top-list Name a masterpiece.

Merry X'mas, everyone, and hope you're enjoying your holiday.

For a season of cheer, can you please name a movie that is considered a masterpiece. For example, in the art world, Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel is considered a timeless masterpiece. When the powers that be restored it in the 1980's and 1990's, they removed the dirt on the painting, and they rediscovered subtleties in the art, the little details that made the masterpiece even more of one.

In film, Gene Siskel said that Citizen Kane is such a work, and he claimed that, every time he saw it, he would see new details in it. I'm not convinced, but, to me, the equivalent would be The Sting with Paul Newman and Robert Redford or The Empire Strikes Back. I have seen little details in the former that I didn't before, and that increased my enjoyment of the movie.

In animation, one good example would be Snow White by Walt Disney Enterprises. They put meticulous care into the each panel, and, to ensure the quality, they used makeup instead of paint or pencils. The result is a film that is still iconic today.

I don't know if any of these to be the equivalent of the Sistine Chapel, but my point is made. So, if the members of this group can give examples of cinematic masterpieces, I would greatly appreciate it. The benchmarks I'm looking for are the following:
1) Great story (first and foremost);
2) Great photography - not as important to me, but, hey, it's part of the artwork in this medium;
3) Little details that you see every time you see it, and
4) last, but certainly not least, you still enjoy it despite having watched it several times.

One last thing - Michelangelo started work when he was 71, so there's hope for me yet.
 
The unique part about this list is, you can name masterpieces without actually liking them yourself or naming them as favorites. It's about recognizing the greats, the Beatles for example, but you may not like them yourself.
 
Why Sunset Boulevard, may I ask? I like Citizen Kane, and I can see why it's considered a masterpiece, but I've never even heard of that until now.
 
1) Great story (first and foremost);
2) Great photography - not as important to me, but, hey, it's part of the artwork in this medium;
3) Little details that you see every time you see it, and
4) last, but certainly not least, you still enjoy it despite having watched it several times.

I have a LOT of movies like this I don't consider masterpieces.
 
Didn't know about Blood Simple - I'll have to watch it and Sunset Boulevard.

By the way, for Sunset, there was a Twilight Zone version of it, which I did see a few years ago, but I never knew it was based on an iconic movie.
 
songs of the second floor

1) Great story (first and foremost);

The panic of western civilization when humanity is confronted with the emptiness and meaninglessness of its existence.

2) Great photography -

This story is told in several rooms. Each room has a beautiful rich composition that brings the story forward.

3) Little details that you see every time you see it, and.

Its the details that give meaning to each and every scene...some make the composition comical.

4) last, but certainly not least, you still enjoy it despite having watched it several times.

Yes....its to this day one the most influential movie to my own work.


Michelangelo started work when he was 71

He made the sculptures of Pietà when he was 23 and David when he was 29..... 2 of the most famous sculptures in art history
 
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It seems to me that to be called a masterpiece, a movie should have stood the test of time. I find it hard to consider something that came out within the last 10 or 15 years a masterpiece - not because it's any worse than older movies, but because it seems to me that it should be able to appeal to people over the years in order to merit that description.
 
It seems to me that to be called a masterpiece, a movie should have stood the test of time. I find it hard to consider something that came out within the last 10 or 15 years a masterpiece - not because it's any worse than older movies, but because it seems to me that it should be able to appeal to people over the years in order to merit that description.

My understanding is, only ‘Classics' have to stand the test of time. As long as the film is the finest creation, it is enough to consider that film a masterpiece, however new that may be.

I consider Inception (2010) and A Separation (2011) a masterpiece. On the other hand, Casablanca and It’s a Wonderful Life are masterpieces and also Classics because they stood the test of time.

Or am I overthinking it?
 
My understanding is, only ‘Classics' have to stand the test of time. As long as the film is the finest creation, it is enough to consider that film a masterpiece, however new that may be.

I consider Inception (2010) and A Separation (2011) a masterpiece. On the other hand, Casablanca and It’s a Wonderful Life are masterpieces and also Classics because they stood the test of time.

Or am I overthinking it?

Good way of looking at it. I'm not 100% sure if I agree or not - ask me again in 25 years :)
 
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