Film has held a special place in American culture, and throughout 200+ years, American culture has produced many well known and wonderful works. Here is a brief list of five of our most timeless creations:

Film

1. The Great Train Robbery (1903)

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The first American film was a western that lasted only 12 minutes. But who will ever forget Justus D. Barnes's steely gaze at the end of the movie, firing point blank at the camera's lens? A western mail robbery film directed by film pioneer Edwin S. Porter, the film championed the first use of composite editing and on-location shooting, as well as setting the stage for a lasting film industry in the United States of America.

2. Mickey Mouse (1928)

Steamboat Willie Photo Credit: farm1.staticflickr.com

How could I review America's "timeless" contribution to the film industry and ignore the Mouse himself? When Walt Disney created the character in 1928, he had hit rock bottom. Having lost his animation staff and his first creation, Oswald the Lucky Rabbit, to Universal Studios that same year, Disney and his last employee, Ub Iwerks, drew plans for Mickey in Walt Disney Studios out of pure desperation. They developed an adorable, heroic, happy-go-lucky mouse who would not only bring Disney out of his financial troubles but become a favorite in every American home, appealing to child and adult alike. After the success of Mickey's second appearance and his first in a sound film, Steamboat Willie, his role was cemented as an American icon, still beloved by Americans today.

3. It's A Wonderful Life (1946)

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Frank Capra's It's a Wonderful Life was released in 1946, becoming a favorite and later an American Christmas classic. Frank Capra's story about a broken man learning about the importance of his life and that of his influence on his small community still holds a special place in the hearts of Americans today. James Stewart was wonderful for the role of the protagonist George Bailey, and Henry Travers does an equally fantastic job in his role as George's childlike guardian angel, Clarence. And how could I forget Lionel Barrymore as Henry F. Potter, the Scrooge of Bedford Falls? The directors, the cast, and the story writers presented us with one of the best features of American films, one that will never be forgotten.

4. Star Wars (1977-1983)

Photo Credit: en.wikipedia.org

A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away...film director George Lucas was developing a space opera that he called Star Wars, and everyone who worked for him, his investors, and even Lucas himself, believed it was doomed to the ash heap of Hollywood's greatest failures. And yet it was one of film's biggest successes. Who can forget the farm boy turned Jedi, the cocky smuggler, and the arrogant princess? And of course, we will never forget the lovable Chewbacca, the wise Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi, the terrifying Darth Vader, or the iconic duo C-3PO and R2-D2. And John Williams's score is unbelievable. Perfectly capturing the emotions of the characters and the severity of each scene, his work in this series was phenomenal. Despite the universally despised prequel trilogy and the split of the fan base over the sequels, we all still love Lucas's original work, fondly recalling when we were first summoned to a galaxy far, far away.

A reminder: Han shot first!

5. The Matrix (1999-2003)

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Because it is a more recent film series, my choice of The Matrix trilogy may seem strange at first. It was not its storyline but rather its influence on action films after it; however, that drove me to put it here. When The Matrix was created, its directors pioneered a visual effect that became known as "bullet time." Bullet time is the use of several cameras at once in a scene to produce a slow-motion look to an action sequence that is actually moving at normal speed. Marvel's Avengers series and DC Comics' Justice League series and now even some Star Wars movies are a few examples of the influence of bullet time on film. For this reason, the contribution of The Matrix to the American film industry cannot be overlooked.

Thanks everyone, hope you all liked my list! Be on the lookout; I will be coming out with a few more "Timeless" lists on music, art, and literature.