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Caught it Friday. It's just OKJA and a little bit of Snowpiercer. But it was a good time, if a little creatively bankrupt.
Seriously, give it a try. B-)
“They say ‘Evil prevails when good men fail to act.’ What they ought to say is ‘Evil prevails.’”
Boy, do I feel that quote badly about the world. This definitely is one of my new favorite Nicolas Cage movies, and I love a lot of his work. Pitch-black dark and nihilistic, constantly engaging.
The Forbidden Planet one of my favourite Sci fi movies, I am a huge fan of retro future. 70 years later still a very intelligent ground breaking film.
I need to watch this, I also quite like retro future. Next time I feel like watching sci-fi, I'll try and find this one first. Thanks for reminding me ;)
Not a bad film. I especially liked K-Stew in it.
Caught it in the theater. Have loved it since. Excellent film. Feels mightily relevant again, doesn't it?
The best sci-fi film before 2001 in my opinion. The design is excellent. I love the score as well.
Made a decade before Star Trek, Forbidden Planet heavily influenced the show and literally every other film in the genre that followed, I highly recommend.
What I love about the score is that it is a composition made by the Krell, Morbius even mentions it in the film. The score is wonderfully alien and otherworldly.
The best sci-fi film before 2001 in my opinion. The design is excellent. I love the score as well.[/quote]
I hope you meant 2001 : A Space Odyssey. Anyway, I do agree with you, great movie all around. In a period where even the best Sci-Fi movies looked like B pictures, this one looked like an A picture, with every cent showing on the screen. Plus, Ann Francis :
This and War Of The Worlds are my two favourite 50's sci-fi flicks. WOTW on my blu ray is absolutely excellent (the only 'stuff' they did to it was to take out the wires on the Martian machines), but my Forbidden Planet blu ray has a LOT of room for improvement no matter what the reviews say. It looks great, but not as great as WOTW. I'm waiting with baited breath for a 4K release!
This is my second time watching it. Still a masterclass of acting. It saddens me that RDJ threw away a part in The Odyssey by going back to the MCU. It's one of his best performances. He should have thought less about the MCU's check, and more about the creativity of Nolan. One of the best villains in recent movie memory. Emily Blunt is one big name that should be looked at for Bond, she has worked for a great part. She did a lot with not much screen time. Cillian Murphy has truly graduated to leading man status. This was my mom's first time watching it, and she really liked it. I can't praise this movie enough, and I would be happy to see Christopher Nolan on any project.
The Original Star Wars Trilogy, (1977, 1980, 1983).
Still timeless classics. My complaints are minor. Yes, the original versions should be released. There are some pacing issues in Empire and Jedi. Namely in the midsection in Empire, and the final battle(s) in Jedi. It's a shame that the Emperor was brought back in TROS, as it feels that he died the death of deaths. His story felt truly finished. I just hope that Lucasfilm (namely Kathleen Kennedy) needs to watch these again. Simply to find ideas that HAVEN'T been used yet. Alec Guinness should have won the Oscar, as it is flawless (although Ewan McGregor did his performance justice). Perfect arcs for the main characters, particularly Luke, Han and Darth Vader. A great source of influence in the arts and life in general.
Whilst watching Forbidden Planet I did wonder whether there was a 4K version, I have the bluray that contains the more down to earth The Invisible Boy, Robbie the Robot was quite the star back then, Robbie even had a guest appeance in Lost in Space. There was a planned sequel to Forbidden Planet though we got The Invisible Boy instead.
I have kept many of my 50's, 60's and 70's Sci fi DVDs and a few are in HD and 4K. My top tier list include Forbidden Planet, THEM, The Incredible Shrinking Man, The War of the World's, The Day the Earth Stood Still, The Time Machine, The Andromeda Strain, Capricorn One, Logans Run, 2001, Silent Running, The Planet of the Apes Series, Westworld and Star Trek The Motion Picture (which is a great science fiction film) to name a few. These are the films in my laters years I will watch again and again, they are very special movies.
The War of the World's always looked incredibly rich in colour, my DVD looks great.
I will watch THEM next, this film really captured my imagination as a child incredibly atmospheric. The posters for those classic films were fantastic.
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Edited: Rewatched the special features on Forbidden Planet today, great documentaries, especially the one with Scott, Cameron, Lucas and Spielberg reflecting on 50's science fiction films.
