by Allan Fish
Best Picture The Last Picture Show, US (7 votes)
Best Director Stanley Kubrick, A Clockwork Orange (6 votes)
Best Actor Malcolm McDowell, A Clockwork Orange (7 votes)
Best Actress Jane Fonda, Klute (5 votes)
Best Supp Actor Ben Johnson, The Last Picture Show (9 votes)
Best Supp Actress Ellen Burstyn, The Last Picture Show (8 votes)
Best Cinematography Robert L.Surtees, The Last Picture Show (6 votes)
Best Score Georges Delerue, Les Deux Anglaises et le Continent & Isaac Hayes, Shaft (3 votes each TIE)
Best Short Hapax Legumena I: (Nostalgia), US, Hollis Frampton (4 votes)
so on to 1972.
1972
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Best Picture/Director
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The Age of Cosimo de Medici (Italy…Roberto Rossellini)
Aguirre, Wrath of God (West Germany…Werner Herzog)
The Amazing Mr Blunden (UK…Lionel Jeffries)
L’Amour l’Après Midi (France…Eric Rohmer)
Anatomia Milosci (Poland…Roman Zaluski)
And Give My Love to the Swallows (Czechoslovakia…Jaromil Jires)
Avanti! (US…Billy Wilder)
Bad Company (US…Robert Benton)
Beyond Time (Hungary…Ferenc Kosa)
The Bitter Tears of Petra Von Kant (West Germany…Rainer Werner Fassbinder)
Blaise Pascal (France/Italy…Roberto Rossellini)
The Blood Spattered Bride (Spain…Vicente Aranda)
Boxcar Bertha (US…Martin Scorsese)
Bubu (Italy…Mauro Bolognini)
Cabaret (US…Bob Fosse)
The Candidate (US…Michael Ritchie)
César and Rosalie (France…Claude Sautet)
China (Italy…Michelangelo Antonioni)
The Cowboys (US…Mark Rydell)
Cries and Whispers (Sweden…Ingmar Bergman)
The Cry of the People (Argentina…Humberto Rios)
Dauriya (USSR…Viktor Tregubovich)
The Dawns Here are Quiet (USSR…Stanislav Rostotsky)
Days of ‘36 (Greece…Theo Angelopoulos)
The Death of Maria Malibran (West Germany…Werner Schroeter)
Deep Throat (US…Gerard Damiano)
Deliverance (US…John Boorman)
The Devil (Poland…Andrzej Zulawski)
The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie (France…Luis Buñuel)
Dr Phibes Rises Again (UK…Robert Fuest)
Don’t Torture a Duckling (Italy…Lucio Fulci)
The Duchess of Malfi (UK…James McTaggart)
The Dupes (Syria…Tewfik Saleh)
Ecstasy of the Angels (Japan…Koji Wakamatsu)
Eight Deadly Shots (Finland…Mikko Niskanen)
Eight Hours are not a Day (West Germany (until 1973)…Rainer Werner Fassbinder)
Essene (US…Frederick Wiseman)
Eulogy (Japan…Kaneto Shindo)
Fat City (US…John Huston)
Female Convict Scorpion: Jailhouse 41 (Japan…Shunya Ito)
Female Prisoner #701: Scorpion (Japan…Shunya Ito)
Fist of Fury (Hong Kong…Lo Wei)
Frenzy (UK…Alfred Hitchcock)
The Getaway (US…Sam Peckinpah)
The Goat Horn (Bulgaria…Metodi Andonov)
The Godfather (US…Francis Ford Coppola)
The Harder They Come (Jamaica…Perry Henzell)
The Heartbreak Kid (US…Elaine May)
History Lessons (Italy…Jean-Marie Straub, Danièle Huillet)
Home (UK…Lindsay Anderson)
The Hot Rock (US…Peter Yates)
If I Had a Gun (Czechoslovakia…Stefan Uher)
Images (Ireland/US…Robert Altman)
Immortal Love (Japan…Chusei Sone)
The Insect Woman (South Korea…Kim Ki-Young)
Intimate Confessions of a Chinese Courtesan (Hong Kong…Cory Yuen)
Junior Bonner (US…Sam Peckinpah)
The King of Marvin Gardens (US…Bob Rafelson)
The Last House on the Left (US…Wes Craven)
Last Tango in Paris (Italy/France…Bernardo Bertolucci)
Lone Wolf and Cub: Baby Cart at the River Styx (Japan…Kenji Misumi)
Lone Wolf and Cub: Babycart in Peril (Japan…Buichi Saito)
Lone Wolf and Cub: Sword of Vengeance (Japan…Kenji Misumi)
The Long Darkness (Japan…Kei Kumai)
Ludwig (Italy…Luchino Visconti)
Ludwig: Requiem for a Virgin King (West Germany…Hans-Jürgen Syberberg)
Marjoe (US…Sarah Kernochan. Howard Smith)
The Matchmaking of Anna (Greece…Pantelis Voulgaris)
The Mattei Affair (Italy…Francesco Rosi)
The Monk (France…Ado Kyrou)
Morgiana (Czechoslovakia…Juraj Herz)
Motforestilling (Norway…Erik Lochen)
My Childhood (UK…Bill Douglas)
Naked Rashomon (Japan…Chusei Sone)
The Naked Seven (Japan…Yasuharu Hasebe)
Nathalie Granger (France…Marguerite Duras)
The New Land (Sweden…Jan Troell)
The Offence (UK…Sidney Lumet)
Ongaku (Japan…Yasuzo Masumura)
The Other (US…Robert Mulligan)
The Other Side of the Underneath (UK…Jane Arden)
