The 70's was a place of Mean Streets, Chinatown and Altman, Mr. Corleone (70s)

Member Name: ChrisJarmick

Product:	70s
Date:	06/11/01 (316 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: A concentrated number of brilliant films were made.

Disadvantages: Film Studios were taken over and ruled by MBA and Wall Street types by the end of the decade.

It's often been debated just what is the best decade or time period for films anway? What criteria do we use? The late 30's and 40's are called the Golden Age. The late 40's and 50's saw the Neo-Realists strongly influence filmmakers, the late 50's brought us the French New Wave and the American cinema at the end of the 60's and through much of the 70's is often called the Platinum Age.

The 1970's was one of the most exciting periods of time in Cinema, particularly American cinema. Yes, it was more exciting then the French New Wave, or the Italian Neo Realism periods because there was so much variety, experimentation, bending and breaking of the rules going on, it took audiences years to even begin to catch-up. What happened in the late 60s and early 1970s however was strongly influenced by the films of the past. Without a film like Open City there would perhaps have been no Mean Streets. The 1970's saw an explosion in the use of various cinematic expressions making its way into popular films. Many of the films weren't huge successes at the box offices when they were first released, but most were recognized by film buffs and film critics as being something quite superior.

I compiled a list of 100 of my favorite films around the time the AFI was releasing their 100 Greatest Films of all Times. I had compiled lists of 25 before, but never 100. I've looked over my list in the past few years and the films and their placement on my list still seem mostly right to me. They represent 100 of my Favorite Films. Films I thoroughly enjoy watching, have watched several times, and also hold in the highest regard. In compiling this list of Best 70's films I've taken them from my larger list. At the end of my brief capsule reviews you will see this (2 - 100). That indicates on my list of 100 the film is number 2.

I like lists a lot, but I also hate them. They shouldn'
t dominate popular critical thinking as much as they do. Lists can and will change. There are a few films perhaps I've never seen or one's that when I first saw them I didn't fully appreciate, but now that I'm that older and wiser (cough cough) ?.Well you get the idea.

NUMBER 10

O' Lucky Man (1973, Lindsay Anderson)

Malcolm McDowell stars in this continuation of the character he played in IF.....It's about the trials and tribulations, the rise and fall and rise and fall again of a coffee salesman. It features an infectious and purposefully intrusive musical score by Alan Price. Several actors have multiple roles. Don't miss it. (49 - 100)

NUMBER 9

9) Mash (1970, Robert Altman)

An amazing cast in a truly original and influential film which was this irrverant black comedy in which the Korean War backdrop allowed Altman and Ring Lardner (who won an Oscar for his screenplay) to make acerbic comments on Vietnam, race relations, the war between men and women and more. It of course was the basis for the hit t.v. series. (43 - 100 )

9) McCabe and Mrs. Miller (1971)

Re-inventing and updating the Western, this film successfully introduces us to what Altman-esque means in it's finest sense. It's a quirky film to many, a masterpiece to others. It's nothing short of a brilliant masterpiece to me. (43-100)

NUMBER 8

8.) The Long Goodbye (1973, Robert Altman)

Many despise what they wrongly believe is Altman's contempt for Raymond Chandler in this Chandler-esque update. It's a masterpiece of the 70's. The Camera never stops moving, the staging, pacing, script, acting, and sense of time and place is superb. The long out of print video release was a butchered pan and scan version of the film. See it in a theater or pray it will be out on DVD soon. (42 - 100 )

NUMBER 7

7) Mean Streets (1973, Martin Scor
cese)

Technically adept, low budget masterpiece which put Scorcese, DeNiro, and Keitel on the map and features David and Robert Carradine. Did you know most of it was filmed in Los Angeles? (39 - 100)


NUMBER 6

6) Real Life (1979, Albert Brooks)

Brooks' twisted satire of documentaries like P.B.S.'s American Family (The Louds), could very well be a satire of MTV's reality series too. The comedy is clever and the underlying comments on the media, American life, the suburbs are well made. Not a masterpiece, but a film that made me laugh till I hurt and firmly established Albert Brooks, Harry Shearer (who wrote this with Brooks and Monica Johnson) and Charles Grodin 's careers. (34 - 100)

NUMBER 5

5.) Taxi Driver (1976, Martin Scorcese)

Unfortunately, the film was far more prophetic than anyone ever wanted it to be. Schrader and Scorcese's vision of obsessive loneliness in a huge unfriendly city is riveting and as disturbing and nightmarish as you allow it to be. (29-100)

NUMBER 4

4) Manhattan (1979, Woody Allen)

Comedic slice of life about a group of smart friends in New York City. Nearly flawless, poignant and accurate character study. It's Woody's Best film. An extremely self-confident and 'honest' work. I'll do A long review of this one soon. (18-100)


NUMBER 3

3) The Conversation (1974, F.F. Coppola)

Disturbing film which makes many points regarding privacy and personal responsibility as a surveillance expert makes the mistake of getting involved in a case. Gene Hackman, supporting cast , direction and script are brilliant. (15 - 100)


NUMBER 2

2) Godfather Part 2 ( 1974, F.F. Coppola)

Impossible as it seems, Coppola topped his Godfather with this Almost perfect epic of an extremely dysfunctional family. Al Pacino delivers one of the finest film acting performance
you'll ever see. Rich in period detail, it spans two separate stories in a presentation that was bold and assured. (9 - 100)


And my favorite movie of the 1970's will come as no surprise for most film buffs.



