Surprise Livestream (Dec. 5, 2022): Reaction to the 2022 Sight & Sound List

[@megamonstercookies]

I’m noticing a lot of strong reactions to this list, which means it’s a good one. I personally think that Jeanne Dielman’s spotlight is a welcome change. Not because of identity politics, but because it’s good. It’s challenging. You’ll never forget it once you’ve watched it. Personally, the film really made me reevaluate what a film is at its core. I think it’s a great tool for empathy and understanding. However, I understand that different people want different things from the movies they watch.

[@DaisukeBeppu]

Thank you and you have a very interesting perspective as always my friend!

[@Pumba0306]

Daisuke the absolute legend

[@DaisukeBeppu]

You are very very kind my friend!

[@numericalcode]

Love the respect for Beau Travail

[@DaisukeBeppu]

Thank you so much and yes!!

[@matttravers153]

Just dropping in later to say: I absolutely agree with you about Tokyo Story. I would love to have seen it take the top spot. Glad to see it remain near the top, though. It feels to me like one of the only top picks which I never hear anyone arguing against. Everybody loves Ozu

[@DaisukeBeppu]

Dear Matt, my dear friend, and thank you so much for this!! Yes, Ozu!!

[@rrc2141975]

Happy to see Jeanne Dielman get its due. A difficult, but rewarding film that demands a level of attention that some just don’t want to invest in a movie. I think it’s brilliant.

[@DaisukeBeppu]

Thank you so much for this! Warmest regards and happy new year!

[@kier4548]

Hi daisuke, very interesting seeing the "singing detective" o your shelf. Remember watching this in the uk growing up absolutely brilliant series 👌

[@DaisukeBeppu]

Hello my friend and thank you for noticing! I have been an admirer of the works of Potter for a long time and I have been recently revisiting the works on the DVDs that I have, including the great Singing Detective. Thank you my dear friend. I am so happy to hear that you too are a fan!!

[@PeterMcCluskey]

First time to your channel. Loved your discussion. Got to check out what other videos you have

[@DaisukeBeppu]

Cheers and thank you so much. It is very nice to be able to meet you, Peter. Warmest regards and I hope you are well.

[@SilurianSkies]

Something I've never seen on any lists is an Italian 70s film named 'Hitch Hike' (Autostop Rosso Sangue) amazing score by Ennio Morricone, starring Franco Nero , the beautiful Corinne Cléry and the born to be bad David Hess.. Compulsive viewing, one of the best road movies I have ever seen, this is essential for any video collection imo.

[@DaisukeBeppu]

Oh yes. I have the 88 Films release.

[@SilurianSkies]

@@DaisukeBeppu Merry Christmas from UK, I'm feasting on Asian horror this holiday period, PEE MAK last night and Hansel and Gretel 2007 now as I type.

[@island007100]

Hi Daisuke. Sorry that I missed this great discussion. My introduction to the Sight & Sound poll was in Roger Ebert's 1989 "Movie Home Companion", as it was called. That book, and his discussion about the poll, really helped to fuel my love for the great films. As expected, this latest poll has polarized the film community, some celebrating the newer selections while others see "woke" politics creeping into the selection criteria. Either way, in a time when we appear to be seeing the slow death of movie theaters (in the U.S., anyway) and a growing loss of interest in events like the Academy Awards, I think that anything that gets people talking and debating about films can only be a good thing. Thank you for the excellent discussion. Cheers.

[@DaisukeBeppu]

Thank you and yes it is fine to debate this, including the possibility that a film might or might not have been voted for for certain political reasons etc. that’s a fair point to discuss and even debate on. Totally OK. And so I agree with you. Cheers my friend.

[@neilsmoviechannel3199]

Hi Daisuke. I just watched your livestream on my tv (where I can’t comment, you may remember I used to contact you via messenger). Well spoken as always with a particular well done for saying the #1 film in full each time you referenced it. I’m not as eloquent as you but did post a reaction video too. Since then (when I had seen 84 of the 100) I have caught up with Touki-Bouki and Beau Travail, both very interesting. Before my video, Sunrise was my most recent discovery and wow, what a great film. As you say, the best thing about lists like this is generating discussion and it’s exciting to feel encouragement to check out films that aren’t the “obvious” choices.

[@DaisukeBeppu]

Hello my dear friend and wow, thank you for letting me know about your video!! You can of course post a link to your video here if you like. I am sure many people would love to check it out!! Thank you again and warmest regards and I hope you are well.

[@marcl2213]

Hello Daisuke. My sincere condolences for the lost of a love one recently. I hope you are well. I was a my computer when I got the announce of your lifestream. I was new to the sight & sound list and it was interesting to see both selections. Furthermore it gives the opportunity to every movie lover to complete some films in the liste that where missed. For my question about merchandise for your channel I agree with you; it could be either text («Greetings from Tokyo» as exemple) and I would also see a silhouette of you or your glasses, as sort of a logo. It would be good to have these items to support your channel. I would love to have a Daisuke Beppu mug! 🙂Cheers from Canada!

