The Stalking Moon
  • The Stalking Moon
  • Cracked Leather Armchair
  • The Small Screen
  • About Me
    • Cool things About Japan
    • Travel Recollections
    • Contact me

My Top 25 "Desert Island Discs"

9/1/2014

 
Picture

Fans of all sorts have a love / hate affair with lists. Film buffs are no different. Some find them limiting or a waste of time; others find them diverting fun, a way to relate to the movies they love. I fall into the latter camp, and enjoy making various lists from time to time. Which brings me to the present post. Regular readers of this blog have likely gleaned an idea of my general taste in movies over the past two years plus that I've been publishing content here...but I thought it was about time to make some sort of claim on those titles that have fought their way into my personal Top Twenty-Five list. Some of these I've covered here already in greater depth, some not. But these 25 films have proven time and again to be the ones I go back to rewatch and enjoy more than any others. The list could easily extend to another twenty (or forty, or fifty...you get the idea), I'm already stretching the concept far enough as it is.

Desert Island Discs is a long running (since 1942) BBC Four radio program, in which the host interviews a famous or distinguished guest and asks them to choose 8 songs or pieces of music, one book (they are automatically given the complete works of Shakespeare, as well as the Bible or other similar religious or philosophical work) and one luxury item they would take with them if they were a castaway on the proverbial desert island. The guests then discuss their life, career and reasons for each of their choices.

So, with a slight tweaking of the original program's rules (25 instead of 8 titles), here is my own personal Desert Island Discs style list (the discs here being, of course, DVDs or Blu-Rays). I'll still keep the "one book"  and "luxury item" rules. In this case, the one book would likely be The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkein, though if I could cheat the list a bit to include a book series, I'd probably swap the Rings out for the complete 21-novel Aubrey-Maturin naval saga by Patrick O'Brien (I'd certainly find more useful "island survival" info in the O'Brien books.) And the luxury item? Harder to decide. Probably a toss-up between a fat stash of Hershey's chocolate bars, or a comfy chair in which to lounge whilst watching these wonderful movies.

Please note, I make no claim for this list as "Best or Greatest movies of all time," like the infamous Sight and Sound Magazine poll that comes out periodically. These are strictly movies I adore, that feed and nurture my soul, and that would provide strength, joy and succor during my lonely exile on this imaginary island. Understandably, there are dozens of titles that sorely grieve me to leave off this list, and that, on a given day, might conceivably trade places with one of the movies below. But, by and large, these are the cream of the crop as far as I'm concerned. Titles are listed in no particular ranking order - though if anyone asks, I usually answer Casablanca as my favorite film. I mean, really - does it get any better than that?

 
Please feel free to play along if so inclined, and include your own list in the comments below.


It's a Wonderful Life               
Raiders of the Lost Ark
Rear Window       
The  Quiet Man
Casablanca           
To  Have and Have Not
On Her Majesty's Secret Service           
The Big Country
The Magnificent Seven       
 The Great Escape
The Best Year's of Our Lives       
 Rio Bravo
Jaws       
 The Three Musketeers (1973 version)
The Professionals
       
The Thin Man
Aliens   
 Rocky
Hatari!   
 The Yakuza
Only Angels Have Wings   
 The Adventures of Robin Hood
For a Few Dollars More
 Planet of the Apes
Shane


Picture
Picture
Picture
Just a few of my all-time favorite movies.
Prashant C. Trikannad link
8/31/2014 04:02:07 pm

Jeff, for once I'm glad I've actually seen many of the films in your list considering that, generally, I'm the odd man out when it comes to lists of favourite books and films. Recently, I watched "The Magnificent Seven" again and replayed my favourite scene from the movie—Brynner and McQueen volunteering to transport a deceased half-breed to Boothill for burial. It's one of the coolest scenes I have seen in a western. While "Aliens" is an excellent choice, I'd probably have weighed it against "The Abyss" and "Predator," probably the former though I liked the oddball cast in the latter. One of the reasons I liked "Jaws" (and the "Omen" trilogy) is the importance of background music during critical scenes. Switch off the music and it's just not the same. I do want to see "It's A Wonderful Life," "The Quiet Man," and "The Yakuza." Thank you, Jeff.

Jeff
9/2/2014 02:34:30 pm

Hey Prashant! I also really love that Boot Hill sequence from THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN...really gets me pumped each time, even though nothing much really happens in it. Just a cool scene all around. Glad you've seen most of the films on my list...a lot of familiar mainstream titles on there, for sure, but these are my cinematic bread and butter, and I make no apologies for liking such crowd pleasers.

