iCM Forum's Favourite Movies of the 1960s, 2nd edition; Results

[pitchorneirda]

Let's say I'm a bit despaired by the results
I mean everybody agrees the 60's in the strongest decade for films but when I watch the results I only can see a very average list
My ratings for the top 10 : 6, 6+, 6, 8, 7, not seen, 4, 8, 5, 5

@blocho: I dislike The Graduate from the bottom of my heart

And what about all these Polanski's ? I like Rosemary's Baby but so high? And do the others from the 60's really deserve to be in this ranking?

What's deserve got to do with it? By what measure (other than your own taste) is the list average, or are the 60s the apparently-universally agreed-upon (I guess I missed that memo) "strongest decade for films"?

I know my tastes aren't better than anyone's and there's nothing to measure, I was just complaining this list resembles a lot any other top list one can find on IMDb or Letterboxd or Senscritique or whatever. Some of us have strong and hot takes but it never shows.

As for the 60's being the best decade, that is something I've read a lot, and no later than this morning on this forum somebody said 1966 was arguably the best year ever. This is something you might read for each year, but more often in the 60's or maybe 70's than other decades

[mightysparks]

Coz it's only 'some of us'. It's always gonna be a popularity contest, unless you fake it and adjust for popularity. Most of us are watching, and liking the same films. I actually think the 60s sucks, and a lot of dislikes showed up at first but all my faves ended up in the top part of the list.

[joachimt]

Pictures not showing up again. Me thinking "huh, I already solved that problem when 500<400 results were going", then realizing I'm on a different laptop.

[Fergenaprido]

Count me as one of those who also didn't care for The Graduate (6.2/10).

My ratings for the top 10 : 6, 6+, 6, 8, 7, not seen, 4, 8, 5, 5

From 1 to 10 (and out of 10): 2, 2, 4, 2, 3, 1, 1, 2, 2, 3
Last Year at Marienbad is the first film I liked (3*)

I'm quite surprised Psycho came out the winner though. Were some people deliberately pushing 2001 backwards?

Don't you rate your films on a scale of 1-5, not 1-10? Or are those scores converted from your * rating (so Marienbad would be 6)? Marienbad is the highest unseen film for me... I should really get around to it.

As for Psycho v. 2001 - 2001 is still a dislike but it's on my "need to rewatch" list, and may end up like Citizen Kane, which went from dislike to favourite upon rewatch (I saw both films in the mid-2000s, and rewatched CK a few years ago). I liked Psycho, so it's somewhere in the middle of my list for this poll.

I'll play the Top 10 game! Ratings out of 10.
7.8, 4.8, 7.4, 8.2, 8.2, 7.8, 7.6, 8.0, 8.2, 8.0 - Just realized I've actually seen all the top ten, for once (Saw Le trou earlier this year). No favourites, 1 dislike, and 8 made my list.

Thanks all for voting.

I will sent mighty the new urls so she can update the lists on iCM.

Will post some stats will follow later. Tho Gordon also posted some above.

And thanks for hosting Lonewolf!
I didn't see any in the Top 250, so what was the highest ranked Canadian film?

[Onderhond]

Don't you rate your films on a scale of 1-5, not 1-10? Or are those scores converted from your * rating (so Marienbad would be 6)? Marienbad is the highest unseen film for me... I should really get around to it.

Yes, but since the person I quoted started with a 1-10 scale, I figured it would be easier if I kept with that.

[Gordon_Gekko]

Is "pas de deux" not canadian? #242

[Fergenaprido]

Is "pas de deux" not canadian? #242

You're right, it is! Don't know how I missed that. Thanks Gordon

[Torgo]

Don't you rate your films on a scale of 1-5, not 1-10? Or are those scores converted from your * rating (so Marienbad would be 6)? Marienbad is the highest unseen film for me... I should really get around to it.

Yes, but since the person I quoted started with a 1-10 scale, I figured it would be easier if I kept with that.

.. and then switch to the 5* scale again for your evaluation of Marienbad, MHM.

[Onderhond]

.. and then switch to the 5* scale again for your evaluation of Marienbad, MHM.

