The 100: – No.1 – Blade Runner

I’ve seen things you people wouldn’t believe. Coming in at number 1 and topping the chart is Ridley Scott’s 1982 Sci-Fi masterpiece that is Blade Runner. Adapted from the book Do Androids Dream Of Electric Sheep by Philip K Dick, we follow the tale of Rick Deckard (Harrison Ford), an ex police officer who is roped backed in by his old supervisor Bryant, to take up his old role as a Blade Runner, responsible for tracking down bioengineered humans, better known as Replicants and retire (kill) them. Four of the replicants (Roy, Leon, Zhora and Pris) have entered Earth from Mars, one was apprehended and subjected to a Voight-Kampff test, designed as such to tell a human from a replicant by judging their emotional responses. Holden, a fellow Blade Runner, had been conducting the test, when the re replicant, Leon, pulls a gun and shoots him. Bryant tells Deckard, these replicant variants are the Nexus-6, the latest design. Deckard heads over to the Tyrell Corporation to meet CEO Eldon Tyrell, who asks him to perform a Voight-Kampff test on one of his assistants Rachel, purely so that he can see if the test fails. Deckard tests Rachel, and after a longer than usual test, he determines she is a replicant who believes she is human. Tyrell confirms this and advises they have implanted memories in her programming to create an emotional cushion.

Deckard investigates Leon’s hotel room finding pictures and a synthetic snake scale. Roy and Leon visit an eye manufacturing plant for replicants and learn of a man called J F Sebastian, who due to his excellence in genetic design, works closely with Tyrell. Deckard returns home to find Rachel there. She tries to prove to him that she is human, but he tells her about the implanted memories causing her to become upset and leave. Pris tracks down Sebastian and gains his trust so that Roy can get access to Tyrell. Deckard tracks down Zhora, and after a confrontation, kills her. With new orders given to eliminate Rachel too, he sees her but is set upon by Leon. Before Leon can kill him, Rachel shoots Leon, killing him. Deckard promises not to kill Rachel, when she tries to leave, he forcibly makes her stay to which she ultimately relents. Roy tells Pris that they are the only two left and that due to their four year life span, their lives will soon be over. He gains access to Tyrell’s penthouse through Sebastian, and after demanding that he be given more life, which Tyrell advises is impossible, he kills Tyrell and subsequently Sebastian.

Deckard heads to Sebastian’s apartment after learning of the death, killing Pris after she ambushes him, just as Roy returns. He proceeds to hunt chase Deckard down through the building, despite his body starting to fail on him. It leads to a confrontation atop the building and one of the most fantastic monologues in film.

Why do I love this movie so much it obtains the number one spot? Let me count the ways. For one, the visual design is superb, a future dystopia, built up in neon and lights that does seem at times how it is these days. The actors are superb, Ford as the gruff Deckard, pulled back in for a job he walked away from. Working his way through the clues to try and track down the replicants is great to watch as the pieces start to slowly come together. Rutger Hauer is superb as Roy, exuding a brooding menace, but also a supreme intelligence that he demonstrates when he’s speaking. His confrontation with Tyrell, building fury as he decries how he cannot live longer than the allotted four years, to his beautiful monologue to Deckard at the films end, make for captivating viewing and listening. Sean Young brings an innocent nature to Rachel, who yearns to be human, as the memories implanted take a hold.

When it was released, it was not a financial success, coming out at the same time as E.T. which raked in big money. It also baffled some critics, some praised it, others criticized it for being slowly paced. Another point about this film is that there are multiple versions of it. The initial release had a “happy ending” tacked on to appease test audiences (this uses interspersed shots from Stanley Kubricks unused footage for The Shining) which when viewed today does suit the narrative. In 1992, The Directors cut was released which removed the happy ending along with several voiceovers from Deckard and also the inclusion of the Unicorn dream sequence. This was then followed by the Final Cut in 2007, which extended the dream sequence and restored several cuts from the U.S. version that had remained in international cuts, mainly violently inclined ones. There are several other versions as well, all with varying cuts/additions made over the years. Ultimately, it’s up to you what version you watch, (I have them all, when they released a box set comprising of them all and the Dangerous Days documentary of the making of the film.

The soundtrack was created by Vangelis, layering beautiful electronica with elements of jazz, neo-noir style film music but also flourishes of Middle Eastern thrown in. It swells with emotion and when added to the visual shots, brings it all together in a combination of mediums.

