Cineliteracy: What You Need to Know about 2001 as Move Year
My Oscar Book:
Top-Grossing Films of 2001
Rank Title Distributor Worldwide gross
1 Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone Warner Bros. $974,755,371
2 The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring New Line $883,726,270
3 Monsters, Inc. Buena Vista $528,773,250
4 Shrek DreamWorks $487,853,320
5 Ocean’s Eleven Warner Bros. $450,717,150
6 Pearl Harbor Buena Vista $449,220,945
7 The Mummy Returns Universal $435,040,395
8 Jurassic Park III $368,780,809
9 Planet of the Apes Fox $362,211,740
10 Hannibal MGM / Universal $351,692,268
Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone grossed $974 million, the second highest-grossing film of all time. It was also the highest-grossing film in franchise before the finale, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows–Part 2, surpassed it in 2011.
2001 was the first time that two films released grossed more than $800 million at box office: Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone and The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring surpassing the milestone.
The highest-grossing non-English film was Studio Ghibli’s anime Spirited Away, the year’s 15th highest-grossing film.
Events
May 18 –
Shrek was released to critical acclaim and went on to win the first Oscar for Best Animated Feature, beating out Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius and Monsters, Inc.
June 22 –
The Fast and the Furious launches one of highest-grossing franchises in history.
August 8 –
Actors Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman divorce
November 2 – Monsters, Inc. the best ticket sales ever for animated film and 6th-best of all time.
November 16 and December 19: beginning of two acclaimed fantasy film series based on novels: Harry Potter and The Lord of the Rings.
Award ceremonies
7th Critics’ Choice Awards, Jan 11
February 24, 2002:
Producers, Directors, Screen Actors, and Writers Guild Awards
Oscars: 74th Academy Awards, March 24, 2002
Best Film: A Beautiful Mind Moulin Rouge!
Best Director Ron Howard, A Beautiful Mind
Best Actor: Denzel Washington, Training Day
Best Actress: Halle Berry, Monster’s Ball
Best Supporting Actor: Jim Broadbent, Moulin Rouge!
Best Supporting Actress: Jennifer Connelly, A Beautiful Mind
Best Screenplay, Adapted, Akiva Goldsman A Beautiful Mind
Best Screenplay, Original: Julian Fellowes, Gosford Park
Best Animated Film Shrek
Best Original Score
Best Original Song
Best Foreign Language Film: No Man’s Land
Deaths
Month Date Name Age Country Profession Notable films
January 1 Ray Walston[5] 86 US Actor
Fast Times at Ridgemont HighThe Sting
5 Nancy Parsons 58 US Actress
Porky’sSteel Magnolias
10 Jacques Marin 81 France Actor
Marathon ManCharade
11 James Hill 84 US Producer, Screenwriter
Sweet Smell of SuccessSeparate Tables
11 Michael Williams 65 UK Actor
Henry VEducating Rita
15 Ted Mann 84 US Producer
KrullBrubaker
16 Virginia O’Brien 81 US Actress, Singer
Ship AhoyThe Harvey Girls
18 Al Waxman 65 Canada Actor
The HurricaneHeavy Metal
21 Sandy Baron 64 US Actor
Sweet NovemberBroadway Danny Rose
21 Joseph O’Conor 84 Ireland Actor
Oliver!Elizabeth
30 Jean-Pierre Aumont[6] 90 France Actor
Day for NightJefferson in Paris
30 John Prebble 85 UK Screenwriter
ZuluMysterious Island
31 Bert Williams 78 US Actor
The Usual SuspectsCobra
February 4 Tony Steedman 73 UK Actor
Bill & Ted’s Excellent AdventureScrooged
7 Dale Evans[7] 88 US Actress, Singer
Bells of San AngeloIn Old Oklahoma
10 Lewis Arquette 65 US Actor
Scream 2Tango & Cash
11 Sy Gomberg 82 US Screenwriter
When Willie Comes Marching HomeSummer Stock
14 Charles B. Fitzsimons 76 Ireland Producer
The Quiet ManBatman
15 Burt Kennedy 78 US Director, Screenwriter
