Five Questions I Had Re-Watching The Exorcist (1973)

Nashville, TN showing in 1973

I've never blogged about 1973's The Exorcist before, but it's a movie that I rewatch every few years, usually around Halloween time or in October. Recently, I watched it on a big screen in a theater for the first time, along with an audience/crowd. I felt less frightened with a crowd around, but I'm sure viewers in the 70s were horrified; I always remember the accounts I read about of "around-the-block" lines and how people walked out of the theater out of fear, disgust, or physical sickness/illness. I was hoping to re-live or re-capture that feeling in 2022 somewhat, but was a little distracted by the numerous cell phones flashing by enthusiastic millennials/Gen Z'ers taking pictures at key moments. And after several viewings of the movie, I guess I'm not as frightened as I once was of this film. However, I still think it's a great piece of filmmaking with great writing, directing, and performances.5 lingering questions that came to mind after this last re-watch.

1. If the mom character (Ellen Burstyn) is such a big movie star, and the British director "Burt" is fairly well known, wouldn't the murders and strange phenomena happening near the set attract and create extensive media and tabloid attention? This wasn't addressed in the film and not sure if it was mentioned in the book (I never read it). A minor issue, but it seems like it would be a big deal for a movie director's horrendous death to be national/world news. But there were no media reporters or crews outside the house at any time.

2. The alcoholic director "Burt" uses a profane adjective several times in the film and it's strange because I never heard it used by anyone in any film or real life. Is this a phrase unique to this director or something? Like when everyone says "broomhead" on the TV show Degrassi but no one else in world uses that term? Or was "c---ing" a common slang term in the 70s? Seriously, it's so bizarre. 

3. I don't quite understand the relationship between the live-in workers in the house. Are the German workers there full time, and attend to each new renter? Is Reagan's mom only renting the house? Are the Germans the owners? This still remains fuzzy. I don't get who the lady with the typewriter is either - is she Ellen Burstyn's personal assistant? Is she the older daughter (like the older daughter in Poltergeist?) Update: According to the commentary by William Friedkin, they are Ellen Burstyn's assistants that travel with her (but I don't think it's explicitly stated in the movie) 

4. When the detective (Lee J. Cobb) inspects the stairs for the first time, he picks up a small sculpture off the ground...I never noticed that before. Apparently, it's one that was made by Reagan and is suspiciously at the bottom of the stairs. Did Burt pick it up which prompted Reagan to throw him out the window? Was it a sculpture of a demon? 

5. Who put the crucifix under Reagan's pillow? Everyone in the house say they didn't, so I wonder if someone at the hospital gave it to Reagan (maybe a priest) and she kept it in the blanket with her as she came home, and put it under her pillow herself. That's my interpretation.  

What do you think?

Raquel Welch movies

Turner Classic Movies had a marathon of Raquel Welch movies the other day, and I was excited for this because it was a great chance to watch some of her movies for the first time. Either due to availability (never being on VHS/DVD) or on TV, I had never seen any of these movies before, ever.  

Unfortunately, most of the ones I watched were pretty mediocre, and not very good. Or they were just average. I wasn't missing much.  It's too bad because I feel Raquel Welch deserved much better roles and parts in better movies. I could see/imagine her in movies like Gloria or Coming Home. 

The Three Musketeers (1973)

I didn't like this movie! It really didn't interest me at all so I didn't even watch the whole movie all the way through. I don't remember Raquel Welch being in the movie very much. Sort of a cameo type role, really.

Fuzz (1972)

I also really disliked this comedy. For one, I hate the title; it just doesn't seem to fit. Raquel's role in the film is very small; she only has a few scenes as a detective which is a shame because I think she would have been great in a larger part. Burt Reynolds and Tom Skerrit have larger parts as police/detectives.  I didn't realize that most of this whole movie would took place in the police station. (Later I found out that this movie was based on some book or series of books) 

After about 10 minutes the movie's goofiness gave me the vibe of a Police Academy movie or a Barney Miller tv comedy episode, which might have been inspired by this film. Don't think I'd watch this one again.

Flareup (1969)

I also disliked this one! Raquel's part is much larger; she plays a stripper who is targeted by an assassin. She travels from Las Vegas to Los Angeles and the only interesting things about the movie is the scenery and location shots. And the cool cars. That's about it. It does have a '60s vibe to it, too. Everything else is really dull; all of the other performances are really bland and I didn't care much for this one. Don't think Id watch this one again.

