h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Star Wars is highly overrated. Good, yes, especially Empire, but number one?

At risk of being lynched, it shouldn't have been higher than 25.

Citizen Kane should have been higher - most beautifully shot and put-together film I've ever seen.

Can someone point me towards the whole list before I make any more sweeping generalizations?

The list is at http://www.filmfour.com/greatest but filmfour.com is down atm.

I agree with you, I am a huge Star Wars fan but there's no way it'd be my #1 film of all time. It's not even close. You just can't compare it to films as great as Raging Bull, A Clockwork Orange, Casablanca, The Exorcist etc. It's just not on ;/

what's C4, specifically ?



i liked 'rabbit proof fence' as a notable film last year. an australian movie. was it seen in the north ?

C4 is Channel Four, the fourth (out of five) national television stations in Britain. They also however spend a lot of money on making films. They were set up to provide an arts based channel, and as such they can do this.

Just trying to think what films they've funded...

oh yes, i think we get a bit of their stuff here (nz). i'm thinking the little bit of decent brittish drama that we get now (though its not as good as it used to be - is that because of what we're getting or what the brits are makng ?)

i've probably seen some of their movies on video also. things like "face" maybe ?

so if they're doing arts how come all the geek boys were voting in their survey ? or is C4 more mainstream ? (and is it private or public ?)

curious, kea

But there wasn't anything spectacular this year, was there? Nothing you couldn't throw away...

Re : Filmfour films - you have "Elizabeth" "Charlotte Grey" "Sexy Beast" (I think anyway - it premiered quickly on filmfour anyway) "East is East" (Top film)...and quite a few more...

They actually fund more films than people think. All you have to do is see how fast they premiere on the subcripted channel. All underrate films too, may I add. I think they show more British films than any other film channel...thank God. The British film industry really needs more publicising. We have some great films out there!!!!!

i've seen Elizabeth but not the others.

we used to get a lot of brittish films here, as well as good brittish drama on tv. what is here now seems to be a lot less accessible (on late at night, or at the movies it doesn't play very long)


the american top 100 films list i saw had maybe 2 or 3 non-american films in it. which pretty much makes it a top100 american film list




"The British film industry really needs more publicising. We have some great films out there!!!!! "

so what would be the top 10 brittish film list then ?

You haven't seen "East is East"????

It's an excellent film. Do so quickly (if you can)!

I am rubbish at compiling top ten/hundred lists! Help someone!

The problem with British films, is that because of the dominance of Hollywood in the industry, there is often a few quibbles over what is a true British film. I think the main critieria (as discussed in my film studies class last year) is the funding, the cast and the director...the majority (ie : around 75%) HAS to be from British sources, and that same kind of percentage directed towards the cast.production/direction team. Although not so specifically with the latter. The funding is a big issue because if a Hollywood studio puts cash in, they usually end up dominating the rest of the film too. Harry Potter, as much as folks want to believe, is a US film through and through...

Wide spectrum of debate methinks...

Finally got a chance to look at the list.

The ones I was surprised were on the list were: A Hard Day's Night. Er, is this even technically a movie? As far as mockumentaries go, This Is Spinal Tap is *way* more entertaining. Titanic was just simply *not* worthy of being on a top 100 movies of all time list. Toy Story was good and amusing and I love it dearly, but it wasn't *that* good. Same goes for Star Wars and The Matrix. Gladiator is greatly overrated. It's A Wonderful Life is just an incredibly boring movie to me. And though I like Blade Runner, again I don't know that it is worthy of the spot it was given.

Movies I missed (correct me if they were on there): Harvey. Any of the Indy Jones trilogy. Close Encounters. My Fair Lady. Fight Club/Twelve Monkies/etc. More when I think of them.

I was glad to see Manon des source and Jean de Florette on there. Both are excellent movies.

"You haven't seen "East is East"????"

will have a look next time i get vids. always glad to get suggstions on good movies (although i suspest we may have quite different taste)



in new zealand its tricky becuase we are so small - we can't afford to fund the majority of big films ourselves. though i think a lot of good kiwi filmmaking is going on, and its still a fledgling industry. unfortunately there are good nz movies that get very little promotion here.


there is a lot of debate here too about tax rebates for film companies that come here to make movies. i think the reason that LoTR got made here was because it was so cheap (i.e. the nz government funded it through huge tax rebates) . they've since tightened up on this alot.

No no. THe Matrix is an AMAZING film.I avoided it until June because of the hype (thought it was going to be rubbish)...I fell out my seat in lust at the scene where they show Neo in the cyber-bathtub thing. I could not believe the enviroment they had created...

Star Wars was a comedy film that got way out of hand...too much hype, not that good...

Where was Clockwork Orange? I went for a microsleep during the first programme, but doubt I would have missed such a luvly luvly entry...
if it wasn't in there at all, I will put on my hat and leave.

Oh, don't get me wrong. Matrix was a very good film, and I like it more every time I watch it.

But in the top 100? Of ALL time?

Er, no, pass, sorry.

Oh, and good recent(ish) films:

Amélie - my new personal favorite
Minority Report

Yes it was an old list.
And yes, I think the Matrix deserved to be in there.