The Other Side of the Wind (France…Orson Welles)
Out 1 Spectre (France…Jacques Rivette)
The Pig Keeper’s Daughter (US…Bethel Buckalew)
Pink Flamingos (US…John Waters)
Play It Again, Sam (US…Herbert Ross)
Poem (Japan…Akio Jissoji)
The Poseidon Adventure (US…Ronald Neame)
Prime Cut (US…Michael Ritchie)
Reminiscences of a Journey to Lithuania (US…Jonas Mekas)
The Rendezvous (Japan…Koichi Saito)
The Rites of Frankenstein (France/Spain…Jess Franco)
Rocker (West Germany…Klaus Lemke)
Roma (Italy…Federico Fellini)
The Ruling Class (UK…Peter Medak)
The Seduction of Mimi (Italy…Lina Wertmuller)
Sensuela (Finland…Teuvo Tulio)
The Shadow of the Tower (UK…various)
Slaughterhouse-Five (US…George Roy Hill)
Sleuth (UK…Joseph L.Mankiewicz)
Solaris (USSR…Andrei Tarkovsky)
Sounder (US…Martin Ritt)
Such a Gorgeous Kid Like Me (France…François Truffaut)
Superfly (US…Gordon Parks)
Tales from the Crypt (UK…Freddie Francis)
Tokugawa Sex Ban (Japan…Noribumi Suzuki)
Tomorrow (US…Joseph Anthony)
Tout va Bien (France…Jean-Luc Godard, Jean-Pierre Morin)
Ulzana’s Raid (US…Robert Aldrich)
Under the Flag of the Rising Sun (Japan…Kinji Fukusaku)
La Vallée (France…Barbet Schroeder)
War and Peace (UK (until 1973)…John Davies)
A Warning to the Curious (UK…Lawrence Gordon Clark)
We Will Not Grow Old Together (France…Maurice Pialat)
The Wedding (Poland…Andrzej Wajda)
What? (Italy…Roman Polanski)
What’s Up Doc? (US…Peter Bogdanovich)
With Clean Hands (Romania…Sergiu Nicolaescu)
You and I (USSR…Larisa Shepitko)
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Best Actor
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Woody Allen Play It Again, Sam
Marlon Brando The Godfather
Marlon Brando Last Tango in Paris
Michael Caine Sleuth
Jimmy Cliff The Harder They Come
Sean Connery The Offence
Robert Duvall Tomorrow
Charlton Heston Antony and Cleopatra
Anthony Hopkins War and Peace TV
Stacy Keach Fat City
Klaus Kinski Aguirre, Wrath of God
Keith Michell Henry VIII and His Six Wives
James Maxwell The Shadow of the Tower TV
Jack Nicholson The King of Marvin Gardens
Laurence Olivier Sleuth
Peter O’Toole The Ruling Class
Al Pacino The Godfather
Robert Redford The Candidate
Fernando Rey The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie
Gian Maria Volonte The Mattei Affair
Simon Ward Young Winston
Paul Winfield Sounder
Jean Yanne We Will Not Grow Old Together
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Best Actress
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Stéphane Audran The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie
Olga Bellin Tomorrow
Ellen Burstyn The King of Marvin Gardens
Margit Carstensen The Bitter Tears of Petra Von Kant
Sachiko Hidari Under the Flag of the Rising Sun
Marlene Jobert We Will Not Grow Old Together
Hitomi Kozue Naked Rashomon
Liza Minnelli Cabaret
Jeanne Moreau Louise
Diana Ross Lady Sings the Blues
Bulle Ogier La Vallée
Katya Paskaleva The Goat Horn
Delphine Seyrig The Discreet Charm of the Bourgoisie
Barbra Streisand What’s Up, Doc?
Ingrid Thulin Cries and Whispers
Dorothy Tutin Savage Messiah
Cicely Tyson Sounder
Liv Ullmann Cries and Whispers
Liv Ullmann The New Land
Magda Vasaryova And Give My Love to the Swallows
Susannah York Images
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Best Supp Actor
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Eddie Albert The Heartbreak Kid
Ian Bannen The Offence
Ned Beatty Deliverance
Jeff Bridges Fat City
James Caan The Godfather
John Castle Antony and Cleopatra
Rupert Davies War and Peace TV
Melvyn Douglas The Candidate
Robert Duvall The Godfather
Joel Grey Cabaret
Anthony Hopkins Young Winston
Trevor Howard Ludwig
Charles Kay The Duchess of Malfi TV
Arthur Lowe The Ruling Class
Alec McCowen Frenzy
Bill McKinney Deliverance
Don Porter The Candidate
Eric Porter Antony and Cleopatra
Wojciech Pszoniak The Devil
Yuri Yarvet Solaris
Michael York Cabaret
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Best Supp Actress
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Harriet Andersson Cries and Whispers
Jeanne Berlin The Heartbreak Kid
Natalya Bondarchuk Solaris
Eileen Heckart Butterflies Are Free
Madeline Kahn What’s Up, Doc?
