July 2011 Issue [Essay] When Is a Movie Great? Adjust Share The perils of medium and magic by David Thomson, This article is only available as a PDF to subscribers. Download PDF Tags Academy Awards (Motion pictures) History Lillian Gish Motion picture theaters Motion pictures Sunrise (Motion picture : 1927) The birth of a nation (Motion picture : 1915) The night of the hunter (Motion picture : 1955) United States More from David Thomson Entertainment Bleakly From Remotely, which will be published this month by Yale University Press. We try to think of ourselves existing in history, like people waiting in line. More or less patient,… Legends of the Lost The discreet charm of movies we cannot see Adjust Share