The AFI...a few gripes

I am a big fan of lists. Top 10 lists, categorical lists, rankings, and comparisons. It's because of this that I am naturally intrigued by the "100 Years...100 Movies" by AFI, the American Film Institute. I always find it interesting to see how movies rank against each other, and see where my favorites lie. Of course, these lists are made up by the "experts" in the industry, so there are bound to be conflicts, as with things such as the Oscars and Competitive Figure Skating. After looking through the various lists that the AFI publishes, I found three distinct issues with my own personal ideas. So, here we go:

Issue #1 - The AFI publishes a list of the 100 Top Movie Quotes throughout history. At the top of this list are such memorable quotes as "I'm going to make him an offer he can't refuse" by Marlon Brando in The Godfather and "Here's looking at you, kid" by Humphrey Bogart. My issue with this isn't exactly what is on this list, but with something that isn't. Nowhere within these 100 Movie quotations will one find the legacy creating statement by Darth Vader, "No, I am your father!". This often misquoted statement has gone down in the lexicon of both American and International cinema as one of the most recognizable and referenced statements in films. It has become synonymous with the Star Wars series, almost as much so as the instantly recognizable menacing breathing of Darth Vader. The criteria that the AFI uses to gauge the list of quotations is like this. The quote in question must have:

• Cultural Impact: Movie quotations that viewers use in their own lives and situations; circulating through popular culture, they become part of the national lexicon.
• Legacy: Movie quotations that viewers use to evoke the memory of a treasured film, thus ensuring and enlivening its historical legacy.

When these criteria are applied to our quote in question, it is easy to recognize why these 5 words from Darth Vader deserve inclusion on the list of the 100 Movie Quotations. Through the decades people across the country, and arguably the world, have repeated this quote in various social situations. Perhaps the best reason why this quote should attain a place on the list is that nearly any person would know what you are referencing if you utter, "I am your father!" in a deep, gravelly baritone voice.

My second gripe with the AFI comes from their list of 100 Best Thrillers. When a person thinks of a movie as a Thriller, they conjure up ideas of movies such as The Terminator, The Shining and Die Hard. So, it may come as a shock to you that on this list made by the AFI, the movie Titanic, yes Leo DiCaprio "I'm the king of the world!" Titanic, not only makes the list of 100 Best Thrillers, but it OUTRANKS the above-mentioned 3 movies! In fact, James Cameron's blockbuster, somehow categorized as a thriller, ranks #25 on AFI's list, meaning it is in the top 1/4th of the list. The criteria used to define the thriller list is such:

• Thrills: Regardless of genre, the total adrenaline-inducing impact of a film’s artistry and craft must create an experience that engages our bodies as well as our minds.
• Legacy: Films whose "thrills" have enlivened and enriched America’s film heritage while continuing to inspire contemporary artists and audiences.

Using the above mentioned criteria, it is hard to see how Titanic makes the list of thrilling movies, let alone comes in at #25. I'm not saying that Titanic was without any thrill, yet I find it hard to see how there is an adrenaline-inducing impact throughout the 3 hour and 14 minutes of Titanic. Yes, there was action, and emotion, but I feel that the overall intent of the movie is to be dramatic and romantic. The movie is more about the tale of two people from two completely different walks of life, who find love during a time that others wouldn't understand, than it is about the actual sinking of the ship. Granted, the final scenes involving the sinking and the various tragedies occurring to those onboard are impressive, yet I don't think that these scenes were the overall intent of the filmmakers.

My final issue with the AFI comes from their list of the "100 Best Heroes and Villains". This is a list containing the characters who the AFI feels are the 50 Best Heroes, and the 50 Best Villains in American movie history. There are obvious characters on this list such as Indiana Jones, James Bond and Rick Blaine for the Heroes, and Norman Bates, Hannibal Lecter and Nurse Ratched for the Villains. Surprise came over when I scrolled down the list of the villains, only to find Michael Corleone come in as #11 on the Villain list. I take issue with this because I do not believe that Michael Corleone is a villain in any of the three Godfather movies. He is a criminal, yes. He is a deceptive person, yes. But the villain of the film? No. I would classify him as the protagonist because, despite his sidings with the law or morality, the film is based upon him and his family. In addition to that, 99% percent of the people who watch it are most likely "on his side" and not wishing to see any harm befall him. Fans of the series are not hoping that The Turk follows through and kills Michael's father, nor are they hoping that the assassination attempt in Part II is successful. He is not a hero, not by any stance, but he does not create a sense of villainy, either....

Go online, and check out the AFI's various lists at http://www.afi.com/100years/ and take issue yourself....dissent is a beautiful thing