I love lists… they basically mean nothing, but they’re great conversation starters. Some of the very best lists come from the AFI. Every year they put out a big “Top 100” list. This year the AFI list is for the 100 most inspiring films of all time.
Now, the term “inspiring” can be a little subjective… but let’s just go with it for now. Here is how they saw the list:
| 1-IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE 2-TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD 3-SCHINDLER’S LIST 4-ROCKY 5-MR. SMITH GOES TO WASHINGTON 6-E.T. THE EXTRA-TERRESTRIAL 7-THE GRAPES OF WRATH 8-BREAKING AWAY 9-MIRACLE ON 34TH STREET 10-SAVING PRIVATE RYAN 11-THE BEST YEARS OF OUR LIVES 12-APOLLO 13 13-HOOSIERS 14-THE BRIDGE ON THE RIVER KWAI 15-THE MIRACLE WORKER 16-NORMA RAE 17-ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO’S NEST 18-THE DIARY OF ANNE FRANK 19-THE RIGHT STUFF 20-PHILADELPHIA 21-IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT 22-THE PRIDE OF THE YANKEES 23-THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION 24-NATIONAL VELVET 25-SULLIVAN’S TRAVELS 26-THE WIZARD OF OZ 27-HIGH NOON 28-FIELD OF DREAMS 29-GANDHI 30-LAWRENCE OF ARABIA 31-GLORY 32-CASABLANCA 33-CITY LIGHTS | 34-ALL THE PRESIDENT’S MEN 35-GUESS WHO’S COMING TO DINNER 36-ON THE WATERFRONT 37-FORREST GUMP 38-PINOCCHIO 39-STAR WARS 40-MRS. MINIVER 41-THE SOUND OF MUSIC 42-12 ANGRY MEN 43-GONE WITH THE WIND 44-SPARTACUS 45-ON GOLDEN POND 46-LILIES OF THE FIELD 47-2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY 48-THE AFRICAN QUEEN 49-MEET JOHN DOE 50-SEABISCUIT 51-THE COLOR PURPLE 52-DEAD POET’S SOCIETY 53-SHANE 54-RUDY 55-THE DEFIANT ONES 56-BEN-HUR 57-SERGEANT YORK 58-CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND 59-DANCES WITH WOLVES 60-THE KILLING FIELDS 61-SOUNDER 62-BRAVEHEART 63-RAIN MAN 64-THE BLACK STALLION 65-A RAISIN IN THE SUN 66 -SILKWOOD | 67-THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL 68-AN OFFICER AND A GENTLEMAN 69-THE SPIRIT OF ST. LOUIS 70-COAL MINER’S DAUGHTER 71-COOL HAND LUKE 72-DARK VICTORY 73-ERIN BROCKOVICH 74-GUNGA DIN 75-THE VERDICT 76-BIRDMAN OF ALCATRAZ 77-DRIVING MISS DAISY 78-THELMA & LOUISE 79-THE TEN COMMANDMENTS 80-BABE 81-BOYS TOWN 82-FIDDLER ON THE ROOF 83-MR. DEEDS GOES TO TOWN 84-SERPICO 85-WHAT’S LOVE GOT TO DO WITH IT 86-STAND AND DELIVER 87-WORKING GIRL 88-YANKEE DOODLE DANDY 89-HAROLD AND MAUDE 90-HOTEL RWANDA 91-THE PAPER CHASE 92-FAME 93-A BEAUTIFUL MIND 94-CAPTAINS COURAGEOUS 95-PLACES IN THE HEART 96-SEARCHING FOR BOBBY FISCHER 97-MADAME CURIE 98-THE KARATE KID 99-RAY 100-CHARIOTS OF FIRE |
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How about “Man of LaMancha” with its stirring song “To Dream the Impossible Dream” and its message of never giving up? I can’t believe it wasn’t on the list
re: ‘crouching tiger’—a classic inspiration concerning a young woman’s realization how one may be tricked by evil—and if we go ‘foreign’? where is kurasawa’s rashamon, or ran? fellini’s ‘la dolce vita’, ‘8 &1/2’? or kubrick stepping in to take over ‘paths of glory’? dare i mention citizen kane’s inspiration to all, that old money can’t buy youthful innocence? or control everyone? inspiration may mean many things—getting good at punching heads—or as frederick march, playing
‘death’ himself, way back in 1931? realizing ‘there is a love, more powerful than death.’—or raymond massey as john cabal, in ‘things to come’ replying to his friend ‘passworthy’s’ anguish, watching our 1st lunar bound vessel ‘but we’re such little animals’—john cabal’s reply—(paraphrased)’yes, little animals, and if that is all we are, we must live and die as such—so it’s all the universe, or nothing.’—that’s a bit more inspiring than giving mr. ali brain-damage. now where are my big scissorhands?
