Thriller Novel + Thriller Movie = Optimal Pleasure

Bob Canning Top 10 Movie Picks

1.  Casablanca, 1943.  Why?  C'mon, it's Casablanca, Bogie, Bergman - and "As time Goes By" - what's not to love?
2.  Double Indemnity, 1944.  Why?  Barbara Stanwyck gives such a deliciously devious and evil a performance in this Noir classic, it's the grandmammy of all femme fatale movies.
3.  It's a wonderful Life, 1945.  Why?  There have been moments in my life when I related to George Bailey when he was not feeling important or appreciated, and I still find myself getting misty-eyed each time I watch this movie.
4.  All About Eve, 1950.  Why?  As a produced playwright, this witty, cynical backstage story about a backstabbing actress always fascinated me, although I never experienced it in my lifetime - and hope I never do!
5.  Rear Window, 1954. Why?  The feeling of helplessness, claustrophobia and danger is so palpable every time I watch this film, I have to thank God that Alfred Hitchcock was so delightfully sadistic - and Raymond Burr was so menacing!
6.  Around the World in 80 Days, 1956.  Why?  I saw this film when I was very young and I was fascinated by the prospect of traveling by air balloon - and I still remember the audience oohing and ahhing at the scenery and gleefully responding to the cameo appearances by so many famous actors.
7.  Some Like It Hot, 1959.  Why?  This and Pillow Talk came out the same year (my favorite year) and both are still among my favorite all-time comedies.
8.  Lawrence of Arabia, 1962.  Why?  Every time I see this movie (to this day my #1 all-time favorite film), I get caught up with the vastness of the Sahara, the sweep of the story, the richness of the musical score, and the exotic locales and people.
9.  Dr. No, 1963.  Why?  When I heard that my childhood hero John F. Kennedy was very high on this book, I read it and felt the same way - and I've since read all the Bond books and have seen most of all the Bond movies.
10.  Jaws, 1975.  Why?  Just the music alone gets my heart pounding, since first seeing it I've preferred to swim in a pool rather than in the ocean.

Bob Canning is a San Francisco Bay Area produced playwright and screenwriter who spent 14 years as a copywriter at The Walt Disney Studios.

Scott Mazak Top 10 Movie Picks

1.  The Birth of a Nation, 1915.  Why?  Frankly, I don't care much for any specific Griffith film, but taken as a whole - best exemplified by this masterwork of cinematic experimentation - they stand as a kind of Rosetta Stone for the visual language of cinema we still use today.  The messages contained within that framework are always debatable, of course.
2.  Greed, 1924.  Why?  Epic and visually hypnotic, this film at times approaches pure poetry - the pinnacle of the form, in my opinion.  My favorite from Von Stroheim is Foolish Wives, but Greed - especially the ending - is quite fun to experience.
3.  City Lights, 1931.  Why?  This is pretty fun to watch.  It is also pure cinema as it should be - with each image building upon the last and propelling us into the next one, culminating in the prime moment of any film - the last image.  And in this case, it's pure visual poetry.
4.  Citizen Kane, 1941.  Why?  Frankly, in some ways, The Third Man is as much fun to watch visually as this, but Kane's story, themes and characters are more engrossing.  Still, the visual inventiveness in both is exhilarating at times.
5.  Psycho, 1960.  Why?  This is Hitchcock's best technical film by far.  Is it the most fun to watch?  Probably not, but for the pure visual/aural power of cinema, this is a filmmaker operating at his peak - the mise en scene, the sound and the camerawork in general all lead to continuous moments of pure cinematic power.  It's perhaps not so advisable to watch this slightly campy film as a horror film - this is film art, so study it with a microscope.
6.  Five Easy Pieces, 1970.  Why?  This is one of the great examples of the character study - a type of film I wish more filmmakers would make these days.  There were a number of these mildly unassuming yet dense portraits crafted during the 1960s and 1970s all over the world, but this one is uniquely American and a curious barometer of the psychological tone of a nation adrift.  Some of the images are absolutely sublime, and Nicholson's performance is possibly his best from his heyday, except for maybe The Passenger or Chinatown.
7.  The Exorcist, 1973.  Why?  Sure, the second half of this film might be a bit hysterical and silly, but the first half is so powerful, I like it anyway.  This is a very intense ride to take, and visually, it contains moments of pure poetry.  Many of the 1970s "pop culture blockbuster-establishing" films - like Jaws, Saturday Night Fever, A Clockwork Orange - could claim similar accolades.  However, this one reaches such visually poetic heights, I personally prefer it overall - even with the overblown second half.  It represents Friedkin hitting his stride as a filmmaker and an artist.
8.  Chinatown, 1973.  Why?  This is just damn fun to watch.  Polanski at his peak.  Nicholson at his peak.  Towne at his peak.  This represents a pinnacle of new Hollywood filmmaking merging with the old.  Visually, every frame is packed with info and gorgeous to look at - it may even approach the poetic at times.  At any rate, it's very fun to watch, dense and thoroughly engrossing.  A similarly dense and gorgeous film, The Godfather, is just as powerful in some ways - but Chinatown is a little tighter for my tastes.
9.  Annie Hall, 1977.  Why?  I think Manhattan is Allen's best film, but Annie Hall is very accessible, has one of the great characters in cinema history fully developed for the first time and is as visually inventive as anything he has done.  The writing is superior - the scene constructions, the dialogue and the measured way he paces the action all evince an artist hitting his peak, not just an entertainer.  Does this guy approach the master of all masters - Bunuel?  Almost!  Plus, he writes his own stuff and then acts it out!
10.  Raging Bull, 1980.  Why?  Clearly the pinnacle of Scorsese's work, this is a visual and thematic steamroller.  A truly American cultural artifact and work of art at the same time, this is what filmmaking is all about - many of the images and passages in the film approach the poetic.  It's a great character study, possibly matched only by Taxi Driver in his - and De Niro's - oeuvre.  However, it's a much more coherent and mature film (De Niro's Johnny Boy in Mean Streets is pretty amazing, too, by the way), so I find it a little more satisfying.

