Review older films here: 1979 and earlier

Two of my favourites with short reviews.

The Godfather(1972)
4.9/5
The life and times of the Corleone mafia family led by "Godfather" Don Vito Corleone. Arguably one of, if not the greatest movie ever made. Tops many movie lists and with good reason. All performances in this movie add to its greatness, particularly Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, James Caan and Robert Duvall. The story, which is very engaging, is delivered to the screen via Francis Ford Coppola's brilliant direction. A must see for all who appreciate great films and want to experience a milestone in cinematic history.

One Flew Over the Cookoo's Nest(1975)
4.8/5
A man trying to find a way to shorten his prison sentence, finds his way into a mental hospital. If you want to see great acting, watch this movie. Great performances by all actors, but Nicholson really put his stamp on this movie. Winning nearly major award at award ceremonies in the USA and England, including 5 Oscars. The story and dialog never get stale and keeps you wanting more throughout. A classic if there ever was one, that has stood the test of time.

"Logan's Run" (1976)

Utopia never lives up to the billing. In this 23rd century paradise, you can do as you please without real consequence...but only for awhile. All must sacrifice their lives at age 30, in hopes of "renewal" at a ceremony called "Carousel." Those who get wise to the nonsense and seek to escape that fate are known as "runners," and "Sandmen" have the job of hunting them down and killing them.

That's the premise, and this movie creates an interesting rendition of that future world. More importantly, it presents the audience with a couple of lead characters whom I enjoyed following on an unexpected adventure. The special effects are cheesy, but the story is worthy of your time.

Available on bluray. Note that the PG rating was from a different era. This would likely earn an R if rated today, for violence, some gore, and frank sexuality.

... and nudity.

larry

This reminds me that Jenny Agutter really belongs in the "hottest girls" thread. Between Logan's Run and American Werewolf in London, she really scorched up cinema screens in the late '70s/early '80s.

You haven't really seen her till you've seen "Equus".

1977, another candidate for this thread.


This film really defies any logical descriptions.

This showed up in HD on cable. Hadn't seen it in a loooong time.

Donald Pleasence, Stehpen Boyd, Raquel Welch

A diplomat needs special medical treatment that requires a crew and submarine type vehicle to be miniaturized and injected into the bloodstream to go into the brain and fix the problem.

Won Oscar for best Visual Effects. Effects are quite cheesy compared to today. No surprise there. Seeing this as a kid I was quite impressed.

larry

Life of Brian

Condemned as heresey by the Cathloic Church based only on a plot summary that led them to believe that Brian WAS Jesus. The movie takes place at the same time as Jesus was born, and Brian is MISTAKEN as the Saviour, once at birth and again later in his life. It is this second mistake that will change your views on religion forever. As with any Python film, as the plot runs out, weirdness enters in the form of a totally offbeat interlude. However this film recovers with at least a semblence of an ending.

No one is safe from the Python's skewer, not the Romans, the Jews or even the Samaritans. Don't mix politics and religion at the dinner table, fire up this DVD instead.

"I think it was "Blessed are the cheesemakers". "
"Oh, it's blessed are the MEEK! Oh, I'm glad they're getting something, they have a hell of a time."

"It is a sign that we should remove our left shoe! No! It is a sign that we should follow him!"

"He's not the Messiah. He's a very naughty boy!"

"Cured?"
"Yes sir, bloody miracle, sir. Bless you!"
"Who cured you?"
"Jesus did, sir. I was hopping along, minding my own business, all of a sudden, up he comes, cures me! One minute I'm a leper with a trade, next minute my livelihood's gone. Not so much as a by-your-leave! "You're cured, mate." Bloody do-gooder."

"Look, I don't think it should be a sin, just for saying "Jehovah".All I did was say to my wife, "That piece of halibut was good enough for Jehovah!""

"Look, you've got it all wrong! You don't NEED to follow ME, You don't NEED to follow ANYBODY! You've got to think for your selves! You're ALL individuals!"
Crowd: "Yes! We're all individuals!"
"You're all different!"
Crowd: "Yes, we ARE all different!"
ONE Man in crowd: "I'm not..."

"I'm not the Messiah! Will you please listen? I am not the Messiah, do you understand? Honestly!"
"Only the true Messiah denies His divinity."
"What? Well, what sort of chance does that give me? All right! I am the Messiah!"
"He is! He is the Messiah!"