Diane Keaton The Godfather
Diane Keaton Play It Again, Sam
Bulle Ogier The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie
Geraldine Page Pete N’ Tillie
Romy Schneider Ludwig
Hanna Schygulla The Bitter Tears of Petra Von Kant
Kari Sylwan Cries and Whispers
Susan Tyrell Fat City
Jessica Walter Play Misty for Me
Shelley Winters The Poseidon Adventure
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Best Cinematography
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Nestor Almendros La Vallée
Dick Bush Savage Messiah
Wo Cho-Hua Intimate Confessions of a Chinese Courtesan
Ennio Guarnieri Bubu
Conrad L.Hall Fat City
Laszlo Kovacs The King of Marvin Gardens
Thomas Mauch Aguirre, Wrath of God
Armando Nannuzzi Ludwig
Sven Nykvist Cries and Whispers
Edmond Richard The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie
Robert L. Surtees The Other
Vittorio Storaro Last Tango in Paris
Jan Troell The New Land
Geoffrey Unsworth Cabaret
Gordon Willis The Godfather
Vadim Yusov Solaris
Vilmos Zsigmond Deliverance
Vilmos Zsigmond Images
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Best Score
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Eduard Artemyev Solaris
Gato Barbieri Last Tango in Paris
Lubos Fiser Morgiana
Jerry Goldsmith The Other
Curtis Mayfield Superfly
Popol Vuh Aguirre, Wrath of God
Nino Rota The Godfather
John Williams Images
John Williams The Poseidon Adventure
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Best Short
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La Chambre (US…Chantal Akerman)
Design Q&A (US…Charles Eames)
Kama Sutra Rides Again (UK…Bob Godfrey)
Leonardo’s Diary (Czechoslovakia…Jan Svankmajer)
The Lorax (US…Hawley Pratt)
Lucifer Rising (US…Kenneth Anger)
Matrix III (US…John Whitney)
OffOn (US…Scott Bartlett)
Oni (Japan…Kihachiro Kawamoto)
Our Lady of the Sphere (US…Larry Jordan)
The Process (US…Stan Brakhage)
You’re Not Elected, Charlie Brown (US…Bill Melendez)
Best Picture: Cries and Whispers
Best Director: Ingmar Bergman (Cries and Whispers)
Best Actor: Max Von Sydow (The New Land)
Best Actress: Liv Ullmann (The New Land)
Best Supporting Actor: Joel Grey (Cabaret)
Best Supporting Actress: Harriett Andersson (Cries and Whispers)
Best Cinematography: Sven Nykvist (Cries and Whispers)
Best Score: Alfred Ralston (Young Winston)
Very hard to leave THE GODFATHER (one of the greatest of all American films) and CABARET (one of the greatest musicals of all-time) off for BEST PICTURE, but this is the way 1972 is, a truly exceptional year. Also in the masterpiece category are: THE NEW LAND, MY CHILDHOOD, THE DISCREET CHARM OF THE BOURGEIOSIE, AGUIRRE THE WRATH OF GOD, THE DEVIL and SOLARIS. And these are superlative as well: 1776, SLEUTH, THE RULING CLASS, FAT CITY, YOUNG WINSTON, SOUNDER, A SEPARATE PEACE, LISA AND THE DEVIL, DELIVERANCE, LUDWIG/REQUIEM, THE BITTER TEARS OF PETRA VON KANT, ECSTACY OF THE DEVILS, PINK FLAMINGOS. DR. PHIBES RISES AGAIN, THE HEARTBREAK KID.
The Best Actor race was a killer. I chose Von Sydow, but O’Toole (The Ruling Class), Olivier (Sleuth) and Brando and Pacino (The Godfather), Paul Winfield (Sounder) and Klaus Kinski (Aguiree) are all there.
Tough to ignore Ingrid Thulin (Cries and Whispers) and Liza Minelli (Cabaret) for Best Actress.
I went off the list for score, though of course Nino Rota is a very great choice as well.
Great news that THE LAST PICTURE SHOW triumphed for 1971.
Short: Lucifer Rising (Kenneth Anger)
Best Picture – The Godfather
Best Director – Francis Ford Coppola The Godfather
Best Actor – Marlon Brando The Godfather
Best Actress – Liza Minnelli Cabaret
Best Supp Actor – Joel Grey Cabaret
Best Supp Actress – Shelley Winters The Poseidon Adventure
Best Score – Nino Rota The Godfather
Pic- Cries and Whispers
Dir- Bergman- Cries and Whispers
Actor- Klaus Kinski- Aguirre…
Actress- Liza Minnelli- Cabaret
Supp. Actor- Jeff Bridges- Fat City
Supp. Actress- Hanna Schygulla- Bitter Tears…..
Score- Popul Vuh- Aguirre…
Cinematography- Sven Nykvist- Cries and Whispers
Just added the shorts. May be some more on the way, we’ll see. Hooray for (nostalgia) or whatever one chooses to call it.
I switched Lucifer Rising to the shorts section, as it’s only 29 minutes. I always placed it in ’80/’81 when I think the final revisions were made, but w/e, imdb has it as ’72 so…
Also, where is Brando for Last Tango????
Funny, I thought I loved ’72 (I was not as nutso about ’71 as everyone else). But I had to struggle to assemble a top 5 I was really invested in. I guess for me the crazy-awesome 70s begins more in ’73, where there have gotta be about a dozen features I just love. Unless memory is deceiving me yet again….
Feature: The Godfather
followed by:
2. Ways of Seeing
3. Solaris
4. Aguirre, the Wrath of God
5. The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie
Short: I’ll return later to break a tie and/or after watching the full list, but right now I’m leaning toward the Anger.
Director: Werner Herzog, Aguirre, the Wrath of God
Actor: Klaus Kinski, Aguirre, the Wrath of God
Actress: Ingrid Thulin, Cries and Whispers
Supp. Actor: James Caan, The Godfather
Supp. Actress: Harriet Andersson, Cries and Whispers
Cinematography: Sven Nykvist, Cries and Whispers (Willis deserves it too but he’ll win in ’74 where he pulls off even greater challenges)
Score: Nino Rota, The Godfather (out of curiosity, why such a small field?)