George Lucas's Blockbusting book feature film writer Scott Mazak is a San Francisco based writer and lecturer.

Louis Burklow Top 10 Movie Picks

1.  It Happened One Night, 1934.  Why?  The grandfather of all romantic comedies, it still works well (much better than most "modern" romcoms).  Gable and Colbert are perfect together and anyone who sees it remembers the walls of Jericho long afterward.
2.  Casablanca, 1943.  Why?  More than just my favorite movie, it stands as the ultimate World War II film, a classic romance and the best argument for finding a higher, nobler calling than just looking out for yourself.
3.  The Best Years of Our Lives, 1946.  Why?  Without ever being slick or manipulative, this story of returning veterans and their families shows the toll of war does not end when the shooting stops.  Also, the scene where Homer realizes his girlfriend still loves him even though he's lost his arms is about the most touching thing I've ever seen in a movie.
4.  The Treasure of the Sierra Madre, 1948.  Why?  In the midst of an ongoing financial meltdown, a vivid lecture on the evils of greed is most welcome.  This film is an excellent western and action movie and serves to remind us how little things of value money really buys.
5.  High Noon, 1952.  Why?  Proof that westerns could comment on current events.  Fred Zinnemann uses Gary Cooper at his laconic best to attack anticommunist hysteria while also standing up for civilization in the genre's tradition.
6.  North by Northwest, 1959.  Why?  The greatest of Hitchcock's classic entertainments using his greatest leading man, Cary Grant.  From the crop duster to Mount Rushmore, it's wonderful to watch Grant's smooth facade cracked by danger and love.
7.  The Apartment, 1960.  Why?  Still the best study of modern-day corporate culture and the ways it can be dehumanizing.  This movie is considered a comedy; although it has funny moments, it is deadly serious and illustrates Billy Wilder's genius for finding drama in a comedic premise.
8.  Dr. Strangelove Or: How I learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb, 1964.  Why?  It still blows my mind that this movie ever got made.  Stanley Kubrick and Peter Sellers make a farce out of the threat of nuclear holocaust, which is one of the greatest achievements ever by a film.
9.  The Right Stuff, 1983.  Why?  Using an episodic storyline to tell an epic tale, this movie shows the beginnings of America's space program.  As a boy when men first walked on the moon, I am fascinated by this movie's ability to show the kind of people who carried out this larger than life job.
10.  Patton, 1970.  Why?  The war movie that both warriors and pacifists can enjoy, as well as a great biopic.  George C. Scott brings the necessary larger-than-life presence to his role; I also love the fact that he declined his Oscar because he didn't see his performance as a competition.

George Lucas's Blockbusting book feature film writer Louis Burklow is a Los Angeles based freelance author.