Yeah, I can put in an effort, but at some point people will need to meet me half way

[sebby]

Let's say I'm a bit despaired by the results
I mean everybody agrees the 60's in the strongest decade for films but when I watch the results I only can see a very average list
My ratings for the top 10 : 6, 6+, 6, 8, 7, not seen, 4, 8, 5, 5

@blocho: I dislike The Graduate from the bottom of my heart

And what about all these Polanski's ? I like Rosemary's Baby but so high? And do the others from the 60's really deserve to be in this ranking?

What's deserve got to do with it? By what measure (other than your own taste) is the list average, or are the 60s the apparently-universally agreed-upon (I guess I missed that memo) "strongest decade for films"?

I know my tastes aren't better than anyone's and there's nothing to measure, I was just complaining this list resembles a lot any other top list one can find on IMDb or Letterboxd or Senscritique or whatever. Some of us have strong and hot takes but it never shows.

As for the 60's being the best decade, that is something I've read a lot, and no later than this morning on this forum somebody said 1966 was arguably the best year ever. This is something you might read for each year, but more often in the 60's or maybe 70's than other decades

In any decade poll, most-seen films that are liked to any degree will do exceedingly well. That's a wall that lesser seen gems will never break through. Just something you have to accept for literally every poll except <400.

60s are indeed generally viewed as the best film decade, tho my vote goes to the 70s .

[mightysparks]

iCM lists updated:

Top 250
Complete List

Seen 223/250, and 529/1763. Was surprised during the countdown at how many films I'd seen.

Top 250:
Seen: 223/250 (89%)
Highest unchecked: Kawaita hana (#75)
Number of favorites: 45/223 (20%) !!
Highest favorite: Psycho (#1)
Number of dislikes: 7/223 (3%)
Highest dislike: La dolce vita (#30)

Also, I'll play the top 10 game:

10, 10, 4, 7, 8, 7, 9, 9, 7, 8

Got Once Upon a Time in the West confused with another film and didn't realise it was this one I liked lol. Shockingly high numbers for a top 10 list of a decade I don't even like.

[sebby]

I am a notorious asshole when it comes to rating these days bt u my top 10 goes: 0, 10, 9, 9, 8, 9, 9, 10, 10, 9. (One of those was a typo). the accepted cream of the crop really is cream this time around.

[Onderhond]

Seen: 101/250 (40%)
Highest unchecked: Jungfrukällan (#25)
Number of favorites: 0/101 (0%)
Highest favorite: None found (n/a)
Number of dislikes: 47/101 (47%)
Highest dislike: Psycho (#1)
Unofficial films: 0/250 (0%)

Quite surprised to see I've seen 40% of the entire list, that's quite a bit for an era I don't like that much. The fact that none of my favorites made it is not so weird since I only had 1. Also no unofficial films it seems.
*cough*checkwhores*cough*

[cinewest]

Let's say I'm a bit despaired by the results
I mean everybody agrees the 60's in the strongest decade for films but when I watch the results I only can see a very average list
My ratings for the top 10 : 6, 6+, 6, 8, 7, not seen, 4, 8, 5, 5

@blocho: I dislike The Graduate from the bottom of my heart

And what about all these Polanski's ? I like Rosemary's Baby but so high? And do the others from the 60's really deserve to be in this ranking?

At the risk of starting a fire, Which others?

Have to say that in general I agree with you. I didn’t submit a list, in part because I feel like I need to see more from the 60’s in order to have a really good one of my own.

That said, I like my own list (half baked as it is) better than this one. I’ve seen 22 of the top 25, here, and 65 of the top 83 before my percentage starts to tail off, but very few are that essential to me in a decade with perhaps more essential films than any other.

Besides the overdose of Polanski (who I like, but think is usually over-aggrandized ) near the top, I am really sick of seeing Leone throughout so many top 10’s. In fact it’s kind of amazing that so many cinephiles prefer him to Fellini who began the decade at his very apex.

As for The Graduate, I wouldn’t single that one out in a negative way from many other American films on the list. It may have lost some of its presentiment through time, but it captured something about young adulthood (adulthood in general) at that time in America the way the more interesting Jules and Jim did about France a tad earlier, so I think it deserves a place somewhere on the list, and I can’t say the same for some of the others, though pretty much everything I saw was worth seeing.