Screenplay: Jean-Luc Godard, Jean-Pierre Gorin, Letter to Jane
Editing: William Reynolds, Paul Zinner, The Godfather
Ensemble: Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, James Caan, Robert Duvall, Diane Keaton, Richard Castellano, Abe Vigoda, Al Lettieri, Talia Shire, John Cazale, Sterling Hayden, John Marley, Gianni Russo, Richard Conte, The Godfather
Scene: Closing the door on Kay, The Godfather (my top 10 this year would probably be 9 scenes from this movie, plus the shot of Kinski surrounding by monkeys. No other scenes need apply)
Line: “Leave the gun. Take the cannoli.”, The Godfather (see above, except this time it would be all 10)
Use of Music: Deliverance (I guess the tunes were not original, and don’t merit a Score nom, but pretty memorable use of music for sure…)
Close calls: DIRECTOR – Ingmar Bergman (Cries and Whispers), Bernardo Bertolucci (Last Tango in Paris), Francis Ford Coppola (The Godfather), Andrei Tarkovsky (Solaris), ACTOR – Marlon Brando (The Godfather), Marlon Brando (Last Tango in Paris), Al Pacino (The Godfather), ACTRESS – Liza Minnelli (Cabaret), SUPPORTING ACTOR – Robert Duvall (The Godfather), Joel Grey (Cabaret), Alex McCowen (Frenzy), SUPPORTING ACRESS – Natalya Bondarchuk (Solaris) – Sergei’s wife I presume? didn’t know this!, Kari Sylwan (Cries and Whispers), CINEMATOGRAPHY – Vittorio Storraro (Last Tango in Paris), Gordon Willis (The Godfather), SCORE – Popol Vuh (Last Tango in Paris), SCREENPLAY – The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie, The Godfather, Ways of Seeing EDITING – Cries and Whispers, ENSEMBLE – The cast of Cabaret, The cast of Cries and Whispers, The cast of Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie, SCENE – Assassination of Sollozzo (The Godfather), Baptism in Blood (The Godfather), Cutting Up Art: the intro (Ways of Seeing), Emperor of the Monkeys (Aguirre, the Wrath of God), USE OF MUSIC – Cabaret
Ummmmm…. Sorry MOVIEMAN… But you better re-see THE GODFATHER again…
The BEST SCENE you chose, CLOSING THE DOOR ON KAY, was in THE GODFATHER PART 2 and NOT the orginal from 1972. Micheal comes home to the Nevada house as Kay is making her slip-away exit out the back door… They weren’t living in Nevada in THE GODFATHER…
I’m talking about the last image of the movie, Dennis – when Al Neri closes the door on Michael’s wife (somehow it’s even colder that it isn’t Michael but one of his lackeys closing her out of his world) as the haunting waltz plays on the soundtrack, building in power as Michael completely embraces his new role. One of my favorite moments in cinema, and DEFINITELY in the first movie!
Joel is correct. It’s the final shot of the film.
I’ll join the chorus, though I enjoyed watching many of the other shorts:
Short: Lucifer Rising
And all due respect to Johnson, I really wish Oates could’ve squeaked out a victory in his GTO…
Johnson deserved it. But so did Oates. We’re splittling already split hairs here.
Really hard choosing between my top two. It could go either way to be honest. I’ll refrain from doling out another tie (though I really want to). Besides, Coppola will certainly grab the top spot during this decade.
Best Picture: Solaris
Top Five: 1. Solaris 2. The Godfather 3. The Discreet Charm Of The Bourgeoisie 4. Aguirre Wrath Of God 5. Cries And Whispers
Five Almosts: Fat City, Bad Company, Fellini Roma, Sleuth, and The Devil
Yay for “A Clockwork Orange” winning best director and actor (Malcolm McDowell).
Wait, what? My top choice for the year is NOT listed???? This movie is amazing!!!!
I vote “Etat de siege” for best film in 1972. (filmed in Chile)
I vote Costa-Gavras for best director (“Etat de siege”) for best director in 1972.
I vote Woody Allen for best actor in “Play it Again, Sam” in 1972.
I vote Meiko Kaji for best actress in “Female Prisoner #701: Scorpion” in 1972.
I vote Christopher Lee for best supporting actor in “Horror Express” in 1972.
I vote “Female Prisoner #701: Scorpion” for best cinematography.
I vote “Variations on a Cellophane Wrapper” for best short in 1972.
Wow, a whole write-in ballot. I’m weird.
My Top 5 for 1972:
1. Etat de siege
2. Female Prisoner #701: Scorpion
3. Horror Express
4. Blanche
5. Play it Again, Sam.
And I have “Blanche” as 1972 and not 1971.
Thogh the IMDb lists January 1972 every other reference point lists 1971 and I have a first showing of November 1971 in a printed source. That January date is probably the general release date in France.
Best Picture: Godfather
Director: Coppola
Actor: Kinski
Actress: Sachiko Hidari — but Jaime, I salute your choice!
Supporting Actor: Howard.
Supporting Actress: Schygulla
Cinematography: Wo Cho-Hua
Score: Rota
Picture: Cries and Whispers
Director: Ingmar Bergman, Cries and Whispers
Actor: Al Pacino, The Godfather
Actress: Liza Minnelli, Cabaret
Sup. Actor: Joel Grey, Cabaret
Sup Actress: Susan Tyrrell, Fat City
Cinematography: Sven Nyqvist, Cries and Whispers
THE LAST PICTURE SHOW???? Who’d have thought? Great choice anyway.
