check -
495 new
The Spy Who Came In from the Cold
1965 — a.k.a. The Spy Who Came in from the Cold, in 4 top lists Check -
498 new
The Bedford Incident
1965, in 2 top lists Check -
509 new
The Chase
1966, in 1 top list Check -
513 new
Reflections in a Golden Eye
1967, in 0 top lists Check -
519 new
Point Blank
1967, in 15 top lists Check -
576 new
Dirty Harry
1971, in 17 top lists Check
Last updated on May 13, 2018;