have never seen Fiddler all the way through. Saw N&A on TV eons ago.
I do prefer Clockwork, for all the bashing it's taken over the years for being icy and amoral, over TFC, which is humid and amoral. Still will go with Bogdanovich.
― images of war violence and historical smoking (Dr Morbius), Tuesday, 6 May 2014 19:44 (ten years ago) link
This could be a decent three-way contest.
― Cronk's Not Cronk (Eric H.), Tuesday, 6 May 2014 19:45 (ten years ago) link
I think Kael hated all three?
― images of war violence and historical smoking (Dr Morbius), Tuesday, 6 May 2014 19:46 (ten years ago) link
FOTR her fave.
― guess that bundt gettin eaten (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, 6 May 2014 19:47 (ten years ago) link
though she liked TLPS w/out being impressed.
I'm wrong, she did like it
"Robert Surtees's stylized cinematography is in black and white, and the frequent silhouetting-so that we seem to be looking at a map of life as it was-helps to clarify the subject matter. The film badly needs this stylization, because, of course, its shallow overview of town life is dangerously close to TV, and especially to the "Peyton Place" series. The movie suggests what TV soap opera would be if it looked at ordinary experience in a non-exploitative way, if it had observation and humor. This is perhaps an ideal TV show."
― images of war violence and historical smoking (Dr Morbius), Tuesday, 6 May 2014 19:48 (ten years ago) link
TV w/ stripping... ahead of its time
― images of war violence and historical smoking (Dr Morbius), Tuesday, 6 May 2014 19:51 (ten years ago) link
I like the anecdote Bogdo tells in one of his recent books:
He and Shepherd are in a WH receiving line. Nixon approaches, asks who they are. When he learns that he's talking to the star and director of TLPS he lights up. "Oh! That's a marvelous film." To their shock he holds up the line to talk to them about it for a few minutes.
At one point he turns to Shepherd. "I'm sorry, who did you play?"
"I played the actress who skinnydipped, Mr. President."
Pause. "Yes, you were very good."
― guess that bundt gettin eaten (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, 6 May 2014 19:51 (ten years ago) link
yeah, i know that one.
man, PK really was crazy about Fiddler!
― images of war violence and historical smoking (Dr Morbius), Tuesday, 6 May 2014 19:54 (ten years ago) link
man, PK really was crazy about Fiddler
― Cronk's Not Cronk (Eric H.), Tuesday, 6 May 2014 19:57 (ten years ago) link
French Connection
― james lipton and his francs (darraghmac), Tuesday, 6 May 2014 20:00 (ten years ago) link
I like the anecdote in the famous Grover Lewis/Rolling Stone set report on LPS that they actually were planning to film the cow-fucking scene (presumably in the most tasteful fashion possible), but the production feel behind schedule and it was cut.
― Damnit Janet Weiss & The Riot Grrriel (C. Grisso/McCain), Tuesday, 6 May 2014 20:00 (ten years ago) link
Qualified vote for The Last Picture Show. I like Hud much better, but it's great to look at and was made with some feeling. Burstyn is probably the most interesting character.
Don't like A Clockwork Orange, French Connection's good but I'd rather watch The Taking of Pelham One Two Three or Marathon Man. Haven't seen the other two. Would McCabe beat them all on here?
― clemenza, Tuesday, 6 May 2014 21:14 (ten years ago) link
and Sunday Bloody Sunday.
― guess that bundt gettin eaten (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, 6 May 2014 21:17 (ten years ago) link
which I saw again and holds it quite well (and which Kael also praised with misgivings)
it = up
probably ACO, tho i tend to change my mind about it every time i see it. no denying the power of the first 30 minutes, and it just looks and feels so different than any other movie i've ever seen. always enjoy LPS, dislike TFC, and haven't seen the other two.
― (The Other) J.D. (J.D.), Tuesday, 6 May 2014 21:19 (ten years ago) link
A few good (some even famous) smaller American films I like from that year: Two-Lane Blacktop, Cisco Pike, Desperate Characters, Wanda, The Panic in Needle Park. I bought The Hired Hand a few months ago but still haven't watched it.