One question that has arisen since the release of the film is whether Deckard himself is a replicant. Opinions differ on this one, Harrison Ford wanted him to be human, Ridley Scott said he was a replicant. One strong view taken of this is the Unicorn dream, where combined with the origami unicorn left by Gaff outside Deckard’s apartment, has lead some people to argue that he is a replicant as Gaff has found the implanted memories and is playing them, whilst other people believe that because it is a dream, it is something that is a shared affinity. the film does leave it ambiguous and no clear definition is stated. It your own choice to make, I believe he’s a human, after all, in the book, he is too, but does question his humanity. Again, the film is a different adaptation of the book, but the core is there. It is well worth reading as well to delve further into the universe, along with the sequel, Blade Runner 2049, which was released in 2017 to critical praise but not making a lot of money by budgetary standards. It is also well worth your time.

So with that we reach the end of our journey, it’s been a long trek from number 100 to number 1, but it is one that I have enjoyed curating for you, and I hope you’ve enjoyed reading/following along with my list. I shall return with more works soon, I cam currently contemplating a new list, shorter this time, of films I have seen, that I consider amongst the worst things committed to film, along with picking some random films from my collection and sharing some insights on why I like them.

Anyways, until then…

The 100: – No.2 – Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back

Come on, if you know me, did you really expect me to get all the way through this list without a single Star Wars movie? Well here we are, in runners up spot, we find the best Star Wars film, Irvin Kershner’s The Empire Strikes Back. We follow on three years from the events of A New Hope. The Death Star has been destroyed, but The Galactic Empire still lives, and it’s hunting down the scattered Rebel Alliance through the galaxy. After dispatching probe droids through out the many systems, they review findings from the ice planet Hoth, which leads Darth Vader to declare this is where the rebels are hiding. Whilst on patrol on the arctic tundra, Luke Skywalker is attacked by a Wampa, but eventually frees himself using the Force. As he slowly succumbs to hypothermia, Obi-Wan Kenobi appears before him and instructs him to make his way to the planet Dagobah to continue his learning of the Force from Jedi master Yoda. Han Solo saves Luke and after keeping him alive, they are rescued the following morning. The Empire launches a large scale assault on the base, primarily using AT-AT walkers to advance and destroy the Rebels defences. Despite efforts to fight back, the Rebels have to evacuate the base, with Han, Leia, C3-PO and Chewbacca escaping through an Imperial blockade of Star Destroyers with a malfunctioning hyperdrive and have to hide in an asteroid field. Vader calls upon a collection of bounty hunters to search for Han and the Millennium Falcon.

Luke heads to Dagobah with R2-D2 in his X-Wing to find Master Yoda. Yoda turns out to be a small green creature who reluctantly agrees to train Luke. Han takes the crew to Cloud City on the planet Bespin, a mining operation governed by his old friend, Lando Calrissian. Unknown to Han, bounty hunter Boba Fett has tracked them there and informs Vader of his location. Vader arrives and forces Lando to hand over the rebels. Vader’s plan is to use them as bait to get Luke to attempt to save them so they can engage in a battle and recruit him to the dark side of the Force. Luke sense this and despite Yoda and Obi-Wan’s spirit advising him not to go as his training is not complete, he heads off regardless. Vader’s plan for Luke tis to have him frozen in carbonite so he can be transported to his master, Emperor Palpatine. He tests the process on Han, who Boba Fett has claimed as his reward for assisting the Empire, and will transport him to Jabba The Hutt to collect the bounty on Han.

Lando frees Leia and Chewbacca, but are too late to save Han. They flee in the Falcon shortly after Luke arrives, despite Leia warning him it’s a trap. Luke tracks down Vader, engaging in a tense lightsaber battle before Vader gains the upper hand and delivers one of the biggest twists in cinematic history.

Now, a pointer. I love Star Wars, I grew up with it as a kid. I had VHS tapes of it, toys, would play games of it with my best mates and brother and cousins. It was a good chunk of my childhood. Obviously the latter years have been a mixed bag for fans of the series, but that is another discussion for another time. So why Empire, and not a New Hope or Jedi? Well, for me, this is fantastic cinematic experience. It is a darker film than New Hope, The Empire come across here as more unstoppable than before, even when they had a giant planet destroying space station. The effective crushing of the Rebel base early on is a sign of this, and the relentlessness of Vader in his pursuit of Luke and his friends is a driving force. We are introduced to more iconic characters and vehicles, who hasn’t spent time talking like Yoda? I would have loved to have been in a cinema when this was released to witness the twist, purely to hear the reactions, it is still one of the best twists ever committed to film.

Everyone pulls their weight in the acting department, though you can sense Harrison Ford’s growing reluctance to continue, and the fact that they froze him in carbonite, was as a way they could have written him out of a sequel if he didn’t want to return. Mark Hamill grows into the role of Luke, as does Carrie Fisher as Leia, fleshing them out more in their respective character arcs. James Earl Jones continues to imbue Vader with his wonderful voice, making him an even more dangerous foe for the Rebels, with an army of ships at his disposal and confidence in his ability to turn Luke to the dark side. John Williams returns to score again, his work synonymous with the franchise, and create even more memorable pieces, such as The Imperial March and The Battle Of Hoth. The film also benefits from Kershner’s direction, rather than George Lucas, he works a different style with focus on the characters and allowing to develop on screen. So do or do not, there is no try. Go watch The Empire Strikes Back, and enjoy it you will.

