THE BEST

The consensus 10 best movies of 1984, based on lists from critics around the country:

1--”Amadeus” (Total points) 32

2--”A Soldier’s Story” 23

3--”Cotton Club” 19

4--”Places in the Heart” 18

5--”This Is Spinal Tap” 16

6--”Broadway Danny Rose” 14

7--”The Killing Fields” 13

8--(Tie) “Sunday in the Country” 12

and “Splash”

10--(Tie) “Stranger Than Paradise” 11

“El Norte” and “The Natural”

Just missing were “Choose Me” and “A Passage to India,” 10 votes each; “Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes,” “Under the Volcano” and the Australia’s “Careful He Might Hear You,” 9 votes apiece, and “All of Me,” “Paris, Texas” and “Bizet’s Carmen,” 8 each.

THE WORST

The 10 Worst Films of 1984--a loose consensus: “Best Defense”

“Bolero”

“Cannonball Run II”

“Give My Regards to

Broad Street”

“The Hotel New Hampshire”

“Once Upon a Time in America” (short version)

“Oxford Blues”

“Red Dawn”

“Rhinestone”

“Sheena”

Other films frequently cited by reviewers for their incoherence, dullness and/or overall imbecility include “Blame It on Rio,” “Bachelor Party,” “American Dreamer,” “Police Academy,” “Harry and Son,” “Hard to Hold,” “Falling in Love,” “Tank,” “Meatballs II,” “Just the Way You Are” and “Dune.”

SHEILA BENSON’S TOP 10

1--”Once Upon a Time in America” (long version) 2--”Cotton Club” 3--”Killing Fields” 4--”Places in the Heart” 5--”Choose Me” 6--”Under the Volcano” 7--”A Passage to India” 8--”Amadeus” 9--”Repo Man” 10--”Paris, Texas.”