by Allan Fish
Here we go again, guys, another decade where I will offer my best films of the 1970s knowing fine well some will never be heard of and that the chances of my choices being replicated in the poll are somewhat thinner than Calista Flockhart at the height of Ally McBeal.
Never mind, like Canute, I will try to hold back the tide against mediocrity…here’s the nearlies…
51 | My Childhood (UK 1972…Bill Douglas) |
52 | Monty Python’s Life of Brian (UK 1979…Terry Jones) |
53 | One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (US 1975…Milos Forman) |
54 | Picnic at Hanging Rock (Australia 1975…Peter Weir) |
55 | The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie (France 1972…Luis Buñuel) |
56 | Cabaret (US 1972…Bob Fosse) |
57 | Love (Hungary 1971…Karoly Makk) |
58 | The Marriage of Maria Braun (West Germany 1978…Rainer Werner Fassbinder) |
59 | The Wicker Man: the director’s cut (UK 1973/1990…Robin Hardy) |
60 | King Lear (USSR 1970…Grigori Kozintsev) |
61 | Badlands (US 1973…Terrence Malick) |
62 | Alien: director’s cut (UK 1979/2001…Ridley Scott) |
63 | Five Easy Pieces (US 1970…Bob Rafelson) |
64 | Man of Marble (Poland 1977…Andrzej Wajda) |
65 | All the President’s Men (US 1976…Alan J.Pakula) |
66 | Aguirre, Wrath of God (West Germany 1972…Werner Herzog) |
67 | Macbeth (UK 1971…Roman Polanski) |
68 | The Conversation (US 1974…Francis Ford Coppola) |
69 | Red Psalm (Hungary 1971…Miklós Jancsó) |
70 | Kings of the Road (West Germany 1976…Wim Wenders) |
71 | Killer of Sheep (US 1977…Charles Burnett) |
72 | Last Tango in Paris (Italy/France 1972…Bernardo Bertolucci) |
73 | The Tin Drum (West Germany 1979…Volker Schlondorff) |
74 | Network (US 1976…Sidney Lumet) |
75 | The Garden of the Finzi Continis (Italy 1970…Vittorio de Sica) |
76 | The Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith (Australia 1978…Fred Schepisi) |
77 | M*A*S*H (US 1970…Robert Altman) |
78 | 1900 (Italy 1976…Bernardo Bertolucci) |
79 | Lancelot du Lac (France 1974…Robert Bresson) |
80 | Walkabout (Australia 1971…Nicolas Roeg) |
81 | Siberiade (USSR 1979…Andrei Mikhalkov-Konchalovsky) |
82 | The Memory of Justice (US 1976…Marcel Ophuls) |
83 | Lacombe, Lucien (France 1974…Louis Malle) |
84 | Daughters of Darkness (Belgium 1970…Harry Kumel) |
85 | La Bête (France 1975…Walerian Borowczyk) |
86 | Solaris (USSR 1972…Andrei Tarkovsky) |
87 | Jaws (US 1975…Steven Spielberg) |
88 | Don Giovanni (Italy/West Germany/UK 1979…Joseph Losey) |
89 | Mean Streets (US 1973…Martin Scorsese) |
90 | Pennies from Heaven (UK 1978…Piers Haggard) TV |
91 | Szindbád (Hungary 1971…Zoltán Huszárik) |
92 | The Age of Cosimo de Medici (Italy 1972…Roberto Rossellini) TV |
93 | Young Frankenstein (US 1974…Mel Brooks) |
94 | Tristana (Spain/France 1970…Luis Buñuel) |
95 | Ecstasy of the Angels (Japan 1972…Koji Wakamatsu) |
96 | Klute (US 1971…Alan J.Pakula) |
97 | WR: The Mysteries of the Organism (Yugoslavia 1971…Dusan Makavejev) |
98 | Female Prisoner #701: Scorpion (Japan 1971…Shunya Ito) |
99 | Days of Heaven (US 1978…Terrence Malick) |
100 | The Woman With Red Hair (Japan 1979…Tatsumi Kumashiro) |
I’m excited to submit my own sure-to-be-different list…but man, one thing is for certain: there’s still A LOT of movies I haven’t seen. I recognize maybe 30 of the titles on your supplementary list. I have a lot of work to do…
Hi! Allan,
Very interesting lists of 51-100 films that were “cut”hmmm… La Bête (France 1975…Walerian Borowczyk)
By the way, I really “hate” this film is included on the
first 51-100 films that nearly made the list, Oh! Well, you cannot win them all!
