|
Post by idioticbunny on Nov 17, 2020 1:58:04 GMT
Super duper late to this, but wanted to hold off until after October when I could add in some of the final '70s (particularly '79) horror films I watched.
Honestly, for how much I absolutely love my top 2 films (my #1 was re-confirmed for my top 10 of all-time, and #2 still probably sits in my top 25), the rest of the year was pretty lackluster unfortunately.
Maybe the biggest surprise for me was either Tess or Moonraker. The former I expected to be pretty, but did not expect it to be AS gorgeous as it was - for one - and secondly to be as moving and gripping as it was considering a lot of period films tend to really drag. Tess was definitely a welcome surprise in a year that was sorely lacking in a lot of departments, especially managing to battle out Goldsmith's fantastic score for Alien with Philippe Sarde's wonderfully sweeping score for Tess. As for Moonraker, I always thought this one was a really popular Bond so I was excited to check it out but upon finding out how much people seemed to think it was a low point in the Roger Moore-Bond era, my expectations sank significantly. So imagine my surprise when I found it to be, in its spectacularly campy glory, not just easily my favorite Moore-era Bond film but possibly among the top 3 Bonds ever. It was just so damn fun and actually had some surprisingly moving moments particularly where Jaws was concerned (who, for my money, definitely tops Oddball as the greatest Bond henchman). Plus I loved the atmosphere in space, definitely felt like Lewis Gilbert was just what the Bond franchise needed in the late '70s between this and The Spy Who Loved Me.
The biggest disappointment for me, however, was far and away Stalker. I've never been a *big* fan of Tarkovsky, but I always thought Stalker would be the one to finally tip the scales for me and that I'd finally find one I'd love considering all the praise it gets. But I actually found it to be the dullest of his filmography yet and spent far too many moments just lingering. I get that for some that might have been a big reason to love it because of the atmosphere built and the philosophical musings, but I think it works better in moderation as Tarkovsky captured in Mirror a few years prior or with a lot more going on as he did in my personal favorite of his works thus far, Andrei Rublev. The acting was strong, especially from long-time Tarkovsky collaborator Anatoliy Solonitsyn, and the cinematography was lovely per usual, but the rest just wasn't there for me. Trim about an hour off and I think I'd have loved it a great deal more.
Overall, a pretty weak close to the '70s, but thankfully I ended it with the one-two bang of Apocalypse Now - probably the greatest war film ever made - and Alien - an endlessly sinister, atmospheric, and feminist sci-fi horror film that further proves each and every viewing why it continues to deserve a spot in my top 10 of all-time. So, even if the other 32 films didn't hit that sweet spot, it was nice to end on the note of two films that very much remind me why I love movies so much. Here are my line-ups:
Best Picture: 01. Alien. 02. Apocalypse Now. 03. Tess. 04. All That Jazz. 05. Kramer vs. Kramer. 06. Being There. 07. Manhattan. 08. Moonraker. 09. My Brilliant Career. 10. Tourist Trap. ----------------- 11. Life of Brian. 12. Murder by Decree. 13. The Muppet Movie. 14. Hardcore. 15. Nosferatu the Vampyre. 16. The Brood. 17. The China Syndrome. 18. Norma Rae. 19. The Fearless Hyena. 20. The Black Stallion. 21. The Tin Drum. 22. Rocky II. 23. The Warriors. 24. The Jerk. 25. Escape from Alcatraz. 26. Stalker. 27. The Amityville Horror. 28. Mad Max. 29. Phantasm. 30. Wise Blood. 31. Woyzeck. 32. The Marriage of Maria Braun. 33. 1941. 34. ... And Justice for All.
Best Director: 01. Ridley Scott - Alien. 02. Francis Ford Coppola - Apocalypse Now. 03. Bob Fosse - All That Jazz. 04. Roman Pedolanski - Tess. 05. Hal Ashby - Being There. 06. Gillian Armstrong - My Brilliant Career. 07. Bob Clark - Murder by Decree.
Best Actor: 01. Martin Sheen - Apocalypse Now. 02. Peter Sellers - Being There. 03. Roy Scheider - All That Jazz. 04. Jack Lemmon - The China Syndrome. 05. Dustin Hoffman - Kramer vs. Kramer. 06. Al Pacino - ... And Justice for All. 07. George C. Scott - Hardcore.
Best Actress: 01. Judy Davis - My Brilliant Career. 02. Sally Field - Norma Rae. 03. Sigourney Weaver - Alien. 04. Nastassja Kinski - Tess. 05. Hanna Schygulla - The Marriage of Maria Braun. 06. Isabelle Adjani - Nosferatu the Vampyre. 07. Jane Fonda - The China Syndrome.
Best Supporting Actor: 01. Robert Duvall - Apocalypse Now. 02. Anatoliy Solonitsyn - Stalker. 03. Ian Holm - Alien. 04. Klaus Kinski - Nosferatu the Vampyre. 05. Marlon Brando - Apocalypse Now. 06. Ron Leibman - Norma Rae. 07. Robert Christian - ... And Justice for All.
Best Supporting Actress: 01. Meryl Streep - Kramer vs. Kramer. 02. Amy Wright - Wise Blood. 03. Jane Alexander - Kramer vs. Kramer. 04. Angela Winkler - The Tin Drum. 05. Leland Palmer - All That Jazz. 06. Diane Keaton - Manhattan. 07. Samantha Eggar - The Brood.