Michael Kogge Top 10 Movie Picks

1.  The Grapes of Wrath, 1940.  Why?  Feisty John Ford still speaks to inner-city history classes.
2.  The Ox-bow Incident, 1943.  Why?  Taut like a rope falling from a tree.
3.  Double Indemnity, 1944.  Why?  Dangerous liaisons in well-stocked grocery stores show just how little has changed since 1944.
4.  All About Eve, 1950.  Why?  Dialogue as Art, with some flashes of Marilyn Monroe.
5.  Vertigo, 1958.  Why?  Is Kim Novak real?  Or is she a phantasy?  One of the greatest romantic movies is also Hitchcock's greatest horror film.
6.  The Apartment, 1960.  Why?  Only Billy Wilder would stage Christmas in a bar.
7.  2001: A Space Odyssey, 1968.  Why?  Kubrick conjures a beautiful life out of a flashing light.
8.  Patton, 1970.  Why?  The mesmerizing portrait of a man to whom you want to salute - and also kick in his teeth.
9.  The French Connection, 1971.  Why?  While trailing the crooks in cold, cold New York, Gene Hackman makes sure to get his daily nutrition of pizza.  A favorite scene in a film full of favorites.
10.  Star Wars, 1977.  Why?  I tried to resist, but in his witches' brew of film genres, George Lucas concocts one of the most original - and potent - films of all time.

George Lucas's Blockbusting book feature film writer Michael Kogge is a Los Angeles-based playwright and screenwriter.

Douglas Burns Top 10 Movie Picks

1.  Bambi, 1942 directed by David Hand.  Why?  Who wouldn't want to join Bambi and his pals for a romp in the most achingly beautiful forest ever captured on film?  Visually breathtaking.
2.  Sunset Boulevard, 1950 directed by Billy Wilder.  Why?  "It sure was a cozy set-up - that bundle of raw nerves, and Max, and a dead monkey upstairs ..."  'Nuff said.  Every line in this Wilder masterpiece is a classic.
3.  From Here to Eternity, 1953 directed by Fred Zinnemann.  Why?  An "impossible-to-film" novel, filmed.  Brilliantly cast -- particularly Iowa-scrubbed Donna Reed as a call girl, whose shipboard finale with Deborah Kerr is genuinely heartbreaking.
4.  Vertigo, 1958 directed by Alfred Hitchcock.  Why?  Likeable "everyman" actor Jimmy Stewart becomes - unnervingly - more and more alarming as he obsesses over two Kim Novaks.  Run!
5. Psycho, 1960 directed by Alfred Hitchcock.  Why?  Dutiful son Anthony Perkins decides to cover up "Mother's" dirty deed by sinking Janet Leigh's car in the swamp - yet when it momentarily refuses to go down, we're silently screaming "Sink! Sink!" Pure Hitchcock.
6.  American Graffiti, 1973 directed by George Lucas.  Why?  Wonderfully evocative of long-gone high school days - the classmates, the cars, the music - regardless of the era you were in as a high-schooler.
7.  Chinatown, 1974 directed by Roman Polanski.  Why?  The more Jack Nicholson snoops around, the more disastrous things become for all involved, including Jack.  Plus, a whirlwind tour of "1937" Los Angeles.
8.  Close Encounters of the Third Kind, 1977 directed by Steven Spielberg.  Why?  Leaving the theater at midnight after my first viewing of this film, I drove home anxiously scanning the nighttime sky for any unusual or remarkable airborne activity.
9.  Ordinary People, 1980 directed by Robert Redford.  Why?  Extraordinary story, direction and cast.  Perky, effervescent Mary Tyler Moore as a monster!  "You can't save French toast!"
10.  The Right Stuff, 1983 directed by Philip Kaufman.  Why?  I was too young at the time to appreciate the scope and effort of America's space program; this film defines it.  Epic, thrilling, and unforgettable.

George Lucas's Blockbusting book feature film writer Douglas Burns is a 28-year veteran of the home entertainment industry through his work at Disney and Paramount.

