In 2005, American Film Institute released their list of the 100 Best Movie Quotes of All Time. Although any “Best of All Time” list will cause controversy, my criticism actually falls on the list of the 400 nominees. After reviewing the entire list, I was surprised at quotes that did not make the cut, and, to some extent, upset at the one’s that did. While comprising this ‘over-looked’ list, I used the same criteria that AFI did:
- Movie Quotation: A statement, phrase or brief exchange of dialogue spoken in an American film. Lyrics from songs are not eligible.
- Cultural Impact: Movie quotations that viewers use in their own lives and situations; circulating through popular culture, they become part of the national lexicon.
- Legacy: Movie quotations that viewers use to evoke the memory of a treasured film, thus ensuring and enlivening its historical legacy.
- Year: A film made before 2005
Along with the Institute’s criteria, I also added that the film must also be of critical notoriety, and attempted to be objective as possible. Even though I love the quote from Natural Born Killers: “Mass murder is wrong. But if I were a mass murderer, I’d be Mickey and Mallory!”, I would assume that most critics would not view this quote as historic.
So, I present to you, in no particular order, 20 quotes that I felt were snubbed by the Institute.
What’s your favorite quote that didn’t make the list?
By Guy Stridsigne 5/31/2011
“When someone asks you if you’re a god, you say, ‘YES’!” – Ghostbusters
"And I guess that was your accomplice in the wood chipper." - Fargo
"I come from a long line of stubborn idiots." - It Happened One Night
"You have a point. An idiotic one, but a point." - All About Eve
"Drink your juice, Shelby." - Steel Magnolias
"Boycott that goddamn barber who fucked up your head." - Do The Right Thing
"Clever girl." - Jurassic Park
"See daddy, sinners have soul too."- The Color Purple
"Now I know I have a heart because it’s breaking." - The Wizard of Oz
"Inconceivable!" - The Princess Bride
"Oh Stewardess! I speak jive." - Airplane!
"Baby wants to fuck blue velvet!" - Blue Velvet
"Love is too weak a word for how I feel. I lufff you." - Annie Hall
"My whole life is a darkroom, one big dark room." - Beetlejuice
"The Dude abides." - The Big Lebowski
"Because I am not one of your fans!" - Mommie Dearest
"You killed Misery!" - Misery
"F - it -flam - flames. Flames, on the side of my face, breathing-breathl- heaving breaths. Heaving breaths... Heaving." - Clue
"Don't look now, but there's one man too many in this room, and I think it's you." - Duck Soup
"Then take the check, for $5,000, which I feel you deserve, and get - permanently - lost. It's not that I don't want to know you, Hilary - although I don't - it's just that I'm afraid we're not really the sort of people that you can afford to be associated with." - Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner
I think there’s a difference betwwen “not making the list” and being “snubbed.” In any case, just as when people go on about an actor, actress, director or film being “snubbed” by the Oscars you’ve only told half the story. What 20 quotes should go to make room for your choices?
Nice picks, though. The All About Eve quote is a great favorite of mine, although it loses something without the full context.
Posted by Bruce McClelland | May 31, 2011, 4:45 pmI love the full conversation from All About Eve! I would have loved to place the whole discussion about the Waiter and the Butler, but I went with the key phrase.
Posted by Guy Stridsigne | May 31, 2011, 11:10 pmGood suggestion there Bruce.. so:
I went through and took one’s that I felt weren’t too memorable.. many from the films that I selected quotes from already! Some are memorable, but just don’t feel .. worthy.
And our bodies are earth. And our thoughts
are clay. And we sleep and eat with death.
ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT
Universal, 1930
ANNIE HALL
La-dee-da, la-dee-da.
ANNIE HALL
United Artists, 1977
Georgia, love is for the very young.
THE BAD AND THE BEAUTIFUL
MGM, 1952
BETELGEUSE
I’m the ghost with the most, babe.
BEETLEJUICE
Warner Bros., 1988
BILL/TED
Excellent!
BILL AND TED’S EXCELLENT ADVENTURE
Orion, 1989
RICK BLAINE
Ilsa, I’m no good at being noble, but it
doesn’t take much to see that the problems
of three little people don’t amount to a
hill of beans in this crazy world.
CASABLANCA
Warner Bros., 1942 (there were SEVEN Casablanca quotes, this one the least memorable)
DA MAYOR
Always do the right thing.
MOOKIE
That’s it?
DA MAYOR
That’s it.
MOOKIE
I got it, I’m gone.
DO THE RIGHT THING
MARGE GUNDERSON
You betcha!
FARGO
Gramercy, 1996 (maybe, because I live in Minnesota)
REGGIE HAMMOND
I’m your worst fucking nightmare, man!
A nigger with a badge.
48 HOURS
CRAIG/SMOKEY
Damn!
FRIDAY
New Line Cinema, 1995
MOHANDAS GANDHI
If you are a minority of one, the truth is
the truth.
GANDHI
Columbia, 1982 (I choose this one, because it is by FAR not the most memorable quote of the film)
MR. MAGUIRE
Plastics.
THE GRADUATE
Embassy Pictures, 1967 (this actually made 42nd best quote, ABOVE “Mrs. Robinson, you are trying to seduce me. Aren’t you?” at 63)
GRUSINSKAYA
I want to be alone.
GRAND HOTEL
MGM, 1932
ELLIE ANDREWS
Well, I proved once and for all that the
limb is mightier than the thumb.
IT HAPPENED ONE NIGHT
Columbia, 1934
DR. IAN MALCOLM
Life will find a way.
JURASSIC PARK
Universal, 1993
AGENT J
You know the difference between you and me?
I make this look good.
MEN IN BLACK
Columbia, 1997
CHILDREN
One, two, Freddy’s coming for you…
A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET
New Line, 1984 (I love NoES, but this quote seems to violate AFI’s OWN criteria, they are the lyrics of a song)
GHOSTFACE
Do you like scary movies?
SCREAM
Dimension, 1996
TRENT
Vegas, baby.
SWINGERS
Miramax, 1996
THE WICKED WITCH OF THE WEST
I’m melting! Melting! Oh, what a world!
What a world!
THE WIZARD OF OZ
MGM, 1939 (understandable, but the quote I would have replaced it with is better)
Posted by Guy Stridsigne | June 1, 2011, 2:26 amAnd for those who want a list of the nominees:
http://www.afi.com/Docs/100Years/quotes400.pdf
Posted by Guy Stridsigne | June 1, 2011, 2:27 amOf course, officially, Video Word Made Flesh must insist that, “See you in Pittsburgh,” should have made the list.
– Britta
Posted by VideoWordMadeFlesh | June 1, 2011, 1:33 pm