Best Original Screenplay: 01. Alien. 02. All That Jazz. 03. Manhattan. 04. Hardcore. 05. Life of Brian. 06. The China Syndrome. 07. The Jerk.
Best Adapted Screenplay: 01. Apocalypse Now. 02. Being There. 03. My Brilliant Career. 04. Kramer vs. Kramer. 05. Tess. 06. Murder by Decree. 07. The Muppet Movie.
Best Ensemble: 01. Apocalypse Now. 02. Kramer vs. Kramer. 03. Alien. 04. Life of Brian. 05. All That Jazz. 06. Wise Blood. 07. Being There.
Best Editing: 01. Apocalypse Now. 02. Alien. 03. All That Jazz.
Best Cinematography: 01. Tess. 02. Apocalypse Now. 03a. Alien. 03b. Manhattan.
Best Art Direction: 01. Alien. 02. Moonraker. 03. All That Jazz.
Best Costume Design: 01. My Brilliant Career. 02. Tess. 03. The Warriors.
Best Makeup: 01. Alien. 02. Nosferatu the Vampyre. 03. The Brood.
Best Visual Effects: 01. Alien. 02. Moonraker. 03. Apocalypse Now.
Best Sound Design: 01. Apocalypse Now. 02. Alien. 03. 1941.
Best Original Score: 01. Philippe Sarde - Tess. 02. Jerry Goldsmith - Alien. 03. Carmine Coppola & Francis Ford Coppola - Apocalypse Now.
Best Original Song: 01. "The Rainbow Connection" - The Muppet Movie. 02. "Always Look on the Bright Side of Life" - Life of Brian. 03. "Take Off With Us" - All That Jazz.
Best Choreography: 01. The Fearless Hyena. 02. All That Jazz. 03. The Muppet Movie.
Now onto the 1980s with so much on my list to finally see (like Ran, Paris Texas, Grave of the Fireflies, Das Boot, Once Upon a Time in America, Scarface, Blow Out, Fanny and Alexander, Brazil, Hannah and Her Sisters, Running on Empty, Thief, and about a billion more) and others to re-watch that I haven't seen since I was either a kid or first getting into movies (like the entire Indiana Jones trilogy, Jackie Chan's Police Story films, Escape from New York, E.T., Beetle Juice, etc.). I expect it'll be a drastically different and more commercial decade than the '70s and especially '60s, but excited to relive a lot of nostalgia (or Nostalghia) as I journey through the decade.
As for 1980, I've already seen The Shining, Airplane!, The Empire Strikes Back, The Elephant Man, Ordinary People, Raging Bull, The Fog, The Changeling, and I just watched the entire Friday the 13th series during October as I had never seen any of them before, so got lots of wiggle room for 1980. Feel free to recommend your favorites/must-sees for the year!
|
|
|
Post by idioticbunny on Nov 17, 2020 2:01:47 GMT
|
|
|
Post by therealcomicman117 on Nov 17, 2020 3:30:43 GMT
Thanks for the tag. It's been a while since you've made one of the these threads, so it kinda slipped my mind.
As for 1980, I'd recommend...
The Blues Brothers - Definitely not the funniest movie ever made, although there are plenty of great quotes, but a truly ambition flick worth watching just for the spectacle and music of it. Only real downside is that it's super long, like epic running time long, but boy is it worth it. The celebrity cameos are even great, and the whole thing is just thrilling from start to finish. It's the first major film based off a Saturday Night Live skit, and still one of the best.
The Stunt Man - While he's not exactly the MAIN character, it's the Peter O. Toole show through and through. He plays a maniacal over the top director, who really takes way too seriously, when a fugitive stumbles upon his set. It's a tightly constructed film, that really tests one own patience, and while it's not for everyone, it can arguably be a slow movie, it's at least worth a viewing or two.
The Long Riders - Walter Hill's great often neglected gritty western that is much more then just a gimmick to have a bunch of siblings play famous outlaw families. It's genuinely gripping and often fantastic and interesting, and typical for a Walter Hill movie, it gets fairly brutal at points. It's not Warriors level of comic book violence though, as it's far more grounded, and probably better for it.
The Big Red One - Samuel Fuller's long but worthwhile war epic. It was dumbed by United Artists in 1980, who also trimmed it down excessively making it almost hard to watch. Thankfully the full cut was a restored a while back, and boy is it worth it. Lee Marvin is so great as the role that he always exceeded as, as a gruff sergeant, but here his general character has a lot more pathos to it, then you might expect. Also features Mark Hamill in a rare non notable live-action Star Wars role, and shows what he maybe he could have done, had he not typecast so much as Luke Skywalker.
Altered States - I feel like it's easy to classify it as a "LSD style movie", and nothing more, but it truly is a one of a kind crazy motion picture, with some awe-inspiring special effects, and a storytelling that's actually really effective. Amazing to know it's also William Hurt's film debut.
Inside Moves - Richard Donner's most underappreciated film. A movie he basically made to get mind off being sacked from Superman II, and it actually stands out from his filmography as a result, it's one of the few genuine dramas he actually directed. It's a good little uplifting flick involving disabled people trying to get by in a society that so often rejects them. John Savage is a solid lead, and the movie works in a lot of different ways. It's a huge unseen gem.
