The Hyperion Chronicles

I’ve been asked by several people why I keep writing about movies. The answer is simple: whether I enjoy it or not, this subject is the one I get the most feedback on. However, after going through the over 150 responses to my Movie Questions, and spending almost 49 hours collating the data, as well as my own choices, I am done with movies, at least for awhile. But, before that, as promised, I have your picks, as well as my own choices.

There were just too many answers to reprint everything, so unless indicated otherwise I only listed movies that got at least five votes for each category. For my part, I took it very seriously (perhaps too seriously), and relied on the following criteria: how great the movie was to watch, how well it was written, how real the characters seemed, how much it moved me, how well the movie dates from when it first came out, and how well it stands alone. Things like special effects and pop-culture didn’t get much play at all, for those things are transient.

For those of you who answered, thank you so much for opining. I hope your movies got in, and if they didn’t, please don’t get mad at me, or decide to hunt the other readers down (as seriously as I took this, some people took it much more seriously than I). And for those of you who disagree with my choices, don’t worry: you can’t be right about everything.

On with the show…


Favorite Movie
The winners, each receiving over 10 votes, were FORREST GUMP, STAR WARS, and LORD OF THE RINGS.

Also receiving at least five votes: DIE HARD; INDEPENDENCE DAY; RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK; TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD; WHILE YOU WERE SLEEPING; THE ROYAL TENENBAUMS; FIGHT CLUB; SABRINA; THE SOUND OF MUSIC; BEAUTY AND THE BEAST; SIGNS; HONDO; WHAT DREAMS MAY COME; MONTY PYTHON AND THE HOLY GRAIL; MY FAIR LADY; WIZARD OF OZ; JAWS

My Picks: CASABLANCA, FOUR WEDDINGS AND A FUNERAL, CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF, THE PRINCESS BRIDE, and PULP FICTION



Most Overrated Movie
The winner was GONE WITH THE WIND, with FARGO AND TITANIC right behind.

Also receiving at least five votes: E.T.; THE WIZARD OF OZ; WILLY WONKA AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY; THE ENGLISH PATIENT; GANDHI; GLADIATOR; BOWLING FOR COLUMBINE; DR. ZHIVAGO

My Picks: FARGO and UNFORGIVEN

Most Underrated Movie
The winners WERE WHAT DREAMS MAY COME and THE ROYAL TENENBAUMS. There are quite a few of you who really love those movies.

Also receiving at least five votes: VANILLA SKY; FARGO; ORDINARY PEOPLE (although how a Best Picture winner can be underrated is beyond me); THE FISHER KING; STEEL MAGNOLIAS (and one vote from a man!); ADAPTATION; UNBREAKABLE; SPACE TRUCKERS (one of the few movies on this list I’ve never seen, or in this case heard of. But after 8 readers praised it, I guess I’ll check it out).

My Picks: CLUELESS; 10 THINGS I HATE ABOUT YOU; THE PRINCESS BRIDE; ALEXANDER NEFSKY


Best Sequel
In the biggest surprise, ALIENS was the clear winner, with GODFATHER II coming in second

My Pick: EMPIRE STRIKES BACK


Movie that first changed you/made an impact
Many of you had very touching stories about these films: STAR WARS; ROOTS; CARRIE; HARRY POTTER; TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD; SIGNS; FIGHT CLUB; CYRANO DE BERGERAC; OLD YELLER; WHAT DREAMS MAY COME; 20,000 LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA; CONTACT; THE SIXTH SENSE

My Picks: STAR WARS, HEAVENLY CREATURES and SCHINDLER’S LIST


Worst Movie
The winners were FARGO and KAZAAM. You people better hope I never run into Shaq and tell him all the mean things you said about him.

Also receiving at least five votes: MY BEST FRIEND’S WEDDING; I KNOW WHAT YOU DID LAST SUMMER; MY DINNER WITH ANDRE; HOWARD THE DUCK; JACKASS, THE MOVIE; DUDE, WHERE’S MY CAR?; TITANIC (and let me say while I’m sure it’s legitimate not to care for TITANIC or to say it got more hype than it deserved, to say it’s the worst movie ever is just ignorant).

