'76 Done Dirt Cheap

Now come. Come, take my hand, and if you dare, sheathe your sword to its hilt. Are you up to it?

I hadn't really intended to do any kinda 1976 Anniversary Retrospective - mostly because it can sometimes get tedious trying to champion the years before I was born; it's a challenge attempting to repackage another generation's nostalgia using a Peter Frampton album and a season of Three's Company as my only tools. So, I went to the movies. Music and sitcoms and World Events can all work together to create a palpable vibe, but my pompous ass will always evaluate the merits of any given year (in the 20th Century) based on its Cinema. And when I laid the flicks of '76 out in front of me, something became startlingly apparent: 1976 was raunchy! 

Lewd. Grubby. Obscene. Exploitation Cinema wasn't even a genre, it was just the tone of the entirety of movies. Think of the most prominent films of that year: Taxi Driver, Carrie, The Omen, The Enforcer, King Kong, Marathon Man. Hal Holbrook as Deep Throat. Gene Wilder in blackface. Peter Finch got so mad he literally died. The Best Picture winner ends with two guys beating the shit out of each other. Kris Kristofferson reprised a role previously inhabited by James Mason. Mainstream movies in 1976 may've just been the apex of what we talk about when we talk about "1970s Cinema": underdogs, antiheroes, alienation, cynicism, revenge, sex, violence, depravity, monsters, and mayhem. And those are just the Award and Box Office Winners. 

Over at the Drive-Ins and Grindhouses and the various seedy "Districts" of metropolitan areas was where the real action was - not because of the content, but because of the budgets. As I just pointed out, gritty realism and taboo subject matter was the mood of most movies at the time, so the smaller stuff wasn't necessarily marginalized for its substance, they simply didn't have the money for a wide release. Ironically, it wasn't until the 1980s, when videotape made everything that much more available, that the cold wave of censorship crashed down onto every artistic medium. It's really only been during this current century that a lot of these "undiscovered gems" have been brought to our attention as they've become readily available (and often meticulously restored), and it's because of that movement that I've been able to get a more full-bodied feel of the supposed Greatest Decade of Film.

It's funny because I find 1976 to be the weakest of the era, in terms of mainstream. But once we begin to veer off the road, even just a little bit, things definitely get more interesting. With a few exceptions, Horror was still stuck in "spooky" mode even after four years following The Exorcist (and eight years after Rosemary's Baby), but there were still some effective riffs in that spirit. And while Jaws ignited the brief (but robust) Natural Horror subgenre, the Slasher really started to take shape (for better or worse). In hindsight, Horror was tame - it was the Comedy and Action and Western and Drama categories that suddenly became saturated in blood and nudity and fire and bullets. (Obviously this is why all the Sex and Crime movies went so hard during this period.) I suppose it's pertinent to point out that STAR WARS would be released the following year, thus creating the abstract equation that fun + optimism = $$. By that measure, 1976 was that darkest darkness before the dawn, when moviegoers supposedly preferred to witness society through a mirror of bleak despair - before the Rebel Alliance came and washed all the scum off the streets. 

- Paul

1. All the President's Men

Admittedly, my favorite movie of the year is the most button-down - but still, with an anti-establishment edge. On the surface, it's a True Crime Biopic without any of the tedious hallmarks you'd find in stuff made today. At base level, it's a circus where we get to watch exposed politicians crumble under the pressure. At its heart, it's some of the coolest actors of the era bantering their way through a William Goldman screenplay - a situation that can only be improved by a Ned Beatty cameo. 

2. Up!

One could say they don't make 'em like this anymore, but the truth is that nobody ever made 'em like this! -- not even Russ Meyer. His ability to design shots and orchestrate edits was evident throughout his entire career, but now he (along with Roger Ebert) was writing material that allowed him to push those abilities to their extremes, giving us a live action dirty comic that defies the laws of nature, sex, and good taste. This is my favorite of his. 

3. Bobbie Jo and the Outlaw

Two young lovers with nothin' better to do. There were at least a few dozen versions of this setup throughout the decade, all with different tones and styles and budgets. This one's played mostly for laughs, but Lynda Carter as Bobbie Jo plays it straight, and her commitment to the bit is what saves the whole show from total schlock (in spite of costar Marjoe Gortner's efforts).

4. Dark August

Traditional storytelling demands that the action should build towards something. The entirety of this movie is just the aftermath of that something, which manifests mostly as demons, real and/or imagined. It's Jacob's Ladder with some Don't Look Now mixed into a rural Vermont setting, which is a pretty accurate depiction of August in general. 