Used Cars - A great underappreciated comedy from Robert Zemeckis, and co-written by him and his old writing Bob Gale. It's actually got a lot of the same "zany Rude Goldberging flavor", as the later immortal classic Back to The Future, but is a lot meaner and way more raunchier (it's Rated R).
The Ninth Configuration - I enjoy it a lot, it goes through a lot of differing tones throughout, and I mostly enjoy them all of them. You find it confusing though, and you can definitely tell that William Peter Blatty is a first time director, cause it's not the most skillfully made flick, but if you can separate the amateurish of it all, I think there's a lot to enjoy. Killer cast too.
Somewhere in Time - This movie surprised me in a good way. I was always aware of via the beautiful John Barry score, and the fact that it has a huge cult following, but it's actually a really effective romance, as long as you can get past the time travel mechanics and potential melodrama of it all. Christopher Reeve and Jane Seymour have lovely chemistry together, and the movie genuinely broke my heart at several points. I guess you could say I'm a real softie.
Stir Crazy - Watched this recently, and had a mostly great time. Wilder and Pryor (of course), have great chemistry together, and while the movie has a lot of outdated humor from that era (it is the 1980s after all), it reminds me of a good comedy star vehicle complete with a prison subplot. It's insane though, that it was the third highest grossing movie of the year, people really went gaga for it.
Bronco Billy - One of Clint Eastwood's most underrated. It's a very laid back and surprisingly joyful movie, that sorta plays like a 1980s version of a neo-western, involving him playing a rodeo cowboy type, who struggles to keep his show afloat during changing times. The tone can be strange at points, but it does have a lot of things for it, at least make it a decent recommendation. It was also released the same way as the megahit yokel sequel Any Which Way You Can, and was heavily overshadowed by it, even though it's a much better movie.
Coal Miner's Daughter - Surprisingly really effective, if cliche take on the Loretta Lynn with a fantastic Oscar winning performance from Sissy Spacek.
The Final Countdown - It's a fun WWII time travel story with a fantastic premise involving a navy ship going back in time to the day of the Pearl Harbor attack, and considering changing history. It's a movie that probably could do more with its premise, but for what is it, I mostly quite enjoyed it. Also it's another movie with a solid cast, including the late great Kirk Douglas as the Commanding Navy Officer.
Hopscotch - Fun little underseen spy thriller with Walter Matthau, and Glenda Jackson. Probably not the most memorable movie ever made, but you could do a lot worse your spare time, it's actually got genuinely great thrills too. Amazingly it actually got into the criterion collection in 2002.
Fade to Black - Neat little horror movie, that's sorta like a film geeks nightmare / dream come to life. Dennis Christopher is great in the lead role, as he brings a lot of vulnerabilities and perfect creepiness to a role of person who might just be trapped in the movies he loves to watch. The underappreciated Tim Thomerson also provides great support too.
Popeye - More of "for me" type pick. Robert Altman's adaptation of the classic E.C. Segar comic strip and cartoon series is definitely a divisive film. More known for as a disaster, then anything relating to the films merit, although it actually made money contrary to popular beliefs, it's a very cartoony film, with an amazing production design, and like all Altman movies is pack to brim with a terrific supporting cast. Robin Williams in his first major film role, and Shelley Duvall in her last Altman flick really embody the characters of Popeye and Olive Oil especially. It's biggest issue is that it's extremely aimless and the musical numbers aren't the best, although they are fun. Also lot of your enjoyment will also come down to how much you like Altman's "trademarks" as a director, as they are on full display here, including the overlapping dialogue.
Flash Gordon - Released the same Christmas, and another comic strip adaptation, this is a lot less divisive and more adored as a cult film, and with good reason. The first time I saw this movie I was actually ready to dump on it, but it really won me over it. It has that "go for broke" camp extreme look attitude, that I really appreciate about fantasy movies of the 1980s, and it's got a wickedly good sense of joy to boost.
Motel Hell - Fun horror movie, that goes into weird directions you don't expect. For a slasher style movie of its era, it's got a wicked sense of humor. It's on Amazon Prime right now, so it can be watched instantly right now.
|
|
|
Post by Mattsby on Nov 17, 2020 3:40:02 GMT
Love the love for Tess/Being There and your Judy Davis win. Just to defend And Justice for All a bit - there's no doubt it has insanely abrupt tonal jumps. I joke that the movie almost feels like a compilation of scenes from a tv series. But I think the halves of tone work just not next to each other - the emotional scenes land ("Don't you care?!") and the kook comedy moments are kinda funny and parody/reveal the "out of order" up the ladder. It's kinda how the Pacino character sees it - a mockery but needing a serious questioning of it. At any rate, Pacino's perf and the cast (Lahti, Chianese, Warden, Lee Strasberg, etc) make it a worthy watch. 1980-- very favs: Dressed to Kill Stardust Memories Atlantic City Loulou Cruising Two 60min bites, great dramas with strong perfs - Paul’s Case (Eric Roberts), The Sky is Gray. Both on Tubi. Two underrated horrors: Alligator, He Knows You’re Alone Two go to war: The Big Red One, Dogs of War Two comedies: Used Cars, Fatso (Anne Bancroft's only directorial bit) And since I know you're a Chan fan! The Young Master (on Criterion) - I prefer it over most Chans. Very creative prop-heavy fights, with a destroyed Chan like never before, there's interesting cultural elements, and it's hilarious....
|
|
|
Post by themoviesinner on Nov 17, 2020 8:16:10 GMT
Shame you didn't like Stalker. It certainly does take it's time, but I think the approch is warranted. It's a very philosophical film exploring some heavy themes and it's slow pace gives the viewer time to contemplate and reflect on everything discussed in the film. I consider it Tarkovsky's masterwork.