My Picks: FREDDIE GOT FINGERED and CRASH


Great Scenes
The criteria were five votes again. Any scenes the audience had that I also had I starred (*).

FUNNY
The destruction of the kitchen/bathtub in THE MONEY PIT
*Indy shooting the swordsman in RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK
Ben Stiller tortures the poor dog in THERE’S SOMETHING ABOUT MARY
*Independent contractors on the Death Star in CLERKS
**Puttin’ on the Ritz in YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN
Julia Roberts returns to the store that wouldn’t help her and Julia flips her escargot with a fork in PRETTY WOMAN
*The battle of wits in THE PRINCESS BRIDE
The French taunt King Arthur in MONTY PYTHON AND THE HOLY GRAIL
Meg Ryan’s restaurant scene in WHEN HARRY MET SALLY
*Riding the bomb in DR. STRANGELOVE
Carey Grant gets drunk in THE PHILADELPHIA STORY

My Picks: Tom Hanks and Victor Garber pretending to cry over The Dirty Dozen in SLEEPLESS IN SEATTLE
Peter Sellers as the German Scientist who can’t control his arm in DR. STRANGELOVE
The questions to get over the bridge in MONTY PYTHON AND THE HOLY GRAIL
The ending of SOME LIKE IT HOT (best ending ever)
Schlitz Malt Liquor in DOUBLETAKE


ROMANTIC OR TEARJERKER
Harry Stamper’s final goodbye to his daughter in ARMAGEDDON
Carey Grant sees the wheelchair in AN AFFAIR TO REMEMBER
When Harry realizes he loves Sally and runs after her at the New Year’s Eve party in WHEN HARRY MET SALLY
*Gravesite scene in FOREST GUMP
Grant pushing Hepburn back in THE PHILADELPHIA STORY
The ending scene of NEVER BEEN KISSED
The first encounter with Richie and Margot in THE ROYAL TENENBAUMS
The “I love America” opening scene in THE GODFATHER
Mr. Darcy gets flustered when meeting Miss Bennet after a swim in PRIDE AND PREJUDICE
*The silhouette love scene in TOP GUN

My Picks:
The scene at the airstrip in CASABLANCA
The picnic in TO CATCH A THIEF
“You had me at hello” in JERRY MCGUIRE
Liesl and Rolf in the gazebo in SOUND OF MUSIC
King Kong’s ascent to find Faye Wray in KING KONG
The Fish tank scene in ROMEO AND JULIET
Brando yelling “Stella!” in A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE
Robin Williams confronting Matt Damon about the abuse in GOOD WILL HUNTING


ACTION OR SUSPENSE
Neo vs. Agent Smith in the Subway in THE MATRIX
*The raptor jumping up through the ceiling tiles in THE LOST WORLD
**First 27 minutes of SAVING PRIVATE RYAN
Final fight scene of LETHAL WEAPON
Conference room scene in ERIN BROCKOVICH
Bruce Willis walking across glass in DIE HARD
*Carey Grant dodging the plane in NORTH BY NORTHWEST
Shredder vs. Splinter in TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES
Knife Fight Scene in WEST SIDE STORY
Elias’s death scene in PLATOON
New Year’s Eve in GODFATHER II
*Transformation of Judy into Madeline in VERTIGO
*Sarah Connor sees the original Terminator for the first time in TERMINATOR 2
When Frodo announces he’ll take the ring at the Council in LORD OF THE RINGS
*The shower scene in PSYCHO
*The catwalk scene in EMPIRE STRIKES BACK
*The fight scene between Vader and Luke in RETURN OF THE JEDI
The tortured mental patient twitches in SE7EN
*The horse chase scene in THE MAN FROM SNOWY RIVER

My Picks:
Yoda’s fight scene in ATTACK OF THE CLONES
Neil’s parents finding Neil on the study floor in DEAD POETS SOCIETY
Any fight scene in CROUCHING TIGER HIDDEN DRAGON
The final bell tower scene in VERTIGO

