Listmania!
The best films I've ever seen
By an Amazon.com customer
Doctor ZhivagoDoctor Zhivago
Buy used from: $41.95
An epic love story with the Russian Revolution as the backdrop. Terrific cinematography! Color, letterbox.
The Day of the JackalThe Day of the Jackal
Buy new: $8.49 / Used from: $3.52
A plot to assasinate DeGaulle -- the police are up against time and a shrewd professional assasin. Color, letterbox.
The TrainThe Train
Buy new: $14.98 / Used from: $7.07
Lancaster's top film in my opinion. Black-and-white, letterbox format. A terrific WW II film.
The Lord of the Rings - The Fellowship of the Ring (Platinum Series Special Extended Edition)The Lord of the Rings - The Fellowship of the Ring (Platinum Series Special Extended Edition)
Buy used from: $11.97
There are, of course, three of these films, in sequence -- the next two are "The Two Towers" and "Return of the King". BUY ONLY THIS SPECIAL EXTENDED EDITION OF EACH! They make a lot more sense than the standard versions and NEVER buy the full-screen versions. Color, letterbox.
Burnt by the SunBurnt by the Sun
Buy used from: $29.99
A marvellous Russian film about a retired Soviet military hero and family man, living in an artists' commune, who runs afoul of Stalin's paranoia. Color.
Cleopatra (Five Star Collection)Cleopatra (Five Star Collection)
Buy used from: $8.05
The most expensive film ever made (allowing for inflation) -- it was worth every penny! This one is color, letterbox, on two discs.
The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (Two-Disc Special Edition)The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (Two-Disc Special Edition)
Buy new: $20.49 / Used from: $9.59
A black-and-white film that is equal to the great book from which it came. Full-frame.
Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark (Special Edition)Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark (Special Edition)
Buy new: $12.99 / Used from: $5.19
This one is timeless. The ultimate adventure film, a quest for the Lost Ark of the Covenant. Color, letterbox.
The Village (Widescreen Vista Series)The Village (Widescreen Vista Series)
Buy new: $10.99 / Used from: $0.89
This film really bowled me over! You'll have no idea of the ending. The cinematography is terrific and the story is truly unique.
The Winter War (Talvisota)The Winter War (Talvisota)
Buy new: $45.00 / Used from: $27.00
Maybe the best war film ever made. It's in color with English subtitles. Russia brutally invades Finland -- no Hollywood fluff here!
Apocalypse NowApocalypse Now
Buy used from: $10.96
Encapsulates the Vietnam War madness better than any other film or book. Color, letterbox.
The Cabinet of CaligariThe Cabinet of Caligari
Buy new: $13.49 / Used from: $6.67
This is an off-beat psycho-thriller. Great 60s interior sets. Letterbox, black-and-white.
Sleepy HollowSleepy Hollow
Buy new: $8.49 / Used from: $3.29
Wow! The Legend of Sleepy Hollow told as never before. Color.
Fairy Tale - A True StoryFairy Tale - A True Story
Buy new: $8.49 / Used from: $3.80
This is perhaps the best family film ever made. Two little girls find FAIRIES near their home and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Harry Houdini get involved. Awesome scenery, color.
Gosford ParkGosford Park
Buy new: $10.49 / Used from: $1.72
A tongue-in-cheek English weekend murder mystery on a huge manorial estate with servants who live vicariously through their demented masters. The Inspector is a bumbler but very funny. This is really a great film. Color, letterbox.
OblomovOblomov
Buy new: $26.99 / Used from: $16.00
All Oblomov wants to do is to lay on the couch and be left alone... but his German pal wants him to get up and go! A love story, in part, and sadly humorous. Spoken in Russian with English subtitles -- color, letterbox.
Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton Film Collection (Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf 2-Disc Special Edition / The Comedians / The Sandpiper / The V.I.P.s)  5 Disc SetElizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton Film Collection (Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf 2-Disc Special Edition / The Comedians / The Sandpiper / The V.I.P.s) 5 Disc Set
Buy new: $49.98 / Used from: $23.50
This is the only way that you can get "The V.I.P.s" on DVD, which is the film I'm recommending here but "The Comedians" is really a great movie as well. In the former, Liz Taylor is Cheating on millionaire Richard Burton (!!!) and plans to leave him... but she gets stuck with her gigilo lover at the airport. Great sub-plots too. Color, letterbox.
Charlie Chan Collection, Vol. 5 (Charlie Chan At The Wax Museum/Murder Over New York/Dead Men Tell/Charlie Chan In Rio/Charlie Chan In Panama/Murder Cruise/Castle in the Desert)Charlie Chan Collection, Vol. 5 (Charlie Chan At The Wax Museum/Murder Over New York/Dead Men Tell/Charlie Chan In Rio/Charlie Chan In Panama/Murder Cruise/Castle in the Desert)
Buy new: $38.99 / Used from: $29.80
This is the only way you can acquire "Castle in the Desert" on DVD which is the greatest Charlie Chan film of all time. A poisoning mystery at an actual Castle in the desert southwestern U.S. Great sets! Black-and-white, full-frame. "Charlie Chan at the Wax Museum" is really good too. These are all Sidney Toler Charlie Chan films.
The Battle of Algiers - Criterion CollectionThe Battle of Algiers - Criterion Collection
Buy new: $35.49 / Used from: $29.99
Algerian rebels fight for their independence against Colonial French forces. Black-and-white, letterbox, spoken in French with English sub-titles. Watch this one just before "Day of the Jackal" and it will all make great sense. This one is truly "film-art".
The Desert FoxThe Desert Fox
Buy new: $10.49 / Used from: $6.20
James Mason plays Rommell, yielding an almost sympathetic Nazi. One of the best WW II films ever produced. Color.
All the President's Men (Two-Disc Special Edition)All the President's Men (Two-Disc Special Edition)
Buy new: $19.49 / Used from: $6.50
Nixon's in big trouble! Redford and Hoffman are talking to "Deep-throat". All about Watergate. Color, letterbox.
Psycho (Collector's Edition)Psycho (Collector's Edition)
Buy new: $12.49 / Used from: $8.50
Hitchcock's best black-and-white film ever. This one is really scary. Black-and-white, letterbox.
The Maltese FalconThe Maltese Falcon
Buy used from: $6.03
Humphrey Bogart plays Private detective Sam Spade. Somebody murdered his partner and he plans to settle the score (even though he was having an affair with his partner's wife!) Superb performances by Mary Astor and Sydney Greenstreet. Black-and-white.
The Big ChillThe Big Chill
Buy new: $11.99 / Used from: $3.93
All Woodstockers MUST watch this film. Funny, sad, turbulent, and all about "The 60s and NOW". Great soundtrack of Baby Boomer music.
Ghost StoryGhost Story
Buy new: $10.99 / Used from: $5.46
This film is about as creepy as they come. I was never a Fred Astaire fan until I saw this movie. College Frat pals live out their lives with a horrible secret behind them. Color.
The Night of the GeneralsThe Night of the Generals
Buy new: $14.49 / Used from: $9.37
This is a combination murder mystery and a WW II film. A well-told story. You won't guess the ending. Letterbox, color. This movie gets rated low because the wrong people are watching it -- they think it's mainly a war film when they buy it and it's not -- thus, they are disappointed. Plus, this particular DVD is flawed (so find a different distributor if you can).
Never So FewNever So Few
Buy used from: $2.33
There are a LOT of great 60s stars in this epic Pacific Theater WW II film. Charles Bronson, Gina Lollobrigida , Peter Lawford -- lots more. Hugo Friedhofer provided a great atmospheric soundtrack too. Tons of shiny, green (studio) plants. Color, letterbox.
