In the Highlander thread, someone mentioned that the original Highlander film was part of the “Geek canon,” and I thought the idea was quite interesting. There are enough geeks here of various ages to create a reasonably authoritative list.
So what are those films* that are held in high regard by geeks in general? What are geekdom’s classic works?
Here are my suggestions:
[ul]
[li]The original Star Wars trilogy[/li][li]The Matrix[/li][li]Robocop[/li][/ul]
There are, of course, many others.
And feel free to debate! For example: should the Matrix sequels be included?
*If the thread works, it can be broadened to include novels, etc.
Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings
The South Park movie Blade Runner
Army of Darkness (I may have the title wrong - one man with a shotgun against the zombie hordes) Predator Terminator
Re: the Matrix. Agreed that the first one is in the proper geek canon. Thinking of the travesties that were the second and third makes me wonder if we’re taking too narrow a view of canon: it shouldn’t only be for films that geeks /like/, rather for films that geeks must have seen. At least one of the Matrix sequels should make it in this category, since geeks love to criticize them. Others that geeks love to criticize include all of the Star Trek films, such timeless classics as Manos: The Hands of Fate and Willow.
I can’t believe no one has mentioned:
Doctor Who
Oh, wait, films. The movies were a commercial success, but they are not legendary. I suppose Labyrinth isn’t on the same level of obsessions as others here.
I chose to focus on “The Best” films because, in my mind, the canon should be the core representative works, and in that case, being “too narrow” is better than being “too broad.” Of course, “best” in geek terms does not necessarily mean being well made from a conventional perspective – a work may succeed on geek terms because it is highly quotable, or has strong kitch appeal, for example. A good rule of thumb, IMHO, is, “Do geeks often refer favourably to this work (either directly or indirectly) in ordinary conversation?”
With that in mind, I submit:
[ul]
[li]The Big Lebowski[/li][li]Brazil[/li][li]12 Monkeys[/li][li]This is Spinal Tap[/li][li]X-Men/X-Men 2[/li][li]Total Recall[/li][li]Escape from New York[/li][/ul]
So far, then, the submission list looks as follows:
[ul]
[li]2001[/li][li]Adventures of Buckaroo Banzia[/li][li]Army of Darkness[/li][li]Blade Runner[/li][li]Close Encounters[/li][li]Highlander[/li][li]Ice Pirates[/li][li]The Lord of the Rings trilogy[/li][li]Manos: The Hands of Fate (not sure?)[/li][li]The Matrix[/li][li]Monty Python and the Holy Grail[/li][li]Predator[/li][li]The Princess Bride[/li][li]Raiders of the Lost Ark[/li][li]Robocop[/li][li]The South Park movie[/li][li]Sneakers[/li][li]Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan[/li][li]The original Star Wars trilogy[/li][li]Superman[/li][li]The Terminator[/li][li]Tron[/li][li]Willow (again, not sure here)[/li][/ul]
Not sure on including Sneakers, either. It’s a fine film, but it doesn’t seem to have inspired much discussion amongst geeks. I’d also expand Army of Darkness to the whole Evil Dead trilogy.
It’s a fair distinction - I just wanted to raise the point for discussion. With that definition in mind, I’d definitely ditch Willow, amusing though it was, and probably (though less certainly, as it’s pretty much the canonical ‘so bad it’s good’ film) Manos.
Ghostbusters, the lines are far too quotable.
Monty Python’s Flying Circus (Series)
Tron
War Games
Weird Science
Real Genius
Transformers: The Motion Picture
Ferris Bueller’s Day Off
Plan Nine From Outer Space
Universal Monster Pictures (Series: Frankenstein, Wolfman, Dracula, etc)
MST3K (Series)
That was me. I’m glad that you found it interesting. I think that geek culture is a distinct element of popular culture, and that it definitely has its own language of allusions. (Shaka. When the walls fell. ) I agree that the defining characteristic is that these works are referenced, in converation, in cartoons, in comic strips, in movies. You don’t have to like them, but you should be aware of them in order to be culturally literate. And, naturally, due ot the conversational element, different elements of the canon may be emphasized and de-emphasized by different subgroups.
May I add:
Dune
The Last Starfighter
Enemy Mine
Planet of the Apes
And some classics:
Clash of the Titans
The Day the Earth Stood Still
War of the Worlds (The 1953 version. . . We shall see what Mr. Spielberg does with it.)
Invasion of the Body Snatchers
The Forbidden Planet
Much as I adore Willow personally, I agree that it’s out because it’s almost never referenced. Ditto Labyrinth, Legend, Neverending Story,The Dark Crystal. Memorable movies, all, and greatly admired in various circles, but for some reason they don’t have successful memes that cause them to pop up over and over in different contexts.
Ghost in the Shell (GitS and Akira are really the only anime that should be in the list, get much beyond that and we’re in only the anime fans know about it territory)
Conan the Barbarian
Heavy Metal
The Rocky Horror Picture Show
Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory
Now, unlike others, I would include Willow on the basis of quotability. There weren’t a lot of them, to be sure, but the circle of geeks I hang out with frequently makes use of the brownies’ “Thees way!” bit. (“You are drunk. And when you are drunk…” etc.)
Geeks don’t have to be scifi types…here are some genre-spanning geek canon films that are a must see if you are ever having a geeky critical discussion of cinema…
Enter the Dragon
Office Space
Labyrinth
Pink Floyd The Wall
Showgirls
Blues Brothers
) I agree that the defining characteristic is that these works are referenced, in converation, in cartoons, in comic strips, in movies. You don’t have to like them, but you should be aware of them in order to be culturally literate. And, naturally, due ot the conversational element, different elements of the canon may be emphasized and de-emphasized by different subgroups.