Thanks for the comment!

Sergio (Tipping My Fedora) link
9/1/2014 05:15:21 pm

Fantastic bunch of movies Jeff - I would have no trouble keeping most of these though to make room for BICYCLE THIEVES and GRAND ILLUSION (or DIE HARD and SINGIN' IN THE RAIN depending on my mood) I would sacrific HATARI and THE YAKUZA (sorry) - but the rest definitely stand

Jeff
9/2/2014 02:38:19 pm

Cheers, Sergio! I know titles like HATARI! and THE YAKUZA won't make many peoples' best of lists, but they mean something special to me and so I had to include them. SINGIN' IN THE RAIN would definitely put a smile on anyone's face if stranded on a desert island, no doubt about it, but I think BICYCLE THIEVES would make me want to wade out into the sea and drown myself...no offense! ;)

Pete Fitzgerald
9/2/2014 04:41:17 am

Great list, Jeff. I could easily duplicate yours for mine, with only an exception of two, but I'd go with these 25:

The Quiet Man
King Kong ('33)
War of the Worlds ('53)
On Her Majesty's Secret Service
From Russia with Love
Goldfinger
It's a Wonderful Life
Point Blank ('67)
A Matter of Life & Death
The President's Analyst
Raiders of the Lost Ark
Army of Darkness
Die Hard
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
Once Upon a Time in the West
The Bank Dick
Rear Window
The Professionals
The Great Escape
The More the Merrier
Night of the Hunter
Braveheart
The Incredibles
Seven Chances
Psycho

Too bad it wasn't 50 films, then I'd squeeze in High Sierra, Zulu, The Incredible Shrinking Man, A Christmas Carol ('51), One Million Years BC, Uncle Buck, Horror of Dracula, White Heat, Aliens, The Naked Prey, Frankenstein ('31), The Road Warrior, The Kid Brother, Sullivan's Travels and The Devil & Daniel Webster, among others.

Jeff
9/2/2014 02:41:37 pm

Great list yourself, Pete! From your past postings on the CHFB and Home Theater Forum, I've always known we share many similar tastes in movies and TV shows. Upon reading your list, I'd need to reconsider not having any Powell & Pressburger films on that imaginary island. Same with THE INCREDIBLES - wonderful film. Thanks so much for sharing your own list! (And I like how you snuck in an extra 25.) ;)

Clayton @ Phantom Empires link
9/2/2014 11:29:50 am

This is a tough one for me; do I really wanna take to an island the 25 movies that I LOVE, but have watched to DEATH? Admittedly I've seen THE GODFATHER several hundred times, as well as RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK (not even a slight exaggeration), but do I take CASABLANCA just because I've liked it longer than most? HOWARD'S END? REMAINS OF THE DAY?

One could kill themselves by thinking about it.

I'd have to probably take one or two from a number of genres; a couple Peplums, two 20's westerns, two 30's/40's westerns, three 50's westerns, a swashbuckler, a British drama or two, a couple Brit Empire stiff-upper-lippers, a silent, a couple Mountie pics, and so on. I think that if I were stuck on an island with THE SEVEN SAMURAI, knowing every scene by heart would kill me within a month. :)

Jeff
9/2/2014 02:47:14 pm

You raise an excellent point, Clayton ol' buddy of mine! Your idea to bring a wide selection of films from different genres rather than just tried-and-true favorites seen multiple times is the more practical option. If i was truly heading out to a solitary existence on an island, I might rethink some of my list to add more variety. I desperately wanted to put THE MARK OF ZORRO on there...as we've discussed many times before, pound for pound it's probalby a better, more streamlined swashbuckler than ROBIN HOOD, but the color and jauntiness of the Flynn flick won out for me. It would be a toss-up if it came down to the actual brass tacks of choosing between them, though. I'd probably grab a few less cozy titles to give me something to grapple with over the long lonely nights on the island...perhaps 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY or PICNIC AT HANGING ROCK to keep me puzzled and philosophical. It'd be a quandary, for sure...

Clayton @ Phantom Empires link
9/2/2014 12:00:53 pm

btw: The book would be ABEL'S ISLAND by Wm. Steig, and the luxury item would be an AR-15 with lots of rounds; those pirates and yummy sea birds ain't goo'na shoot themselves, wot?