Hannie Caulder (1971)

This Western is a bad film overall; I think this movie's mistake is that it tries to be a comedy when it should just be a straight-up drama/thriller/revenge story. Then I think the movie would have worked a bit better. It starts off with a trio of bumbling outlaw brothers (Ernest Borgnine, Strother Martin, and Jack Elam) who kill a rancher and then proceed to gang-rape his widow/wife who is left behind. The rape scene is very disturbing and uncomfortable to watch so early on. It's choppily edited, but that could be the director's intent. It's also very creepy to watch Ernest Borgnine (Marty) as a dirty rapist; reminded me of his character in The Wild Bunch.

The gang leaves and then wisecracks their way out of the village. There are multiple scenes showing them in various other situations joking and wisecracking with each other, like a pair of Three Stooges, and I think that was a wrong choice since it gives the impression it's meant to be some kind of comedy; there's nothing funny about rapists. 

The best parts of the movie show Hannie (Raquel Welch) planning her revenge and learning to shoot. There are some bloody sequences in the movie, which seem to be inspired by Wild Bunch, especially with all the flowing blood that shoots up into the air when people get shot.  Raquel meets bounty hunter Robert Culp who trains her. Christopher Lee has a small role as a man who lets them stay at his house for awhile. Compared to 100 Rifes, this is the lesser of the two in my opinion. 

Kansas City Bomber (1972)

I was bored with this one and didn't like it. I liked some of the roller derby scenes but honestly, they went on for too long. The movie doesn't really explain what the point of the game is, and I guess the audience is expected to know the rules. Like with Football, or Baseball, or Hockey movies, the filmmakers don't stop and tell you how the game is played.  I did like the scenes with Raquel and her children and the scenes with her at home. It made me want to see more scenes like that or even an entire movie about her with kids.

The Last of Sheila (1973)

A very odd film. It's interesting that it's Stephen Sondheim's only screenplay he wrote. He was good friends with the other co-screenwriter, Anthony Perkins, and they came up with this interesting scavenger-hunt type movie. I thought it was just "OK". I remember enjoying the movie "Scavenger Hunt" way better; maybe since it was aimed at kids more. Both movies have Richard Benjamin. 
Incidentally, Bobby Rivers' blog had an interesting post on a collaboration between Sondheim and Perkins from the 60s - read it here. 

Laura's Miscellaneous Musings: Tonight's Movie: The Last of Sheila (1973) (laurasmiscmusings.blogspot.com)

The Biggest Bundle of Them All (1968)

This is a really stupid movie! But I liked watching it and got hooked once the heist got underway --- which takes over an hour to get to. The first hour is really build-up and interplay between the Italian thief and Robert Wagner, which is really dull. Sadly, Raquel Welch's part is so small. It would have been great to see her in the Wagner role instead. Watching this movie made me want to re-watch Oceans 8 (2018) with Sandra Bullock - I always enjoy seeing how she works with her team to pull off the heist that they do in that one. 

Bundle only picks up steam once Edward G. Robinson enters the picture and becomes the mastermind behind the ultimate heist which involves a train hijacking. However it takes an hour and a half to get to those exciting parts featuring the heist, and by then I'm almost not interested. But I did like the ending and it shows how they blow the heist and their expressions. I kind of wish The Italian Job (1969) ended in a similar way where we get some satisfaction out of seeing them blow the heist. 

Compared to Topkapi, my favorite heist movie of them all, this movie is far inferior.  

The Wild Party (1975)

Terrible movie! I cannot believe this is a Merchant/Ivory film. The opening credits were really amusing, jovial, and a clever throwback to silent cinema. 

But the next ten minutes were horrid. James Coco plays a washed-up silent comedian, jealous of "up-and-comers" Buster Keaton and Chaplin. If you know your history of film you may recognize similarities between the Coco character and Roscoe Arbuckle, a heavyset comedic silent actor whose career went down in a similar way.

However, modern audiences have no idea about any of this. This film is good example of when you really need context --- some type of opening "crawl" or written prologue on the screen to give you context. 

