125 Body Double (1984 / Brian De Palma)
De Palma was in full on sub-Hitchcock mode when making Body Double. A man becomes with an obsession about a neighbour becomes involved in a murder plot. Slightly sleazy and very 80s!
124 Horse Feathers (1932 / Norman Z. McLeod)
The Marx Brothers were well into their classic run of films when this typically madcap tale of university life was released. Not to everyone’s taste, but if you are a fan, this is sure to be one of your favourites.
123 The Ladykillers (1955 / Alexander Mackendrick)
A gloriously funny story of a group of criminals planning a bank robbery. Pretty timeless stuff, it feels much fresher than the woeful remake, and stars Alec Guinness and Peter Sellers are true comic geniuses.
122 The Draughtsman’s Contract (1982 / Peter Greenaway)
This started a run of 5 great films from Greenaway over a 7 year period. Unfortunately after that he seemed to disappear up his own backside, and he has produced nothing of note since. This complex tale of a 17th century artist commissioned to produce drawings of a large estate is my pick of the director’s work.
121 Dr No (1962 / Terence Young)
The film that spawned the hugely successful franchise set the template in many ways: the beautiful women falling for 007 and the charismatic bad guy. However, this is much more of a harsh thriller than most of those that followed. One of the key films for blu ray collectors as it has a lovely high definition transfer.
120 Dracula (1931 / Tod Browning)
OK, this may seem stagey and hammy to modern audiences, but Browning did a great job producing such a creepy film with the resources he had at the time. Lugosi gives the performance that would define and overshadow the rest of his career. “I never drink…wine…”
119 Le Quai des Brumes (1938 / Marcel Carné)
Carné’s superbly atmospheric drama about a military deserter hiding out in a port town. Oppressive and doom laden with a typically good performance from Jean Gabin.
118 Locke (2013 / Steven Knight)
How can one man talking on his phone as he drives his car sustain a whole movie? Well, by casting Tom Hardy and by having a script as great as Knight’s. Mesmerising.
117 Some Like it Hot (1959 / Billy Wilder)
Many peoples favourite all time comedy, Some Like it Hot just misses out on that accolade for me. However, it is impossible not be charmed by this breezy story of two musicians fleeing a mob hit.
116 Thirteen Days (2000 / Roger Donaldson)
A brilliant take on the story of the Cuban missile crisis of 1962. Filmed with a documentary like realism, with Bruce Greenwood outstanding as JFK.
115 Pillow Talk (1959 / Michael Gordon)
Doris Day starred in a string of wonderful comedies in the 1950s and 60s. Pillow Talk is the best of the bunch, with palpable chemistry between Day and Hudson. Arguably, the greatest ever romantic comedy, filmed in sumptuous colour so typical of films of that period.
114 The Lavender Hill Mob (1951 / Charles Crichton)
Is there anything better on a rainy afternoon than settling down in front of the TV with an Ealing comedy? This is one of the best, with Alec Guinness as a bank clerk getting involved in an attempt to steal gold bars.
113 The Deer Hunter (1978 / Michael Cimino)
Director Cimino’s career may have been short lived but he made a number of impressive films, most notably, this, my favourite Vietnam War drama. Robert De Niro heads a stunning cast and Cimino perfectly captures the craziness of the war.
112 Foreign Correspondent (1940 / Alfred Hitchcock)
A curiously overlooked gem from Hitchcock. With its twisting plot involving events leading up to the second world war, and a number of brilliant action set pieces, it deserves to be better known.
111 MASH (1970 / Robert Altman)
Robert Altman’s ground breaking Korean War black comedy not only showcased some of the best talent of the 1970s (Elliott Gould, Donald Sutherland, Robert Duvall amongst them) but also spawned the brilliant long running TV series.
110 Great Expectations (1946 / David Lean)
Before David Lean made his better known epic movies, he produced a pair of Dicken’s adaptations that have rarely been bettered. This is my pick of the 2, largely thanks to great black and white cinematography and fine performances from the British cast, including John Mills and Jean Simmons.
109 The Manchurian Candidate (1962 / John Frankenheimer)
Frank Sinatra’s best on screen performance was a brainwashed army major in this conspiracy thriller. Fans of Murder She Wrote may be shocked at Angela Lansbury’s supporting performance! Pointlessly remade in 2004.
108 Alien (1979 / Ridley Scott)
This sci fi classic is Scott’s best film, and one that is both timeless and rewards re-watches, despite prior knowledge of the significant plot twists.
107 Bringing up Baby (1938 / Howard Hawks)
I feel that the reputation of this screwball comedy classic has suffered in recent years. Some people find it too manic and strident, but I still feel it is one of the funniest films ever and the pairing of Cary Grant and Katherine Hepburn is perfect.
106 Serpico (1973 / Sidney Lumet)
It may be a close run thing with Woody Allen, but I don’t think anyone was better at presenting New York of the 70s and 80s than Lumet. Al Pacino is at the peak of his powers as an honest cop blowing the whistle on his corrupt colleagues.
105 Parallax View (1974 / Alan J Pakula)
A typically 1970s conspiracy thriller. I remember seeing this on re-release back in the 90s and its freshness and relevance blew me away then, as it will do any new viewers now. Pakula was one of the most important directors of the period, and this is not his last entry on this list.
104 Halloween (1978 / John Carpenter)
A hugely influential slasher movie from horror maestro Carpenter. The Steadicam filming technique would be imitated by many but never bettered, and the score is one of the most iconic of all time. Incidentally, don’t let people tell you that the sequels are all bad. Numbers 2, 7 and 8 are particularly good. Avoid the Rod Zombie reboots though.
103 Frankenstein (1931 / James Whale)
Universal’s run of horror movies in the 30s and 40s are all worth seeing, but those made in the 4 years from 1931 are the pick of the bunch. This introduction to the iconic monster is beautifully directed by Whale, and Karloff’s performance is still considered the quintessential one.
102 Another Year (2010 / Mike Leigh)
Leigh has had an extraordinary career, with hardly any duds on his CV. This is his crowning achievement, a seemingly simple drama charting the lives of a couple throughout one year. Jim Broadbent and Lesley Manville stand out amongst an impeccable cast.
101 Wild Strawberries (1957 / Ingmar Bergman)
A devastating story of an elderly professor looking back at his life. Bergman could do no wrong at this point in his career and Victor Sjöström is perfectly cast in the lead role.