AFI's 10 Top 10 honors the ten greatest American films in ten classic film genres. Presented by the
American Film Institute
The American Film Institute (AFI) is an American nonprofit film organization that educates filmmakers and honors the heritage of the History of cinema in the United States, motion picture arts in the United States. AFI is supported by private fu ...
(AFI), the lists were unveiled on a
television special broadcast by
CBS on June 17, 2008. In the special, various actors and directors, among them
Clint Eastwood
Clinton Eastwood Jr. (born May 31, 1930) is an American actor and film director. After achieving success in the Western (genre), Western TV series ''Rawhide (TV series), Rawhide'', Eastwood rose to international fame with his role as the "Ma ...
,
Quentin Tarantino,
Kirk Douglas,
Harrison Ford,
Martin Scorsese,
Steven Spielberg,
George Lucas,
Roman Polanski
Raymond Roman Thierry Polański (; born 18 August 1933) is a Polish and French filmmaker and actor. He is the recipient of List of awards and nominations received by Roman Polanski, numerous accolades, including an Academy Award, three Britis ...
, and
Jane Fonda, discussed their admiration for and personal contributions to the films cited.
The entire list of 500 nominated films is available on the American Film Institute website.
To date, this is the final program in AFI's countdown specials.
Animation
AFI defines "
animation
Animation is a filmmaking technique whereby still images are manipulated to create moving images. In traditional animation, images are drawn or painted by hand on transparent celluloid sheets to be photographed and exhibited on film. Animati ...
" as a genre where the film's images are primarily created by computer or hand and the characters are voiced by actors. Nine of the films are
Disney properties, including two collaborative works with
Pixar; the non-Disney selection is
DreamWorks Animation's ''Shrek''.
Courtroom drama
AFI defines "
courtroom drama" as a genre of film in which a system of justice plays a critical role in the film's narrative.
Epic
AFI defines "
epic" as a genre of large-scale films set in a cinematic interpretation of the past.
Fantasy
AFI defines "
fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of speculative fiction that involves supernatural or Magic (supernatural), magical elements, often including Fictional universe, imaginary places and Legendary creature, creatures.
The genre's roots lie in oral traditions, ...
" as a genre in which live-action characters inhabit imagined settings and/or experience situations that transcend the rules of the natural world.
Gangster
AFI defines the "
gangster film" as a genre that centers on organized crime or maverick criminals in a modern setting.
Mystery
AFI defines "
mystery" as a genre that revolves around the solution of a crime. Four of the films were directed by Alfred Hitchcock.
Romantic comedy
AFI defines "
romantic comedy
Romantic comedy (also known as romcom or rom-com) is a sub-genre of comedy and Romance novel, romance fiction, focusing on lighthearted, humorous plot lines centered on romantic ideas, such as how true love is able to surmount all obstacles. Ro ...
" as a genre in which the development of a romance leads to comic situations.
Science fiction
AFI defines "
science fiction
Science fiction (often shortened to sci-fi or abbreviated SF) is a genre of speculative fiction that deals with imaginative and futuristic concepts. These concepts may include information technology and robotics, biological manipulations, space ...
" as a genre that marries a scientific or technological premise with imaginative speculation.
Sports
AFI defines "sports" as a genre of films with protagonists who play athletics or other games of competition.
Western
AFI defines "
western" as a genre of films set in the American West that embodies the spirit, the struggle, and the demise of the new frontier. Actor
John Wayne
Marion Robert Morrison (May 26, 1907 – June 11, 1979), known professionally as John Wayne, was an American actor. Nicknamed "Duke", he became a Pop icon, popular icon through his starring roles in films which were produced during Hollywood' ...
has lead roles in three of the ten films.
AFI Crowns Top 10 Films in 10 Classic Film Genres - ComingSoon.net
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References
External links
AFI's 10 Top 10
Official playlist on YouTube
at Filmsite
{{DEFAULTSORT:Afi's 10 Top 10
AFI 100 Years... series
CBS original programming
Cinema of the United States