Instead of a fun movie experience, in the first ten minutes, Coco's character slaps Raquel Welch in the face and throws a hot cup of coffee on her legs. It's really horrendous and misogynist and Coco is so unlikable that I couldn't watch this movie with any real interest. The movie is so long and boring and leads up to the titular "wild party" which doesn't take place for about an hour and a half. This movie really sucks. It's a shame that Raquel Welch had to take this part. This is a totally forgettable movie. 

Should have probably been called "The Arbuckle Story" or something like that. 

100 Rifles (1969)

I liked this movie; I liked the action and that it focuses on the Yachi indigenous people of Mexico; even though it's fictious I feel it gives a bit of an idea of how the Yachi were displaced and how they might have fought the colonizers. It also is my first time learning about the Yachi, and I feel this movie could have been better at explaining them. Instead, it aims to focus on the three fugitive characters. I like how I don't know how the three would end up at the end - which one would die (if any?), which ones would romance, which ones would leave the group, etc. And the Mexican General played by Fernando Llamas was really nasty and one of the meanest screen villains. I didn't like some of the anti-indigenous sentiment, but I could see how a movie like this was an influence on Tarantino. This movie might be the only one of Raquel's that I would watch again. 

A good blog post on the movie here at Just Hit Play

Seeing The Godfather (1972) for the first time on the big screen

My local AMC theater was showing a 50th anniversary screening of The Godfather; I had never need it, believe it or not - only parts of it. 

First of all -- I wish there were an intermission! Movies that are 3 hours should always have an intermission! It used to be a standard thing in the 1950s and 1960s; what happened in the 70s? Sigh. 

But, the movie was good, and emphasizes "family loyalty" in organized crime family. Al Pacino never wanted to be in the family business, but he is drawn in to protect his father at the hospital. His first murder at the restaurant is very suspenseful and dark. It 'feels like this character is being born' says Deep Focus Lens in the video review (see below). 

I need to see Part II and Part III to fully experience the full Saga. I remember when Part III came out but just wasn't interested in it or Part II enough. What bothers me in the film is the racism of the characters; several uses of racial slurs are used and makes these characters very unsympathetic to me. 

But Al Pacino's character is really the focus of the saga. See Siskel and Ebert's review below in honor of the 25th Anniversary. Siskel says the sequence where Al Pacino hides out in Sicily is something that was never seen in a mob film before. I liked this sequence and I think it is my favorite in the film. 

Vlog review of The Godfather by Deep Focus Lens which covers earlier gangster films and how they compare with this film, as well as how it inspires later Italian gangster films like The Sopranos later on.

The trailer for the 50th anniversary show is really cool.

Siskel and Ebert review (1990s)

Little Big Man (1970) and Midnight Cowboy (1969)

I've been wanting to see this movie forever, and finally did and really liked it! It reminded me of Dances with Wolves from 1990, primarily because it's about a white man raised by an indigenous tribe. Dustin Hoffman was an interesting choice to play this part. He was a big box office star from this time period, and he brings alot of that everyman essence to this part which I think is important for this role.

At the start of the film we meet Hoffman's character - a 120 year old man being interviewed by a reporter (William Hickey) interested in his long life and his supposed acquaintanceship with Civil War General Custer in the 1800s.

The old man lives in a nursing home; I have a relative who just moved into such a place, and they can be lonely places. I could understand why this old man would want to talk and tell his life story to someone who will listen. And he's had a long life, a really long life. He talks about being raised by a Cheyenne tribe, and later befriends historical figures Bill Hickock and General Custer. These sequences are episodic, but I really seeing him brush with historical figures. This was an idea that was used somewhat similarly later in the movie Forrest Gump, but I think works really good in this film.

I like how the old man narrates the movie throughout; this gave me the feeling that I was always being told the old man's story and not someone else's. He talks about the various "stages" of his life.... "My Indian Years", "My religious years", "My Outlaw Days", etc.  Faye Dunaway has a small supporting part where she plays a religious man's wife who becomes a prostitute later on.

I couldn't believe that it was Richard Mulligan playing a dramatic role as General Custer; I only knew him for his comedy roles on TV but he is really good in this.

There is also great standout performance by a Native American actor in the film - Chief Dan George. His part is significant as Hoffman's father figure and wise mentor who has some interesting (and racy) dialogue. I imagine that the audience of 1970 would like his line where he says, "Does she show enthusiasm when you mount her?" (referring to Hoffman's spouse).