5. Mother, Jugs & Speed

Not a lotta Comedies around this time, and even this one squeezes in a lotta dark stuff that only works in this specific climate. Aside from being legitimately funny, it's blissfully aimless in its narrative, making it a mostly comfortable hangout that helps one to realize just how lame that year's Car Wash really is. 

6. Taxi Driver

I don't wanna waste this space talking about how "important" it is and just say that, subjectively, it's a really neat movie to watch for a teenage boy who's getting into Film. And it's an amazing achievement for a young director and a young actor so early in their respective careers. Since then they've outdone themselves many times over and I continue to look at this as a fantastic early effort (I like Mean Streets more), but if there's something that makes it stand out in Marty's body of work, it's definitely the rough grittiness of the production value that's been absent from his stuff for decades. 

7. The Great Texas Dynamite Chase

Surprisingly the only Roger Corman production on this list, but it's definitely one of the better ones. A gender swap Butch & Sundance yarn wasn't exactly groundbreaking, but the thing that makes it stand out in this genre (or really any movie of this time period) is that it doesn't go out of its way to leave you feeling depressed by the end. 

8. Eaten Alive

Tobe Hooper's followup to Texas Chain Saw was further proof that his strong suit in the 70s was atmosphere - though this was a conspicuous pivot from rough realism into cartoonish pageantry. The colored stage lighting and exaggerated performances make it a lot less scary but a lot more weird; it's totally a vibe. 

9. Alice Sweet Alice

The gradual merger of Italian Giallos and American Whodunnits gives birth to the Slasher Flick -- and so we start to get cool masks. Always noted as Brooke Shields's first screen appearance, but that useless trivia always seems to overshadow any due praise for the remarkable performance of costar Paula Sheppard - for me she's the singular reason to watch this movie. 

10. The Man Who Fell to Earth

The greatest Biopic of David Bowie that will ever get made. In all seriousness, any plot stuff that doesn't involve him, or scenes that he's not in, are the weakest moments of the whole picture.

11. Network

Of all the social commentary of the moment, this one is the most timeless (and also the most clumsily brazen and repetitive with its themes). At its heart, it's some of the coolest actors of the era bantering their way through a Paddy Chyefsky screenplay - a situation that can only be improved by a Ned Beatty cameo. 

12. Drive-In Massacre

The stupid dialogue and stiff acting is maybe funny for a minute but I'm not here for that. I'm here for the gore (which is cheap but creative and excessive) and for the honest-to-god, shot-on-location actual drive-in that so closely resembles the drive-in I grew up attending. If it isn't already, this movie should be a part of The Library of Congress for depicting and preserving such a prominent piece of American Culture. 

13. Carrie

You're laughing? Charlie Cheswick is getting electrocuted and you're laughing? Still waiting for the Hollywood adaptation where Carrie White isn't some objectively gorgeous actress, but that's sorta irrelevant in this hyper stylized De Palma melodrama that makes The Shining feel like Cinéma Vérité; the Prom climax steps away from Hitchcock and closer to Argento, and that's when Brian really dazzles - in any movie. 

14. The Missouri Breaks

What was Colonel Kurtz like in the weeks leading up to his termination? Probably like the violent, crazy sonofabitch he plays here. The scenes between Brando and Nicholson are most fascinating; Jack is supposed to be intimidated, but is it performance or is he truly in awe of The Master? Or is he threatened by someone who's clearly more mad than he? The "Jack Nicholson Western" is a narrow subgenre and this one's my favorite. 

15. The Pom Pom Girls

Major criticism right off the bat: the titular "Pom Pom Girls" receive very little screentime and even less to do with what they get; the five female "leads" mostly sit on the sidelines so the guys can navigate their way through the most laughably macho storylines you could imagine in a Drive-In Sex Comedy. But once again, like the other low budget, lowbrow pulp movies of the moment, it provides the most accurate and nuanced time capsule of this generation that we could ever hope for. That makes it engrossing. 

Summer Starter Pack 2025

This may be the easiest (and sleaziest) Starter Pack we've ever assembled - this summer's theme practically writes itself. But alas, it can't all be Miami Vice and Giorgio Moroder for the entirety of this ride - that would be too easy, and also embarrassingly predictable. Under the shade of this specific palm tree there is so much media to explore and absorb that it was almost a challenge in choosing which activities to champion. Almost. 

If this is your first time joining us: the Starter Pack is an annual serial of sorts that details a very small handful of potential plans for the season ahead: stuff we hope to watch, listen to, eat, drink, read, etc. to further tailor the Summer experience to fit in with the predetermined mood. Usually the details of these adventures are documented on Facebook and Instagram as a way for you to join in - either contemporaneously or on your own journey. Mostly, though, this is just a promise to ourselves to try & stick to a plan - we always fully intend for everything to pan out but we continue to reserve the right to walk away in 30 seconds flat if we feel the heat around the corner. 