War and Peace (Special Edition)War and Peace (Special Edition)
Buy used from: $30.50
This 1968 Bondarchuck (Director/actor) Russian epic is killer -- very in line with Tolstoy's masterpiece. And this is the precise edition that you want because it's in color, widescreen (some cheapo versions are full-frame) with both English voiceover AND English subtitles. It's on four discs. Don't even bother with the Hollywood version starring Peter Fonda -- it's horrible.
The Big SleepThe Big Sleep
Buy new: $5.79 / Used from: $5.75
Another Bogart detective entry and it's a doozey too. Black-and-white and the disc has alternate versions on each side. Both are terrific.
Sherlock Holmes - The Hound of the BaskervillesSherlock Holmes - The Hound of the Baskervilles
Buy new: $13.99 / Used from: $9.33
This is the top "Hound" entry of them all, albeit it's little-known. A great Sherlock Holmes, a perfect Watson, and color cinematography and scenery which will knock you over.
The RobeThe Robe
Buy new: $11.49 / Used from: $5.30
A Roman Centurion "inherits" the robe of Jesus Christ after Christ is crucified -- his life changes, to say the least. A brilliant color epic film from the Lloyd C. Douglas book.
House on Haunted Hill/The Last Man On EarthHouse on Haunted Hill/The Last Man On Earth
Buy new: $3.95 / Used from: $0.24
I'm steering you to "House on Haunted Hill" here and the reason that I picked this version is because it's the BEST one, believe it or not. Most others are full-frame and this one is in letterbox and a high-quality print. Vincent Price is at his best in this black-and-white thriller and Von Dexter provided a superb atmospheric soundtrack.
The Big Red OneThe Big Red One
Buy new: $9.98 / Used from: $2.47
Lee Marvin just rules in this terrific epic WW II flick. Color, letterbox.
DragonslayerDragonslayer
Buy new: $7.99 / Used from: $3.18
What a fine Disney film this is! There is a single "flash" of side nudity on a girl underwater, so that's mostly why it's not rated G. A brilliant dragon. Color, letterbox.
House of FoolsHouse of Fools
Buy used from: $4.39
This is one of the most heartwarming, sad, and funny films of all time. The Russians and the Georgians battle away while the residents of a lunatic asylum are right in the middle. Spoken in Russian, English subtitles (Brian Adams is featured and sings in English), color.
Sherlock Holmes Faces DeathSherlock Holmes Faces Death
Buy new: $17.99 / Used from: $7.67
My favorite Basil Rathbone, black-and-white, Sherlock Holmes film (of the 13 he made). It's all about "The Musgrave Ritual" at a spooky English estate... and murder.
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly - Extended Cut (Two-Disc Collector's Edition)The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly - Extended Cut (Two-Disc Collector's Edition)
Buy used from: $5.43
My favorite western (well... "Spaghetti Western," but you know what I mean.) This is the long version which is best -- color, letterbox. Classic Eastwood.
Hatari!Hatari!
Buy new: $7.99 / Used from: $3.23
This is my favorite John Wayne movie. Superb scenery (African bush) and a great 60s soundtrack (Mancini!).
Desiat negritiat. Ten Little Niggers. (RUSSIAN, DVD PAL)Desiat negritiat. Ten Little Niggers. (RUSSIAN, DVD PAL)
Clearly (and sadly), there is a racial slur here in the title, but this is the Russian translation of AGATHA CHRISTIE'S original title... BUT, that aside, it's the best Agatha Christie film ever made, color, letterbox, spoken in Russian with English subtitles. This is the very dark mystery also known as "Ten Little Indians" and/or "And Then There Were None". This is superb "film noir".
Alien (The Director's Cut)Alien (The Director's Cut)
Buy new: $13.99 / Used from: $4.60
I was torn between whether to list this one, "Forbidden Planet," or, "War of the Worlds," so I thought I'd just go ahead and mention those other two great older sci-fi entries. "Alien" is incredibly scary and well-done. All three are in color.