It's unfortunate that the movie's marketing posters (as shown above) make this movie to look like a comedy, with Dustin Hoffman made to look like Don Knotts in The Shakiest Gun in the West. This is a really profound drama (with occasional comic relief), that was ahead of its time showing the perspectives of both indigenous and white peoples. Equally unfortunate is the lack of accolades that year - no Oscars...not even a Best Picture nomination. In 1970, the big winner was "Patton", which was a more traditional war film with a hero that audiences could probably relate to more. Little Big Man was unfortunately overshadowed by it, and I don't think audiences were quite ready to embrace such a film yet. Not until Dances with Wolves 20 years later.

I also re-watched Midnight Cowboy which I haven't seen in more than 20 years but remember liking it overall, especially the chemistry of the two leads (Voight and Hoffman). I forgot that there was a sequence where they go to a hippy artists' party in New York, and there are some real cameos by Andy Warhol protégés. After attending a Warhol art exhibit recently, I've been reading some of his biographies and a book of his journal entries; interestingly in one entry he wrote that he wanted to do a cameo in Midnight Cowboy but couldn't do it because he was in the hospital recovering from a gunshot wound (in the summer of '68).

I loved seeing all the on-location scenes of New York; I kept my eye peeled for any interesting posters that would have been of the times. I saw one poster/billboard with Jonathan Winters on it. And another poster was a movie ad for "Doctor Doolittle" starring Rex Harrison, which was interesting. Flash forward 50 years and we have yet another remake of "Doolittle" in theaters starring Robert Downey Jr (I'm planning to skip since it doesn't look all that appealing to me).

Another scene in Midnight Cowboy that I had forgotten about happens at the end where Joe Buck beats the old man in his hotel room, almost killing him (his actual death isn't shown but it's implied he might have killed him). This makes me feel less sympathetic toward the character, and even reminded me of what Brad Pitt does at the end of Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (my least-favorite sequence in that movie); now I'm wondering if Tarantino intended that scene to be an homage to Midnight Cowboy.

Read a blog post about this movie by Avvaganda.com here

Fiddler on the Roof (1971) on the big screen

I had a chance to watch this movie on the big screen when it played at Chicago's Music Box Theater on Christmas day 2016.  It's rare for this film to be screened; usually it's seen as corny and sentimental, and usually not as highly regarded as some other musicals like Sound of Music.

But when it came out in 1971, it was the biggest box-office hit of  the year. It was probably "the last hit musical" to be released for years, since musicals started to go out of fashion by the 1970s.

I had forgotten that the story deals with traditional marriage arrangements, intergenerational differences, the coming Russian revolution and new political ideas, Jewish persecution in Russia, and immigration to other countries.

At the end of the movie, one character asks another, "What city in America are you moving to?" The other responds "Chicago", and that got a loud cheer from the audience, which was pretty cool to be a part of.

Directed by Norman Jewison (an Oscar-winner for 1967's "In the Heat of the Night"). The cinematography is beautiful, and the sets and costumes and impressive.

Read Dawn's post about this movie from her blog

Day of the Dolphin (1972) with George C. Scott

Might be enjoyable if you are into dolphins or aquatics, but I found it to be a bit dull overall, and not very believable. Surprised that it was directed by Mike Nichols; I'd be interested in reading more about why he directed it. George C. Scott (I think miscast) plays a research scientist who teaches Dolphins to communicate with humans in dolphin-like voices. One day two of his dolphins are kidnapped and they are involved in a spy plot to assassinate the President of the US. Very outlandish, and the noises they dolphins make are annoying after awhile. (Was nominated for the Best Sound Oscar, but should have been Worst Sound).

The screenplay was written by Buck Henry, which suggests some comedic elements, but there isn't any comedy to be found in it. Co-starring Paul Sorvino and Edward Herrmann.

The French Connection (1971)

Two NYPD narcotics cops - Gene Hackman and Roy Scheider (from Jaws) - track down drug dealers and a shipment of heroin from France.

Spanish actor Fernando Rey plays the heroin smuggler they're after.

I didn't always understood why this movie won so many Oscars and Best Picture, and thought it might have to do with the famous car chase scene.

But watching other cop films that were made before this, I can see how different a film this is in comparison, and how it influenced later films.

I watched this film in college as part of a film appreciation course I took during my Senior year.