Jeff
9/2/2014 02:49:05 pm

ABEL'S ISLAND...what a perfect choice! And more uplifting than THE ROAD...though both would get the survival juices flowing. Thanks for playing along!

dlhartzog@yahoo.com link
9/3/2014 02:31:29 pm

Great list! Mine would include The Wild Bunch, Point Blank, Bullitt, The Yakuza, Laura, Marlowe, The Outfit, Get Carter, L.A. Confidential, Heat, Rogue Cop, Where Eagles Dare, Dark of the Sun, La Dolce Vita, Blow Up, Duel at Diablo, The Professionals, Vertigo, OHMSS, Thunderball, The Hustler, Casablanca, The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, Gunn, The Magnificent Seven.

Jeff
9/4/2014 01:13:44 am

Wow...Great list, really interesting choices there, dlhartzog! I have yet to see ROGUE COP and GUNN (though am familiar with the TV series), but a lot of your titles could easily substitute out for some of mine. Absolutely love GET CARTER, WHERE EAGLES DARE, THE WILD BUNCH, L.A. CONFIDENTIAL, THUNDERBALL and VERTIGO...they'd all be on my next 25 list.

Thanks for commenting!

RicK link
9/4/2014 10:12:57 am

Jeff, I'd have to think awhile to come up with my own list, but you have some great picks and I was most pleased to see the following on it: THE YAKUZA, THE PROFESSIONALS, OHMSS, ROBIN HOOD, and MAG 7.

Jeff
9/6/2014 12:25:23 am

Thanks, Rick!...good to see another fan of the underrated THE YAKUZA!

R.A. Kerr link
9/26/2014 09:23:05 pm

Great list, Jeff! I would include several of those titles on my own list, including "Planet of the Apes". But, since I'm a sucker for Nora Ephron movies, I would also include "When Harry Met Sally", "You've Got Mail" and "Sleepless in Seattle". I'd also include "Double Indemnity", "Mildred Pierce" and "The Letter".

Great post! Very thought-provoking.

Jeff
9/27/2014 01:26:34 pm

Thank you for the response, Ruth! It's always fun to see other film fans' lists of favorites. DOUBLE INDEMNITY is a great choice, love that flick.


Comments are closed.
    Picture

    Videophilia!

    Opinionated ramblings about new and old  movies (mostly old, as that's the way I like 'em!)

    Picture

    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture

    Blogs of Note

    Stuart Galbraith IV's World Cinema Paradise

    Movie Morlocks (TCM's Classic Movie Blog)

    50 Westerns from the 50s

    Riding the High Country

    Sweet Freedom

    Tipping My Fedora

    Thrilling Days of Yesteryear

    Silver Screenings


    Laura's Miscellaneous Musings

    Classic TV and Film Cafe

    Just a Cineast

    She Blogged By Night


    Chess, Comics, Crosswords, Books, Music, Cinema

    Out of the Past -
    A Classic Film Blog


    Pretty Sinister Books

    They Don't Make 'Em Like They Used To

    In So Many Words...

    Greenbriar Picture Shows

    Flix Chatter

    My Love of Old Hollywood

    Tales of the Easily Distracted

    Another Old Movie Blog

    Lasso the Movies

    Kevin's Movie Corner

    Films From Beyond the Time Barrier

    Carole & Co.

    Rupert Pupkin Speaks

    Caftan Woman

    Vienna's Classic Hollywood

    The Lady Eve's Reel Life

    ClassicBecky's Brain Food

    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Hey! 
    Be sure to subscribe to the RSS feed below, to be informed of new postings!