[@DaisukeBeppu]

This is such a lovely idea and I am very honored that you would say this. Warmest regards and please let me think about this. Thank you again.

[@marcl2213]

@@DaisukeBeppu No problem. I just send you an email (your hotmail address) just to show what I meant by logo (I did this quickly this morning).

[@asimler45]

Great discussion Daisuke. I’ve been following these Sight & Sound polls since first seeing the 1982 list in the Roger Ebert book mentioned in an earlier comment. The 2022 list is, by far, the most interesting AND the most disappointing. I agree with Paul Schrader that the list is the victim of some misguided intentions of being politically correct. I’m not a fan of Jeanne Dielman - I find it extremely tedious- and it’s #1 slot will not age well IMO. Tokyo Story would have been a more worthy #1. 2001 as well. At least they are in the top 10. The director’s list is far more interesting. Thanks again for spurring on the discussion Daisuke. You are easily the best of the film You Tubers.

[@DaisukeBeppu]

Thank you very much, Aaron! I really appreciate this, and thank you for sharing your take on this list. Warmest regards my dear friend and happy new year. I hope you are well.

[@athanlivaditis]

Sorry I didn’t talk in the chat, but I was listening to the discussion in my art history class. I’ve only seen 40 of the top 100, so I definitely have my work cut out for me. However with that being said I’m very glad Do The Right Thing and Portrait of a Lady on Fire got their due, but I definitely do wish there were more Japanese films (namely Harakiri, Ran, etc.) Hope alls well, Athan

[@DaisukeBeppu]

Hello my dear friend and that is of course OK. I hope you had a good art history class. Cheers and warmest regards.

[@Seth_M-T]

These would be my picks (in order of release date): Rear Window (1954) 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) The Godfather (1972) Dog Day Afternoon (1975) Raging Bull (1980) Fargo (1996) The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001) Mulholland Drive (2001) There Will Be Blood (2007) Parasite (2019) Half of these films don't appear in the list. I'm particularly shocked that Raging Bull has been knocked off! Although, Goodfellas seems to have taken its place, so I'm happy that Scorsese is getting the recognition he deserves at least. I think what this 2022 list tells us is that picking 10 films simply isn't enough. It doesn't make sense that The Godfather reached the top 15 but The Godfather Part II didn't even make the top 100. I imagine that many people who would have voted for Part II didn't have the space for it (like me). I hope they extend the amount of films you can vote for next time. Even extending the amount to 12 would already make a huge difference.

[@DaisukeBeppu]

Hello my friend. Wow... great list!!! I too was surprised by the omission of Raging Bull and the Godfather Part II.

[@willieluncheonette5843]

Why Sunrise dropped at all is a bloody shame. You CAN NOT make a more visually or emotionally perfect film. But with all the young and younger critics voting on the list I might have expected it. Just for the record my favorite films are Dr. Mabuse the Gambler, Sunrise, The Rules of the Game, I Walked With a Zombie, The Flowers of St. Francis, Kiss Me Deadly, Touch of Evil, Vertigo, Demy's Lola, Shoot the Piano Player, Contempt and Goodfellas

[@DaisukeBeppu]

Thank you so much. Yes, there are so many titles that I too was surprised by their omission.

[@timecapsule5604]

Hope everything is good with u my friend couldn't make it for the last livestream but i was hoping that maybe f not this year maybe in the future if u could maybe talk about or have a livestream on favorite Christmas films or tv shows I think it would be fitting since the holiday I'd around the corner and there are so many great holiday films and tv shows/movies that I think would be cool to talk about.When the Christmas season comes .I tend to only listen to Christmas music also be ause there is a tremendous abundance of great new and classic holiday music outthere and it helps me get in the spirit of the holiday season around now I still watch other movies but most of the time around this time I only try to watch my favorite holiday films and classic tv shows and cartoons.Be well my friend and have a great holiday season.

[@DaisukeBeppu]

Hello again my friend and thank you for your comment and suggestion! It is a great suggestion! While I am not sure whether I would be able to do it, all the same I think it is a great idea!!!

[@timecapsule5604]

@@DaisukeBeppu Thanks my friend I thought it might be a good idea ,I know u probably have many things lined up just thought to run it by you since it's getting closer to the holiday and I don't remember if u have done anything on holiday films thanks for getting back to me u have always done so since I've been a subscriber of your great channel and it's most appreciated and again thanks for all u do.