- Paul

Shadows, Atanas

More than anything else, the real driving force of our Violent Fantasies is going to be music; can't really have a Synthwave Summer without a lotta synth, and that opens the doors to a vast library of artists and albums. One such album that fits into the groove is Shadows by Atanas Ilitch. Some of you may already be familiar with this album or are at least aware of it, but in any case: Atanas Ilitch will forever be best known for his role as The Driller Killer in the 1987 Musical Horror Comedy Slumber Party Massacre II, but the year before that masterpiece came out, Atanis gave us this: 10 Electro Pop Rock tracks with titles like "Talk to Me Like the Rain" and "Shoot the Gun" that will seamlessly integrate themselves into the mood of the moment. I've been sitting on this sealed original pressing from '86 and I'm struggling to find the courage to open it (I really wanna get a look at that "full color poster"). Luckily for me (and you) I can ride that fence forever if I need to because, in the meantime, the entire Shadows album can be found on YouTube. (That link's not mine, but when it finally dies you can come over and we can tear that cellophane and spin the vinyl.)

UNCLE TNUC

If our Summer theme of a neon-hued Crime aesthetic and Glam Metal groupies is your kinda vibe, you may wanna pay a visit to Uncle TNUC ("tee-nuk"), a Wordpress blog that surfs this wave all night and parties every day. Over the years, those nights & days have been spent reviewing Erotic Thrillers, tracking down relics of Hard Rock, eating pizza, drinking beer, and paying tribute to the likes of Garth Algar's bedroom, Nintendo's Power Glove, and Uncle Buck's car. His social media reach lands in all the usual places though he's probably best known for meticulously curated music playlists dedicated to topics like Horror Movie Metal, Vampire Rock, Prostitutes, and Enya. This is all just the tab of the Coors can - the Uncle's been around for over 15 years so there's a lotta bikini bods and guitar gods to sift through all summer long. 

Russ Meyer on Blu-ray!

This may not fit in with the overall atmosphere we're aiming for, but at its core this is entirely a Summertime activity; as many (or all) of you are aware, Severin made my dreams come true by partnering with The Russ Meyer Trust and the Museum of Modern Art to restore and release the late auteur's filmography. Since Fall of 2024 they've put out discs of Vixen, Supervixens, Beneath the Valley of the Ultravixens, Motorpsycho, and Up!, and while I couldn't pre-order them fast enough, they've sat wiggle-jiggle-free on my shelves since they've arrived, because nobody but nobody wants to watch skin flick sexcapade hijinks in February. So, the pressure's been cumulating and the excitement's been building and my sights are set on Summer as fertile ground for a massive Bosomania marathon that promises to Erupt With Excitement! 

TV After Dark

Securing movies and music that compliment the desired ambience of this summer's subject matter will be fun, though not very challenging; we're very much in touch with our Violent Fantasies. With TV we have to get a little creative as to what qualifies, then locate it, then lock in. In the past the goal has often been to embrace a series we're not already exhaustedly familiar with, so there's always a bit of a gamble in regards to a.) will it fit in with the theme, and b.) will we even like it. So again, the obvious Miami Vice aside, off the top of my head I'm thinking Silk Stalkings, Magnum P.I., La Femme Nikita, China Beach, Knight Rider, Red Shoe Diaries, and with any luck, the notoriously illusive Baywatch Nights. I think by this point you get the overall aura we're going for here so if you have any recommendations, lick your lips and whisper tawdry suggestions in my ear. 

1975, will you ever win?

I've been watching a lotta Double Dare reruns lately - early episodes from 1986/1987 mostly. If you're not familiar with it (or just plain forgot) the show was famous for making kids do stupid tricks that usually involved getting messy with stuff like whipped cream and raw eggs, but the bulk of the show was actually long stretches of trivia questions in all different areas of knowledge. Frankly I found the series kinda tedious when I was a kid and mostly ever only experienced it as background noise, but as an adult I find it a bit more engrossing - especially the Q&A parts. In the area of Pop Culture there are obviously a lotta questions about Duran Duran and Family Ties and Gremlins, but equally there are just as many questions about The Beatles and Gilligan's Island and The Three Stooges. And these 10-year-old contestants usually nailed it -- because of course they would, I would've too. The point I'm making here is that, as kids, the environment we absorb doesn't consist solely of the latest trends, but also the sorta-recent stuff - because of our parents or older siblings, because of TV and radio, because of the fads and fashions of everything from your haircut to your couch that's predicated upon everything that was so 5 minutes ago. 1975 unfolded eight years before I was born, yet somehow I still manage to carry enough nostalgia for it to commemorate its 50th anniversary with some authority. (And I ain't jive talkin'.)