― clemenza, Tuesday, 6 May 2014 21:29 (ten years ago) link
willy wonka, dirty harry
― james lipton and his francs (darraghmac), Tuesday, 6 May 2014 21:32 (ten years ago) link
goin w Clockwork. Fiddler just reminds me of the many times I sat through it with other Jewish kids at various functions/events. Haven't seen French Connection in years but remember it well. Didn't find LPS all that engaging personally. Never heard of Nicholas and Alexandra, what was it with H'wood's fascination with Russian aristocracy/the revolution
― stadow shevens (Shakey Mo Collier), Tuesday, 6 May 2014 21:32 (ten years ago) link
Two-Lane Blacktop, Cisco Pike,
love both of these (and Pelham and Marathon Man and especially McCabe) would probably prefer any of those to the nominees
― stadow shevens (Shakey Mo Collier), Tuesday, 6 May 2014 21:33 (ten years ago) link
r. fiore's piece on ACO is interesting:
http://classic.tcj.com/film/real-horrorshow/
― (The Other) J.D. (J.D.), Tuesday, 6 May 2014 21:34 (ten years ago) link
my too-weird/good for Oscar list wd include 2LB, Wanda, Little Murders, Polanski's Macbeth, Sweet Sweetback, Punishment Park, and in the global ghetto, Merchant of the Four Seasons, The Ceremony, Get Carter, Duck You Sucker, Wake in Fright, WR: Mysteries of the Organism.
― images of war violence and historical smoking (Dr Morbius), Tuesday, 6 May 2014 21:43 (ten years ago) link
ooh yeah Get Carter. Been meaning to see Punishment Park.
― stadow shevens (Shakey Mo Collier), Tuesday, 6 May 2014 21:46 (ten years ago) link
I'd be mildly curious to see N&A again bcz Franklin Schaffner was in a run of good-to-exceptional films (Planet of the Apes, Patton, Papillon). Don't recall the sweeping exterior scenes of those other three in it though.
― images of war violence and historical smoking (Dr Morbius), Tuesday, 6 May 2014 21:47 (ten years ago) link
Tom Baker as Rasputin maybe worthwhile lol
― stadow shevens (Shakey Mo Collier), Tuesday, 6 May 2014 21:51 (ten years ago) link
Papillon is good to exceptional?
I like The Best Man.
― guess that bundt gettin eaten (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, 6 May 2014 21:56 (ten years ago) link
haven't seen Papillon in eons. At least McQueen and Hoffman were an unlikely mix.
― images of war violence and historical smoking (Dr Morbius), Tuesday, 6 May 2014 21:58 (ten years ago) link
was FS maybe the only noted '50s live-TV-drama director who became a successful maker of theatrical epics?
― images of war violence and historical smoking (Dr Morbius), Tuesday, 6 May 2014 21:59 (ten years ago) link
Shakey, you would like Punishment Park - a feel bad classic
― sarahell, Tuesday, 6 May 2014 22:03 (ten years ago) link
The Last Picture Show.
Never seen Nicholas and Alexandra or Fiddler on the Roof. Agree with clem that French Connection is all good but I'd rather revisit The Taking of Pelham 123 any day.
― Funk autocorrect (cryptosicko), Wednesday, 7 May 2014 00:54 (ten years ago) link
Saw Pelham fairly recently, within 6 months, and it was good but wouldn't be in my top 5 of the year.
― WilliamC, Wednesday, 7 May 2014 00:58 (ten years ago) link
I should clarify--Pelham's 1974, Marathon Man's 1976. I just mentioned them as a couple of action films I like much more than The French Connection (which I did enjoy the couple of times I watched it for all the decaying-New York locations).
― clemenza, Wednesday, 7 May 2014 01:02 (ten years ago) link
Oh durr, yeah. I need to quit posting -- that's two days in a row with a headsmack error.
― WilliamC, Wednesday, 7 May 2014 01:04 (ten years ago) link
Lol I was going to bring up Charlie Varrick but stopped when I realized that was '73
― stadow shevens (Shakey Mo Collier), Wednesday, 7 May 2014 01:40 (ten years ago) link
well there IS more going on in French Connection than "action film." After all, the baddie gets away.
― images of war violence and historical smoking (Dr Morbius), Wednesday, 7 May 2014 03:29 (ten years ago) link
Popeye gets away?
― stadow shevens (Shakey Mo Collier), Wednesday, 7 May 2014 15:44 (ten years ago) link
baddie in action structure terms. c'mon, the audience roots for Hackman over Bunuel actor.
― images of war violence and historical smoking (Dr Morbius), Wednesday, 7 May 2014 16:39 (ten years ago) link
nah I rooted for his umbrella
― guess that bundt gettin eaten (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Wednesday, 7 May 2014 16:42 (ten years ago) link
I know, joeks.