[@Stealthborn]

Hearing about the Sight and Sound poll and the results shows just how far we've gone in terms of tastes with cinema. And while there may be differences in opinions and taste with everything being subjective, one can't deny the power of movies period! Here are some quick thoughts on how I felt about each movie in the top 100: 1. Jeanne Dielman, 23 quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles-I do enjoy this film but I certainly would have other opinions about what I would put at #1. Still, it is a unique movie and it deserves to experienced at least once (though Paul Schaefer and some others might have other ideas)! 2. Vertigo-A great classic from Hitchcock and one of the best, but I still prefer a certain movie of his (Rear Window). 3. Citizen Kane-This was my favorite film of all-time for a while! While some might not view it in high regard, it still remains one of the best in my mind. 4. Tokyo Story-One of Ozu's best. I personally love Good Morning a little more, but this is considered his signature film by most. 5. In the Mood for Love-A signature film from Wong Kar-wai and one of his finest, though I do love Chunkgking Express and 2046 a little more. 6. 2001: A Space Odyssey-A film I want to love, but at the same time it hasn't stuck with me. Perhaps someday it will! Someday... 7. Beau Travail-Another surprising one. I did enjoy this one from Claire Denis. One of the more overlooked directors out there and quite a compelling film even though I'm not sure it would be in my top 100. 8. Mulholland Drive-My favorite David Lynch film! Though just one of many great films he did and a great one to start one's journey with! 9. Man With a Movie Camera-Alas I haven't seen this one yet! But I do like experimental films from time to time! And it is a Ukranian film to boot! 10. Singin' in the Rain-Although I'm not too big on musicals, this is one of those films in the genre I could enjoy from start to finish! A fine example of how to make a musical with top notch singing and dancing! 11. Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans-I haven't seen this one either, but I had my opportunity once and didn't do it (a missed opportunity). And it was the first winner of best picture at the Academy Awards! 12. The Godfather-One of the best films of all-time and so much has been said, but the fact that it missed out on the top 10 shocks me! 13. The Rules of the Game-What a satirical comedy from Jean Renoir! I do enjoy this movie a bit yes! 14. Cleo From 5 to 7-The film that got Agnes Varda known and helped her be one of the pioneers of the French New Wave! Her best film in my opinion. 15. The Searchers-One of the best John Wayne films. I would say it was his finest after having seen a bunch of his roles. 16. Meshes of the Afternoon-Nice to see Maya Deren get acknowledgement with this experimental masterpiece that was ahead of its time! 17. Close-Up-One of Abbas Kiarostami's finest and one of the most meta films you could think of! 18. Persona-One of Ingmar Bergman's best! Although I like The Virgin Spring more, this is still one of the best in his catalog. 19. Apocalypse Now-The best film Francis Ford Coppola made which almost cost him his life! Though stick with the regular version over redux. 20. Seven Samurai-One of my personal favorites and one of the films to help me get into foreign cinema (the other being Run Lola Run). Still in my top 10! 21 (tie). The Passion of Joan of Arc-Carl Theodor Dryer's best film arguably and so much emotion! 21 (tie). Late Spring-Another fantastic Ozu film! He is quite well represented here! It comes highly recommended and one of my favorites! 23. Playtime-A Jacques Tati film that embodies the best he had to offer in terms of his craft. 24. Do the Right Thing-Spike Lee's finest and one of his most endearing. Great film to debate and come back to! 25 (tie). Au Hasard Bathazar-One of Robert Bresson's finest and perhaps his most emotional. It gets me every time even though I've seen it and know what to expect! 25 (tie). The Night of the Hunter-Although this is the only film Charles Laughton directed, he left behind a gem that needs to be treasured! 27. Shoah-One of the most important films to watch and one that everyone needs to experience at least once. 28. Daisies-Hey, I just went over this film on one of the videos! Quite a surreal and wacky masterpiece that is much deeper than one might expect from the Czech New Wave. 29. Taxi Driver-One of the best films of all-time and my favorite Martin Scorsese film! 30. Portrait of a Lady on Fire-A great film for sure and I enjoyed it, though I don't know if I would rank it this high. 31 (tie). 8 1/2-A great film about movie making and a film that embodies Federico Fellini as a whole as well as a turning point in his career. 31. (tie). Mirror-One of the most mesmerizing films that has to be seen to be believed! One of Tarkovsky's finest. 31 (tie). Psycho-Although not my favorite Hitchcock, it was still quite a film for the time and it still is iconic! 34. L'Atalante-The pinnacle of Jean Vigo's work and made one wonder what could have been if he hadn't passed so soon. 35. Panther Panchali-The best known film inthe Apu Trilogy and one of Satyajit Ray's finest works! 36 (tie). City Lights-I am more preferential to Mordern Times, but City Lights may be the most pure Charlie Chaplin film and a fine example of what film making is. 36 (tie) M-A truly chilling film and the movie that made Peter Lorre a household name and changed his career path. 38 (tie) Breathless-A great movie form Jean-Luc Godard and the breakthrough for Jean-Paul Belmondo. And it transcends film noir elements and was one of the first films in the French New Wave. 38 (tie) Some Like it Hot-A funny comedy that brought out the best in Jack Lemmon, Tony Curtis and Marilyn Monroe! 38 (tie) Rear Window-My favorite Hitchcock! And it all takes place in one location essentially! 41 (tie) Bicycle Thieves-The ultimate example of Italian neorealism! 41 (tie) Rashomon-A great movie about different viewpoints of a story and one of the finest Japanese films ever made! 43 (tie) Stalker-An intriguing movie that was the beginning of the end of some of the cast and crew. One of the best Tarkovsky did though I can't decide if its his best. 43 (tie) Killer of Sheep-It has been a while since I've seen this Charles Burnett movie. He needs more exposure as a director after working the independent circuit. 45 (tie) Barry Lyndon-A masterwork from Stanley Kubrick and one of his most underrated films! 45 (tie) The Battle of Algiers-A great political movie based on true events which I got to see in college! 45 (tie) North by Northwest-One of Hitchcock's finest and perhaps my 2nd favorite of his works! 48 (tie) Ordet-A great film from Dryer again and one of his more celebrated works! A good movie for sure! 48 (tie) Wanda-A great independent film that I got to watch personally! I'll have to watch it again. 50 (tie) The 400 Blows-The best in the Antoine Doinel saga! Youth rebellion which would lead Antoine on quite a path in life!

