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LawrenceA
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Posts posted by LawrenceA
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Bogie, our lists are starting to deviate more. I've never seen THE CONFORMIST, QUACKSTER FORTUNE, or GOIN' DOWN THE ROAD. I also haven't heard of that last one.
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THE DECLINE OF WESTERN CIVILIZATION - (8/10) - Seminal documentary shines a light on the L.A. punk rock scene circa 1980. Intersperses interviews with fans and industry figures as well as extended performance clips and home visits with a number of bands. Some became legends (Black Flag, X, Germs), while others faded into obscurity (Catholic Discipline, Alice Bag Band). A good look at a different world, some of this would no doubt baffle and/or upset more conservative viewers.
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Ex Machina (2015) is a rather dull AI meets The Stepford Wives. It may have made a good 20 page short story but for me the film has three failings which are the three main characters in the film.
The hero is a wet noodle which is intentional. The scientist is very distant and disagreeable which is intentional. And the robot is, well a robot. So you have three characters who are not at all engaging in a 100 minute film. And Alex Garland is a hot screenwriter in England.
Finally! Someone felt the same way I did. I had heard all the hoopla surrounding this, with some calling it the best sci-fi film in 20 years. I went to the theater, and left very disappointed. I wouldn't call the film bad, really. It just wasn't great either. I found all the territory covered old-hat and predictable. The performances were all fine, but not exceptional in any way. It would have made a passable episode of Outer Limits, but that's about it.
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1970 - 138 films seen
1. Woodstock
2. Little Big Man
3. Patton
4. Performance
5. El Topo
6. Five Easy Pieces
7. MASH
8. Catch-22
9. Zabriskie Point
10. Tristana
Runner-ups: Gimme Shelter, The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes, Joe, Dodes'ka-den, and The Bird with the Crystal Plumage.
Larry's Choices:
Horror of the Blood Monsters
Torture Dungeon
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Il Sorpasso all the way at the top? I guess I really need to check it out. I know Criterion released it fairly recently, so it's probably available on Hulu, as well.
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I'm going to list all my favorites of the decade, because if there's one thing I like doing it's making lists. And, if there's one thing I love doing, it's making more lists!
This made me laugh. Thanks, speed, I needed that.
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Here are the 1001 Movies to See Before You Die entries for 1969:
ANDREI RUBLEV
BUTCH CASSIDY AND THE SUNDANCE KID
THE COLOR OF POMEGRANATES**
THE CONFORMIST**
EASY RIDER
FELLINI SATYRICON
IN THE YEAR OF THE PIG** (documentary)
KES
LE BOUCHER**
LUCIA**
MIDNIGHT COWBOY
MY NIGHT AT MAUD'S**
A TOUCH OF ZEN
THE WILD BUNCH
Z
**denotes films I have not seen
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CORPSE MANIA - (7/10) - Shaw Brothers film from Hong Kong is a shocking change of pace from their usual costume kung fu epics. This is a grisly thriller about a recently released asylum inmate going on a killing spree in the foggy, dimly lit streets of a seedy neighborhood. The killer has a history of being too fond of corpses, and local police detective Zhang is determined to stop him. At times quite graphic, this movie really surprised me with its outre violence, candy-colored bloodsprays, and startling nudity. If Dario Argento went to China, this is the film he would make. If that sounds intriguing, check it out. Sensitive and squeamish viewers need not apply.
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I'm going to post the 1969 1001 list soon, but please hold off on posting 1970 lists until tomorrow, so everyone who wishes to can post a best of sixties list and/or catch up.
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Favorites of the 1960's
1. DR. STRANGELOVE
2. 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY
3. ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE WEST
4. THE WILD BUNCH
5. SPARTACUS
6. LAWRENCE OF ARABIA
7. PSYCHO
8. THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY
9. THE GREAT ESCAPE
10. COOL HAND LUKE
I don't think I'll bother with stars or directors this time, but I will note my favorite genre of the 1960's is the samurai film, despite none appearing in my top ten.
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I can't recall, but were you the poster recommending WEREWOLF OF LONDON on Svengoolie recently? I'd seen it before and enjoyed, but made no plan to rewatch it, since I have it on disc. But still, I was flipping channels, and there it was, and I ended up watching the last half again!My respect for you grows daily.