I saw this pretty young, I think it was one of the first times seeing a portrayal of cop that I had a visceral dislike of - an abusive, racist, lying asshole
xp
― stadow shevens (Shakey Mo Collier), Wednesday, 7 May 2014 16:43 (ten years ago) link
ah the seventies
― guess that bundt gettin eaten (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Wednesday, 7 May 2014 16:43 (ten years ago) link
I gues sthere's an argument to be had over whether the film is racist just bcz racists in the audience laughed at the the racist cop.
If Kael thought this movie was "shocks for jocks," oh what she lived to see.
― images of war violence and historical smoking (Dr Morbius), Wednesday, 7 May 2014 16:48 (ten years ago) link
laughed with Doyle, I guess
fascinating to think of Jackie Gleason in that role anyhoo
idk if I would call the film racist just because it has a racist character as its ostensible protagonist (Doyle is unlikable in other ways as noted). It's not some terrible stretch of believability that a NY cop in the 70s would be racist.
― stadow shevens (Shakey Mo Collier), Wednesday, 7 May 2014 16:55 (ten years ago) link
I'm not sure the film endorses his point of view.
― guess that bundt gettin eaten (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Wednesday, 7 May 2014 16:57 (ten years ago) link
of course not, but the question is his positioning as audience surrogate/hero (dogged, "good" at his job)
no, I don't think it does, necessarily
― images of war violence and historical smoking (Dr Morbius), Wednesday, 7 May 2014 16:57 (ten years ago) link
the ambiguity about Popeye is one of the reasons I don't really love it - I don't want to root for him.
― stadow shevens (Shakey Mo Collier), Wednesday, 7 May 2014 17:05 (ten years ago) link
My problem with it isn't Popeye -- it's my not finding it particularly exciting.
― guess that bundt gettin eaten (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Wednesday, 7 May 2014 17:08 (ten years ago) link
today you could knock over that woman w/ the baby carriage in the video game
― images of war violence and historical smoking (Dr Morbius), Wednesday, 7 May 2014 17:09 (ten years ago) link
in the street
― james lipton and his francs (darraghmac), Wednesday, 7 May 2014 17:18 (ten years ago) link
eh why go through the trouble when Obama could aim a drone at her
― guess that bundt gettin eaten (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Wednesday, 7 May 2014 17:19 (ten years ago) link
ooooh wadda woild wadda woild
― james lipton and his francs (darraghmac), Wednesday, 7 May 2014 17:23 (ten years ago) link
It's not exciting, but it is more reptilian and steely than most of its ilk.
― Cronk's Not Cronk (Eric H.), Wednesday, 7 May 2014 17:39 (ten years ago) link
Eh, the whole train sequence is pretty damn thrilling.
― Funk autocorrect (cryptosicko), Wednesday, 7 May 2014 18:56 (ten years ago) link
yeah srsly don't know why you bores prefer neon 007 fights in skyscrapers
(also TFC meant to be seen on a big screen)
― images of war violence and historical smoking (Dr Morbius), Wednesday, 7 May 2014 19:17 (ten years ago) link
I'd see most good 70s movies on the big screen, and just about every 21st century ones that I care about at home, if I could.
― Funk autocorrect (cryptosicko), Wednesday, 7 May 2014 19:19 (ten years ago) link
I hate James Bond movies!
― guess that bundt gettin eaten (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Wednesday, 7 May 2014 19:37 (ten years ago) link
the car chase scene is pretty unfuckwithable, sped up film and all, but one great setpiece doth not a great film make
and yeah I hate James Bond movies
― stadow shevens (Shakey Mo Collier), Wednesday, 7 May 2014 19:38 (ten years ago) link
This applies to Skyfall as well, so it's extra cheap to bring that one up here.
― Cronk's Not Cronk (Eric H.), Wednesday, 7 May 2014 19:39 (ten years ago) link
i'm extra cheap
― images of war violence and historical smoking (Dr Morbius), Wednesday, 7 May 2014 19:48 (ten years ago) link
That might have been the first AA broadcast I watched as a kid. I'm positive I watched the '72 show, when The Godfather dominated, not so sure about '71--chances are, I was sitting there with my parents watching. Chaplin got his honorary award that year; I'm sure that was genuinely worth seeing, after all those years in exile. Imagine there was a palpable uneasiness in the room during those early '70s AAs: all (or at least most) of the old-guard feeling things slipping away.
― clemenza, Wednesday, 7 May 2014 22:53 (ten years ago) link
when The Godfather dominated
Revisionist history.