[@mikem668]

Man With A Movie Camera is an amazing film. Do you actually know why you said it was Ukrainian? Or thought about how Ukrainian it could have been at a time Ukraine didn't exist and having been made by a Polish Jew whose family fled to Moscow 1915 to avoid the advancing German army? At a time when Ukrainians are campaigning in London against performances of Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker, at LA Scala against Boris Godunov and against Russia culture in general, cheering for the nationality of art based on politics is disgraceful. Do you advocate removing Eisenstein from the list? Do you intend to stop reading Tolstoi or Dostoevsky, listening to Shostakovich or Prokofiev (poor Woodie) played by great Russia orchestras conducted by great Russian conductors, because Zelenskyy tries to totalize his cause in a manner Stalin would admire?

[@Stealthborn]

@@mikem668 The film studio that made the movie was the All-Ukranian Photo Cinema Administration at the time. They made several films, and this was one of them. That' was what I saw when I looked up the background of the movie. I was only talking about the films on the list just out of curiosity since Daisuke did a video about it. All I wanted to do was simply talk about each film on the list but it appears my comment went somewhere else. I don't know what to think.

[@mikem668]

@@Stealthborn Thanks for the reply. Obviously we are living at a time where national identity in that area is politically charged. I saw the same thing you did. I also saw that Vertov moved to Ukraine - I think the movie was filmed in Odessa IIRC - and though he had many names (see below), the name we know him by is a "pen name" from Ukrainian, meaning spinning top. I'm interested in this period because I have family that came from Eastern Ukraine. I didn't contradict you, because the history is so complicated, I couldn't figure out how to describe him. AFAIK I've never heard personally heard Russian Jews from "Ukraine" refer to themselves as Ukrainian. I doubt Polish Jews would. Plus Vertov is difficult to place simply in his politics. The history and his artistic theories are too complicated The Civil War in Ukraine was complexity on steroids. Six sides, two of them Ukrainian, the Bolsheviks (which IIRC included a fair number of Ukrainians), the White Russians, a foreign army which included the French, and I forget the other one. Germans, Poles, cossacks? The Ukrainians were split, and by the time they united it was too late. A sad end to their dreams. "Vertov worked on the Kino-Nedelya series for three years, helping establish and run a film-car on Mikhail Kalinin's agit-train during the ongoing Russian Civil War between Communists and counter-revolutionaries." Hard to know how Ukrainian he considered himself to be, or even whether the film group that hired him was Ukrainian in the sense we understand. For example, Vertov moved to Ukraine at some point. He made a film about miners. Which means he worked in the Eastern Russian areas if that's where all the mines were. (They were.) He later made a film about revolutionary peasants. Around the time of the Holodamor. Were these peasants the Ukrainians Stalin was murdering? "Vertov's successful career continued into the 1930s. Enthusiasm: Symphony of the Donbass (1931), an examination into Soviet miners, has been called a 'sound film', with sound recorded on location, and these mechanical sounds woven together, producing a symphony-like effect. Three years later, Three Songs About Lenin (1934) looked at the revolution through the eyes of the Russian peasantry. For his film, Vertov had been hired by Mezhrabpomfilm. The film, finished in January 1934 for Lenin's obit, was only publicly released in the Soviet Union in November of that year. From July 1934 it was shown at private screenings to various high-ranking Soviet officials and also to prominent foreigners including H. G. Wells, William Bullitt, and others, and it was screened at the Venice Film Festival in August 1934. A new version of the film was released in 1938, including a longer sequence to reflect Stalin's achievements at the end of the film and leaving out footage of "enemies" of that time." *** Sergei Eisenstein wrote a script for Dreiser's American Tragedy. Louis B Mayer said it was the best script he ever saw. He refused to make it, saying he didn't want American kids blowing their brains out, it was that moving and that sad. Lots of film noir was shot or directed by German refugees. It's difficult IMO to claim nationality for great artists. Billy Wilder had a long career. Is Hitchcock or Chaplin British or American? Leonardo worked in France. Handel and Haydn worked in Britain. Wikipedia lists Handel as German-British and Haydn as German. And to get crazier.... "Handel & Hendrix in London (previously Handel House Museum) is a museum in Mayfair, London, dedicated to the lives and works of the German-born British baroque composer George Frideric Handel and the American rock singer-guitarist Jimi Hendrix, who lived at 25 and 23 Brook Street respectively." In a time of canceling and cultural appropriation, I prefer to situate people, including artists, in their time. Vertov is a complicated case, but it seems fair to say he was a Soviet filmmaker. Vertov was a great filmmaker. Don't know if he was a nice guy. *** "Vertov was born David Abelevich Kaufman into a Jewish family in Białystok, Poland, then a part of the Russian Empire. He Russified his Jewish name and patronymic, David Abelevich, to Denis Arkadievich at some point after 1918. Vertov studied music at Białystok Conservatory until his family fled from the invading German Army to Moscow in 1915. The Kaufmans soon settled in Petrograd, where Vertov began writing poetry, science fiction, and satire. In 1916-1917 Vertov was studying medicine at the Psychoneurological Institute in Saint Petersburg and experimenting with "sound collages" in his free time. He eventually adopted the name "Dziga Vertov", which translates loosely from Ukrainian as 'spinning top'."