This film was followed by a second movie 4 years later, "The French Connection II", which I haven't seen. (Also a TV-movie "Popeye Doyle" was made in 1986 and starred Ed O'Neill).

Peter Boyle was originally cast to play the lead, but turned it down because his agent thought the movie was going to be a failure.

Z (1969), State of Siege (1971), and The Confession (1970) by Costa-Gavras

This past summer I caught up with three excellent political thrillers directed by Costa-Gavras. All of them I highly recommend. They are among some of the best films I've seen this year or any year.

The first movie is Z from 1969. I remember watching this years ago when I was in high school but I was too young to understand what what going on. Now that I am older it makes so much more sense and it is very relevant today as it was then. It's called "Z" because Z represents the idealism and events surrounding the character portrayed by Yves Montand, a prominent peace activist beloved by all who oppose the radical martial law of the society. Those in the military and government want him and his followers silenced and/or killed. Early on in the film, Z is mortally wounded, but we - the audience -don't know how exactly, because the government spins the incident as "an accident". The mystery unfolds as the film progresses, but it's more than a mystery. It's an exploration into how various people and groups react and overreact in the aftermath of a crisis, and how so much is covered up by the government and the media. It's hard to describe the rest because there is so much going on with so many interesting characters, suspects, and twists. One of the most interesting characters to watch is the young lawyer assigned to investigate the case played by Jean-Louis Trintignant. Once you see this film you will not soon forget it. Also starring Irene Pappas. 2 Oscar wins: Best Foreign Language Film, Best Film Editing. Nominated for Best Picture and Director. Read Roger Ebert's 4-Star review: http://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/z-1969

Another blog post about this movie from Michael's Movie Palace here ->
50th anniversary tribute from Silver Screen Modes.

The next movie is State of Siege from 1971, which is just as good if not better than Z. Mr Montand is in the film again, this time playing an American ambassador in South America who has been kidnapped by a left-wing militant organization, something of a young person's movement against government corruption and abuse of power. The opening scenes - remarkably realistic - show a massive, militaristic manhunt unravel on the streets. Then, all of a sudden, the ambassador is found dead, the search is over, and things quiet down, and an elaborate state funeral takes place. This isn't a spoiler though, because the rest of the film brilliantly shows us the circumstances behind Montand's death. We are shown what happened after the zealots apprehended him and bring him to a remote, undisclosed location. He's questioned by left wing activists, who do not intend to kill him, even though fate would dictate otherwise. The most memorable character from the film is a veteran news reporter played by O.E. Hasse, who reminded me of Walter Cronkite; the reporter is present at all the major press conferences and always asking the toughest questions. Suspicious of the official statements, he does a bit of questioning and investigating on his own.

The third movie is perhaps the most intense of all, The Confession from 1970, which can be seen as a story of survival. Mr. Montand is in the film again, and this time, he's tortured and imprisoned for reasons neither we nor his character understand at first. As the film progresses, we learn that he used to be an active member of a Communist party, but now has settled into a more bourgeoisie lifestyle, much to the dismay of his more militant Communist kidnappers. While he's imprisoned, he is forced to confess to things that are not true for political reasons. He is stubborn, though, and will not confess. In the meantime, his wife (portrayed by the lovely Simon Signoret) wants nothing more than her husband freed. The Confession is not an easy film to watch as many scenes show a blindfolded Montand horribly mistreated and depraved of food and water. It's another well-made and thought-provoking film that puts you int he shoes of a prisoner and makes you think what you would do in his case. The ending will last long in your memory.

Five Easy Pieces (1970)

At the start of the film we're introduced to Jack Nicholson's character, an oil rigger who lives in a trailer park with his waitress girlfriend Rayette (Karen Black). Jack goes out drinking and fools around with other women (including Sally Struthers), while Rayette dreams of becoming a country singer.

Jack learns that his father is not in good health, so he travels to to his hometown on a road trip with Rayette.

As the movie unfolds, we learn that Jack comes from a more upper class family, and at one point in his life he was interested in becoming a pianist, which he didn't pursue.

I like how Jack's character interacts with his sister (Susan Anspach) and his father who doesn't recognize him anymore.  His brother is played by Ralph Waite.

While the film focuses on Jack's point-of-view mainly, I think Rayette is an equally important and memorable character in the film.

Her character seems to represents a life that Nicholson wants to put behind, but he doesn't know how.

