100 BEST BRITISH FILMS

I'm very impressed with this list overall, even the stuff I disagree with. I've never quite subscribed to the idea that Don't Look Now is a better than good movie, and The Third Man is just about as close to perfect as a movie can get, so I'd change that. I'd move Brazil up a bit as well, but purely for personal reasons. I'll go out on that limb and call the Wicker Man a better movie than Lawrence of Arabia. Witchfinder General, not so much, but it's good to see it there. Also, not surprising that Powell pretty much rules the whole list. I suppose I should see A Matter of Life and Death, Withnail and I and Kes one of these days. Along with the other 50 plus films on that list I've never seen...

Edit: hmmm, I guess I never considered the fact that Repulsion and Blow-Up were British movies because of their directors.

Jesus Christ, this list reminds me that I need to see more goddamned movies. Interesting seeing 28 Days Later... in there. The output of films from British directors in terms of quality is dazzling when you extend it from back before Guy Ritchie.

Yeah while I have personal preferences to put some films higher than they are, I really can't argue with that list. Withnail and I is high enough for me, pleasantly surprised to see Naked so high up, really really happy Trainspotting made it into the top ten considering what a profound effect it had on me upon its release and it's good to see a film as recent as Hunger get the love it deserves by making it into the top 50 despite being not even 3 years old.

...but then The Long Good Friday is only at 60 and Get Carter is hanging around the thirties and The Hill doesn't feature at all - so it's all swings and roundabouts really...

Wait, did I miss Mona Lisa, or is it really not on there. Are there any Neil Jordon flicks on there?

I love that Don't Look Now is ranked at number 1.  I don't want to get into the whole this should be ranked higher than that routine (Ahem, Nil by Mouth should be in the top 10.), but I think it's great that a totally under appreciated horror film from the 70's comes in first place.  I dust this off every year or so and the end chills me every time.  If only the blood at the end looked remotely real...

Nope, I still can't deal with Blow-up and Repulsion being British movies. Doesn't that make all the Star Wars and Alien movies British, ESPECIALLY Alien?

Yeah, what the hell? The Hill not being among the 100 best British films is stupid. A good list otherwise.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gabe Powers 

Wait, did I miss Mona Lisa, or is it really not on there. Are there any Neil Jordon flicks on there?

Neil Jordan isn't British.

I'm gonna need some Hobson's Choice in there. Also A Hard Day's Night. But bless Olivia Williams for naming The Man Who Would Be King even though it was an American production.

A good list overall but unless i missed it, there was a distinct lack of Alistair Simm's Scrooged on that list.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Oafley Jones 

 

Neil Jordan isn't British.

Neither was Kubrick, I'd assume it's about financing? Surely Mona Lisa was British funded?

Incidentally Terry Gilliam IS British, though I'm not sure he was when he made Brazil...

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ken Savage 

A good list overall but unless i missed it, there was a distinct lack of Alistair Simm's Scrooged on that list.

The image of Alistair Sim calling for a guy to staple some antlers onto mice....wonderful.

No SHAUN OF THE DEAD. Bad form.
 

So I contacted Time Out to discover what the dillio was on what constitutes a "British" film, and this is what Tom Huddleston had to say:

"We left it up to the voters to determine for themselves what constituted 'British': Robbie Collin from the News of the World chose Laputa: Castle in the Sky, which made absolutely no sense to anyone but himself. I voted for Brazil myself, because although its American-funded and directed, its largely a British cast, it was made here and it just has a very British feel to it. Several of the films on the list were American-funded (2001 for instance), but were made here by British crews, so we think they count. I mean, you could make the same case for 'Alien' or even 'Star Wars', but nobody voted for those..."

I'm trying to find a way to make Laputa a British film.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gabe Powers 

I'm trying to find a way to make Laputa a British film.

The concept of Laputa derives from Jonathan Swift and the setting is vaguely European, but that's all I got.

I could argue that Porco Rosso is an Italian film if forced.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andrew Merriweather 

 

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ken Savage 

A good list overall but unless i missed it, there was a distinct lack of Alistair Simm's Scrooged on that list.

The image of Alistair Sim calling for a guy to staple some antlers onto mice....wonderful.

 

No SHAUN OF THE DEAD. Bad form.
 

Agreed on Shaun of the Dead and as for Scrooged, doh!

THE WICKER MAN is one of my all time favourite films, so I'm really glad it got such a high rating. 

I also love the inclusion of Naked which is my favourite Mike Leigh film, and one of his lesser known works. 

This also finally got me to pull my finger out and dig out my copy of DON'T LOOK NOW and order that Powell and Pressburger set from Amazon (it's only about £19 on Amazon now and it's got The Red Shoes, A Matter of Life and Death and Black Narcissus and a whole bunch more)

I'm also ecstatic to see 24 HOUR PARTY PEOPLE and THEATRE OF BLOOD and THIS IS ENGLAND on the list. All really great, leftfield, choices. 

Given the loose rules for being "British," I would've put Richard Lester's MUSKETEERS films on here. Unless I just missed spotting it on the actual list.

There are a couple of other Lester films that should go up first (see my previous post), but yeah. Musketeers.

I probably would have had more than just the one Hitchcock film...

Don't Look Now is an excellent #1 pick. And a surprising but great #3 with Distant Voices, Still Lives. A rare Postlethwaite (RIP).

Quote:

Originally Posted by Evi 

I probably would have had more than just the one Hitchcock film...

I count four Hitchcock films...