 

I'm not sure by what means the generations before and after my own kept in touch with the past, but for me it was a steady diet of Nick at Nite and TIME LIFE Music Infomercials. It's one thing to rent old movies or walk barefoot across your grandmother's shag carpeting, but for me a decade of the 20th Century is best and most easily experienced through its music and its television. When I was 10 years old my favorite shows were All in the Family and M*A*S*H and nothing felt particularly antiquated about them; sure the film stock and videotape looked different from modern sitcoms but even that always carried a comforting familiarity for me - like some kinda past-life experience intruding on present time. But all Shining powers aside, I grew up in an era when the dial was drowning in syndicated TV, so while shows like Roseanne and Seinfeld were on once a week, Bob Newhart and Mary Tyler Moore were there every day (sometimes more). Stuff like politics and economics were far less important to me as a kid than what was on the tube, and the tube told me that these happy days are yours and mine. 

The first band I truly became a fan of was Queen, and by "fan" I mean albums/posters/t-shirts kinda fan, so that definitely put me in a place before my time. But in the years leading up to that, my environment was saturated in the sounds of Barry Manilow and Barbra Streisand and B. J. Thomas (amongst others) and certainly nothing ever seemed dated to the point of alien or exotic - I'm sure a lot of it wasn't exactly "hip" but that was all well before an age when that really would've mattered to me. So by the time I was a teenager lying in bed in the middle of the night watching commercials for music collections, I had legitimate nostalgia for the songs they were selling. This was before I had a credit card or checkbook in my name, so in lieu of any 1 a.m. impulse purchases I finally wore my mother down enough to place an order for TIME LIFE's AM Gold: year-by-year compilation albums that cover the entirety of the 1960s and 1970s. As requested, I received 1974, 1975, and 1976 on cassette tape and I familiarized myself with those mellow Top 40 hits to the point that I can't hear "Sister Golden Hair" or "I'm Not in Love" now without feeling like a teenager again. 

 

Rest assured I don't plan on celebrating 1975 by telling you what growing up in the 1990s was like, but instead just reinforcing the idea that you too can play this game at home. We don't need stuff like reboots and remakes to put us in the mind of the past; all the artifacts are there at our fingertips: entire channels that play nothing but The Jeffersons, streaming radio stations and playlists dedicated to ridiculously specific eras featuring hits by the original artists, and with enough grit and gumption you could probably track down some of the movies too -- and you should, because as you probably already know, '75 was a stone cold groove. 

 

I can definitely say that, within the brackets of my own personal favorites, this is one of the most eclectic years in Cinema. And I don't just mean that each movie on my list is different from one another, but that most of them are unique to all movies ever - particularly up to that point in time. Of course there are some that are entirely indicative of 1975 and those are just as valuable, but we were blessed with a lotta groundbreakers and hellraisers that either inspired generations of stories and ideas and changes to the craft, of they continue to stand alone as singular masterpieces that can't ever be duplicated. Sure, that reads dramatically on paper, but if this year is famous for nothing else (Watergate? Vietnam? eh) it produced the most impressive lineup for the eventual Best Picture category at the 48th Academy Awards - the five films nominated are, in fact, my five favorite movies of that year, and never before or since has that been the case. Like any other year there were hidden gems and sleeper hits and cult favorites, but this was clearly a brief moment when movie makers and movie goers and movie critics all seemed to be mostly in sync - probably because much of it was simply and inarguably good. Now imagine the entirety of The Film Community and how it is today: imagine not only having just one culture-changing movie in theaters (or streaming or wherever) but one that we all agree is a legitimate triumph to the art form. Is it at all possible that better movies bring us together while bad and mediocre movies create division? 1975 wasn't exactly peace time on the planet but we all sure hated that shark for eating the Kintner boy. Point being, yeah it'd be nice and fun and entertaining to have really good new movies again, but for the good of society (and maybe even our souls) we may just need them. 

- Paul

1. Dog Day Afternoon

You know I like to leave objectivity out of art, but I've only ever been able to describe this movie as flawless. It's a minimalist "plot" with a million speaking parts in a single location, and yet it's endlessly unfolding at a rapid pace. Obviously if I put it on I'm gonna watch it, but whenever I come across it by accident, everything else I'm doing in that moment has to wait - it's a tired line, but it grabs you and doesn't let go. It's my favorite Pacino movie, my favorite Lumet movie, and my favorite movie of the 1970s. 

2. Nashville

We're all familiar with the concept of the "hangout movie" and this certainly is one, but more than that it creates an entire world - just a whole setting and scenario and dynamic that I love being a part of (from a safe distance). It's fortuitous that it's largely a musical because I can take the soundtrack with me anywhere and it sends me there every time. 

