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News / Columns / Five Favorite Films
Five Favorite Films with Stan Lee
RT chats with the comics legend about his favorite films and his new project, Time Jumper.
by Matt Atchity | July 23, 2009
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Stan Lee

Stan Lee has spent a lifetime in the comics world, helping to create some of the medium's most popular, most recognizable, and most profitable characters, including Spider-Man, The X-Men, Iron Man, and many others that have made the transition to cinema. From his humble beginnings as a teenager writing filler for his uncle's publishing company to president of industry giant Marvel Comics, Lee has maintained a reputation for innovation and a knack for expanding the form. Tomorrow (July 23rd), Lee will continue that trend, as his new motion comic Time Jumper -- an ambitious, multimedia joint venture with Disney -- becomes available on iTunes.

We were fortunate enough to catch up with him on the floor at San Diego's Comic-Con International 2009 and sit down for a friendly chat. Enthusiastic but with a dry sense of humor, Lee offered us some of his favorite films, though in his own words, "My problem is, I don't have favorites." He also continued on to tell us a little bit about Time Jumper, his busy life, and what it's like to see the characters he helped create in the hands of up-and-coming writers and artists.



My Fair Lady (1964, 95% Tomatometer)
My Fair Lady See, my problem is, I don't have favorites. I'll tell you movies I like, and after I've told you and I read the list, I'll say to myself, "Gee, you should've mentioned these five, or these five." There are so many that I like, but I'll mention some.

This is the last thing you expect me to say. This is gonna knock you out of your shoes. My Fair Lady. That's probably my favorite movie of all time. I think it is a perfect story, perfectly produced, perfectly acted, perfectly filmed. The dialogue is impeccable, the acting is sensational, the music -- you can't forget it. The settings, the scenes... It was comedic, it told a great story. I mean, I could watch that thing over and over and over again.




Captain Blood (1935, 100% Tomatometer)
Captain Blood When I was young, anything Errol Flynn was in. Captain Blood. We can start with Captain Blood. And [The Adventures of] Robin Hood.

Now, would you say that Errol Flynn's movies may have influenced some of your work?

Absolutely. Errol Flynn was my god. I wanted to be Errol Flynn. I mean, most people want to be George W. Bush. [laughs] I wanted to be Errol Flynn, and I used to -- I mention this to people -- I used to... I was about ten years old, I don't know. I'd walk out of the theater after an Errol Flynn movie; I'd have a crooked little smile on my face, the way I thought he smiled, and an imaginary sword at my side, and I'd be hoping that I could find some bully picking on a little girl so I could come to her rescue, you know?




King Kong (1933, 100% Tomatometer)
King Kong And then, I like King Kong. I like Frankenstein. I liked all the adventure movies; I can't even remember their names now.




The Producers (1968, 93% Tomatometer)
The Producers I love comedy, too. Anything Mel Brooks did -- The Producers, Young Frankenstein. I've got so many favorites. It's eclectic; it's not any one type of movie.




E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial (1982, 98% Tomatometer)
E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial I loved E.T. Believe it or not, I don't go to the movies. I don't have the time, so I wait the six months or so until the DVD comes out. [chuckles]


Next, Lee tells us about his film cameos, what it's like to see his creations in the hands of others, and what it's like to work on something like Time Jumper with Disney.
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Comments (1-20 of 31 posts) | Reply
August M.
August M. writes:
on Jul 23 2009 07:46 PM

All great! I like that he keep it simple and short.


(Reply to this)
jokerboy1991
jokerboy1991 writes:
on Jul 23 2009 08:01 PM

Cool, Lee is the man.

(Reply to this)
tgibfo
tgibfo writes:
on Jul 23 2009 08:21 PM

Stan Lee: genius and all-around good guy.

(Reply to this)
hoeech
hoeech writes:
on Jul 23 2009 08:39 PM

What I love about Stan Lee is that he never suffers from diharea of the mouth. He always says what he means and he does it without going on and on...unlike me.

(Reply to this)
King Kubrick
King Kubrick writes:
on Jul 23 2009 08:43 PM

I was hoping he would say spiderman 2. Classic film.

(Reply to this)
TheChase26
TheChase26 writes:
on Jul 23 2009 09:20 PM

I wonder how he ranks his top 5 marvel movie adaptions

(Reply to this)
ledawg1138
ledawg1138 writes:
on Jul 23 2009 09:54 PM

This is no man...THIS...IS...GOD!

(Reply to this)
Bob S.
Bob S. writes:
on Jul 23 2009 10:01 PM

In reply to this comment (#2530218)
Haha, I was hoping for the same. Best movie of Stan Lee-created characters to date.

Stan Lee is a living legend. Love him, love his work, and love his list.


(Reply to this)
Red Barchetta
Red Barchetta writes:
on Jul 23 2009 10:07 PM

Nuff said.

(Reply to this)
scifimark
scifimark writes:
on Jul 23 2009 10:13 PM

i think he is too classy to actually pick a movie off of one of his creations. I believe he is an executive producer in most of those anyway. That would seem a bit pretentious and i dont believe he is

(Reply to this)
ledawg1138
ledawg1138 writes:
on Jul 23 2009 10:25 PM

By the way Stan Lee, if Errol Flynn is your GOd, then he's mine to. I have too many Gods. That's 16 now. Anyway Matt Atchity, I now envy the hell out of you.

(Reply to this)
SillySausage69
SillySausage69 writes:
on Jul 23 2009 10:48 PM

Most people want to be George W. Bush...?

(Reply to this)
ledawg1138
ledawg1138 writes:
on Jul 23 2009 11:01 PM

In reply to this comment (#2530264)
I think he was being sarcastic.

(Reply to this)
King Kubrick
King Kubrick writes:
on Jul 23 2009 11:26 PM

Indeed I was. Spiderman is my favourite (canadian spelling) comicbook character of all time. Batman has the dark edge but Spiderman is unadulterated awesome. (Except spiderman 3)

(Reply to this)
ledawg1138
ledawg1138 writes:
on Jul 23 2009 11:33 PM

In reply to this comment (#2530274)
Spider Man 3? That hasn't been made. I mean, there was a fan made film back in 2007, that claimed to be made by Sam Raimi, but the wait for the third Spider-Man continues.

(Reply to this)
King Kubrick
King Kubrick writes:
on Jul 23 2009 11:41 PM

In reply to this comment (#2530277)
ha ha...if only

(Reply to this)
jacog
jacog writes:
on Jul 24 2009 03:37 AM

In reply to this comment (#2530277)
I feel the same about X3.

(Reply to this)
rizzyh
rizzyh writes:
on Jul 24 2009 05:14 AM

Really the father of modern comics. you the man, Stan!!!

(Reply to this)
Elixor
Elixor writes:
on Jul 24 2009 06:02 AM

Stan is the man no doubt.

In response to still waiting for Spiderman 3 to come out, I agree. In that same tone, there hasn't been an X-Men movie yet either. This may be a good thing as a live action X-Men movie could never be pulled off well.


(Reply to this)
cypress550
cypress550 writes:
on Jul 24 2009 08:28 AM

a great list from stan"the man" lee.

(Reply to this)
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