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SEINFELD tends to be seen differently by those who live or grew up in the Northeast and those who live or grew up in the South. I'm talking about generalities, not absolutes. The same is true of one of my least favorite films, HUSBANDS. For Southerners, these are not people we knew, and for some of us, these are not people we want to know. You sometimes get the same reaction to DESIGNING WOMEN and TENDER MERCIES, but the other way around. There's a particular kind of East Coast humor that goes something like "I'm neurotic and self-involved, therefore everything I do is fascinating." There's obviously a lot of this in Woody Allen films. Miss Wonderly, here's why I dislike THE CONVERSATION, which is a decently acted film. First, the story is a blatant ripoff of BLOW-UP (sound instead of photographs). Second, like most of Coppola's films, the pacing is much too slow. Of all the Coppola films I've seen, THE OUTSIDERS is the only one that isn't way too slow for me--and Coppola didn't have final cut on that one. Third, the film is sour and misogynistic, unlike the femme fatale films of the 40s, which don't affect me this way at all.

If you saw KALEIDOSCOPE (1966), you definitely got to see some big hair on Susannah York and some of the actresses in supporting roles. A must see for big hair connoisseurs. Otherwise, just an OK movie.

An excellent year for American films, and Orpheus and Rashomon are also favorites. Not fond of Los Olvidados, and La Ronde isn't one of my favorite Ophuls films. The great film that hasn't been mentioned yet is: THE FURIES

To return the thread to least favorite films. All are after the classic era. These are not merely films I think are overrated, but films I detest: 1. A Clockwork Orange 2. Batman Begins 3. Husbands 4. Au Hasard, Balthazar 5. The Conversation Incidentally, I don't find anything remotely likable about George Costanza on Seinfeld, which is why I was never a big fan of the show. Why would anyone want to spend two minutes with this creep? But on the other hand, I am a guy who likes An Affair to Remember, especially the pre-accident part of it. Love Affair (1939) has more treacle and less comedy, so I like it less.

Julie Christie Day certainly has sparked a lot of interesting posts. There's a thread on DARLING in Films and Filmmakers if anyone wants to chat about that particular film. Christie worked with several important and talented directors, which always helps. At the time, Julie Christie seemed like the embodiment of Swinging London and thus wildly attractive to many young, and not so young, Americans. To me, her image now represents what movies--and society--were going to be in the future. Here was basically a "good girl," but she slept around as much as or more than a young man. Doris Day or Julie Andrews she wasn't. At the same time she didn't play "bad girl" roles or "sleeping around because she's troubled" roles, though Petulia comes close to the latter. The categories got changed, and most of the established female stars had trouble finding their way in the new cinematic world. As use of the birth control pill became more widespread and more acceptable, more girls followed the Christie path. A note about the "Terry and Julie" reference: Terence Stamp and Julie Christie were a couple for a while, each of them young, beautiful, and hip.

Orson, glad you're posting again. Those all sound like interesting movies.

I'm very excited about the Moguls and Movie Stars documentary series. It's great that they're showing a number of silent films that will go along with the various episodes. All of us Ava Gardner fans have a lot to look forward to as well. Several films that were shown at the film festival are now making their way to the schedule, as many predicted: Pandora and the Flying Dutchman (cinematography that can take your breath away), Metropolis, Leave Her to Heaven, Sweet Smell of Success, No Orchids for Miss Blandish. That's more great news. Showing other Lang films with Metropolis is a good touch, too. Others I'm looking forward to: The Prowler (three other Joseph Losey films, too, but this is one I've really wanted to see); Sunrise; The Sundowners; Limelight; The Great Dictator; The Woman on the Beach. Will have to check out Hedy Lamarr in The Strange Woman. Enchantment has been on a number of people's wish lists, and so has A Summer Place, which will be a premiere. If you missed Brighton Rock when it was on a few months ago, don't miss this great Brit noir again. Fires on the Plain is grim, but a masterpiece. So is Seconds; that's quite a double feature. All this, and Edna May Oliver too.

Love the Vivien and Ingrid pictures, SueSue. I've had a busy time at work the last couple of months, and it's been great to take an occasional breather and see the glamor shots--or hairdo disasters--posted here. People must have wondered why I was laughing so loud. Speaking of big hair, did anyone see Woody Strode in THE SINS OF RACHEL CADE? He played a big bad dude with an even bigger and badder 'fro.

THE GODS MUST BE GUN CRAZY A South African tribesman goes in search of the tribal icon, a Coke bottle, which he discovers in a shooting gallery as part of an act featuring Annie Laurie Starr. He thinks she's the ugliest woman he ever saw, yet before he knows it he's robbing banks with her.

My top four are the same as Jef's, but with a different #5: SUNSET BOULEVARD SOME LIKE IT HOT DOUBLE INDEMNITY ACE IN THE HOLE FIVE GRAVES TO CAIRO

Jef, I wouldn't argue strongly with any of your five choices. In fact, let's just vote for them again: VERTIGO PSYCHO REAR WINDOW NORTH BY NORTHWEST NOTORIOUS

I'd love to see Stanley Baker as Star of the Month, or at least a candidate for next year's SUTS. He's also brilliant in ACCIDENT for Joseph Losey, though I don't care for the film, and I've always wanted to see him opposite Jeanne Moreau in Losey's EVE (aka EVA), one of those films that had a troubled post-production history.