Tks,
DeeDee 😉
To my surprise I have seen most of these. I would include a number in my top 25.
But The Life of Brian? It is about as funny as Robin Hood Men In Tights. And Cabaret? A big yawn in daylight.
Tony, how did the sense of humour bypass go? I forgot to ask. As for Cabret, it’s the only major styage musical adaptation there is.
Allan said, “Here we go again, guys, another decade where I will offer my (Allan) best films of the 1970s knowing fine well some will never be heard of and that the chances of my choices being replicated in the poll are somewhat…”
Allan Fish,
Pardon me! I forgot to read the “small” print!
These are “your” selections!(and they all seem like very interesting selections, If I may say so, but if I want La Bête (France 1975…Walerian Borowczyk) on my list, then I better…Well, you know!…
DeeDee 😉
Although this is a fine list, I doubt many of these will not have been seen. Outside of the Bill Douglas and the Japanese film sitting at #100 ( and 95, 85 and 81) I think a good deal of the voters have seen most of all the others.
Dee Dee: I see you are not a fan of LA BETE. Well, I’ll admit if not anything else it is indeed a very disturbing film.
The tab is up under the header for the 70’s poll.
Everyone and anyone is encouraged to submit.
DeeDee, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, stick to one log in name. WordPress will throw you out again and stop you making comments if you start mixing and matching again. Find one name and stick to it. 🙂
Sam, so everyone’s seen no 91, 98 and 82 then? I doubt it. Besides, the list is of the best of the 1970s, not the best people haven’t seen. It’s just that my best contains a few that people won’t have seen, and the same applies to no 50 the first up tomorrow.
I’m certainly looking forward to another decade countdown and an introduction by Mr. Fish to films I have probably never heard of and will subsequently add to a must-see list. Although I’ve been completely inept at participating in countdowns thus far, my hope is by the time you reach silent cinema I’ll be able to contribute a list.
Also, what a spectacular new WordPress theme for the site! If I’ve already missed a prior conversation about it, I apologize — but I just wanted to say the blog looks great.
Interesting… many films in these 51-100 positions that are going to rank _very_ high in my Top 25. I look forward to seeing the lists of everyone else too.
Allan, you MISREAD what I said. I said everyone in all probability saw most of the ones on this list EXCEPT for those noted.
As for our dear Dee Dee, her comments here have always been the heart and soul of this site from the very beginning. I think Word Press has adapted to both surnames Allan, as if they were two different people. Only when multiple links are included are there any problems.
“If I may say so, but if I want La Bête (France 1975…Walerian Borowczyk) on my list, then I better…Well, you know!…”
(I most definitely, will not watch or add this film to my list!)
Right you are! Sam Juliano, I just checked out the film over there at DVD Beaver…I must admit that Walerian Borowczyk’s 1975 film La Bête looks “pretty” disturbing! 😯
However, in my quest to be “artsy” or in the “know”…
…I confused Walerian Borowczyk’s 1975 film “La Bête” title with a film that C.M., just send to me last week.
Director Jean Cocteau’s 1946 title La Belle et la Bête, but I’am still sooo ”embarrassed” 😳
*No excuse*…I still should have checked it out before I posted my comment.
I know, I know and to use an “idiom”…comparing the two films are like mixing apples vs. oranges.
Therefore, I must depend on you, “film aficionados” to point me (”The novice”) in the “right” direction.
Tks, for that heads-up!…Sam Juliano,
DeeDee 😉
Indeed Dee Dee, but I must say that I’m a big fan of that film C.M. sent you. LA BETE will turn many people off, as Allan well realizes. I prefer a few others over that one from the director. i.e. BLANCHE, GOTO…
T.S. (Screen Savour) Thanks so very much for that glowing compliment on the site. That was Tony D’Ambra’s idea, and he fully implemented it. I agree it’s a vast improvement.
“Allan said,”DeeDee, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, sticks to one log in name. Word Press will throw you out again and stop you making comments if you start mixing and matching again. Find one name and stick to it.”
Ok! LOL!!! 😆
Allan, I noticed the name change occurs whenever I Logout of Word press. Therefore, I must remain Logged in… So that I want, appear on the blogsite as two very different people and be “thrown” out again!…
…In the meantime, I will try to “rectify” this problem with Word press.