While 1972 would seem to be all sewn up by an obvious, popular choice, the year is vibrantly alive with greatness from all corners of the globe.
Here’s what I think…
PICTURE: CRIES AND WHISPERS
Top 5: 1. Cries and Whispers 2. The Godfather 3. Solaris 4. Aguirre: The Wrath of God 5. Cabaret
The obvious choice would be for Coppolas modern screen epic of Shakespearean tragedy and transformation… Yet, Bergman belts one out of the park with his visual tone poem on regret and despair at the crucial moment when we all realize that life is really a stay of execution. Hauntingly unforgettable and one of Bergmans masterworks if there ever was one, I cannot think of too many films that I have been so moved, and disturbed, by in all the time I’ve been studying the medium. Some would say this one is just the tip of the ice-berg for the greatest director that ever lived…
I say: LOOK AGAIN.
Up there with films like THE SEVENTH SEAL, FANNY AND ALEXANDER, PERSONA, THE VIRGIN SPRING, WILD STRAWBERRIES and SCENES FROM A MARRIAGE.
One of my ten favorite films of the 70′s and, absolutely, the best picture of 1972.
DIRECTOR: Ingmar BERGMAN (CRIES AND WHISPERS)
Runners Up: Francis Coppola (The Godfather), Werner Herzog (Aguirre: The Wrath of God)
One of the great balancing acts in cinema is the intense chamber dramatics that Bergman lauds over while ping-ponging the film as a consumately visual work of art. This is one of the master directors proudest moments as he slowly but surely transforms what could have been pure soap in the hands of a lesser director and produces moving paintings on screen.
LEAD ACTOR: Al PACINO (THE GODFATHER)
Runners Up: Laurence Olivier (Sleuth), Klaus Kinski (Aguirre: The Wrath of God)
Let’s get this straight. MARLON BRANDO is a SUPPORTING ACTOR for THE GODFATHER. He’s only in the film a fraction of the running time and, though one would think he’s the title character, he’s really one of the TWO title characters of the film.
That said, the fire of THE GODFATHER is the CENTRAL performance of Al Pacino, playing the MAIN character, he’s hypnotizing as the jaded soul seduced by greed of power and self-brainwashing of legimizing his slow transformation into a bloodthirsty monster. The performance is almost Shakespearean in tone and feeling. It’s also a star-making turn for Pacino who, as good as he was in PANIC IN NEEDLE PARK, finds his voice as the cool and collected viper in sheeps clothing.
LEAD ACTRESS: Ingrid THULIN (CRIES AND WHISPERS)
Runners Up: Liza Minelli (Cabaret), Cecily Tyson (Sounder)
NO CONTEST: Gut-wrentching would be the most perfect adjective I could use to describe Thulin’s performance as the self harm junkie of Bergmans contemplative and disturbing masterwork. With her soft voice lowered to a whisper her eyes really do most of the acting and you begin to wonder exactly just what’s going on behind them.
SUPP. ACTOR: Marlon BRANDO (THE GODFATHER)
Runners Up: Joel Grey (Cabaret), James Caan (The Godfather)
The REAL best supporting actor is BRANDO and I’ve finally put him in the category he deserves to be placed in. He only clocks in with about 48 minutes of screen time in a 3 hour film and he’s NOT the main character of the movie.
That said, he’s a powerhouse in every scene he’s in. From the funny imitation he does of his God-son’s crying, to the heart-rending pleas to the mortician to call in a huge favor, there’s not a moment Brando is on screen that he doesn’t convince you he’s been through the harshest wringers in life and now as hard as nails. One of the great, iconic turns in all of movie history.
SUPP. ACTRESS: Harriet ANDERSSON (CRIES AND WHISPERS)
Runners Up: Madeline Kahn (What’s Up Doc?), Jessica Walter (Play Misty For Me)
NO CONTEST: Andersson is absolutely heartbreaking as the fatally ill Agnes and the final moment that sees her dreams of her sisters return is one of the most heartbreaking in this wrentching masterpiece. Watching Andersson here is like watching a loved one race through our mind in all the most memorable moments we have with them, only to come back to reality and despair over the emminent demise. A breathtaking turn.
Madeline Kahn was a close second for me with her wildly over-the-top turn as Ryan O’Neal’s loud-mouth fiance…
PHOTO: Sven NYKVIST (CRIES AND WHISPERS)
Runners Up: Gordon Willis (The Godfather), Thomas Mauch (Aguirre: The Wrath of God)
Willis may have made his name with THE GODFATHER (or at least his knick-name: “The Prince Of Darkness”), but it’s the tricky manipulation of the primary color red coming from Nykvist in CRIES AND WHISPERS that becomes fine art set to movement. Bergman and Nykvist’s joint vision for this film is one of the most despairing, provocative and unforgettable in all of cinema history.
MUSIC: Nino ROTA (THE GODFATHER)
Runners Up: Eduard Artemyev (Solaris)
The popular choice happens to be the BEST choice. The mandolin solo of the love theme for THE GODFATHER is one of the most iconic and recognizable in all of screen history and the soft tinkling of the piano chords before the thumping that becomes the death roll for the slaughter of the heads of the five families is, justly, unforgettable.
