
Alfred Hitchcock has finally usurped Orson Welles.
Hitchcock's "Vertigo" took the top spot in the 10 greatest-movies-ever list compiled by Sight & Sound, ending the 50-year run for Welles' "Citizen Kane." The magazine, published by the British Film Institute, surveys international film critics every decade.
"Citizen Kane" slid to second, making way for Hitchcock's 1958 psychological drama starring James Stewart and Kim Novak. "Vertigo" edged "Citizen Kane" by 34 votes in the poll, which gathered lists from 846 critics, programmers, academics and distributors.
"Vertigo" has gradually inched up the poll in recent decades, as Hitchcock's thriller has steadily grown in stature since its initial mixed reception.
The list also includes a new addition: Dziga Vertov's "Man With a Movie Camera," coming in at eighth place. It's the first documentary to make the list since it was founded in 1952.
Yasujiro Ozu's "Tokyo Story" ranked third, followed by Jean Renoir's "The Rules of the Game"; F.W. Murnau's "Sunrise"; Stanley Kubrick's "2001: A Space Odyssey"; and John Ford's "The Searchers." Carl Dreyer's "The Passion of Joan of Arc" ranks ninth followed by Federico Fellini's "8 1/2."
All of the top 10 were made more than 40 years ago.
- Alfred Hitchcock's "Vertigo" took the top spot in Sight & Sound Magazine's 10 greatest-movies-ever list. Sight & Sound, published by the British Film Institute, surveys international film critics each decade. Click through to see which other movies made the list. Photo: Paramount Pictures
- 2. Orson Welles' "Citizen Kane" (1941) isn't the best movie of all times...according to critics. Photo: RKO Radio Pictures
- 3. "Tokyo Story" (1953) from director Yasujiro Ozu Photo: The Criterion Collection
- 4. "La Règle du jeu" (1939) from director Jean Renoir Photo: Cine Classics
- 5. Director F.W Murnau's "Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans (1927) Photo: Fox Film Corporation
- 6. "2001: A Space Odyssey" (1968) by director Stanley Kubrick Photo: Warner Bros. Pictures
- 7. Director John Ford's "The Searchers" (1956) Photo: Warner Bros. Pictures
- 8. "Man with a Movie Camera" (1929), directed by Dziga Vertov Photo: Image Entertainment
- 9. "The Passion of Joan of Arc" (1928) by director Carl Theodor Dreyer Photo: M.J. Gourland
- 10. "8 1/2" (1963) from director Federico Fellini Photo: Embasy Pictures Corporation

