Top 40 "style over substance" films ever
Jun 21, 2024 6:10:04 GMT
the knife, politicidal1, and 1 more like this
Post by drystyx on Jun 21, 2024 6:10:04 GMT
These are the epitome of "style over substance", and they're very good at it. The plots are usually silly, and if there is a History, the History is so far off that it's another dimension, but you get the most iconic scenes and lines in such films. Spectacle, imagery, iconic scenes, iconoclastic scenes, these generally denote "style over substance".
NOTE: Since musicals and comedies are based on "style over substance", those films are not included on this list.
I wondered about excluding science fiction, because it's "style over substance" by definition, but many science fiction stories are written to try to be less stylish and give the impression of "reality". For instance, "Last Woman on Earth" and "This is Not a Test" focus on the drama involving what happens during an event that may be science fiction or may not be science fiction, while Verhoeven obviously goes for the style in his films, so I included science fiction in the list.
40. Mirage 1965
39. The War Wagon 1967
38. El Dorado 1967
37. The Untouchables 1987
36. The Man With the Golden Gun 1974
35. Xu: Warriors From the Magic Mountain 1983
34. The Living Daylights 1987
33. Curse of the Demon 1957
32. North West Mounted Police 1940
31. The Lone Ranger 2013
30. The Viking Queen 1967
29. Moonraker 1979
28. Enter the Ninja 1981
27. Journey to the Center of the Earth 1959
26. The Lost Continent 1968
25. Mothra 1961
24. Live and Let Die 1973
23. The Thing From Another World 1951
22. Big Jake 1971
21. Die Hard 1988
20. Rio Lobo 1970
19. Die Another Day 2002
18. Jurassic Park 1993
17. The Bridge on the River Kwai 1957
16. You Only Live Twice 1967
15. Starship Troopers 1997
14. Octopussy 1983
13. Stalag 17 1953
12. Fort Apache 1948
11. Rancho Notorious 1952
10. Thunderball 1965
9. The Black Castle 1952
8. Union Pacific 1939
7. Robocop 1987
6. For Your Eyes Only 1981
5. Raiders of the Lost Ark 1981
4. Goldfinger 1964
3. The Spy Who Loved Me 1977
2. North By Northwest 1959
1. Charade 1963
NOTE: Since musicals and comedies are based on "style over substance", those films are not included on this list.
I wondered about excluding science fiction, because it's "style over substance" by definition, but many science fiction stories are written to try to be less stylish and give the impression of "reality". For instance, "Last Woman on Earth" and "This is Not a Test" focus on the drama involving what happens during an event that may be science fiction or may not be science fiction, while Verhoeven obviously goes for the style in his films, so I included science fiction in the list.
40. Mirage 1965
39. The War Wagon 1967
38. El Dorado 1967
37. The Untouchables 1987
36. The Man With the Golden Gun 1974
35. Xu: Warriors From the Magic Mountain 1983
34. The Living Daylights 1987
33. Curse of the Demon 1957
32. North West Mounted Police 1940
31. The Lone Ranger 2013
30. The Viking Queen 1967
29. Moonraker 1979
28. Enter the Ninja 1981
27. Journey to the Center of the Earth 1959
26. The Lost Continent 1968
25. Mothra 1961
24. Live and Let Die 1973
23. The Thing From Another World 1951
22. Big Jake 1971
21. Die Hard 1988
20. Rio Lobo 1970
19. Die Another Day 2002
18. Jurassic Park 1993
17. The Bridge on the River Kwai 1957
16. You Only Live Twice 1967
15. Starship Troopers 1997
14. Octopussy 1983
13. Stalag 17 1953
12. Fort Apache 1948
11. Rancho Notorious 1952
10. Thunderball 1965
9. The Black Castle 1952
8. Union Pacific 1939
7. Robocop 1987
6. For Your Eyes Only 1981
5. Raiders of the Lost Ark 1981
4. Goldfinger 1964
3. The Spy Who Loved Me 1977
2. North By Northwest 1959
1. Charade 1963
