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AFI 100 Years... series
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| 1998 | 100 Movies |
|---|---|
| 1999 | 100 Stars |
| 2000 | 100 Laughs |
| 2001 | 100 Thrills |
| 2002 | 100 Passions |
| 2003 | 100 Heroes & Villains |
| 2004 | 100 Songs |
| 2005 | 100 Movie Quotes |
| 2005 | 25 Scores |
| 2006 | 100 Cheers |
| 2006 | 25 Musicals |
| 2007 | 100 Movies (Updated) |
| 2008 | AFI's 10 Top 10 |
The AFI's 100 Years... series was a series of annual lists from 1998 to 2008 by the American Film Institute—typically accompanied by CBS television specials—celebrating the century of American cinema.[1]
As a centennial celebration of cinematic milestones, the series intended to inspire discussion and public interest in classical Hollywood cinema. As such, each list only included feature-length American films that were typically released before 2005.[1] AFI defined "American film" as an "English language motion picture with significant creative and/or financial production elements from the United States;" and "feature-length film" as a "motion picture of narrative format that is typically over 60 minutes in length."[1][2]
To determine the composition of these lists, the names of a few hundred nominated films were listed on ballots that AFI would distribute to a jury of over 1,000 leaders in the creative industry, including film artists (directors, screenwriters, actors, editors, cinematographers), critics, and historians.[1]
Lists of the series
[edit]- 1998: AFI's 100 Years...100 Movies — top "greatest American films of all time"
- 1999: AFI's 100 Years...100 Stars — the 50 greatest American "screen legends" of all time (25 women and 25 men)
- AFI defined an "American screen legend" as "an actor or a team of actors with a significant screen presence in American feature-length films whose screen debut occurred in or before 1950, or whose screen debut occurred after 1950 but whose death has marked a completed body of work."[2]
- 2000: AFI's 100 Years...100 Laughs — funniest American films
- While not specific to any genre, this list generally centered on comedies, including such sub-genres as satire, screwball, slapstick, action comedy, black comedy, musical comedy, romantic comedy, and comedy of manners.[3]
- 2001: AFI's 100 Years...100 Thrills — most 'thrilling' American films
- This list was not specific to any genre, focussing instead on the total "adrenaline-inducing impact" of a film, engaging both the audience's bodies and minds.[4]
- 2002: AFI's 100 Years...100 Passions — the "greatest love stories of all time"
- Though not specific to the romance genre, this list concerned films with "a romantic bond between two or more characters, whose actions and/or intentions provide the heart of the film's narrative."[5]
- 2003: AFI's 100 Years...100 Heroes & Villains — the top American film heroes and villains of all time (50 each)
- A "hero" was defined as "a character(s) who prevails in extreme circumstances and dramatizes a sense of morality, courage and purpose." A "villain" was defined as "a character(s) whose wickedness of mind, selfishness of character and will to power are sometimes masked by beauty and nobility, while others may rage unmasked."[6]
- 2004: AFI's 100 Years...100 Songs — the top American movie songs of all time
- For this list, "song" was defined as "[m]usic and lyrics...that set a tone or mood, define character, advance plot and/or express the film's themes in a manner that elevates" the art of film. Songs can include those "written and/or recorded specifically for the film" as well as those "previously written and/or recorded and selected by the filmmaker to achieve the above goals."[7]
- 2005: AFI's 100 Years...100 Movie Quotes — top American film quotes of all time
- Selection for this list considered quotes that "circulate through popular culture, become part of the national lexicon and evoke the memory of a treasured film."[8]
- 2005: AFI's 100 Years of Film Scores — the 25 greatest American films scores of all time
- The list did not originally air on television; it was presented at the Hollywood Bowl during a special live event produced by the Los Angeles Philharmonic Association.[9]
- 2006: AFI's 100 Years...100 Cheers — most inspiring American films of all time
- Films in this list "inspire" viewers, encourage people "to make a difference", and leave audiences "with a greater sense of possibility and hope for the future".[10]
- 2006: AFI's Greatest Movie Musicals — the 25 greatest American musical films of all time
- The list did not originally air on television; it was presented at the Hollywood Bowl during a special live event produced by the LA Philharmonic Association.[11]
- 2007: AFI's 100 Years...100 Movies (10th Anniversary Edition) — an updated edition of AFI's "100 Years...100 Movies" list from 1998
- This list removed 23 films from the original list, adding in their place 4 films released from 1996 to 2006 and 19 films made before 1996.
