The Night of the Hunter (1955)
Lists of the best films are always fascinating to read and can be counted on to stir up [heated] discussions. In 2008, Cahiers du Cinema, the influential French film magazine, put out a list of the “100 Most Beautiful Films in the World”. What I find interesting about this list is that it’s not about the “best films,” but “beautiful films.” So before I go any further, click through the link to see the list: 100 Beautiful Films
Some films on the list are no surprise, and then there are other films that you think could be taken off. The word “beautiful” I think presents a bit of a problem for this list. “Beautiful” can have a different meaning for each individual. One person may find Citizen Kane a beautiful film and another person could feel completely differently about that movie. As the cliche saying goes, “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder” and this can easily be applied when discussing films.
What constitutes a beautiful film? Is it the cinematography? The sweeping music (or perhaps lack thereof)? The acting? Or does a beautiful film have to have a combination of everything? That a beautiful film is when every aspect of the movie is in sync. It’s definitely something to think about. And I’ll leave it at that for now.