PROFOUND
Donald Sutherland’s realization about his wife in ORDINARY PEOPLE
When Dumbledore explains the meaning at the end of each HARRY POTTER
Robin Williams’s surreal encounter with the homeless man in THE FISHER KING
Every scene in WHAT DREAMS MAY COME (I told you, people love this movie)
*When Dorothy opens the door and realizes she’s not in Kansas anymore in THE WIZARD OF OZ
Luke appears with the twin suns behind him on Tatooine in STAR WARS
*Paul is trapped with the Frenchman he killed in ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT

My Picks:
The final meaning of Rosebud in CITIZEN KANE
“We’re going to need a bigger boat” in JAWS
E.T. says goodbye to Elliott in E.T.
The Friar’s “There are you happy” in ROMEO AND JULIET
The final confessional scene in THE BREAKFAST CLUB
The “I’ll be there” speech in THE GRAPES OF WRATH
The water fountain scene in ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO’S NEST



JUST REALLY COOL
*Ezekiel 25:17 in PULP FICTION
*Will Hunting dropping knowledge on the Michael Bolton clone in the bar in GOOD WILL HUNTING
Cameron kicking his father’s Ferrari through the plate glass window in FERRIS BUELLER’S DAY OFF
Christopher Walken and Dennis Hopper in TRUE ROMANCE
The vampire-rave opening of BLADE
When Duckie rips down the prom banner in PRETTY IN PINK
*The mailbag in MIRACLE ON 34TH ST.
*The denouement in CASABLANCA

My Picks:
Bicycling through the sky in E.T.
“I’m your huckleberry” in TOMBSTONE
President Shepard’s final press conference in THE AMERICAN PRESIDENT
“You know what they call a quarter pounder in Paris?” in PULP FICTION
Everyone singing Marseilles in CASABLANCA


Favorite Actors
The clear winner was Tom Hanks. Many people seem to love that man.

The next group down had Tom Cruise and Julia Roberts.

These actors also got at least five votes: Matt Damon; Mel Gibson; Sally Field; Carey Grant; Jack Nicholson; Sean Connery; Sandra Bullock; Katharine Hepburn; Robin Williams; Harrison Ford; Sidney Poitier; Peter Sellers; Kevin Spacey; Clint Eastwood; Nicolas Cage; Jimmy Stewart; Marlon Brando (although 4 people specified only the young Brando).

There were 65 other actors who got some votes too. I agree with most of these choices, but if I had to say, my favorites would be Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman, Bette Davis, and Errol Flynn. The best acting performances I’ve ever seen are
Bette Davis in NOW, VOYAGER
Marlon Brando in A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE
Anthony Hopkins in REMAINS OF THE DAY
Emily Watson in BREAKING THE WAVES



Best Movie-Only Characters (not originally in something else)
There were a lot of great choices here. These got at least 10 votes:
Louise from THELMA AND LOUISE
*Indy from RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK
Inspector Clouseau in the PINK PANTHER series
*Darth Vader in the STAR WARS saga
The shark in JAWS
Charles Foster Kane in CITIZEN KANE


My Picks:
Yoda in the STAR WARS saga
King Kong in KING KONG
Rick Blaine in CASABLANCA
Keyser Soze in THE USUAL SUSPECTS



Through the Decades
There were so many here, I had to only take those with at least 10 votes. The top vote getters I put in bold. For my own I tried to not only view the movies with the criteria listed above, but from within the decade they were made. For example, Birth of a Nation would never fly in today’s climate, but for 1916 it was a fabulous work of art. Also, I started in the ‘30s, since most people didn’t answer any earlier, and I’m not that competent to talk about the teens or twenties myself.


1930s GONE WITH THE WIND; KING KONG; ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT; WIZARD OF OZ; STAGECOACH

I had some difficulty, because DUCK SOUP, ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT, SNOW WHITE, and FRANKENSTEIN are all timeless classics, and there are going to be people mad at me who want to bring back slavery, I mean Scarlett. But My Picks are KING KONG, IT HAPPENED ONE NIGHT, and WIZARD OF OZ.



