Best of British Films

[Stavros]

Barry Norman, who for many years presented the BBC's programmes about new films, has compiled a list of 49 films which he thinks represent the best of British Films in advance of this year's BAFTA Awards; as usual it is an eccentric list and raises the obvious question -what is on your list?

I have compiled my own list but I can't think of 49 or 50 films worth including, I could not accept any of the Bond films, or anything by Michael Powell, as I don't really think of them as films, the former are no more important than the Big Mac is to world cuisine, while Powell's films are visually so sickening to look at they are unwatchable. It is a pity that no attempt was made to include anything by the independent film-makers, though it would be asking a lot to include David Larcher's odyssey Mare's Tail (1969), or the equally introspective work of Ian Breakwell. Not including the work of Bill Douglas is Norman's one unforgivable omission.

Norman's list is here, with the link to the story + visuals in the Telegraph; my own follows, for what that's worth!

Fifty Best British Films
Barry Norman’s List
Barry Lyndon 1975
Black Narcissus 1947
The Bridge on the River Kwai 1957
Brief Encounter 1945
Chariots of Fire 1981
A Clockwork Orange 1971
The Cruel Sea 1952
The DamBusters 1954
Dr No 1962
Don’t Look Now 1973
Dracula 1958
Four Weddings and a Funeral 1994
The Full Monty 1997
Gandhi 1982
Get Carter 1971
Gladiator 2000
Great Expectations 1946
Gregory’s Girl 1980
Henry V 1944
I Know Where I’m Going! 1945
if… 1968
The Ipcress File 1965
Kes 1969
Kind Hearts and Coronets 1949
The King’s Speech 2010
The Lady Vanishes 1938
The Ladykillers 1955
Lawrence of Arabia 1962
The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp 1943
Local Hero 1983
The Long Good Friday 1979
A Matter of Life and Death 1946
Monty Python’s Life of Brian 1979
Naked 1993
The Railway Children 1970
The Red Shoes 1948
The Remains of the Day 1993
Saturday Night and Sunday Morning 1960
Secrets & Lies 1995
Sense and Sensibility 1995
The Servant 1963
Shakespeare in Love 1998
Skyfall 2012


My List
A Man for All Seasons 1966
A Taste of Honey 1961
Barry Lyndon 1975
The Bill Douglas Trilogy
My Childhood 1972
My Ain Folk 1973
My Way Home 1978
The Cruel Sea 1952
The Devils 1971
Don’t Look Now 1973
Get Carter 1971
The Ipcress File 1965
Kes 1969
The Lady Vanishes 1938
A Matter of Life and Death 1946
Monty Python’s Life of Brian 1979
Performance 1970
Saturday Night and Sunday Morning 1960
Secrets & Lies 1995
Sexy Beast 2000

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/c...?frame=2470799

[robertlouis]

I much prefer your list, Stavros, although I would retain all of the Ealing entries. No Terence Davies, though? Or Ken Loach? Or Michael Winterbottom?

I would also have included This Sporting Life, Room at the Top, Darling, Billy Liar and a Kind of Loving as a representative cross-section from the brief renaissance of the early 60s.

[rodinuk]

Mr Norman's film list - now showing at the Pickleodeon

http://www.pickleodeon.co.uk/

[Odelay]

I like Mike Leigh's movies and although Olivier's Shakespeare is always held up as the best, I really prefer Branagh's version of HV and Hamlet. Does 2001 Space Odyssey count? It's my fav Kubrick.

[LibertyHarkness]

one of the best british movies made to date is danny boyles "sunshine" epic movie ..

[Odelay]

one of the best british movies made to date is danny boyles "sunshine" epic movie ..

Oooh, I like that too. British Sci Fi - very underrated. Boyle's Trainspotting is another goodie.

[LibertyHarkness]

not forgetting his game changing 28 days later movie turned the zombie thing on its head

[nysprod]

Hard Days Night 1964

In 2004, Total Film magazine named A Hard Day's Night the 42nd greatest British film of all time. In 2005, Time.com named it one of the 100 best films of the last 80 years. Leslie Halliwell gave the film his highest rating, four stars, the only British film of 1964 to achieve that accolade

[Dino Velvet]

Horror Of Dracula

[Stavros]

I much prefer your list, Stavros, although I would retain all of the Ealing entries. No Terence Davies, though? Or Ken Loach? Or Michael Winterbottom?

I would also have included This Sporting Life, Room at the Top, Darling, Billy Liar and a Kind of Loving as a representative cross-section from the brief renaissance of the early 60s.

Some good films, but have they lasted? No Terence Davies; no Michael Winterbottom, and Ken Loach directed Kes.