Actually, I saw your list of in Horror Genre Forum -- Top 20 all-time favorites. It's very neo-horror. My list, if I made one, would be more like markbeckuaf's (where is HE now?) in that same thread.
I really enjoy the classic films as much as the 70's & 80's horror, but if I favor the latter, a lot of it comes from my dalliance with make up effects in my younger days, and my respect for their artistry, which really peaked in those decades before CGI took over.
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lavender, I haven't seen THE APRIL FOOLS. More and more to see.
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CHEECH & CHONG'S NICE DREAMS - (6/10) - Third outing for the stoner comedy duo has them dealing pot out of an ice cream truck and operating a growhouse in a swimming pool. Stacey Keach returns from the first one as an obsessive narcotics detective. The humor is starting to wear a little thin, and they do as much coke humor as pot humor, a sign of the times. Also with Paul Reubens, Sandra Bernhard, Linnea Quigley, and Timothy Leary.
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Swithin, I haven't seen THE DAMNED, THE MILKY WAY, PHANTOM INDIA, PUTNEY SWOPE, or THE SORROW AND THE PITY.
TopBilled, I haven't seen CONFESSIONS OF TOM HARRIS, DE SADE, GOODBYE COLUMBUS, HAMLET, THE LEARNING TREE, RING OF BRIGHT WATER, STAIRCASE, SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL SHERIFF, and THREE.
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Well, I hope you don't lose too much respect for me or my tastes when they show up on my lists!
I had Faces on my runner-up list. I think Cassavetes' films presage the independent, character driven films of the next couple of decades. To many viewers, their improvisational style comes across more true to real-life. I don't necessarily want my films too true to real-life ( I have enough of that in...real life), but I can see their point. A lot of the time though, they can come across sloppy and unfocused (which is partially the point, too, I think).
To me, the improvisational style is usually the opposite of true to life. Cassavetes preens himself on his style being truer to life than the usual Hollywood film, as if it took a lot of skill to look sloppy and unfocused. FACES is okay, but HUSBANDS makes me want to kick Cassavetes into the middle of next week. He's a much better actor than director.
LoL...I agree, most of the time. I have 2 more of his films on my lists in the 70's. Not Husbands, though. I have yet to see that one.
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Bogie, be honest now. You don't actually read my list before typing "I have yet to see Larry's choices".
I still haven't seen The Passion of Anna. But I've seen the rest.
Wait! I'm wrong. I haven't seen the Michael Caine Italian Job yet, either. It's one I tried to tape and it failed to come out for some reason.
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As much as I love all types of horror and sci-fi, I am not in the least bit a fan of the Romero zombie films.
Well, I hope you don't lose too much respect for me or my tastes when they show up on my lists!
This list makes 1968 look like not the greatest of years, which may be correct. 2001 is a must, even if you don't like it. SHAME is quite good, but I don't think HOUR OF THE WOLF is essential Bergman. IF seems badly dated (which might be an argument to include it, like THE KNACK in an earlier year). No one here showed much enthusiasm for FACES or TARGETS. Do we need to include P. Bogdanovich's first feature just because it's his first? I vote "No." Really, they could clear away a bunch of these films to make room for better years that have more essentials. I'm not even positive that ROSEMARY'S BABY has to be here, though I do like it.
I had Faces on my runner-up list. I think Cassavetes' films presage the independent, character driven films of the next couple of decades. To many viewers, their improvisational style comes across more true to real-life. I don't necessarily want my films too true to real-life ( I have enough of that in...real life), but I can see their point. A lot of the time though, they can come across sloppy and unfocused (which is partially the point, too, I think).
Targets was chosen because of it's meta-fiction nature. Having real-life dying former horror great Boris Karloff playing a dying former horror great goes beyond the obvious stunt-casting into a real tribute to an unsung film icon. Plus, they manage quite a bit on a shoestring budget, which inspires all would-be filmmakers.
Rosemary's Baby, despite my reservations about it, was a huge hit, and started the trend for "classier", big-budget studio supernatural horror films. The Exorcist, The Omen, etc., all came about, in part, thanks to Rosemary's.
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1969 - 116 films seen, a substantially smaller number than usual. Of these, 3/4 were junk.
1. The Wild Bunch - A liquor-soaked punch to the face. This bloody, grungy western was a real shocker upon release, and hasn't lost much of it's power since. The ballet of violence started by Bonnie and Clyde gets one-upped by the oft-imitated finale.
