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Discuss: What's the Best British Film Ever?

by Monika Bartyzel Jun 30th 2008 // 9:02PM

Filed under: Newsstand, Lists

I haven't seen Four Weddings and a Funeral since it came out, but I remember it being a fun, quality movie -- more so than your usual rom-com flavor. The Hugh Grant-starring film not only brought in a good chunk of coin and fans, but it also received Oscar nominations for Best Picture and Best Screenplay. However, is it the best British movie of all time? That I'm not so sure about. Yes folks, the Hugh Grant comedy was recently listed the best British Film, according to a poll conducted by Virgin Media (via AOL UK).

Having polled 1,000 adults on June 25 and 26, Virgin notes that Four Weddings took in 22% of the vote, to get the top spot. The rom-com squeaked right by the wonderful Monty Python's Life of Brian, which suffered defeat by just 1% and grabbed the #2 spot. (It's also the only film that boasts a little age.) After that comedy classic, things get rougher and tougher. Next came Trainspotting with 15% of the vote, then Casino Royale with 10%, and Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels came in #5 with 8%.

While lists and polls like these will never please anyone, I must say, I'm surprised with this turnout. It seems more like what good British films come to mind, rather than which are the absolute best British films out there. If it wasn't for Python, it would appear that the British film industry started in the 1990s, and only put out funny or rough fare.

But then take this and compare it to a poll back in 1999, conducted by the British Film Institute. They reached out to 1,000 people as well, but focused instead on "leading figures of the movie industry" and compiled a list of the 100 best British films out there. The first film from the current list that pops up on the old one -- Trainspotting at number 10.

But what about you? What do you think are the top five films to come out of Britain? Or, just the top film?

26 Comments

Tags: British Films, BritishFilms, Casino Royale, CasinoRoyale, Cinematical, featured, Four Weddings and a Funeral, FourWeddingsAndAFuneral, Life of Brian, LifeOfBrian, Lock Stock and Two smoking barrels, LockStockAndTwoSmokingBarrels, Monty Pythons Life of Brian, MontyPythonsLifeOfBrian, Top British films, TopBritishFilms, Trainspotting

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