One of these things is not like the others...
IFTA (Independent Film and Television Alliance) has placidly posted their top 30 independent films of the last thirty years, and their rankings have the blogosphere riled.
The films (which will be screened in the Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood) are listed as they appear on IFTA’s site below.
” The Most Significant Independent Films from each of the past three decades follows:
1981-1990: Amadeus, Blue Velvet, Dances With Wolves, Das Boot (The Boat), Gandhi, My Left Foot, A Nightmare on Elm Street, Platoon, Sex, Lies and Videotape, The Terminator (Honorary mentions: The Killing Fields, The Last Emperor, The Toxic Avenger)
1991-2000: Braveheart, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Fargo, Four Weddings and a Funeral, Life is Beautiful, Pulp Fiction, Reservoir Dogs, The Silence of the Lambs, The Usual Suspects, Where the Day Takes You (Honorary mentions: Basic Instinct, Good Will Hunting, Trainspotting)
20001-2010: Brokeback Mountain, Crash, The Hurt Locker, Inglourious Basterds, Juno, Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring, Million Dollar Baby, Monster, The Pianist, Slumdog Millionaire, (Honorary mentions: Bowling for Columbine, Memento, Twilight)”
Deadline decries the absence of Boogie Nights, Seven, Sling Blade, The Crying Game, The Passion of the Christ, Drugstore Cowboy, Blood Simple, She’s Gotta Have It, A Room With A View, Sid and Nancy, El Mariachi, My Life As A Dog and In the Bedroom and the inclusion of The Toxic Avenger, while noting the film’s creator, Lloyd Kaufman, was one of the decision-makers.
While Get the Big Picture questions Twilight’s place on the list, and declares Slacker, Kill Bill and the work of indie luminaries Wes Anderson and Paul Thomas Anderson have been snubbed.
Since the whole point of IFTA’s list seems to revolve around a film screening series, I’m curious how much ticket sales and print availability affected this list. Regardless, the list is sparking discussions about the definition of independent cinema and the successes therein.
I was personally surprised to see that The Terminator, Braveheart, and Lord of the Rings were counted as independent productions, and shocked some of my favorites didn’t make the list.
What do you think is the most egregious omission? What film(s) do you think should have been omitted?