ashthomas//blog: 101 Greatest Screenplays

ashthomas//blog

Monday, April 10, 2006

101 Greatest Screenplays

The Writer's Guild of America has published a list of what its members think are the 101 Greatest Screenplays (link is to a pdf):

A joint venture between the WGA west and WGA East, 101 Greatest Screenplays compiles the finest achievements in film writing, as voted upon by professional film and television writers. In the summer of 2005, ballots were sent out asking WGA members to list up to ten of their favorite produced screenplays. Any film, past or present, English-language or otherwise, was eligible.

Below is the list. Films I have seen are in bold; films I have seen and own a copy of are in bold and italics:

101 NOTORIOUS
100 MEMENTO
99 THE WILD BUNCH
98 THE GRAPES OF WRATH
97 THE SEARCHERS
96 THE HUSTLER
95 HANNAH AND HER SISTERS
94 PATTON
93 DO THE RIGHT THING
92 PSYCHO
91 THE VERDICT
90 SIDEWAYS
89 FORREST GUMP
88 FIELD OF DREAMS
87 8 1/2
86 HAROLD & MAUDE
85 LA GRANDE ILLUSION
84 THE PRINCESS BRIDE
83 REAR WINDOW
82 COOL HAND LUKE
81 BEING THERE
80 WITNESS
79 THE PRODUCERS
78 ROCKY
77 ADAPTATION
76 RAGING BULL
75 HIGH NOON
74 BEING JOHN MALKOVICH
73 AMADEUS
72 THELMA & LOUISE
71 THE LION IN WINTER
70 THE AFRICAN QUEEN
69 DOG DAY AFTERNOON
68 STAR WARS
67 E.T. THE EXTRATERRESTRIAL
66 JERRY MAGUIRE
65 SINGIN' IN THE RAIN
64 TERMS OF ENDEARMENT
63 JAWS
62 MOONSTRUCK
61 THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS
60 L.A. CONFIDENTIAL
59 IT HAPPENED ONE NIGHT
58 ORDINARY PEOPLE
57 CRIMES AND MISDEMEANORS
56 BACK TO THE FUTURE
55 APOCALYPSE NOW
54 MANHATTAN
53 ALL THE PRESIDENT'S MEN
52 THE LADY EVE
51 BROADCAST NEWS
50 THE SIXTH SENSE
49 SCHINDLER'S LIST
48 THE BRIDGE ON THE RIVER KWAI
47 THE MALTESE FALCON
46 THE TREASURE OF THE SIERRA MADRE
45 ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO'S NEST
44 THE BEST YEARS OF OUR LIVES
43 TAXI DRIVER
42 RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK
41 GOODFELLAS
40 WHEN HARRY MET SALLY
39 THE STING
38 AMERICAN BEAUTY
37 THE PHILADELPHIA STORY
36 MIDNIGHT COWBOY
35 THE USUAL SUSPECTS
34 THE SWEET SMELL OF SUCCESS
33 THE THIRD MAN
32 FARGO
31 HIS GIRL FRIDAY
30 UNFORGIVEN
29 SULLIVAN'S TRAVELS
28 SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE
27 GROUNDHOG DAY
26 DOUBLE INDEMNITY
25 THE WIZARD OF OZ
24 ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND
23 GONE WITH THE WIND
22 THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION
21 NORTH BY NORTHWEST
20 IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE
19 TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD
18 ON THE WATERFRONT
17 TOOTSIE
16 PULP FICTION
15 THE APARTMENT
14 LAWRENCE OF ARABIA
13 THE GRADUATE
12 DR. STRANGELOVE
11 BUTCH CASSIDY AND THE SUNDANCE KID
10 THE GODFATHER II
9 SOME LIKE IT HOT
8 NETWORK
7 SUNSET BLVD.
6 ANNIE HALL
5 ALL ABOUT EVE
4 CITIZEN KANE
3 CHINATOWN
2 THE GODFATHER
1 CASABLANCA

I think I did alright -- I have seen roughly two thirds of the list. There are a few embarassing admissions there about great films I haven't seen. What do you think? Any glaring omissions? Is Casablanca better than The Godfather?

0 Comments:

Post a Comment

<< Home