And so we come to our final entry, the movie which tops the list, a film more human than human…

The 100: – No.3 – Casablanca

Here’s looking at you kid. Taking third place on the countdown, is Michael Curtiz’s 1942 romantic drama, Casablanca. Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman star in a tale of love lost and found again but also the decision to do right in the background of World War II. Bogart plays Rick Blaine, who owns a nightclub and gambling den in Casablanca, called Rick’s Café Américain. The club draws a variety of guests from officers from the Vichy French and German armies, refugees seeking to escape the nazis and those who prey on the desperate. Rick maintains a neutral stance, despite a past as a gun runner during the Italo-Ethiopian war and also fighting for the republic in Spain’s Civil War. One night, a guest called Ugarte (Peter Lorre) claims to have obtained two letters of transit (forms to leave the country and travel legally) by murdering two German officers. Begging Rick to hide them, he is shortly arrested by Captain Renault (Claude Rains), dying in custody without divulging he had passed the letters to Rick. One night, Rick’s former lover, Ilsa (Bergman) arrives at the club. Seeing Sam, Rick’s friend and house pianist, she starts reminiscing and asks him to play hers and Rick’s song, As Time Goes By. Rick has forbidden Sam from playing the song and storms other, but sees Ilsa, who is also accompanied by her husband, Victor Laszlo, a leader in the Czech resistance who is on the run. They are looking for letters so they can flee, whilst being chased by Major Strasser.

Laszlo makes enquiries around town, and speaks to Signor Ferrari, a rival of Rick’s, who believes Rick has the letters. Rick refuses to sell the letters at any price, telling Laszlo to ask Ilsa as to why. During the discussion, they are interrupted by the arrival of Major Strasser, who corrals a group of German officers in a singing of The Watch On The Rhine. Laszlo implores the house band to play Le Marseillaise, who after receiving Rick’s approval strike up and slowly the other guests join Laszlo in singing loudly along, drowning out the Germans, which leads to Strasser ordering the club to be shut down. Ilsa visits Rick later, begging for the letters, even threatening to kill him, before confessing she still loves him. She explains that when they fell in love, she was under the impression that Laszlo had been killed in a concentration camp and that after learning he was still alive, is why she left Rick in Paris without any explanation at the time. Rick promises to help her escape. Victor arrives, whilst Ilsa is quickly spirited off, and his knowing that Rick still has feelings for her, begs him to take care of Ilsa and get to safety.

Victor is later arrested on dubious charges, which Rick gets Renault to drop by promising him a setup of Laszlo for a more worthy crime, possession of the stolen letters. Rick explains that he and Ilsa will be leaving to help allay suspicions. When Renault comes to arrest Laszlo, Rick forces Renault to help them in their escape and leads to one of the most wonderful and moving speeches in romantic cinema.

For me, Casablanca is the greatest romantic film of all time. Coming from the glorious heady Hollywood days, it pulls at your heartstrings and has you hanging on every word. The iconic casting of Bogart and Bergman have such a wonderful bond and chemistry, you just want them to escape and be happy ever after. And who doesn’t love a good opportunity to boo Nazis! Bogart plays his wonderful hangdog face to a tee here. Imbuing Rick with a grumpiness and bitterness at love lost, and when the chance arises again, finds it still out of reach. But in his heart, he wants to do what’s right, not just for him, but for others. As noted when he helps a young couple by rigging a game of roulette so they can pay for their letters of transit, deep down he’s a good man, with a cynical outside. Bergman is wonderful as Ilsa, a delight who brightens the screen, just with a look or a softly spoken word, you couldn’t have anyone else play her. Claude Rains is great Renault, playing him with a witty charm, knowing full well he’s out for his own personal gain and isn’t shy about it.

This is a film that stands the test of time. Filled with iconic lines, a memorable song that will always linger in your mind, you can keep coming back to it again and again. Given it’s iconic stature, it is frequently referred to in other works, or certainly inspired others with it’s adept story telling and tale of heartbreak. Thankfully, it has never been remade, and let’s hope it stays that way. There was talk of a sequel after it’s storming success, but this never got further than being discussed. Some films have attempted to rehash the story, in a different setting, but these were mostly poorly received as trying to replicate Casablanca’s enduring themes. So remember, Last night we said a great many things. You said I was to do the thinking for both of us. Well, I’ve done a lot of it since then, and it all adds up to one thing, making sure you and watch Casablanca.

