After a brief hiatus (sorry all, went up to Massachusetts for a few days and just started a new job, so I've been a bit busy), we're back to business with the 1973 Spanish film The Spirit of the Beehive. Considered by Spaniards (and most of the rest of the world) to be a classic, this film clocks in at #226 on the TSPDT list.
Onward to Duck Soup, the 1933 Marx Brothers classic. It's the last Marx Brothers film to feature Zeppo, and scores a frankly shocking position at #104 on our list.
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| Great...because I needed those nightmares. |
We're up to La Jetee today, the interesting short film from France that tells a science fiction story set in the future using only black and white photographs. Directed by Chris Marker, this film came out in 1962, and has secured a place at #142 on the TSPDT list.
The next film on our list is The Thief of Bagdad, a 1940 adventure fantasy based on the Arabian Nights stories. This film won three Oscars (including one for special effects, le shock!) and earns a place at #306 on the TSPDT list.
Moving on to Meshes of the Afternoon. This quirky little experimental film was made by Maya Deren and Alexander Hammid (who also play the two characters) in 1943, to the tune of $275. TSPDT put it at #312 on their list.
We've made our way to The 400 Blows, a 1959 classic of the French New Wave movement and Francois Truffaut's feature film debut. It's a (mostly) autobiographical film about a somewhat troubled adolescent growing up in Paris. The 400 Blows scores an impressive #36 spot on the Top 1000 list.
So now we're watching My Life as a Dog (or "Mitt liv som hund", if you're of the Swedish persuasion), a coming-of-age tale about a young boy who lives with his uncle for a summer to give his terminally ill mother some peace and quiet. Released in 1985, this film was nominated for two Oscars and makes it onto our list at #464.
Today I'm watching and reviewing Network, in honor of the late great Sidney Lumet, who died yesterday morning. Network captured the hearts and minds of audiences in 1976, as well as four Oscars (Posthumous Best Actor for Peter Finch, Best Actress for Faye Dunaway, Best Supporting Actress for Beatrice Straight, and Best Screenplay for Paddy Chayefsky). It also comes in at #348 on the TSPDT list.
Before I start the review on Gregory's Girl, I just want to take a minute and mention Sidney Lumet, who died earlier today. He was a wonderful director with several films on this list, and will be very much missed. Tomorrow I'm going to watch and review Network, to pay tribute to him.
Onward to the review. Gregory's Girl is right up there with Trainspotting on the list of memorable Scottish films, which is even more impressive considering that this film was reportedly made for peanuts back in the 80s. It's a romantic coming-of-age story that scores a ranking of 648 on the TSPDT list.
Onward to The Cabinet of Dr Caligari, a 1919 German Expressionist film that a lot of people consider to be the first real horror movie. To be fair, it is pretty freaking scary. And it wins a place at #155 on the TSPDT list.
Moving on to our next film! The Nutty Professor is a 1963 comedy classic starring none other than Jerry Lewis. It's a turn on the Jekyll and Hyde story, but one that plays it for laughs rather than horrified anguish. TSPTD puts it at #837 on their list.
So now we're up to Scorpio Rising, one of the more unusual films on the list. This is a 1964 experimental film that clocks in at just under 30 minutes. There's no dialogue or any plot in the conventional sense of the word. The TSPDT brigade puts this movie at #413, and I weep for the future of filmmaking.
Onward we go to Alphaville, the 1965 Jean-Luc Godard film starring American ex-pat Eddie Constantine. It's a sort of pseudo-noir science fiction combination, and you can see its influences clearly in films like Blade Runner. It clocks in at #553 on the TSPDT list.
And now it's time for Night of the Living Dead, George A Romero's 1968 horror classic that made the zombie genre what it is today. It's a ridiculously awesome, low budget fake gore fest that's actually still pretty creepy today. TSPTD lists it at #201, which is pretty good for a movie that reportedly cost a little over $100,000 to make.
So last night, as a birthday present to myself, I went to go see Frankenstein again, this time with Benedict Cumberbatch as Frankenstein and Jonny Lee Miller as the Creature. It was a good decision, and it's really cool to have had the opportunity to see both of these great actors in both of these great parts. I'm not going to do a full review, but I wanted to add on my thoughts of their individual performances.