"All right, but apart from the sanitation, medicine, education, wine, public order, irrigation, roads, the fresh water system and public health, what have the Romans ever done for us? "

Seconds

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QVKXX...eature=related

"The Searchers" (1956)
John Ford was surely one of the greatest directors of all time. When asked whose work he admired, Orson Welles said, "John Ford, John Ford, and John Ford."
"The Searchers" is proof enough of the absolute directorial genius of Mr. Ford. He communicates more in one scene than most directors do in a career.
And John Wayne could act, in case you might have heard differently.
This story is simple, but has great emotional impact. Every element of filmmaking comes together perfectly to create one of the greatest films ever in "The Searchers."
If you have never seen this movie, set aside a couple of hours to bask in its overwhelming greatness. You will be in awe.

^I thought this thread was about......?

EVERY Irwin Allen disaster movie ever done.
Without them we wouldn't have the moronic movies of Emmerich, etc.
And nothing to complain about too.

One Upon a Time In The West (1968)

This the best western ever made IMO be it a "spaghetti or hamburger".
It deals with subjects that are common in the genre, but it was portrayed with such substance and style that I've yet to see matched on screen even by Leone.
Some of the most memorable scenes afforded by Leone's style of photography that could create nail binding tension without the use of dialog or music score. Talking about the later, it is one of the most recognizable of all of Morricone's works and Edda Del Oro's haunting vocals will send chills down on your spine, but for a good reason.
Some heavy talents from the Italian cinema were involved on the story, like Dario Argento, and Bernardo Bertolucci. This is also the first time to my knowledge that Henry Fonda took on a part that was a villain, and what a villain he made here.
Both Jason Robards[ Cheyenne] and Charles Bronson[Harmonica] are stands out as well. This is a timeless classic.

Saw it recently in HD and completely blew my mind....what a fantastic movie this is!

Whenever someone says The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly is Leone's best film (and it IS a great film), you can pretty much guarantee that they haven't seen Once Upon a Time in the West. Easily the greatest western ever made.

Fantastic cinematography. Charles Bronson's finest hour (with thhe possible exception of The Great Escape). Claudia Cardinale, one of the most beautiful women in the history of cinema. Great performance by Jason Robards. Henry Fonda as you've never seen before (playing a heartless, cruel villain like nobody's business). Another magnificent Ennio Morricone score.

This film also opens with the greatest performance by a fly in the history of the movies in a fabulous scene with the great Jack Elam.

I mean....what's not to like? Few films are as operatic as this one. The day this film is released on Blu-ray can't come soon enough.

I agree that "Once Upon a Time in the West" is superb, but as "The Searchers" is also a Western, "Once..." cannot be the greatest Western ever.
But I love some of the dialog in "Once...", such as Bronson's description of the train station incident: "At the station were three dusters. In the dusters were three men. In the men were three bullets." Or something like that...

It's hard for me to argue with your opinion here.
The film DAZZLES the senses....the beautiful shots of the West, the sounds of spurs, boards creaking, etc., the overwhelming menace of Fonda, etc.

This may be my favorite old western, while The Unforgiven is my fav modern one.

Wow was that your first time? I was lucky enough to see this first on the "silver screen" when I was a kid. Those "Leone close ups" were breathtaking.
BTW while this was an Italian production, it was shot mostly in Death Valley CA. Oh and no cheesy matte paintings like many of the Hollywood ones used.

It wasn't my first viewing, but it has been so long I can't remember exactly when I saw it initially (as a kid for certain).

This film is so beautifully photographed, it should be required viewing in Film Schools (probably is).

I'm going to have to agree with you there. The Searchers is the greatest western on so many levels.

The enjoyment of "Once...", "The Good, The Bad..." and the other Leone westerns is predicated on our being in tune with a certain comical quirkiness of his directorial style. Which is not to say they aren't entertaining. I like them quite a bit. But they tend to work more as goofs or riffs on what we had grown to expect from a western than as great westerns in their own right. And when the time comes that we are no longer amused by the directorial quirkiness, there isn't much else there.

My vote for a great western of another kind and a pre-1979 movie worth revisiting or seeing for the first time is Howard Hawks' Rio Bravo (1959).