Since this is turning into a "My Favorite Year" competition, let me mention that 1962 had some remarkably good films, and what about 1950? Although THE THIRD MAN is a 1949 release, it didn't make its way to the States (or at least the Oscars) until 1950, so I'll include it with these films, limited to English-language films: The Third Man Sunset Boulevard All About Eve The Asphalt Jungle In a Lonely Place The Furies Which film of those six could I bear to leave off my Oscar ballot? There were also: Kind Hearts and Coronets Wagon Master Rio Grande Adam's Rib The Men King Solomon's Mines Harvey Father of the Bride Born Yesterday Winchester '73 Broken Arrow Not too shabby.

I'll join everyone who hates the "put a bunch of pop songs on the soundtrack" scores. However, in STRAY DOG Kurosawa does a great job of showing by the variety of music, both pop and classical, how the Westernization of Japan is proceeding. The beautiful piano sonata played against the climax of the film is one of my favorite moments in film. Kurosawa pays great attention to the soundtracks of his films. THRONE OF BLOOD has an incredible soundtrack, as opposed to a great score. Since no one's mentioned Bronislau Kaper, the theme he used in A LIFE OF HER OWN and re-used in INVITATION is quite haunting.

Can't believe I forgot to mention Claude Sautet's UN COEUR EN HIVER (1992), one of my favorite films. The film showcases Ravel's Piano Trio, a staggeringly great work which is less well-known than many of Ravel's other pieces. Daniel Auteuil is certainly one of the best actors of the period. Anyone who likes TOUS LES MATINS DU MONDE would probably like this film. Speaking of Auteuil, Andre Techine's LES VOLEURS (THIEVES) (1996) also belongs on the list. The film develops in unexpected directions, but for me it all works. I even believe in Catherine Deneuve as a philosophy professor, not exactly typecasting. Daniel Auteuil is again outstanding. If you like THE BIG CHILL (obviously this doesn't include our friend skimpole!) and similar films (RETURN OF THE SECAUCUS SEVEN, ST. ELMO'S FIRE), check out QUEENS LOGIC (1991). Kevin Bacon, John Malkovitch, and other interesting actors.

Braveheart now makes an annual appearance when columnists pick the worst movies ever to win the Oscar for best picture. This isn't just a reaction against Mel Gibson. I'm with skimpole about Braveheart and Titanic as overrated films of the 90s, perhaps the most overrated of all. On the other hand, I like Forrest Gump--but does Pulp Fiction deserve the overrated tag? Doesn't it also play the "I'm way too cool for you" card, which annoys me whenever it happens? Thanks for bringing up this angle, skimpole. Underrated: Atom Egoyan's wonderful film Exotica, and his very different The Sweet Hereafter. Bruce Greenwood is one of the most underrated actors of the decade. From the Three Colors trilogy, Blue is the one I'd select as the underrated gem. Red is very slow going, all set-up, for the first hour--sorry to disagree, Mr. A. I also love The Dreamlife of Angels, another underrated film.

Hey, do any of you guys think that in GUN CRAZY Peggy Cummins looks and especially sounds like Judy Garland? To me, that makes the film even more perverse--in a good way, of course!

It might be interesting to compare this with George Stevens' ANNIE OAKLEY from the early 30s, with Barbara Stanwyck as Annie. The attitude toward the Indians is more forward-thinking than you might expect and definitely less self-congratulatory than the Altman film.

Speaking of big hair: our list also needs to include Judi West in THE FORTUNE COOKIE and Connie Stevens in PALM SPRINGS WEEKEND. These are the kind of do's (or don'ts) that inspired HAIRSPRAY.

Warren William was with Claudette Colbert in IMITATION OF LIFE Claudette Colbert was with Clark Gable in IT HAPPENED ONE NIGHT Clark Gable was directed by John Huston in THE MISFITS John Huston directed Anjelica Huston in A WALK WITH LOVE AND DEATH Anjelica Huston was with John Cusack in THE GRIFTERS Next: Eve Arden to Connie Stevens

Jean Hagen: GRATE VOICE Judith Anderson

And if you ever get a chance to see the restored version on the big screen, as SueSue and I did at the festival, do not miss it, even if you've seen it on TV. A powerful, well-acted, and physically very beautiful film. Some of the other restored films shown at the festival have been making their way to TCM, so this one probably will be, too.

It's possible that no film as well-acted, well-directed, and beautifully photographed on a shot by shot basis has ever added up to less than VANILLA SKY. The "solution" has no emotional resonance whatever as far as I'm concerned. Not to mention that when the hero's filthy rich, handsome, and sleeping with both Cameron Diaz and Penelope Cruz and yet--boo hoo hoo--still isn't really happy, that's not a guy many people will identify with or care about.

BEDELIA is based on a novel by Vera Caspary, who wrote LAURA. I included BEDELIA in a previous program challenge. All of us Margaret Lockwood fans want to see it.