Best Picture: The Godfather
Best Director: Francis Ford Coppola- The Godfather
Best Actor: Al Pacino- The Godfather
Best Actress:Lliza Manelli- Cabaret
Best Supporting Actor: James Caan- The Godfather
Best Supporting Actress: Harriett Andersson- Cries and Whispers
Best Cinematography: Gordon Willis- The Godfather
Best Score: Nina Rota- The Godfather
Best Picture: Cabaret
Best Director: Bob Fosse (Cabaret)
Best Actor: Peter O’ Toole (The Ruling Class)
Best Actress: Cicely Tyson (Sounder)
Best Supporting Actor: Joel Grey (Cabaret)
Best Supporting Actress: Hariet Anderson (Cries and Whispers)
Best Short: Lucifer Rising (Anger)
Best Cinematography: Sven Nykvist (Cries and Whispers)
Best Score: Nino Rota (The Godfather)
Film: ‘The New Land’; ‘The Godfather’; ‘The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie’
Director: Jan Troell (‘The New Land’); Francis Ford Coppola (‘The Godfather’); Luis Bunuel (‘The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie’)
Actress: Cicely Tyson (‘Sounder’); Liv Ullmann (‘The New Land’); Dorothy Tutin (‘Savage Messiah’)
Actor: Peter O’Toole (‘The Ruling Class’); Max von Sydow (‘The New Land’); Marlon Brando (‘Last Tango in Paris’)
S. Actress: Cybill Shepherd (‘The Heartbreak Kid’); Harriet Andersson (‘Cries and Whispers’); Susan Tyrell (‘Fat City’)
S. Actor: Arthur Lowe (‘The Ruling Class’); Eddie Albert (‘The Heartbreak Kid’); Eddie Axberg (‘The New Land’)
Photography: Thomas Mauch (‘Aguirre, the Wrath of God’); Gordon Willis (‘The Godfather’); Jan Troell (‘The New Land’)
Best Picture: The Godfather
Best Director: Ingmar Bergman (Cries and Whispers)
Best Actor: Marlon Brando (Last Tango in Paris)
Best Actress: Ingrid Thulin (Cries and Whispers)
Best Supporting Actor: Marlon Brando (The Godfather)
Best Supporting Actress: Harriett Andersson (Cries and Whispers)
Best Cinematography: Sven Nykvist (Cries and Whispers)
Best Score: Nina Rota (The Godfather)
Somewhat over the map this year.
Best Picture: The Ruling Class
Best Director: Peter Medak, The Ruling Class
Best Actor: Peter O’Toole, The Ruling Class
Best Actress: Liv Ullmann, Cries and Whispers
Best Supporting Actor: Ned Beatty, Deliverance
Best Supporting Actress: Madeline Kahn, What’s Up Doc (write-in)
Best Cinematography: Vittorio Storaro, Last Tango in Paris
Best Score: Nino Rota, The Godfather
Another year where, for all the fine films, I don’t see any competition at the top – the best is on another plane.
PICTURE: Aguirre Wrath of God
DIRECTOR: Werner Herzog
LEAD ACTOR: Klaus Kinski
LEAD ACTRESS: Liza Minelli, Cabaret
SUPPORTING ACTOR: Joel Gray, Cabaret
SUPPORTING ACTRESS: Hanna Schygulla
SHORT: Vertical Roll (video art by Joan Jonas…)
SCORE: Popul Vuh, Aguirre
CINEMATOGRAPHY: Thomas Mauch, Aguirre
Plus bonus picks:
Script: Love in the Afternoon. Rohmer
Music/Sound: probably Cabaret.
Documentary: Sayonara CP, by the inimitable Kazuo Hara
A truly incredible year for world cinema indeed! And consequently, an exceptionally difficult year for the voters. By the way, I was of the opinion that Jancso’s Red Psalm is a 1972 movie.
My choices for 1972:-
Best Picture: Solaris
Best Director: Ingmar Bergman (Cries & Whispers)
Best Actor: Klaus Kinski (Aguirre)
Best Actress: Ingrid Thulin (Cries & Whispers)
Best Supporting Actor: Marlon Brando (The Godfather)
Best Supporting Actress: Harriet Andersson (Cries & Whispers)
Best Cinematography: Sven Nykvist (Cries & Whispers) & Gordon Willis (The Godfather)
Best Score: Nino Rota (The Godfather)
Top 10:
1. Cries & Whispers
2. Solaris
3. The Godfather
4. Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie
5. Aguirre, the Wrath of God
6. Un Flic
7. Red Psalm
8. Play It Again, Sam
9. The King of Mervin Gardens
10. Last Tango in Paris
Just Missed: Days of ’36, Chloe in the Afternoon
Correction…
Best Picture: Cries & Whispers.
Thanks Sam for pointing out the contradiction.
This one was easy, even though its competitors were imposingly large. But how could it go any other direction? By the way, I agree that Brando’s Vito Corleone is a supporting performance, so I voted as such (and this allowed me to give Kinski his due). As for Rota’s score, I can’t deny its brilliance…but it was bested by both Mayfield’s rocking score for SUPERFLY, and ultimately, by John Williams’ one-of-a-kind, Japanese influenced soundscape for Altman’s IMAGES (which also took Best Actress for Ms. York’s piercing, screaming insanity). I feel sorry that Bergman’s resilient CRIES AND WHISPERS didn’t fare better in my ballot, though; but, really, are we to give this greatest of filmmakers the top prize each and every year? 1972 just feels like the introduction of another, in a big way. Incidentally, my tie vote for supporting actress is only my second tie in all of the ballots I’ve put forth. I just could not choose between Ms. Winters (who, with her physicality and voice, breaks my heart every time in POSEIDON ADVENTURE) and Ms. Berlin (who manages to make an irritating character also undeniably lovable and, with her final scene, pitiable); I should point out, PLAY MISTY FOR ME was no question a 1971 film, though Jessica Walter deserved many accolades for her performance in it. And now I confess: THE POSEIDON ADVENTURE is defiantly one of my favorites, as a child and as an adult; it may seem cheesy, but I love it, and I think it has a profound undercurrent to it, so I encourage you all to check it out again, because it’s terrifically entertaining, strongly crafted on all levels, but it also has a mean religious umph. As for STATE OF SIEGE…one of Costa Gavras’ best…but should it really be considered a movie from this year, just because IMDB says it was released on nearly the last day of the year, in West Germany only? Oh god…I have so many problems with how this process is going. But, without saying too much more, I am doing what I can. Finally, as always, the non-winning capitalized entries are the ones left off Allen’s wonderful lists.
