The Lists Project

[TMDaines]

Considering how I've looked forward to this particular list for years and hoarded films for it, I'm a little disappointed in myself how I've never got going with it. A combination of travel, competing interests and good weather has dragged me away from film entirely really. The next two weeks does coincide with my final two weeks before a holiday, so maybe I'll feel in the mood to blitz it.

I'm wondering if a break for the rest of the year with the decades list may stir up more interest in them again, once people miss them a bit, as the forum seems to have a lot of competing lists currently.

[Drucker]

I don't participate in lists discussions because I am aware I never have the sustained time to commit to a project like this, and agree with you Daines. I had planned on hitting up my library every week, but it wasn't meant to be.

[domino harvey]

I wouldn't wave a flag for the decades projects til after the next one. Let's be honest, the silent era attracts its own crowd, many of whom aren't around here anymore, and so discussion isn't as plentiful as it once was. But last time the 30s List received over thirty votes, more than the decades that came before it. If we do the 30s, a decade ostensibly with something for everyone, and no one shows up, then perhaps discussion of pumping the brakes should ensue

Personally, as with any List, so long as it receives at least ten votes, then it's a good list. I don't think things are all that dire yet for the Decades Lists!

[swo17]

I mean, having an eight-month window for each decade gives plenty of a break for people that only need a few months to put a list together, but also gives anyone who wants to take a deeper dive ample time to do that. (The first time I was going through all of these when I had much larger watch lists to get through, eight months seemed like the sweet spot as we would often start with six months and then extend for a month or two.)

Participation is clearly lagging (there were four times as many posts in the prior 1920s thread, and six more lists submitted unless I get some more in the next two weeks) but there's still enough interest to fill out a top 100 and then some.

In the end though, I guess I'll do whatever people want (or don't want) to do.

[domino harvey]

Only six fewer lists is a lot better than I expected! Again, I think we will see more participation/posting in the upcoming rounds, based mostly on our existing regular user base

[Noiradelic]

I'll definitely be participating in all the decade lists from the 40s forward.

[domino harvey]

I'm going to start shoring up the next list projects after the Woody Allen Auteur List sometime this summer. If anyone has any new ideas for full lists, mini-lists, or auteur lists, please share them in this thread or via PM. You can see a list of potential future lists and nixed lists here

[domino harvey]

I'll throw out my own idea that I brought up elsewhere already: a Mini-List of every film ever nominated for Best Film at the Cesar Awards-- there are a lot of unknown-to-me titles included I'm curious to see, and it would be an interesting way to do a modern French list with a mix of expected and rather obscure (at least on this side of the ocean) eligible titles

[knives]

I've seen a little over 60 noms already so that puts me in enough a place of comfort to be for the list.

[DarkImbecile]

What's the floor on the number of features for an auteur list? 30?

[domino harvey]

What's the floor on the number of features for an auteur list? 30?

Yep! I made an exception for Rohmer considering all of his works were conveniently available together in one package, but he didn't survive the vote

knives, you're better equipped than me-- I just checked and I've only seen 42 (with some big blindspots I'm too embarrassed to admit)! But there's at least that many titles that are already on my radar to see, so by the time such a list happens, if it happens, I'll probably be in a better place by next year! For those who'd like to see what would be eligible for a top César Award Mini-List

[knives]

And here for Listal people.

There's a bunch of titles that have been on my radar as well and this may be the push to get me to watch some long on the list titles. Also, if it makes you feel any better, almost all of those are recent films with a grand total of 24 from before the '00s.

[DarkImbecile]

What's the floor on the number of features for an auteur list? 30?

Yep! I made an exception for Rohmer considering all of his works were conveniently available together in one package, but he didn't survive the vote

In addition to Lumet and Preminger, who don't appear to have been proposed before, some still-working directors to consider alongside Soderbergh would be Herzog, Scorsese, De Palma, and Spielberg (though he may be disqualified if we only count 'films' and not 'movies'). And Billy Wilder is just barely excluded with 27 features, but maybe he'd qualify for an exception as well?

[swo17]

He wasn't a feature director of course, but what about a Tex Avery list?

[knives]

Bob Clampett first in that case or maybe just a huge Termite Terrace list.

[Werewolf by Night]

Not a new idea, but Hawks would be efficient to run concurrently (or in succession) with the screwball list (if it’s still happening, which I hope it is).

[domino harvey]

Screwball Comedies is still happening-- you can check the set schedule for confirmed future lists here. Hawks received enough votes last time to secure a place in a future auteur list, so it'll happen eventually, but not sure when yet. Horror Redux is the only thing I know for sure will make the schedule next year, as it was our most popular List Project the first time and a second round was the most popular suggestion during the polling. Beyond that, we'll see!

I will think on the suggestions so far and weigh in on feasibility later. I know nothing about Termite Terrace / Bob Clampett / &c, so someone's going to have to prepare a dossier for me on why it should be an Auteur or Mini-List. I think there will be another poll once I figure out all our options, and I may throw in a few of the rejected ideas just to test if the waters have changed (ie I'm still pissed at you all for not voting for a Chabrol List and being the coordinator has some minor perks). Keep up the ideas and suggestions! No rush, obviously, but something to have percolating in the back of your minds

EDIT: Nevermind, these aren't that hard of calls:
+ Wilder I think would work, though it's still an awfully small number of films. I imagine I'll throw it up in the poll and let God sort it out
+ Spielberg has the 30+ films, and is well-seen, but is he someone who benefits from a close study? Would people participate? Are the odds good that there are enough discoveries to be made looking in the nooks and cranies of the most popular director alive?
+ Does anyone care about Lumet to do a List Project? I'm skeptical when far more well-liked directors here failed to make the cut last time. If someone makes a convincing argument I may add him to the poll
+ Otto Preminger... I have no idea why he wasn't suggested before. I think he's a shoo-in for the poll
+ De Palma doesn't have thirty but he's close. I'm biased because I don't like him on the whole, but then again, I don't like Kurosawa and he's happening eventually too, so it doesn't matter. Yeah all right I'll add him to the poll. Same for Herzog, sadly
+ Scorsese doesn't have close to thirty narrative features, and I don't really think all these musician bios are worth padding the numbers to make it happen. Hard pass

[knives]

Just to second that, please people go for some Chabrol. Finally a decent number of his films are available in great condition and for about two minutes near the end he was the greatest living filmmaker.

[Rayon Vert]

I would love a science fiction project.

[Rayon Vert]

What about a combined Ray-Aldrich-Fuller-Mann list? (Favourites of Cahiers du Cinema Crowd).

[domino harvey]

Rayon Vert, Sci-Fi all ready qualified, it'll be a full list sometime

[knives]

Action and romance as well seem like good traditional genres to play with. Also would it be too ridiculous to suggest countries/ regions?

[Mr Sausage]

What about a list project for studios that tend(ed) to specialize in certain types of films, eg. Hammer.

[knives]

Would Hammer by itself have enough films of quality for a list?

[domino harvey]

Romance was nixed in the last poll. I tried to get interest in a France List and no one thought it was a good idea, but my regular viewings are already a France List so whatever. I think a studio-specific list sounds intriguing, though I fear for Hammer it's too close to an existing List (Horror)