Our penultimate entry takes us into the realm of Sci-Fi again, this time for a movie that has one of the most misquoted scenes of all time…

The 100: – No.4 – Aliens

We better get back ’cause it’ll be dark soon and they mostly come at night. Mostly. Ellen Ripley returns, this time blasting in at number 4, with James Cameron’s 1986 brilliance that is Aliens. Following on from the ending of the first Alien film, Ripley has been in hypersleep for 57 years, where her escape shuttle is picked up and she’s woken to be debriefed on the reasons for the Nostromo’s destruction. The company are reluctant to believe her story of an alien ship filled with eggs they found on LV-426, as the planet has now been turned into a terraforming colony. When the company lose contact with the colony, Ripley is asked to go and help investigate, but only agrees on the condition that any aliens are destroyed. She joins up with a company of Colonial Marines, lead by Lieutenant Gorman, android Bishop and company man, Carter Burke. Upon arrival at LV-426 in the Sulaco, they get down to the planet via drop ship and proceed to head into the buildings to locate the colonists, but all they find are two live facehuggers in containment and Newt, a little girl, who escaped capture by hiding in the vents.

The marines managed to locate the colonists through trackers, which appears to show them all gather under one of the colonies processing towers. Leading the team in, they find that given the tower is fusion powered, they can’t use explosive weaponry for fear of causing a chain reaction. they eventually discover the colonists, who have been cocooned and used as hosts for the alien offspring. They find one still alive, before she is promptly killed by a chestburster, which leads to the awakening of the hive. With the majority of the marines either killed or captured, Gorman panics due his inexperience, and Ripley charges in to rescue the survivors. They look to head back to the Sulaco, but an alien sneaks aboard their drop ship, kills the crew and as a result, the crash results in damage to the processor which will lead to a meltdown and explosion. Ripley finds out that Burke ordered the colonists to investigate the ship and the eggs, as the company intends to use them for biological weapon research. The survivors have barricaded themselves in the colony, whilst Bishop heads out to remote pilot another drop ship down to rescue them. During this time, Burke releases the captive facehuggers with the intent to infect Ripley and Newt so he can get samples back to Earth, however they survive and are soon set upon by aliens who have worked a way into the colony.

In the fight to survive, only Ripley and Corporal Hicks make it to Bishop and the ship, with Newt being captured. Ripley wants to rescue Newt, but Bishop advises they have limited time due to the impending meltdown, but ultimately relents and flies her in for an epic rescue and an encounter with a new alien before a final showdown with one of the most epic moments in Sci-Fi cinema.

It is often argued, which is better, Alien or Aliens? To delve deeper, whilst in the same franchise, they are two different movies. Alien is a more horror orientated film, with minimal action scenes, a more gripping and tense feeling in the claustrophobic surroundings of the Nostromo. Where as Aliens is an action horror film, building to it’s initial reveal of the aliens and the overwhelming numbers compared to one sole alien. There is more gun play, explosions, set pieces and as often cited, can be taken as an allegory for the Vietnam war with it’s comparisons to a greater armed force which is ineffective against an often unseen enemy and the effects of trauma and post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Also it goes against the 80’s stereotype of masculine male heroes, with Ripley playing the strong female character ahead of the soldiers. This would lead to an increase in female lead action films, given Sigourney Weaver’s performance and Oscar nod for best actress. For me, Aliens is the better film, but only by the smallest of margins. they are both brilliant pieces of cinema and icons in their genre.

I remember borrowing this original version of the film on video from what was our local video store when I was young, admittedly I was too young given its 15 certificate, but I persuaded my folks to let me watch it. a few years later, they were showing the directors cut version on Sky and I recall asking a friend to tape it for me so I could watch it in full glory. It is a film that has never left my collection, with it sitting proudly in my Blu-Ray collection and will be brought out for when a good does of action Sci-Fi is required. It is a film that needs to be seen in full, hence why James Cameron has said he prefers the extended version, given it adds in 20 minutes of material that helps flesh out some characters and back story. So stop your grinnin’ and drop your linen before it’s game over man, grab whatever you keep for close encounters and indulge in Aliens.