― Cronk's Not Cronk (Eric H.), Thursday, 8 May 2014 03:32 (ten years ago) link
More like didn't-bother-to-check carelessness, but yes. The Godfather won picture/actor/adapted screenplay, all big, but Cabaret won many more (8-3), including director/actress/cinematography/editing. Proving yet again that Germans love David Hasselhoff. Or something.
― clemenza, Thursday, 8 May 2014 11:38 (ten years ago) link
or that Cabaret is better
― images of war violence and historical smoking (Dr Morbius), Thursday, 8 May 2014 11:45 (ten years ago) link
Hmmm...So suddenly the Academy Awards is a reliable measure of quality. Morbius, your consistency is always something to behold.
― clemenza, Thursday, 8 May 2014 11:47 (ten years ago) link
When he's right, he's right.
― Cronk's Not Cronk (Eric H.), Thursday, 8 May 2014 12:26 (ten years ago) link
But let's save that fun discussion for whenever I actually poll 1972.
clemenza, I take Oscar discussions about as seriously as you take guys who don't hit 500 HR.
― images of war violence and historical smoking (Dr Morbius), Thursday, 8 May 2014 14:16 (ten years ago) link
If you want to move it over to the general baseball thread, so as not to bore anyone further, I'd be most interested in seeing anything I've ever posted that indicates I use 500 HR a threshhold of excellence. (You may be thinking of a post where I'm trying to predict how the HOF voters will vote.)
― clemenza, Thursday, 8 May 2014 15:25 (ten years ago) link
just stop it
― images of war violence and historical smoking (Dr Morbius), Thursday, 8 May 2014 15:27 (ten years ago) link
Oh, I agree. I just feel you like to say silly things, but don't like them questioned.
― clemenza, Thursday, 8 May 2014 15:29 (ten years ago) link
bcz THEY ARE SILLY AND MEANT TO BE
― images of war violence and historical smoking (Dr Morbius), Thursday, 8 May 2014 15:31 (ten years ago) link
cept that The Godfather has several unintentional laughs, to Cabaret's zero
but back to '71 -- McDowell is my best actor in that race, he carries that film over its moral fuzziness.
― images of war violence and historical smoking (Dr Morbius), Thursday, 8 May 2014 15:32 (ten years ago) link
I think we're the same age--were you watching when Chaplin got his big award that year?
― clemenza, Thursday, 8 May 2014 15:37 (ten years ago) link
Didn't watch the Oscars til Cuckoo's Nest '76
― images of war violence and historical smoking (Dr Morbius), Thursday, 8 May 2014 15:38 (ten years ago) link
Automatic thread bump. This poll is closing tomorrow.
― System, Wednesday, 21 May 2014 00:01 (nine years ago) link
Automatic thread bump. This poll's results are now in.
― System, Thursday, 22 May 2014 00:01 (nine years ago) link
weird choice from the board that is SO OVER Fight Club
― images of war violence and historical smoking (Dr Morbius), Thursday, 22 May 2014 02:28 (nine years ago) link
some of us were never under it
― guess that bundt gettin eaten (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, 22 May 2014 02:29 (nine years ago) link
better and more coherent than ACO, easily
― images of war violence and historical smoking (Dr Morbius), Thursday, 22 May 2014 02:53 (nine years ago) link
Dislike both about equally...ugly.
― clemenza, Thursday, 22 May 2014 03:08 (nine years ago) link
The Last Picture Show > The French Connection > A Clockwork Orange >>> Fiddler on the Roof >>> Nicholas and Alexandra
Finished off this set today with 'Nicholas and Alexandra' which could actually be redeemable if it was just a tighter story around the abdication onwards. They had some really good acting talent ultimately wasted here.
― You (bleeping) need me. You can't Finn without me (fionnland), Saturday, 13 October 2018 21:52 (five years ago) link
Also Cybill Shepherd's eyes <3
― You (bleeping) need me. You can't Finn without me (fionnland), Saturday, 13 October 2018 21:53 (five years ago) link
I guess I should finally watch TLPS all the way through but (PVMIC) The French Connection is unbeatable imo
― El Tomboto, Saturday, 13 October 2018 22:16 (five years ago) link
Ya ever pick ya feet in Poughkeepsie?
― El Tomboto, Saturday, 13 October 2018 22:17 (five years ago) link
Hard at work on "Cybill Shepherd Eyes," my follow-up to the ill-fated "Karen Black Eyes."
― clemenza, Saturday, 13 October 2018 22:26 (five years ago) link