[@Stealthborn]

@@mikem668 You make some great points Mike. Looking back at the film itself, although it was filmed in parts of Ukraine at the time, this was at a point in history when the U.S.S.R. existed which was at a different point in history. And this is where national identity comes into play as you said and where things get complicated, especially with director Dziga Vertov's origins. And those were also some good points about other artists and their nationality based on where they worked. It can be a gray line with how we define someone's life and career in that regard too. You've made me think more about this Mike which makes me wonder how many artists out there have fit this mold. More than one might think.

[@mikem668]

@@Stealthborn More than you think is an interesting question. I have a friend who, because of his family background, is extremely anti-Russian. He made a comment that the Soviet Union was a cultural backwater because of its Marxism. That's flat out and obviously wrong, to anyone who knows the history of 20th century culture. (I'm not claiming the great artists were all Marxists or didn't suffer under the regime, I'm claiming great art was produced despite and sometimes because of opposition to the ideology. ) Making a list, I tried to be careful and exclude marginal cases. Either artists formed before the revolution and artists like Nabokov, who left and wrote in English. Is Conrad Polish, English, or both? How do you classify Naipaul? Wikipedia says Trinidadian-British. I'd add Indian. In double checking, I ran into tough cases, at least with my knowledge. Tchaikovsky is one of them in the Ukrainian-Russian debate. I was taught Chinese history by a professor whose family lost everything in the revolution. He emphasized that in the 4,000 years of Chinese history, the Communists were just another dynasty. That approach, taking the long view influenced me. For one thing, to keep learning, pay attention to nuance,, and be willing to revise my understanding. Here's an example. The same friend, in his support of Ukraine, excused the fact that many western Ukrainians fought with the Germans against the Soviets. His point was plausible. After the famine they hated the Soviet Union. What I didn't realize, but should have been blindingly obvious, was that most Ukrainians fought with the Soviet Union against the Germans. A Ukrainian Red Army unit was the first Soviet unit in Berlin. What does that tell us about nationality? It tells me it's not simple. If you want to read a great book, Vasily Grossman's Life and Fate is considered the War and Peace of WWII. Grossman, a Jewish Ukraine-borne war correspondent was one of the first journalists to report on the death camps. Life and Fate was only published after he died. Back to movies... Commisar is one of the best movies I've ever seen. Here's the logline... "During the Russian Civil War (1918-1922), a female commissar of the Red Army cavalry finds herself pregnant. Until her child is born, she is forced to stay with the family of a poor Jewish blacksmith, his wife, mother-in-law, and six children." "Commissar (Russian: Комиссар, translit. Komissar) is a 1967 Soviet film directed by Aleksandr Askoldov based on one of Vasily Grossman's first short stories, "In the Town of Berdychev." Berdychev is centrally located in the north of Ukraine. The action takes place during the Russian Civil War (1918-22), when the Red Army, White Army, Polish and Austrian contingents were battling for territory. Of equal importance is the fact that in Berdychev, at that time, the Yiddish language was officially instated and, from 1924, it had a Ukrainian court of law conducting its affairs in Yiddish. The plot is based upon an intimate intersection of revolutionary and Jewish cultural manners and ideals. The main characters were played by two People's Artists of the USSR, Rolan Bykov and Nonna Mordyukova. It was made at Gorky Film Studio." My mother-in-law's father took his family (mother and two young kids) through Ukraine and Poland to the Baltic and then to America. I can't imagine the bravery of this man.

[@TheHemingwayLandCompany]

Setting aside individual films absent from the list such as The Wild Bunch, Pulp Fiction, Godfather II, Lawrence Of Arabia, The Shawshank Redemption or No Country For Old Men, it's most notable to look at the list of film makers whose work isn't even represented, including Curtiz, Capra, Wyler, Zinneman, Kazan and Stevens. This isn't really a surprise per say, as I think most of their works, rightly or wrongly, haven't been placed on the same pedestal (particularly by European critics) as Hitchcock or Wells (or apparently Wilder), but to see that even film makers like Lean and Spielberg aren't represented, or even a critic's darling like Malick is most shocking. And while I kind of understand the aversion to or exclusion of more 'modern' and 'commercial' directors such as the Coens, Fincher and Nolan, it's unsettling to see even more modern work (say from the last five years) so quick to be included on a list of greats. It's hard to believe that some of those will still be on the list in 2032.