Tom Dupree Top 10 Movie Picks

1.  Fantasia, 1940.  Why?  The apex of cel animation, mated with great orchestral music.  A landmark.
2.  Citizen Kane, 1941.  Why?  Innovative, rule-breaking storytelling and filmmaking. You see something new every time.
3.  Casablanca, 1943.  Why?  The best love story ever made.  Tough guys, heroes, weasels, and one angelic dame.
4.  Singin' In The Rain, 1952.  Why?  A meta-movie with fantastic songs, characters, performers: a musical with brains.
5.  Psycho, 1960.  Why?  Pure cinema, Hitchcock as the audience's puppeteer.  Still shocks today.
6.  2001: A Space Odyssey, 1968.  Why?  Still unmatched outer-space effects, bravura wordless narrative.
7. M*A*S*H, 1970.  Why?  War as absurdity.  Often-imitated sound design.  You laugh and cringe simultaneously.
8.  The Godfather, 1972.  Why?  The great American film.  Organized crime as a metaphor for capitalism.
9.  Star Wars: Ep IV A New Hope, 1977.  Why?  Swashbuckling becomes cool again.  Visually as inventive as they come.
10.  The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, 2001. Why?  A sprawling epic done right.  Magnificent tech achievements never overshadow the story.

George Lucas's Blockbusting book feature film writer Tom Dupree is an independent writer and editor living in New York.

Daniel Wallace Top 10 Movie Picks

1.  1925 The Lost World.  Why?  Pioneering effects work by Willis O'Brien makes this silent film a must-see for any self-respecting Kong fan.
2.  1933 King Kong.  Why?  Skull Island is the most relentless action sequence ever committed to film.
3.  1940 Fantasia.  Why?  An incredibly gutsy release for a young Walt Disney Studios; Bill Tytla's animation of the demonic "Night on Bald Mountain" sequence brings down the house.
4.  1941 Citizen Kane.  Why?  One of two movies (the other being 2001) that I am powerless to turn away from if I encounter it playing on TV.
5.  1957 Bridge on the River Kwai.  Why?  Alec Guinness as Colonel Nicholson takes so much pride in his bridge construction project that he becomes the villain.  An amazing performance.
6.  1961 West Side Story.  Why?  The greatest movie musical ever made, from the perfect storm of Sondheim, Bernstein, and Wise.
7.  1968 2001: A Space Odyssey.  Why?  Told in 3 acts ("Dawn of Man," "Jupiter Mission," and "Beyond the Infinite"),  and I can't decide which one is the most mesmerizing.
8.  1974 Blazing Saddles.  Why?  When the action spills onto a movie set where they're filming Blazing Saddles, you know Mel Brooks has made a comedy both bizarre and brilliant.
9.  1975 The Rocky Horror Picture Show.  Why?  A great bad movie.  Rocky Horror helped the public understand movie fandom.
10.  2005 War of the Worlds.  Why?  Spielberg does something amazing in this movie - he stages an epic battle between the Army and the aliens which occurs entirely off-camera.  Somehow, it manages to be all the more impressive.

George Lucas's Blockbusting book feature film writer Daniel Wallace is the New York Times-bestselling author of more than a dozen books focusing on pop-culture universes, including those of Star Wars, DC Comics, and Marvel Comics.

Lucy Autrey Wilson Top 10 Movie Picks

1.  1954 On The Waterfront, directed by Elia Kazan.  Why?  Great story, great acting and early Marlon Brando.
2.  1960 Psycho, directed by Alfred Hitchcock.  Why?  Since reading his short story collections as a kid to watching his movies and TV show, I'm a fan of everything Hitchcock.
3.  1963 Tom Jones, directed by Tony Richardson.  Why?  I loved the novel by Henry Fielding and enjoyed Albert Finney and Susannah York in the movie.
4.  1964 Goldfinger, directed by Guy Hamilton.  Why?  I read and enjoyed the Ian Fleming novels in High School, love watching Sean Connery on screen and can still hum Shirley Bassey's theme song.
5.  1966 Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, directed by Mike Nichols.  Why?  An interesting take on a story by the great Shakespeare with terrific acting by Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton.
6.  1967 The Graduate, directed by Mike Nichols.  Why?  I was just getting ready for college and the story and characters played so well by Dustin Hoffman, Anne Bancroft and Katharine Ross really hit home.
7.  1971 The French Connection, directed by William Friedkin.  Why?  It was educational to see the dark side of drug use - especially with the magnificent Gene Hackman.  The original music by Don Ellis is also superb.
8.  1972 The Godfather, directed by Francis Ford Coppola.  Why?  Great cast, great score by Nino Rota, lots more going on than in the usual crime genre movie.
9.  1973 American Graffiti, directed by George Lucas.  Why?  The reason I wanted to work for Lucasfilm.  Great original story, great rock and roll soundtrack.
10.  1996 The English Patient, directed by Anthony Minghella, produced by Saul Zaentz. Why?  I loved the novel by Michael Ondaatje and found the film + book a case of 1 + 1 = 3.