The results are in, and the LAMB has picked its Top 10 Foreign Films (for background on this, click here). There were a total of 44 voters, with their votes spread out amongst 253 films. What that means is that, with a smaller voting base than usual, and a wide, wide variety of films, that it was difficult for a film to stand out from the crowd, but the few that did (the top seven) were head and shoulders above the rest.
Here are your winners (1st place votes in parentheses):
10. The Lives of Others – 34 points from 6 voters (1)
9. M – 35 points from 6 voters (0)
8. Rules of the Game – 48 points from 7 voters (3)
7. (of course) Seven Samurai – 61 points from 7 (of course) voters (5)
6. Let the Right One In – 63 points from 12 voters (0)
5. Pan’s Labyrinth – 72 points from 8 voters (3)
4. City of God – 73 points from 9 voters (2)
3. Oldboy – 75 points from 9 voters (2)
2. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon – 80 points from 13 voters (1)
1. Amelie – 88 points from 12 voters (3)
So…how many of your Top 10 made the list? If you’d like to see yours and all the other votes, scroll down. A post has been added with all of them, but I have dated it prior to this post so it won’t clutter the page.
Others receiving 1st-place votes: 8.5, A Tale of Two Sisters, Amarcord, Children of Men (??), Children of Paradise, Cinema Paradiso, Contempt, Damnation, Delicatessen, Departures, Elevator to the Gallows, Fanny and Alexander (2), Grave of the Fireflies, High and Low, ikiru, Mouchette, Pontypool, Run Lola Run , Still Walking, The Double Life of Veronique, Vincere, Volver, Y Tu Mama Tambien
As for our next topic: it’s time to unleash the LIONs! That’s right, it’s LIONs for LAMBs 2009, in which we take a look back at the last year in film. I’m asking you for your Top 10, Bottom 5, Best Actor and Actress and more. Shouldn’t take you but a few minutes to fill out, and the Top 10 is the only required entry should you not wish to participate in the rest of it. This poll will run through February 21st, with the results to be doled out in the final days before the Academy Awards air (on March 7th).
The poll is already up – be sure to read the instructions. Go vote now so I don’t have to hassle you later! Thanks as usual – let’s get a great turnout for this one!
http://www.misterpoll.com/polls/470776
Tags: Top 10s
No Ingmar Bergman, or Jacques Audiard? Seriously?
Love Amelie but #1? Interesante. It is the sort of film that would inspire lots of love though. We need to get some of these bloggers out more though. Perhaps a LAMB Foreign Film Challenge?
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Granted I’m just grumpy Seven Samurai isn’t #1
As with most of these, or really any mass countdown of films, I think the results trend heavily towards the more recent flicks. Grumpy as this makes some people (rightfully so, and I’m not necessarily pointing fingers at you guys), it makes total sense – after all, what are people more likely to see and/or enjoy: a modern fairy tale like Pan’s Labyrinth or a samurai film from the 50s? Accesibility, both literally and figurateively, plays a large part. Newer films are not only readily available but actively marketed towards an audience, whereas the classics no longer receive much attention.
I finally went out and watched Amelie the other night and was surprised at how fluffy the whole thing was.
Seven Samurai should have won huge.
Fitz – I had to go back to the original results file just to make sure. If that’s what you believe, then how come you didn’t even vote for it (at all)?
Oops, I just listed 2009 films. Didn’t read carefully enough I guess, thought it was still part of the 2009 retrospective.
As for the list itself, WAAAY too modern.
Matt: I did the same thing, except I did a 2000s/decade list, since I was thinking it was part of the retrospective, as well.
And still, not nearly enough love for Children of Men?
Kinda disappointing, although it tells me I need to watch some newer stuff.
I’ve never thought Seven Samurai was quite deserving of the love that’s so richly (and thickly) bestowed upon it. It’s fun, it’s exhilarating, and it’s oh so noble, but what it says has been done better and more efficiently before and since. Maybe I’m just allergic to movies of such girth.
And of course the only one on my list that made the cut is Pan’s Labyrinth (a new movie).
and not an single Italian film in the mix either…
I have just voted in the LIONs for LAMBs 2009. I found it really tough to choose as a lot of my first choices were not eligible. If anyone else is struggling take a look at this link:
http://www.oscars.org/awards/academyawards/rules/reminderlist2009.pdf
Its from the official Oscar website and lists all the eligible movies, all 274 of them.
Big Mike – at least Fitz voted – you can’t even say that much!
Andy – cool, and thanks for posting that link. I ought to include it in the poll rules, though I’ll probably do so more as a guideline than a hard and fast rule. Release dates differ all over the world as you know, so I expect some picks to be Academy ineligible; I think the end result is that those picks just likely won’t end up garnering enough votes to win any awards.
All you people who didn’t read the rules – I’m afraid I can’t help you.
I read it as best foreign films of the decade, that’s why Seven Samurai wasn’t on my ballot.
@Matt
Children of Men is not a foreign film. It’s from England, but it was very much part of the studio system.
AMELIE??? I guess not many people watch classic foreign films:(
No Bresson, Tarkovsky, Fellini, Bergman or Godard in the Top Ten? At leat there are others who agree that Lang’s M is a masterpice, as well Renoir’s RULES. This is a depressing list because it shows apathy (or ignorance) concerning the history of artistic cinema. Though the films listed are very good (I liked every one) they show a predilection for modernity.
Fitz: Word to that…
Also, I did the same as you and thought it was top 10 of the decade. My list would have had some differences, that’s for sure.
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Alex, know what else is depressing?
One of these movies failed to make the cut on the IMDb top 250. Guess which one.
I’m glad someone else likes The Cranes are Flying though.