1972
BEST PICTURE: THE GODFATHER (followed by, in descending order): Cabaret, Cries and Whispers, Aguirre the Wrath of God, Deliverance, Solaris, The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie, What’s Up Doc?, Bad Company, The Poseidon Adventure, Images, The Candidate, The Heartbreak Kid, Tomorrow, Sleuth, Marjoe, Slaughterhouse-Five, The Other, Frenzy, The Harder They Come, The King of Marvin Gardens, Play It Again Sam, Tales from the Crypt, STATE OF SIEGE, Chloe in the Afternoon, Prime Cut, Pink Flamingos, ACROSS 110TH STREET, Fat City, The Offense, HICKEY AND BOGGS, ELVIS ON TOUR, The New Land, Sounder, Superfly, The Cowboys, MALCOLM X, The Ruling Class, THE EFFECT OF GAMMA RAYS ON MAN-IN-THE-MOON MARIGOLDS, THE NEW CENTURIONS, Ulzana‘s Raid, Junior Bonner, CISCO PIKE, POCKET MONEY, The Hot Rock, EVERYTHING YOU ALWAYS WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT SEX, PETE N‘ TILLIE, Last Tango in Paris, YOUNG WINSTON, FILLMORE, Ludwig, LADY SINGS THE BLUES, The Getaway, JEREMIAH JOHNSON, 1776, KANSAS CITY BOMBER, SNOOPY COME HOME, THE MECHANIC, Dr. Phibes Rises Again, THE BIG BIRD CAGE, Boxcar Bertha, THE WAR BETWEEN MEN AND WOMEN
DIRECTOR: Francis Ford Coppola, THE GODFATHER (2nd: Bob Fosse, Cabaret, followed by: Ingmar Bergman, Cries and Whispers; Werner Herzog, Aguirre the Wrath of God ; Andrei Tarkovsky, Solaris; John Boorman, Deliverance)
ACTOR: Klaus Kinski, AGUIRRE THE WRATH OF GOD (2nd: Robert Duvall, Tomorrow, followed by: Al Pacino, The Godfather; Woody Allen, Play It Again Sam; Laurence Olivier, Sleuth; Michael Caine, Sleuth)
ACTRESS: Suzannah York, IMAGES (2nd: Barbra Streisand, What‘s Up, Doc?, followed by: Liza Minnelli, Cabaret; Olga Bellin, Tomorrow; Ingrid Thulin, Cries and Whispers; Liv Ullmann, Cries and Whispers)
SUPPORTING ACTOR: Marlon Brando, THE GODFATHER (2nd: Joel Grey, Cabaret, followed by: Ned Beatty, Deliverance; Eddie Albert, The Heartbreak Kid; Robert Duvall, The Godfather; Bill McKinney, Deliverance)
SUPPORTING ACTRESS: (TIE) Jeanne Berlin, THE HEARTBREAK KID and Shelley Winters, THE POSEIDON ADVENTURE (2nd: Harriet Andersson, Cries and Whispers, followed by Madeline Kahn, What‘s Up Doc?; Diane Keaton, Play It Again Sam; JOAN COLLINS, TALES FROM THE CRYPT)
CINEMATOGRAPHY: Gordon Willis, THE GODFATHER (2nd: Geoffrey Unsworth, Cabaret, followed by: Vilmos Zsigmond, Deliverance; Vadim Yusov, Solaris; Sven Nykvist, Cries and Whispers; Robert L. Surtees, The Other)
SCORE: John Williams, IMAGES (2nd: Curtis Mayfield, Super Fly; followed by Nino Rota, The Godfather; John Williams, The Poseidon Adventure; Jerry Goldsmith, The Other; HARVEY SCHMIDT, BAD COMPANY)
SHORT: LA CHAMBRE (Chantal Akerman) (2nd: Matrix III (John Whitney), followed by OffOn (Scott Bartlett); Design Q&A (Charles and Ray Eames); Kama Sutra Rides Again (Bob Godfrey); You’re Not Elected, Charlie Brown (Bill Melendez)
FURTHER:
ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY: Jeremy Larner, THE CANDIDATE (2nd: Ingmar Bergman, Cries and Whispers; Werner Herzog, Aguirre The Wrath of God; Luis Bunuel and Jean-Claude Carriere, The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie; David Newman and Robert Benton, Bad Company; Peter Bogdanovich, Buck Henry, David Newman and Robert Benton, What’s Up Doc?)