2. Midnight Cowboy - Touching drama about the unlikely friendship (?) of two fringe characters. Dustin Hoffman is incredible, playing a million miles away from Benjamin Braddock, and Jon Voight, as Joe Buck, shows that once upon a time he was a great actor too.
3. On Her Majesty's Secret Service - The most forgotten James Bond is actually one of the best. The snow-capped setting is wonderful, and Telly Savalas makes a great Blofeld. Diana Rigg is also outstanding as perhaps the most historically unique Bond girl. However, this is the one Bond film with George Lazenby. While he's not as bad as feared, one can't help but think had Connery stuck around, this could have been the best Bond film to date. But would he have accepted the ending?
4. Butch Cassidy & the Sundance Kid - A much nicer western than my #1 choice, this breezy buddy film features the two megastars Newman & Redford at their charming, roguish best.
5. Z - Fascinating political thriller is powerful, thoughtful, and unforgettable.
6. They Shoot Horses, Don't They? - Downbeat tale of Depression-era dance marathons features a host of great performances, and previews the type of film tone that would become more accepted in the ensuing decade.
7. Fellini Satyricon - Mindblowing phantasmagoria from the Italian master. Don't watch this on hallucinogens. Or maybe do.
8. Take the Money and Run - Woody Allen's mockumentary on the life of Virgil Starkwell, master criminal. "All they had to eat was a bowl of hot steam."
9. Easy Rider - Iconic counterculture touchstone has dated, of course, but remains an invaluable time capsule of fashion, both sartorially and philosophically. Plus, it made Jack Nicholson a star.
10. The Honeymoon Killers - Grimy true-crime tale that feels almost too real. Terrific performances from the leads, Shirley Stoler and Tony Lo Bianco , help the verisimilitude. One of the sleaziest love stories in cinema.
Runner-ups: Kes, The Magic Christian, Play Dirty, True Grit, and The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie.
Larry's Choices: The Mighty Gorga - Anthony Eisley and Scott Brady star in this travesty from the maker of Gallery of Horrors, David L. Hewitt. Circus folk and great white hunters stalk a giant gorilla for their various exploitation needs. You'll stare slack-jawed at this special effects extravaganza.
Blind Beast - This one is a bit different than most of my Choices. It's actually not a schlock-fest, but more of a seriously disturbing example of Japanese exploitation. A blind sculptor kidnaps a young woman to serve as his model. He creates giant sculptures of the female anatomy that soon fill his warehouse lair. Things get weirder from there.
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Here are the 1001 Movies to See Before You Die entries for 1968:
2001: A Space Odyssey
David Holzman's Diary**
Faces
Gaav/The Cow**
High School** (documentary)
Hour of the Wolf
if....
Memories of Underdevelopment**
Night of the Living Dead
Once Upon a Time in the West
Planet of the Apes
The Producers
Rosemary's Baby
Shame
Targets
**denotes films I have not seen
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Not much chatter about '68, so I'll post the 1001 for '68 around 8:00 EST, then go on to 1969.
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LONDON AFTER MIDNIGHT
THE PATRIOT
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I watched that Anthony Quinn film recently. It was good, and I thought he was very good. I don't remember ever hearing of it until TCM showed it during Quinn month.
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There are quite a few of these, one of the topics I originally started collecting.
My favorite among them is The Gumball Rally (1976). Lots of things happen, like the race starting in the middle of an early-morning vacant NYC. Cars racing past the skyscrapers. All kinds of car stunts and mischief throughout. A motorcycle in the race accidentally veers off a hillside road and ends up on top of a tree. I think I remember there being some actors in the movie too.
Yeah, I watched that one too, recently. It had Michael Sarrazin in the lead. Gary Busey had an early role in it as well.
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THE CANNONBALL RUN - (6/10) - Silly but fun car crash comedy about the illegal cross-country road race. Burt Reynolds leads the all-star cast, which includes Farrah Fawcett, Dom DeLuise, Dean Martin & Sammy Davis Jr, Roger Moore, Jackie Chan, Jack Elam, and many more. Will be of special interest to car enthusiasts. Directed by stunt legend Hal Needham.
Top Ten Films of...
in Your Favorites
Posted
TopBilled, you have few I haven't seen: WATERLOO, THE BOYS IN THE BAND, DARLING LILI, THE LIBERATION OF L.B. JONES, and WUSA. I also haven't heard of LOOT.