Anyway, 1980 has some masterful works, but, overall, it's not among my favourite years of the decade. My #1 and #2 are in my top 50 of all time. Here is my top 10:
1. Alexander The Great 2. Lion Of The Desert 3. Dangerous Encounters Of The First Kind 4. Crazy Thunder Road 5. Zigeunerweisen 6. City Of Women 7. The Stunt Man 8. Raging Bull 9. Loulou 10. The Empire Strikes Back
|
|
|
Post by JangoB on Nov 17, 2020 12:18:38 GMT
No 1979 VFX lineup is complete without Star Trek: The Motion Picture imo! And I can say the same about Original Score. Dunno where you stand on the franchise overall but you gotta add that to your 1979 list someday As for 1980, I strongly recommend Inferno which is among my favorite Dario Argento films - a pure visual/sonic delight where he truly abandons any pretenses for storytelling and simply creates a symphony of exuberant horror. It's a divisive one for sure but I kind of adore it. Worth a watch at least for your techs. I definitely recommend the Oscar-winning Soviet film Moscow Does Not Believe In Tears which is a deeply soulful look at the lives of three women in the USSR - one of those films that do a masterful job of capturing the vibe of a whole country. A stone-cold classic here too. Breaker Morant is a fantastic war-time moral play which I can't imagine anyone not liking at least. And then there's Heaven's Gate which I think is worth watching just because of how infamous it is. To be honest, I don't really think it works - it's the definition of a flawed epic - but that cinematography is eye-popping, lineups-wise. And the film, for better or worse, is a significant piece of Hollywood history. Oh, and of course I cannot not mention Kagemusha which is easily my favorite Kurosawa and a total masterpiece and one of the most gorgeous films ever.
|
|
|
Post by thomasjerome on Nov 17, 2020 13:04:47 GMT
Love that screenplay mention for "The Jerk".
As for 1980, it's not exactly one of my favorite years but here are some stuff that haven't got a mention yet: Bad Timing - One of the final Nicolas Roeg films that felt like a Roeg movie. I don't remember what exactly do you think of his earlier stuff but this might be worth to check out.
American Gigolo - Bit dull, actually but still it has a lot of interesting elements and some of Schrader's intriguing trademarks. Anyways, I think it's worth to check out even if it's not a masterpiece.
Private Benjamin - Amusing, funny, now somewhat forgotten gem.
Gloria - More commercial than your usual Cassavetes film but very entertaining.
Urban Cowboy - very solid drama with terrific work by Travolta and Winger.
The Last Metro - Interesting, surprising, engaging film with a sensitive Truffaut direction and one of finest Deneuve performances.
Then there are sweet little teen films like "My Bodyguard" and "Little Darlings".
|
|
|
Post by TerryMontana on Nov 17, 2020 17:20:50 GMT
Not yet mentioned: The Gods Must Be Crazy, Melvin and Howard. Not great movies but very decent ones. The former has some very funny scenes while the latter is kind of funny and bittersweet, plus it has some very memorable performances (mostly from Robards imo).
If you have already seen most of the well known 1980 movies, you should give these a try.
|
|
|
Post by idioticbunny on Nov 17, 2020 22:11:46 GMT
Thanks for the tag. It's been a while since you've made one of the these threads, so it kinda slipped my mind. You're very welcome! Always look forward to your recommendations and the extra insight you give into each. I definitely took a LONG pause in between my '78 and '79 threads despite finishing the '70s back in mid-September. Just wanted to hold off until I added in some horror films I watched in October (like The Brood), but it's exciting to finally get back into this and work through the '80s. Thanks for the list! I actually already caught Blues Brothers the other day as it had been on my watchlist for a LONG time (I saw Blues Brothers 2000 quite a few times when I was a kid so I was a fan of the style anyway even if I remember nothing about it lol). I agree on Blues Brothers not being as funny as I wanted it to be, and I think that the was the biggest downside for me, but what won me over was - as you said - the ambition of it. The whole Ray Charles musical sequence felt like a big inspiration for the parade scene in Ferris Bueller a few years later and Aretha Franklin's cameo was INSANELY good. A lot of fun I can see myself coming back to time and again even if the laughs don't come as hard as I wished they would (though I did cackle at the "I've always loved you" scene - and the final chase sequence is unbelievably amazing). Caught Flash Gordon as well which was a surprising bit more fun than I expected as well. I was amazed at the production quality considering how utterly campy and nutty it was. Felt like Superman meets Star Wars, but (mostly) for kids haha. A lot of fun. "Flash! Ahh-ahhhhhhh!" I also just watched Somewhere in Time the other day as well and it was surprisingly sweet. Melodramatic as you said, and it was a bit odd how quickly Reeve's character became obsessed with that photograph, but it worked well due to Reeve and especially his chemistry with Seymour as you said. And Barry's score was GORGEOUS. I'm a big softie too, so no judgment there! As for the rest, I'm on the fence about Stunt Man, The Big Red One, Inside Moves, Used Cars, The Ninth Configuration, Hopscotch, Popeye, and Coal Miner's Daughter so I appreciate the insight into each. I will say it's a shame that after his '60s performances that I loved so much, it seems like O'Toole's career never really... went anywhere interesting. So I'm curious to see Stunt Man solely to see another great O'Toole performance. Also the only cut of Big Red One I can find is the original 113-minute version. Any idea how I could find the reconstructed or does it matter if I check out the original first? As for Popeye, I'm definitely on the fence as I LOVE Robin Williams and will watch literally anything he's in, but the idea of Robert Altman and Popeye just seems... baffling to me. Yet at the same time piques my curiosity A LOT, so I'll pretty much leave it up to my girlfriend to see if she'd want to give it a go or not haha. Thanks again for the recommendations!
|
|
|
Post by stephen on Nov 17, 2020 22:20:02 GMT
The lack of Veronica Cartwright disturbs me, though ibbi will be pleased.
|
|
|
Post by idioticbunny on Nov 17, 2020 22:21:57 GMT
MattsbyI was very pleasantly surprised by Tess and Being There. Didn't think they'd work as well as they did for me, but they did. Also tough to say whether it'd be my favorite Sellers performance, but it's definitely the most unique performance he'd ever given which is saying a lot looking at his filmography. Also My Brilliant Career marks the very first Judy Davis film I'd ever seen and now I get the love for her - she was absolutely brilliant (forgive the pun). As for And Justice for All, I agree on the acting - Al Pacino was miles ahead of every part of that movie and he deserved a better script around him. I also loved Robert Christian's moving brief performance and John Forsythe was an incredibly convincing son-of-a-bitch. Such a shame though on Jack Warden as I typically love him in everything he's in, but they wrote and directed his character into a corner and I hated each moment he was on screen sadly. Definitely a tonal nightmare IMO, but I do agree with the "Don't you care?" scene being the highlight of the film for me and if it was more like that I think I'd have really dug it. Snippets of a courtroom drama series is a very great description lol. Thanks again for the recommendations! I have seen Dressed to Kill already (watched it for my October horror marathon) and I had been so excited to see it for so long and it was a bit of a letdown. I absolutely loved the first half with Angie Dickinson though and had it stuck with that it would've been maybe my favorite De Palma, but the second half got a little... out there haha. Would be very curious to re-watch it though to see if maybe the over-hype killed the experience for me. Your faves are all ones on my list or bordering on it at least. Maybe a bit more insight into Atlantic City? I thought it'd be a sure thing for my list this year, but then it just kept expanding so not sure if I'll get to check it out. Can't believe I had never heard of Fatso though. I love Bancroft and it sounds really interesting and like it could be a great vehicle for DeLuise. And no worries, Young Master is absolutely on my list for the year! So I'm really happy to hear your seal of approval for it! I'm likely to seek out just about every '80s Chan movie, especially since I watched most as a kid anyway.
|
|
|
Post by therealcomicman117 on Nov 17, 2020 22:27:24 GMT
Thanks for the tag. It's been a while since you've made one of the these threads, so it kinda slipped my mind. You're very welcome! Always look forward to your recommendations and the extra insight you give into each. I definitely took a LONG pause in between my '78 and '79 threads despite finishing the '70s back in mid-September. Just wanted to hold off until I added in some horror films I watched in October (like The Brood), but it's exciting to finally get back into this and work through the '80s. Also the only cut of Big Red One I can find is the original 113-minute version. Any idea how I could find the reconstructed or does it matter if I check out the original first? Thanks again for the recommendations! My pleasure. It takes a long time to do these writes up, but I'm such a fan of most of the movies I mention that it's worth the wait. As for The Big Red One, it's perfectly okay if you watch the butchered theatrical cut, but the directors / reconstruction cut adds way more richness to the film overall, and turns a perfectly fine 7 / 10 into a flat-out masterwork. It appears you can buy the reconstructed cut on Amazon, but I'm not sure if its streaming anywhere in particular. Hard to say, but if you can't find it, that's okay, it does make a significant difference, though. www.amazon.com/Big-Red-One-Reconstruction-Two-Disc/dp/B0007TKNLA
|
|
|
Post by idioticbunny on Nov 17, 2020 22:27:40 GMT
Shame you didn't like Stalker. It certainly does take it's time, but I think the approch is warranted. It's a very philosophical film exploring some heavy themes and it's slow pace gives the viewer time to contemplate and reflect on everything discussed in the film. I consider it Tarkovsky's masterwork. Anyway, 1980 has some masterful works, but, overall, it's not among my favourite years of the decade. My #1 and #2 are in my top 50 of all time. Here is my top 10: 1. Alexander The Great 2. Lion Of The Desert 3. Dangerous Encounters Of The First Kind 4. Crazy Thunder Road 5. Zigeunerweisen 6. City Of Women 7. The Stunt Man 8. Raging Bull 9. Loulou 10. The Empire Strikes Back As is the case with a lot of the films I hype up for myself, sometimes it needs a second viewing with tempered expectations to really form my full opinion on it so don't give up hope on Stalker! However, I do totally see why Tarkovsky created it with a more lingering approach to allow the audience to muse on these philosophical discussions (and it worked well in Solaris and particularly Andrei Rublev for me), but for some reason it didn't work for me here. Will have to see what future viewings could do for me. Thanks again for your list! I hadn't heard of Crazy Thunder Road, but sounds really interesting so I'll be sure to add that to my watchlist! Also how does City of Women compare to other Fellinis? I'm right on the fence with that one.
