“Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger, known collectively as The Archers, are among the most creative and influential filmmakers in the history of British cinema. Their collaboration produced a unique vision that blended fantasy, reality, and an intense use of color and design that has influenced countless filmmakers. Here are their 10 best movies, ranked for your viewing pleasure.

1. “The Tales of Hoffmann” (1951)

This visually stunning film is an adaptation of Jacques Offenbach’s opera, which itself was based on the stories by E.T.A. Hoffmann. It stands out for its ambitious set design and balletic cinematography.

2. “One of Our Aircraft Is Missing” (1942)

In this wartime drama, a British bomber crew is shot down over Holland and must make their way back to England. It’s notable for its quasi-documentary style and attention to detail.

3. “I Know Where I’m Going!” (1945)

This romantic drama is steeped in Scottish culture, following a young Englishwoman who becomes stranded on the way to her wedding on a remote island.

4. “A Matter of Life and Death” (1946)

Also known as “Stairway to Heaven,” this romantic fantasy tells the story of a British pilot who must argue for his life before a celestial court after a bureaucratic snafu leads to his accidental survival from a plane crash.

5. “Black Narcissus” (1947)

Set in the Himalayas, it’s about nuns establishing a new convent. The film is renowned for its breathtaking technicolor cinematography and deep psychological insights.

6. “49th Parallel” (1941)

This war-time propaganda thriller follows Nazi soldiers stranded in Canada. Praised for its screenplay and moral quandaries, it subtly shifts its message from standard propaganda to a more profound meditation on humanity.

7. “The Small Back Room” (1949)

A gripping drama about an alcoholic bomb disposal expert struggling with his personal demons while defusing unexploded German bombs during World War II.

8. “The Red Shoes” (1948)

Perhaps their most famous work, it tells the story of a ballet dancer torn between love and her career. Its extraordinary dance sequences and technicolor imagery are unforgettable.

9. “A Canterbury Tale” (1944)

A mysterious drama set in wartime England that weaves Chaucerian themes into a modern narrative as three modern-day pilgrims explore the effects of the war on rural English life.

10. “The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp” (1943)

At the top sits this epic masterpiece that examines the life of a British career soldier played by Roger Livesey through the two World Wars, and beautifully explores themes of honor, aging, and friendship against the backdrop of changing Britain.”