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Post by idioticbunny on Apr 1, 2020 3:11:50 GMT
Well, with quarantine at the moment, it's made it quite easy for me to catch up on a lot of films. The down side is trying to find time to watch some Bergman or Fassbinder or anything artsy or very long and such (like '73 with the 6-hour Scenes from a Marriage) with my girlfriend around So should prove interesting! Either way, '72 proves to be another strong year for the '70s but still not quite reaching that plateau of greatness that lies just beyond the horizon. Granted, The Godfather for the longest time was a film I just couldn't understand the praise for. I always enjoyed the performances and appreciated the attention to detail, but it always moved at such a ridiculously slow pace that I could never get into it. I guess watching a ton of silent films and four-hour slow burns has kind of warmed me up to a "brisk" 3-hour gangster film. Short version: I really, really dug what Coppola did here and I now understand why a lot of film buffs love this one so much. I still think, like with Goodfellas, Scarface, or Wolf of Wall Street, some people love it for the *wrong* reasons, but at least it seems here Coppola wasn't trying to make some sort of satire but rather an authentic portrayal of gangster life and I kind of appreciate that. That being said, I was most surprised this year by how much I loved What's Up Doc. Crazy to think I narrowly left that one off my list for the year because I had believed Bogdanovich would only prove to be a one-hit wonder since I've not heard much about his other films outside of the acting nods for Paper Moon. So, so glad I didn't miss it because it's basically the complete opposite of Last Picture Show but in all the right ways. Baffles me why more rom-coms don't harken back to the screwball era like this - it was such a blast. That car chase scene at the end might be one of the funniest things I've ever watched. But that doesn't dismiss how incredibly good the direction, cinematography, and performances are. Says a lot about a cast when Madeline Kahn isn't even my third favorite of the bunch. Probably the biggest disappointment was either Last Tango in Paris or Cabaret. There were certainly a few others (look at the entire bottom 5 - except 1776 which is a re-watch from when I had to watch it in high school and it's still pretty uninteresting outside of some performances), but Last Tango probably takes the cake. Cabaret was mainly disappointing just after all the talk about it. The performances were great (Grey & Minnelli deservedly won Oscars even if I still might have picked any Godfather nominee over Grey and York totally got shafted, I thought he was incredible) and the choreography deservedly earns its praise, but the notion of a risque club in Nazi Germany sounded full of potential for tons of conflict but instead 95% of the conflict was simply between York & Minnelli and their on-and-off relationship. Such a letdown story-wise, even if it had almost everything else going for it. Certainly want to seek out the rest of Fosse's work though either way. Tango, however, was so much more vulgar and meandering than I expected. Again, a great potential story (a suicidal man after the loss of his wife finds solace in sexual encounters with a stranger), but instead it seemed to only want to push the envelope with its taboos. At least Brando and Schneider gave great performances (plus Storaro's cinematography and Barbieri's score were top-notch), but it didn't really do much for me. It doesn't help hearing about Bertolucci's behavior on set toward Schneider either so... Big miss for me. Then again, it wasn't as gross as Pink Flamingos so... there's that! Other than that, still a big fan of Sleuth and its endless twists and turns. Un Flic was a great, albeit not amazing, swan song for Melville. I really hoped to love Hitch's last truly great work (supposedly, still will watch Family Plot in '76), and it was certainly the best he'd been since Psycho, but still feels like baby steps toward the greatness he left back at the Bates Motel - perhaps re-watches will be kinder I'm sure. The rest of my top ten (and a couple others after) were all pretty strong in many different ways (was surprised how much I loved my first Bruce Lee film and can't wait for Enter the Dragon), though really only loved the first two. Have big expectations for next year, and especially '74 which had always been my favorite year for film even before doing this. So overall a pretty good year, but still waiting for that peak '70s goodness. Here are my line-ups: Best Picture: 01. What's Up, Doc? 02. The Godfather. 03. Sleuth. 04. Un Flic. 05. Deliverance. 06. The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie. 07. The Way of the Dragon. 08. Solaris. 09. The Mechanic. 10. Aguirre, the Wrath of God. ----------------- 11. Frenzy. 12. The Heartbreak Kid. 13. The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant. 14. Snoopy Come Home. 15. Cabaret. 16. The Last House on the Left. 17. Super Fly. 18. The Canterbury Tales. 19. The Getaway. 20. Last Tango in Paris. 21. The Poseidon Adventure. 22. Boxcar Bertha. 23. Play It Again, Sam. 24. 1776. 25. Pink Flamingos.
Best Director: 01. Francis Ford Coppola - The Godfather. 02. Peter Bogdanovich - What's Up, Doc? 03. Jean-Pierre Melville - Un Flic. 04. John Boorman - Deliverance. 05. Andrei Tarkovsky - Solaris. 06. Joseph L. Mankiewicz - Sleuth. 07. Werner Herzog - Aguirre, the Wrath of God.
Best Actor: 01. Al Pacino - The Godfather. 02. Laurence Olivier - Sleuth. 03. Klaus Kinski - Aguirre, the Wrath of God. 04. Marlon Brando - Last Tango in Paris. 05. Michael Caine - Sleuth. 06. Michael York - Cabaret. 07. Ryan O'Neal - What's Up, Doc?
Best Actress: 01. Margit Carstensen - The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant. 02. Liza Minnelli - Cabaret. 03. Barbra Streisand - What's Up, Doc? 04. Maria Schneider - Last Tango in Paris. 05. Ali MacGraw - The Getaway. 06. Barbara Hershey - Boxcar Bertha.
