Something's Coming

Jesse Walker continues his top ten film lists.  Now it's for the year 1963.  A big year historically, with JFK's assassination, but culturally, America was in a waiting mode.  It was about to be hit by the Beatles next year. In the world of film, change had swept over France and England, but America was mostly stuck in old ways--ways that would have to change as the studios were dying.

Lets see what Jesse picks for his top ten.  My guess is there won't be much from Hollywood:

1. The Birds
2. Ikarie XB-1
3. The Silence
4. The Leopard
5. This Sporting Life
6. The Great Escape
7. The Haunting
8. Méditerranée
9. Judex
10. Muriel

Perhaps it's a sign of how weak the year was that much of it is from directors who've done considerably better work.  For instance, I enjoy The Birds, but it's a big letdown after North By Northwest and Psycho.  Never seen Ikarie, though I'd like to.  The Silence would make my list--Bergman is one of the few directors this year working at the top of his game.

The Leopard gets points for its grand design, but I don't think it's a classic.  This Sporting Life isn't bad, but the Angry Young Man is getting tired.  The Great Escape is a decent film with a reputation higher than its actual quality.  The Haunting isn't bad but, once again, no classic.

Haven't seen Mediterranee, haven't seen Judex. I'd especially like to see the latter (though a Franju fan told me it's no Eyes Without A Face).  Muriel is okay but once again, far from the best the director has to offer.

Here are the honorable mentions:

11. Winter Light
12. The Servant
13. Hud
14. An Actor's Revenge
15. High and Low
16. Moth Light
17. 8 1/2
18. Renaissance
19. To Parsifal
20. Charade

Jesse also mentions the Zapruder film, which is certainly the most memorable footage shot that year.  Also, he's not that impressed by the Oscar-winning Tom Jones.

11 would make my top ten list.  12 is one of those "classics" that may have stood out in its day but is mostly an incomprehensible mess. I'd say 13 hasn't aged that well except that I'm not sure it was that great to begin with.  Haven't seen 14.  15 would be in my top ten.  16 is a short.  17 is maybe the most overrated film in the history of movies.  Haven't seen 18 or 19.  20 is fun--no great shakes, but probably the best ersatz Hitchcock, and a ton of such films were soon to follow.

Here are some other films from 1963 I like:

Beach Party, Billy Liar, Bye Bye Birdie, From Russia With Love, Jason And The Argonauts, The Nutty Professor, The Pink Panther, Shock Corridor.

Other films of note:

4 For Texas, 55 Days At Peking,  Act One, America America, Call Me Bwana, Captain Newman M.D., The Carbineers, The Cardinal, The Caretaker, Clash By Night, Cleopatra, Come Blow Your Horn, Come Fly With Me, Contempt, The Courtship Of Eddie’s Father, Critic’s Choice, The Day The Earth Caught Fire, Dementia 13, Donovan’s Reef, Flipper, Fun In Acapulco, Irma La Douce, It Happened At The World’s Far, It’s A Mad Mad Mad Mad World, The King Of Kings, Lilies Of The Field, The List Of Adrian Messenger, Lord Of The Flies, Love With A Proper Stranger, The Man From Diner’s Club, Mary Mary, McLintock!, The Mouse On The Moon, A New Kind Of Love, Papa’s Delicate Condition, PT 109, The Raven, The Sadist, Soldier In The Rain, Son Of Flubber, Summer Holiday, Sunday In New York, The Sword In The Stone, Take Her She’s Mine, The Terror, The Three Stooges Go Around The World In A Daze, The Thrill Of It All, Toys In The Attic, The Ugly American, Under The Yum Yum Tree, The V.I.P.s, The Wheeler Dealers, Who’s Minding The Store?