Young Billy YoungThe Rounders
16 Howard W. Koch 84 US Producer
Airplane!The Odd Couple
19 Stanley Kramer[8] 87 US Director, Producer
Judgment at NurembergGuess Who’s Coming to Dinner
20 Rosemary DeCamp 90 US Actress
Yankee Doodle Dandy13 Ghosts
27 Ralf D. Bode 59 Germany Cinematographer
Coal Miner’s DaughterDressed to Kill
27 Stan Margulies 80 US Producer
Willy Wonka & the Chocolate FactoryThose Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines
March 6 Kim Walker 32 US Actress
Say Anything…Heathers
8 Edward Winter 63 US Actor
The Parallax ViewFrom the Hip
9 Richard Stone 47 US Composer, Music Editor
PlatoonFerris Bueller’s Day Off
12 Morton Downey Jr. 68 US Actor
Predator 2The Silencer
13 John A. Alonzo 66 US Cinematographer, Actor
ScarfaceChinatown
15 Ann Sothern[9] 92 US Actress
A Letter to Three WivesThe Whales of August
16 Norma MacMillan 79 Canada Actress
Head over HeelsBig Bully
17 Ralph Thomas 85 UK Director
Doctor in the HouseThe Iron Petticoat
19 Mentor Huebner 79 US Illustrator
Blade RunnerDune
21 Anthony Steel 80 UK Actor
Where No Vultures FlyThe Wooden Horse
22 William Hanna 90 US Animator, Director, Producer
The Man Called FlintstoneJetsons: The Movie
23 Sully Boyar 77 US Actor
Dog Day AfternoonPrizzi’s Honor
24 Tambi Larsen 77 India Art Director
HudThunderbolt and Lightfoot
26 Piotr Sobociński 43 Poland Cinematographer
Three Colors: RedRansom
April 1 Larry Tucker 66 US Screenwriter
Bob & Carol & Ted & AliceI Love You, Alice B. Toklas
7 David Graf 50 US Actor
Police AcademyThe Brady Bunch Movie
7 Beatrice Straight 86 US Actress
NetworkPoltergeist
10 Nyree Dawn Porter 65 New Zealand Actress
Hilary and JackieThe House That Dripped Blood
11 Harry Secombe[10] 79 UK Actor
Oliver!Song of Norway
13 Jimmy Logan 73 UK Actor
Mary PoppinsNotorious
13 Ken Weston 53 UK Sound Engineer
GladiatorThe Shining
14 Hiroshi Teshigahara[11] 74 Japan Director
Woman in the DunesPitfall
16 Michael Ritchie 62 US Director
FletchThe Bad News Bears
20 Maria Karnilova 80 US Actress
The Unsinkable Molly BrownMarried to the Mob
21 Jack Haley Jr. 67 US Director
That’s Entertainment!The Love Machine
22 Edward Muhl 94 US Studio Executive
27 Jack Murdock 78 US Actor
Rain ManAltered States
28 Ken Hughes 79 UK Screenwriter
Chitty Chitty Bang BangCromwell
29 Walter Hannemann 88 US Film Editor
Smokey and the BanditTwo-Minute Warning
May 2 Gina Mastrogiacomo 39 US Actress
GoodfellasJungle Fever
3 Ernie Wheelwright 61 US Actor
The Longest YardThe Greatest
7 Gary Wissner 37 US Production Designer, Art Director
SevenI Know What You Did Last Summer
9 Leslie Sands 79 UK Actor
The Deadly AffairAnother Man’s Poison
10 Deborah Walley 59 US Actress
Gidget Goes HawaiianBeach Blanket Bingo
12 Perry Como[12] 88 US Singer, Actor
Doll FaceIf I’m Lucky
13 Eddra Gale 79 US Actress
The Graduate8½
13 Jason Miller[13] 62 US Actor, Director
The ExorcistRudy
13 Ralph Tabakin 79 US Actor
Good Morning, VietnamBugsy
14 Mauro Bolognini 78 Italy Director, Screenwriter
The LovemakersThe Lady of the Camellias
14 Peter Griffith 74 US Actor Halloween
14 Armando Nannuzzi 75 Italy Cinematographer
La Cage aux FollesThe Damned
15 Sacha Vierny 81 France Cinematographer
The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her LoverHiroshima mon amour
16 Joe Baker 72 UK Actor
Dumb and DumberPocahontas
22 Connie Marshall 68 US Actress
Sentimental JourneyMr. Blandings Builds His Dream House
22 Whitman Mayo 70 US Actor
Boyz n the HoodThe Main Event
22 Jack Watling 78 UK Actor
A Night to RememberSink the Bismarck!
23 Lita Chevret 92 US Actress
The Pay-OffMidnight Limited
25 John W. Holmes 84 US Film Editor
Diamonds Are ForeverThe Andromeda Strain
26 Anne Haney 67 US Actress
Mrs. DoubtfireLiar Liar
27 Ramon Bieri 71 US Actor
BadlandsSorcerer
29 Russell Saunders 82 US Stuntman
The GooniesAirplane!