The ending is open-ended and sad and leaves you wondering what will become of the characters.

I cared more about what would happen to Rayette than I did Jack's character.  I didn't like Jack's character. He may move on to pursue he dreams, but the way he treats Rayette throughout the movie is pretty awful. After all of the time he spent with his family, he still remains selfish and impulsive up until the very end. 

The movie Nashville (1975) features a character that longs to be a country singer (Barbara Harris' character); in the end of the film, she leads the entire crowd in song after a tragedy. I like to think that her character and Rayette from Five Easy Pieces are the same people. 

Another review of this movie from What I Watched Last Night

Minnie and Moskowitz (1972)

I enjoyed this movie very much. It begins by introducing us to two characters and follows a day or two in their lives. They are both single and appear to be in their mid-late 30s, which is my age range so this struck a chord with me.

The first is Seymour Moskowitz (Seymour Cassell); who is a single guy working as a valet. When he's off work he likes to have a drink or two at the bar.

Then Minnie (Gena Rowlands); she spends her time watching old movies on the big screen. She's also in a bad relationship and disillusioned about love and romance.

The two eventually meet, and the rest of the movie we see their relationship form. Them film feels so realistic the way it's filmed, and the dialogue feels so genuine and real. Great performances, a great Cassavetes film.

Roger Ebert's 4-star review from 1972

Nebraska (2013) and I Never Sang for My Father (1970)

I recently watched two intriguing films about complicated father-son relationships.  I would recommend both films; I think they'd be especially enjoyed by anyone who has had experience caring for an elderly parent.

The first is 1970's I Never Sang for My Father, which recently aired on Turner Classic Movies.  It's a serious drama that explores the themes of aging and death. Gene Hackman plays a widower who wants to move out of state and remarry. He's torn between moving and staying to care for his elderly father played by Melvyn Douglas.

Melvyn Douglas' character is a stubborn and proud man. We learn he used to be a politician and was very well-known at one time. He's the kind of man that will talk your ear off. Now in his 80s and a widower, he has very few friends, and often falls asleep watching westerns on TV.  He's not entirely sympathetic - we learn he and his daughter (Estelle Parsons) are estranged because of his disapproval of her husband.  And he treats Hackman like a child, and keeps making him feel guilty by saying, "I don't know what I'd do without you".

The movie has two sequences that I've rarely seen in the movies. One scene shows Hackman and Douglas shopping for funeral caskets (for Hackman's mother who just died). Another scene shows Hackman visiting different nursing homes to see if they would be right for his dad. He sees many lonely people by themselves, and he's filled with so much guilt.

It's a very quiet film, and really makes you think about these people, particularly Hackman's character, and how he handles the cards he's been dealt.

The other film is a bit more lighthearted: last year's Nebraska (2013), which is a quirky - and occasionally raunchy - comedy starring Bruce Dern as an elderly man suffering from early stages of dementia. His character is very different from Melvyn Douglas'; Dern is much more of an "average guy", and is much more of a quiet man who doesn't talk much.

But Dern is stubborn nonetheless - and is determined to claim a winning sweepstakes prize in Nebraska. His son is played by Will Forte and the two men go on a road trip to claim the prize. I really enjoyed these scenes of the two men bonding. At one point they visit Mount Rushmore and Dern is unimpressed. Then the best part of the film has the two pass through Dern's old hometown in Nebraska, where they meet many of his old friends including Stacy Keach, who teases him about the prize. There's even an old flame of Dern's that Forte meets, which makes him see a different side of his father.

The movie kept me in suspense to find out what happens at the end when they try to claim the prize. I was very pleased with the outcome of the movie, and I felt uplifted and inspired at the end.

Both movies have elements that reminded me of people in my own family and real life situations.

Read another blog post about Nebraska here from Avvaganda.com

Jeremiah Johnson (1972)

In 1972's hit film Jeremiah Johnson,  Robert Redford's character heads off into the Rocky Mountains to become a fur trading mountain man, alone in the wilderness. We don't know what motivates him right away, but in time the film reveals that Jeremiah was a veteran of the US-Mexican war, and fled to the north before the war ended (the film takes place in the early-mid 1800s).

