Village Voice Critics: Best Films of 1963

December 26, 1963, Vol. IX, No. 10

Best Films of 1963

PETER BOGDANOVICH -- The following are the best new movies I saw this year, listed in the order in which they were seen: "The Elusive Corporal," "The Courtship of Eddie's Father," "The Trial," "The Birds," "The Nutty Professor," "Donavan's Reef" (and Ford's sequence in "How the West Was Won"), "My Life to Live," "55 Days at Peking," "Shock Corridor," "The Cardinal," "The Leopard," "Charade," "Who's Minding the Store?"

JERRY TALLMER -- The 10 best movies of 1963 are "City Lights." Others that might be considered, in order of choice, are...

"The Great Escape," "8 1/2," "Eclipse," "The Most," "The Elusive Corporal," "Winter Light," "A Child is Waiting," "Tom Jones," the good parts of "Love at 20," the good parts of "Halleluah the Hills."

RUDY FRANCHI -- In order of preference: "The Trial," "The Leopard," "The Birds," "My Life to Live," "Charade," "Hallelujah the Hills," "Pickpocket," "The Chapman Report," "Donavan's Reef," "Landru." Best short: "The Criti."

ANDREW SARRIS -- "The Birds," "Donovan's Reef," "The Elusive Corporal," "My Life to Live," "Muriel," "The Third Lover," "Shock Corridor," "Therese," "Landru," "The Cardinal."

JONAS MEKAS -- Bests from Hollywood: "The Birds," "Donovan's Reef," "55 Days at Peking," "Shock Corridor," "The Chapman Report." Bests from Europe: "The Trial," "My Life to Live," "The Elusive Corporal," "Landru," "The Leopard," "Muriel," "8 1/2," "Le Amiche." American independents: "Hallelujah the Hills," "Flaming Creatures," "Blonde Cobra," "Path's Birthday," "Twice a Man," "Scorpio Rising," "Dog Star Man: Part I," "Mothlight," "Chumlum." The most perfect film of the year: Brakhage's "Mothlight."

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