NUMBER 1

1) China Town (1974- Roman Polanski)

Director Polanski took Robert Towne's brilliant screenplay, improved what would have been a compromised ending and re-invented noir. As perfect as a film can be. It however is a complex and calculated film that assumes the audience is intelligent and will enjoy its intellectual and emotional complexities. (2 - 100)

THE TOP ALTERNATE CHOICES WOULD BE :

11) Five Easy Pieces (1970, Bob Rafelson)

A brilliant performance by Nicholson highlights this character study of a dreamer, musician who has grown bitter and cynical trying to ignore his artistic ambitions. He tries to communicate with his dying father and face his own fears of failure and mortality. Uncompromising, unflinching, 70's era, makes few concessions to the audience to be better liked-although the wonderful toast/chicken salad scene is here. (70 - 100)

12) Last Picture Show (1971, Peter Bogdanovich)

Nostalgic, but never sentimental slice of life character study, beautifully acted, photographed , scripted and directed. A once in a lifetime cast most of whom were never better than they are in this film. It will haunt you. (76 - 100)

13) Cries and Whispers (1972, Ingmar Bergman)

A film which devastated me. It left me an emotional wreck for weeks afterward. As a woman slowly dies, three women care for her. Her two sisters can't bear to watch her die or face death. One is promiscuous, one is repressed. Unforgettable use of color (lots of reds), and imagery and the camera dwells on the meaningless, adding tremendous meaning to what transpires. A brilliant, difficult film. (Lars Von Trier touches upon the powe
r of the film with his recent Dancer in the Dark). (77 -100)

14) Harold and Maude (1971, Hal Ashby)

This cult film classic, is at times screamingly funny and full of heart, soul and poetry. A product of and from the 70's. It's messages are now obvious and awkward but it doesn't diminish the comedy or the optimism of the film. A quirky masterpiece featuring definitive performances by Bud Court, Ruth Gordon and an innovative, risky and successful use of Cat Stevens' music (some original for the film). Definitely not for all tastes. (78 - 100)

15) Straw Dogs (1972, Sam Peckinpah)

An uncompromising film which builds, until you want it to explode in an orgy of violence and when it does you hate yourself for asking for it. A still controversial masterpiece. Dustin Hoffman and Susan George star. (81 - 100 )

16) A Clockwork Orange (1971, Stanley Kubrick)

A disturbing, at times funny, often brutal, sadistic and misogynyistic film based on the controversial book by Anthony Burgess and featuring another brilliant, and fearless Malcolm McDowell performance. Only recently officially released in the UK. Brilliantly conceived and executed from start to finish. (83 - 100)

17) Gimme Shelter (1970, David and Albert Maysles)

The Stones try to perform their best songs at the peak of their performing career. But this is Altamount, the infamous rock concert in which The Hell's Angels were hired as security guards and all hell literally broke loose. As the films end, you know you've seen part of one of the best performances by a consumate showman (Jagger), but you will be haunted and disturbed by what's occurred during the concert and how it's affected the performers, and the audiences. The Summer of Love's (1967) good vibrations were definitely over with Altamount and Kent State. (87 - 100)

18) Annie Hall (1977, Woody Allen)

Witty, warm, incredibly influen
tial semi-autobiographical love story. It may over-use clever gimmicks but it's funny and one of Woody's finest. (90 - 100 )

19) The Conformist (1971, Bernardo Bertolucci)

Fully restored in 1994, this classic, disturbing and tense character study concerns a man (during the 1930's) who represses his homosexual desires, works for the Italian Fascists as a member of its secret service and slowly becomes capable of murder. (93- 100)

20- TIE) Satyricon (1970, Frederico Fellini)

It's an overindulgent, mess of a film full of Fellini's latter trademarks and penchant for bizzarre characters. It's set in a decadent Ancient Rome that only Fellini could do justice to. You'll be baffled by it, hate it, or be fascinated with it's tone, attitude and feel. Yes the music sounds a lot like the score used in The Godfather--same composer. (96-100)

20 - TIE) El Topo (1970, Jodorowsky)

Filmed over a course of nearly three years, the filmmakers twice were stranded for weeks without supplies and without money. This film was started in 1964/65, completed and originally set for release in 1967/68, it predates The Wild Bunch, Easy Rider and other 60's landmarks.... It was a true labor of love to finish the film. And then the film was banned in several countries. What
does it mean? It's often brutal, sadistic and extremely gory. It's first half is an allegorical journey through most of the Eastern religions via a mysterious almost Christlike gunslinger. Midway through the film the tone changes and it becomes a blasphemous re-telling of the new testament. It was the film that first began the midnight movie phenomona in the U.S. It's been out of circulation and nearly impossible to see for more 25 years because of a personal dispute between the producer and Jodorowsky. The feud continues as legal action was taken to preven Jodorowsky from using Sons of El Topo as the title for a sequ
el he was filming in 1999. There's nothing else like El Topo. For many that's a darn good thing. (99 - 100 )


Hopefully, I've reminded you of some great films you haven't seen for a while and perhaps have mentioned a few that you will make a point of trying to find and watch.

Enjoy.

Christopher Jarmick,is the author of The Glass Cocoon with Serena F. Holder a critically acclaimed, steamy suspense thriller.

Original portions of this review Copyright© Christopher J. Jarmick 2001. The above work is protected by international copyright law.

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