If you were to teach a class on 20th century American film, what five movies would you show?

And why?If you were to teach a class on 20th century American film, what five movies would you show?1.Intolerance(1916)



The Greatest Silent. One of the first films to treat film as an art form



2.Citizen Kane(1941)



The Holy Bible of Film making



3. 2001 A Space Odyssey (1968)



Great use of special effects. In simple words. Classic



4. The Godfather (1971)



Must important cultural film ever



5. Titanic (1997)



A sheer spectacle in blockbuster entertainment at the end of the century.If you were to teach a class on 20th century American film, what five movies would you show?
Citizen Kane - Yeah I know, to predictable of a choice and a lot of people now a days will find it boring and irrelevant, but then again the same can be said about the Godfather if you really think about it. Citizen Kane should be shown because of its historical significance and the impact on all films that would come after it. If it weren't for Kane, there might never have been a Godfather.

The Godfather - I don't need to explain myself here, everyone is in agreement about this one.

2001: A Space Odyssey - I'm currently in film school and I would say two of the major problems I see most young film makers suffer from today from a artistic integrity standpoint is their lack of knowledge towards art house/experimental style storytelling, and their lack of ability to grasp the difference between high concept storytelling and allegorical storytelling. Hell I would say some professors lack to grasp these ideas. 2001 perfectly demonstrates these two concepts I mentioned above and executes them in a way I would say is textbook perfection. Even if you don't get the film, at least this is a jump start point to where people can begin to judge and analyze experimental and allegorical stories.

Bicycle Thieves - Foreign film deserves some representation, especially Italian cinema. A beautifully executed black and white piece with a story that must be seen by all youths. Truly one of best demonstration of character in any film out there.

Star Wars: A New Hope - Easily the most directly influential and historically significant film of the last 30+ years. It's the reason we are flooded with blockbusters and high concept films now a days. It reinvented what a film can do and how it can impact the studio structure. It's also the reason Joseph Campbell books are taught like if they were the bible in screenwriting class. Also no Star Wars, most likely no Lord of the Rings.If you were to teach a class on 20th century American film, what five movies would you show?All Quiet on the Western Front
Schindlers List
Strangers on a Train
Casablanca
Annie Hall

These are classic American films that really were the "Inception" or the "Harry Potter" of their time and even today, everyone loved these films They also show where ideas for modern day movies come from, and give the foundation to current day Hollywood.If you were to teach a class on 20th century American film, what five movies would you show?
Terminator

Ailens

Star wars episode IV

Bladerunner

Toy story-good example of our animation



These films are just the most critically acclaimed films in industry and most people living in the english speaking world know these movies!If you were to teach a class on 20th century American film, what five movies would you show?Silence of the Lambs. That is 20th century horror right there, it actually has a plot and is very succesful.



Thats the only one I could think of :P