Post by idioticbunny on Sept 15, 2019 3:09:36 GMT
And with that, I'm finally finished with the '60s (I may check out Putney Swope on the big screen next week for its 50th anniversary, and add some I missed throughout the decade for my October horror watches, but beyond that I'm done-zo!)
It's certainly a shame, though, that I have to finish off the decade with what's probably my least favorite year of the decade. Aside from Army of Shadows and Charlie Brown (and a strong Bond film that might improve with time for me), the only other favorites were ones I'd already seen many times before and enjoyed (though no 10/10 for me). However, like I mentioned with On Her Majesty..., there are a few films that could really improve with time. Ones I enjoyed well enough, but felt were a bit over-long or slightly unfocused that could climb up my rankings in the long run (like Z which has a lot of brilliant things going for it, but doesn't have the focus and pacing that something like All the President's Men - an all-timer for me - perfects). Army of Shadows is probably the one I think about the most, which I think is a good thing. I really loved Melville's Le Samourai so was hoping to love this one just as much. Perhaps the expectations hindered it a bit, expecting something a bit more fast-paced like Samourai. Regardless, it's still a great film, but would work a lot better with tempered expectations I think.
Biggest surprise was probably A Boy Named Charlie Brown. Perhaps I shouldn't be too surprised as I grew up loving the Charlie Brown specials on TV when I was younger, and maybe nostalgia had something to do with it, but I found this film just utterly beautiful. It's incredibly simple, and there's virtually no plot beyond Charlie Brown preparing for a spelling bee, but the way it paints childhood with delicacy and philosophy really worked a hell of a lot for me. And of course Vince Guaraldi's timeless music really captures the spirit of it all (from Charlie's depression to Snoopy's fantasies).
Also worth mentioning Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice which I only really saw had lukewarm praise, but I absolutely loved it. Perhaps it helps watching these films in chronological order, but it truly feels like one of its kind in this era - right before the age of Woody Allen even (whose sophomore, technically "first," feature here was a good effort but not the kind of Allen that is on the horizon). A high-brow social comedy that you find so many of in the '80s then turned slacker comedies of the '90s and then mumblecore of the '00s. It's just crazy this doesn't get the attention it deserves. The acting all around is great, particularly from Dyan Cannon, and the script and down-to-earth directing style is just golden.
Biggest disappointment was maaaybe They Shoot Horses. If only because I expected it to possibly be my favorite of the year. It could be that I had no idea what the film was about other than dance contestants (though I totally did not know it took place in the Depression era), but I just expected a bit more punch considering how widely its acclaimed. Though that ending did come out of left field and changed the whole film for me, so perhaps a re-watch is necessary down the line. The acting, though, is phenomenal. Everyone talks about Gig Young (who was... fine) and Susannah York (strong work, though not an all-timer like I've seen), but no one discusses Jane Fonda's amazing turn which may make my decade line-up nor Red Buttons and Bonnie Bedelia doing some amazing stuff as well. Could I be alone on this or do I just see Young & York's names tossed around so much I was blind to the praise for the others?
Overall, not a great year to finish with. Certainly a bit disappointing considering I like to finish out each decade with a bang (I mean, just last decade gave me two 10/10s in Ballad of a Soldier and North by Northwest as well as two incredible films in The Human Condition I & II, and that's just the tip of the iceberg). Not finding 1970 to be any more interesting (I've only previously seen three films from the year and none of them really wowed me), but hopefully I'll be wrong as the '70s from '71 on is my favorite decade - and I still have so much to see!
Best Picture:
01. Midnight Cowboy.
02. Army of Shadows.
03. Easy Rider.
04. A Boy Named Charlie Brown.
05. Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice.
06. Z.
07. On Her Majesty's Secret Service.
08. Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.
09. The Cremator.
10. They Shoot Horses, Don't They?
-----------------
11. Salesman.
12. The Italian Job.
13. The Wild Bunch.
14. True Grit.
15. The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie.
16. The Rain People.
17. Cactus Flower.
18. Take the Money and Run.
19. Age of Consent.
20. Medium Cool.
21. Topaz.
22. The Color of Pomegranates.
Best Director:
01. John Schlesinger - Midnight Cowboy.
02. Jean-Pierre Melville - Army of Shadows.
03. Costa-Gavras - Z.
04. Sydney Pollack - They Shoot Horses, Don't They?
05. Peter R. Hunt - On Her Majesty's Secret Service.
Best Actor:
01. Jon Voight - Midnight Cowboy.
02. Dustin Hoffman - Midnight Cowboy.
03. Rudolf Hrusínský - The Cremator.
04. Paul Newman - Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.
05. Robert Redford - Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.
Best Actress:
01. Jane Fonda - They Shoot Horses, Don't They?
02. Maggie Smith - The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie.
03. Shirley Knight - The Rain People.
04. Natalie Wood - Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice.
05. Kim Darby - True Grit.
Best Supporting Actor:
01. Jack Nicholson - Easy Rider.
02. Noël Coward - The Italian Job.
03. Robert Ryan - The Wild Bunch.
04. Elliott Gould - Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice.
05. Red Buttons - They Shoot Horses, Don't They?
Best Supporting Actress:
01. Dyan Cannon - Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice.
02. Pamela Franklin - The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie.
03. Susannah York - They Shoot Horses, Don't They?
04. Ingrid Bergman - Cactus Flower.
05. Simone Signoret - Army of Shadows.
Best Original Screenplay:
01. Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice.
02. Take the Money and Run.
03. Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.
04. The Wild Bunch.
05. Easy Rider.
Best Adapted Screenplay:
01. Midnight Cowboy.
02. Army of Shadows.
03. Z.
04. They Shoot Horses, Don't They?
05. On Her Majesty's Secret Service.
Best Ensemble:
01. They Shoot Horses, Don't They?
02. The Wild Bunch.
03. Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice.
04. Z.
05. The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie.
Best Editing:
Z.
Best Cinematography:
Army of Shadows.
Best Art Direction:
They Shoot Horses, Don't They?
Best Costume Design:
They Shoot Horses, Don't They?
Best Makeup:
The Wild Bunch.
Best Visual Effects:
On Her Majesty's Secret Service.
Best Sound Design:
Z.
Best Original Score:
Vince Guaraldi - A Boy Named Charlie Brown.
Best Original Song:
"A Boy Named Charlie Brown" - A Boy Named Charlie Brown.
Best Choreography:
On Her Majesty's Secret Service.
Tough call in Original Song between Louis Armstrong's Bond (and final) song and the iconic and lovely "Raindrops...," but Rod McKuen's song (like Guaraldi's score) just perfectly captures the spirit of the film so well.
Alas, I'll be taking another lengthy break in between decades here, this time mainly due to job priorities and will have a close friend moving in soon, but hopefully will be able to continue soon. Regardless, feel free to leave your recommendations!
Also feel free to leave any horror recommendations for the upcoming decade and ones I might have missed from the last decade (Kuroneko, Viy, and Cape Fear are ones I'll for sure be watching) since if I do get time for films soon, it'll probably be for my horror watches in October in anticipation of Halloween
It's certainly a shame, though, that I have to finish off the decade with what's probably my least favorite year of the decade. Aside from Army of Shadows and Charlie Brown (and a strong Bond film that might improve with time for me), the only other favorites were ones I'd already seen many times before and enjoyed (though no 10/10 for me). However, like I mentioned with On Her Majesty..., there are a few films that could really improve with time. Ones I enjoyed well enough, but felt were a bit over-long or slightly unfocused that could climb up my rankings in the long run (like Z which has a lot of brilliant things going for it, but doesn't have the focus and pacing that something like All the President's Men - an all-timer for me - perfects). Army of Shadows is probably the one I think about the most, which I think is a good thing. I really loved Melville's Le Samourai so was hoping to love this one just as much. Perhaps the expectations hindered it a bit, expecting something a bit more fast-paced like Samourai. Regardless, it's still a great film, but would work a lot better with tempered expectations I think.
Biggest surprise was probably A Boy Named Charlie Brown. Perhaps I shouldn't be too surprised as I grew up loving the Charlie Brown specials on TV when I was younger, and maybe nostalgia had something to do with it, but I found this film just utterly beautiful. It's incredibly simple, and there's virtually no plot beyond Charlie Brown preparing for a spelling bee, but the way it paints childhood with delicacy and philosophy really worked a hell of a lot for me. And of course Vince Guaraldi's timeless music really captures the spirit of it all (from Charlie's depression to Snoopy's fantasies).
Also worth mentioning Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice which I only really saw had lukewarm praise, but I absolutely loved it. Perhaps it helps watching these films in chronological order, but it truly feels like one of its kind in this era - right before the age of Woody Allen even (whose sophomore, technically "first," feature here was a good effort but not the kind of Allen that is on the horizon). A high-brow social comedy that you find so many of in the '80s then turned slacker comedies of the '90s and then mumblecore of the '00s. It's just crazy this doesn't get the attention it deserves. The acting all around is great, particularly from Dyan Cannon, and the script and down-to-earth directing style is just golden.