Best Supporting Actor: 01. Marlon Brando - The Godfather. 02. James Caan - The Godfather. 03. Liam Dunn - What's Up, Doc? 04. Robert Duvall - The Godfather. 05. Joel Grey - Cabaret. 06. Ned Beatty - Deliverance. 07. David Hess - The Last House on the Left.
Best Supporting Actress: 01. Jeannie Berlin - The Heartbreak Kid. 02. Diane Keaton - Play It Again, Sam. 03. Mink Stole - Pink Flamingos. 04. Hanna Schygulla - The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant. 05. Diane Keaton - The Godfather. 06. Natalya Bondarchuk - Solaris. 07. Shelley Winters - The Poseidon Adventure.
Best Original Screenplay: 01. What's Up, Doc? 02. The Mechanic. 03. The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie. 04. Un Flic. 05. Super Fly. 06. Aguirre, the Wrath of God. 07. Last Tango in Paris.
Best Adapted Screenplay: 01. The Godfather. 02. Sleuth. 03. The Heartbreak Kid. 04. The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant. 05. The Getaway. 06. Deliverance. 07. Play It Again, Sam.
Best Ensemble: 01. The Godfather. 02. What's Up, Doc? 03. Deliverance. 04. The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant. 05. The Heartbreak Kid. 06. Cabaret. 07. The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie.
Best Editing: 01. The Godfather. 02. Un Flic. 03. The Mechanic.
Best Cinematography: 01. The Godfather. 02. The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant. 03. Solaris.
Best Art Direction: 01. Sleuth. 02. The Godfather. 03. Solaris.
Best Costume Design: 01. The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant. 02. What's Up, Doc? 03. The Godfather.
Best Makeup: 01. The Godfather. 02. Sleuth. 03. The Last House on the Left.
Best Visual Effects: 01. The Poseidon Adventure. 02. Deliverance. 03. Solaris.
Best Sound Design: 01. The Poseidon Adventure. 02. Un Flic. 03. The Mechanic.
Best Original Score: 01. Gato Barbieri - Last Tango in Paris. 02. Nino Rota - The Godfather. 03. John Addison - Sleuth.
Best Original Song: 01. "Pusherman" - Super Fly. 02. "Little Child Runnin' Wild" - Super Fly. 03. "Lila's Theme (Do You Remember Me)" - Snoopy Come Home.
Best Choreography: 01. What's Up, Doc? 02. Cabaret. 03. The Way of the Dragon.Also worth noting how fucking great Curtis Mayfield's soundtrack for Super Fly is. Even if it weren't associated with the film, I'd put it on for kicks. It's just so good, and "Pusherman" is one hell of a jam (and the extra layer of subtext with the lyrics in each song only makes it even better). Anyway, another pretty wide open field for 1973, so feel free to send over those recs to try and narrow down my massive list! So far seen The Exorcist, Serpico, The Wicker Man, Don't Look Now, and Sisters.
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Post by themoviesinner on Apr 1, 2020 6:35:19 GMT
What's Up Doc is an entertaining film for sure, but it's just a light-hearted comedy, so I wouldn't consider it among the best films of the year. I'm also not a very big fan of The Godfather. It's definitely a realistic portrayal of gangster life and a very well made film, but I just don't find it very interesting. I also consider Last Tango In Paris as Bertolucci's best film, but I understand that the rawness and bluntness of it isn't for everyone.
Anyway, here is my top 10 of 1973:
1. The Hourglass Sanatorium 2. The Wicker Man 3. La Grande Bouffe 4. Amarcord 5. Papillon 6. The Mother And The Whore 7. I Will Walk Like A Crazy Horse 8. Mean Streets 9. Turkish Delight 10. The Spirit Of The Beehive
Definitely watch The Hourglass Sanatorium if you get the chance. It's among the most fascinating and unique film experiences ever.
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Post by Archie on Apr 1, 2020 8:47:32 GMT
1. Badlands 2. The Long Goodbye 3. Mean Streets 4. High Plains Drifter 5. Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid 6. The Day of the Jackal 7. The Friends of Eddie Coyle 8. Day for Night 9. The Last Detail 10. Scarecrow 11. Dillinger 12. The Offence
Seriously great year. Take your time with this one.
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Post by jimmalone on Apr 1, 2020 9:00:27 GMT
I love your Top 4 (that's three of my own top 3 that year + Sleuth, which I also love). And especially that you love What's up Doc? so much. I couldn't agree more about the chase. I was lying on the floor, when they broke the glass. At this point I'd already recommend you not to miss Paper Moon, which completes Peter Bogdanovich's trifecta of very strong movies early in his career. After that I haven't seen many of his films and I ocasionally like them (maybe we talk about this in 1992 again), but never reached the level of his first three works. Paper Moon is certainly closer to The Last Picture Show than to Doc?, but also has some very fine moments of humour and the chemistry between Dad and daughter is fantastic here.
About 1972 I also can certainly understand your disappointment in Cabaret, which I don't like much either. And I also agree that Last Tango doesn't make too much of it's premise and could have been much more intelligent, but Bertolucci is too interested in provoking people. But for the performances and some good dialogues I still like it.
