WHAT MAKES A GREAT FILM?

A new survey purports to explain all. “It found that, unless a film fitted a recognisable genre, the odds would be heavily stacked against it – crime stories, prison dramas, sci-fi and bio-pics figure in many all-time great lists of films. Another asset was a conventional boy-meets-girl love story running through the film. And, though it may seem blindingly obvious, strong plots helped, as did a few big name stars. Keeping the title short, preferably one or two words, did not do any harm either. – The Age (Melbourne)