Thank you! 😉
I didn’t misread, Sam, old boy, the numbers I have were not the same numbers YOU did. Specs on, Samius Senilius.
Actually yet again a handful of these I haven’t seen. A little disappointed to see “Days of Heaven” dangling off the precipice, though — I adore that film.
Also, I wouldn’t suspect Tony to dig “Life of Brian” since it skewers Abrahamic faith (no offense), but it is unquestionably Python’s best film and most controlled satire, particularly in the scenes where the titular character is attracting a collection of adherents to his irritation. It ranks up there with the finest Flying Circus episodes (“Blamanges Playing Tennis,” “The Piranha Brothers”).
I am very happy that JAWS is nowhere near the top 50 (let alone top 25). It’s a film I often see on bloggers lists of 100 greatest films EVER in, no kidding, top 5 status. My Spielberg hate aside, this in a nutshell is why I enjoy the opinions on this site so much. (I’m left wondering if WitD likes the JAWS inspired PIRANHA more as I do?)
Which reminds me if the 60’s was known for the explosion of European art house, the 70’s would be all the American upstarts and Exploitation no? Wonder how Exploitation figures in people’s lists, so far no so good.
I will agree with Jon about the Malick, he’s a top 5 director for me personally, though I place BADLANDS as my favorite of his (probably followed by THE THIN RED LINE then DAYS OF HEAVEN). But to each his own, I cannot wait for this list to commence. The 50-100 has already sent me reeling to my netflix queue.
Also surprised with the placing of THE CONVERSATION it’s the best Coppola in my opinion.
Oh and who ever said the disparaging words for CABARET it’s better then ANY of the populist musicals we got last poll (SINGING IN THE RAIN, MARY POPPINS ect).
Jamie:
I don’t think Spielberg is THAT bad, but I agree, a lot of people overrate Jaws. I actually think the movie is kind of boring. You are dead-on about the way the 70’s will be remembered. The 60’s was all about world cinema, and the 70’s was all about young, upstart American directors. You will see plenty of exploitation films on my list — well maybe not exploitation in the sense of I Spit on Your Grave, but you’ll see names like Argento, Bava, Clark, Carpenter, and Fulci on the list.
Wonder how Exploitation figures in people’s lists, so far no so good.
Allan himself confided to me in a trans-Atlantic séance that his #1 of the decade will be “Debbie Does Dallas”. Well, it was either Allan or John Mayall, who are currently the only two Brits I can communicate with via black arts…
Allan himself confided to me in a trans-Atlantic séance that his #1 of the decade will be “Debbie Does Dallas”. Well, it was either Allan or John Mayall, who are currently the only two Brits I can communicate with via black arts…
I always figured Allan to be a “Behind the Green Door” man, or at least “They Call Her One Eye: A Cruel Picture” (Unrated of course). Oh well his top 50 still remains.
I wonder if anyone will give some love to Deep Throat or Behind the Green Door??? Now that’s a defense I would like to read…
Well guys, Allan was the first blogsite proprietor to “cross the line” so to speak with his prominent display of a nude photo in a Japanese film during his countdown last month, so you may be most surprised to see what’s on the 70’s list!!!
Allan, an intriguing list of nos. 51-100. About half the movies on my tentative list of the top 25 are found here in the bottom half of the top 100! Which makes me very curious about the actual top 50. Waiting eagerly to see what they’ll be.
Hradly cross the line, Sam. Have you ever looked at DVDBeaver screencaps, for one. You haven’t been on too many forums either, by the sound of it. And it was one breast. I know that’s an offence worthy of death in puritanical far right wing America, over here it’s nothing.
As for adult crap, well I have all those mentioned above, but once was enough for all of them, except perhaps the deliriously awful musical of Alce in Wonderland and the truly, truly deranged Through the Looking Glass or, best of all, the actually okay The Opening of Misty Beethoven, which included the following wonderful exchange…
MISTY BEETHOVEN (Constance Money) – What’s the major difference between New York and Rome?
SEYMOUR LOVE (Jamie Gillis) – There aren’t as many Italians in Rome.
You may also be surprised to note that amongst the first parcel of goodies sent to me by Sam several years ago, he enclosed, quite without request, Ed Wood’s porno anti-masterpiece Necromania, which still should be considered illegal on ground of being offensively bad.