I like the episodic format of the film. In one scene Jeremiah fights for his life against a pack of wolves; in another, he struggles for hours to light a fire pit under a snow-covered tree, only to have a pile of snow fall right down on top of it. My favorite scene is the one where Jeremiah, with the help of a young orphan boy he meets along the way, builds a log cabin house. Other interesting characters he meets include a seasoned hermit who mentors him and a Native American who learns to trust him. There is even a wedding scene, but I won't give away too much if you haven't seen the film. Recognizable actors pop up, such as Will Geer, Paul Benedict, and Matt Clark.

According to the book Box Office Hits by Susan Sackett; Redford told a reporter "I wanted this film to be an antidote to the general feeling int he States today that getting away from civilization is such a terrific thing and is so romantic....I wanted to show the kids what it is really like going it on your own in the wilderness and thoroughly deromanticize it for them." Director Sydney Pollack agreed, and told the New York Times: "You cannot live totally selfishly and be completely independent of the world. You must adjust to the needs of nature or of man."

Jeremiah Johnson holds up very well after more than 40 years, I think. It has a good share of humorous moments. And I loved the mellow folk ballads of the film's soundtrack, including the song "The Ballad of Jeremiah Johnson". I did some research online to find out who wrote and sung these songs; the site FilmScore has a good write up about the composer John Rubinstein (b. 1946) and writer-singer Tim McIntire (1944-1986).

I watched this movie on DVD, and was delighted to see not only an "Overture", but also an "Intermission" title card and an "Entr'acte"! I could hardly believe it. An Intermission - this film actually had an intermission back in the day! And it was only a 2-hour film. Pure delight.

The Conversation (1974)

"Brilliant film about an obsessive surveillance expert (Gene Hackman) who makes a mistake of becoming too involved in a case and finds himself entangled in murder and high-level power plays." (From Leonard Maltin's Movie Guide).

I love this movie directed by Francis Ford Coppola. It takes place in San Francisco, and a key surveillance sequence takes place in Union Square.

On my trip to there last month I got the chance to see this park, which was really neat. It's changed a bit in 40 years, but it still draws a large crowd just as it did back then.

This film is really thrilling, and has great performances by Gene Hackman and John Cazale, and a very earlyl movie role for Harrison Ford, who follows Hackman through a convention hall. It holds up pretty well after nearly 40 years even though some of the technology is a bit dated.

With Robert Duvall, Teri Garr, Frederic Forrest, and Cindy Williams.

Travels With My Aunt (1972) and The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (2012)

Over the weekend I went with my aunt to see The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, a new ensemble dramedy about British tourists in India. The stellar cast includes Judi Dench and - in a less-prominent storyline - Maggie Smith as a stubborn guest. Five minutes before the end of the film, Dame Judi says to Maggie, "We haven't talked much, have we?" Nope, they sure didn't, and I wished Maggie was in more of the film.  She's so good you'll want to see her star in a sequel.

I watched another of Maggie Smith's travel-themed movies where she shines in the lead: Travels With My Aunt from 1972.

Travels  is a quirky comedy from director George Cukor that has a screwball tone. Dame Maggie plays an eccentric socialite whose affair with a mysterious lover forces her to travel the world. She brings along her only relative, her nephew Henry, played by Alex McCowen, a perfect straight-man to her more high-spirited personality.

The movie unfolds to reveal more of the mysterious reason for her world travels, and it all comes together in a silly, memorable way.

Co-star Louis Gossett Jr. (who plays a fellow travel companion) shares some of the neat experiences he had filming the Travels in London in his autobiography, An Actor and A Gentleman. He recalls with fondness meeting the Beatles and Jimi Hendrix, all the good food he enjoyed, and how gracious and encouraging Dame Maggie was.

Just a Cineaste blog post on Travels With My Aunt

Top 10 Box Office Stars of 1974 (USA)

1932| 1933| 1934| 1935| 1936 | 1937 | 1938 | 1939 | 1940 |
1941 | 1942 | 1943 | 1944 | 1945 | 1946 | 1947 | 1948| 1949 | 1950 |

1951 |1952 | 1953 | 1954 | 1955 | 1956 | 1957 | 1958 | 1959|1960 |
1961 | 1962 | 1963 | 1964 | 1965 |1966 | 1967 | 1968 | 1969 |
1970 | 1971 | 1972 | 1973 | 1974 | 1975 | 1976 | 1977-present

The rankings come from Quigley Publishing Co.'s annual list (since 1932) of top money making stars in the USA, which based on a poll of hundreds of theater executives. The list does not rank stars only on how much cash their films made, but on what theater owners say about who attracts audiences on their star power alone.