Our next instalment will bring us the proverbial bronze medal place, with a film that is iconic throughout generations, a movie steeped in romance and drama, and of all the countdowns in all the world, you walked into mine…

The 100: – No.5 – Jaws

Dare you go into the water? In at number 5 is Steven Spielberg’s 1975 blockbuster Jaws. Based on the book by Peter Benchley, we find ourselves in the town of Amity Island, where after a little bit of drinking, Chrissie Williams goes for a skinny dip in the sea, where she is attacked by an unseen force, and promptly killed, with her remains washing up on the beach the following morning. Police Chief Martin Brody (Roy Scheider) is called to the scene and after the coroner declares cause of death was shark attack, closes the beaches. The town mayor, Larry Vaughn, persuades him to reopen the beaches due to it being the fourth of July celebrations and would lose the town a lot of summer income. While the mayor gets the coroner to change the cause of death to a boating accident, a young boy, Alex Kintner, is killed in front of a crowded beach. A bounty is placed on the shark, which leads to our introduction to local fisherman Quint (Robert Shaw) who says he’ll catch the shark for $10,000. Brody calls in an oceanographer, Matt Hooper (Richard Dreyfus) to investigate the remains, and confirms that it was shark attack, by an unusually large shark.

While the local fisherman capture a tiger shark. the mayor says the beach is safe while Alex’s mother confronts Brody, blaming him for her son’s death. Hooper doubts the shark is responsible and proven right by measuring the sharks bite radius and finds it too small compared to the corpse. After further investigation, they deem a great white shark is responsible, and beg the mayor to close the beach, but he refuses and only allows further safety measures instead. After a prank by kids draws attention, the real shark enters the local lagoon and kills another boater and sending Brody’s son Michael into shock. Brody, convinces the Mayor to hire Quint to kill the shark. What follows is Brody, Quint and Hooper heading out to sea on Quint’s boat the Orca, to find, track and kill the shark, amidst tensions and growing frustrations in their efforts.

When you combine a brilliant director, a superb cast, and an iconic score, you have cinematic gold. Spielberg creates pure terror with the scenes, where we primarily don’t see the shark, given that the shark prop (nicknamed Bruce) was often faulty and not able to be used for many of the intended shots. The trio of actors who head the film, have such a chemistry that you’ll find it hard to see a better group collaborate. Scheider, plays Brody as the relocated chief, who’s afraid of the water, but wants to do right by the law and the guilt of letting Alex die. Dreyfus as Hooper, the oceanographer who sees an opportunity for study of a large shark in unusual waters and being able to claim a scientific credit for it. And then you have Robert Shaw, whose portrayal of Quint is the stuff of legend. He’s such an iconic character, a grizzled sea dog, who you can’t help but be drawn into listening to what he has to say. His story on the Orca about the U.S.S Indianapolis is one the most brilliant speeches, harking to a true event during World War II, is harrowing and gives you more depth to him. His eventually obsession with catching the shark will pay a heavy price but this makes it so captivating. On top of this, you have John Williams iconic score, it’s incredible how much fear you can strike with two simple notes, a theme that will last for an eternity and again, be constantly used anytime you wanted to add menace.

Jaws would become the first Summer blockbuster with people rushing to see it, making it one of the highest grossing films at the time. It created a legacy, featuring sequels (of diminishing quality), countless imitations, homages and parodies but you cannot beat the original for it’s drama, action and story telling. Peter Benchley who also helped write the screenplay, later expressed remorse at how peoples feelings changed towards sharks and their habits with this film, with a large number of shark hunting boats growing and continuing to this day. As a result, he went to become an advocate for marine conservation and protection of sharks and other aquatic creatures. This film would be a inspiration for me in my younger days and still today, driving my fascination with sharks. It’s always been a dream of mine to go cage diving with great whites and I will one day! To see them up close in their natural habitat is something to behold, and I can think of countless books and documentaries I have consumed in my quest for knowledge and understanding. I can always put this film on, enjoy every second of it and quote most of it by heart. So get your rubbers, climb aboard the Orca, sing a shanty or two and hunt down Jaws, it’s a prize worth hunting.

Our next entry is a Sci-Fi action bonanza, proudly proclaiming that this time it’s war…

The 100: – No.6 – 2001: A Space Odyssey

My God, it’s full of stars. In at number 6, we find the tar child that is Stanley Kubrick’s Sci-Fi masterpiece, 2001: a Space Odyssey. Inspired by the works of Arthur C. Clarke, the film starts in the prehistoric era Africa, where a tribe of hominids are driven from their water source by another tribe. They soon encounter a large black alien monolith which inspires them to develop the uses of primitive tools and weapons which leads to them driving the other tribe away. Cutting to the future, in one of the most iconic shots in film history, we are introduced to Dr. Heywood Floyd who is travelling to a base on the moon named Clavius. He discusses with fellow scientists about the lack of contact, and how it is not an epidemic. Upon reaching the base, he discusses with the staff the need for absolute secrecy, as the mission relates to a newly discovered artefact, found in the Tycho crater. It is another monolith, exactly the same as the one the hominids encountered. When it reflects the suns light, it emits a radio signal of significant power.