|
|
|
Post by idioticbunny on Nov 17, 2020 22:43:53 GMT
JangoBIt was definitely really tough to nix Star Trek from my list, but I hadn't seen any of the television series (only the Scott Bakula one as my dad watched that a lot when I was younger) so I wanted to hold off until I had. Very excited to check it out when I do, though! I definitely caught Inferno for my October horror marathon, though sadly I was a bit disappointed in it considering how much I loved his '70s output. Still a strong film, but just didn't hit the highs that his previous film had for me. Also the lack of Goblin on the soundtrack was definitely disappointing for me and could've explained a bit of why it didn't work as well for me. Still very excited for Tenebre, Phenomena, and Opera though later on. Beyond that, I hadn't seen the rest so thanks for the recommendations! I might have to pass on the first two this time around, though I will absolutely check them out down the road, but I'll definitely be checking out Heaven's Gate (which your description is exactly what I expect and why I'm going to watch it) and Kagemusha, which I hadn't ever heard anyone describe it as their favorite Kurosawa let alone top 5 so I'm glad to hear that someone really loves it! I have absolutely no idea what to expect from it.
|
|
|
Post by idioticbunny on Nov 17, 2020 22:50:40 GMT
thomasjeromeI will say while I rank The Jerk pretty low on my list for '79, I thought the script was utterly brilliant. It was mainly just the execution that didn't land for me as well as it might have back in '79. Still excited to check out other Steve Martin/Carl Reiner collaborations though (I had actually seen The Man With Two Brains when I was younger too and really enjoyed it). Thanks for the recommendations by the way. I actually caught Private Benjamin already as my girlfriend was really curious about it and I actually liked it more than I expected to even if as a kid of military parents I thought as American military propaganda it was pretty meh, but as a feminist tale I loved it (and seeing Nancy Meyers as a co-writer it makes sense). Also hearing how Hawn basically made it to show she could control her own career was pretty badass. As for the rest, I definitely plan to watch most of what you listed here, particularly Bad Timing which a friend personally lent me to watch. I'm not a big Roeg fan, but even with his weakest film he's an incredibly interesting filmmaker so I'm always willing to give him a chance. Shame to hear American Gigolo is kind of dull as that's not what I would've expected, but still going to check it out if only because it's talked about a lot and Schrader's been on a roll for me lately.
|
|
|
Post by idioticbunny on Nov 17, 2020 22:51:47 GMT
Not yet mentioned: The Gods Must Be Crazy, Melvin and Howard. Not great movies but very decent ones. The former has some very funny scenes while the latter is kind of funny and bittersweet, plus it has some very memorable performances (mostly from Robards imo). If you have already seen most of the well known 1980 movies, you should give these a try. I think I'll be watching The Gods Must Be Crazy only because I feel like it's one of those movies people talk about A LOT (at least in my circles apparently?). I'm definitely curious about Melvin and Howard though and it sounds like a movie I'd really like (plus Jonathan Demme!), just trying to make room for it. Thanks for the recommendation!
|
|
|
Post by idioticbunny on Nov 17, 2020 22:55:20 GMT
The lack of Veronica Cartwright disturbs me, though ibbi will be pleased. Sadly for as much as I absolutely love the film and the entire cast, I just never find myself as smitten with her as most. I know you're a big fan of her performance there, so always willing to give her a chance though! I know it's been a while, but any faves for 1980?
|
|
|
Post by idioticbunny on Nov 17, 2020 22:58:34 GMT
My pleasure. It takes a long time to do these writes up, but I'm such a fan of most of the movies I mention that it's worth the wait. As for The Big Red One, it's perfectly okay if you watch the butchered theatrical cut, but the directors / reconstruction cut adds way more richness to the film overall, and turns a perfectly fine 7 / 10 into a flat-out masterwork. It appears you can buy the reconstructed cut on Amazon, but I'm not sure if its streaming anywhere in particular. Hard to say, but if you can't find it, that's okay, it does make a significant difference, though. www.amazon.com/Big-Red-One-Reconstruction-Two-Disc/dp/B0007TKNLAHell, in my opinion, the more long write-ups the better. Considering I'm pretty adverse to watching trailers or reading reviews before I watch a film, I tend to defer a lot of my judgment to the opinions of you all here so I love to get a sense of what kind of film I'm going to get into or if it's one worth my time. With you, specifically, you and I seem to be on a very similar wavelength when it comes to action or comedy films so I always love to see what you recommend. Hmm, I always love to see the complete director's vision when I watch something, but maybe this time I'll have to go with the theatrical cut until I can get my hands on a director's cut. And hey, maybe I'll still love it regardless!