Now my top films for 1973: 1. The Sting (George Roy Hill) 2. Serpico (Sidney Lumet) 3. The Three Musketeers (Richard Lester) 4. High Plains Drifter (Clint Eastwood) 5. Papillon (Franklin J. Schaffner) 6. La Nuit Americaine (Francois Truffaut)
7. Amarcord (Federico Fellini)
8. Paper Moon (Peter Bogdanovich) 9. Il mio nome e Nessuno (Tonino Valerii)
10. Live and Let Die (Guy Hamilton)
11. The Day of the Jackal (Fred Zinnemann)
12. Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid (Sam Peckinpah) 13. Sleeper (Woody Allen) 14. The Mackintosh Man (John Huston)
15. The Emperor of the North Pole (Robert Aldrich) 16. Les granges brulees (Jean Chapot) 17. The Outfit (John Flynn) 18. Scorpio (Michael Winner) 19. Magnum Force (Ted Post)
20. The Long Goodbye (Robert Altman) 21. Scarecrow (Jerry Schatzberg) 22. Westworld (Michael Crichton) 23. The Exorcist (William Friedkin) 24. Badlands (Terence Malick)
25. American Graffiti (George Lucas)
I'll really leave it at 25 now. I separated it in approximate tiers.
The Sting is my clear #1 that year. Nowadays some people try to diminish it I feel (though I know many as well for whom it's still one of the greatest classics). I think it has one of the wittiest and best screenplays ever, the setting is excellent and Newman/Redford in this film is still my first answer when asked about the best on-screen-chemistry ever. After that Serpico is a must-see as well, a film that has grown on me soo much at rewatches. It's now in my Top 100 of all time as well. The story of this guy, who just wants to be a policeman and then has to fight his own corrupt organisation is just fascinating and so well directed and acted.
Three Musketeers is a film you will only see in my very own Top 5 probably. But as a lover of the book I still think this hilarious sometimes caricatural adaptation is not only the best - together with it's follow-up in 1974 (and I have seen several ones), but a truly interesting and fitting take. For High Plains Drifter it depends on how much you like Leone's westerns or Eastwoods Unforgiven. To those films this is pretty similiar in tone. Some scenes are pretty brutal, it's overall a pretty dark movie, but not without humour at the same time.
Truffaut and Fellini made some of their best movies that year, especially La Nuit Americaine, which is about film itsself. Further down on my list you will find (as mostly every year for me) some good thrillers you might want to check out if you like that genre.
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Post by stephen on Apr 1, 2020 11:16:01 GMT
First off, be aware that Badlands is actually a 1974 film, as it never got a paying audience to see it until then. Thank finniussnrub for this unpleasant information that threw a massive wrench into my 1973/74 lineups.
As for '73:
Amarcord American Graffiti Charlotte’s Web Coffy Day for Night Dillinger Don’t Look Now F for Fake High Plains Drifter Lady Snowblood Mean Streets Paper Moon Papillon Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid Save the Tiger Scarecrow Serpico Soylent Green The Day of the Jackal The Exorcist The Friends of Eddie Coyle The Iceman Cometh The Holy Mountain The Last Detail The Long Goodbye The Spirit of the Beehive The Sting Westworld
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Post by therealcomicman117 on Apr 1, 2020 15:34:23 GMT
Films for 1973 I recommend, not yet mentioned.
Enter The Dragon Fantastic Planet Charley Varrick The Mack Magnum Force Heavy Traffic Robin Hood The Iceman Cometh Hell Up in Harlem The Crazies Messiah of Evil - Underrated horror movie I stumbled upon more recently.
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Post by jimmalone on Apr 1, 2020 17:15:12 GMT
Fantastic Planet Charley Varrick Magnum Force Yeah, I second this mentions.
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Post by Mattsby on Apr 1, 2020 21:08:52 GMT
Favs, most make my Top 250.... The Spirit of the Beehive (10/10 masterpiece) Scarecrow Mean Streets The Long Goodbye The Last Detail The Mother and the Whore F for Fake The Offence The Optimists - rare and initially to be a vehicle for Buster Keaton, but the part went to Sellers (a must see for fans, he's brilliant) - it's very bittersweetly done, sort of Umberto D meets the forlorn hop of The Circus meets a vérité London.
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Post by pacinoyes on Apr 1, 2020 21:30:30 GMT
The Optimists - rare and initially to be a vehicle for Buster Keaton, but the part went to Sellers (a must see for fans, he's brilliant) - it's very bittersweetly done, sort of Umberto D meets the forlorn hop of The Circus meets a vérité London.
Matts I'm not sure if you noticed but about a week ago in the "Classics" thread I posted Judi Dench's first 2 movies and the first was " Four in The Morning" which I think is the only other feature The Optimists director ever made (?) I had never seen Four in The Morning before but it's an interesting failure (~6/10) with a great idea to it (he wrote it also) and free on Youtube if you've never seen and want to check it out.........you know I don't like recommending a film I didn't actually like , but thought I'd mention it since he's so under the radar afaik.