3. Jaws

The first half with the town bumpkins and the insufferable mayor is still clumsy and tiring to me, but that will always be overshadowed by the endlessly engrossing second half; the dynamic between the three guys practically encapsulates the concept of "entertainment", but it's also proof of Spielberg's boundless talents to create Epic Cinema - even with just a rubber shark and a not-quite-big-enough boat. 

4. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest

In a decade built on a foundation of antiauthoritarianism, this movie is The Anthem. There are even several films on this list that deal with the same themes, but it's only this one that stirs up real Rocky-esque support for its protagonists to the point that you wanna jump into the movie and help them defeat the villain. 

5. Barry Lyndon

Kubrick said he had no intentions of ever publishing this shooting script to be sold in stores because it had no literary value. More than The Shining or even 2001 this is perhaps his moodiest movie, thereby making it the most Kubrickian; truly the best (and maybe the only) example of painting, photography, settings, and music all combined to create a unique genre of motion picture. 

6. Monty Python and the Holy Grail

So few TV shows can gracefully transition to Film - especially sketch comedy. But because this group took every costume and location so seriously, it created an environment grounded in reality where everyone and everything can be its silliest. 

7. The Man Who Would Be King

The joy of watching a Connery/Caine collaboration could've easily been enough, but even without monumental acting talent, this Action Adventure fable pans out into so many surprise directions that even if you kinda know what it's about it's still gonna surprise you. 

8. Love and Death

While it may be a parody of bleak Russian literature, it tackles all the existential crises that have obviously plagued Woody to this day; clearly they're sensitive subjects because the setups and punchlines are more relentless than in any of his other movies. 

9. Deep Red

He'd already directed several movies, but this feels like the first true and uncompromised Argento film. And even though he's clearly still honing his skills here, the movie has a greater sense of style and suspense than most other films in this or any genre. 

10. Three Days of the Condor

I hated this movie when I was little because I couldn't understand anything that was going on. As an adult it's worked its way into my Christmas Movie rotation -- I still don't know what's going on, but it sure is exciting; everyone's acting their hearts out and that Dave Grusin score swings. 

11. Supervixens

Here was a director who was very much at the top of his game; there've been extremely few other filmmakers who've had as much of a unique understanding of composition and editing as Russ Meyer did and this movie is as good an example as just about most of his others. Special acknowledgement to Charles Napier for being absolutely bonkers in this.

12. Strip Nude For Your Killer

Gialli can be pretty repetitive and stale when they don't know how to fill out the plot. Fortunately in this one the plot is mostly nude models in groovy Italian digs. They understood the assignment - it's what every Giallo should be. It's what every movie should be, really. 

13. Race With the Devil

Cult situations scare me - especially when they cast a wide enough net that you don't know who to trust. Mix that with some car chase stuff and you've got one genre-bending thrill ride that stresses the lesson that so many movies have taught us: don't ever witness a crime. 

14. Black Moon

A feature length metaphor for... something. It's a dystopia, it's a paradise, it's a nightmare, it's a fantasy. Plenty of scholars have tried to decipher it but even director Louis Malle admitted it's all rooted in abstraction, and I'm most comfortable at that speed. 

15. Night Moves

The 1970s was the last decade for cool detectives, and few are cooler than Hackman (which is also a general statement). And like a lotta detective stories the journey is more rich than the destination - which says a lot considering the grandeur of the climax. 

16. White Line Fever

One genre that nearly stands alone in this decade is the Trucker Movie, and in this moment I'm inclined to say that this is the best one; heavy antiestablishment/anti corporate America storyline that angers up the blood and an ending that nearly brings me to tears. The whole movie also really makes me want a beer. 

17. Mirror

Some films are hailed as being "ahead of its time", though I still don't think we've reached that moment in time where this movie would be considered passé. Gloomy, jumbled, measured; it never pretends to be much more than the meandering poem that it is and gets away with it by presenting some of the most haunting images ever filmed. 

18. The Prisoner of Second Avenue

Simon & Lemmon was a formula for magic -- and clearly Anne Bancroft knew how to sing the song just as well. There's very much an old fashioned innocence in everything about it but that also guarantees one of the least obscure depictions of raging against the machine; there's no metaphor for an unjust system, it's literally their environment. 

19. Sheba, Baby

As an Action Star, Pam Grier played a lotta characters that seemed indestructible (which could often thwart any suspense). Sheba is a much more vulnerable heroine which allowed Pam a wider range of humanity decades before Jackie Brown. 

20. Hard Times

The Depression Era was as far away from the 1970s as the 1980s are from us today, so I suppose that's why there were so many movies about it. Anyways, Walter Hill, Charles Bronson, James Coburn, bare-knuckled boxing. It speaks for itself. 