And if you want to see an embryonic version of ALIEN you may want to check out IT!: THE TERROR FROM BEYOND SPACE (1958).
One of the things to note about THEM! Is the outstanding cast, which includes James Whitmore, James Arness, Edmund Gwenn and Joan Weldon. Also be on the lookout for cameos by Fess Parker (Davy Crockett on The Magical World of Disney (1954)); William Schallert (The Patty Duke Show (1963)); and a very young Leonard Nimoy.
Another great aspect of THEM! (IMO) is that everyone generally plays it straight and without any overt camp. The plot fits nicely within the “giant bug” films of the 1950s, but never losses itself to the tropes – something that plagued other similar sci-fi of this era. I especially love Joan Weldon’s “Pat” as our “hot female scientist.” She has a job to do and never once is reduced to making coffee and sandwiches for the man folk of the film. Interestingly, I not the only one to notice that: https://www.rogerebert.com/features/women-of-50s-sci-fi
... still cute as a button though.
:x
* Despite a good cast, that film reinforced the fake moon landing nonsense that continues to this day. And for that, it will ALWAYS be on my sh*t list – BIG TIME SH*T LIST.
Jackie Chan & Chris Tucker are great in this.
1. The Exorcist (1973)
Friedkin directed several excellent films, but it's The Exorcist that reigns absolutely supreme for me. It's simply one of the best horror films of all time, and perfectly balances the horror and drama aspects within. The whole cast is sensational, but it's Jason Miller's tortured performance as Damien Karras that stands out the most to me; he's one of my favorite movie characters of all time. The scares, the buildup, the music, the acting, the story - absolutely everything is top-notch here. The Exorcist is a perfect movie and in my opinion Friedkin's greatest accomplishment as a filmmaker.
2. The French Connection (1971)
The one Friedkin-directed movie to win Best Picture at the Academy Awards, The French Connection, is still one of the best action / thriller films ever made. The movie moves at the speed of light, throwing a gripping story and intense action at the audience, best of all one of the greatest car chases ever filmed. I really love the buddy-film aspect between Gene Hackman and Roy Scheider's characters, and the very dark and nihilistic resolution to the whole wild spectacle. I think this movie is one of the best. pure examples of 70s grittiness in film, and everyone who loves the craft owes it to themselves to see it at least once.
3. To Live and Die in L.A. (1985)
To Live and Die in L.A. is probably the single most fun and energetic movie in Friedkin's varied catalogue. It's neck-and-neck with The French Connection for me (in a lot of ways, this is like that film with an 80s flair, including another sensational car chase sequence), and I love just about everything in it. All the actors are good, but Willem Dafoe steals the show as the menacing villain in one of his first big film roles. The action is great, the story's engaging, and the music is the best part of all; I keep finding myself going back to Wang Chung's sensational score. This is a real action classic of the 1980s, and it comes highly recommended.
4. Sorcerer (1977)
This is one of those movies that has become a lot more appreciated and loved now than when it first came out. I really like that each of the leading characters have their backstories set up so we get to know them well before the main action starts. When the truck sequences come, they are extremely intense and suspenseful, and I find myself just wanting more and more of it. There's also a great score by Tangerine Dream. I do prefer The Wages of Fear myself - a similar, older movie - but Sorcerer is still a very impressive film that does most things right. My biggest wish is that there was more dialogue and connection between the lead characters like there was in The Wages of Fear, but it's still a highly entertaining and well-made film.
5. Cruising (1980)
People seem pretty split about Cruising, but I'm firmly on the positive side. I really enjoyed Al Pacino's leading role as the detective; he's very quirky and ambiguous. The story itself is ambiguous and interesting, and I like reading it as Pacino being the bad guy. The vibes of the film are pretty unusual and there's a lot of seediness and violence going on, so I could see how this isn't for everyone, but I thought Cruising was very captivating and enjoyable.
6. Bug (2006)
For me, Bug is Friedkin's best late-career film, and the best thing he did after the 80s. Michael Shannon and Ashley Judd are sensational in the lead performances. There is dark humor, excellent dialogue, and pitch-perfect progression to a wild premise. I feel like this is just the optimal play-to-movie adaptation, where you can see how it was originally a play but it still feels comfortable and unique as a movie, too. This is a highly entertaining and interesting film that I definitely plan on revisiting.
