Inspired by the AFI’s famous lists of the Top 100 Films, the #1 of which is always “Citizen Kane,” Alan Bacchus spent his summer cavorting through over 500 fanboy entries to compile a list of the Top 100 Fanboy films. It’s fascinating to see the similarties as well as the differences between fanboys and the AFI.

Bacchus’ blog, Daily Film Dose, discusses the AFI’s first list compiled in 1998 which “sparked a great discussion, several TV specials and got people talking aobut some old classics they hadn’t seen in awhile,” plus the List’s update this year “to see how the films of the last 10 years would be ranked and to see how our tastes in culture had changed.

“… Daily Film Dose spearheaded another vote, using the same guidelines and same short list of films used by the AFI. The result is what [Bacchus] called the “FANBOY 100”. We can now put rest speculations of how the fans may have voted for their favourite films, in comparison to the AFI’s. The major difference of this list is that the Fanboys were allowed the choice of moving off the 400-film short list for as many selections as possible. The AFI allowed only five, which, in my opinion, cuts down the votes significantly. Funny enough, even with the allowance of as many free selections, all of the films below were on the 400 short list.”

Each of the 100 fanboy choices, with comments, is on Daily Film Dose blogsite, and it is extremely interesting when the placement of such choices are little reflected in placement on the AFI list. In fact, sometimes fanboys’ great film choices don’t make it to the AFI list at all.

Of the many intriguing Fanboy vs. AFI top 100 film votes, one of the most striking to me is the heavy inclusion of black and white films. This came as a pleasant surprise, proving one more time that, when it comes to the movies, youth knows what it’s doing.

Below are the Top 20 (out of 100) Fanboy Films, with AFI placement noted.

The Godfather came in at Number 1 for Fanboys, and Number 2 on AFI’s list.

Psycho (the original) was Fanboys #2, whereas it came in at a feeble 14 on AFI’s list.

Pulp Fiction for Fanboys was #3, but a pitiful 94 for AFI voters.

Casablanca, interestingly, was very close: #4 for Fanboys and #3 for AFI voters.

Citizen Kane, selected twice as AFI’s top film of all time, came in at #5 for Fanboys.

Schindler’s List was a surprising #6 with Fanboys and #8 for the AFI.

Goodfellas is Fanboys’ idea of Scorsece’s masterpiece at #7, but #94 on AFI’s 1998 list.

Apocalypse Now is Fanboys #8 choice, with a mere nod at #30 for the AFI.

Dr. Strangelove was far more appreciated by Fanboys at #9, than the AFI at #39.

Star Wars for Fanboys was #10, and a not-too-distant #13 for the AFI.

Raiders of the Lost Ark came n at #11 for Fanboys, and at #65 on AFI’s list

Godfather II, “the high bar for sequels” by Fanboys at #12, but a paltry #32 for AFI

Taxi Driver a high #13 on Fanboy list, and more than halfway down at #52 on AFI

Jaws placed #56 on AFI list, but much higher for Fanboys at #14.

Shawshank Redemption, IMdB’s top-rated, is #15 for Fanboys, in AFI 2007 list at #72

One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest at Fanboys #16 and AFI’s #33.

Silence of the Lambs came in at #17 for Fanboys and AFI listed it at #74

Clockwork Orange is #18 for Fanboys and #70 for AFI

Rear Window is more popular with Fanboys at #19 than AFI at #48

Wizard of Oz rated #20 by Fanboys, twice as high as AFI’s #10

The entire list of 100 Fanboy Films, and their placement on the AFI list (if any) together with pithy comments, can be seen at Daily Film Dose.

Kudos to Alan Bacchus for a great job in exposing cultural changes as seen through the eyes of those Fanboys who make them.