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

[Cyrusso]

"Nothing says goodbye like a bullet", huh? What the hell kind of tagline is that supposed to be? Am I also supposed to ask Philip Marlowe about that too?

[Johnny Unusual]

#6

107 Points, 6 Lists, #2 Linszoid

What Jesus blatantly fails to appreciate is that it's the meek who are the problem.

Year 1979

What's it about?

Brian is a contemporary of Jesus, though he isn't really much of anyone.  But when he meets the beautiful young Judith, he decides to join the People's Front of Judea after being inspired by her and fight the Romans who have occupied Judea.  While hiding from some Roman soldiers, Brian ends up pretending to be a prophet in a line up of them... but his hastily thought out advice accidentally makes him a messiah in the eyes of the people.  Now, Brian must deal with a legion of followers that he doesn't want and the consequences of being a messiah... even though he is trying to convince everyone that he isn't.

What's it REALLY about?
Religious mania and people who see what they want and project their own ideas onto others.  It was also a parody of left-wing British politics, with the various anti-Roman factions fighting amongst each other when they should be working together to fight for a common good.

Legacy
The movie was a critical success but also was met with controversy from some Christian groups.  Which is ironic, since the film has nothing but a nice take on Christ and his teachings.  It's really all about the followers who want to see what they want to see in it.  Ironically, in many cases, they are also things that are largely nice when they see it in Brian, just blind and misguided.  It never questions the divinity of Christ, but it does question the people.

Trivia
Six cast members played forty characters.

Johnny's Thoughts
Through all the nonsense, Monty Python had still often had some pointed political statements but this is the first time where it felt like the message was really key to one of their movies.  It didn't take away from the humour, however, and made wonderful use of the biblical epic genre to say something about the fallibility of people while searching for the divine.

[Cyrusso]

Believe it or not I had a college class that was all about Rome in Film and one of the films we watched on the big screen was Life of Brian. Ever since I first watched it like almost 25 years ago I enjoyed it immensely.

[linszoid]

Always look on the bright side of life!

[Cyrusso]

Always look on the bright side of life!

Yes, even if you are crucified because there's so much to look forward to!  I guess sarcasm was a big inspiration for that song though.

[MartyS (Gromit)]

Always look on the bright side of life!

Parts of that song were used in the movie Good As It Gets so it had a bit of a resurgence in 1997.  On one of the DVD commentary tracks someone mentions that the studio had that song as the music that played when you were on hold, including all the swear words.

[Edward J Grug III]

Godfather is great, but was a near miss on my list. Actually surprised to see it land higher than II.

I lied - Godfather just scraped onto my list.

Alien did not - it was 27.

Holy Grail was not on my list.

The Long Goodbye was though - #5. I love it. I love Gould in the movie, although I don't think he makes a good Marlowe. I don't think it's a great adaptation, just a great movie.

[George-2.0]

I can't warm up to the Long Good Friday.

Nobody voted for that film.  Seems like you don't like films that describe themselves as "Long Good".

You'll have to excuse me, I wrote that after working the nightshift. I was half brain dead and blurry eyed. I actually like Long Good Friday

edit: plus I had to push my damned car off a gas station lot because it's being an a-hole and sometimes wont start. The mechanic I took it to couldn't find the problem.... I suspect flywheel, wiring, starter? I'm ready to rip it all out and replace it... or better yet. Roll the car off the Columbia river gorge, then laugh manically and shout, "There's your long goodbye you S.O.B.!" (to the car, not to anyone here)

So yeah I was in a bit of a mood and frazzled when I finally got home.

[Edward J Grug III]

Hmmm. Five movies left. I *think* I know what those last five are, and that leaves a few that I am surprised/sad didn't make the list.

[Cyrusso]

I can't guess as to what the top 5 are, however I'm pretty sure Close Encounters of the Third kind might be number 5.

[Edward J Grug III]

While I think I know what the top five are, there are a couple of omissions that I am so surprised weren't in the 50-20 slots, there could be a weird upset?

Unless i am forgetting that they appeared earlier of course. Entirely possible.

[Edward J Grug III]

50   Mad Max
49   Watership Down
48   Star Trek
47   Amarcord
46   The Duellists
45   Suspiria
44   Days of Heaven
43   Jesus Christ Superstar
42   Aguirre: The Wrath of God
41   Breaking Away
40   Being There
39   The Spy Who Loved Me
38   The Rocky Horror Picture Show
37   Saturday Night Fever
36   Enter the Dragon
35   Harold and Maude
34   The Poseidon Adventure
33   Apocalypse Now
32   The Conversation
31   Nashville
30   Bananas
29   The Jerk
28   Patton
27   Paper Moon
26   The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3
25   The Sting
24   Clockwork Orange
23   The Wicker Man
22   Animal House
21   Robin Hood
20   The Castle of Cagliostro
19   The Exorcist
18   The Godfather Part II
17   Dirty Harry
16   One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
15   Rocky
14   Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory
13   Taxi Driver
12   Blazing Saddles
11   The Godfather
10   Superman
9   Chinatown
8   The Long Goodbye
7   Alien
6   Life of Brian
5   ?
4   ?
3   ?
2   ?
1   ?

[Edward J Grug III]

It's not just surprising that some films won't make it - it's surprising that they won't while a lot of these did.

(Not a complaint, I don't have all of the ones I was sure would make it on my list, and a lot of my 'outside' ones have done very well)

[George-2.0]

There are 2 guarantees. And then I have 3 I consider likely -- but then Russoguru posted his spoiler and that one plumb slipped my mind. So it'll be interesting see what pops up. Are there others I'd not thought of?

[Charles Castle]

The Long Goodbye was though - #5. I love it. I love Gould in the movie, although I don't think he makes a good Marlowe. I don't think it's a great adaptation, just a great movie.

Exactly.

The Long Goodbye was my #5 as well. It moves to it's own oddball rhythm, but I love Gould's muttering Marlowe and I can't think of many movies that represent their time and place as well as The Long Goodbye does 1973 Los Angeles.

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.