Films have evolved significantly over the past 100 years, with new trends and actors bringing these stories to life. From genre-defining classics like The Wizard of Oz to modern masterpieces such as Oppenheimer, fans can always find something to enjoy every year, and with over a century of content, there will always be must-watch films.
Movies are best experienced in theaters, and the best type of film to watch on the big screen is large-scale epics. That is why this list will rank the ten greatest epic masterpieces of the last 100 years, starting from 1926 to the present day. Based on scale, writing, ambition, vision, directing, and overall quality, these ten films are the grandest movies of the past century.
11
‘Stalker’ (1979)
Epics are defined as lengthy films with grand moments, numerous actors, and a rich visual style. <em>Stalker</em> doesn’t exactly fit that definition, but it is still a psychological epic worthy of being on this list. Tempted by their earthy desires, a group travels inside a mysterious Zone to find The Room. Led by a child, they explore this wasteland and all of its dangers.
Stalker isn’t like most epics, and while that unconventional nature pushes it down to the bottom of this list, it is still a psychological epic that deserves recognition. It doesn’t feature battles or thousands of actors, but Andrei Tarkovsky still creates an introspective epic with immense weight and philosophical discussion. It is an epic of the soul, so to speak, exploring a mysterious zone where wishes come true. The vast sense of metaphysical dread, achieved solely through the elements and a decaying landscape, is a magnificent feat that makes Stalker a masterpiece.
10
‘Mad Max: Fury Road’ (2015)
The Mad Max franchise redefined the post-apocalypse genre with its visual style, and while the originals are classic, Mad Max: Fury Road is arguably the best. The titular protagonist (Tom Hardy) wanders the wasteland. When he stumbles upon a paradise, he must help all the women escape the tyrannical ruler who keeps them as wives. This action epic is one of the greatest modern action movies.
Mad Max: Fury Road isn’t known for its complex story, but it is more than deserving of being an epic masterpiece. With editing, practical stunt work, and magnificent production design, this film is pure cinematic epicness on both scale and entertainment value. Mad Max: Fury Road is a grand operatic struggle for survival and redemption, capturing a feeling of insanity and exhilaration through its custom-built vehicles. This visceral experience is expansive and light on dialog, showing fans its epicness through raw thrills.
9
‘The Ten Commandments’ (1956)
<source media="(max-width: 1023px)" data-srcset="https://static0.colliderimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/the-ten-commandments-20.jpg?q=49&fit=crop&w=825&dpr=2" srcset="https://static0.colliderimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/the-ten-commandments-20.jpg?q=49&fit=crop;amp;width=&width=&width=&width=&width=&width=&width=&width=&width=&width=&width=&width=&width=&width=&width=&width=&width=&width=&width=&width;&width;&width;&width;&width;&width;&width;&width;&width;&width;&width;&width;&width;&width;&width;&width;&src="/uploads/"src="/uploads/"src="/uploads/"src="/uploads/"src="/uploads/"src="/uploads/"src="/uploads/"src="/uploads/"src="/uploads/"src="/uploads/"src="/uploads/"src="/uploads/"src="/uploads/"src="/uploads/"src="/uploads/"src="/uploads/"src="/uploads/"src="/uploads/"src="/uploads/"src="/uploads/"src="/uploads/"
This list doesn’t feature many modern epics as one of the most recent films isThe Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King. Frodo (Elijah Wood) and Sam (Sean Astin) are nearing the end of their journey, reaching Mount Doom where they will cast the One Ring into the lava, but Sauron is as cunning as ever.
This entry represents the entire trilogy butThe Return of the King is by far the most epic. The world-building, sense of adventure, well-written characters, multiple plot lines, and grand battles coalesce to create peak modern-day storytelling and gold standard adaptation. The set design and costumes createan immersive picture that blends practical and digital effects.The story never loses heart while pure scale and achievement remain baffling almost feeling unfilmable because of its grandeur and fantastical aesthetic.
[nospin]Here you can find the original article. The photos and images used in our article also come from this source. We are not their authors but have used them solely for informational purposes with proper attribution to their original source.[nospin]