|
|
|
Post by thomasjerome on Nov 17, 2020 23:26:41 GMT
thomasjerome I will say while I rank The Jerk pretty low on my list for '79, I thought the script was utterly brilliant. It was mainly just the execution that didn't land for me as well as it might have back in '79. Still excited to check out other Steve Martin/Carl Reiner collaborations though (I had actually seen The Man With Two Brains when I was younger too and really enjoyed it). Thanks for the recommendations by the way. I actually caught Private Benjamin already as my girlfriend was really curious about it and I actually liked it more than I expected to even if as a kid of military parents I thought as American military propaganda it was pretty meh, but as a feminist tale I loved it (and seeing Nancy Meyers as a co-writer it makes sense). Also hearing how Hawn basically made it to show she could control her own career was pretty badass. As for the rest, I definitely plan to watch most of what you listed here, particularly Bad Timing which a friend personally lent me to watch. I'm not a big Roeg fan, but even with his weakest film he's an incredibly interesting filmmaker so I'm always willing to give him a chance. Shame to hear American Gigolo is kind of dull as that's not what I would've expected, but still going to check it out if only because it's talked about a lot and Schrader's been on a roll for me lately. Sorry to hear about "The Jerk". Maybe you'll like their other collaborations more; "Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid" is a personal favorite but "All of Me" is the one where Martin gets a chance to shine as an actor more. And yeah, I love "Man with Two Brains". In fact, I love Steve's 80s filmography in general and believe you'll enjoy some of them also. When you watch "Roxanne", "Little Shop of Horrors" and "Parenthood" - it's just impossible to not be impressed by his versatility. Nice to hear you mostly enjoyed "Private Benjamin". I saw Hawn's joint interview with Kurt on Sunday Morning the other day and that was exactly what I thought about her when that got mentioned; an absolute badass. Yeah, Roeg was certainly a man with unique vision. Even though he made one more acclaimed classic (The Witches) and some other fine films (Eureka, Insignificance) in his later career, unfortunately his style became less distinctive and his editing/cinematography less inspirational but his 70s run was something else. I'm a huge Schrader fan myself and what made me to explore his filmography at the first place was "Light Sleeper", a film that I love, also about a night worker and a loner. So I was pretty excited to check out "American Gigolo" but while it's okay enough, it was also underwhelming because the pacing was just not engaging. Hopefully you'll enjoy it more than me though.
|
|
|
Post by idioticbunny on Nov 17, 2020 23:45:48 GMT
Sorry to hear about "The Jerk". Maybe you'll like their other collaborations more; "Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid" is a personal favorite but "All of Me" is the one where Martin gets a chance to shine as an actor more. And yeah, I love "Man with Two Brains". In fact, I love Steve's 80s filmography in general and believe you'll enjoy some of them also. When you watch "Roxanne", "Little Shop of Horrors" and "Parenthood" - it's just impossible to not be impressed by his versatility. Nice to hear you mostly enjoyed "Private Benjamin". I saw Hawn's joint interview with Kurt on Sunday Morning the other day and that was exactly what I thought about her when that got mentioned; an absolute badass. Yeah, Roeg was certainly a man with unique vision. Even though he made one more acclaimed classic (The Witches) and some other fine films (Eureka, Insignificance) in his later career, unfortunately his style became less distinctive and his editing/cinematography less inspirational but his 70s run was something else. I'm a huge Schrader fan myself and what made me to explore his filmography at the first place was "Light Sleeper", a film that I love, also about a night worker and a loner. So I was pretty excited to check out "American Gigolo" but while it's okay enough, it was also underwhelming because the pacing was just not engaging. Hopefully you'll enjoy it more than me though. Oh yes, I definitely loved a lot of Steve Martin when I was a kid ( Three Amigos! was a big favorite of mine as a kid in particular), so I'm excited to finally see a lot of the ones I missed out on including Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid, Little Shop of Horrors, and Roxanne. Yeah I had wondered what she was up to these days after I watched the movie and it seemed like Netflix read my mind when it popped up a promo of Christmas Chronicles 2 lol. Still awesome to see she and Kurt after all these years too, but yeah she is a badass and pretty amazing how she sort of reinvented her own image and did it while making a killing at the box office. Amazing. Agreed on Roeg, and I'll definitely check out some of his lesser known stuff down the road, but a visionary he was above all else. Shame to hear about Gigolo, but I'll still check it out if only because it seemed to be talked about a lot then anyway. Hopefully I enjoy it more as well!
|
|
|
Post by Mattsby on Nov 18, 2020 1:33:50 GMT
Also My Brilliant Career marks the very first Judy Davis film I'd ever seen and now I get the love for her - she was absolutely brilliant (forgive the pun). Thanks again for the recommendations! I have seen Dressed to Kill already (watched it for my October horror marathon) and I had been so excited to see it for so long and it was a bit of a letdown. I absolutely loved the first half with Angie Dickinson though and had it stuck with that it would've been maybe my favorite De Palma, but the second half got a little... out there haha. Would be very curious to re-watch it though to see if maybe the over-hype killed the experience for me. Your faves are all ones on my list or bordering on it at least. Maybe a bit more insight into Atlantic City? I thought it'd be a sure thing for my list this year, but then it just kept expanding so not sure if I'll get to check it out. Can't believe I had never heard of Fatso though. I love Bancroft and it sounds really interesting and like it could be a great vehicle for DeLuise. Judy Davis ~ as Dylan Thomas said, To begin at the beginning! JD is a GOAT level actress and one of the most vibrant, unique, hilarious of actresses. Hope you check out more of her work! Dressed to Kill ~ This is the first movie I saw at a young age that I shouldn't've seen so I cherish it in that way lol. Can't get enough of De Palma! Atlantic City ~ There's a lot to like about this one, the perfs, the memorable use of location (a literally crumbling, mid-reconstruction AC), John Guare's layered script full of distinguishing traits and conflicts, and that the great Louis Malle is at the helm. I agree with Kael who said Malle "is in full control and at ease, his collaboration with Guare produces a rich, original comic tone." Fatso ~ Laugh out loud hilarious and very touching too! Some like Ebert complain about its tone but I think it's key to it - some scenes you don't know whether to laugh or cry. It's too bad Bancroft never directed again bc she does a wonderful job with the gags, the Italian-American feel, the peripherals. It's an underrated very hearty movie.