- 2008: AFI's 10 Top 10 — the 10 greatest films in 10 classic American film genres
- The 10 genres were: animation, courtroom drama, epic, fantasy, gangster, mystery, romantic comedy, science fiction, sports, and western.[12]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b c d "'AFI's 100 Years ... 100 Cheers: America's Most Inspiring Movies,' to Be Broadcast Wednesday, June 14 on the CBS Television Network" (Press release). Los Angeles: American Film Institute. PR Newswire. June 1, 2006. Archived from the original on April 19, 2017. Retrieved November 8, 2015.
- ^ a b "AFI's 100 Years...100 Stars". American Film Institute. Retrieved February 23, 2021.
- ^ "AFI's 100 Years...100 Laughs". American Film Institute. Retrieved February 23, 2021.
- ^ "AFI's 100 Years...100 Thrills". American Film Institute. Retrieved February 23, 2021.
- ^ "AFI's 100 Years...100 Passions". American Film Institute. Retrieved February 23, 2021.
- ^ "AFI's 100 Years...100 Heroes & Villains". American Film Institute. Retrieved February 23, 2021.
- ^ "AFI's 100 Years...100 Songs". American Film Institute. Retrieved February 23, 2021.
- ^ "AFI's 100 Years...100 Movie Quotes". American Film Institute. Retrieved February 23, 2021.
- ^ "AFI's 100 Years of Film Scores". American Film Institute. Retrieved February 23, 2021.
- ^ "AFI's 100 Years...100 Cheers". American Film Institute. Retrieved February 23, 2021.
- ^ "AFI's 100 Years of Musicals". American Film Institute. Retrieved February 23, 2021.
- ^ "AFI's 10 Top 10". American Film Institute. Retrieved February 23, 2021.
External links
[edit]AFI 100 Years... series
View on GrokipediaOverview
Inception and Purpose
The American Film Institute (AFI) launched the 100 Years... series in 1998 as a centennial celebration of American cinema, commemorating 100 years since the first public exhibition of motion pictures in the United States on April 23, 1896, in New York City.[2] The initiative aimed to honor outstanding achievements in filmmaking, preserve the legacy of American film history, and foster greater public appreciation for the medium through engaging television programming broadcast on CBS. By highlighting iconic works and talents, the series sought to advance AFI's broader educational mission of inspiring future generations of filmmakers and audiences alike.[8] The inaugural installment, AFI's 100 Years...100 Movies, presented a poll-based ranking of the greatest American films and aired as a three-hour primetime special on CBS on June 16, 1998, featuring clips, commentary from industry luminaries, and celebrity hosts including Jodie Foster, Richard Gere, and Sally Field.[9] The broadcast drew strong Nielsen ratings, topping the evening in key demographics and markets, and underscored the public's enduring fascination with cinematic history.[9] Over the following decade, the series expanded significantly, evolving from a single list into a comprehensive annual program that concluded in 2008 with 12 main compilations covering diverse aspects of film excellence, such as heroes and villains, laughs, and songs.[10] This progression not only sustained public engagement through subsequent CBS specials but also reinforced AFI's role in documenting and promoting the cultural significance of American movies.[1]Scope and Format
The AFI 100 Years... series maintains a standardized format across its installments, with most lists ranking the top 100 achievements in categories such as films, songs, and quotes, while select editions feature shorter compilations of 25 items, including the greatest movie musicals and film scores.[11] Each list is derived from a pool of approximately 400 to 500 nominees, curated by AFI historians and subsequently evaluated by a jury of film experts, artists, and scholars to determine the final rankings.[12][13] This structure ensures a consistent emphasis on excellence in American cinema, encompassing feature-length narrative works produced from the medium's inception in 1896 onward.[2] The series was presented through annual television specials broadcast on CBS from 1998 to 2008, featuring archival clips from the ranked entries, commentary from film luminaries, celebrity hosts such as Harrison Ford for the 100 Thrills edition, and dramatic countdown reveals of the top selections.[14] These two- to three-hour programs highlighted the cultural resonance of American filmmaking, with early broadcasts achieving peak viewership of 11.2 million for the inaugural 100 Movies special in 1998.[15] Later editions saw declining audiences, such as 7.7 million viewers for the 2007 100 Movies 10th Anniversary update, reflecting shifts in television viewing habits.[16] Thematically, the lists progressed from broad surveys of cinematic milestones—like the 100 greatest movies and 100 stars—to more specialized explorations of genres, motifs, and elements, including laughs, thrills, cheers, passions, heroes and villains, songs, quotes, musicals, and scores, all confined to American productions.[10] This evolution allowed the series to illuminate diverse facets of the nation's film heritage without expanding beyond its core focus on U.S.-made works dating back to 1896.[2] Full rankings, along with complete nominee lists, are permanently archived on the official AFI website, preserving the series' contributions for ongoing reference and study. No new installments have been produced since the 2008 edition, marking the conclusion of this decade-long initiative as of 2025.[7]Methodology