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Post by idioticbunny on Apr 3, 2020 3:06:43 GMT
What's Up Doc is an entertaining film for sure, but it's just a light-hearted comedy, so I wouldn't consider it among the best films of the year. I'm also not a very big fan of The Godfather. It's definitely a realistic portrayal of gangster life and a very well made film, but I just don't find it very interesting. I also consider Last Tango In Paris as Bertolucci's best film, but I understand that the rawness and bluntness of it isn't for everyone. Anyway, here is my top 10 of 1973: 1. The Hourglass Sanatorium 2. The Wicker Man 3. La Grande Bouffe 4. Amarcord 5. Papillon 6. The Mother And The Whore 7. I Will Walk Like A Crazy Horse 8. Mean Streets 9. Turkish Delight 10. The Spirit Of The Beehive Definitely watch The Hourglass Sanatorium if you get the chance. It's among the most fascinating and unique film experiences ever. Shame you don't hold What's Up Doc in higher regard. I suppose that when light-hearted is done well, it can really win me over - as this one did. I will say, though, I felt the same way about The Godfather for the longest time. It just never did anything for me and never understood the praise so it surprised me quite a bit how much I enjoyed it this time around. Very unexpected. Apologies as well for not getting to Red Psalm. Stephen can vouch for me that I did make the effort! But, alas, we weren't able to get our hands on a good copy. In time though... Hourglass Sanatorium is one that was right outside my list and I feel like with how stacked this year is I should just put it aside, but it looks sooo intriguing. Glad to hear you're a fan! Quite a few others on your list I'm eager to check out as well, hopefully will be able to get to most of them. Thanks again for your contributions!
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Post by idioticbunny on Apr 3, 2020 3:12:33 GMT
1. Badlands 2. The Long Goodbye 3. Mean Streets 4. High Plains Drifter 5. Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid 6. The Day of the Jackal 7. The Friends of Eddie Coyle 8. Day for Night 9. The Last Detail 10. Scarecrow 11. Dillinger 12. The Offence Seriously great year. Take your time with this one. The unfortunate reality is that I'll likely have to take my time whether I want to or not simply because there are so many my girlfriend (who I live with) won't want to watch so... bit by bit I'll get to them! Thanks for the list though. It looks like a lot better year than I thought and that's even with me considering Badlands '74 (since it only got a festival release in '73). Thoughts on Scarecrow and Day of the Jackal though? Those are two that are borderline for my list.
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Post by idioticbunny on Apr 3, 2020 3:25:56 GMT
I love your Top 4 (that's three of my own top 3 that year + Sleuth, which I also love). And especially that you love What's up Doc? so much. I couldn't agree more about the chase. I was lying on the floor, when they broke the glass. At this point I'd already recommend you not to miss Paper Moon, which completes Peter Bogdanovich's trifecta of very strong movies early in his career. After that I haven't seen many of his films and I ocasionally like them (maybe we talk about this in 1992 again), but never reached the level of his first three works. Paper Moon is certainly closer to The Last Picture Show than to Doc?, but also has some very fine moments of humour and the chemistry between Dad and daughter is fantastic here.
I was very happy and shocked by how much I loved What's Up, Doc as well. It's just so much fun and incredibly sweet - the type of film I could throw on any time. That moment in the chase sequence when they broke the glass was the exact moment I died laughing Certainly making Paper Moon the utmost priority for '73 and really hoping it to be just as good as his last two. Agreed that it seems a bit of a shame how little Bogdanovich's works are revered following those three but hoping there are some bright spots here and there at least. Thanks for the detailed list! Quite a few in your top ten that are must-sees for me already. Also, that's some praise for The Sting and I'm certainly very excited to finally sit down and watch it. It always surprised me how much it grossed all-time (though weirdly grossed more than The Exorcist its year of release, then Exorcist passed it to be ninth all-time adjusting for inflation - these facts excite me for some reason I don't know why). Anyway, can't wait for that one. Also surprising to see Live and Let Die so high on your list. It'll be my first Roger Moore and always figured outside of The Spy Who Loved Me his era was a string of lesser films, but glad to see that may not be the case! I did consider Three Musketeers, especially because I feel Lester's hectic comic style would serve the material well, but couldn't solidify its release date so put it on the backburner for a later watch. I did re-watch Serpico though recently as it was one of the few I'd seen previously for the year and I agree, it holds up so much better on future watches. As a Lumet superfan, I was pretty disappointed because of how great the rest of his '70s output was afterward, but it's actually damn well-directed and of course Pacino is fantastic in it. Will see how the year holds up, but might wind up in the top 5 by the end of it. Was considering skipping High Plains Drifter just since the Western genre outside of Leone hasn't gotten big results from me, but you've piqued my interest with the comparisons to Leone. Lastly, as I asked above, since Scarecrow and Day of the Jackal are kind of borderline for me, wondering if you'd maybe give me your thoughts on those and see if I wanna give them a go! Thanks so much for all the insight already!
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Post by idioticbunny on Apr 3, 2020 3:30:57 GMT
First off, be aware that Badlands is actually a 1974 film, as it never got a paying audience to see it until then. Thank finniussnrub for this unpleasant information that threw a massive wrench into my 1973/74 lineups. As for '73: Amarcord American Graffiti Charlotte’s Web Coffy Day for Night Dillinger Don’t Look Now F for Fake High Plains Drifter Lady Snowblood Mean Streets Paper Moon Papillon Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid Save the Tiger Scarecrow Serpico Soylent Green The Day of the Jackal The Exorcist The Friends of Eddie Coyle The Iceman Cometh The Holy Mountain The Last Detail The Long Goodbye The Spirit of the Beehive The Sting WestworldGlad to get a bit of confirmation on Badlands as I researched for a while when making my list since I always assumed it was quite well-known to be a '73 film. But yeah, it'll be a must-see for '74 instead. Of course, I also have the same question for Holy Mountain and F for Fake. The latter said it was released in Spain in '73, but I can't find anything that says Spain actually had any involvement. So the next year of release for a country (of the *four*) involved would be '75 and I feel like I've not seen anyone include it there. As for Holy Mountain, it wasn't released in Mexico until '75. But then again for El Topo I counted it as '70 because I know Mexico wasn't willing to release it then. Same case for Holy Mountain that you're aware of? Anyway, that list actually boasts pretty much everything that's on my own list so certainly makes narrowing it down very difficult! Any absolute must-sees in your opinion?