1979: Won't you please, please tell me what we've learned

Forty five years ago, the Iran hostage crisis began, the Sony Walkman was introduced, and the first Happy Meals were served. Thank you, and goodnight.

Usually (if not consistently) I can give you a decent first-hand account when discussing these anniversary essays, but alas I was not born until 4 years later. And yet, while a lot of change can occur in 4 years time, the end of the 1970s and the early 1980s had a lot in common: space exploration was still a newsworthy endeavor, the Cold War carried on, violence in the Middle East persisted, Michael Jackson and Van Halen were topping the charts, and Facts of Life and Dukes of Hazzard were still on the air. And I actually can say from personal experience that, inside people's homes, the decor and fashions and general lifestyle remained very "70s" for most of the decade that followed. 

So how do we firmly define this year - the last year of The Disco Era? Well, for one, Disco was still King despite its many detractors; Bee Gees, Donna Summer, ABBA, and Village People were practically at the heights of their respective careers. Even Kiss and The Stones were bending to the trend just moments before this empire collapsed. So that's how 1979 sounded, which is crucially indicative of any moment in civilized society. And what about the rest? How do we fill in the rest of the vibe? Politics? Technology? Philosophy? Astrology? As usual, we look to the movies (because what else are they good for?).

I can spy with my sagacious eye and say with some authority that "70s Cinema" and all that implies truly did run out the clock; the timid whimsy of 80s movies wasn't even on the radar yet (STAR WARS mania notwithstanding) as 1979 still packed in the punch of gritty realism, casual violence, and crackling originality. The Comedies were crass, the Horror was strange, the Action was dangerous, the Dramas were dismal, and for however confrontational the subject matter was, they followed suit with their abstractions; scary movies had funny moments, sad movies could be uplifting, car chases were romantic. Crossing genres and pace changes were the nuts and bolts of 70s Films and this year kept good on that bargain - particularly in contrast to the primary-colored kiddie pools of current Cinema. Sequels like Rocky II and More American Graffiti were strident reminders that franchises and reboots would almost always buckle under the weight of their origins and just felt out of place in this decade of fresh ideas. 

There was a lot in '79 - I stand back and look at my list and while it's an accurate representation of my own tastes, the omissions are palpable because there was that much. There are so many different flavors and so many different toppings that even just a selection of five movies would be a strong enough representation of the depth and dominance of this year (and also decade). But I've kept it at a modest Twenty for sanity's sake, and I'll forgo the explicit, longwinded observation of how fun and easy it was to compile a list of favorite movies from 45 years ago and what a tedious trudge it would be to do that with any year from the past 20. 

Someday this war's gonna end.

- Paul

1. The In-Laws

Tracy & Hepburn. Newman & Redford. Hanks & Hooch. "Chemistry" is so rarely a notable attribute anymore, but at the top of my list of that magic element is this singular outing of Arkin & Falk: two great actors on their own but absolutely unstoppable as a pair in this collaboration. But a big reason they play so well off each other is that they have this ridiculous script to work with that I quote so often that half the time it's not even applicable to my own situation. The best Comedy of the year, and best non-Woody Allen Comedy of the 1970s.

2. ...And Justice For All

I'd say it's the Second Best Comedy but it's just too damn dark. But that's the genius of it: not just because it juggles polar opposites of emotions, but because as a whole it's a terrifying mosaic of absurdity that you can't help but laugh at the dumbness of the American Legal System. Along with Rocky and Cuckoo's Nest it's on the short list of films with a climax that'll bring you to your feet and cheer. 

3. Zombie

Or Zombie 2 if you prefer, but I choose not to minimize this wholly original masterpiece by sequelizing it to an unrelated spinoff (Dawn of the Dead). I was never entirely interested in zombies, but they're so rarely this monstrous and creative and cool. Living dead aside, this whole movie is such a humid, sleazy, putrid vibe that could've only been achieved in this era. 

4. Apocalypse Now

I prefer the Redux but that's partly because I just wanted more movie. I've never seen a Vietnam film exactly the way I'd like it to be, but this is still the closest and that's because of its surrealism. It's adequately atmospheric and frightening - especially the often maligned Brando final act, which I find to be the most effective. 

5. The Frisco Kid

The Western was all but done in '79 as they'd become the subject of parody or evolved into robots and laser guns. This movie ignored all conventions for something entirely new and the result is a Lite Comedy with legitimate Western Action all grounded in an incredibly touching story of friendship, spirituality, and love. I could never compare it to anything else. 