whoops, they did list ‘lawrence’—‘sorry bought that, chief.’
sir alexander korda and h.g.well’s ‘things to come’ is the obvious #1.
where’s ‘full metal jacket’? where’s brando’s ‘burn’? or ‘hamburger hill’? or ‘death race 2000’? or redford’s ‘three days of the condor’? or
nolte’s ‘farewell to the king’? or caine’s ‘zulu’ and ‘the billion dollar brain’? and really, no ‘death takes a holiday’? no ‘rob roy’? or ‘the professional’? where’s ‘moby dick’? guess nobody saw ‘the fountainhead’? or ‘the third man’? ‘laurence of arabia’? or ‘the dogs of war’?—so 3 were brit films—all above reveal the human condition, and inspire viewers to a higher state—but then to ommit such as ‘death takes a holiday’? certainly the best of american work on ‘inspiration’—well, consider the source—probably people that would actually think ‘gladiator’ deserved an oscar, vs. the recycle bin—for hollywood, 20 out of 100 ain’t bad—
I submit THe Red Shoes By Michael Powell
where’s requiem for a dream? that has to be one of the most inspirational, powerful, anti-drug movies ever.
Where’s “On Borrowed Time” ?
Here’s the 300 nominees:
http://www.afi.com/Docs/tvevents/pdf/cheers300.pdf
Where’s Papillion? Or My Bodyguard? or Hunchback of Notre Dame? Or Zulu?
Why isnt the original King Kong on hear wasnt it suposed to of inspierd people to make stop motion pictures ??????????
Like Peter Jackson wanted to remake it?
I’m surprised Awakenings is not on the list.
Oops, my bad. Hooray for Seabiscuit.
As for CTHD, I’m always inspired by an unrequited love. It shows that loyalty and honor plays a big role in tradition (but not always). Or maybe I’m just sentimental.
Crouching Tiger wasnt inspirational. Great action, good story, but no message or inspiring at all. (Except maybe inspiring visuals)
Seabiscuit is on there.
And as for movies that are not old, refer to my previous theories on more recent titles, and why I think they dont qualify for this list (yet)
No Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon? Shame, Shame, Shame
No Seabiscuit? Shame, Shame, Shame
I even throw in Crash. You guess it, Shame, Shame, Shame
I don’t agree with this list. That’s all I got to say.
Haha, Braveheart is on there! Being Scottish, nothing gives me stronger feelings of patriotism then watching an American film shot in Ireland starring an Australian…
Nah, it’s a great movie but seriously though, where the hell is ZULU!? You can’t get anymore inspirational then the story of Rourke’s Drift and the ‘Men of Harlech’ sequence is one of the most stirring scenes you’re ever likely to see…
Oh Ben-Hur is up there.
It looks like a good list to me, it does appear to be subjective, although I wonder…some people would think “Passion Of The Christ” or “Ben-Hur” inspiring. But there is one HUGE omission. If Spike Lee’s “Do The Right Thing” does not inspire, so be it. The irony is “Driving Miss Daisy’s Butt” is on the list. In any case, just one question:
Where is ‘Malcom X’?
I didnt claim it was a list of classics, but there is a quality of a film that doesnt date itself and remains effective that gives it a quality that fine films of recent times cannot provide.
You can watch Shawshank Redemption 50 years from now and it will still be inspiring. Timeless.
Does a film have to be timeless to be inspiring? No. My point was that these classics have a quality to them that newwer films cannot achieve.
Yes, newer films can be more inspirational. But if a movie has that timeless quality it will inspire you AND your grandparents. If a film no longer is relevant, or becomes dated and lacks inspiration, then it will fall off this list. (opinion only)
I did state that if this list was reviewed 10 years from now, perhaps some of the movies mentioned by other posters would rank higher. But those that retain inspiration even when compared to new inspirational works only gain that much more value.
I don’t see what release date has got to do with it Rodney, it’s not a list of Classics; modern film can be just as inspirational as anything else if it’s got a great story. Something which my parents or grandparents found inspirational in its time may well have no effect on me or a newer generation.
An inspirational tale does not have to be timeless, although some are.
People always forget that film is subjective, one persons inspirational classic is another’s Cheesy dated crap. It just depends on what inspires the individual.
I find it truely entertaining to watch the “debate” over which movies should matter on a list like this.
Its a list of most “INSPIRING” movies. Inspiring means that it is tending to arouse or exalt some sort of feelings or concept. Its also the TOP 100 of these types of films, so likely those that have a timeless tale are going to be presented.
