# Flawless Films **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 16, 2004, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flawless-films/240424 "2004-04-16T20:56:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2004, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flawless-films/240424/81 "2004-04-19T04:24:42Z")
> [@epepke](#): > > That’s why I pointed out _Gods and Monsters._ It may not be more than a minor film, but I can’t think of a single aspect–acting, cinematography, lighting, directing, script–that could have been modified in any way to make it better than it was, for what it was. Whether one likes what it was is irrelevant; it is consummately crafted. I can think of only one major thing that could have been better: MO NEKKID BRENDAN. (Actually, there was more nudity, but Fraser’s people were able to get them to remove it- between the time he filmed the movie and it aired, THE MUMMY made him a huge star and he didn’t want the stills of his manhood to be printed in Playgirl like DiCaprio’s from TOTAL ECLIPSE.) Lynn Redgrave’s performance in that movie is one of my favorite of any actress from any film, incidentally. She was robbed of the Oscar. I also loved the flashbacks to WW1, Whale’s childhood, the Frankenstein set and other parts of Whale’s past, all in blips that left you wanting to see more but that mirrored Whale’s inability to concentrate and scattered memories. ---
**Author:** ![dnooman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/839c29/32.png) [@dnooman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dnooman)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2004, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flawless-films/240424/82 "2004-04-19T04:54:51Z")
I’ll vote for **12 Angry Men** the original of course. I forgot how well the charachters and the story develop within the confines of that room until I watched it again recently. The way that everyone’s preconceptions and prejudices emerge is just masterfull. ---
**Author:** ![Freejooky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ba8739/32.png) [@Freejooky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freejooky)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2004, 5:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flawless-films/240424/83 "2004-04-19T05:03:09Z")
I’d say that Murnau’s “Sunrise” is the closest film to flawless that I’ve ever see; everything about it is nearly perfect and I can’t think of one thing that’s off. Close followers would be “The Little Fugitive,” “Annie Hall,” Godard’s “Band of Outsiders,” and “Brazil.” ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2004, 5:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flawless-films/240424/84 "2004-04-19T05:15:50Z")
**Patton** The strange thing about this film is that the real man’s admirers and family liked it and so did his enemies. (His family actually went to the theater with the intention of suing and emerged as Coppola converts.) ---
**Author:** ![Jeff](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19b73/32.png) [@Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jeff)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2004, 5:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flawless-films/240424/85 "2004-04-19T05:43:06Z")
I can’t believe no-one’s mentioned **Unforgiven** yet. Is there a single thing out of place in this film? How about **Memento**? Good stuff. I’d also throw in **Much Ado About Nothing** , if it wasn’t for Keanu’s miscasting. ---
**Author:** ![Teelo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8491ac/32.png) [@Teelo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Teelo)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2004, 5:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flawless-films/240424/86 "2004-04-19T05:49:27Z")
Um, **Kill Bill Vol .1**? (I havent seen Vol .2 but im sure its just as good.) Definetly **Back To the Future 1-3** ---
**Author:** ![Second\_Star\_to\_the\_Right](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3bc359/32.png) [@Second\_Star\_to\_the\_Right](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Second_Star_to_the_Right)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2004, 6:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flawless-films/240424/87 "2004-04-19T06:05:33Z")
A little surprised that I’m the first to mention **Finding Nemo.** Was anything wrong with this movie? Amazing animation, terrific voice actors, moving plot. The same can be said of **Toy Story,** of course, and I think I’ll throw **Monsters, Inc.** in there as well. Me, a fan of Pixar flicks? What makes you say that? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![litost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c4cdca/32.png) [@litost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/litost)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2004, 7:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flawless-films/240424/88 "2004-04-19T07:28:08Z")
> [@gobear](#): > > **Ran** > > Absolutely magnificent adaptation of **King Lear** by Akira Kurosawa. From beginning to end, it is the climax of his career. Unbelievable! That is the only film that came to my mind on reading the phrase “flawless”, and in fact, was going to write something very similar to what you wrote. Very bizarre but pleasant coincidence. But, the board wasn’t cooperating and I decided not to bother as the definition of “flawless” is pretty vague anyway and I also realized that this thread would end up with people just mentioning what films they liked the most. ---
**Author:** ![litost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c4cdca/32.png) [@litost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/litost)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2004, 7:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flawless-films/240424/89 "2004-04-19T07:40:19Z")
I suppose in addition to “perfect”, I also equate “flawless” to “complete” or “wholesome”. **Ran** had everything in it. Drama, action, suspense, story, strong characters, depth (in dialogue and content)… just everything. The music, the cinematography and direction just makes every frame perfect. The first scene involves a king dozing off to sleep tired after a hunt. It is shot so well that it looks real yet rhythmic and beautiful and a scene as mundane as that sets the bar for the film. One of my favorite scenes is when the king shoots a soldier trying to attack his jester. The way the camera cuts away to the king holding the bow and withdrawing it into his tower (accompanied by the background score) makes it 110% perfect. Of course, who can forget the battle shots drowned in music? Masterful artistry. ---