1940s CITIZEN KANE; CASABLANCA; IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE; THE MALTESE FALCON; DOUBLE INDEMNITY; GASLIGHT

This is by far the toughest decade to sort out. Besides the powerhouses listed you have REBECCA, SUSPICION, YANKEE DOODLE DANDY, NOW VOYAGER, MRS. MINIVER, GASLIGHT, SPELLBOUND, THE LOST WEEKEND, HENRY V, HAMLET, TREASURE OF THE SIERRA MADRE, ALL THE KINGS MEN, and especially THE GRAPES OF WRATH and IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE. Because the two best movies ever come from this decade, I am making the exception of exempting them from the three. So, besides the obvious CITIZEN KANE and CASABLANCA, My Picks are THE MALTEST FALCON, THE PHILADELPHIA STORY, and DOUBLE INDEMNITY.

1950s ON THE WATERFRONT; VERTIGO; REBEL WITHOUT A CAUSE; HIGH NOON; BRIDGE OVER RIVER KWAI; SOME LIKE IT HOT

This was the second toughest decade, simply for the sheer number of great films. Besides what the Readers picked you have SUNSET BOULEVARD, THE QUIT MAN, FROM HERE TO ETERNITY, THE 10 COMMANDMENTS, BEN HUR, 12 ANGRY MEN, SHANE, and especially ALL ABOUT EVE. But press a gun to my head, and My Picks are VERTIGO, A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE, and ON THE WATERFRONT.

196Os PSYCHO; COOL HAND LUKE; LAWRENCE OF ARABIA; DR. STRANGELOVE; THE GRADUATE

This wasn’t a decade filled with many fantastic movies, but the ones at the top certainly do shine. Besides what’s up above you have THE APARTMENT, TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD, MY FAIR LADY, IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT, GUESS WHO’S COMING TO DINNER, and THE GRADUATE. But for me, it was all about five movies, and after I was able to eliminate PSYCHO and LAWRENCE, My Picks are DR. STRANGELOVE, THE SOUND OF MUSIC, and WEST SIDE STORY.


1970s THE GODFATHER; STAR WARS; ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO’S NEST; JAWS; GODFATHER II; APOCALYPSE NOW

There are many really great movies in this decade. Besides what the audience voted for, you have M*A*S*H, NETWORK and THE DEER HUNTER. But this was actually the easiest decade. My Picks are STAR WARS, THE GODFATHER, and JAWS.

1980s RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK; BACK TO THE FUTURE; WHEN HARRY MET SALLY; FULL METAL JACKET; THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK

I wish THE PRINCESS BRIDE could make this list, or FULL METAL JACKET, or one of my favorite movies, THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK. But for many reasons, these three stood above them. My Picks are RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK, E.T. and RAGING BULL.

1990s SILENCE OF THE LAMBS; PULP FICTION; SCHINDLER’S LIST; USUAL SUSPECTS; THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION; FOREST GUMP; THE MATRIX; SAVING PRIVATE RYAN; UNFORGIVEN; BEAUTY AND THE BEAST; GOODFELLAS; GREEN MILE; FIGHT CLUB

This being the decade most ore familiar with, understandably this category had the widest selection of movies receiving maximum votes. I wrote about this in 2001, and I have seen nothing to change my mind. My Picks are SCHINDLER’S LIST, SAVING PRIVATE RYAN, and PULP FICTION.

2000s LORD OF THE RINGS; TRAFFIC; MEMENTO

Most people didn’t vote for this decade, being so new, but these three movies got the most votes from those that did. I am treating Tolkien’s saga as one big movie, so My Picks are LORD OF THE RINGS, CROUCHING TIGER HIDDEN DRAGON, and MOULIN ROUGE.


There is one more category left, the letters of the alphabet, but that is so big I think I’ll make it a separate column. Hope you’re enjoying the results so far. Tune in next time to see all your favorite movies battle it out for supremacy.

Down but not out,

Hyperion
July 29, 2003

Credits
Thanks to everyone who either gave answers or helped me organize this in some way

@2003 the Hyperion Chronicles