Spielberg Classic is Favourite Family Movie
"Radio Times" asked its readers to vote for their all time favourite family film, and they voted in their thousands.
The magazine has now published the Top Hundred, which makes fascinating reading, especially for somebody like me who had a long and successful career managing cinemas.
The ultimate No 1 turned out to be Steven Spielberg`s magical tale, hugely popular at the time and ever since, "ET - The Extra-Terrestrial", while "The Wizard of Oz" (starring Judy Garland) and "Mary Poppins" (starring Julie Andrews) came second and third.
Here is the Top Twenty.
1. ET - The Extra-Terrestrial (1982) *
2. The Wizard of Oz (1939) +
3. Mary Poppins (1964) *
4. Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (1968) *
5. Toy Story (1995)
6. Shrek (2001)
7. Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971) *
8. Back to the Future (1985) *
9. The Jungle Book (1967) *
10. The Sound of Music (1965) *
11. Home Alone (1990)
12. The Lion King (1994)
13. The Railway Children (1970) *
14. Finding Nemo (2003)
15. Grease (1978) *
16. Bedknobs and Broomsticks (1971) *
17. Star Wars (1977) *
18. Miracle on 34th Street (1947)
19. Babe (1995)
20. Bambi (1942) +
* signifies films released during my career, and shown by me
+ signifies films shown by me as reissues
Some of my own favourites not making this fabulous Top Twenty are Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984) (22); Ghost Busters (1984) (26); Oliver! (1968) (30); Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937) (31); The Great Escape (1963) (32); Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) (34); The Never Ending Story (1984) (39); Jason and the Argonauts (1963) (41); Fantasia (1940) (45); One Hundred and One Dalmatians (1960) (46); The Aristocats (1970) (51); Singin` in the Rain (1952) (55); The Empire Strikes Back (1980) (56); Lady and the Tramp (1955) (59); Dumbo (1941) (60); Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977) (61); Great Expectations (1946) (70); Superman (1978) (84); Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines (1965) (85); Robin Hood (1973) (87); Genevieve (1953) (88); The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938) (92); Pinocchio (1940) (93).
And of course, with all lists of this nature, there are surprising ommissions. Whatever happened to "It`s a Mad Mad Mad Mad World"? Or "The Great Race"? Or "Tom Thumb"? Or "The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm"? Or perhaps more obscurely "The Butterfly Ball"?
But it gives a theme for a hundred conversations.
Posted by colin on Thursday 12th August, 2010 at 8:46am