Filmmaking in the 60’s was at it’s most liberated and adventurous, and yet folks here seem to prefer some of the least provocative, least ambitious cinema from that time.

As mightysparks chimed in, the downside of these polls is that they always end up being a “popularity contest,” where the most seen, popular, and least controversial films rise to the top.

[clemmetarey]

Seen: 195/250
Highest unseen: 29. Seconds (1966)
Number of favorites: 66/195

Thanks Lonewolf!

[Lonewolf2003]

iCM lists updated:

Top 250
Complete List

Seen 223/250, and 529/1763. Was surprised during the countdown at how many films I'd seen.

Top 250:
Seen: 223/250 (89%)
Highest unchecked: Kawaita hana (#75)
Number of favorites: 45/223 (20%) !!
Highest favorite: Psycho (#1)
Number of dislikes: 7/223 (3%)
Highest dislike: La dolce vita (#30)

Also, I'll play the top 10 game:

10, 10, 4, 7, 8, 7, 9, 9, 7, 8

Got Once Upon a Time in the West confused with another film and didn't realise it was this one I liked lol. Shockingly high numbers for a top 10 list of a decade I don't even like.

Thanks mighty

Seen: 215/250
Highest unchecked: #56 Viridiana

Top 10 game for me
9.5, 9.5, 8.5, 9.0, 10, 10, 10, 10, 8.5, 9.0

[tommy_leazaq]

Great work Lonewolf!!

I'm surprised I have seen 216/250.. never really seen this much in a decades poll here I guess..
Also my highest unseen is at #138 (La collectionneuse), which is also a quite a surprise..

And for the Top 10 rating, mine goes.. 9, 8, 8, 8, 9, 8, 7, 8, 7, 8

[Fergenaprido]

Seen: 116/250 (46%)
Highest unchecked: #12 L'année dernière à Marienbad
Highest favourite: #14 Lawrence of Arabia
Highest dislike: #2 2001: A Space Odyssey
Position of my number 1: #151 The Sound of Music
Highest film from my list that didn't make the top 250: #258 Victim (my #10)

Only 3 of the top 250 films weren't already in my database.

I'd asked earlier about the highest placing Canadian film. Gordon pointed out I'd missed Pas de deux, but my original thought was that Warrendale would be the highest. Here are the Top 11 Canadian films in the list (I might have missed a few above 500):
#217 Bambi Meets Godzilla (1969)
#242 Pas de deux (1968)
#292 Warrendale (1967)
#302 Wavelength (1967)
#368 A Married Couple (1969)
#392 <---> [Back and Forth] (1969)
#547 Rouli-roulant [The Devil's Toy] (1966)
#716 À tout prendre [Take It All] (1963)
#738 21-87 (1964)
#744 Universe (1960)
#754 Pour la suite du monde (1963) - I really thought this one would place higher, but it dropped over 300 places

[brokenface]

That said, I like my own list (half baked as it is) better than this one.

I'm pretty sure everyone likes their own list the most

[St. Gloede]

Seen 245/250

The remaining films:

It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World
Romeo and Juliet
O fovos
Pas de deux
Seven Up!

I had Culloden as a dislike, but removed it as my rating is 4/10 (which does mean I don't like it, but I try to restrict dislikes to bad films - also: I want to give it a second chance).

[1SO]

I have a hot take for you all: The Graduate is an average movie.

OK ... OK ... not trying to start any fights here. How about a question instead so that I can gain understanding from others: Why do you love The Graduate?

On the surface this is a highbrow comedy of manners, but this film aches beneath that surface like no other. It aches with the pain of malaise from doing everything your parents want you to do. From being really book smart, yet not knowing how to be your own man out in the real world. It also aches with the empty dissatisfaction of being a grown up. Of having everything you thought you wanted and finding no happiness. One of my favorite quotes ever from a DVD commentary is how for Ben the film is a comedy, and for Mrs. Robinson it's a tragedy. That being said, I think it's a tragedy for Elaine as well. Ben is smiling at the end, but Elaine is far more uncertain.

