Popmatters - The 10 Greatest Motion Picture Trilogies of All Time

Popmatters - The 10 Greatest Motion Picture Trilogies of All Time's icon

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It’s safe to say that, unless they are based on some similarly styled source material (book, play, etc.), the motion picture trilogy is a product of popularity. Though its narrative and cinematic symmetry can be breathtaking to behold, most three part films were not preplanned. Instead, they were forged out of a desire to please the audience mixed with a need to repay the cast/crew. George Lucas can argue all he wants to that his Star Wars saga—now finally out on Blu-ray—was always intended as three separate three-part projects (guess the crappy prequels destroyed that dream, right big G?) but Fox barely wanted to release the first film. So what fodder did he have for contemplating such a massive vision? The answer is obvious—he didn’t. Like most eventual franchises, box office gave Luke Skywalker’s real pappy a chance to dream, resulting in the genre’s first example of the law of diminishing returns.

There are a couple of factors inherent in determining the best trilogies of all time. First, the three films included have to be linked in some significant way. They can’t be a pure product of money-oriented moviemaking. Secondly, all three movies must be worth watching. A sloppy second act or atrocious third movement means the overall quality is compromised. A few can survive this kind of scrutiny—most cannot. Finally, there is a subjective element known as “completeness”. Do the films that make up this multi-faceted narrative really deliver on their designs, is there an all encompassing arc, or are we stuck seeing the same old story told over and over again? By answering these important questions, and taking into consideration other objective criteria like continuity and completeness, a final assessment can be reached.

With the high def arrival of everyone’s favorite (?) space sagas, now’s as good a time as any to countdown the all time greats of triangular tale-spinning. Some may surprise you. Others will shock you. But in the context of this discussion, all are worthy of classics consideration:

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  1. 1 new

    The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring

    2001, in 31 top lists Check
  2. 2 new

    The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers

    2002, in 26 top lists Check
  3. 3 new

    The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

    2003, in 29 top lists Check
  4. 4 new

    Time Bandits

    1981, in 4 top lists Check
  5. 5 new

    Brazil

    1985, in 23 top lists Check
  6. 6 new

    The Adventures of Baron Munchausen

    1988, in 2 top lists Check
  7. 7 new

    Per un pugno di dollari

    1964 — a.k.a. A Fistful of Dollars, in 10 top lists Check
  8. 8 new

    Per qualche dollaro in più

    1965 — a.k.a. For a Few Dollars More, in 11 top lists Check
  9. 9 new

    Il buono, il brutto, il cattivo

    1966 — a.k.a. The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, in 28 top lists Check
  10. 10 new

    Boksuneun naui geot

    2002 — a.k.a. Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance, in 4 top lists Check
  11. 11 new

    Oldeuboi

    2003 — a.k.a. Oldboy, in 34 top lists Check
  12. 12 new

    Chinjeolhan geumjassi

    2005 — a.k.a. Lady Vengeance, in 3 top lists Check
  13. 13 new

    The Evil Dead

    1981, in 8 top lists Check
  14. 14 new

    Evil Dead II

    1987, in 9 top lists Check
  15. 15 new

    Army of Darkness

    1992, in 6 top lists Check
  16. 16 new

    Toy Story

    1995, in 25 top lists Check
  17. 17 new

    Toy Story 2

    1999, in 12 top lists Check
  18. 18 new

    Toy Story 3

    2010, in 16 top lists Check
  19. 19 new

    The Matrix

    1999, in 30 top lists Check
  20. 20 new

    The Matrix Reloaded

    2003, in 5 top lists Check
  21. 21 new

    The Matrix Revolutions

    2003, in 4 top lists Check
  22. 22 new

    Flickan som lekte med elden

    2009 — a.k.a. The Girl Who Played with Fire, in 0 top lists Check
  23. 23 new

    Luftslottet som sprängdes

    2009 — a.k.a. The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest, in 0 top lists Check
  24. 24 new

    The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

    2011, in 1 top list Check
  25. 25 new

    Star Wars

    1977, in 40 top lists Check
  26. 26 new

    Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back

    1980, in 25 top lists Check
  27. 27 new

    Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi

    1983, in 18 top lists Check
  28. 28 new

    The Touch of Her Flesh

    1967, in 0 top lists Check
  29. 29 new

    The Kiss of Her Flesh

    1968, in 0 top lists Check
  30. 30 new

    The Curse of Her Flesh

    1968, in 0 top lists Check
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Last updated on Oct 21, 2016; source