[@DaisukeBeppu]

Hello my friend and thank you so much for your comment and observations about this list. And as you say, it would be interesting to see how the list looks in 10 years. Your observations are well taken. Thank you again and warmest regards.

[@TheHemingwayLandCompany]

@Randy White To be certain, Top 100 out of the millions of films made in the 130 some years of cinema is rarified air that few are qualified to breathe. That said, I believe they're "of a degree of excellence" akin to some and greater than others that saw inclusion on the list. There may be disagreement now, but I believe that will change in time. But even if it doesn't, I don't recall asking you and that wasn't the point of the comment anyway.

[@vodkatonyq]

@@TheHemingwayLandCompany nah, Shawshank Redemption is extremely basic and middle-brow.

[@matthewcharlton9649]

@@vodkatonyq it isn't high art or slow cinema, it was even released straight to video due to lack of studio confidence - however great art isn't just about profound ideas and technical innovation. The real achievement of The Shawshank Redemption is that studios churn out thousands of these bums-on-seats flicks but only Casablanca and this have penetrated the "arthouse" lists. What I'm saying is that art of story telling in film is under regarded otherwise we'd have films every year with the same impact as Shawshank it were that easy.

[@jbwuzhere6819]

Crap! I missed the livestream again.

[@DaisukeBeppu]

Sorry about my bad scheduling!

[@Jared_Wignall]

As I said in the chat, I actually never heard of Sight and Sound before this stream. It’s something that I’ve not heard many film fans/buffs discuss before. So this is fairly interesting to say the least. Some films I think deserve to be on a list of the top 100 films and I think some of the best were omitted, but of course making a list of the kind would be very hard as well as being dependent on one’s personal taste and favorites or films one considers the best when compiling a list like this. Anyway, thank you for talking about this list Daisuke, I hope you’re doing well. Have a great day!

[@DaisukeBeppu]

Thank you so much Jared!!! It was great to see you at the livestream.

[@shuaigege12345]

About 50 of these movies out and out suck. Including (but not limited to) Jeanne Dielman, Andrei Rublev, Killer of Sheep, a Brighter Summer’s Day… all of which ive watched fairly recently and remember well. And no Tree of Life? Pfffft….

[@megamonstercookies]

Killer of Sheep and Jeanne Dielman are fantastic! I couldn’t disagree more

[@megamonstercookies]

Tree of Life is also great

[@DaisukeBeppu]

Thank you for the comment and fair enough. Yes, not all these films will be for everyone. That’s for sure. But at least you gave them a try so well done for giving the films a chance 😊 Thank you again and warmest regards.

[@shuaigege12345]

@@DaisukeBeppu yeah, i just think a lot of them are boring. And for me if a film is boring it is a failure and nothing can save it. 🤷‍♂️ Love ur channel. Yoroshiku.

[@dvforever]

@@shuaigege12345 What films are not boring to you?

[@BadGuyRants]

The lack of classic Hollywood cinema in the top 100 was disappointing to me. Hawks, McCarey, Wyler & Lubitsch are all just no where to be found. Also animation reduced to just Japan and no Snow White or Pinocchio? I hope we get a top 250 at some point.

[@DaisukeBeppu]

Hello my friend and thank you so much for your comment, and a very interesting observation you have made.

[@cheebagardens1759]

Sight & Sound: How do we remind the world that we exist without pissing anyone off? Let’s pick a 3.5 hour melodrama that’s not streaming anywhere! Nobody will ever be able to prove it’s unworthy!

[@DaisukeBeppu]

Is the film available to watch on the Criterion Channel streaming service?

[@frodoman1521]

It's on both HBO Max and Criterion Channel.

[@paullaidler1480]

It’s also on the BFI player

[@megamonstercookies]

It’s a great film, though

[@Kraisedion]

As others have pointed out the film is readily available on multiple streaming services (likely one of the key reasons for climbing up from 35th to 1st - along with it's increasing must-see status). It is also worth mentioning that it is not a melodrama. It is a minimalist work, often categorized as experimental (though don't worry, it is not La region centrale). There is very limited dialogue, and a part of what makes it great is the way it strips everything down and puts daily chores and routine as the driving force of the action, and later, what pushes the suspense. Though do note, if you're not into contemplative cinema, this may not be a very rewarding viewing. Best of luck.

[@BackstageBackDoor]

I think Jeanne Dielman was nominated number 1 only because it was directed by a female director. And a feminist. There's no way this film that brings literally no pleasure at all, and is so boring, could go so high, if it was not directed by a woman. Sight and Sound lost total credibility for me. I even wonder if the jury saw that film until the end, in one time, without a smartphone in the hand...

[@DaisukeBeppu]

That is a fair point to raise about speculating on the motivations of selections. The act of choosing based on certain motivations is of course something that happens all the time though perhaps it gets much attention these days in particular. But I’d perhaps gently disagree with you on some aspects of your comment, and as I mentioned in my livestream it’s still ok for us to disagree. And ultimately it is but only one list and shouldn’t necessarily dictate to you or anyone how you feel about your own cinema journey. You are always welcome here to mention your view anytime. Cheers and warmest regards.