I think all of the movies on this list either inform you of past issues, raise new issues, or generally just MAKE YOU FEEL something.
It is interesting that people will toss down names of movies released in the last 5 years as more inspiring or lasting movies than these which tell a story lasting decades. Maybe some of the more recent inspiring movies will make this list when its reviewed 10 years from now, but as inspiring as they are, they cant really stand against a movie that has weathered the test of time.
Personally I would have an issue with anything released in the last 10 years as holding anything above 50. But then this is a list based on a collection of opinions. By human nature, everyone is going to disagree with it.
Oh my. That list is not very good. There are some excellent titles but some of them just don’t make any sense. Harold and Maude is on the list? Why? Sure, it’s a really great film, one of my favourites, but I’m not sure it inspired anything other than messed up love affairs that are doomed from the start.
I think it was to do with the reaction of the British tabloids which are pretty much the most hardcore printed press in the world when it comes to vilifying celebs. After all the man was a recluse for many years so I imagine that kind of publicity was not something he welcomed. I imagine Kubric just thought screw you it’s just not worth it, the film was still able to make money in other territories.
… On topic, I would have put The Goonies at number one; it’s the film which makes many of us yearn for our childhoods the most.
Karate Kid is #1 in my book.
I guess if you got it from the BBFC website it has to be the truth. If they had banned a movie as significant as Clockwork Orange, of course they would write it on their page.
If Kubrick withdrew it himself, why would he go and say that it would never be released in his lifetime…
It does not really matter though. I just do not buy the idea that he would withdrew the movie himself.
In the United Kingdom the sexual violence in the film was considered extreme. Furthermore, claims that the film had inspired copycat behaviour were made: the press blamed the influence of the film for an attack on a homeless person and a rape in which the attackers sang “Singin’ in the Rain”. The film was subsequently withdrawn from UK distribution by Kubrick himself.
At the time, it was widely believed that the copycat attacks were what led Kubrick to withdraw the film from distribution in the United Kingdom. However, in a television documentary made after Kubrick’s death, his widow Christiane confirmed rumours that Kubrick had withdrawn A Clockwork Orange on police advice after threats were made against Kubrick and his family. (The source of the threats was not discussed.) That Warner Bros. acceded to Kubrick’s request to withdraw the film is an indication of the remarkable relationship Kubrick had with the studio, particularly the executive Terry Semel.
Whatever the reason for the film’s withdrawal, it could not easily be seen in the United Kingdom for some 27 years. The first video and DVD releases followed shortly after Kubrick’s death.
http://www.bbfc.co.uk/website/Classified.nsf/SearchClassifiedWorks/?SearchView&Query=(%20%5BTitle%5D%20contains%20“A%20CLOCKWORK%20ORANGE”)%20and%20((%20[TypeOfMedia]%20contains%20Film)%20OR%20(%20[TypeOfMedia]%20contains%20Video))&SearchMax=50
… It ws NEVER banned by the BBFC in the UK
… not that it matters, but there you go
ok. what about Lean on Me, Juice or Karate Kid 2?
this list is poor-
It was banned, he subsequently stated that it would never be released before his death. It never was.
However, what the heck did “Schindlers List” or “Sound of Music” inspire people to do? I get why stuff like “Philadelphia” is on there, since it broke barriers and put AIDS and gay people on the agenda. In that regard, I miss “Platoon”.
Another thing – “Apollo 13”???? How in the world does that inspire anybody to do anything? It seems like this list is just comprised of movies with endings that have people overcoming anything. Wow how inspiring. Typical bullshit for the AFI. I am still furious they insist of dividing movie characters into heroes and villains, and lists like this one does nothing to convince me that these people actually care more about movies than about labeling movies.
THE KARATE KID??? for real? REMEMBER THE TITANS? any one?
karate kid gets the best song in a movie ever maybe…but inspirational? the only thing it really inspired was for kid to do the crane kick and after trying it getting their asses handed to them just like Matt Hughes busted up Royce.
Clockwork was not banned by the UK, Kubrick pulled the film himself asking for it not to be released again in the UK till after his death.
Where’s “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy?
I could watch any three minutes out of any of the three and feel like climbing me some mountains.
Seabiscuit? This list is an atrocity.
I can not believe Steven Spielberg has 3 movies in the top 10, and Kubrick is not represented before 44.
Where is Dr. Strangelove?
And Clockwork apparently ‘inspired’ young people to commit crimes to the extent that the United Kingdom banned the movie.
The incredible love that Steven Spielberg enjoys in America is insane. Atrocious. Pretty much makes me sick, the only movie of his I ever enjoyed was Jurassic Park. And I HAVE given him a chance over and over and over again.
No Back to the Future? What a shame.