Spike Lee's Essential List of Films for Filmmakers

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This is the list that Spike Lee distributes to his graduate students at NYU every year.

Spike says: "I've Been A Professor At The NYU Graduate Film For The Past 15 Years.The 1st Day Of Every Class I Hand Out My List Of Films That I Feel You Must See If You Want To Make Films. Please Look At This List And See What You Might Have Missed. As I Tell My Students If You Want Your Film "Game" To Be Tight You Must Have Seen Great Movies, World Cinema, It Just Can't Be Hollywood Films. Educate Yourself. Learn. Grow. Evolve. Make Great Films.

Peace, Onward And Upward,

Spike Lee."

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  1. 25 -1

    The Godfather

    1972, in 42 top lists Check
  2. 62 -8

    One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest

    1975, in 35 top lists Check
  3. 26 -1

    The Godfather Part II

    1974, in 32 top lists Check
  4. 57 -8

    Casablanca

    1942, in 39 top lists Check
  5. 24 -1

    Cidade de Deus

    2002 — a.k.a. City of God, in 22 top lists Check
  6. 70 -8

    To Kill a Mockingbird

    1962, in 18 top lists Check
  7. 46 new

    The Hurt Locker

    2008, in 13 top lists Check
  8. 73 -8

    Chinatown

    1974, in 31 top lists Check
  9. 55 -8

    Raging Bull

    1980, in 34 top lists Check
  10. 83 -8

    Close Encounters of the Third Kind

    1977, in 23 top lists Check
  11. 36 -2

    West Side Story

    1961, in 22 top lists Check
  12. 17 -

    Lawrence of Arabia

    1962, in 40 top lists Check
  13. 75 -8

    Dog Day Afternoon

    1975, in 23 top lists Check
  14. 16 -

    The Bridge on the River Kwai

    1957, in 32 top lists Check
  15. 39 -2

    The Maltese Falcon

    1941, in 26 top lists Check
  16. 8 -

    Bonnie and Clyde

    1967, in 28 top lists Check
  17. 78 -8

    Spartacus

    1960, in 19 top lists Check
  18. 56 -8

    Apocalypto

    2006, in 2 top lists Check
  19. 85 -8

    Cool Hand Luke

    1967, in 13 top lists Check
  20. 2 -

    Rashômon

    1950 — a.k.a. Rashomon, in 34 top lists Check
  21. 91 -8

    Ladri di biciclette

    1948 — a.k.a. Bicycle Thieves, in 36 top lists Check
  22. 18 -

    On the Waterfront

    1954, in 32 top lists Check
  23. 23 -1

    8½

    1963, in 35 top lists Check
  24. 77 -8

    Paths of Glory

    1957, in 26 top lists Check
  25. 27 -1

    Les quatre cents coups

    1959 — a.k.a. The 400 Blows, in 26 top lists Check
  26. 35 -2

    À bout de souffle

    1960 — a.k.a. Breathless, in 29 top lists Check
  27. 40 -2

    The Treasure of the Sierra Madre

    1948, in 25 top lists Check
  28. 42 -2

    Midnight Cowboy

    1969, in 22 top lists Check
  29. 14 -

    The Night of the Hunter

    1955, in 34 top lists Check
  30. 44 -2

    Boyz n the Hood

    1991, in 9 top lists Check
  31. 29 -1

    Patton

    1970, in 13 top lists Check
  32. 3 -

    Yôjinbô

    1961 — a.k.a. Yojimbo, in 19 top lists Check
  33. 4 -

    Ran

    1985, in 25 top lists Check
  34. 54 -8

    Mean Streets

    1973, in 22 top lists Check
  35. 69 -8

    M*A*S*H

    1970, in 21 top lists Check
  36. 22 -1

    La dolce vita

    1960 — a.k.a. La Dolce Vita, in 22 top lists Check
  37. 34 new

    The Piano

    1993, in 14 top lists Check
  38. 86 -8

    Badlands

    1973, in 23 top lists Check
  39. 84 -8

    Empire of the Sun

    1987, in 9 top lists Check
  40. 64 -8

    In the Heat of the Night

    1967, in 17 top lists Check
  41. 87 -8

    Days of Heaven

    1978, in 19 top lists Check
  42. 21 -1

    La strada

    1954, in 21 top lists Check
  43. 59 -8

    The Red Shoes

    1948, in 27 top lists Check
  44. 32 -1

    La battaglia di Algeri

    1966 — a.k.a. The Battle of Algiers, in 29 top lists Check
  45. 10 -

    Ultimo tango a Parigi

    1972 — a.k.a. Last Tango in Paris, in 19 top lists Check
  46. 82 -8

    Hoop Dreams

    1994, in 15 top lists Check
  47. 11 -

    Ace in the Hole

    1951, in 21 top lists Check
  48. 37 -2

    Stranger Than Paradise

    1984, in 14 top lists Check
  49. 71 -8

    Roma città aperta

    1945 — a.k.a. Rome, Open City, in 23 top lists Check
  50. 67 -8

    White Heat

    1949, in 15 top lists Check
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Last updated on Jan 22, 2014; source