7. The Boys in the Band (1970)
The first truly great film Friedkin made I believe is The Boys in the Band, his fourth picture. Though some things are a bit outdated, it had to be absolutely groundbreaking when it came out, and most of its drama is still hard-hitting and compelling now. The actors and writing are very impressive, and I really like that the film still leaves a little bit of mystery at the end. A rock-solid play-to-movie adaptation that really captured my attention!
8. Killer Joe (2011)
Killer Joe is a movie that made me unable to ever look at fried chicken legs the same again. Besides that, it's a really good, intense film that features a great cast, a compelling story, and some juicy dark comedy. It reminded of a Coen Brothers kind of movie, with the tonal shifts between serious and funny and also something going very wrong in the plot that leads to insane, catastrophic consequences for everyone. A few pacing issues aside, I enjoyed this one a lot, though I hesitate to recommend it to many people I know just because it's so messed up.
9. Rampage (1987)
This was one of Friedkin's darkest and most disturbing features for sure. The creepy performance from Alex McArthur as serial killer Charlie Reece and unsettling score by Ennio Morricone help give this movie a properly nightmarish tone. The subjects of murder and insanity are both well-explored, and we get a fairly split amount of time between when Reece is on the prowl and in captivity. Besides the music and the antagonist, there aren't too many elements that stood out as extraordinary in this film, but almost everything else is at least serviceable or better. Rampage doesn't quite reach a level of true greatness, but it's very consistent and gripping the whole way through.
10. The Night They Raided Minsksy's (1968)
I was surprised at how much I enjoyed The Night They Raided Minsky's. It's got an amusing story, a good cast (particularly Denholm Elliott in his role as an uptight prude), and an immersive 1920s setting. The comedy is a healthy blend of witty dialogue and slapstick. It's not an overwhelmingly great film, but I would say it's one that should probably be more talked about. It's one of Friedkin's most lighthearted and funny films, and for me it definitely earns its spot in his Top 10.
11. The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial (2023)
Friedkin's final film is a worthy last effort, and definitely his single most subtle and subdued feature. There's almost no real action; the whole movie is set in a courtroom besides the very last scene, so all the movie's progression comes from the actors and the dialogue. Fortunately, the whole cast is up to the challenge of keeping the narrative engaging, and it was especially nice to see Lance Reddick as the head judge character. Of Friedkin's many films based on plays, The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial feels the most like one, given the confinement of the setting, the lack of music, and the way the actors carry themselves, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. It's a straightforward and modest film, and though I'm not likely to watch it again, I think that Friedkin went out in a respectable way with this one.
12. Blue Chips (1994)
Though Friedkin proved throughout his filmography to have impressive versatility, I think Blue Chips might be the single biggest outlier of his 20 movies. It's a sports movie - a basketball movie in particular - and though I don't normally care for many sports movies, I have to admit that this one was pretty decent. Nick Nolte as the coach, Pete Bell, gives a highly energetic and passionate performance to carry the project, and I like that the film's main focus was on cheating and shady stuff that happens behind the scenes of the sport. There are still a few clichés present, as is very common with sports films, but overall Blue Chips is still fresh and interesting enough to warrant a watch.
13. Rules of Engagement (2000)
Some problematic elements hamper Rules of Engagement, but it has an intriguing story and good acting to always keep things interesting. There was a good balance of content inside and outside the courtroom where Samuel L. Jackson's character is court-martialed. He and Tommy Lee Jones do a fine job, and Guy Pearce and Ben Kingsley are a couple more standouts in the cast. The morality is murky and I don't like how some of the messaging came across, but the movie succeeds at telling an engaging narrative.
14. The Birthday Party (1968)
Friedkin's sophomore effort was alright, though I was a little underwhelmed. I think the cast was spot-on, with Patrick Magee giving the best and most unsettling performance of everyone. There's some good comedic value and intriguing setups, but an unfortunate lack of payoff and frustration about exactly what everything meant. I like ambiguity in several instances of art, but it didn't quite work for me with this story. I could see how some others might enjoy this film more, but for me, The Birthday Party is just a little better than okay.