Biggest disappointment was maaaybe They Shoot Horses. If only because I expected it to possibly be my favorite of the year. It could be that I had no idea what the film was about other than dance contestants (though I totally did not know it took place in the Depression era), but I just expected a bit more punch considering how widely its acclaimed. Though that ending did come out of left field and changed the whole film for me, so perhaps a re-watch is necessary down the line. The acting, though, is phenomenal. Everyone talks about Gig Young (who was... fine) and Susannah York (strong work, though not an all-timer like I've seen), but no one discusses Jane Fonda's amazing turn which may make my decade line-up nor Red Buttons and Bonnie Bedelia doing some amazing stuff as well. Could I be alone on this or do I just see Young & York's names tossed around so much I was blind to the praise for the others?
Overall, not a great year to finish with. Certainly a bit disappointing considering I like to finish out each decade with a bang (I mean, just last decade gave me two 10/10s in Ballad of a Soldier and North by Northwest as well as two incredible films in The Human Condition I & II, and that's just the tip of the iceberg). Not finding 1970 to be any more interesting (I've only previously seen three films from the year and none of them really wowed me), but hopefully I'll be wrong as the '70s from '71 on is my favorite decade - and I still have so much to see!
Best Picture:
01. Midnight Cowboy.
02. Army of Shadows.
03. Easy Rider.
04. A Boy Named Charlie Brown.
05. Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice.
06. Z.
07. On Her Majesty's Secret Service.
08. Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.
09. The Cremator.
10. They Shoot Horses, Don't They?
-----------------
11. Salesman.
12. The Italian Job.
13. The Wild Bunch.
14. True Grit.
15. The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie.
16. The Rain People.
17. Cactus Flower.
18. Take the Money and Run.
19. Age of Consent.
20. Medium Cool.
21. Topaz.
22. The Color of Pomegranates.
Best Director:
01. John Schlesinger - Midnight Cowboy.
02. Jean-Pierre Melville - Army of Shadows.
03. Costa-Gavras - Z.
04. Sydney Pollack - They Shoot Horses, Don't They?
05. Peter R. Hunt - On Her Majesty's Secret Service.
Best Actor:
01. Jon Voight - Midnight Cowboy.
02. Dustin Hoffman - Midnight Cowboy.
03. Rudolf Hrusínský - The Cremator.
04. Paul Newman - Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.
05. Robert Redford - Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.
Best Actress:
01. Jane Fonda - They Shoot Horses, Don't They?
02. Maggie Smith - The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie.
03. Shirley Knight - The Rain People.
04. Natalie Wood - Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice.
05. Kim Darby - True Grit.
Best Supporting Actor:
01. Jack Nicholson - Easy Rider.
02. Noël Coward - The Italian Job.
03. Robert Ryan - The Wild Bunch.
04. Elliott Gould - Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice.
05. Red Buttons - They Shoot Horses, Don't They?
Best Supporting Actress:
01. Dyan Cannon - Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice.
02. Pamela Franklin - The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie.
03. Susannah York - They Shoot Horses, Don't They?
04. Ingrid Bergman - Cactus Flower.
05. Simone Signoret - Army of Shadows.
Best Original Screenplay:
01. Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice.
02. Take the Money and Run.
03. Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.
04. The Wild Bunch.
05. Easy Rider.
Best Adapted Screenplay:
01. Midnight Cowboy.
02. Army of Shadows.
03. Z.
04. They Shoot Horses, Don't They?
05. On Her Majesty's Secret Service.
Best Ensemble:
01. They Shoot Horses, Don't They?
02. The Wild Bunch.
03. Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice.
04. Z.
05. The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie.
Best Editing:
Z.
Best Cinematography:
Army of Shadows.
Best Art Direction:
They Shoot Horses, Don't They?
Best Costume Design:
They Shoot Horses, Don't They?
Best Makeup:
The Wild Bunch.
Best Visual Effects:
On Her Majesty's Secret Service.
Best Sound Design:
Z.
Best Original Score:
Vince Guaraldi - A Boy Named Charlie Brown.
Best Original Song:
"A Boy Named Charlie Brown" - A Boy Named Charlie Brown.
Best Choreography:
On Her Majesty's Secret Service.
Tough call in Original Song between Louis Armstrong's Bond (and final) song and the iconic and lovely "Raindrops...," but Rod McKuen's song (like Guaraldi's score) just perfectly captures the spirit of the film so well.
Alas, I'll be taking another lengthy break in between decades here, this time mainly due to job priorities and will have a close friend moving in soon, but hopefully will be able to continue soon. Regardless, feel free to leave your recommendations!
Also feel free to leave any horror recommendations for the upcoming decade and ones I might have missed from the last decade (Kuroneko, Viy, and Cape Fear are ones I'll for sure be watching) since if I do get time for films soon, it'll probably be for my horror watches in October in anticipation of Halloween