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Post by idioticbunny on Apr 3, 2020 3:32:51 GMT
Films for 1973 I recommend, not yet mentioned. Enter The Dragon Fantastic Planet Charley Varrick The Mack Magnum Force Heavy Traffic Robin Hood The Iceman Cometh Hell Up in Harlem The Crazies Messiah of Evil - Underrated horror movie I stumbled upon more recently. Tagging jimmalone as well since he mentioned a couple of these too. Did check out Fantastic Planet and Enter the Dragon already which have been on my list for quite some time and enjoyed them. Really want to check out Charley Varrick but year might be too stacked for it though. Thoughts on that one? Same for Heavy Traffic since I actually want to check out some Bakshi at some point but unsure where to start since I missed out on the chance with Fritz the Cat.
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Post by idioticbunny on Apr 3, 2020 3:39:02 GMT
Surprised to see The Mechanic so high... I think that's an incredible opening scene and great ending with a lot of dullness in between. Peckinpah's The Getaway deserves a lot better too! Glad you liked Un Flic though... that train scene is one of Melville's finest moments. some brief thoughts on my top-tier favorites of '73: Scarecrow - exudes the greatness of '70s filmmaking and one of the best drifter/road movies ever. Remarkable work from Pacino, Hackman, and Vilmos. Paper Moon - Bogdanovich ain't a one-hit wonder... if anything he's a three hit wonder (though I like some more of his stuff). This one might be his best. Day for Night - prob the best movie about movies ever... magical stuff and my favorite Truffaut. The Friends of Eddie Coyle - perfect adaptation of one of the finest crime novels ever, with a top 3 Mitchum performance. Mean Streets - where the GOATs really began on their path to becoming the GOATs. Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid - contains some of the finest moments ever in a western. (if you watch it, which you probably won't... make sure it's the 122 minute version) Emperor of the North - Lee Marvin as a legendary hobo trying to ride the train of a psycho conductor (Ernest Borgnine)... enough said. Slither - a more kooky, lesser Scarecrow(ish)... but still a lot of fun and also gives you that magical '70s vibe. also greatThe Last Detail, The Sting, Serpico, The Long Goodbye, Dillinger, American Graffitialso good but not mentionedTwo Men in Town, Cinderella Liberty, Executive ActionWeirdly I watched The Mechanic randomly on TV many, many years ago and thought it was quite dull then. But this re-watch, I'm not sure why, but I really dug it. Felt like a great mix of Dirty Harry, Melville, and exploitation films in the best way. Also Bronson is always just so cool to watch. Really was excited for The Getaway though, but was a bit of a letdown - even with McQueen's performance who I typically enjoy. I did love Al Lettieri in it though, what a killer year he had with that and The Godfather. Agreed on Un Flic. It was probably my least favorite of his last four film run starting with Le Samourai, but it's still brilliant and that train sequence is pretty spectacular. Obviously very much glad I was wrong about Bogdanovich being a one-hit wonder! I'm super excited to check out Paper Moon now and see if he can go three in a row for my BP win. Glad to see so much consistency with all of the recommendations in this thread, though also makes my job of narrowing down even more difficult sadly might have to cut out some ones I'm really interested in just to keep things moving but hopefully come back to them later. Also caught bits of Day for Night in my film studies classes in college and it always looked right up my alley so excited to check out that one in full soon. Thanks so much for the picks!
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Post by idioticbunny on Apr 3, 2020 3:43:38 GMT
Favs, most make my Top 250.... The Spirit of the Beehive (10/10 masterpiece) Scarecrow Mean Streets The Long Goodbye The Last Detail The Mother and the Whore F for Fake The Offence The Optimists - rare and initially to be a vehicle for Buster Keaton, but the part went to Sellers (a must see for fans, he's brilliant) - it's very bittersweetly done, sort of Umberto D meets the forlorn hop of The Circus meets a vérité London. Optimists sounds right up my alley - though I certainly would have preferred and loved to see a comeback for Buster Keaton in the role then! As much as I like Sellers, I *love* Keaton though. Also will likely watch just about all of the rest of that list (might have to skip Mother and the Whore just for time though very interested in watching it at some point). Though I did want to repeat my question to you that I asked Stephen since you had a bit more insight into Welles' films' release dates last time around, but I saw F for Fake was only released in Spain in '73 yet wasn't involved in the production that I can see so might have to consider it '75 since that's when it was released in France (which was involved). Any more insight into the release for that?
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Archie
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Post by Archie on Apr 3, 2020 3:59:11 GMT
Scarecrow is one of the all time best road movies. Hackman and Pacino are fcking dynamite. Don't miss it.
The Day of the Jackal is an excellent no-nonsense thriller. What it lacks in the action and thrills most associated with conspiracy films it compensates with a riveting plot and superb direction. The two and a half hour runtime just flew by for me. Also, Edward Fox is hands down one of the best movie assassins ever.
