50 Years of American Cinema
Created by Fidelio.
Favorited 3 times, disliked 1 time, added to 1 watchlist.
Since its first publication in the early sixties and over various updates, "50 ans de cinéma américain" has become the Holy Book of most french cinephiles. Initially published by Jean-Pierre Coursodon and Yves Boisset (with Bertrand Tavernier writing some unsigned articles) as an opuscule called "20 ans de cinéma américain", the book has been totally restructured by Coursodon and Tavernier in the early seventies as "30 ans de cinéma américain", then in 1991 as "50 ans de cinéma américain" and finally updated - for the time being - in 1995.
Due to its form and long sedimentation, division into many sections and the piling up of informations over the years, none list here can really do justice to this book. The highlight and largest section of the book is indisputably the "Dictionary of filmmakers" in which the authors virtually discuss the whole filmographies of more than 250 american directors (this part can't be materialized into a list).
The present list focuses on the first part of the book, a timeline between 1939 and 1993 including the most important and noteworthy movies of each year ("works"). Please note that this section also includes other comments ("facts" and "talents") impossible to transpose here.
The two authors bring up the unmissable masterpieces and commercial triumphs but also a lot of personal picks from overlooked directors or victims of the blacklist (residue of their early years as fervent publicists). They deliberately include some turkeys ("le coin du nanar") and obscurities ("à redécouvrir"), with a strong attention to short features (mainly cartoons).
I hope this list, despite its flaws and restriction to american movies, could be of some utility to ICM users and bring to light which is my favorite book about movies (along with the "Dictionary of Films" from Jacques Lourcelles).
The authors are currently working on a definitive edition of their book - presumably entitled "100 ans de cinéma américain" - that will considerably enlarge the scope, starting from 1914 and to likely reach 2014. Needless to say that most of the previously summoned french cinephiles are awaiting for this like men of God were devotedly expecting the Parousia back in the days.
Missing : "Seven lively arts" (John Hubley, 1959) ???
Pssst, want to check out the 50 Years of American Cinema list in our new look?
Filter
-
835 new
Full Metal Jacket
1987, in 18 top lists Check -
702 new
Apocalypse Now
1979, in 37 top lists Check -
49 new
Casablanca
1942, in 39 top lists Check -
694 new
The Deer Hunter
1978, in 26 top lists Check -
9 new
The Great Dictator
1940, in 25 top lists Check -
358 new
The Bridge on the River Kwai
1957, in 32 top lists Check -
836 new
Good Morning, Vietnam
1987, in 7 top lists Check -
384 new
Paths of Glory
1957, in 26 top lists Check -
561 new
Patton
1970, in 13 top lists Check -
563 new
M*A*S*H
1970, in 21 top lists Check -
219 new
The African Queen
1951, in 11 top lists Check -
844 new
Empire of the Sun
1987, in 9 top lists Check -
517 new
The Dirty Dozen
1967, in 8 top lists Check -
104 new
The Best Years of Our Lives
1946, in 30 top lists Check -
429 new
Judgment at Nuremberg
1961, in 7 top lists Check -
255 new
Stalag 17
1953, in 7 top lists Check -
252 new
From Here to Eternity
1953, in 13 top lists Check -
42 new
To Be or Not to Be
1942, in 24 top lists Check -
647 new
Love and Death
1975, in 5 top lists Check -
64 new
Lifeboat
1944, in 2 top lists Check -
722 new
The Big Red One
1980, in 10 top lists Check -
562 new
Catch-22
1970, in 5 top lists Check -
703 new
1941
1979, in 1 top list Check -
36 new
Mrs. Miniver
1942, in 9 top lists Check -
865 new
Casualties of War
1989, in 2 top lists Check -
77 new
The Miracle of Morgan's Creek
1944, in 9 top lists Check -
574 new
The Beguiled
1971, in 3 top lists Check -
332 new
War and Peace
1956, in 3 top lists Check -
178 new
Twelve O'Clock High
1949, in 4 top lists Check -
97 new
They Were Expendable
1945, in 4 top lists Check -
78 new
Hail the Conquering Hero
1944, in 7 top lists Check -
140 new
Macbeth
1948, in 1 top list Check -
215 new
The Red Badge of Courage
1951, in 3 top lists Check -
197 new
The Steel Helmet
1951, in 2 top lists Check -
535 new
Hell in the Pacific
1968, in 2 top lists Check -
5 new
The Long Voyage Home
1940, in 4 top lists Check -
488 new
Major Dundee
1965, in 2 top lists Check -
383 new
A Time to Love and a Time to Die
1958, in 4 top lists Check -
79 new
Since You Went Away
1944, in 2 top lists Check -
381 new
The Young Lions
1958, in 1 top list Check -
90 new
Story of G.I. Joe
1945 — a.k.a. War Correspondent, in 3 top lists Check -
777 new
Under Fire
1983, in 0 top lists Check -
834 new
Gardens of Stone
1987, in 0 top lists Check -
462 new
The Cardinal
1963, in 1 top list Check -
39 new
Wake Island
1942, in 1 top list Check -
308 new
The Purple Plain
1954, in 0 top lists Check -
701 new
Go Tell the Spartans
1978, in 0 top lists Check -
80 new
None Shall Escape
1944, in 0 top lists Check -
382 new
The Naked and the Dead
1958, in 1 top list Check -
209 new
Three Came Home
1950, in 0 top lists Check
Last updated on May 13, 2018;