We step forward again, this time eighteen months on, where the Discovery One spacecraft is travelling to Jupiter. Aboard are scientists Dave Bowman and Frank Poole, along with three further scientists who are currently in suspended animation. The ship is run primarily by the onboard computer HAL-9000, who interacts with the crew. He advises of an issue with an antenna device, which when checked shows no sign of issue. after receiving reports from control that indicate that their computer is incorrect, Dave and Frank talk in an escape pod, away from HAL’s audio sensors, however he lip reads their talk and plans to disconnect him. When on a space walk to replace the antenna unit, Hal activates the EVA and severs Frank’s air supply letting him drift off into space and promptly terminates the life support for the sleeping scientists. Dave rushes out to recover Frank’s body, but HAL refuses to let him back into the ship as by deactivating HAL will jeopardise the mission. Dave gets back in through an emergency airlock and proceeds with his intent to disconnect HAL. What follows is one of the most surreal and difficult to explain moments in Sci-Fi…

2001 is one of most often cited and written about Sci-Fi films of all time. With its leaning on a multitude of themes and many possible interpretations to it’s ending, your mind can occasionally be overwhelmed with everything that it throws at you, but what a way to blow your mind! Famed for it’s accuracy of space travel and it’s special effects at the time, it is a cinematic visual delight. The use of classical music rather than a conventional soundtrack is another inspired choice of Kubrick’s. Again, when you here that certain piece, you are at times transported to scenes from the film. The casting is great as well. Keir Dullea is great as Bowman, but the star as it were is Douglas Rain as the voice of HAL-9000. It is calming yet also has a wonderful sinister edge when he finds out the plans of Bowman and Poole to disconnect him. It is similarly eerie when he is being deactivated.

2001 would divide opinion upon release, whilst some praised it’s visionary approach, other derided it for being overlong, boring, and at points being too clever for it’s own good. But with time, those who doubted it, came to see how awesome and outstanding it was. Rightly praised as one of the greatest films of all time, it is a film for any Sci-Fi fan to indulge in. There would be a sequel, 2010: The Year We Make Contact, which came out in 1984, which follows the attempts to find out what went wrong with the original mission. A vastly underrated film in it’s own right, it is a great companion piece to follow 2001, and well worth your time. So, if you fancy an epic voyage through time and space, and a film that raises questions that are still being asked today, this is the movie for you.

Our next instalment takes us into the top 5, with a film that upon release would be the birth of the Summer Blockbuster and instil a fear in people who loved water…

The 100: – No.7 – Airplane!

When it comes to comedy, sometimes you just can’t beat the combination of Abrahams and the Zuckers. Spiralling in at number 7 is their 1980 comedic genius, Airplane! Playing parody homage to the disaster films of the 70’s, in particular Airport and also the 1957 drama Zero Hour! which lends a lot of context and characters to the film. Ted Stryker is an ex-fighter pilot, traumatized to such an extent, that he has developed a drinking problem (he can put the drink anywhere but in his mouth) and as such can’t hold onto a regular job. When he learns his girlfriend Ellen, whom he met in the war and is now an air stewardess, is leaving him and working on a flight from L.A. to Chicago, he buys a ticket and attempts to win her back, and is knocked back every time. Meanwhile, the inflight meal is served and several passengers and crew start to fall ill.

Dr. Rumack ascertains that those who ate the fish are the ones affected, and with the flight crew incapacitated, Ellen contacts the control tower, who advise to activate the planes autopilot, a large inflatable by the name of Otto. Otto can fly but can’t land the plane, so Rumack and Ellen persuade Stryker to pilot the plane in for landing, with guidance from the control tower and his old commanding officer from the war, and nemesis, Captain Rex Kramer. Amid orders and flashbacks, Ted battles to land the plane in worsening weather conditions, can he get them all safely back to the runway?

If silly jokes, visual and verbal puns, running jokes and down right ridiculousness, this is the perfect movie for you. And if you don’t, you’ll still enjoy this movie! Cram packed to the gills, the humour is constant and brilliant. Brought to life with a superb cast, it would be the comedic arrival for Leslie Nielsen, who prior to this had played serious characters in his movies, with his superb deadpan play of Dr. Rumack. Robert Hays is excellent as Ted and Julie Hagerty as Ellen also displays a great knack for comedic timing. Lloyd Bridges as control tower supervisor Steve McCroskey is a hoot, stealing most scenes he’s in, peppered with iconic lines and brilliant visual gags.

Often imitated, but never bettered, Airplane! would go on to influence a lot of comedies for it’s clever use of wit and sight gags. A sequel, Airplane II was released but despite having several returning cast members, and some good gags, it wouldn’t be a big hit in comparison to Airplane! which would go on to be inducted in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress given it’s impact and lasting legacy as a comedy great. So I just want to tell you all good luck. I’m counting on you to read this and go watch Airplane! you won’t be disappointed.

