Favorite Films

The following is a list of my Top 15 films, along with the reasons I can watch these over and over again. Most of these films changed the way movies would be made thereafter. They may not all be the best films ever made (that title goes to Casablanca, Citizen Kane and Gone With The Wind) but they do hold a special place in my heart.

1. The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938) Errol Flynn was at his swashbuckling best as Sir Robin of Locksley. Olivia DeHavilland was beautiful as Maid Marian and Basil Rathbone was perfectly evil as Sir Guy of Gisbourne. Warner Brothers spent $2 million making this midieval epic, the most money they ever spent on one film up to that time. They took a risk using a newly developed three color Technicolor process (Yes, it is in color, not colorized as many people think) and it paid off greatly. The look is rich and vibrant. The sets, stunts, action and romance stand up to any film made today. Erich Wolfgang Korngold's score, which won one of the film's three Oscars, is still one of the best blends of music and image ever produced. I challenge anyone to find a more complete all-around film.

2. Rocky (1976) No real surprise here. The hardships writer/star Sylvester Stallone went through in getting his film of a down and out boxer made are now part of Hollywood legend. With just over $100 dollars left in the bank he was offered huge amounts of money for his screenplay. United Artists wanted a big name star to play the title role. Stallone, wanting to play the part himself, wouldn't give in. Not wanting to lose the film entirely, the company finally agreed and gave him $1 million dollars for the entire production. After getting a director and assembling a cast who would work for such low pay the film was completed in just 21 days. It went on to garner 10 Academy Award nominations, winning three including Best Picture. A great inspirational story, on-screen and off.

3. The Wizard of Oz (1939) There is not much more to say about this film that hasn't already been said. A fantasy classic that has never been topped. The stories of on-set suicides and munchkin hijinx are well known and completely unfounded. The real story behind this second telling of L. Frank Baum's novel (the first was silent and made in 1925 with Oliver Hardy) is great music and wonderful characters. There is not one person who has watched this film and not been taken in by its magic.

4. King Kong (1933) This is the great-granddaddy of all giant monster movies. This story of beauty and the beast has never been beaten for its special effects by Willis O'Brien, and the climax atop the Empire State Building has become cinematic lore. Director Merian C. Cooper originally wanted to use real gorillas but went to O'Brien and his stop motion technique after this was deemed impractical. The effects may look dated by today's standards, but a solid story and an appreciation for the work of the day keeps this film a perennial favorite. If you're flipping the channels and you hit this one you know you're hooked and in for the long haul.

5. Braveheart (1995) Mel Gibson's pet project is what the big screen was designed for. The story of William Wallace and his fight for Scotland's freedom is as grand as a film can get. From the intensity of the battle scenes to the tenderness of the love Wallace had for his Katherine, the emotion is perfect throughout. It was a two-fisted win for sophmore director Gibson who deservedly took home the Oscars for best picture and best director. Its 3-hour plus running time kept some people away from the theaters and those who waited for video were sorry they missed it when they had the chance. The best argument for letterboxed films on tape.

6. Jaws (1975) The first summer blockbuster. Steven Spielberg was still a young, fairly unknown, director when Universal entrusted him to head this fish tale. The story was simple, but Spielberg knows how to build suspense. A great cast helped him out, and a mechanical shark named Bruce stole the show and kept everyone off the beaches for many summers to come. This was just the first time the director changed the way all films coming after it would be made.

7. The Gold Rush / Modern Times / The Great Dictator (1925/1936/1940) Charlie Chaplin was a true genius when it came to filmmaking. He created ways of filming that are still used to this day, plus he was a co-founder of United Artists. These are his best works, but to choose between them is tough. Throw City Lights (1931) into the mix and you have the perfect weekend viewing schedule.

8. The Planet Of The Apes (1968) Pierre Boulle's novel made an incredible sci-fi film with Charlton Heston as an astronaut who finds himself stuck in "a world where apes evolved from man." The screenplay by The Twilight Zone's Rod Serling gave the perfect blend of believability and surrealism. The shocking ending made people think about the direction in which we were headed. Four sequels and two television series followed, but none had the impact of the original. The make-up won a special Oscar. Talks of a remake have been circulating with Oliver Stone producing and Arnold Schwarzeneger starring. Someone please stop them before it's too late!

9. Young Frankenstein / Monty Python And The Holy Grail (1974/1975) Two of the funniest movies ever made. Mel Brooks took every horror cliche and turned them around while the Python troupe made a mockery of the King Arthur legend. These two films gave comedy a much needed boost and set the standard for many years to come. Grail may not be everybody's idea of funny but you can't deny the legions of fans who can recite the film line by line (myself included). Young Frankenstein is just plain hysterical and the best thing Brooks has ever done.

10. Halloween (1978) John Carpenter's suspense classic. This is the film that people say started the slasher trend, but the fact of the matter is, there was hardly any blood. The idea of the silent, unstoppable killer was nothing new, but this film showed that, once again, what you don't see can be more scary than what you do. (Thank you Alfred Hitchcock.) The first sequel was an adequate continuation, but the ones that followed lost the thrill as it quickly degraded into mind-numbing violence.

11. Jurassic Park (1993) Steven Spielberg does it again with this cautionary tale of science gone awry. Many people claim that the performances in this film are stiff and wooden. So what?! The real attraction here are the dinosaurs. Spielberg outdid himself with the computer generated effects and changed the way movies will forever be made (again). This was the only film that found me sitting in the theater with my mouth wide open as I could not believe what I was seeing. The Lost World may not have equaled this one, but how could it? Michael Crichton actually stole from himself when he wrote this. He directed the film Westworld which had a vacation spot with robot cowboys malfunction in the same fashion.

12. Who Framed Roger Rabbit? (1988) Spielberg again. He produced this film, that Robert Zemeckis directed, which flawlessly blended live action and animation. No other film in history has taken two such diverse mediums and gotten results this spectacular. They had spoken of making a sequel, but quickly realized that nothing they could do would match the magic of the original.

13. Duck Soup (1933) The Marx Brothers. What more need be said? Groucho plays Rufus T. Firefly, president of the cash strapped state of Freedonia, who declares war on the neighboring country of Sylvania. All four brothers are here, as is Margaret Dumont as the ever put upon Mrs. Teasdale. Fans of the Marx Brothers can argue all day as to which is the boys' best work, but this would have to be towards the top of any of their lists.

14. Mr. Smith Goes To Washington (1939) Jimmy Stewart was never better cast then here as an everyman fighting back against the system. This is a film that actually lets you feel for the characters. His Jefferson Smith is used as a pawn in the halls of the Washington Senate and it makes you realize why you hate politics. Then his endless filibuster to save the day lifts your heart in the hopes that maybe there are some decent ones left. (Alas, only in the movies.) How many others can lay claim to that? Couple this with It's A Wonderful Life (1939) to see why Stewart was this country's best and most beloved actor.

15. Back To The Future (1985) Steven Spielberg and Robert Zemeckis teamed up for this time-traveling tale and took a chance on a then untested Michael J. Fox. It payed off in spades as the film became the top grosser of the year. Lively performances, a top-notch script and some great special effects combined to make this one of the most purely enjoyable movies around. The two sequels continued the story from where the previous left off for an arch that came full circle and satisfied fully.