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Post by therealcomicman117 on Apr 3, 2020 4:07:40 GMT
Films for 1973 I recommend, not yet mentioned. Enter The Dragon Fantastic Planet Charley Varrick The Mack Magnum Force Heavy Traffic Robin Hood The Iceman Cometh Hell Up in Harlem The Crazies Messiah of Evil - Underrated horror movie I stumbled upon more recently. Tagging jimmalone as well since he mentioned a couple of these too. Did check out Fantastic Planet and Enter the Dragon already which have been on my list for quite some time and enjoyed them. Really want to check out Charley Varrick but year might be too stacked for it though. Thoughts on that one? Same for Heavy Traffic since I actually want to check out some Bakshi at some point but unsure where to start since I missed out on the chance with Fritz the Cat. Charley Varrick is a great caper film, with a terrific lead performance by Walter Matthau. It's also a really slick, and intelligently directed by Don Siegel, who was hot off Dirty Harry at the time. In conception, the story is really simple, but the way they executive it is nothing short of miraculous, and highly entertaining. I also highly recommend Heavy Traffic. I don't even think you need to see Fritz The Cat first to understand it or anything. Bakshi's a really acquired taste, especially with his cheaper rotoscoping style, but I think Heavy Traffic is probably the most "complete" film he ever made. Lots of memorable characters, and it uses typical "stereotypes" in a very refreshing manner.
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Post by jimmalone on Apr 3, 2020 10:11:05 GMT
I love your Top 4 (that's three of my own top 3 that year + Sleuth, which I also love). And especially that you love What's up Doc? so much. I couldn't agree more about the chase. I was lying on the floor, when they broke the glass. At this point I'd already recommend you not to miss Paper Moon, which completes Peter Bogdanovich's trifecta of very strong movies early in his career. After that I haven't seen many of his films and I ocasionally like them (maybe we talk about this in 1992 again), but never reached the level of his first three works. Paper Moon is certainly closer to The Last Picture Show than to Doc?, but also has some very fine moments of humour and the chemistry between Dad and daughter is fantastic here.
I was very happy and shocked by how much I loved What's Up, Doc as well. It's just so much fun and incredibly sweet - the type of film I could throw on any time. That moment in the chase sequence when they broke the glass was the exact moment I died laughing Certainly making Paper Moon the utmost priority for '73 and really hoping it to be just as good as his last two. Agreed that it seems a bit of a shame how little Bogdanovich's works are revered following those three but hoping there are some bright spots here and there at least. Thanks for the detailed list! Quite a few in your top ten that are must-sees for me already. Also, that's some praise for The Sting and I'm certainly very excited to finally sit down and watch it. It always surprised me how much it grossed all-time (though weirdly grossed more than The Exorcist its year of release, then Exorcist passed it to be ninth all-time adjusting for inflation - these facts excite me for some reason I don't know why). Anyway, can't wait for that one. Also surprising to see Live and Let Die so high on your list. It'll be my first Roger Moore and always figured outside of The Spy Who Loved Me his era was a string of lesser films, but glad to see that may not be the case! I did consider Three Musketeers, especially because I feel Lester's hectic comic style would serve the material well, but couldn't solidify its release date so put it on the backburner for a later watch. I did re-watch Serpico though recently as it was one of the few I'd seen previously for the year and I agree, it holds up so much better on future watches. As a Lumet superfan, I was pretty disappointed because of how great the rest of his '70s output was afterward, but it's actually damn well-directed and of course Pacino is fantastic in it. Will see how the year holds up, but might wind up in the top 5 by the end of it. Was considering skipping High Plains Drifter just since the Western genre outside of Leone hasn't gotten big results from me, but you've piqued my interest with the comparisons to Leone. Lastly, as I asked above, since Scarecrow and Day of the Jackal are kind of borderline for me, wondering if you'd maybe give me your thoughts on those and see if I wanna give them a go! Thanks so much for all the insight already! To be perfectly honest (well I always try to be anyways) you probably should take my opinions on Bond-films always with a grain of salt, unless you are an avid Bond-fan - cause I am and love many of the films. I also have a somewhat soft spot for the Moore era, cause as a child his films were my favourite type, though that has certainly changed within the years, while I still like his style in the role very very much.
But if you are a Bond-fan you'd watch them all anyways. If not of the Moore-era as you said The Spy who Loved Me is definitely the stand-out (my #1 of 1977, though that is a horrible year) and For your Eyes Only is the second best. I'd probably have Live and Let Die third then (maaaaybe Octopussy which is much better at it's best moments and much worse at it's worst). It has some pretty good sequences already of the typical silly humour of that era and has one of the better and less megalomaniac stories of Bond films. But also I just happened to rewatch it lately and there it lost very much for me. A reason could also be I saw it around 15 times though.
Also a huge Lumet-fan here (one of my top 10 directors ever) and Serpico is probably my 3rd favourite (maybe 4th) of his.
If you love Leone you should watch High Plains Drifter. Granted, Eastwoods direction is nowhere the grand style of his later films, but you can definitely compare it to A Fistful of Dollars. Both are pretty minimalistic and both take place in just one village, where a stranger suddenly arrives. Also the main character is definitely very very close to his Leone roles. Here over in german language High Plains Drifter is even called Ein Fremder ohne Namen which means Stranger without a Name. Also if you are a Leone fan you should probably try out Il mio nome e nessuno at some point. It's the ultimate hommage and satire to his films. Sure, it's silly, but has some great scenes and a great Henry Fonda. Also Sergio Leone himself directed some of the scenes in the film, though the people, who worked on the film are discordant, how much he actually contributed.
Scarecrow is a pretty dramatic, talky road-movie with two great performances by Pacino and Hackman, which has an interesting psychological edge to it. I'd compare it to Midnight Cowboy, if you have seen this.
