TOP FILMS OF ALL TIMES: 10th Anniversary Update
Stat 101: Extra Credit Case Study #1[1.0]
Due: ___________
Name: __________________________
Submit ONLY this sheet with your answer to items 1) through 5).
The American Film Institute (AFI) conducted a survey as part of a
celebration of the lOOth anniversary of cinema. AFI polled 1500
leaders from across the American film community, including
screenwriters, directors, actors, producers, cinematographers,
editors, executives, film historians and critics, asking them to pick
their 100 favorite films from a list of 400. The original list of
films represented movies that were made between 1896 and 1996.
After tallying the responses, AFI compiled a list representing the
top 100 films. Citizen Kane, made in 1941, finished in first place,
followed by Casablanca, which was made in 1942. Only one
movie filmed in the 199Os ranked in the top 10, Schindler's List
(1993) and, in fact, the next highest ranking film of the 9Os was
The Silence of the Lambs (1991), which ranked 65th. The
following table gives the top 20 finishers in the poll.
RANK 2007
FILM
YEAR
1997
CHANGE
1
CITIZEN KANE
1941
1
0
2
GODFATHER, THE
1972
3
1
3
CASABLANCA
1942
2
-1
4
RAGING BULL
1980
24
20
5
SINGIN' IN THE RAIN
1952
10
5
6
GONE WITH THE WIND
1939
4
-2
7
LAWRENCE OF ARABIA
1962
5
-2
8
SCHINDLER'S LIST
1993
9
1
9
VERTIGO
1958
61
52
10
WIZARD OF OZ, THE
1939
6
-4
11
CITY LIGHTS
1931
76
65
12
SEARCHERS, THE
1956
96
84
13
STAR WARS
1977
15
2
14
PSYCHO
1960
18
4
15
2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY
1968
22
7
16
SUNSET BLVD.
1950
12
-4
17
GRADUATE, THE
1967
7
-10
In 2007 a new poll was released using the same process. The new
18
GENERAL, THE
1927
NEW
N/A
top 20 is noted in the table to the right. The change column
19
ON THE WATERFRONT
1954
8
-11
represents the movie’s shift from its 1997 position. Dropping out
20
IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE
1946
11
-9
of the top 20 were: The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957, #13),
Some Like It Hot (1959, #14), All About Eve (1950, #16), The African Queen (1951, #17), Chinatown (1974, #19), and
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975, #20).
1)
[.2] The data set above contains the variables, film rank 2007, film and year. For each, identify the following
characteristics.
Qualitative/Quantitative Discrete/Continuous
Measurement Level (N, O, I, R)
Film Rank _____________
____________
_____________
Film
_____________
____________
_____________
Year
_____________
____________
_____________
2) [.2] Identify the population for this study: ________________________________________________________
3) [.2] Identify the sample for this study: ___________________________________________________________
4) [.2] Is the sample representative relative to the population of all American moviegoers? Explain your answer.
5) [.2] Consider the following statements: “Among the 1500 American film community members surveyed by AFI, the top
ranking film was Citizen Kane.” Is this statement descriptive or inferential? Why?
6) How many of these movies have you seen? ______
f: CS 1 movies 10th anniversary update.doc