Must see movies

I started a thread like this back on Ye Ole MI6. The basic idea is putting together a list of films, about 10, 15, or 20 from each year that are "must see".

I had settled on 20 last time because I thought it allowed room for...

-Truly great films. The gems of world cinema 'n s***. (SEVEN SAMURAI, VERTIGO, 8 1/2, etc.)
-Films that are nearly that great, but not on that level. (drawing a blank on examples)
-Notable films.
-Better-than-average genre films.
-Unique films or cult classics.

I'm putting this together partly to give me ideas of films to seek out, seeing as a number of you have greater viewing experience than I do. It's informal, I'm not strictly pushing 20. Just wanted to get a list together that was varied.

I dug up this list I had put together for 1963 as an example.

1963
-8 1/2 (Federico Fellini)
-THE BIRDS (Alfred Hitchcock)
-BYE BYE BIRDIE (George Sidney)
-CHARADE (Stanley Donen)
-CLEOPATRA (Joseph L. Mankiewicz)
-THE GREAT ESCAPE (John Sturges)
-THE HAUNTING (Robert Wise)
-HOW THE WEST WAS WON (John Ford, Henry Hathaway, George Marshall, Richard Thorpe)
-HUD (Martin Ritt)
-IRMA LA DOUCE (Billy Wilder)
-IT'S A MAD, MAD, MAD, MAD WORLD (Stanley Kramer)
-JASON AND THE ARGONAUTS (Don Chaffey)
-LE MEPRIS (Jean-Luc Godard)
-THE LEOPARD (Luchino Visconti)
-LORD OF THE FLIES (Peter Brook)
-LOVE WITH A PROPER STRANGER (Robert Mulligan)
-THE PINK PANTHER (Blake Edwards)
-PROMISES! PROMISES! (King Donovan)
-SHOCK CORRIDOR (Samuel Fuller)
-THE SILENCE (Ingmar Bergman)

Leaving off a few I'm sure. A round 20 doesn't matter. I just think variety is important.

THE NUTTY PROFESSOR is a must for 1963. The funniest American film after DUCK SOUP.

HJackson wrote:

THE NUTTY PROFESSOR is a must for 1963. The funniest American film after DUCK SOUP.

Ah yes, I recall you like Jerry Lewis. I can't stand him.

From Russia with Love surely!

lachesis wrote:

From Russia with Love surely!

I was leaving Bond out as it's a Bond forum. ;)