The Day of the Jackal is a rather unconventional thriller. It's rarely hectical, but very slow. Zinnemann shows a huge love for details here as the viewer follows an assassin, who prepares meticulous for a job to kill a very important person. At the same time we see the French police, who has just the vague idea of this lethal attempt and tries to get more and more information about it. And it's interesting to see how they come closer and closer. Just as I write this I realise I should have placed the film maybe higher on my list . I also tried just in my mind to compare this to another film as well and the first one that crossed my mind was Le Cercle Rouge by Jean-Pierre Melville. That's probably the best incentive I can give you to watch it. P.S. If you're a reader: The novel is even better.
As for Charley Varrick you mention in another post I'd say it's a fine and clever heist thriller, but I'd not call it great.
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Post by stephen on Apr 3, 2020 11:57:26 GMT
First off, be aware that Badlands is actually a 1974 film, as it never got a paying audience to see it until then. Thank finniussnrub for this unpleasant information that threw a massive wrench into my 1973/74 lineups. As for '73: Amarcord American Graffiti Charlotte’s Web Coffy Day for Night Dillinger Don’t Look Now F for Fake High Plains Drifter Lady Snowblood Mean Streets Paper Moon Papillon Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid Save the Tiger Scarecrow Serpico Soylent Green The Day of the Jackal The Exorcist The Friends of Eddie Coyle The Iceman Cometh The Holy Mountain The Last Detail The Long Goodbye The Spirit of the Beehive The Sting WestworldGlad to get a bit of confirmation on Badlands as I researched for a while when making my list since I always assumed it was quite well-known to be a '73 film. But yeah, it'll be a must-see for '74 instead. Of course, I also have the same question for Holy Mountain and F for Fake. The latter said it was released in Spain in '73, but I can't find anything that says Spain actually had any involvement. So the next year of release for a country (of the *four*) involved would be '75 and I feel like I've not seen anyone include it there. As for Holy Mountain, it wasn't released in Mexico until '75. But then again for El Topo I counted it as '70 because I know Mexico wasn't willing to release it then. Same case for Holy Mountain that you're aware of? Anyway, that list actually boasts pretty much everything that's on my own list so certainly makes narrowing it down very difficult! Any absolute must-sees in your opinion? I trust Mr. Snrub's judgment on release dates, but as far as I'm concerned, they're both still 1973. I don't consider home country releases as the arbiter, though -- I feel like if a paying audience could see it anywhere, that's the year it's recognized (i.e. The Hurt Locker in 2008). Absolute must-sees? Definitely Save the Tiger for an all-time performance from Jack Lemmon, a powerfully underrated Oscar-nominated turn from Jack Gilford, and a damn fine script with excellent direction. But you really can't go wrong with any of 'em.
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Post by jimmalone on Apr 3, 2020 12:38:09 GMT
Glad to get a bit of confirmation on Badlands as I researched for a while when making my list since I always assumed it was quite well-known to be a '73 film. But yeah, it'll be a must-see for '74 instead. Of course, I also have the same question for Holy Mountain and F for Fake. The latter said it was released in Spain in '73, but I can't find anything that says Spain actually had any involvement. So the next year of release for a country (of the *four*) involved would be '75 and I feel like I've not seen anyone include it there. As for Holy Mountain, it wasn't released in Mexico until '75. But then again for El Topo I counted it as '70 because I know Mexico wasn't willing to release it then. Same case for Holy Mountain that you're aware of? Anyway, that list actually boasts pretty much everything that's on my own list so certainly makes narrowing it down very difficult! Any absolute must-sees in your opinion? I trust Mr. Snrub's judgment on release dates, but as far as I'm concerned, they're both still 1973. I don't consider home country releases as the arbiter, though -- I feel like if a paying audience could see it anywhere, that's the year it's recognized (i.e. The Hurt Locker in 2008). Absolute must-sees? Definitely Save the Tiger for an all-time performance from Jack Lemmon, a powerfully underrated Oscar-nominated turn from Jack Gilford, and a damn fine script with excellent direction. But you really can't go wrong with any of 'em. Yeah, I just go by the year under which it's listed by IMDb. Everything else would really be too complicated. That's also 1973 for Badlands or 2008 for The Hurt Locker.
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Post by idioticbunny on Apr 3, 2020 17:13:32 GMT
Tagging jimmalone as well since he mentioned a couple of these too. Did check out Fantastic Planet and Enter the Dragon already which have been on my list for quite some time and enjoyed them. Really want to check out Charley Varrick but year might be too stacked for it though. Thoughts on that one? Same for Heavy Traffic since I actually want to check out some Bakshi at some point but unsure where to start since I missed out on the chance with Fritz the Cat. Charley Varrick is a great caper film, with a terrific lead performance by Walter Matthau. It's also a really slick, and intelligently directed by Don Siegel, who was hot off Dirty Harry at the time. In conception, the story is really simple, but the way they executive it is nothing short of miraculous, and highly entertaining. I also highly recommend Heavy Traffic. I don't even think you need to see Fritz The Cat first to understand it or anything. Bakshi's a really acquired taste, especially with his cheaper rotoscoping style, but I think Heavy Traffic is probably the most "complete" film he ever made. Lots of memorable characters, and it uses typical "stereotypes" in a very refreshing manner. Charley Varrick definitely sounds right up my alley and I actually didn't know Siegel directed it. I was only ever curious because the poster + Matthau's involvement made me think it was a North by Northwest parody. Weird now to think it's actually a bit more serious haha. Hope I can make room for that one then, I think I'd enjoy it! Oh yeah I meant more watching Fritz to get a taste for Bakshi's work first, but glad to hear that about Heavy Traffic. I've already got three animated films lined up for '73, so we'll see if I make room for a fourth, but either way want to check out some Bakshi this decade anyway! Thanks for the insight!
