List of Crap #115: Top 50 Movies of the 70s Countdown!

[stethacantus]

Here is my prediction for the top 5

#5 Monty Python an the Holy Grail
I can't imagine everyone who thought of Life of Brian would not have also thought of Holy Grail. And most likely they had both next to each other on their lists. So that would mean Holy Grail will probably have 113 points. This is assuming no one decided they could only have one Monty Python film on their list.

#4 Young Frankenstein

#3 Close Encounters of the Third Kind

#2   Jaws

#1 Star Wars

[George-2.0]

Here is my prediction for the top 5

#5 Monty Python an the Holy Grail
I can't imagine everyone who thought of Life of Brian would not have also thought of Holy Grail. And most likely they had both next to each other on their lists. So that would mean Holy Grail will probably have 113 points. This is assuming no one decided they could only have one Monty Python film on their list.

#4 Young Frankenstein

#3 Close Encounters of the Third Kind

#2   Jaws

#1 Star Wars

That's what I was thinking, except I had Halloween instead of Close Encounters

[Edward J Grug III]

Here is my prediction for the top 5

#5 Monty Python an the Holy Grail
I can't imagine everyone who thought of Life of Brian would not have also thought of Holy Grail. And most likely they had both next to each other on their lists. So that would mean Holy Grail will probably have 113 points. This is assuming no one decided they could only have one Monty Python film on their list.

#4 Young Frankenstein

#3 Close Encounters of the Third Kind

#2   Jaws

#1 Star Wars

That's what I was thinking, except I had Halloween instead of Close Encounters

I didn't know if it was considered OK to post speculation -

Halloween, along with The Omen - are two that I am assuming won't make the list and am very surprised about. But, we may yet see an upset.

Even Carrie and Mean Streets not making the list when, say. Aguirre: The Wrath of God did is pretty surprising to me.

And I'm betting Jaws is a lot of lists number 2 behind Star Wars - So it is entirely possible it could pull of surprise coup.

Also I am banning everyone who didn't vote for The Muppet Movie.

[Cyrusso]

I guess that means I'm banned then. 

[Edward J Grug III]

I guess that means I'm banned then. 

It's been great having you here.

[Cyrusso]

I guess that means I'm banned then. 

It's been great having you here.

Let me know when I can come back Boss. 

[Johnny Unusual]

#5

114 Points, 7 Lists, #3 RVR II

I know this. I know what this is! This means something. This is important.

Year 1977

What's it about?

In Muncie, Indiana, Jillian Guiler, her three year old son Barry and a lineman named Roy are among a few people who see a UFO.  Roy becomes obsessed with it, even when no one will believe him, and knows there is something in his mind that he can't articulate but means something important.  An image whose meaning he can't decipher.  Meanwhile, Jillian, who has noticed her child acting strange as of late, finds her home under siege by unseen forces, an event that ends in Barry's disappearance.  Soon Jillian and Roy team up to uncover the truth, along with a group of other people with certain experiences, only to find the government standing in their way.

What's it REALLY about?
The wonder of making contact with an alien race both the fear and hope of communication.  This communication also has spiritual connotations, and has moments analagous to religious stories.  Roy's encounter might be akin to Saul on the way to Damascus and how the encounter completely changes his life's focus, the "chariot of fire" that takes away our hero and Roy telling Jillian not to look back during their most trying moments on the mountain, a la Lot and his wife.  But the spirituality is also something that feels beyond religious and it feels profound.  For Roy, it was an experience that opened his eyes.  For Jillian, it presented her with a crisis greater than anything she's faced.

Legacy
The film helped a resurgence in science fiction movies and was lauded and given a number of re-issues.  Even such luminaries as Jean Renoir and Ray Bradbury heaped praise on it.  The musical communication climax and Roy "making" the Devil's Tower are often parodied in TV and film. 

Trivia
During the dinner scene just before Roy piles on the mashed potatoes, you can hear the little girl say, "There's a dead fly in my potatoes." This was unscripted and almost caused the rest of the cast to laugh. The scene was kept as-is.

Johnny's Thoughts
Great movie and though its not a horror film, the abduction scene is one of the scariest scenes in film, in my opinion.

[Johnny Unusual]

I am shocked it made the list at all, so making it all the way to #8 is a real stunner. Look at you guys and your awesome taste.

This.  And I haven't seen the movie, but I love that this relatively more obscure film made it so high with so many points.

[Edward J Grug III]

Still never seen Close Encounters. I'm sure I will one day...

[Johnny Unusual]

#4a

116 Points, 7 Lists, #1 Cole Stratton

A riot is an ungly thingk... undt, I tink, that it is chust about time ve had vun.

Year 1974

What's it about?

Dr. Frederick Frankenstein (pronounced Fronkonsteen) is a brilliant doctor from a line of brilliant doctors.  In particular, the famous mad scientist who created a monster from dead corpses.  Understandably, Dr. Frankenstein is disdainful of his family's history and has no interest but when he finds himself inheriting a castle from his great-grandfather, he finds himself going to Transylvania to see the property.  There he meets servants Igor, whose grandfather assisted his in creating the famous monster, and the comely Inga, as well as the foreboding housekeeper Frau Blucher.  After discovering his grandfather's lab, he changes his mind and decides to create life himself.  Unfortunately, the monster's brain belonged to someone named Abby Normal...

What's it REALLY about?
I suppose like the original, its about taking responsibility for what you create (but with a happier ending) as well as a love letter to the classic James Whale films.

Legacy
In addition to being considered a comedy classic, it also spawned a stage musical.

The last line of the scene always kills me.

Trivia
The shifting hump on Igor's back was an ad-libbed gag. Marty Feldman had been surreptitiously shifting the hump back and forth for several days when cast members finally noticed. It was then added to the script.

Johnny's Thoughts
Again, I respect Brooks movies more than I love them but "Puttin' on the Ritz" is one of the greatest comedy scenes of all time.

[PsychoGoatee]

Great great movie. Frankenstein is very good fodder for this kind of comedy.

[stethacantus]

CLOSE ENCOUNTER OF THE FOURTH KIND:
An Anal Probe Up Your Ass.

Which is what we would have seen had the Special Edition gone a few minutes longer.

Well, my prediction was blown...
I was guessing most of the people submitting Python films would have done the same thing I did and rank them back to back. Now I am worrying that a lot of people here though they shouldn't have more than one Python film on their list and all chose LoB by default. While there are still three slots left, there is a good chance that one will go to The Muppets.

Surprised Close Encounters didn't get into the top three.

[Johnny Unusual]

While there are still three slots left...

Guess again...

#4a

[Cyrusso]

Still never seen Close Encounters. I'm sure I will one day...

You should Edward it's an amazing film. It's held up incredibly well after 42 years.

[MartyS (Gromit)]

If watching Close Encounters for the first time the question is what cut to watch?  I'd say start with the theatrical.  There is one other cut on the disc I liked but don't remember the name of that one, it had more scenes with the family and just how nuts he was getting, that version makes you more sympathetic to Teri Garr's character as to why she gets so fed up with him.  I don't like the longer ending versions.


The astronomy professor here that I help out in the observatory was a grad student at Northwestern when the film was being made, he often mentions that Hynek would dump all his work on them to jet off to Hollywood to work on the film.