6. Alien

At a time when "Serious Horror" (or "Elevated Horror" as it's called now) was still boring as all hell, it was such a punch to the chest to be fooled into witnessing imagery that was so gross and awesome. Like The Exorcist years before, once we're grounded in the safety of reality (or realistic characters), then a truly intelligent picture will abuse that trust by any means.

7. The Kids Are Alright

Possibly the most abstract movie on my list, primarily because it's not necessarily a movie - it's not even a documentary. As a structureless collage of archival footage and staged performances, it's a dizzying Love Letter to The Loudest Band in The World, put together by an actual fan -- and it made one outta me.

8. Rock 'n' Roll High School

Who knew a Punk Rock parable about antiestablishment youths and violent protest could be so fun and lighthearted? Very few Roger Corman productions hit a direct bullseye with me, but I will always watch this whenever I'm in the mood to be in a good mood. 

9. Gas Pump Girls

I'm not sure what you call the genre in which "Young Ladies Use Their Sexuality to Attract Customers to a Failing Business" but this is the best movie of that genre. And if a warm sunshiny Comedy full of retro gas station decor and scantily-clad women isn't enough, it's got a melancholy singalong moment that rivals Magnolia's "Wise Up."

10. The Brood

One of Cronenberg's more accessible "What if" scenarios and I buy right into it. Very often his attempts at suspense are watered down with esoteric whimsy, but this movie nails a perfect balance of bizarre and coherent in a way that seems to satisfy him as much as it does me. 

11. Beneath the Valley of the Ultra-Vixens

Technically Russ Meyer's final feature, which is tragic as he'd clearly reached the peaks of his talents. There were tame American Sex Comedies this year like Meatballs and 10 but Russ was doing it with the panache and pornography of European Dramas. Quentin can only hope he bows with this much of a bang.

12. Manhattan

 I've long stood by the contention that Woody was a greater writer and performer than director. But in the late 70s he proves me so wrong and this movie falls right in the sweet spot. There isn't a scene in this movie where you can't feel the same amount of effort and talent in the visuals as in the dialogue and acting, proving him a well-rounded auteur. 

13. Escape From Alcatraz

It's part of the decades-long "Prison Bad, Prisoners Good" subgenre, but I'm sure it hit differently in a post-Vietnam society. The best surprise of this film is that it focuses less on the mechanics of the "escape" and more on its sprawling cast of supporting characters - made up entirely of a lotta my favorite actors. 

14. The Visitor

I don't like using the word "weird" when describing movies, it's too broad of a term. But that's the point, I can't explain it in a few short sentences. Featuring John Huston as a sympathetic hero and cameos from Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Sam Peckinpah, and Franco Nero as Jesus (I think).

15. Mad Max

Maybe the truest example of where the 70s met the 80s: car chases and villains had to be more exciting than STAR WARS and your violence had to make Dirty Harry look tame. And for all that craziness this movie has outstanding performances and a strong emotional core. 

16. The Electric Horseman

Another meta Western to round out the decade, but its cleverness is that the premise would still work in an older movie. Mostly I'm just here for the scenery, up to and including Redford and Fonda lookin' just fine.

17. Time After Time

On paper it's the best idea I could ever imagine: H.G. Wells uses his time machine to chase Jack The Ripper into the 20th Century (specifically The 1970s). And between casting and story structure it's expertly executed, but mostly it's refreshing to see Malcolm McDowell as a sweet romantic lead (especially in the same year he played Caligula).

18. The Amityville Horror

Big chunks of this movie are a real trial to get through, but when they put in the effort it's effective; the characters are weak and unlikable but it makes up for it in atmosphere and jump scares. And I'm a sucker for ghosts (and Margot Kidder). 

19. Phantasm

The coolest thing about this movie (aside from the black 'Cuda) is how many genres it employs: it's a Mystery Thriller with car chases and guns and sex and gore and aliens, all presented like a Gothic Hammer Film. But, again, with a 1971 Plymouth 'Cuda. 

20. Tourist Trap

In the moments between Halloween and Friday the 13th there was Tourist Trap, and in several ways (writing, acting, and just general creepiness) it's better than both of them. And the ending is scarier than most Horror Movies, period.

I Seek The Grail(s)!

I got a lotta shit. We've looked at a lot of it together, you & I, and we'll continue to do so whether you like it or not. In the meantime, we need to take a look at the shit I don't got; these are the big ones I wish I could whip out to impress you all, but I've yet to be endowed as such. These are things -- real, tangible things that are out there, out of my reach, yet they define me in an almost mathematically correct way. I'm not so enlightened that I'm beyond the value of material possessions - on the contrary, I find them to be one of the most fun and fascinating facets of existence. So I have no shame in admitting that, without these treasures in my arsenal, I am but merely an abstraction of my full potential. Join me in yearning.

