At 4 i saw Fantasia at the cinema, and the dinosuar and devil sections made a big impression. As a 12 year old The Great Escape was the greatest escapism. At 14 El Cid was majestic, surpassed the next year by North by Northwest. At 15 i was also stunned by a scintillating Xmas season of Fred Astaire films. Some Like it Hot, Casablanca, Singin in the Rain, Lawrence of Arabia were soon favourites too. At 21 as part of a French course i studied French Cinema of the 30's, and was introduced to the wonderful range and quality of Jean Renoir (Boudu, La Regle du Jeu, Partie de Campagne, La Grande Illusion in particular). 

My foreign film viewing really took off as an obsession in the late 80's after getting John Kobal's book of 100 Top Movies, many of which i'd never heard of, but set out on a quest to see. Since then, 2001 (stupendous experience), Paris Texas, Alice in the Cities, Seven Samurai, Andrei Rublev, The Green Ray, Sansho the Bailiff, Abraham Valley, Maborosi (in approximate viewing sequence) have made me awestruck and/or lovesick, among others. 

Greatest? Sansho the Bailiff, Andrei Rublev, 2001, La Regle du Jeu, Sunrise, Citizen Kane, Mirror, Seven Samurai, Tokyo Story...