Our next film is a Sci-Fi classic, sprawling in it’s vision and narrative. Can I tell you in advance what it is? I’m sorry Dave, I’m afraid I can’t do that…

The 100: – No.8 – Goldfinger

Goldfinger! Da da dum! Yes, he’s back, James Bond makes his final appearance on the list, coming in at number 8, with 1964’s Goldfinger. Sean Connery, in his third outing as 007, is on the case to investigate gold magnate Auric Goldfinger (Gert Fröbe). After finding him in Miami, cheating at cards through the aid of an accomplice, Bond blackmails Goldfinger into losing, spending the night with his accomplice, Jill Masterson. Bond is knocked unconcious by Goldfinger’s henchman, Odd Job (Harold Sakata) and awakens to find Jill dead by skin suffocation, having been painted all over in gold. Under orders from MI6 to find out how Goldfinger is smuggling gold internationally, he meets up with him at a golf club, wagering some nazi gold for a round. Bond wins, despite Goldfinger’s best efforts to cheat and tracks him to Switzerland where he overhears how the gold is smuggled and about Operation Grand Slam.

Bond is captured and strapped to a table, with a laser slowly making its way towards him. He tells Goldfinger he and MI6 know all about Grand Slam (despite only knowing the name) so Goldfinger spares him. They soon travel via private jet, piloted by Pussy Galore (Honor Blackman) to Kentucky to Goldfinger’s stud farm, where Bond is imprisoned, but escapes and makes his way through the building and overhears more of Goldfinger’s plan as he explains it to some mafia assocaites, which involves a plan to breach Fort Knox where the U.S holds its gold bullion, using nerve gas to kill the guards. The mafia men scoff at this, and all but one are killed by nerve gas released into the meeting room. After being captured again, Bond talks with Goldfinger and works out his plan for the gold, after releasing it would be impossible to move it all in such a limited time frame. What follows is Bond’s attempt to alert his CIA contacts to Grand Slam’s plan and to stop Goldfinger from succeeding.

The Bond franchise was riding high coming into it’s third movie, after Dr No. and From Russia With Love and Goldfinger knocks it out of the park. It is a great story, even if you haven’t read the original Fleming novel, it has one of the most iconic movie henchmen in Odd Job (parodied in Austin Powers as Random Task), infamous Bond Girls and the iconic Aston Martin DB5 for the first time, I mean who didn’t want to own one of those. I still do! It is a brisk film that gets through it’s story quickly but doesn’t scrimp on the details. Connery puts in his best performance as Bond, giving it all the charm and wit Bond deserves. The following Bond films would take a lot of Goldfinger’s core ideas and follow suit, from particularly skilled henchmen, to Bond getting revenge for a killed lady friend. It would inspire a slew of action spy movies, and often imitated or paid homage too in other films and TV.

Guy Hamilton directs, in his first of four Bond works (Diamonds Are Forever, Live and Let Die and The Man With The Golden Gun) and keeps it tight and well shot through out. Piecing it together nicely is John Barry’s score and of course where would we be if we didn’t mention one of the most iconic movie theme songs of all time, with Dame Shirley Bassey giving it her all and some for Goldfinger. It would also mark her first Bond theme, returning for Diamonds Are Forever and Moonraker) and to date is still the only singer to have contributed more than one Bond theme. You here the name, you can’t help but sing it, it’s that memorable! So don your tux, grab your drink and enjoy Bond’s best.

Our next entry is a comedic masterpiece, surely guaranteed a spot in top comic movies for all time, and don’t call me Shirley…

The 100: – No.9 – The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

At number 9, Sergio Leone brings us another Western masterpiece, with 1966’s, The Good, the Bad and the Ugly. A film that closes out the Dollars trilogy, we are introduced the titular three, Clint Eastwood’s Man with No Name (also referred to as Blondie), Lee Van Cleef’s Angel Eyes and Eli Wallach’s Tuco through a series of scenes. Angel Eyes is a hired gun, on a mission for his boss to locate a fugitive who stole a cache of confederate gold. Upon learning the identity of the fugitive, Bill Carson, he kills his source and then his boss so he can claim the gold for himself. Tuco is rescued by Blondie from a bunch of bounty hunters and they set about a ruse to claim local rewards from towns by Tuco being brought in for a reward, and before he can be hanged, Blondie shoots the noose and they ride off sharing the reward, though this leads to tensions due to Tuco’s complaining, so Blondie abandons him in the desert.

