Movies on film. Get it, they’re movies about the subject of film and filmmaking, and it’s also the medium on which movies are shown. And since there’s such a fine line between clever and stupid, I’ll move on from here. For people who pride themselves on being film lovers, the subject of movies about movie making just makes us wet between the legs. It’s movie nerd heaven. We think of all the potential inside jokes about actors and stabs at the industry we love to hate as well as some great fodder for drama. So here are my top 10 movies on film in no particular order.

Ed Wood (1994)
I’m starting with Ed Wood because It’s probably the best movie about bad movies. Ed Wood was the king of horrible cinema. Known primarily from Plan 9 From Outer Space, Edward D. Wood Jr. also made plenty of over stinkers. Like the semi auto biographical Glen or Glenda about the cross dressing tranny. Well, leave it to Tim Burton to make a legitimate film about such a shitty filmmaker. I think is his best film too, maybe because he works best within the confines of a script grounded in reality where his weirdo imagination can’t run too wild. Oh yeah Johnny Depp steals every scene he’s in and Martin Landau won best supporting actor for playing the ever mysterious Bella Lugosi, so that helps to. It does a great job showing the lunacy of how movies were made in the 50’s, when the title and the poster sold the movie, and script and acting took second seat. “Pull the strings!”

Mulholland Drive (2001)
Moving on to the opposite end of the spectrum, Mulholland Drive is a movie still about the absurdity of the process, but making it a nightmare. It’s the kind of film that you show people and you can judge how they watch movies. Do they view them as light entertainment, or are they intrigued by there mystery? Without giving away too much about it, Mulholland Drive is the story about an actress trying to “make it in Hollywood” told though a series of dream like scenes that range from hilarious to one the scariest scenes of all time. Complimented by a beautiful score by longtime David Lynch callaborator Angelo Badalamenti, no other film confuses and intrigues like this one. It’s the pre eminent David Lynch film, definetly a filmmaker at his peak. Sorry Dave, inland Empire was a little much. “Silencio!”

Singin’ In The Rain (1952)
Everyone knows the song, and we’ve all seen clips of Gene Kelley doing the number. And for those who haven’t, or refuse to watch musicals, It’s the song that Alex sings in Clockwork Orange while raping that chick. Good times. Besides some amazing dancing by the legendary performer Gene Kelly, the film offers a comedic depiction of Hollywood’s transition from silent films to “talkies” What makes the movie good isn’t it accurate potrayal of Hollywood though, it’s becasue I wanted to put a musical on this list. Gene Kelly is awesome, that fucker can dance.

American Movie (1999)
American Movie is a 1999 documentary about the making of an independent film. It’s the best documentary ever made about the trials and tribulations of coming up with the money and resources to make a movie yourself. It’s also immensely sad, funny, and affectionate. It centers around Mark Borchardt, a scruffy, eccentric, blue-collar, beer drinking movie-lover whose dream is to be a filmmaker. However, his life is beset with personal problems. I can’t say enough good things about this movie. Instead of kids spending thousands of dollars at film school, they should just Robert Rodriguez’s 10 minute film school and this. “It’s not about making films or in the long-run getting some money…but to create and complete.”

State and Main (2000)
For those of you who haven’t heard or seen this movie, State and Main is a 2000 comedy film, written and directed by David Mamet and starring Philip Seymour Hoffman and Alec Baldwin among others, about the on-location production in Waterford, Vermont of a film called The Old Mill. That said, David Mamet, being the incredibly talented playwright, really nailed the superficial, self obsessed world of moviemaking in light comedy fodder. From Alec Baldwin’s empty headed leading man to William H. Macy’s quick witted director, this movie hits all the stereotypes. But what makes this great is it doesn’t seem cliche. Playwrights and screenwriters usually complain bitterly about the way their work is made into movies, and Mamet puts this story line in as an inside jab. The movie seems even funnier if you’ve ever been on a set, but still has plenty of laughs otherwise. “Go you Huskies!”

Boogie Nights (1997)
P.T. Anderson, it’s been said, that he’s part of the VCR generation of filmmakers. Along with other auters like Quentin Tarintino, Anderson was raised watching tons of movies at home. I think these directors have an advantage over their predecessors because they were the first generation to saturate themselves with film. And well, Paul watched a lot of porn. When he was 18, he made the mockumentary, The Dirk Diggler Story. Later of course, became the movie we know as Boogie Nights. The movie is more about people, than movies. Taking place in the “Golden Age of Porn” it depicts the film cliche of the rising star descending into a nightmare of drug abuse. Oh yeah, it’s funny as shit too. I’m a little biased though because it’s one of my favorites. I will never get tired of John C. Reilly trying to convince people he looks like Han Solo. “Feel feel feel my heat”.

8 1/2 (1963)
Titled because it was Fedrico Fellini’s 8 1/2 film at the time. Six full features, two shorts, and a collaboration with another director. The latter three accounting for only a half each. The film revolves around an Italian director and the struggles of the creative process, both technical and personal. Hugely influential throughout the years its been on pretty much every all time best of list. People have said “8 1/2 is the best film ever made about filmmaking.” Maybe cuz It is told from the director’s point of view, and its hero, Guido is clearly intended to represent Fellini. Featuring one of the surreal moments in all of film. It begins with a nightmare of asphyxiation, when the leading man is stuck in traffic and he proceeds to float off into the sky, only to be yanked back to earth by a rope pulled by his associates, who are hectoring him to organize his plans for his next movie. In the film he claims he doesn’t know what he wants or how to get it, and while watching it shows he knows exactly what he’s doing and how to achieve it.

Sunset Boulevard (1950)
This thing starts out telling the story of the down on his luck writer, and ends up telling another one. About someone one who ends up being far worse off. Its a corrosive black comedy that puts an assault on the emptiness and vanity of the movie business. Subtle yet very savage. Why is it so easy to make fun of the very machine that makes the movie we love? We love to hear about singers and actors hitting rock bottom with drugs and ending up on celebrity rehab. It gets huge ratings. Maybe that’s why this film still resonates today. If you have the dream to make it to Tinsel Town, you might want to check this flick out because Hollywood is as hard on dreams as it was back in the 1950s. “I’m ready for my close-up Mr. Demill”

Adaptation (2002)
This film is like the depressed movie geeks scripture. Charlie Kaufman put all his fears and axieties about writing and relationships on screen. It puts everything out there and puts together one of the best screenplays of all time. It’s a movie about the making of a movie about writing a screenplay about adapting a book to film. But man it’ depressing. But it has a somewhat uplifting ending. Anyway who struggles completing writing or filmmaking projects and gets easily frustrated should look to Charlie Kaufman for inspiration. And much like Federico Fellini’s classic 1963 film, ‘8½,’ from which Kaufman almost certainly drew inspiration, ‘Adaptation’ tells the story of its own creation. Oh yeah it’s also one of Ridiculous Cage’s few good performances. “I can’t believe I got shot. Isn’t that fucked up?”

Here’s a couple of other I know I missed. Check ‘em out if you haven’t seen.
Barton Fink
For Your Consideation
The Kid Stays In The Picture
Sullivan’s Travels
RKO 281
Bowfinger
Tropic Thunder
Film Geek
Get Shorty
Hollywoodland
Inland Empire
Last Action Hero
The Player
Swimming With Sharks