Stardate 20010613.0526 (On Screen): The AFI has released several "top 100" lists in the last few weeks, and now they've brought out their top 100 "thrilling" movies. As should probably not surprise anyone, Hitchcock has three of the top ten places, and more films in their top 100 than anyone else. (I'm glad to see "North by Northwest" get the acclaim it deserves. There is one impeccable scene in that movie, where Martin Landau picks of a matchbook and glances at it briefly, which never fails to make me have an adrenaline spike. The first time I saw it it made me scream "Don't DO THAT!" at the TV. Gad, that scene is timed well.)
What I found more interesting, however, is that the AFI has parallel lists of the critic's choices and of choices made by the general public through a web poll, and they couldn't be more different. If this doesn't demonstrate anything else, it shows the difference between a "critical success" and a "popular success", because on the public's list, the top 7 spots belong to either George Lucas, Steven Spielberg, or the two working together. (They only have two of the critic's top ten. Nor am I sure that the public is wrong putting Star Wars on top.) (discuss)
