Patrick recently linked to The Observer’s list of the top 100 books ever written. Makes me want to pick up all the classics I’ve bought but haven’t yet gotten around to.

In a similar vein, I was recently trying to make an exhaustive listing of the “important” movies I have yet to see, then start working down the list. I mean, why waste time going to see Underworld, when I still haven’t seen Apocalypse Now?

So I used the imdb’s top 100 list as a starting point, though I disagree with much of it (it’s based on user ratings). I mean, The Shawshank Redemption is good, but the second best movie ever?

Turns out I’ve seen 60% of them, not bad.

Here, then, is the list:
(* = seen)
1. Godfather, The (1972) *
2. Shawshank Redemption, The (1994) *
3. Godfather: Part II, The (1974) *
4. Schindler’s List (1993) *
5. Casablanca (1942) *
6. Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, The (2001) *
7. Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, The (2002) *
8. Shichinin no samurai (The Seven Samurai) (1954)
9. Citizen Kane (1941) *
10. Star Wars (1977) *
11. One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (1975) *
12. Rear Window (1954)
13. Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964) *
14. Memento (2000) *
15. Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980) *
16. Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) *
17. Usual Suspects, The (1995) *
18. Pulp Fiction (1994) *
19. North by Northwest (1959) *
20. Fabuleux destin d’Amélie Poulain, Le (2001) *
21. Psycho (1960) *
22. 12 Angry Men (1957)
23. Lawrence of Arabia (1962)
24. Silence of the Lambs, The (1991) *
25. Buono, il brutto, il cattivo, Il (The Good the Bad and the Ugly) (1966)
26. It’s a Wonderful Life (1946) *
27. Goodfellas (1990) *
28. American Beauty (1999) *
29. Pianist, The (2002)
30. Vertigo (1958) *
31. Sunset Blvd. (1950)
32. Apocalypse Now (1979)
33. To Kill a Mockingbird (1962)
34. Matrix, The (1999) *
35. Some Like It Hot (1959)
36. Taxi Driver (1976) *
37. Third Man, The (1949)
38. Paths of Glory (1957)
39. Fight Club (1999) *
40. Boot, Das (1981)
41. Double Indemnity (1944) *
42. Sen to Chihiro no kamikakushi (Spirited Away) (2001)
43. L.A. Confidential (1997) *
44. Chinatown (1974)
45. Requiem for a Dream (2000)
46. C’era una volta il West (Once Upon a Time in the West) (1968) *
47. Singin’ in the Rain (1952)
48. Maltese Falcon, The (1941) *
49. Bridge on the River Kwai, The (1957)
50. M (1931)
51. All About Eve (1950)
52. Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975) *
53. Se7en (1995) *
54. Saving Private Ryan (1998) *
55. Raging Bull (1980) *
56. Wizard of Oz, The (1939) *
57. Sting, The (1973) *
58. Vita è bella, La (Life is Beautiful) (1997) *
59. American History X (1998) *
60. Rashômon (1950)
61. Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939)
62. Wo hu cang long (Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon) (2000) *
63. 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) *
64. Alien (1979) *
65. Léon (The Professional) (1994) *
66. Manchurian Candidate, The (1962) *
67. Touch of Evil (1958)
68. Cidade de Deus (City of God) (2002)
69. Great Escape, The (1963)
70. Treasure of the Sierra Madre, The (1948)
71. Clockwork Orange, A (1971) *
72. Reservoir Dogs (1992) *
73. Annie Hall (1977) *
74. Jaws (1975) *
75. Amadeus (1984) *
76. Ran (1985)
77. On the Waterfront (1954)
78. Sixth Sense, The (1999) *
79. High Noon (1952)
80. Braveheart (1995) *
81. Modern Times (1936)
82. Fargo (1996) *
83. Apartment, The (1960)
84. Blade Runner (1982) *
85. Strangers on a Train (1951) *
86. Aliens (1986) *
87. Shining, The (1980) *
88. Donnie Darko (2001)
89. Duck Soup (1933)
90. Toy Story 2 (1999) *
91. Metropolis (1927)
92. Princess Bride, The (1987) *
93. Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003) *
94. Lola rennt (Run Lola Run) (1998) *
95. General, The (1927)
96. City Lights (1931)
97. Notorious (1946)
98. Full Metal Jacket (1987)
99. Rebecca (1940)
100. Sjunde inseglet, Det (The Seventh Seal) (1957)

I suspect some of those I’ve missed are movies that haven’t really aged all that well. I think I’ll be making my own list. Any suggestions?