As for no 50, well, let’s say it’s not family entertainment, but certainly not XXX…infact, watching XXX from the 70s would be far LESS disturbing.
Oh, and Jon, never tagged you as a Malleus Maleficarum reader. Nice! Bet you have the Dover Publications edition, like me, eh?
Nothing better than having that in your hand when the Jehovahs Witnesses call round and just showing it to them and saying, softly, “I work for the other side…”
Allan, I have been known to laugh during Fawlty Towers and I have fond memories of the late lamented depressive Spike Milligan (born and bred in Oz). But I could never warm to the ‘bleeding obvious’ antics of Monty Python or the Goons, and Mel Brooks leaves me cold. So yes I am partially humor-challenged.
Tony as far as Mel Brooks, I dislike nearly all his films. But he did have one single shining moment and that was THE PRODUCERS. Did you like that one?
Sad to say Sam , I tried to like THE PRODUCERS and I can understand your liking for it, but as you know musicals are not my cup of tea. Indeed, for me the worst TV show season finale is the episode of Curb Your Enthusiasm in which Larry David appears on-stage in a Brooks re-staging…
Sam said,”Tony as far as Mel Brooks, I dislike nearly all his films. But he did have one single shining moment and that was THE PRODUCERS.”
Wow! Sam Juliano, I just picked up this boxset for you!…and can you guess what title isn’t “included” in the boxset? LOL!… 😆
The Mel Brooks Collection (Blazing Saddles / Young Frankenstein / Silent Movie / Robin Hood: Men in Tights / To Be or Not to Be / History of the World, Part 1 / The Twelve Chairs / High Anxiety) (1974)
What do you want me to do with this boxset? 🙄
No! No! No!…Don’t answer that….
DeeDee 😉
OH MY GOD Dee Dee! Well, I am speechless but you must not think of getting any DVDs for me, as you must build your own collection. Your continuous concerm is legendary, and your spirit is singular. As to the films in the set, I do have BLAZING SADDLES, which I regard as Brooks’s second best film behind THE PRODUCERS.
Tony: I hear you. As a whole he is a tough sell, but the first film always has me in stitches.
Oops!…Sam, Is the film The Twelve Chairs and…The Producers one in the same? 🙄
DeeDee 🙂
Sam Juliano,
I’am just “kidding around” with you, about the Mel Brooks boxset, but I really do have a serious question to ask you, about some films.
DeeDee 😉
I diagree, Young Frankenstein and The Producers are both equally worthwhile, the rest you can keep.
Dee Dee: They are different films. But we will speak by email later today. Thanks!
Hey Allan! What about three films by John Waters that I endlessly promote? Seriously.
PINK FLAMINGOS
DESPERATE LIVING
and best of all:
FEMALE TROUBLE
These may cross the line, but in a much different way. But they are cult classics, and they are absolutely hysterical!
The difference is that what I promote is quality. What you promote is cinematic diarrhoea.
They’re about as funny as as a public execution and worthy of discussion as the works of Ed Wood. Now THEY are funny.
They’re about as funny as as a public execution
Actually, public executions can be pretty funny. Remember “The Life of Brian”…
Oh, and Jon, never tagged you as a Malleus Maleficarum reader. Nice! Bet you have the Dover Publications edition, like me, eh?
I actually do, somewhere, although I enjoy pretending I can read the original Latin folios (scans are available online) — something about Satanism in those antiquarian fonts is positively devilish…
Oh yes…
Yes, the fact that I know of at least so many of these assures me that your top 50 will once again be full of apparent cinematic gems which are utterly unknown to me. My preliminary (pre-massive-effort-to-see-everything-I-need-to-see-in-my-spare-time) 1970s list would have several of these on it.
The presence of Pennies from Heaven makes me again want to know what you think of The Singing Detective. I can’t remember if you ever told me; perhaps it will be on your 1980s list. That’s one British miniseries I can’t seem to get any of my friends to appreciate.
Looking forward to the top 50! I’m sure your list will be distinctive.
Unlike with the 60s, there aren’t really any “nearlies” that I’m particularly disappointed to see NOT in the top 50. Mean Streets is a personal favorite but I recognize it’s not in everybody’s top of the top when it comes to the 70s. I eagerly await to see both where my personal picks will fall in your canon, and what unexpected choices will be revealed…already I see a few.