Epic films are described on Wikipedia as “An epic is a genre of film that emphasizes human drama on a grand scale. Epics are more ambitious in scope than other film genres, and their ambitious nature helps to differentiate them from similar genres such as the period piece or adventure film.”They are one of my favorite genres. With their elaborate costumes, sweeping musical score, grandiose camera work, epic films bring you in to their world and keep you coming back again and again.10. The Good, The Bad and the Ugly- Sergio Leone is one of the all time epic directors. The Good, the Bad and the Ugly is part three in his epic “Man with no name” trilogy. The film centers around three men looking for stolen confederate gold. Along they way they double and triple cross each other, fight the Union army and have the mother of all showdowns.9. Intolerance – D.W. Griffith is the father of Epic filmmaking. Best known for the film Birth of a Nation, Griffith is the first person to blends four separate storylines by separated by several centuries. He developed the concept of complex narrative structures. The film covers the span of about 2,500 years. Each story features a tale of intolerance and are joined by a woman in a rocking chair telling the stories to her child. It’s the film that established the conventions of epic films.

8. Ran – Japanese director Akira Kurosawa is know for his epic samurai films but it’s 1985’s King Lear adaptation that has the director as his most grandiose. The brilliant costume design got the film an Oscar. When a king decides to abdicate his thorn, it sets tragic events in motion that has three brothers fighting for the keys to the kingdom. It has some of the most gorgeous fight sequences ever put to film.

7. There Will Be Blood – The most recent film on this list, There Will Be Blood is a massive film that centers on one man’s greed and how it destroys everything around him. Paul Thomas Anderson is the crafting some of the best modern epic films. It has been called the “best film of the first decade of the 21st century.” This film will drink your milkshake…drink it UP!

6. Giant – Giant tells the story of two families: the Jetts and the Benedicts. The film covers decades in the life of the two families and shows the transformation of Texas from a ranching economy to an oil economy. It’s probably the simplest story of the films on the list. It’s also one of the first films to deal with racism against Mexicans in America.

5. Bridge on the River Kwai – If D.W. Griffith is the father of Epic movies, director David Lean perfected it. His films are the very definition of epic filmmaking. Considered to be one of the greatest war movies ever made, Bridge on the River Kwai shows the harshness of a prison camp but doesn’t get exploitive. Lean focuses the story two men’s struggles. One that wants to keep his humanity in the brutal conditions of a prison camp and the other that must destroy his efforts. It examines the human condition like no other film on this list.

4. Lord of the Rings: Return of the King – Each film in the Lord of the Rings series is a shining example of Epic filmmaking. Return of the King stands out because it is the culmination of everything. Frodo completes his quest, the evil in the kingdom is vanquished and there is an uncomfortable Hobbit’s convorting in bed sequence.  What more could you ask for?

3. 2001: A Space Odyssey – Stanley Kubrick made several epic films but his space opera redefined science fiction cinema. With 2001, sci-fi moved beyond cheap rubber monsters and crappy rocket ships on string, suddenly, it was complex storytelling where you could feel the vast emptiness of space. It’s a movie that will change your conception of what narrative storytelling can be.

2. Seven Samurai – Samurai films, like westerns, are excellent fodder for Epic storytelling. Akira Kurosawa returns to the list with his opus, Seven Samurai. Probably his best known film, the story revolves around seven ronin that are hired by a farming village to defend them against marauders. It’s a simple story that has been the inspiration for many different films (A Bugs Life, Galaxy Quest, The Magnificent Seven).

1. Lawrence of Arabia – Lawrence of Arabia is a cinematic masterpiece that still influences filmmakers today. The film is loosely based on the life of T.E. Lawrence during his exploits in Arabia during World War I. The film starts small and slowly builds over time to take a humble soldier to a larger than life figure that overshadows his environment. Sam Peckinpah, Martin Scorsese, George Lucas and Steven Spielberg all consider it to be one of the greatest films ever made. If you haven’t seen this amazing movie, the blu-ray will be out in 2012, do yourself a favor and watch it.