31 Arlene Francis 93 US Actress
One, Two, ThreeThe Thrill of It All
June 2 Imogene Coca 92 US Actress
National Lampoon’s VacationUnder the Yum Yum Tree
3 Anthony Quinn[14] 86 Mexico Actor
Lawrence of ArabiaZorba the Greek
4 Joan Vohs 73 US Actress
Cry VengeanceSabrina
7 Leonard Tepper 61 US Actor
Home Alone 2: Lost in New YorkAwakenings
15 Henri Alekan 92 France Cinematographer
Roman HolidayWings of Desire
21 Carroll O’Connor 76 US Actor
Kelly’s HeroesCleopatra
21 Vernon Sewell 97 UK Director, Screenwriter
The Crimson PirateThe Edge of the World
23 Corinne Calvet 76 France Actress
Sailor BewareOn the Riviera
26 Paul Berry 40 UK Animator
The Nightmare Before ChristmasJames and the Giant Peach
27 Jack Lemmon 76 US Actor
The ApartmentSome Like It Hot
28 Joan Sims 71 UK Actress
Carry OnTrouble in Store
July 2 Jack Gwillim 91 UK Actor
In Search of the CastawaysClash of the Titans
3 Mordecai Richler 70 Canada Screenwriter
The Apprenticeship of Duddy KravitzFun with Dick and Jane
5 A. D. Flowers 84 US Special Effects Artist
The GodfatherTora! Tora! Tora!
7 Molly Lamont 91 South Africa Actress
The Awful TruthScared to Death
12 James Bernard 75 UK Composer
NosferatuDracula
13 Eleanor Summerfield 80 UK Actress
ScroogeThe Watcher in the Woods
15 Ted Berman 81 US Director, Screenwriter, Animator
The Black CauldronThe Fox and the Hound
19 Paul Beeson 79 UK Cinematographer
Indiana JonesAlien 3
21 Sivaji Ganesan 72 India Actor
ParasakthiVeerapandiya Kattabomman
29 Alex Nicol 79 US Actor
The Man from LaramieThe Redhead from Wyoming
August
Aug 3 Christopher Hewett 79 UK Actor
The ProducersRatboy
6 Alan Rafkin 73 US Director
The Ghost and Mr. ChickenAngel in My Pocket
6 Dorothy Tutin 71 UK Actress
The Importance of Being EarnestA Tale of Two Cities
8 Harry Julian Fink 78 US Screenwriter
Dirty HarryBig Jake
14 Missy Cleveland 41 US Actress
Blow OutCheech & Chong’s Next Movie
14 Jackie “Butch” Jenkins 63 US Actor
National VelvetThe Human Comedy
16 Dave Barry 82 US Actor
Some Like It HotSpinout
18 Jack Elliott 74 US Composer, Conductor
Oh, God!Support Your Local Gunfighter
20 Kim Stanley 76 US Actress
The GoddessSéance on a Wet Afternoon
23 Kathleen Freeman 82 US Actress
The Blues BrothersNaked Gun 33 1/3: The Final Insult
25 Aaliyah 22 US Actress, Singer
Romeo Must DieQueen of the Damned
25 John Chambers 78 US Makeup Artist
Blade RunnerPlanet of the Apes
25 Jane Greer 76 US Actress
Out of the PastDesperate Search
25 Inigo Jackson 68 UK Actor
The Trygon FactorTwins of Evil
28 Lawrence B. Marcus 84 US Screenwriter
The Stunt ManWitness for the Prosecution
29 Francisco Rabal 75 Spain Actor
Ten Ready RiflesSorcerer
30 Julie Bishop 87 US Actress
Sands of Iwo JimaThe Black Cat
September
Sep 2
Troy Donahue 65 US Actor, A Summer Place
Sep 3
Pauline Kael 82 US Film Criti,mThe New Yorker
4 Merrill Connally 80 US Actor
Close Encounters of the Third Kind, The Sugarland Express
9 Tommy Hollis 47 US Actor
Léon: The ProfessionalGhostbusters
12 Victor Wong 74 US Actor
The Last EmperorBig Trouble in Little China
13 Barbara Matera 72 UK Costume Designer
101 DalmatiansThe Addams Family
13 Dorothy McGuire 85 US Actress
Gentleman’s AgreementOld Yeller
15 Fred de Cordova 90 US Director
Bedtime for BonzoI’ll Take Sweden
16 Samuel Z. Arkoff 83 US Producer
The Amityville HorrorBeach Blanket Bingo
25 Evan A. Lottman 70 US Film Editor
The ExorcistSophie’s Choice
25 Dolores Michaels 68 US Actress
The Wayward BusWarlock
26 Hannes Nikel 70 Germany Film Editor
Das BootStalingrad
27 Helen Cherry 85 UK Actress
Castle in the AirHis Excellency