Out for revenge, Tuco eventually catches up with Blondie and marches him through the desert to the point of collapse, before they encounter a cart carrying dead and wounded soldiers, one being a near death Carson, who promises Tuco the location of the gold if he helps. Before Tuco can return with water, Carson dies, but Blondie advises Tuco that Carson has told him of the name on the grave where the gold is buried. Tuco nurses Blondie back to health at a nurses station where Angel Eyes has worked his way into. Through interrogation of Tuco, Angel learns the location of the cemetery and sets out to find the gold, whilst having his men attempt to kill Tuco who survives. He reunites with Blondie and make their way towards the cemetery at Sad Hill. After sharing further information, Tuco races ahead, before Angel and Blondie arrive for an epic showdown.

This is the definitive Spaghetti Western. Leone had made two great films in A Fistful of Dollars and For A Few Dollars More, but when it comes to the greats, this sits proudly atop the pile. A violent film, but one that also takes look at the romanticised views of the west, and takes it apart. Our three antagonists, are alike in many ways, but each has a characteristic that keeps them apart so as not to blend into each other. Eastwood’s stoic Blondie, cheroot in mouth, gravel voiced and no nonsense is all is one for the ages. Wallach’s Tuco is the effective comedic character, but one who just wants his reward and to be off with the gold, no matter how many people he betrays. Van Cleef brings menace as Angel Eyes, drawing you in with his gaze, before killing anyone that is of no use to him as he seeks to retrieve the gold.

When you hear the name of the film, one of the first things you’ll think of and do if you’ve seen it, is hum along some of the themes, brilliantly scored by the Maestro, Ennio Morricone. The opening theme and The Ecstasy Of Gold are so recognisable outside of the film, and are staples of cinematic music mastery. The haunting sounds, the dramatic rises and gentle strings provide a richness to the scenery, as much as the beautiful shot composition. They resonate with you, and will always do so. It is a film that needs to be seen and witnessed as many times as possible. So get you six shooter, saddle up and indulge in the grizzled mastery of the west.

Our next entry is one of the greatest spy movies of all time, about a man with the Midas touch, a spiders touch…

The 100: – No.10 – Monty Python’s Life Of Brian

Some things in life are bad, they can really make you mad. Other things just make you swear and curse… Stop me if you’ve heard that one before! As we crack the top 10, I present to you Monty Python’s Life Of Brian, at the time a controversial comedy given it’s religious nature, but one that has stood the test of time for it’s zany brilliance. Brian Cohen is a nobody, born in a stable next to the stable where Jesus is born, and initially confused as the messiah by the three wise men. As he grows up, resenting the Romans who occupy Judea, he hears the sermon on the mount and soon becomes infatuated with Judith, a member of the Peoples Front Of Judea (PFJ) and soon joins their attempts to kidnap Pontius Pilate’s wife. He is taken by the guards but escapes where his attempts to blend in with the local prophets leads to people believing him to be the messiah.

As the crowds grow and assemble outside his house, he tries to disperse them, but they just echo his words believing them to be spiritual guidance. As the PFJ look to use Brian to their advantage, he is captured again by the Romans after sneaking away and sentenced to crucifixion. Pontius Pilate holds an event in celebration of Passover, saying he will release one prisoner as a show of good faith. However, the crowd aware of his issues with the letter R, throw up names that sound silly giving everyone a good laugh, before eventually Judith shouts for Brian’s release. The order is given for Brian to be released, but will he be saved in time…

This is one of the finest British comedies to ever be produced. Having made the Holy Grail, their next cinematic creation would lampoon organised religion. Whilst not a direct comedy take on God, the target is clear. With it’s comedic portrayal of historical figures, you’re regularly in hysterics whether it be the infighting of the PFJ, Pilate’s attempts to be serious whilst soldiers crack up with his speech impediment or Brian’s insistence that he’s not the Messiah. Each member of the group brings their A-Game, with each getting a significant amount of time on screen. Again as previously mentioned with Holy Grail, this film is incredibly quotable, with many of the iconic lines been thrown around regularly when with friends and family.

When this was released, there was a huge issue made about whether this counted as blasphemy, and as such, it was given an X rating (18 in todays certificates) and lead to many people calling for it to be banned. Screenings were picketed by campaigners and it was banned for several years in some countries and not shown on TV for some time due to stations fear of upsetting Christian viewers. There was a famous debate which featured Michael Palin and John Cleese arguing with two other guests over the comedic aims of their film and that it was not a send up of God or Jesus directly. This would later go on to be parodied by Not The Nine O’Clock News with the roles reversed and people defending a movie called General Synod’s The Life of Christ whilst the other guests argued it lampooned Monty Python, its very funny too. So don’t be a splitter like the Popular Peoples Front Of Judea and remember that he’s not the messiah, he’s a very naughty boy and see the Life Of Brian.

Our next entry is a classic western renowned for it’s story, it’s actors and it’s music…