[@Kraisedion]

It is worth noting that there is no jury and no one "nominated" it for number 1. The critic list is an aggregate of over 1,600 ballots from critics, academics, archivists, programmers and other film experts. These ballots each list 10 films the voters believe represent the 10 greatest films of all time, with the meaning of this left up to each voter. Overall Jeanne Dielman was on 13.1% of the ballots and received 7 more votes than the previous winner, Vertigo. I think the fact that the director of JD is a woman and that it is a landmark "feminist" film (though Akerman rejected the label) likely played a certain part in landing so high. A portion of the voters have always prioritised historical, cultural, aesthetic, etc. importance, as well as trying to vary their ballots to be representative of what the cinematic canon should be, and Dielman checks a lot of boxes, including for representation of contemplative and experimental cinema. But as mentioned, this kind of thinking always occurred as S&S has written about this phenomenon themselves previously, from various positions, i.e. pro, con, ambivalent. 10 spots is of course a very compressed window into "the greatest films of all time". I don't think Dielman benefits any less from various boxes and biases than say Vertigo, likely the filler for many Hitchcock fans, classic Hollywood, and even pettier reasons, such as wishing to unseat Kane with the most likely candidate. Similarly, Kane will likely be coasting on historical importance and a circle of acclaim, and similar boxes for classic Hollywood and of course, Welles. The rise of Jeanne Dielman is frankly, at least in appearance, fairly organic. Over the last decade, the profile of Jeanne Dielman has risen drastically, moving it from a film on the longer list of "should sees" to a short list of "must-sees", which can be rather critical for a 3+ hour-long minimalist film. Alongside entering near the top of the S&S list last decade, and getting write-ups (multiple) in key popular publications, JD also enjoyed a large blu-ray release, before becoming available for streaming on Criterion and many other streaming services. This is a rather extreme event for a film as "niche" as JD, and the number of voters who had seen it likely grew exponentially, with many also likely rewatching and reassessing it as well. On top of that more women voted than ever before, and while no group is a monolith, and I'm sure most of the women voters did not vote for JD (again, it was on 13.1% of the ballots overall) I would however not be surprised if women, overall, had a higher degree of connection to films by women filmmakers than men - just a hunch - could be wrong. And yes, then you also have what many criticize as voting for a film "because it was made by a woman", but which I would describe as valuing perspective within the canon. I don't think there is a big difference between wanting to see Japanese cinema represented and wanting to see films by women represented. Of course, if people voted for JD due to Akerman's gender rather than the art itself, that would be extremely disappointing, but I don't believe this is likely to be the case, at least not on any kind of widespread basis. To me, the list is every bit as valid as in 2012, and I think Jeanne Dielman is a more exciting and worthy winner than Vertigo. I also think you overestimate the value of "pleasure", depending on what you mean by the term, in art - though JD is to me a very engrossing film, and the last 70 minutes or so/final act is such a successful example of how to create suspense with limited tools. That said, cinephiles without an interest in contemplative cinema may struggle.

[@BackstageBackDoor]

@@Kraisedion Thank you for your comment, Kraisedion. I’m not 100% agree with you, but you wrote a really interesting and argumented answer.

[@Stealthborn]

