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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558 new
Five Easy Pieces
1970, in 13 top lists Check -
559 new
Loving
1970, in 1 top list Check -
560 new
Little Big Man
1970, in 9 top lists Check -
561 new
Patton
1970, in 13 top lists Check -
562 new
Catch-22
1970, in 5 top lists Check -
563 new
M*A*S*H
1970, in 21 top lists Check -
564 new
Brewster McCloud
1970, in 0 top lists Check -
565 new
Puzzle of a Downfall Child
1970, in 1 top list Check -
566 new
Love Story
1970, in 6 top lists Check -
567 new
There Was a Crooked Man...
1970, in 0 top lists Check -
568 new
Husbands
1970, in 4 top lists Check -
569 new
Woodstock
1970, in 12 top lists Check -
570 new
The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes
1970, in 6 top lists Check -
571 new
I Walk the Line
1970, in 0 top lists Check -
572 new
The Molly Maguires
1970, in 0 top lists Check -
573 new
Horror of the Blood Monsters
1970 — a.k.a. Blood Creatures from the Prehistoric Planet, in 1 top list Check -
592 new
Wanda
1970, in 11 top lists Check
Last updated on May 13, 2018;