The Best 'Spike Lee's Essential Film List' Movies

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The Godfather 1972, 175 min.

Francis Ford Coppola • Starring: Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, James Caan

Based-on-20th-Century-Literature • Crime Drama • Crime

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The Godfather Part II 1974, 200 min.

Francis Ford Coppola • Starring: Al Pacino, Robert Duvall, Diane Keaton

Based-on-20th-Century-Literature • Crime Drama • Crime

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Rear Window 1954, 112 min.

Alfred Hitchcock • Starring: James Stewart, Grace Kelly, Wendell Corey

Based-on-20th-Century-Literature • Mystery • Psychological Thriller

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Casablanca 1942, 102 min.

Michael Curtiz • Starring: Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman, Paul Henreid

Based-on-Theatre • Drama • Romance

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One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest 1975, 133 min.

Milos Forman • Starring: Jack Nicholson, Louise Fletcher, Will Sampson

Based-on-20th-Century-Literature • Comedy Drama • Drama

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Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb 1964, 93 min.

Stanley Kubrick • Starring: George C. Scott, Sterling Hayden, Peter Sellers

Anti-War Film • Apocalyptic Film • Based-on-20th-Century-Literature

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North by Northwest 1959, 136 min.

Alfred Hitchcock • Starring: Cary Grant, Eva Marie Saint, James Mason

Chase Movie • Mystery • Romance

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Yojimbo 1961, 110 min.

Akira Kurosawa • Starring: Toshirô Mifune, Isuzu Yamada, Daisuke Katô

Action • Adventure • Costume Adventure

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The Night of the Hunter 1955, 92 min.

Charles Laughton • Starring: Robert Mitchum, Shelley Winters, Lillian Gish

Based-on-20th-Century-Literature • Crime Thriller • Crime

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Rashômon 1950, 88 min.

Akira Kurosawa • Starring: Toshirô Mifune, Machiko Kyô, Minoru Chiaki

Based-on-20th-Century-Literature • Crime Drama • Crime

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Paths of Glory 1957, 87 min.

Stanley Kubrick • Starring: Kirk Douglas, Ralph Meeker, Adolphe Menjou

Anti-War Film • Based-on-20th-Century-Literature • Drama

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Vertigo 1958, 129 min.

Alfred Hitchcock • Starring: James Stewart, Kim Novak, Tom Helmore

Based-on-20th-Century-Literature • Femme Fatale • Mindbender

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Chinatown 1974, 131 min.

Roman Polanski • Starring: Faye Dunaway, Jack Nicholson, John Hillerman

Detective Film • Femme Fatale • Mystery

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Touch of Evil 1958, 95 min.

Orson Welles • Starring: Charlton Heston, Janet Leigh, Orson Welles

Crime • Film Noir • Mystery

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The Red Shoes 1948, 133 min.

Michael Powell, Emeric Pressburger • Starring: Moira Shearer, Anton Walbrook, Marius Goring

Based-on-19th-Century-Literature • Dance Film • Drama

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Bicycle Thieves 1948, 93 min.

Vittorio De Sica • Starring: Lamberto Maggiorani , Lianella Carell , Enzo Staiola

Coming-of-Age • Crime Drama • Crime

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The Treasure of the Sierra Madre 1948, 126 min.

John Huston • Starring: Humphrey Bogart, Walter Huston, Tim Holt

Adventure Drama • Adventure • Drama

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The 400 Blows 1959, 99 min.

François Truffaut • Starring: Jean-Pierre Léaud, Claire Maurier, Albert Remy

Childhood Drama • Coming-of-Age • Drama

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Ace in the Hole 1951, 111 min.

Billy Wilder • Starring: Kirk Douglas, Robert Arthur, Jan Sterling

Black Comedy • Comedy Drama • Drama

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On the Waterfront 1954, 108 min.

Elia Kazan • Starring: Marlon Brando, Karl Malden, Lee J. Cobb

Crime Drama • Crime • Drama

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Movies by Decade
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2000s 5
1990s 3
1980s 9
1970s 21
1960s 17
1950s 20
1940s 9
1930s 1

The Best 'Spike Lee's Essential Film List' Movies

The Godfather https://www.flickchart.com/movie/B4CFDA198E 1972, 175 min.

The Godfather Part II https://www.flickchart.com/movie/DD42A68671 1974, 200 min.

Rear Window https://www.flickchart.com/movie/7C67315C3B 1954, 112 min.

Casablanca https://www.flickchart.com/movie/397A5ED065 1942, 102 min.

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest https://www.flickchart.com/movie/524F1C7D3F 1975, 133 min.

Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb https://www.flickchart.com/movie/E02A84753A 1964, 93 min.

North by Northwest https://www.flickchart.com/movie/F0D1F5FCA5 1959, 136 min.

Yojimbo https://www.flickchart.com/movie/D6194337C7 1961, 110 min.

The Night of the Hunter https://www.flickchart.com/movie/AE1B6CF4B7 1955, 92 min.

Rashômon https://www.flickchart.com/movie/2D855DF879 1950, 88 min.

Paths of Glory https://www.flickchart.com/movie/8A06643CDD 1957, 87 min.

Vertigo https://www.flickchart.com/movie/6AE2473940 1958, 129 min.

Chinatown https://www.flickchart.com/movie/4BF31D173B 1974, 131 min.

Touch of Evil https://www.flickchart.com/movie/ABBBD91447 1958, 95 min.

The Red Shoes https://www.flickchart.com/movie/DFC99EC31B 1948, 133 min.

Bicycle Thieves https://www.flickchart.com/movie/D22CE4DA9C 1948, 93 min.

The Treasure of the Sierra Madre https://www.flickchart.com/movie/CB0589869E 1948, 126 min.

The 400 Blows https://www.flickchart.com/movie/13F8CFD982 1959, 99 min.

Ace in the Hole https://www.flickchart.com/movie/AC6B8C3AC1 1951, 111 min.

On the Waterfront https://www.flickchart.com/movie/7D87DF3EBE 1954, 108 min.

Movies by Decadefrom this Chart

The Godfather 1972, 175 min.

The Godfather Part II 1974, 200 min.

Rear Window 1954, 112 min.

Casablanca 1942, 102 min.

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest 1975, 133 min.

Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb 1964, 93 min.

North by Northwest 1959, 136 min.

Yojimbo 1961, 110 min.

The Night of the Hunter 1955, 92 min.

Rashômon 1950, 88 min.

Paths of Glory 1957, 87 min.

Vertigo 1958, 129 min.

Chinatown 1974, 131 min.

Touch of Evil 1958, 95 min.

The Red Shoes 1948, 133 min.

Bicycle Thieves 1948, 93 min.

The Treasure of the Sierra Madre 1948, 126 min.

The 400 Blows 1959, 99 min.

Ace in the Hole 1951, 111 min.

On the Waterfront 1954, 108 min.

Movies by Decade
from this Chart