**Author:** ![commasense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/commasense/32/3017_2.png) [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2004, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flawless-films/240424/90 "2004-04-19T14:05:33Z")
I’m a huge fan of _The Philadelphia Story_, but it is definitely flawed. That scene in which Tracy and Mike walk home from the library and go swimming (well, he leaves, and she goes swimming) transiitions from a foggy afternoon to a sunny day to sunset to night in the space of about 30 minutes. Major continuity flaws. But I still love it. “Why, C.K. Dexter Haven! You have unsuspected depth!” 'She was a little the worse–or better–for wine, and well, there are rules about that kind of thing." ---
**Author:** ![CandidGamera](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/candidgamera/32/2878_2.png) [@CandidGamera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CandidGamera)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2004, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flawless-films/240424/91 "2004-04-19T14:11:03Z")
_Raiders of the Lost Ark_. _Who Framed Roger Rabbit_. … yeah. That’s right. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![MidnightRadio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecd19e/32.png) [@MidnightRadio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MidnightRadio)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2004, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flawless-films/240424/92 "2004-04-20T14:28:35Z")
> [@E. Thorp](#): > > **Ferris Bueller’s Day Off** I really, really liked it, but I thought the “Twist and Shout” parade scene was almost unbearably corny. I think the same thing about _The Breakfast Club_. I love it, but the dance sequence about three-quarters of the way through just seems ridiculous and dates the movie very badly. With some exceptions, dance sequences and musical numbers should be left to the musicals. Personally, I think it’s _slightly_ flawed, but still, I’m suprised no one’s mentioned _Psycho_. I’ve been racking my brain trying to think which film would get my vote, but I can’t think of anything. There are so many movies that I love, but they’ve all got \*some \* flaws. I’ll think about it some more; maybe I’ll come up with something. ---
**Author:** ![paulberserker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c4cdca/32.png) [@paulberserker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/paulberserker)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2004, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flawless-films/240424/93 "2004-04-20T14:38:37Z")
**Aliens** editing, acting, theres not a single bit of this film that doesn’t rule. It hasn’t even dated badly, to say its an 18 year old sci fi film. **Big Lebowski** **Castle in the Sky** **Ju Dou** ---
**Author:** ![commasense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/commasense/32/3017_2.png) [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2004, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flawless-films/240424/94 "2004-04-20T15:56:24Z")
I’m kind of surprised that no one has mentioned [this film](http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0155711/combined) yet. ---
**Author:** ![fessie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c37758/32.png) [@fessie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fessie)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2004, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flawless-films/240424/95 "2004-04-20T16:36:29Z")
\*\*Ordinary People Chariots of Fire Amadeus Fargo The Four Seasons All About Eve Father of the Bride (w/Spencer Tracy) The Purple Rose of Cairo Star Wars (IV) Pulp Fiction\*\* near miss - **Parenthood** ---
**Author:** ![fessie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c37758/32.png) [@fessie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fessie)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2004, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flawless-films/240424/96 "2004-04-20T16:38:23Z")
Shoot, I knew I forgot one **Glengarry Glen Ross** ---
**Author:** ![Rocketeer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocketeer/32/4437_2.png) [@Rocketeer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rocketeer)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2004, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flawless-films/240424/97 "2004-04-20T17:30:29Z")
**Lone Star**. Wonderfully written, and has my favorite ugly actor, Chris Cooper. **Casablanca**. Of course. **Rocketship X-M**. A classic 50’s sci-fi movie, made in a hurry (to beat **Destination Moon** into the theaters). Features a female scientist whose calculations are correct, but are ignored by the expedition head, resulting in disaster–a remarkably feminist theme for the time. Doesn’t aspire to be a Great Movie, but does what it does simply and efficiently. **Them**. The first Big Bug movie, and still the best. **Bride of Frankenstein**. Best of the Universal horrors, and Elsa Lanchester in a dress so low-cut that…well, it’s pretty darned low-cut. **The Rapture**. Mimi rogers gives a performance as a born-again hedonist that is letter-perfect in every way. ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2004, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flawless-films/240424/98 "2004-04-20T17:52:56Z")
> [@Moonchild](#): > > I disagree with “Kill a Mockingbird” though. When the “victim” is on the witness stand, her lies are so transparent, so overacted, and yet everybody in the court, sans Atticus, oohs and ahs. It’s really bad acting/directing if you ask me. > > That said, I love the movie. When Scout says, “Hey Boo Radley,” I lose it. See, I think that was part of the beauty of that scene. Everyone knew she was lying (the evidence was pretty clear), but they didn’t want to see her “attacker” go free, because it just didn’t go down that way in the South at that time. They were all playing the part of the shocked, surprised townsfolk. ---
**Author:** ![MaxTheVool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc29f/32.png) [@MaxTheVool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MaxTheVool)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2004, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flawless-films/240424/99 "2004-04-20T17:58:44Z")
**The Princess Bride** **Bull Durham** [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flawless-films/240424.md?page=4)