1972 Movies
OSCARS Won/Nominated
IMDB Top 250
IMDB Top 250
Aguirre: The Wrath of God
Dir: Werner Herzog Stars: Klaus Kinski 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die Werner Herzog is so hit and miss for me. He is a grandiose, metaphorical visionary but sometimes you can feel his vision not quite translating into the medium. in Aguirre: The Wrath of God, a bunch of Spanish conquerers are heading into South America to find El Dorado. However, after a mutiny lead by Aguirre, the situation and their safety keeps deteriorating. This is a good double feature with Fitzcarraldo. They both showcase Klaus Kinski's decent into madness on a river facing impossible odds. Still, sometimes it all looks like actors playing dress-up instead of characters in a story. Kinski more often LOOKS crazy than ACTS. I had little to no emotional investment in the story, but it has its moments of haunting visuals and desperation. C+ |
OSCARS
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Cabaret
Dir: Bob Fosse Stars: Liza Minelli, Joel Grey, Michael York 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die I didn't enjoy this film nearly as much as I did when I saw it on Broadway with Neil Patrick Harris as the Emcee. The Emcee, the most popular character to come out of the play, was very significant in the play. In the film, he came across as a sideshow...and I certainly don't agree with the role earning Joel Grey an Oscar. Come to think of it...I don't really agree with most of the Oscars won by the film. That being said...its not a terrible film. Liza and Michael York do a swell job in their roles, and the songs are still fun to watch. I just wish the Nazi situation came across as serious as in the stage musical. C DVD |
OSCARS
Best Picture
Best Director Best Editing |
Deliverance
Dir: John Boorman Stars: Jon Voight, Burt Reynolds, Ned Beatty 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die Very Simple, very disturbing, very exciting...and after seeing this movie, I am never going out into the wilderness or visiting the Deep South ever again. I also will forever detest the sound of a banjo. But in all seriousness, this was a grotesquely entertaining film. B |
OSCARS
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The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie
Dir: Luis Bunuel 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die What an absurd, oddly enjoyable romp this movie is. It does not go much beyond the story of 3 couples, all rather sophisticated and pleasant, constantly trying to enjoy each other's company and sit down for a meal together. Something always prevents this from happening. Whether it is miscommunication of the specific day, the arrival of a long-winded soldier for no reason, or someone shooting a Colonel who is hosting...something always prevents the satisfaction of a nice meal. Dreams? Ghosts? Death? Gardening priests? The movie has it all and it all means almost nothing. It is as if Bunuel hung out with Monty Python for the weekend and then wrote this film. B+ |
Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex, But Were Afraid to Ask
Dir: Woody Allen Stars: Woody Allen, Gene Wilder, John Carradine This is a Monty Python sketch movie that Woody Allen made...and it is more successful than not. The sketches are all over the place. Some are weird, some are hilarious, some are absurd, some are creepy, and some fall flat on their face. However, there is plenty of laughs here...but none of the human condition that one would expect from Allen. Mostly it is just lunacy. B- |
OSCARS
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The Godfather
Dir: Francis Ford Coppola Stars: Al Pacino, Marlon Brando, James Caan, Diane Keaton, Robert Duvall 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die IMDB #2 Not quite the American cinematic masterpiece that I was expecting, but there is a lot in this classic to admire. The WRITING is some of the best I have ever heard...and probably what single-handedly holds the movie together. I also LOVED Brando's performance. Lastly, the dramatic evolution of Michael from removed GI to Mafia Don is executed flawlessly. Quite impressive. A- |
OSCARS
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The Poseidon Adventure
Dir: Ronald Neame Stars: gene Hackman, Shelley Winters, Ernest Borgnine, Roddy McDowell, Jack Albertson, Leslie Nielsen 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die Arguably the greatest disaster film of all time. Not only is the tidal wave and subsequent flipping of the cruise ship frightening...not only is the inverted sets disorienting and claustrophobic...but the cast is absolutely pitch perfect. These are scared, flawed, desperate people...not superheroes. To watch their trials and tribulations as they all venture "up" toward the hull of the ship is nothing short of breathless. A DVD |
Solaris
Dir: Andrei Tarkovsky 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die I was first introduced to Solaris with the 2002 George Clooney version, and I hated it. Now I have seen the original Tarkovsky version, and I'm still not crazy about it. I realize that there are some deep, humanistic themes going on here about the nature of love and what you love...a person or your own idea of that person...but the whole endeavor still comes across as pretentious to me. At 165 minutes, this film is strenuous to get through...but it is oddly beautiful in some respects, and you have to give it credit to the film for its audacious aspirations, even if the film's reach is much farther than its grasp. I am told Tarkovsy's films are legendary. I hope they improve on this one, which was a chore. C- |