Best Decade?

What was the best decade for film making in the twentieth century?

The 1900's saw the emergence of filmmaking and the wonderful talent that was George Melies. The Fifties had Ed Wood and the nineties saw the rise of Tarantino.

Personally I think the 1940's was the golden age. 1941 Orson Welles appeared on the scene with Citizen Kane, Universal came out with the Wolfman. Then came the Val Lewton B-movies. Powell and Pressburger? A Matter of Life and Death? I could go on for ever. But I can't be bothered.
For me there never will be a time that can quite match the spirit of the fourties.

It's not that I disagree with your opinions, but you list some... odd examples to illustrate your point.

For the entire decade of the 1950s, Ed Wood is the only director that comes to mind? For the "golden age" of the 1940s, you jump from "Citizen Kane" to "The Wolfman" and Val Lewton B-movies (which admittedly were brilliant.)

For the same time period, what about the films of Alfred Hitchcock? John Ford? Howard Hawks? Walt Disney? Billy Wilder? It was the heyday of film noir, the adult Western, the Technicolor musical, and Hollywood's first attempts at serious science fiction. I could go on forever, but I can't be bothered.

The conventional wisdom is that 1939 was the greatest single year in movie history; seemingly every film from that year remains a classic to this day. However, if I have to go by decades, I think my vote would go to the 1970s. Seminal work by Francis Ford Coppola, Brian de Palma, Martin Scorsese, Steven Spielberg, George Lucas, John Carpenter, John Milius, Robert Altman... those are just off the top of my head. Stanley Kubrick, Richard Donner, John Badham, Ridley Scott, Walter Hill creating greatness... Foreign dudes Fellini, Bergman, Herzog, Kurosawa, Truffaut, all turning out the good stuff...

Make mine the seventies!

Baack

perhaps I did list some odd examples. I happen to love Ed Wood and feel that, in a way, he encapsulated the spirit of the fifties.

I'm also a big fan on Lon Chaney Jr and the Wolfman. I thought I'd mention it as it came out the same year as Citizen Kane. It also creates a contrast. I think contrast is important. On my television I always turn the contrast up to full.

I have to admit I do love Hitchcock and Hawks, but I've never been a fan of Ford. Anyway dude I could go on forever. I could write a huge essay on the great acheivements in film art in the 40's. But I can't be bothered.

As for 1939......I've heard about it being the "greatest year" but if it was, then you name me three great films to come out in that year.

I will, however, agree with you on the seventies being a great decade. though I wouldn't class the seventies as being a year for Kurosawa. I'd have said the fifties and sixties, particularly the former, would go down as his decades. Anyways. Good stuff.
Movies are cool!

Originally posted by surrender_dorothy

As for 1939...

...I've heard about it being the "greatest year" but if it was, then you name me three great films to come out in that year.

A quick look at IMDB for 1939 turns up lots of titles; depending on individual taste one may or may not like these films, but there's no denying their classic status:
The Wizard Of Oz, Gone with the Wind, Stagecoach, The Hound of the Baskervilles, Gunga Din, Goodbye Mr. Chips, Son of Frankenstein, Young Mr. Lincoln, Of Mice and Men, Dodge City, The Man in the Iron Mask, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, Drums along the Mohawk, Ninotchka, Wuthering Heights...

It was a pretty good year!

By the way, we're on the same page as regards The Wolfman. I love those great Universal Studios monster movies!

Baack