On a completely different level The Graduate is one of the most important films in my education as a fan of the art of making movies. This is my favorite use of the wide screen, which is not something you expect to say about a story free of elaborate Art Direction and comprised mostly of interiors. The frames are astonishing in what they convey emotionally. Mike Nichols came from the stage and generally isn't known as a visual director, but he uses all sorts of interesting angles, camera moves and edits. Many of them are rather obvious, but I like that. I like how clear Nichols is with his intentions. The images are a drug and the camera is the needle plunged directly into my soul.

Elaine Robinson is mentioned now and again, but doesn't enter the picture until it is more than half over. She goes out on a date with Ben, and to blow her off her takes her to a burlesque show. I feel very uneasy about the burlesque scene; it's despicable how poorly Ben treats her. I think it goes too far and it's my biggest problem with The Graduate. However, the date survives and Nichols conveys the instant chemistry of two people who you can tell are just right for each other, something I would have thought impossible unless you gave it the amount of time Before Sunrise did.

[blocho]

I have a hot take for you all: The Graduate is an average movie.

OK ... OK ... not trying to start any fights here. How about a question instead so that I can gain understanding from others: Why do you love The Graduate?

On the surface this is a highbrow comedy of manners, but this film aches beneath that surface like no other. It aches with the pain of malaise from doing everything your parents want you to do. From being really book smart, yet not knowing how to be your own man out in the real world. It also aches with the empty dissatisfaction of being a grown up. Of having everything you thought you wanted and finding no happiness. One of my favorite quotes ever from a DVD commentary is how for Ben the film is a comedy, and for Mrs. Robinson it's a tragedy. That being said, I think it's a tragedy for Elaine as well. Ben is smiling at the end, but Elaine is far more uncertain.

On a completely different level The Graduate is one of the most important films in my education as a fan of the art of making movies. This is my favorite use of the wide screen, which is not something you expect to say about a story free of elaborate Art Direction and comprised mostly of interiors. The frames are astonishing in what they convey emotionally. Mike Nichols came from the stage and generally isn't known as a visual director, but he uses all sorts of interesting angles, camera moves and edits. Many of them are rather obvious, but I like that. I like how clear Nichols is with his intentions. The images are a drug and the camera is the needle plunged directly into my soul.

Elaine Robinson is mentioned now and again, but doesn't enter the picture until it is more than half over. She goes out on a date with Ben, and to blow her off her takes her to a burlesque show. I feel very uneasy about the burlesque scene; it's despicable how poorly Ben treats her. I think it goes too far and it's my biggest problem with The Graduate. However, the date survives and Nichols conveys the instant chemistry of two people who you can tell are just right for each other, something I would have thought impossible unless you gave it the amount of time Before Sunrise did.

Thanks for your explanation. I appreciate the opportunity to understand how an admirer feels about the movie.

[Ebbywebby]

On the complete poll of 1763 films, I'm just 15 films away from a theoretical "Bronze." If I burn through some shorts, I'll easily get there.

[cinewest]

That said, I like my own list (half baked as it is) better than this one.

I'm pretty sure everyone likes their own list the most

Of course. I was speaking tongue in cheek at the time.

Still, there are film polls out there that claim my full attention.

[cinewest]

Seen 245/250

The remaining films:

It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World
Romeo and Juliet
O fovos
Pas de deux
Seven Up!

I had Culloden as a dislike, but removed it as my rating is 4/10 (which does mean I don't like it, but I try to restrict dislikes to bad films - also: I want to give it a second chance).

You’ve seen many more than me, st., but I’ve seen 4 of the 5 you missed. I kind of depend on you to provide knowledge of 60’s cinema, and so recommend Romeo & Juliet forthwith, which is not only one of the best film adaptations of Shakespeare, but the one that made the biggest impression on me, perhaps since I saw it the first time during my high school years when romance and tragedy were ripe within.

I also use it from time to time to illustrate certain scenes in my English classes.

Pas de deux is also lovely

[prodigalgodson]

On the surface this is a highbrow comedy of manners, but this film aches beneath that surface like no other. It aches with the pain of malaise from doing everything your parents want you to do. From being really book smart, yet not knowing how to be your own man out in the real world. It also aches with the empty dissatisfaction of being a grown up. Of having everything you thought you wanted and finding no happiness. One of my favorite quotes ever from a DVD commentary is how for Ben the film is a comedy, and for Mrs. Robinson it's a tragedy. That being said, I think it's a tragedy for Elaine as well. Ben is smiling at the end, but Elaine is far more uncertain.