Selection Process
The selection process for each list in the AFI 100 Years... series follows a structured, multi-step procedure designed to reflect expert consensus on American cinematic excellence. It begins with AFI staff and historians compiling an initial slate of nominees, typically ranging from 300 to 500 entries per category, drawn from the institute's extensive archives, historical records, and consultations with film experts to emphasize works of enduring significance. For instance, the 2007 edition of AFI's 100 Years...100 Movies featured a ballot of 400 nominated films curated by AFI to guide jurors through the selection. This initial nomination phase ensures a broad pool of candidates that captures key milestones in film history while adhering to eligibility rules like feature-length narrative format and American production.[7][17] Once the nominees are finalized, ballots are distributed to a blue-ribbon jury comprising 1,500 to 2,000 prominent figures from the film community, including artists, critics, scholars, and historians, who vote to rank the top 100 selections. Jurors receive the pre-compiled list to facilitate their choices, with allowances for a limited number of write-in votes—such as five per ballot in the case of the 100 Movies update—to accommodate overlooked entries. This voting occurs over several months, engaging diverse professionals whose roles span directing, acting, screenwriting, and criticism to provide balanced perspectives, though detailed demographics and standards are outlined separately. The process for themed lists adapts accordingly; for example, the 100 Movie Quotes compilation drew from 400 nominated lines extracted directly from film scripts to maintain authenticity.[18][19][20] AFI then tallies the votes internally to determine the final rankings, compiling results that highlight collective judgment across the jury. The timeline coordinates with broadcast events: nominee ballots are typically announced and distributed several months in advance—such as in January for a June airing in the 2007 Movies edition—to allow sufficient voting time, culminating in the full list reveal during a dedicated CBS television special. This annual repetition, from 1998 through 2008, allowed for iterative refinements, with each themed list tailoring nominee sourcing and jury instructions to its focus, such as inspirational narratives or musical scores, while preserving the core jury-driven methodology.[18][19][21]Criteria and Participants
The AFI 100 Years... series employs core criteria centered on artistic merit, cultural impact, innovation in filmmaking techniques, and enduring popularity among audiences and critics, with a primary emphasis on American productions while occasionally incorporating foreign films that have profoundly influenced U.S. cinema.[22] Selections prioritize feature-length narrative films, typically over 60 minutes, produced in English or with significant U.S. recognition, evaluated through factors such as critical acclaim, major awards, historical significance, and lasting resonance in American culture.[23] These standards ensure the lists highlight works that advance the art form and inspire ongoing discourse about cinema's evolution.[2] Criteria are adapted for each list to suit its focus, maintaining the overarching emphasis on American contributions. For instance, the 100 Stars list assesses "American screen legends" based on significant screen presence in pre-1950 feature films, star quality through charisma and audience draw, awards and critical recognition, cultural influence, and enduring legacy of fame.[3] Similarly, the 100 Songs list evaluates entries on their integration into the film's narrative—advancing plot, defining characters, or expressing emotion—alongside memorability of melody, lyrics, and performance.[24] Such tailoring allows the series to celebrate diverse facets of film while upholding rigorous, context-specific benchmarks. The voting body consists of a blue-ribbon jury comprising over 1,500 leaders from the American film community, including directors, producers, screenwriters, actors, critics from outlets like Variety, and film scholars or academics.[25][23] This panel draws from Hollywood professionals, independent filmmakers, and academic experts to ensure broad expertise, with no public voting involved to maintain professional judgment.[2] Efforts toward inclusivity emphasize balanced representation across gender, historical eras, and film genres in the jury composition, fostering diverse perspectives on cinematic excellence.[26]List Categories
Film and Narrative Rankings