50 (tie) The Piano-Such great performances in this movie that to me is Jane Campion's best. 52 (tie) Ali: Fear Eats the Soul-One of my favorite Rainer Werner Fassbinder films. One of many films from the workaholic. 52 (tie) News From Home-Haven't seen this one yet, but it is on the Criterion Channel as of right now. I'll have to see this one from Chantal Ackerman... 54 (tie) Contempt-Another great Godard film which is one of his more well known works! 54 (tie) Blade Runner-One of my top 10 films of all-time. And it comes highly recommended with whatever cut you watch (I would recommend the Final Cut personally). 54 (tie) Battleship Potempkin-A ground breaking film that mixed in propaganda and had a famous sequence that was perceived as real but actually wasn't. 54 (tie) The Apartment-A comedy with plenty of drama moments to it. One of Billy Wilder's best! 54 (tie) Sherlock Jr.-I still remember watching this Buster Keaton film in a film class in college! 59. Sans Soleil-More representation from the French New Wave! Quite an experimental film that one needs to be in the right mind for. 60 (tie) La Dolce Vita-A fabulous Fellini film that has some memorable moments to boot with Marcello Mastroiani and especially Anita Ekberg in the fountain! 60 (tie) Moonlight-I admit I haven't seen this one yet (I haven't watched as many newer films sadly which is a blind spot, though I have heard good things about this movie. 60 (tie) Daughters of the Dust-I've wanted to see this film but I have yet to experience this independent gem about three generations of women in a family. 63 (tie) Goodfellas-One of Scorsese's best and one of the ultimate gangster films! 63 (tie) The Third Man-A fantastic film noir which is one of my favorites and hovers around my top 10! 63 (tie) Casablanca-A classic Hollywood film that very well was propaganda for the Allies! And that romance! 66. Touki Bouki-Still remember this from the World Cinema Project series. A great movie about striving to find a better life somewhere else. 67 (tie) Andrei Rublev-A fantastic piece of art from Tarkovsky and one of the best films incorporating religion! 67 (tie) La Jetee-Still ove the fact that this inspired the movie 12 Monkeys which is my favorite Terry Gilliam film. 67 (tie) The Red Shoes-A fantastic movie that I have an interesting history with. Highly recommended from Powell and Pressburger. 67 (tie) The Gleaners and I-Saw this on the Criterion Channel and an overlooked documentary from Agnes Varda! 67 (tie) Metropolis-One of my top 10 films and a movie I wish Criterion could get on their label, but alas won't. And my favorite Fritz Lang movie. 72 (tie) L'Avventura-One of my first introductions to Michaelangelo Antonioni, though not my favorite. Still worth a watch based on how the film is constructed. 72 (tie) Journey to Italy-One of the films that Roberto Rosselini did with his wife Ingrid Bergman at the time. An overlooked film in both of their careers. 72 (tie) My Neighbor Totoro-A great overall film from Hayao Miyazaki. Still can't believe that played this with Grave of the Fireflies! 75 (tie) Spirited Away-It is between this movie and Nausicaa: Valley of the Wind for my favorite Miyazaki film, but this made me appreciate his work and anime in general so I am indebted to it. 75 (tie) Imitation of Life-Such an emotionally wrenching film that has stuck with me for years after seeing it in college! 75 (tie) Sansho the Baliff-A great Kenji Mizoguchi film and one of his best! He had quite the flair as a director! 78 (tie) Sunset Boulevard-Such a haunting film with such memorable moments and great narration! 78 (tie) Satantango-It is an experience that requires one to be in the right mindset, but a masterpiece from Bela Tarr! 78 (tie) A Brighter Summer Day-Daisuke will be happy with this being on the list! A fantastic movie for sure though I would rank it a bit higher. 78 (tie) Modern Times-My favorite Chaplin film. He was a master of the silent era! 78 (tie) A Matter of Life and Death-Another great Powell and Pressburger film and quite a heartworming one at that! 78 (tie) Celine and Julie Go Boating-A wacky film that runs a long time but I did like what both girls did in the movie from Jacques Rivette. 84 (tie) Blue Velvet-One of Lynch's finest! Right up there with Mulholland Drive, and in some ways better. 84 (tie) The Spirit of the Beehive-A wonderful movie and one I have to see again. Love how Victor Erice incorporated Frankenstein into the plot. 84 (tie) Pierrot le Fou-A great mishmash of a film that is a perfect representation of the French New Wave. 84 (tie) Histoire(s) du cinema-Haven't seen this Godard epic, but any film about cinema would be up my alley! 88 (tie) The Shining-A great Kubrick film and a good take on Stephen King's novel even though King didn't think so. Jack's performance is magnetic! 88 (tie) Chungking Express-Kar-wai's best done film in my opinion. Two stories about love from different perspectives. 90 (tie) Parasite-A great piece of South Korean cinema and my favorite of Bong Joon-ho's work. I especially like the black and white version which gives the film a whole other element. 90 (tie) Yi Yi-I think this is a great Edward Yang film which says so much with so little. Such pure emotions! 90 (tie) Ugetsu Monogatari-Another masterpiece from Mizoguchi and a solid work involving two stories from the original source material and ghosts. 90 (tie) The Leopard-Luchino Visconti's big epic (up there with Ludwig) and has such lavish set design and even Burt Lancaster to boot! 90 (tie) The Earrings of Madame de...-Great film from Mac Ophuls and comes highly recommended! 95. (tie) A Man Escaped-More Bresson and a fun film in terms of watching life in a prison and what prisoners will do to escape. 95 (tie) Once Upon a Time in the West-My favorite Western of all-time! I'm glad it made the list though I'm shocked The Good, the Bad and the Ugly didn't make it! But this movie on the list is a top 10 for me. 95 (tie) Tropical Malady-I haven't seen this movie sadly, though I admit I haven't seen many films from Thailand. 95 (tie) Black Girl-A great film that is short but tells so much about the issues of colonialism and adapting into society. 95 (tie) The General-A fun Buster Keaton film and one of his most well known works! 95 (tie) Get Out-A great movie for sure, but I don't know if I would put it in my top 100. But definitely Jordan Peele's best. An interesting list for sure though I would have done it differently. I would have wanted to see my favorite film Paris, Texas have a spot on that list. But this is subjective so I'll leave it at that.

[@DaisukeBeppu]

My dear dear friend!!!! Once again, you are the best. I really enjoy reading your comments and takes as always.

[@romeroflores7576]

🐋 Any plans in the future for a discussion on the works of Darren Aronofsky? 🩸

[@DaisukeBeppu]

Hello my friend and thank you so much for the question! At the moment, I do not have any immediate plans, but I would definitely consider it! Warmest regards and I hope you are well.