Vertigo: Best Film Ever?

It's been decided by the BFI's Sight and Sound magazine that Alfred Hitchcock's "Vertigo" is the best film of all time.

Do you agree? Have you even seen it because I'm ashamed to say that I haven't. If you don't agree, what would be your candidates for best film ever?

For me, you can't beat 'Back To The Future'.

Natasha Whittam wrote:It's been decided by the BFI's Sight and Sound magazine that Alfred Hitchcock's "Vertigo" is the best film of all time.

Do you agree? Have you even seen it because I'm ashamed to say that I haven't. If you don't agree, what would be your candidates for best film ever?

For me, you can't beat 'Back To The Future'.

Haven't seen it either.
Die hard 1 is the best action movie ever. But best film ever? i don't know really.
My kids would say Barbie and the 12 dancing princess. Very entertaining..

Get Carter or Remains of the day.

the shawshank redemption. love that film.

There's a really strong argument for Vertigo. It's almost certainly Hitchcock's finest hour and an incredibly influential film. Personally I find that film to be absolutely profound, it's one of maybe 10 films I have ever seen which I feel changed my life in some way. I know that sounds over the top but I love great films and I am a deep thinker.

When I was in San Francisco I made a point of visiting the California Palace of the Legion of Honour, which is visited several times in the film. I can't argue with the critics' choice really. Citizen Kane and The Godfather often win such polls. My favourite film is Taxi Driver but for totally different reasons than Vertigo.

Debbie Does Dallas

largehat wrote:There's a really strong argument for Vertigo. It's almost certainly Hitchcock's finest hour and an incredibly influential film. Personally I find that film to be absolutely profound, it's one of maybe 10 films I have ever seen which I feel changed my life in some way. I know that sounds over the top but I love great films and I am a deep thinker.

Ok, you've convinced me. I'm going to watch it at the weekend.

Angry Dad wrote:Get Carter or Remains of the day.

Not seen Get Carter, but hated Remains Of the Day. I did say BEST film you know AD!

My favourite film of all time is 28 on the list - Mulholland Dr. A masterpiece.

I can't believe Tokyo Story is so high, utter tedium IMO.

Vertigo is a terrific film but it's not better than Kane.

And where is Chungking Express? Good to see In the Mood For Love break the top 50 but Chungking Express is Wong Kar Wai Masterpiece. For a film to be truly great i look for it to actually influence me in some way, have some life affirming quality. There are very few that do it.

Mulholland Dr, Manhattan, Chungking Express, Another Earth are all films that have really "spoken to me" sounds pompous in the extreme but isn't that what great art should do? Move you?

I haven't seen the full list, but from your choices it sounds like the majority (if not all) are films made some time ago. I don't like them.

Natasha Whittam wrote:

largehat wrote:There's a really strong argument for Vertigo. It's almost certainly Hitchcock's finest hour and an incredibly influential film. Personally I find that film to be absolutely profound, it's one of maybe 10 films I have ever seen which I feel changed my life in some way. I know that sounds over the top but I love great films and I am a deep thinker.

Ok, you've convinced me. I'm going to watch it at the weekend.

I suspect you're pulling my leg, but I really hope you do. It's actually on ITV 3 HD at 11.10pm this Friday, coincidentally.

largehat wrote:

I suspect you're pulling my leg, but I really hope you do. It's actually on ITV 3 HD at 11.10pm this Friday, coincidentally.

No, I'm deadly serious. It is already on my Sky+.

My list? Mulholland dr. was from 2001, Chungking express 94, Another earth 2011 and Manhattan 79.

Natasha Whittam wrote:

Angry Dad wrote:Get Carter or Remains of the day.

Not seen Get Carter, but hated Remains Of the Day. I did say BEST film you know AD!

Get Carter is an iconic movie but it's probably not even in the top ten British movies ever made, let alone all movies. But it's all about opinions of course. Just like the music threads. Caine is brilliant and suave in that film but the ending is too obvious, his character is full of contradictions and a number of the peripheral performances are wooden. Cool film though. My friend's friends' friend was the guy in the scene in the bar right at the start in the pub who answers the phone and asks "Is there a Mr Carter in the house?".

Natasha Whittam wrote:

largehat wrote:

I suspect you're pulling my leg, but I really hope you do. It's actually on ITV 3 HD at 11.10pm this Friday, coincidentally.

No, I'm deadly serious. It is already on my Sky+.

Well I would be delighted if you let me know what you think after you've seen it. Try to watch it at some point when you won't be disturbed.

largehat wrote:

Well I would be delighted if you let me know what you think after you've seen it. Try to watch it at some point when you won't be disturbed.

Then don't reply to my messages after 11pm on Friday

Hipster_Nebula wrote:

Mulholland Dr, Manhattan, Chungking Express, Another Earth are all films that have really "spoken to me" sounds pompous in the extreme but isn't that what great art should do? Move you?

I'm glad you said that, Hipster, it's what I was trying to say earlier in the thread about films which have changed my life.

Not all my favourite films have this quality we're talking about. I love The Producers because it is hysterical but it's not profound.

Besides Vertigo, I found Hitchcock's 'The Man Who Knew Too Much' and 'Rear Window' to be profound, I find Midnight Cowboy and Taxi Driver to be profound.

The most profound British movie I can think of off the top of my head is The Crying Game. Never has a film deceived me so much, you watch it thinking it's about one thing and it's about something completely different.

Natasha Whittam wrote:

largehat wrote:

Well I would be delighted if you let me know what you think after you've seen it. Try to watch it at some point when you won't be disturbed.

Then don't reply to my messages after 11pm on Friday

Ha, ha, I didn't imagine you'd be watching it then, you seem to hit the sack before midnight, judging from when you post on here.

largehat wrote:

Natasha Whittam wrote:

Angry Dad wrote:Get Carter or Remains of the day.

Not seen Get Carter, but hated Remains Of the Day. I did say BEST film you know AD!

Get Carter is an iconic movie but it's probably not even in the top ten British movies ever made, let alone all movies. But it's all about opinions of course. Just like the music threads. Caine is brilliant and suave in that film but the ending is too obvious, his character is full of contradictions and a number of the peripheral performances are wooden. Cool film though. My friend's friends' friend was the guy in the scene in the bar right at the start in the pub who answers the phone and asks "Is there a Mr Carter in the house?".

Yeah but i cant choose out of the two pushed i'd have to go for Remains i fuckin love that film cos i'm a romantic bastard at heart.

Angry Dad wrote:i'm a romantic bastard at heart.

We need another thread which enables you to share more of your romantic stories, AD. I love 'em.