A few days ago, Sight & Sound released its list of the top 100 Greatest films of all time, sparking many days’ worth of conversation, and counting. The list was compiled using top-ten ballots submitted by working filmmakers, established filmmakers, and “Film Twitter” luminaries. The ballots are as fascinating to consider as the list itself — who wouldn’t want to know what living legends like John Carpenter or Joe Dante or Walter Hill define as all-timer Greats? (Still a ton of dudes!) Of course, there’s really no way to make a definitive list about something so subjective as cinema, which runs as much on inspiring emotions as on mastery of technique, although I personally do subscribe to the belief that filmmaking craft is objective in many ways and there’s solid reason why a “canon” tends to form — SEVEN SAMURAI and VERTIGO and CITIZEN KANE will always pop up on (relatively) mainstream lists like these, although to me it’s cool as hell that there’s a new #1 this time out.
I, obviously, was not invited to vote. That’s okay! I spend way too much time advocating for the pleasures of junk, and maybe more frustratingly and hopelessly, advocating for the merits of films that may look like junk to many, but which I insist aren’t. But I couldn’t help but start to think about what I would have put on my own ballot, were the world to suddenly awaken to my genius, and I have to bet that some of you did too. My first thoughts went instantly to my all-time favorite movies, but as I thought harder (usually a bad idea), I started to stray back towards more “canon-friendly” choices. I started to wonder why I do that. I started to think that the most interesting lists are the ones we come up with the quickest, upon instinct. What are those movies that are on the tip of my tongue, and at the bottom of my heart?
I asked some of our Daily Grindhouse writers what they think. A few of them even responded! (I rudely posed the question on a Saturday night, when many decent people are out doing things other than sitting around and thinking.) I started to wonder, if we were to expand the field, what other people, those who didn’t get a chance to send in a ballot but those who have ballots at the ready, would be willing to share. I started thinking about you.
So here we are, asking you to send us your top-ten Greatest films of all time. Don’t worry what anybody else thinks or says. Let’s see those private picks! Daily Grindhouse has your back. Send your top 10 to dailygrindhouseonline@gmail.com. If we get enough replies, we will run the ballots. Feel free to write a few sentences explaining your love for each pick. If we really get enough replies, we’ll compile them into an alternate Top 100. (Placement on the list will be determined by how often a film is mentioned and by how highly it’s ranked on each list, as S&S did.) EDIT: The ballots are beginning to roll in, and we need to add one request: Please rank your top-tens, as difficult as that may be, because when we get ’em all in, we are going to use big math and bring you our own #1. Deadline: Friday December 9th, 12pm NOON EST.
This whole thing could totally fizzle! I’m not that popular at all! But what I am, is extremely curious about you and what you love and what you think about what you love. So please participate, and if replies start rolling in, we will announce when the feature will run. And if nobody participates, forget I said anything. Except that I’m interested in your thoughts. That’ll always be true.
I read and respect Sight & Sound Magazine, keeping my copies stacked alongside those of Videoscope and Shock Cinema (Adrienne Barbeau on the cover this month!), so don’t take this the wrong way for a second. There’s no argument with the list, just an interest in what other people would have done with it, and a desire to give as many people as possible a voice, which has always been the reason Daily Grindhouse continues to exist.
Email us today! (Or tomorrow. We’re pretty chill. Just not next month. It’ll be 2023 then)
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