The AFI 100 Years...100 Movies list, first unveiled in 1998, ranks the 100 greatest American feature films, selected from a pool of 400 nominees spanning 1915 to 1997.[2] This inaugural edition emphasized films that demonstrated exceptional artistic merit and cultural influence, with Citizen Kane (1941), directed by Orson Welles, topping the list for its groundbreaking narrative techniques and innovative cinematography.[2] Other notable entries included Casablanca (1942) at #2, celebrated for its masterful storytelling and emotional depth, and classics like The Godfather (1972) at #3, highlighting directorial achievements from figures such as Welles and Francis Ford Coppola.[2] In 2007, the American Film Institute released a 10th Anniversary Edition of the list, updating the rankings to incorporate cinematic developments from 1998 to 2006 while reevaluating the original nominees.[7] Citizen Kane retained its #1 position, underscoring its enduring status as a pinnacle of American filmmaking.[7] Significant shifts occurred, such as The Godfather ascending to #2, reflecting a reassessment of its narrative complexity and cultural resonance, and the inclusion of modern epics like The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001) at #50, which introduced contemporary fantasy storytelling to the canon.[7] These lists prioritize narrative excellence, focusing on films that advance storytelling innovation and technical achievements, such as deep-focus photography in Citizen Kane or the poignant romantic tension in Casablanca.[2] Unlike genre-specific compilations, they encompass a broad spectrum of American cinema without isolating comedies or other categories, instead evaluating overall impact on the medium.[2] The 2007 edition's differences from the original highlight evolving cultural perspectives, with 23 films from the 1998 list replaced by newer entries to better represent post-1997 innovations, thereby maintaining relevance in assessing narrative legacies.[7]Talent and Character Lists
The AFI 100 Years... series includes dedicated rankings that celebrate the enduring legacies of performers and fictional characters in American cinema, highlighting their contributions to storytelling and cultural resonance. These lists focus on individual icons rather than entire productions, evaluating screen legends for their star power and narrative archetypes for their influence on audiences and popular imagination.[3][27] In 1999, AFI unveiled 100 Years...100 Stars, a compilation of 50 screen legends comprising the top 25 male and 25 female performers whose work defined American film history. The list was curated by a jury of film artists, critics, and historians, with selections based on criteria including star quality (charisma and screen presence), acting ability, body of work (encompassing iconic roles and career span), popularity, and unique historical significance in cinema.[3][28] Humphrey Bogart topped the male rankings for his brooding intensity in films like Casablanca and The Maltese Falcon, while Katharine Hepburn led the females for her versatile portrayals across decades, from The Philadelphia Story to The African Queen. To emphasize historical focus, eligibility was restricted to actors with screen debuts on or before 1950, including talents like Marlon Brando who debuted that year.[3][3] The series expanded into character archetypes with the 2003 list 100 Years...100 Heroes & Villains, ranking 50 heroes and 50 villains drawn exclusively from fictional film characters, not real individuals, to spotlight their archetypal impact. Selected by a similar panel of experts, the criteria prioritized cultural significance, such as a character's enduring influence on American society and popular culture, alongside requirements for the source films to be feature-length English-language narratives with broad U.S. recognition.[27][27] Atticus Finch from To Kill a Mockingbird (1962) ranked as the top hero for embodying moral courage and justice, while Dr. Hannibal Lecter from The Silence of the Lambs (1991) claimed the #1 villain spot for his chilling intellect and menace; Darth Vader from The Empire Strikes Back (1980) placed third among villains, reflecting his iconic status in shaping sci-fi antagonism.[27][29] Neither the Stars nor Heroes & Villains lists have received official updates since their releases, preserving their snapshot of 20th-century cinema milestones amid the series' conclusion in 2008. These rankings have notably shaped industry perspectives, informing casting choices in subsequent productions by underscoring timeless performer traits and character dynamics.[10][30]Genre and Theme Compilations
The Genre and Theme Compilations within the AFI 100 Years... series spotlight specific cinematic genres and emotional motifs, highlighting the breadth of American storytelling through curated rankings of influential films. These lists, developed in collaboration with film experts, scholars, and industry leaders, emphasize narrative elements that define each category, from comedic timing to suspenseful pacing, while fostering appreciation for how genres have shaped audience experiences. Unlike broader film rankings, these compilations delve into thematic resonance, selecting entries based on their enduring ability to evoke particular emotions or explore genre conventions. There is no single definitive ranking of the top comedy movies of all time, as it is subjective and varies by source. However, the American Film Institute's "100 Years...100 Laughs," unveiled in 2000, is a prominent expert-curated list of the 100 funniest American films. The top ten are:- Some Like It Hot (1959) for its masterful blend of farce and wit;
- Tootsie (1982);
- Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964);
- Annie Hall (1977);
- Duck Soup (1933);
- Blazing Saddles (1974);
- MASH* (1970);
- It Happened One Night (1934);
- The Graduate (1967);
- Airplane! (1980).