1. Robert Redford

2. Clint Eastwood

3. Paul Newman

4. Barbra Streisand

5. Steve McQueen



6. Burt Reynolds

7. Charles Bronson

8. Jack Nicholson

9. Al Pacino


10. John Wayne

1932| 1933| 1934| 1935| 1936 | 1937 | 1938 | 1939 | 1940 |
1941 | 1942 | 1943 | 1944 | 1945 | 1946 | 1947 | 1948| 1949 | 1950 |

1951 |1952 | 1953 | 1954 | 1955 | 1956 | 1957 | 1958 | 1959|1960 |
1961 | 1962 | 1963 | 1964 | 1965 |1966 | 1967 | 1968 | 1969 |
1970 | 1971 | 1972 | 1973 | 1974 | 1975 | 1976 | 1977-present

Top 10 Box Office Stars of 1973 (USA)

1932| 1933| 1934| 1935| 1936 | 1937 | 1938 | 1939 | 1940 |
1941 | 1942 | 1943 | 1944 | 1945 | 1946 | 1947 | 1948| 1949 | 1950 |

1951 |1952 | 1953 | 1954 | 1955 | 1956 | 1957 | 1958 | 1959|1960 |
1961 | 1962 | 1963 | 1964 | 1965 |1966 | 1967 | 1968 | 1969 |
1970 | 1971 | 1972 | 1973 | 1974 | 1975 | 1976 | 1977-present

The rankings come from Quigley Publishing Co.'s annual list (since 1932) of top money making stars in the USA, which based on a poll of hundreds of theater executives. The list does not rank stars only on how much cash their films made, but on what theater owners say about who attracts audiences on their star power alone.

1. Clint Eastwood

2. Ryan O'Neal

3. Steve McQueen

4. Burt Reynolds

5. Robert Redford


6. Barbra Streisand

7. Paul Newman

8. Charles Bronson

9. John Wayne

10. Marlon Brando

1932| 1933| 1934| 1935| 1936 | 1937 | 1938 | 1939 | 1940 |
1941 | 1942 | 1943 | 1944 | 1945 | 1946 | 1947 | 1948| 1949 | 1950 |

1951 |1952 | 1953 | 1954 | 1955 | 1956 | 1957 | 1958 | 1959|1960 |
1961 | 1962 | 1963 | 1964 | 1965 |1966 | 1967 | 1968 | 1969 |
1970 | 1971 | 1972 | 1973 | 1974 | 1975 | 1976 | 1977-present

Top 10 Box Office Stars of 1972 (USA)

1932| 1933| 1934| 1935| 1936 | 1937 | 1938 | 1939 | 1940 |
1941 | 1942 | 1943 | 1944 | 1945 | 1946 | 1947 | 1948| 1949 | 1950 |

1951 |1952 | 1953 | 1954 | 1955 | 1956 | 1957 | 1958 | 1959|1960 |
1961 | 1962 | 1963 | 1964 | 1965 |1966 | 1967 | 1968 | 1969 |
1970 | 1971 | 1972 | 1973 | 1974 | 1975 | 1976 | 1977-present

The rankings come from Quigley Publishing Co.'s annual list (since 1932) of top money making stars in the USA, which based on a poll of hundreds of theater executives. The list does not rank stars only on how much cash their films made, but on what theater owners say about who attracts audiences on their star power alone.

1. Clint Eastwood

2. George C. Scott

3. Gene Hackman

4. John Wayne

5. Barbra Streisand

6. Marlon Brando

7. Paul Newman

8. Steve McQueen

9. Dustin Hoffman

10. Goldie Hawn

1932| 1933| 1934| 1935| 1936 | 1937 | 1938 | 1939 | 1940 |
1941 | 1942 | 1943 | 1944 | 1945 | 1946 | 1947 | 1948| 1949 | 1950 |

1951 |1952 | 1953 | 1954 | 1955 | 1956 | 1957 | 1958 | 1959|1960 |
1961 | 1962 | 1963 | 1964 | 1965 |1966 | 1967 | 1968 | 1969 |
1970 | 1971 | 1972 | 1973 | 1974 | 1975 | 1976 | 1977-present