- Paul

Zelda II store display

Store displays of any kind are topnotch riches - because of their scarcity, but mostly because of their beauty. So this gorgeous cardboard monument to one of my favorite video games will never not be on my radar. Also, for all its popularity upon its release, folks don't have a lotta love for this installment in the Zelda franchise anymore - which only intensifies my belief that this piece of art should only belong to me.

Estimated Value: $10,000.00

Freddy Krueger vending machine sticker

Vending machine stickers are still a thing - kinda. You can usually still grab some at the supermarket outta machines that now resemble the charred Chrysler LeBaron at the end of Planes, Trains, and Automobiles. But back in the late 80s, they seemed to be everywhere - up to & including my local roller rink, which is where I actually acquired and once owned this now-lost Elm Street sticker. It clung to my dresser drawer, illuminated in my blood-red nightlight, making sure I never slept again. I had a handful of these Horror-themed stickers, but this one is still my dream master. 

Estimated Value: $40.00

Thing t-shirt

The '91 Addams Family movie was merchandised exquisitely, and I ate its cereal and hung its posters and wore its clothes. I had an Uncle Fester t-shirt featuring Christopher Lloyd's big bald head (that I believe glowed in the dark) and I felt like magic every time I wore it. But my favorite character was (and is) Thing, and I kept a sharp eye for anything adorning the disembodied paw (hopefully a shirt). It was not to be... at least not in the US of A. Apparently, this glorious piece of fashion was reserved for Australia only.

Estimated Value: $270.00

A Clockwork Orange theater programme

Alongside the iconic movie poster, Philip Castle designed tons of tantalizing images directly related to the movie, and a lotta them were compiled into this British brochure that was sold in theaters during the film's first run. 'Kubrick collectibles' is hardly an existing niche, but it's one I'd like to be a part of.

Estimated Value: $200.00

Fangoria #1

Tough to swallow that I don't already own this. The reason for that is that I'm hardly every actively chasing it - when I seek out whatever handful of Fangos I'm missing, I typically gravitate towards the articles or covers that seem most attractive. I keep stepping over this one because of its elusiveness, its price, and its crude (though I'm sure charming) content.

Someday. 

Estimated Value: $100.00

Dick Tracy McDonald's display

This is The One.

I diligently described the gravity of this grail some time ago, but ultimately its importance lies within the fact that this monument to mugshots (and McDonald's) is what sparked my lifelong obsession with this movie. And rightly so! I mean look at it: it includes nearly every gorgeous gangster that appears in the film, highlighted by a contrasting rainbow of solid hues and 3D fonts, culminating into the superlative summit of Big Boy and Big Macs. I never saw it again.

Estimated Value: n/a

"Black Album" poster

If you've kept up, you're aware of my continual declarations of squishy lust for the poster that came with The Beatles' 1968 "White Album." Well here's another clue for you all: a bootleg compilation known as "The Black Album" began circulating in the early 1980s, which consisted solely of outtakes from the Let It Be (or as we now refer to them, the Get Back) sessions. Additionally, it came with a compositionally similar (though entirely different) poster. The only way I can analogize it is: Van Gogh made roughly 20 versions of The Starry Night, and if you're a fan, each one carries as much weight as the next. Context aside, this poster knows just what I like. 

Estimated Value: $200.00

Malibu Spice poster

Adult movie posters in the 1970s were such arresting works of art that they made mainstream movie posters look like... well, like as bad as they look today. They weren't as great in the 80s - mostly swapping out elaborate illustrations and boudoir photography for straightforward 'pinups,' which has its own appeal -- particularly when the pinup is Jeanna Fine. I'm actually an enormous fan of this film, and when you pair that with the shortage of original "video posters," you've got one desirable piece of Pop to pursue.

Estimated Value: $250.00

Russ Meyer movie collection

In a way, this box of bliss doesn't actually exist - not in a regionally-compatible sense of the word. Over in Europe, they be watchin' beautifully packaged Russ Meyer discs for days, while I'm in the land of the free greasing up my DVD-Rs like some Dickensian street urchin. Arrow Video needs to figure this the fuck out and bring these bra-busting blu rays to my house some time this century.

Estimated Value: n/a

Nintendo World Championship competition cartridge

The list of sealed, mint NES games that I crave is endless, but the novelty and the context of this thing is attractive in its own way. 26 of these gold cartridges exist in the world, and they were awarded as part of the promotions for the Video Armageddon-esque Nintendo World Championship in 1990. The game consists of portions of Mario 3, Rad Racer, and Tetris, and was predictably used to gauge a player's skills. No one's impervious to the perceptible power of a golden game, but it'd also be like owning a real-life plot point of The Wizard.

Estimated Value: $2,000,000.00

THE FILMS OF RUSS MEYER