ADAPTED SCREENPLAY: Francis Ford Coppola and Mario Puzo, THE GODFATHER (2nd: Jay Presson Allen, Cabaret; Horton Foote, Tomorrow; Neil Simon, The Heartbreak Kid; James Dickey, Deliverance; Stephen Geller, Slaughterhouse-Five)
DOCUMENTARY FEATURE: MARJOE (Howard Smith and Sarah Kernochan) (2nd: Malcolm X (Arnold Perl and Melvin Worth) followed by Manson (Robert Henderson and Lawrence Merrick); Elvis on Tour (Pierre Adidge and Robert Abel); Fillmore (Richard T. Heffron)
ART DIRECTION: THE GODFATHER, followed by Cabaret, Cries and Whispers, Sleuth, The Poseidon Adventure, The Other
COSTUME DESIGN: CABARET, followed by Cries and Whispers, 1776, The Godfather, Ludwig, Travels With My Aunt
FILM EDITING: THE GODFATHER, followed by: Cabaret, Deliverance, The Candidate, The Poseidon Adventure, Slaughterhouse-Five
SOUND: CABARET, followed by The Poseidon Adventure, The Godfather, The Candidate, Sleuth, What’s Up Doc?
SCORING OF A MUSICAL: CABARET (2nd: 1776)
ORIGINAL SONG: “Money Money“ from CABARET (music and lyrics by John Kander and Fred Ebb); (2nd: “The Harder They Come” from The Harder They Come (music and lyrics by Jimmy Cliff, followed by “Superfly” from Superfly (music and lyrics by Curtis Mayfield); “Across 110th Street“ from Across 110th Street (music and lyrics by Bobby Womack); “The Morning After” from The Poseidon Adventure (music and lyrics by Al Kasha and Joel Hirschorn); “Mein Herr” from Cabaret (music and lyrics by John Kander and Fred Ebb); “Ben” from Ben (music by Walter Scharf, lyrics by Don Black)
SPECIAL EFFECTS: THE POSEIDON ADVENTURE (2nd: Solaris)
MAKEUP: THE GODFATHER (2nd: Cabaret)
ANIMATED FEATURE: SNOOPY COME HOME (Bill Melendez)
Wow, what a year for songs: The Harder They Come (which would be my pick), Superfly, Ben…
Maybe THE HARDER THEY COME should have been my choice. I’m reconsidering it.
My top five for 1972:
1. Cries and Whispers – Ingmar Bergman
2. The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie – Luis Bunuel
3. Fat City – John Huston
4. Play It As It Lays – Frank Perry
5. Last Tango in Paris – Bernardo Bertolucci
A truly great year, but one film clearly stands apart.
Best Picture: Cries and Whispers
Best Director: Ingmar Bergman
Best Actor: Marlon Brando (Last Tango in Paris)
Best Actress: Tuesday Weld (Play It As It Lays)
Best supporting actor: Joel Grey (Cabaret) I’m going with the traditional view that Brando is a co-lead in The Godfather.
Best supporting actress: Susan Tyrrell (Fat City)
Best Cinematography: Sven Nykvist (Cries and Whispers)
Best Score: Nino Rota (The Godfather)
BEST PICTURE: THE GODFATHER
BEST DIRECTOR; Peter Bogdanovitch for WHAT’S UP, DOC?
BEST ACTOR: Al Pacino in THE GODFATHER
BEST ACTRESS: Ellen Burstyn in THE KING OF MARVIN GARDENS
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR: Joel Grey in CABARET
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS: Susan Tyrell in FAT CITY
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY: Sven Nykvist for CRIES AND WHISPERS
BEST SCORE: Nino Rota for THE GODFATHER
BEST SHORT: KAMA SUTRA RIDES AGAIN:
Wow, that is a bold pick from the directorial choices for ’72!! I actually haven’t seen the Bogdanovich screwball yet – I’m guessing you’re giving him the nod because you admire the comic timing & delivery he extracts from O’Neal and Striesand (I can’t imagine the film’s visual filmmaking tops Godfather, Aguirre, Cries and Whispers, or Solaris, even sight unseen…)?
Best Picture: The Godfather
Best Director: Francis Ford Coppola (The Godfather)
Best Actor: Marlon Brando (The Godfather)
Best Actress: Liza Minelli (Cabaret)
Best Supporting Actor: Joel Grey (Cabaret)
Best Supporting Actress: Harriet Anderson (Cries and Whispers)
Best Short: Lucifer Rising (K. Anger) watched over weekend.
Best Cinematography: Gordon Willis (The Godfather)
Best Score: Nino Rota (The Godfather)
Best Film: Cries and Whispers
Best Director: Ingmar Berman, Cries and Whispers
Best Actor: Peter O’Toole, The Ruling Class
Best Actress: Ingrid Thulin, Cries and Whispers
Best Sup. Actor: Robert Duvall, The Godfather
Best Sup. Actress: Harriet Andersson (Cries and Whispers
Best Cinematography: Sven Nykvist (Cries and Whispers)
Best Score: Nino Rota (The Godfather)
Best Short:: You’re not Elected, Charlie Brown
Picture: Deliverance
Director: John Boorman
Actor: Marlon Brando
Actress: Cicely Tyson
Pic: The Godfather (US…Francis Ford Coppola)
Director: The Godfather (US…Francis Ford Coppola)
Actor: Marlon Brando The Godfather
Actress: Liv Ullmann Cries and Whispers
Supp Actor: Ned Beatty Deliverance
Supp Actress: Harriet Andersson Cries and Whispers
Stop the (mechanically reproducing) presses! I should have written myself a reminder when Allan mentioned he would be disqualifying it, as he had Civilisation, but I meant to include Ways of Seeing in the runners-up for top 10, best screenplay, and best scene (the opening). Just rectified, with absolutely no consequences for anything except my planned rundown of all my choices come the end of this poll.
It’s online, if any haven’t seen it yet: