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susannah_breslin

susannah_breslin

I'm lost
June 2005

DEC 01, 2005 01:28 PM

Empire lists: "The 50 Greatest Independent Films." Intended to highlight movies made without big budgets and big stars in service of creating bolder and more creative films, Empire trots out what it deems to be cinema made with a truly independent spirit. Number 49 is "Run Lola Run." Number 38 is "Grosse Point Blank." Number 24 is "Happiness." Number 12 is "Eraserhead." And, Number One is:

Reservoir Dogs (1992)
Some will bleat that this is an easy, obvious choice, while others will say… well, pretty much the same, but nominate differently. Our criteria for deciding the films were: firstly, the circumstances and spirit in which they were made, second, the quality of the result and, finally, its mark on the movie world. This is how Reservoir Dogs gained consensus as the winner. Consider firstly the film's creation: script written in two weeks while the author was in a dead-end day job, it barely changed from first draft to shooting script, and attracted attention by word of mouth. It garnered rave reviews, but Dogs' box office performance wasn't great - again, it had to wait for word of mouth. Most importantly, the magnitude of effect this one film has had on indie culture in the last 13 years is, to say the least, overwhelming. The fact is that more than one generation has had their eyes opened to the long-snubbed world of movie-making's outsiders, be it American mavericks, foreign actioners, or just plain old B-pictures. If it wasn't for Dogs, Hong Kong action cinema would still be a lot more marginal than it is today, and nobody would likely have got around to transferring blaxploitation titles onto DVD yet. You only have to look through the homages and ripoffs that have abounded - how many more films have suited gunmen, feature heists gone wrong, have people talking about pop culture, or 'boast' a fractured narrative? Love or hate it, Reservoir Dogs is the greatest independent movie ever made.

PointBlank

PointBlank

New York, NY
November 2004

DEC 01, 2005 01:33 PM

Isn't "Do the Right Thing" an independent movie (at least as much as Grosse Point Blank is)?

Really...what is the definition of "independent?" Grosse Point Blank, as good as it is, was made by Hollywood Pictures, who were also responsible for (in 1997, and 1996) The Rock, GI Jane, Celtic Pride, Evita, and Jack.

[Edited on Dec 01, 2005 by PointBlank]

[Edited on Dec 01, 2005 by PointBlank]

JohnClement

JohnClement

Silver Spring, MD
January 2004

DEC 01, 2005 01:35 PM

^^^
Definitely.

All of Spike's films could be categorized as such.

Subrosa

Subrosa

San Francisco, CA
July 2004

DEC 01, 2005 01:36 PM

Very cool list.

I had no idea that the Terminator was considered an "Indie" flick.

Koleeta

Koleeta

Los Angeles, CA
May 2003

DEC 01, 2005 01:40 PM

hawt.

Subrosa

Subrosa

San Francisco, CA
July 2004

DEC 01, 2005 01:41 PM

PointBlank said:
Isn't "Do the Right Thing" an independent movie (at least as much as Grosse Point Blank is)?

Really...what is the definition of "independent?" Grosse Point Blank, as good as it is, was made by Hollywood Pictures, who were also responsible for (in 1997, and 1996) The Rock, GI Jane, Celtic Pride, Evita, and Jack.

[Edited on Dec 01, 2005 by PointBlank]

[Edited on Dec 01, 2005 by PointBlank]


I was surprised to see it there. Also surprised to see it ahead of Run Lola Run and Swingers. But that's a different conversation alltogether.

PointBlank

PointBlank

New York, NY
November 2004

DEC 01, 2005 01:45 PM

Subrosa said:

PointBlank said:
Isn't "Do the Right Thing" an independent movie (at least as much as Grosse Point Blank is)?

Really...what is the definition of "independent?" Grosse Point Blank, as good as it is, was made by Hollywood Pictures, who were also responsible for (in 1997, and 1996) The Rock, GI Jane, Celtic Pride, Evita, and Jack.

[Edited on Dec 01, 2005 by PointBlank]

[Edited on Dec 01, 2005 by PointBlank]


I was surprised to see it there. Also surprised to see it ahead of Run Lola Run and Swingers. But that's a different conversation alltogether.


I'll quibble with things being left off, but I can't really complain about placement, as I think they just put shit wherever they want to.

Honestly, though: In the Company of Men??

bluevalentine

bluevalentine

San Antonio, TX
December 2003

DEC 01, 2005 01:50 PM

I'm just glad to see Lone Star in there as I think its one of the more underrated films of our time.

And Slacker love

ShoopDaddy

ShoopDaddy

Los Angeles, CA
November 2005

DEC 01, 2005 01:52 PM

anything by spike lee
anything by quentin tarantino
anything by larry blamire
anything by vincent gallo

this really is a good list. i had no idea so many of the films i love were independent.

alpha_hazard

alpha_hazard

Fort Collins, CO
April 2004

DEC 01, 2005 02:29 PM

donnie darko is number two? did they even watch that piece of shit?

Destro

Destro

Washington, PA
OLD SKOOL

DEC 01, 2005 02:32 PM

no Gummo?

Baletempest

Baletempest

United Kingdom
February 2005

DEC 01, 2005 02:34 PM

Donnie Darko is superb.smile

Why is Passion of the Christ there... that a) had a big budget b) was just a guy getting mauled for 2 hours...

Wasn't Requim for a Dream an Indie flim?

sixbysix

sixbysix

United Kingdom
December 2004

DEC 01, 2005 02:37 PM

I really don't understand the snobbery around indie movies. Well, I do, but I don't like it.

Happyboy

Happyboy

Berkeley, CA
December 2004

DEC 01, 2005 02:39 PM

I know all the Romero fans out there will want to kick my ass for saying this but, Night of the Living Dead sucked!

Happyboy

Happyboy

Berkeley, CA
December 2004

DEC 01, 2005 02:41 PM

If Night of the Living Dead made the list then so should The House on the Left famous for only two reasons, it was one of Wes Craven's first films and the disemboweling scene.

Finch

Finch

SUICIDEGIRL

Thailand

DEC 01, 2005 03:02 PM

Destro said:
no Gummo?



i wasn't really impressed by gummo, and thought it was a let-down since it's what harmony korine wrote right after kids.

SomethingStupid

SomethingStupid

North Hollywood, CA
March 2004

DEC 01, 2005 03:07 PM

BlueValentine said:
I'm just glad to see Lone Star in there as I think its one of the more underrated films of our time.


It is, at least, very highly regarded by a critical community, so it's going to be around for a long time.

treasurerats

treasurerats

Cambridge, MA
December 2004

DEC 01, 2005 03:18 PM

Ok, what the hell? Cube? Are you kidding me? And a number of these do not qualify as "indie" in the strictest sense, but that's a stupid and complicated argument.

And where are the classic French New Wave films? Somehow "The Passion of the Christ" makes it over Breathless or Jules et Jim or The 400 Blows? What gives?

SecondBest

SecondBest

Brooklyn, NY
December 2003

DEC 01, 2005 03:19 PM

This list is silly... and honestly, they left out Star Wars.... since Lucas made the movie basicly completely outside of the studio system...

Cigarette

Cigarette

Cleveland, OH
April 2004

DEC 01, 2005 03:20 PM

Baletempest said:
Donnie Darko is superb.smile

Why is Passion of the Christ there... that a) had a big budget b) was just a guy getting mauled for 2 hours...



You can't deny how significant of a film it was; it mobilized a segment of the public that isn't normally a money-generating demographic.

But Sideways in the top ten? Really?

JohnClement

JohnClement

Silver Spring, MD
January 2004

DEC 01, 2005 03:23 PM

Clov said:

Baletempest said:
Donnie Darko is superb.smile

Why is Passion of the Christ there... that a) had a big budget b) was just a guy getting mauled for 2 hours...



You can't deny how significant of a film it was; it mobilized a segment of the public that isn't normally a money-generating demographic.

But Sideways in the top ten? Really?



It was independently financed. Indie in the accurate sense.

You're incorrect about the money generating point. The evangelical market is huge, and well moneyed. Think Left Behind, Veggie Tales, the entire Christian rock genre, etc.

The Passion was just the biggest mainstream attention getter as of yet.

[Edited on Dec 01, 2005 by MisterMargotDent]

PointBlank

PointBlank

New York, NY
November 2004

DEC 01, 2005 03:37 PM

Baletempest said:


Why is Passion of the Christ there... that a) had a big budget b) was just a guy getting mauled for 2 hours...


Point B is accurate, but Point A isn't. It's also irrelevant.

Cigarette

Cigarette

Cleveland, OH
April 2004

DEC 01, 2005 03:39 PM

Yeah, but Left Behind and Veggie Tales aren't bringing people to the movie theatres. That's what I was referring to. Sure, they've been good for the home video and book markets. But it's just the third LB movie that got anything resembling theatrical release, but even that just went out to churches.

JohnClement

JohnClement

Silver Spring, MD
January 2004

DEC 01, 2005 03:48 PM

Clov said:
Yeah, but Left Behind and Veggie Tales aren't bringing people to the movie theatres. That's what I was referring to. Sure, they've been good for the home video and book markets. But it's just the third LB movie that got anything resembling theatrical release, but even that just went out to churches.




True, I was just objecting to the statement that the moneyed demographic didn't previously exist.

Cigarette

Cigarette

Cleveland, OH
April 2004

DEC 01, 2005 03:50 PM

MisterMargotDent said:

Clov said:
Yeah, but Left Behind and Veggie Tales aren't bringing people to the movie theatres. That's what I was referring to. Sure, they've been good for the home video and book markets. But it's just the third LB movie that got anything resembling theatrical release, but even that just went out to churches.




True, I was just objecting to the statement that the moneyed demographic didn't previously exist.


Sorry, I just meant in relationship to feature films.

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