On the American Film Institute website, it seems plans to reconstruct its 1998 list of the greatest 100 films of all time are underway. You can be download a copy of the ballot here. Among the 400 film titles are The Scarlett Empress and Touch of Evil!
Since the 1960s, the film industry and media have been reevaluating von Sternberg's works with Dietrich, but with the gradual re-releases on DVD (such as the great Criterion Collection edition of The Scarlet Empress), frequent film screenings (including the American Cinematheque's 2005 series, which I was fortunate to attend), David Riva's Her Own Song documentary, Maria Riva's public appearance on Larry King Live, and--of course--Dietrich's own posthumous centennial, the 21st century has seen critics extol the former "Box Office Poison." AFI even listed Dietrich at a high #9 on their list of the 50 Greatest Screen Legends. Now it's time AFI recognize the most incandescent films of its Top 10 screen legend.
Believe me, these aren't merely the views of a Dietrich disciple. A blogger named Jeffrey Anderson also suggests the von Sternberg/Dietrich silver screen collaborations as serious contenders. I hope AFI voters share his views the way I do.
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