The Film Journal Presents the Cinema Poll 2002

Survey and Editing by Rick Curnutte

In anticipation of the Sight and Sound poll, we decided to conduct our own little survey. With very little fanfare whatsoever, here is the list that resulted. The names of those polled have been spared to protect any guilt over omissions.

1. Vertigo (Alfred Hitchcock, 1958) - While only a few votes separated the remainder of this list's entries, Hitchcock's unqualified masterpiece was the clearcut choice for the top spot, with its closest rival nearly 20 points below it.

2. 2001: A Space Odyssey (Stanley Kubrick, 1968) - A few more number 1 picks might have placed this film at the top.

3. 8 1/2 (Federico Fellini, 1963) - Still the consummate film about filmmaking, Fellini's opus remains as popular as ever.

4. La Regle du jeu (The Rules of the Game) (Jean Renoir, 1939) - Another Renoir classic, La Grande Illusion, nearly made the list as well.

5. Sunset Boulevard (Billy Wilder, 1950) - Despite the presence of numerous Wilder pictures, this one was most often embraced.

6. Au Hasard, Balthazar (Robert Bresson, 1966) - Like Wilder, Bresson was ever-present.

7. Citizen Kane (Orson Welles, 1941) - The biggest shocker of the project. Is Kane's popularity waning? We're anxious to see where the Sight and Sound poll places it this year (it's topped their list since 1962).

8. Tokyo Story (Yasujiro Ozu, 1953) - Understatement is still effective. Ozu remains capable of leaving indelible marks.

9. Close-Up (Abbas Kiarostami, 1990) - By far, the youngest film on the list, Kiarostami's unusual examination of art and reality was fiercely popular with younger voters.

10. Potemkin (Sergei Eisenstein, 1925) - The oldest film on the list, Potemkin continues to enthrall viewers with its influential photography.

Surprises? No Chaplin, Keaton, Bergman, Truffaut, Godard, Kurosawa...the omissions go on and on. Over half of these films have appeared on the various Sight and Sound lists. Citizen Kane appears lower on this list than just about anywhere else. This list is quite strong, though, and I can't imagine anyone disagreeing with the impact of any of the films above. Still, I can't help but ask...why no Modern Times?