Submit Lists for LoC #132 Top Road Movies / Journey Films

[stethacantus]

It has been nine months since the last LoC and no one has submitted any topics for a poll or volunteered to be the next host.  So I am just going to throw a random topic up for the next LoC. This was suggested a long time ago, and was among the topics I had hoped would win a poll, but I don't even remember it being submitted for a poll. So I am picking it now. I am also leaving this open so that if anyone wants to take over hosting this topic, they can. Or if someone has a better topic they want to host, then this topic could easily be shelved for now. Otherwise, If I do host this, then it is going to be mostly cut and paste from Wikipedia.

Okay, on to the topic. The Road Movie. What is it? Well, the classic version would be a film where Tod and Buzz hop into their convertible with a six pack of beer, and with a rock and roll soundtrack, take a cross country journey through America, most of which looks suspiciously like California, meet kooky people along the way and have a number of mini adventures at every town they stop in. But it could be any movie where most of the plot involves characters needing to go on a journey, preferably  with the  protagonist being told he needs to go somewhere in the beginning of the film, and reaching that destination by the end of the film, with most of the plot taking place along the journey. Most of the time the film begins with a lone protagonist who then picks up friends along the way who join him on the journey. Preferably this would happen on a road. It doesn't need to be the same road between both destinations, nor does it need to be a road at all, nor does the protagonist need to be in a car.

Any film that is mostly a journey would count, provided that journey involves land. A film where the journey takes place entirely on an airliner or a ship at sea  would not count. But then again,   an adaption of Huckleberry Finn could count. Even though the traveling take place on a raft, the plot follows the typical road movie tropes. It is more about the characters ability to meet people and have minor adventures along the way which would put it in the spirit of a road picture. . Preferably this would be a specific point A to point B journey, but in some cases point B is not a set place, such as when the characters are searching for someone or some place and the destination  keeps changing the more they travel.  The destination does not necessarily need to be in the third act. It could be a film where they reach the destination near the halfway mark. Just as long as there is a significant amount of time devoted to their journey. They do not need to reach their destination, and in some cases, it could be a movie where the character is on the road to somewhere, has his car break down in a small town at the beginning of the film, and ends up staying there for most of the movie, planning to continue his journey once his car is fixed. Although this would be more of a sub-genre, it counts provided the film takes place mid journey. 

One other thing. I am not going to bother disqualifying any films. If someone submits a list that includes Citizen Kane and My Dinner with Andre then go ahead. You will just have to explain to the other members why you insist they are road films. But feel free to submit any film that you feel could count as a road movie, no matter how far out the suggestion is, as long as you truly believe it falls into the category.

Now, for anyone new to the LoC concept, here is how it goes. To participate, send in a list of what you think are the 25 greatest road movies, with the #1 on your list being your all time favorite, #2 on your list being your second favorite, #3 being your third favorite, and all the way down to #25 on your list which would be your 25th favorite. The lists will be combined and tabulated into a master list., as #1 on your list would get 25 points, #2 would get 24 points, on down to #25 which would get one point.  Films appearing on multiple lists would have their points added up.


Your list should be sent by PM to whoever chooses to be the host. That would be me, unless someone chooses to take this topic, then the lists would go to that member. The deadline for this will be... Ten days after I receive an 8th list.  I am not going to bother tabulating this time unless I get that many lists, and since no one seems to be eager to host their own topic, there doesn't seem to be any rush to get this done. I am mostly submitting this topic to keep the LoC going, and for all I care, it could be months before it is completed. Or maybe I get a bunch of lists submitted in a day or two. There is actually no reason for any member not to participate on this topic, as you have probably seen and liked more than 25 films that would qualify. If and when I get 8 lists, I will announce here that there will be ten more days until the deadline. Unless someone asks for an extension.

[RVR II]

I know nothing about Top Road Movies / Journey Films so I won't be participating in this one.

[Edward J Grug III]

This is a topic I could get into, although I am not sure it's a topic I can easily view a list of ones I've seen. Maybe someone has a comprehensive list on Letterboxd.

I am 100% confident of what my #1 is though.

[Edward J Grug III]

Oh HO:

https://letterboxd.com/htsun/list/the-complete-list-of-road-movies/

[Edward J Grug III]

I know nothing about Top Road Movies / Journey Films so I won't be participating in this one.

Try clicking on that Letterboxd list - I'll bet it will surprise you how many you have seen that could fit the list. I've come up with a couple not on that list also.

[RVR II]

From Letterboxd, I found.. Maybe 10
I guess I could submit those as my list as there's no way I could get to 25..

[stethacantus]

From Letterboxd, I found.. Maybe 10
I guess I could submit those as my list as there's no way I could get to 25..

A few years back someone had suggested this as a topic, and at the time I wondered how many road movies I had seen, other than the classic Bing Crosby/Bob Hope series. I began realizing how many films I had seen that qualified for the category.  At least 20 MST3K original series experiments qualified. I was eager to vote for the topic, but no one submitted it for a poll, and it was forgotten. You should do what I did back then. Imagine the topic is your all time favorite movies. Think of what films you would have on your first draft list. You would probably have  somewhere near 100 to 500 films you would consider your favorites ( depending on your age and how many movies you had seen in your lifetime ) which you need to narrow down to 25. Now just think of how many films on that list where the major part of the plot has the main characters needing to travel from point A to point specific B, or start at point A and go searching for something or someone they eventually find at a point B, or just decide to travel with no set point  B. You would be amazed at how many of your favorite movies fit this category.


Usually I prefer any category to have strict boundaries. This time around I would like to see a lot of lists with films I would never have thought of. Even films that would just barely qualify or that just technically qualify. ( Like how Die Hard makes a lot of Christmas Movie lists.) Which is why no film will be disqualified this time . ( Unless you have the same film twice on the same list. Which has happened a lot in the past. )

[Pak-Man]

I think I can cobble 25 together. (It should be noted that the complete list omits at least the Spongebob Squarepants movie, which totally qualifies, so there are choices beyond that list.)

[Edward J Grug III]

I think I can cobble 25 together. (It should be noted that the complete list omits at least the Spongebob Squarepants movie, which totally qualifies, so there are choices beyond that list.)

Absolutely - I have, I think, 3 on my list that weren't included.

I also have a pick that is so borderline I left it off, even though I think it probably does count...

[RVR II]

Ok from the list and a few that may-may not qualify
I managed to scrape together 25 and submitted my list

[Pak-Man]

Had to stretch the topic a little, but I got it to 25. I'm almost positive I'm going to see a few entries that I'm amazed I forgot. There's some movie dancing at the edge of my conciousness that I know fits and is one of my favorite movies ever, but I can't think of it, and didn't encounter it on any of the lists I found.

Here's hoping there are enough lists to keep it interesting!

[Charles Castle]

I can pull this one off. I'll work on it over the next few days.

[Pastor of Muppets]

Ooh 2 of my favorite movies are road movies.  But I'll have to dig a little deeper for more.

[Charles Castle]

My list is in.

[Pastor of Muppets]

I've assembled my list, but now I have to order it.