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naraburns  nihil supernum  1yr ago (text post)   4039 thread views

Friday Fun Thread for February 17, 2023

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I'm trying to compile a list of movies that would be useful in an overview of 20th Century History. I have two versions of the list, one with about 90 movies and a longer one with about 130 movies. I feel like I've covered most key events and themes, but the 1950s and 1990s feel a little thin. I probably have most of the obvious choices covered, but am likely missing some key outside-the-box options.

If you could pick 10 movies to show, say, a teenager to supplement their understanding of the century before they existed, what would you pick?

Edit: I've uploaded my long list to Letterboxd here:

https://letterboxd.com/dorrk/list/20th-century-the-movie/

Edit 2: To be clear: This not meant as a list of "important movies in movie history," or "the best movies of the last century," but rather as a list of movies that can be used to inform discussions of real world history, even if through fictional treatment of or adjacent to its subjects. What was important in/about the 1900s, 1910s, 1920s, etc.: what key events happened, how did people live, what were the thematic currents that for you summarize key times and places in the 20th century?

In no particular order, without repeating the other commenter (+1 for matrix), and trying to get 50s/90s

  1. Forrest Gump

  2. Back to the Future

  3. Boyz In The Hood

  4. American Graffiti

  5. Cool Hand Luke

  6. Baz Lurhman Romeo and Juliet

  7. Quiz Show

  8. The Apartment

  9. Manhattan

  10. The Big Lebowski

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