The ultimate film - Ryan Gilbey

One of the most revealing snapshots of British cinema-going ever produced, The Ultimate Film is the definitive list of the all-time top 100 films based on UK cinema admissions. From the 1930s to the present, the chart shows the diverse tastes that come together to make up Britain's choice of film favourites. Is Harry Potter more popular than The Lord of the Rings? How does Bond compare with Bridget Jones? The Ultimate Film has the answers taking the reader from Carry on Nurse to A Clockwork Orange, South Pacific to Star Wars and Ben Hur all the way to Doctor Zhivago. Each film is looked at in turn. What did the critics think of it when it was released and, with the benefit of hindsight, were they right? Who were the stars and who directed the action? What happened behind the scenes? What other films were being lauded at the same time? What was happening in the country and the wider world that led the film to be made, and then made it so popular? Sure to provoke debate and discussion, this fascinating and lavishly illustrated book tells us much about our shared history, culture and attitudes and will undoubtedly rekindle memories and experiences as everyone will be able to point to their personal history, interwoven with some of these films. This is the first time a list has been compiled based on the films people have most wanted to see. Some of the results will come as a surprise and the list has much to tell us about how we once were, and how cinema going has played no small part in shaping our culture and helped make us the way we are today.