28 Martin Garner 74 US Actor
Twilight Zone: The MovieChances Are
29 Gloria Foster 67 US Actress
The MatrixLeonard Part 6
October
Oct 9
Herbert Ross, 74 US Director, Footloose, The Turning Point
15 Robert Rutledge 53 US Sound Engineer
Star WarsBack to the Future
17 Jay Livingston 86 US Composer
The Man Who Knew Too MuchThe Paleface
19 Ray Lovejoy 62 UK Film Editor
Aliens2001: A Space Odyssey
21 David Lowell Rich 81 US Director
The PlainsmanMadame X
23 Linden Travers 88 UK Actress
The Lady VanishesNo Orchids for Miss Blandish
24 Jaromil Jireš 65 Slovakia Director
The CryThe Joke
26 Eugene Jackson 58 US Actor
Escape from AlcatrazCimarron
28 Larry Jost 80 US Sound Engineer
ChinatownOne Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest
29 Maura Fay 43 Australia Casting Director
Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the ClonesDarkness Falls
31 Jenny Laird 89 UK Actress
Village of the DamnedBlack Narcissus
November
Nov 5 Roy Boulting 87 UK Director, Run for the Sun, There’s a Girl in My Soup
6 Anthony Shaffer 75 UK Screenwriter, Sleuth
7 Bobby Bass 65 US Stuntman, Actor
Die HardScarface
12 Albert Hague 82 Germany Actor
FameSpace Jam
13 Peggy Mount 86 UK Actress
Oliver!The Naked Truth
14 Charlotte Coleman[17] 33 UK Actress
Four Weddings and a FuneralThe Revengers’ Comedies
21 Ralph Burns 79 US Composer, Arranger, Cabaret, All That Jazz
29 Budd Boetticher 85 US Director, The Tall T, Buchanan Rides Alone
29 George Harrison, 58 UK Singer, Actor, Producer, A Hard Day’s Night, Help!
December
Dec 1
Danilo Donati 74 Italy Costume Designer, Production Designer
Life Is BeautifulFlash Gordon
6 Walt Mulconery 69 US Film Editor
The Karate KidFlashdance
7 Pauline Moore 87 US Actress
The Three MusketeersColorado
10 Lance Fuller 73 US Actor
Frontier WomanGod’s Little Acre
15 Wilkie Cooper 90 UK Cinematographer
Jason and the ArgonautsLand Raiders
16 Roy Brocksmith 56 US Actor
Total RecallScrooged
20 Foster Brooks 89 US Actor
Cannonball Run IIThe Villain
20 Edward Evans 87 UK Actor
10 Rillington PlaceLifeforce
26 Nigel Hawthorne 72 UK Actor
AmistadThe Madness of King George
29 Robert Patten 76 US Actor
Twelve O’Clock HighAirport
30 Ray Patterson 90 US Animator
DumboCharlotte’s Web
31 Eileen Heckart 82 US Actress
Heartbreak RidgeButterflies Are Free
31 David Swift 82 US Director
The Parent TrapHow to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying
Film Debuts
Ty Burrell – Evolution
Henry Cavill – Laguna
Jeff Chase – In the Shadows
Justin Chatwin – Josie and the Pussycats
Bradley Cooper – Wet Hot American Summer
Dominic Cooper – From Hell
Michael Ealy – Kissing Jessica Stein
Marta Etura – No Shame
Dakota Fanning – Tomcats
Elle Fanning – I Am Sam
Megan Fox – Holiday in the Sun
Kyle Gallner – Wet Hot American Summer
Tyrese Gibson – Baby Boy
Macarena Gómez – Dagon
Tom Hardy – Black Hawk Down
Sean Harris – The Discovery of Heaven
Naomie Harris – Crust
Anne Hathaway – The Princess Diaries
Freddie Highmore – Women Talking Dirty
Dwayne Johnson – The Mummy Returns
Jaime King – Happy Campers
Luke Kirby – Lost and Delirious
Fran Kranz – Donnie Darko
Bárbara Lennie – No Pain, No Gain
Scoot McNairy – Wrong Numbers
Sienna Miller – South Kensington
Michelle Monaghan – Perfume
David Oyelowo – Dog Eat Dog
Elizabeth Reaser – The Believer
Emma Roberts – Blow
Seth Rogen – Donnie Darko
Theo Rossi – The Myersons
Kristen Schaal – Kate & Leopold
Pablo Schreiber – Bubble Boy
Rafe Spall – Beginner’s Luck
Omar Sy – La Tour Montparnasse Infernale
Jasmine Trinca – The Son’s Room
Gaspard Ulliel – Brotherhood of the Wolf