|
|
|
Post by themoviesinner on Nov 18, 2020 7:04:28 GMT
As is the case with a lot of the films I hype up for myself, sometimes it needs a second viewing with tempered expectations to really form my full opinion on it so don't give up hope on Stalker! However, I do totally see why Tarkovsky created it with a more lingering approach to allow the audience to muse on these philosophical discussions (and it worked well in Solaris and particularly Andrei Rublev for me), but for some reason it didn't work for me here. Will have to see what future viewings could do for me. Thanks again for your list! I hadn't heard of Crazy Thunder Road, but sounds really interesting so I'll be sure to add that to my watchlist! Also how does City of Women compare to other Fellinis? I'm right on the fence with that one. City Of Women is a pretty great film. It's a surreal, autobiographical work were Fellini confesses his guilt about failing to understand the women in his life. It's more akin to Amarcord and 8 1/2 than Satyricon or Casanova for instance. It is also carried by a wonderful performance by Mastroianni. I'd say it's a top 5 work from him, definitely worth watching, especially if you are a fan of his distinctive style.
|
|
|
Post by jimmalone on Nov 18, 2020 17:01:15 GMT
I'm a bit more positive on this year than you as I wrote last time. Huge difference definitely is that you dislike Stalker, which is my #1 that year, but this is certainly a movie that's not for everybody's taste.
As for Moonraker I really love the first half of the film, but to the same extent I dislike the space part, which I find just a bit silly. I agree though that Jaws is the top henchman. The Brazil scenes are great.
As for 1980: I really love my Top 2 that year, which are Ordinary People and Le Dernier Metro. Both are in my Top 100 of all time and on the verge of the Top 50, Ordinary People might be in them as well. But after that the year quickly drops in terms of quality for me. #3-#7 are in the 8/10 department
1. Ordinary People (Robert Redford) 2. Le Dernier Metro (Francois Truffaut) 3. The Elephant Man (David Lynch) 4. Un mauvais Fils (Claude Sautet) 5. The Empire Strikes Back (Irvin Kershner) 6. Raging Bull (Martin Scorsese) 7. Airplane (Jim Abrahams, David Zucker, Jerry Zucker) 8. Lion of the Desert (Moustapha Akkad) 9. The Gods must be Crazy (Jamie Uys) 10. Gloria (John Cassavetes)
Some others I recommend: The Young Master: I know you are a fellow Jackie fan and this is one of his funniest films.
Atlantic City: For Lancaster alone.
The Stunt Man
They all could be at the bottom of my top 10 as well.
|
|
|
Post by Tommen_Saperstein on Nov 20, 2020 20:01:42 GMT
Glad I'm not the only one who had no time for And Justice for All. The tonal inconsistency really throws you off and the comic sensibility is weirdly screwball, but like dark screwball. Could not fuck with it at all. Amy Wright and Samantha Eggar are super-inspired. I don't nominate Wise Blood for anything but the perfs did impress me a lot back in the day and it's a really interesting film. And Eggar is so wonderfully off-kilter in The Brood. It would've been campy with a different director but Croneberg amplified her intensity without undercutting it. Really wonderful/disturbing turn. Shame you had no room for Oliver Reed tho! The therapy session with "Mike" is peak Reed weirdness That Davis / Field split is helluva double-header I really need to see The Marriage of Maria Braun
|
|
|
Post by Tommen_Saperstein on Nov 20, 2020 20:21:05 GMT
as for '80 recs...
cosigning these already mentioned: Breaker Morant - Paths of Glory-esque military legal drama with explosive acting from Edward Woodward and Jack Thompson Gloria - lowkey probably my fav Cassavetes flick. Entertaining without sacrificing originality or grit. Rowlands kicks ass Coal Miners Daughter - one of the better music biopics out there. Spacek is absolutely flawless. Altered States - Madcap Ken Russell surrealism, features gorgeous cinematography from Jorden Cronenweth Hopscoth - Entertaining little spy caper. Required viewing for Matthau fans. Glenda Jackson is wonderful.
not yet mentioned: Fame - somewhat divisive but I really liked it. The ensemble focus and quick-cutting editing techniques pulled me in immediately. Has a real rhythm to its style that's overlooked and underrated, and you can see splashes of Altman in the episodic ensemble approach and Fosse (not hyperbole) in the cut. Maniac - also divisive. A sleazy exploitation serial killer slasher with a ferocious and genuinely brilliant performance from Joe Spinell. Not sure where you stand on these kinds of movies but if you're in the mood for something trashy you can't do much better than this one. Relentlessly character-focused. A fever dream dissection of deep-rooted misogynistic violence.
|
|