    RSS Feed

    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture

    Categories

    All
    10 Best
    1960s Sci-Fi
    1970s Sci-Fi
    20 Million Miles To Earth
    50 Years Of James Bond
    70s Crime Films
    7 Faces Of Dr. Lao
    Abbott And Costello
    Abbott & Costello
    A Boy And His Dog
    Air Force
    Alan Ladd
    Alien
    A Nightmare On Elm Street (2010)
    Attack Of The Crab Monsters
    Bad Guys
    Basil Rathbone
    Beneath The 12-Mile Reef
    Bernard Herrmann
    Bite The Bullet
    Black Belt Jones
    Blade 2
    Blogathons
    Boris Karloff
    Brides Of Dracula
    British Empire In Film Blogathon
    Captain Kronos - Vampire Hunter
    Carole Lombard
    Caroline Munro
    Cary Grant
    Cecil B. DeMille
    Charade
    Charles Bronson
    Charles Coburn
    Charlton Heston
    Christopher Lee
    Circus World
    Claudette Colbert
    Clint Eastwood
    Clint Walker
    Close Encounters Of The Third Kind
    Colossus: The Forbin Project
    Dark Of The Sun
    Dark Shadows
    Deadlier Than The Male
    Desk Set
    Dirty Harry
    Disaster Movies
    Dog Soldiers
    Donovan's Reef
    Dorothy Malone
    Douglas Sirk
    Dr. No
    Elmore Leonard
    Ernest Borgnine
    Fantastic Voyage
    Fast And Furious
    Fast And Loose
    Fast Company
    Four Frightened People
    From Russia With Love
    Garden Of Evil
    Gargoyles
    Gary Cooper
    George-montgomery
    Giant Of Marathon
    Gladiator
    Gordon Scott
    Gregory Peck
    Halloween
    Hammer Horror
    Hardboiled93338e779d
    Hard Times
    Has Anybody Seen My Gal
    Haywire
    Heat
    Henry Fonda
    Hold That Ghost
    Hombre
    Horror
    Horror Express
    Hot Potato
    House Of Wax
    Howard Hawks
    How The West Was Won
    I Love A Mystery
    Il Postino
    Isle Of The Dead
    It! The Terror From Beyond Space
    I Walked With A Zombie
    James Bond
    James Coburn
    James Stewart
    Jaws
    Jim Brown
    Jim Kelly
    John Carpenter
    John Cassavetes
    John Ford
    John Garfield
    John Wayne
    Katherine Hepburn
    Key Largo
    Kirk Douglas
    Lee Marvin
    Legend Of The Lost
    Lives Of A Bengal Lancer
    Love Before Breakfast
    Marilyn Monroe
    Memorable Movie Dads
    Mickey Spillane
    Mirage
    Monster On The Campus
    Musicals
    My Man Godfrey
    Mysterious Island
    My Top 25 Films
    Night Of The Grizzly
    Once Upon A Time In The West
    Only The Valiant
    Open Range
    Pandorum
    Paranoiac
    Paul Newman
    Peter Cushing
    Phase IV
    Phenomena
    Poltergeist
    Rampage
    Randolph Scott
    Raquel Welch
    Raw Meat
    Ray Harryhausen
    Ride Lonesome
    River Of No Return
    Robert Aldrich
    Robert Mitchum
    Robert Wagner
    Rock Hudson
    Rod Taylor
    Roy Scheider
    Sean Connery
    Shotgun
    Silent Running
    Sleepy Hollow
    Sophia Loren
    Soylent Green
    Spencer Tracy
    Starman
    Sterling Hayden
    Steve Mcqueen
    Steve Reeves
    Stewart Granger
    Tarzan The Magnificent
    The Abominable Dr. Phibes
    The Andromeda Strain
    The Awakening
    The Badlanders
    The Big Country
    The Birds
    The Black Scorpion
    The Black Swan
    The Blob
    The Body Snatcher
    The Cat And The Canary
    The Crawling Eye
    The Creature From The Black Lagoon
    The Dark Knight Rises
    The Devil Rides Out
    The Expendables 2
    The Face Of Fu Manchu
    The Falcon
    The Fearless Vampire Killers
    The Fog
    The Getaway
    The Ghost Breakers
    The Girl Hunters
    The Gorgon
    The Great Escape
    The Hole
    The Invisible Man
    The Last Of The Mohicans
    The Last Sunset
    The Late Show
    The Laughing Policeman
    The Leopard Man
    The Lone Gun
    The Long Goodbye
    The Man With The Golden Gun
    The Mark Of Zorro
    The Matrix
    The Mechanic
    The Monster That Challenged The World
    The Night Strangler
    The Omega Man
    The Outfit
    The Princess Comes Across
    The Shining
    The Shootist
    The Thing
    The Thing From Another World
    The Tingler
    The Uninvited
    The Wild Bunch
    The Wild North
    Thomas Mitchell
    Thunder Bay
    Tom Conway
    Tony Randall
    Trollhunter
    Tucker & Dale Vs. Evil
    Two-Minute Warning
    Tyrone Power
    Underrated Detective/Mystery Movies
    Val Lewton
    Vincent Price
    Walter Matthau
    Went The Day Well?
    Westerns
    Westworld
    William Powell
    William Wyler
    Ww2
    Yvonne De Carlo

    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture

    Archives

    September 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    January 2015
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012

    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.
  • The Stalking Moon
  • Cracked Leather Armchair
  • The Small Screen
  • About Me
    • Cool things About Japan
    • Travel Recollections
    • Contact me