Over the years there’ve been a number of films that take themselves a little too seriously. The overall success of these films can be the difference between self-awareness and self-indulgence, and often it’s hard to tell the difference. A Message Film can unintentionally become a Camp Masterpiece or, worse, Great Big Bomb, by default of its own over-baked seriousness. Sometimes, a movie just can’t get out of its own way, and that’s why we love them so.
There are so many movies that could easily fit into this list (the Bette Davis canon, for example, of which there are none here), but I’d like to highlight a few of my favorites (and some most loathed).
(In no particular order)
AIRPORT (1970)
My pick for hands-down Most Self-Important Movie of All Time. Any film in which Burt Lancaster is an anchor of sanity while Dean Martin gets sucked down the aisle of a jumbo jet (and Jerry Lewis isn’t involved), automatically goes to the front of the line for me. Chock-full of Grand Pathos and Great Acting (and, sadly, a testament to when we could laugh at these things), I absolutely adore the stylish self-importance of this landmark ensemble disaster. Ross Hunter Award of Excellence.
Airport Terminal Pack (Airport / Airport ’75 / Airport ’77 / The Concord: Airport ’79)
Thats a great selection and the inclusion of Airport 75 is genius.
Guess you don’t watch a lot of foreign cinema 😉 I can name a number of bonkytits pictures that leave most of these in the dust. Week End (1967), Fitzcarraldo (1982), Diabel (1974), The Laughing Woman (1969), Last Year at Marienbad (1961), anything by Lars von Trier… And how come Zabriskie Point (1970) didn’t make this list? Classic.
You forgot the award in Magnolia: The Tom Cruise Award for the presence of the incomparably self-important Tom Cruise. I know… it’s so obvious it’s redundant…