Top 5 movies that have left legacies in the industry

Millions of movies have been made all over the world but a few of them actually live beyond the fame and glory of their release. Today, we chronicle the top five movies that have arguably made lasting impact in the industry.

Gone with the Wind

“Gone with the Wind” (1939): This classic epic romance-drama adapted from American novelist and journalist, Margaret Mitchell’s 1936 novel, was directed by Victor Fleming. Produced by David O. Selznick of Selznick International Pictures, the 1939 film was set in the American South during the Civil War and Reconstruction periods and features a star-studded cast, including Vivien Leigh and Clark Gable. “Gone with the Wind” won ten Academy Awards (eight competitive and two honorary) and remains a beloved classic to this day.

The film remains one of the top grossing film in history when adjusted for inflation. It, meanwhile, held that position as the top grossing film for 25 years. Casting for one of the characters, Scarlett O’Hara which was played by Vivien Leigh saw the screening of 1400 unknown women before she was selected. Because of Selznick’s desire to get Gable for the role of Rhett, the filming was delayed for two years because he was signed on with another company who did not want to loan him.

The Godfather

“The Godfather” is a 1972 American crime film directed by Francis Ford Coppola, co-writer of the screenplay with Mario Puzo. The film is based on Puzo’s 1969 best-selling novel, “The Godfather”. Telling the story of a mafia family in New York, the Corleone family under the watch of Marlon Brando as Don Vito Corleone, nurtured Michael Corleone (Pacino), an uninterested family outsider to become a ruthless mafia boss. Paramount Pictures acquired the rights of the novel based on which the film was made. A number of candidates turned down the chance to direct the film until Ford Coppola stepped in.

Premiered on March 14, 1972, The Godfather was the highest grossing movie in the United States and was nominated for eleven Academy Awards, which it won three, including Best Picture. The film featured Marlon Brando, James Caan, Richard Castellano, Sterling Hayden and Diane Keaton. It is the first of The Godfather trilogy.

Stars Wars

“Star Wars” is an American epic space film, a ground-breaking science-fiction movie, directed by George Lucas. The Star Wars multimedia franchise has a number of movies under it since the eponymous 1977 film which was produced by George Lucas and distributed by 20th Century Fox. Star Wars is the first in the Star Wars film series and the fourth chronological chapter in the “Skywalker” saga. Set in an ancient fictional universe, ruled by Galactic Empire, the story centres on Rebel Alliance, a group of freedom fighters whose aim is to destroy the Empire’s new weapon named the Death Star.

The film features Mark Hamill (Luke Skywalker), Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Peter Cushing, Alec Guinness (Obi-Wan Kenobi a Jedi Master), David Prowse, James Earl Jones, Anthony Daniels, Kenny Baker, and Peter Mayhew among others. Star Wars had a budget of $11 million and has grossed over $775.8 million.

Star Wars won six competitive Academy Awards at the 50th Academy Awards: Best Art Direction, Best Costume Design, Best Film Editing, Best Original Score, Best Sound and Best Visual Effects.

Jurassic Park

“Jurassic Park” is a 1993 American science fiction movie directed by Steven Spielberg. Produced by Kathleen Kennedy and Gerald R. Molen, this sci-fi adventure movie is based on the 1990 novel by Michael Crichton by the same name. Jurassic Park tells the story of a billionaire (John Hammond) acted Richard Attenborough by who created a theme park populated by cloned de-extinct dinosaurs.

The film featured Sam Neill, Laura Dern, Jeff Goldblum, and Richard Attenborough. Jurassic Park. Pre-production took 25 months and the shooting lasted for three weeks. The location was at Kauai, an island in Hawaii though the Dominican Republic and Costa Rica were originally considered because that is where the novel’s setting is. Jurassic Park was a massive box office hit that grossed over $1 billion while remaining the highest grossing film until it was beaten by Titanic in 1997. It has won three Academy Awards for its innovative use of CGI while winning 20 awards in all from over 30 nominations since its release.

Jurassic Park is special for its use of computer-generated imagery that allowed for realistic movement and textures that were indistinguishable from real-life creatures.

The Lord of the Rings

“The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring” is a 2001 released epic fantasy adventure film which is the first of a three film series: Directed by Peter Jackson, this epic fantasy movie is based on the novel by J.R.R. Tolkien.

Produced and distributed by New Line Cinema with the co-production of WingNut Films, The Lord of the Rings is an international venture between New Zealand and the United States. The film featured Elijah Wood, Ian McKellen, Liv Tyler, Viggo Mortensen, Sean Astin, Christopher Lee, Billy Boyd, Dominic Monaghan and Andy Serkis among other top names.

It follows the journey of Frodo Baggins, a hobbit tasked with destroying a powerful ring that could destroy the world. “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy was a massive critical and commercial success, winning a total of 17 Academy Awards, including Best Picture for the final movie in the series.

These are just a few examples of the many historic movies that have left a lasting impact on the film industry and popular culture. A box office masterpiece, the film grossed over $2.991 billion and remains one of the highest grossing films in history. All three films in the series received global acclaim.

Jackson’s successful translation of the book to a film established new standards for film adaptations. The quality production design has also earned it a place in the industry as one of the best while it also set new standards for production and storytelling.