"Titanic," starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet, has a good chance to make it into AFI's new top 100 list.

By Barbara Vancheri
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Will the Corleone family take the cannoli and the crown this time around? Or will "Citizen Kane" retain its vaunted spot atop the American Film Institute list of top 100 movies?

Television viewers will learn the answer tonight in a TV special counting down the best movies of the past century.

Morgan Freeman will host "AFI's 100 Years ... 100 Movies -- 10th Anniversary," 8 to 11 p.m. on CBS. "Million Dollar Baby," the Clint Eastwood film that won Freeman an Academy Award, could make the cut, and so could another Freeman film and cult favorite, "The Shawshank Redemption."

	Bonasera (Salvatore Corsitto) asks Don Corleone (Marlon Brando) for a favor in "The Godfather."" Click photo for larger image.

In June 1998, when the AFI started its "100 Years ... 100 Movies" series, voters named "Citizen Kane" No. 1. Next in line: "Casablanca," "The Godfather," "Gone With the Wind," "Lawrence of Arabia," "The Wizard of Oz," "The Graduate," "On the Waterfront," "Schindler's List" and "Singin' in the Rain."

Now, it's time for an update and a do-over as jurors re-evaluate movies old and new (released from 1996 to 2006), setting the stage for an upset that could allow "The Godfather" to leapfrog to the top or be nudged aside by a newer ballot entry, such as "Saving Private Ryan."

Patricia King Hanson, executive editor of the AFI catalog, is among the 1,500 voters who picked 100 films from a ballot of 400, and she will watch the show like millions of Americans to learn the results. Go to www.afi.com to download a ballot or learn what regular folks and celebrities have to say.

Although she didn't want to divulge her choices for top pictures, she is rooting for "Shawshank" to make the list and was happy to see "Sweet Smell of Success" and "Roman Holiday" among the contenders, since they were omitted from the ballot a decade ago.

"I would be kind of surprised if 'Saving Private Ryan' wasn't in the top 100. 'Titanic' is likely to be in the top 100," and while she's a soft touch for romantic comedies such as "When Harry Met Sally," she can appreciate a terrific comic-book movie such as "Spider-Man 2."

In a phone call from Los Angeles, Hanson said people would periodically wonder what the list would be like if the AFI repeated the exercise.

"Many lists, like the Sight & Sound [magazine] list comes to mind, for many decades now have done it every 10 years. Usually, that's kind of a watershed, a decade has passed, now what's happened? We certainly have had a lot of films that have come out that have been important films, since 1997."

AFI probably will pause once a decade to see what movies stand the test of time. A refreshed roster would serve as a permanent almanac of filmmaking, how the nation views films and how tastes and views have changed.

A decade is a long time in the movie business, with new directors emerging, technology advancing and entire trilogies such as "Lord of the Rings" released. Some movies such as "Brokeback Mountain" broke new ground, while others like "Gladiator" and "Chicago" reinvented old genres.

All told, there are 43 newer movies in contention. They are all over the movie map, from "L.A. Confidential" and "Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery" to "Fight Club," "Finding Nemo" and "Hotel Rwanda."

While animation and computer-generated effects may be important, it's still all about the story, Hanson said. "The story and how it appeals to the audience, that kind of gut reaction, is the most important," no matter how sophisticated the special or digital effects.

If the new list tilts toward recent releases, Hanson won't be surprised. But she also expects some golden oldies to have a comeback as voters reconsider snubs, especially as they see contenders on Turner Classic Movies or watch DVDs with crisp new pictures and bonus features.

Left off in June 1998, for instance, were "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" along with Howard Hawks' "Red River," "The Exorcist," "Glory" and "Do the Right Thing."

A reappraisal could right some wrongs, create new injustices and, at minimum, get TV viewers talking about movies. A three-hour show will mean lots of commercial breaks, so here are some trivia talking points:

Oldest films on the ballot are 1915's "The Cheat" and "Birth of a Nation." Newest are "Brokeback Mountain," "Crash," "Good Night, and Good Luck" and "Hotel Rwanda," all 2005.

With 10 films, Henry Fonda is the most represented actor on the ballot. Katharine Hepburn leads the actress pack with seven.

Ten animated movies are in contention: "Bambi," "Beauty and the Beast," "Cinderella," "Fantasia," "Finding Nemo," "The Lion King," "Pinocchio," "Snow White and Seven Dwarfs," "Shrek" and "Toy Story."

Youngest director is John Singleton, just 23 when "Boyz N the Hood" was released. Clint Eastwood, 74 at the time of "Million Dollar Baby," is the oldest.

Directors Alfred Hitchcock and William Wyler, each with 10 films, turn up more than any others. Steven Spielberg and Howard Hawks are next with eight each.

Most represented years are 1939 and 1942, with 11 films for each year.

Movie with the smallest cast is "12 Angry Men." Largest, "The Ten Commandments."

Voters, who work as directors, screenwriters, actors, editors, cinematographers, critics and historians, were asked to consider: critical recognition and awards, popularity over time (through box-office success, TV airings and DVD/VHS sales or rentals), historical significance and cultural impact. Five write-ins per ballot were allowed.

For the AFI's list of the top 100 films from 10 years ago, go to www.post-gazette.com/magazine/19980617btopfilms3.asp