15. The Brink's Job (1978)
Despite a great cast and good story, there is a weird flatness to The Brink's Job. Besides the masked robbery itself and police interrogations, I struggle to think of many other standout moments. There are a lot better heist movies out there than this one, but it's not a total wash. I would still say to people to give it a shot, you might really like it maybe, but it was a pretty average affair for me.
16. The Hunted (2003)
Tommy Lee Jones and Benicio del Toro are good actors, but The Hunted doesn't give them the opportunity to show what they're made of. This movie is just strangely bland and one-dimensional, despite an interesting premise with grisly details. It's a thriller that just doesn't feel all that thrilling; things just don't feel as lively or intense as they should given the subject material. This isn't an outright horrible movie, but it's not a memorable or good one either.
17. The Guardian (1990)
The Guardian is mostly a bad movie, but it does have an impressive, unnerving performance from Jenny Seagrove as the antagonist. The concept of an evil nanny kidnapping babies to use as sacrifices to a tree to keep herself alive is promising enough, but the execution in the movie here is usually lackluster. The characters besides the antagonist aren't compelling, and the progression of the plot is all too predictable. I heard that Sam Raimi was originally supposed to direct this, which sounds like a much better fit on paper than William Friedkin. At any rate, what we got still has a few fun scenes, but it's disappointing as a collective whole.
18. Good Times (1967)
Friedkin's first film ended up ranking as one of his worst for me, for the main reasons that it's unfunny and one-note. For fans of Sonny & Cher, I'm sure it's a little more fun, but neither of their acting skills impressed me very much, and I can't say I really liked much else about the film either. George Sanders was amusing as the "villain" of the story, I suppose, but most of Good Times is just mediocre spoof content. It's just not my cup of tea.
19. Jade (1995)
I thought Jade was a pretty bad movie all around, unfortunately. The story is muddled, the acting is mediocre, and no elements stood out as particularly strong except maybe James Horner's soundtrack. I feel like I've seen this kind of movie with the mixed elements of erotica, mystery, and murder done way better on so many occasions, while this movie is just forgettable and poorly made. It's definitely one of Friedkin's weakest efforts.
20. Deal of the Century (1983)
It was close between Jade and Deal of the Century for my bottom spot, but I went with the latter. I've never been a big Chevy Chase fan, and I especially hated seeing Sigourney Weaver in such a degrading, insulting role here. The movie is consistently unfunny and unclever while it thinks it's being both, and none of the characters are interesting or likeable whatsoever. Deal of the Century is just bad, heavy-handed satire that fails at being comedic or entertaining, and for me it's a sensible pick as Friedkin's nadir.
I haven't seen all those movies on your list, nor do I intend to! He's done a lot of rubbish, particularly later in his career, where, for me, he tried too hard to be controversial and failed miserably!
The French Connection remains my favourite of his, The Exorcist, and Sorceror follow, after that I'm not really that interested!
Jade, Killer Joe and The Hunted are awful!
Great write up @FoxRox and as @Mathis1 points out, that's dedication!
A lot of those i must admit i haven't seen. I do agree with your top 4 of his films. The Exorcist is an absolute masterpiece. As is French Connection.
I'm also a big fan of To Live And Die In LA. The use of some of the more off the beaten track locations in LA is inspired. And as you point out, the score is sensational. An 80's classic!
Some great choices there, both of The Thing films are brilliant, the scene when the thing (Arness stuntman) is set ablaze is quite astonishing. The cast of Them really added a lot of weight especially Edmund Gwenn who is a wonderful actor who appeared in two of my favourite Hitchcock films The Foreign Correspondent and The Trouble with Harry (two very different roles). The great Sci fi films cast was vital in giving validity to the larger than life aspects of the movies.
I understand your point of view regarding Capricorn One though in its own right I think it's a fantastic film.
Fantastic score from the ever brilliant Jerry Goldsmith!
The Last of Sheila 1973
I am a fan of whodunnit's and stumbled upon this film on PRIME, to my surprise I had never heard of it before today. This was quite an unnerving movie with genuinely terrifying moments. The cast were great and the plot was clever.
Long time since I seen it. Honestly can't remember anything about it, but always a fan of James Coburn. My brother bought me a dvd a few years ago of 'Harry in your pocket', a neat little thriller about a group of pickpockets! But it was an American disc, couldn't play it, he has a multi region player, so gave it back to him!!