On a completely different level The Graduate is one of the most important films in my education as a fan of the art of making movies. This is my favorite use of the wide screen, which is not something you expect to say about a story free of elaborate Art Direction and comprised mostly of interiors. The frames are astonishing in what they convey emotionally. Mike Nichols came from the stage and generally isn't known as a visual director, but he uses all sorts of interesting angles, camera moves and edits. Many of them are rather obvious, but I like that. I like how clear Nichols is with his intentions. The images are a drug and the camera is the needle plunged directly into my soul.

Elaine Robinson is mentioned now and again, but doesn't enter the picture until it is more than half over. She goes out on a date with Ben, and to blow her off her takes her to a burlesque show. I feel very uneasy about the burlesque scene; it's despicable how poorly Ben treats her. I think it goes too far and it's my biggest problem with The Graduate. However, the date survives and Nichols conveys the instant chemistry of two people who you can tell are just right for each other, something I would have thought impossible unless you gave it the amount of time Before Sunrise did.

Ahh great write-up, really feel you on that first paragraph especially.

[Rufus-T]

I should have placed just one vote for this as a single film instead of the four individual ones which i ranked #1-4 on my list. A low finish for this epic of epics but at least it is here.

It really is an epic film. I caught it in a screening last year with all four parts shown, and I had to give it up for the sheer scope of the project. Glad to put it on my list

This was easily one of the best things I've watched during COVID (and I've watched a lot of stuff over the last 7-8 months). Afterwards, I picked it up in a recent Criterion Collection sale. Great to see it make the list despite under 1K checks.

Voyna i mir [War and Peace] got to be much higher the 3rd edition.

[Rufus-T]

#4 (▲2 #6) Suna no onna [Woman in the Dunes] (Hiroshi Teshigahara, 1964)
2947.49 points, 3774 checks, official lists: 19

42 voters

1SO (#32)
AB537 (unranked>120)
blocho (unranked)
Carmel1379 (#65)
connordenney (#69)
Dolwphin (#4)
Ebbywebby (#47)
Fergenaprido (#22)
Gordon_Gekko (#6)
Gorro (#25)
hurluberlu (#8)
Ivan0716 (#106)
jeff_v (#63)
joachimt (#4)
jvv (unranked)
kingink (#6)
klaus78 (#11)
Leopardi (#3)
lineuphere (#4)
Lonewolf2003 (#35)
maxwelldeux (#3)
Melvelet (#6)
Mifune (#1)
mightysparks (#71)
Opio (#31)
PeacefulAnarchy (#32)
peeptoad (#36)
Perception de Ambiguity (#126)
perceval (#57)
pitchorneirda (#11)
prodigalgodson (#30)
psychotronicbeatnik (unranked>22)
Rufus-T (#34)
sebby (#4)
sol (#6)
Teproc (#33)
tommy_leazaq (#8)
Torgo (#3)
toro913 (#81)
TraverseTown (#12)
Wonderful Rainbow (#6)
zuma (#6)

Just like the 1964 year-by-year poll, this movie outranked Dr. Strangelove.

[Rufus-T]

Fantastic list! Do you have it in IMDb list?

[Lonewolf2003]

Fantastic list! Do you have it in IMDb list?

Yes. Here is the complete list on IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/list/ls086322894/

[cinewest]

Here's the top 25 from the TSPDT 1000:

1) 2001 Space Oddessy
2) 8 1/2
3) Breathless
4) Persona
5) Psycho
6) Andrei Rublev
7) La Dolce Vita
8) Lawrence of Arabia
9) Au Hazsard Balthasar
10) L'Avventura

11) Contempt
12) Playtime
13) Dr. Strangelove
14) The Apartment
15) Viridiana
16) Pierrot Le Fou
17) The Wild Bunch
18) Once Upon a Time in the West
19) The Battle of Algiers
20) The Leopard
21) Jules & Jim
22) Gertrude
23) The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance
24) Last Year at Marienbad
25) Blow-up

26) Le Eclisse

How does this compare with the top 25, here, and from other places?