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Post by idioticbunny on Apr 3, 2020 17:16:33 GMT
I trust Mr. Snrub's judgment on release dates, but as far as I'm concerned, they're both still 1973. I don't consider home country releases as the arbiter, though -- I feel like if a paying audience could see it anywhere, that's the year it's recognized (i.e. The Hurt Locker in 2008). Absolute must-sees? Definitely Save the Tiger for an all-time performance from Jack Lemmon, a powerfully underrated Oscar-nominated turn from Jack Gilford, and a damn fine script with excellent direction. But you really can't go wrong with any of 'em. Yeah, I just go by the year under which it's listed by IMDb. Everything else would really be too complicated. That's also 1973 for Badlands or 2008 for The Hurt Locker.
Fair enough, though I like to make things complicated I suppose And stephen I'll definitely try to check out Save the Tiger then. I've always wanted to see it solely for Lemmon, but wasn't sure the film was up to snuff too. Glad to hear I was wrong!
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Post by idioticbunny on Apr 3, 2020 17:27:14 GMT
To be perfectly honest (well I always try to be anyways) you probably should take my opinions on Bond-films always with a grain of salt, unless you are an avid Bond-fan - cause I am and love many of the films. I also have a somewhat soft spot for the Moore era, cause as a child his films were my favourite type, though that has certainly changed within the years, while I still like his style in the role very very much.
But if you are a Bond-fan you'd watch them all anyways. If not of the Moore-era as you said The Spy who Loved Me is definitely the stand-out (my #1 of 1977, though that is a horrible year) and For your Eyes Only is the second best. I'd probably have Live and Let Die third then (maaaaybe Octopussy which is much better at it's best moments and much worse at it's worst). It has some pretty good sequences already of the typical silly humour of that era and has one of the better and less megalomaniac stories of Bond films. But also I just happened to rewatch it lately and there it lost very much for me. A reason could also be I saw it around 15 times though. Also a huge Lumet-fan here (one of my top 10 directors ever) and Serpico is probably my 3rd favourite (maybe 4th) of his. That could certainly make the difference with the Moore era of Bond films then! I grew up with Brosnan and only ever caught the tail end of a Moore film on television when I was kid. Honestly don't remember what film it was or much about it but thought it was super cheesy. Then again I still feel that way about Connery's era even at its best, but I still enjoy them a lot. So hoping I like Moore's run as well. Even if I don't, I've vowed to watch every Bond film (even Never Say Never Again and already caught '67 Casino Royale which aren't considered canon) so will be sure to watch them anyway. Thanks for the lowdown on his era though! I'm excited for each of the ones you mentioned (and Moonraker because space lol). Glad to see another Lumet fan then! He's my second favorite director after Hitchcock so I looooove his work. Even when I don't love the films, I love his style and intensity. I don't think a director has ever consistently gotten more god-tier performances from his actors than him. Thanks for the info on both High Plains Drifter and My Name is Nobody! I actually had no idea the latter was a Leone-style western satire - or that Fonda was in it! So definitely want to seek those out at some point. Will keep those closer to the end of my list and see if I have time for them, but definitely sound like the type of Westerns I'd go for then. Kind of stinks that '73 is so packed now! Have to make some hard decisions about what to cut! I did love Midnight Cowboy which is my favorite of '69 so that intrigues me. Also love the idea of Pacino & Hackman generally, so the idea of them working together sounds great. Just wasn't sure if it was worth the time, but might have to make it a priority with so many in this thread recommending it. I've definitely heard of the novel for Jackal and I do love me some crime thrillers, so sounds right up my alley actually. Been itching for some more thrillers like Melville too so shit you might have just sold me on that one! Thanks again for the insight!
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Post by Mattsby on Apr 5, 2020 18:22:40 GMT
Favs, most make my Top 250.... The Spirit of the Beehive (10/10 masterpiece) Scarecrow Mean Streets The Long Goodbye The Last Detail The Mother and the Whore F for Fake The Offence The Optimists - rare and initially to be a vehicle for Buster Keaton, but the part went to Sellers (a must see for fans, he's brilliant) - it's very bittersweetly done, sort of Umberto D meets the forlorn hop of The Circus meets a vérité London. Optimists sounds right up my alley - though I certainly would have preferred and loved to see a comeback for Buster Keaton in the role then! As much as I like Sellers, I *love* Keaton though. Also will likely watch just about all of the rest of that list (might have to skip Mother and the Whore just for time though very interested in watching it at some point). Though I did want to repeat my question to you that I asked Stephen since you had a bit more insight into Welles' films' release dates last time around, but I saw F for Fake was only released in Spain in '73 yet wasn't involved in the production that I can see so might have to consider it '75 since that's when it was released in France (which was involved). Any more insight into the release for that? As with a lot of Welles projects their exact release dates can be tricky. F for Fake screened privately for friends and some critics (like Jonathan Rosenbaum) in late '73 - but not "officially" in its countries of origin until '75. The BFI, Criterion, etc all consider it '75 so that's a safe bet to go with.
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