1970s List Discussion and Suggestions (Lists Project Vol. 3)

[Gropius]

Are there any decent releaes of the Syberbergs? It seems only Karl May is still in print of the US releases.

Actually, I think decent subbed German editions now exist of most of them, including Hitler, but I haven't looked into them. I think Hitler is one of those magnum opus works that are probably better in the imagination (cf. Out 1, which I finally saw, like several of you, and was a little bit underwhelmed: bigger so rarely equals better).

[the preacher]

Ballot sent.

13 titles on the last top 100, 37 new. 4 spotlights in (including my own). 23 countries represented.

[swo17]

Just noticed that Carlos Hugo Christensen's A Intrusa, usually listed as a 1979 film is now a 1987 (!) film by the IMDb. It was shown at the Gramado Film Festival, March 1980, but I was not able to find an earlier release. Is it eligible or not?

IMDb now calls this a 1979 release (presumably based on a recent correction submitted by the preacher) and at least one person has voted for it that way. (No points for guessing who.) This is not the best timing to be finding out about a change, but I guess I'll call it an eligible '70s film unless anyone has strong feelings the other way. (If it's not going to attract many votes either as a '70s or as an '80s film, then it probably doesn't matter either way.) Was anyone looking forward to this for the '80s list, but wouldn't be able to give it a proper viewing in time for the '70s deadline?

[the preacher]

It doesn't matter. I don't expect a English friendly edition coming soon. Carlos Hugo Christensen's filmography is awfully neglected, even if he shot remarkable films in Argentina (Si muero antes de despertar), Venezuela (La balandra Isabel llegó esta tarde), Peru (Armiño negro) and Brazil.

[zedz]

Well, I gave up and submitted a list that didn't include 80-something titles. The rankings I ended up with were all pretty vague, and any of fifty or more titles could have plausibly filled the last twenty slots on the list.

From a rough count, there are about 15 films new to my list since the last time, though not all of them were new to me (a couple were radically upgraded after I saw them again, or else were simply remembered), and six of those were in my top twenty. Five minutes after submitting the list, and looking at it again, I'm already deeply dissatisfied with some of the rankings, but that's how this kind of exercise is supposed to work.

My numbers 51 to 60:
51. Riddles of the Sphinx (Mulvey / Wollen, 1977)
52. 31/75 Asyl (Kren, 1975)
53. Melody (Jean-Christophe Averty, 1971)
54. Fata Morgana (Werner Herzog, 1971)
55. Days of 36 (Angelopoulos, 1972)
56. Easyout (O’Neill, 1971)
57. Killer of Sheep (Burnett, 1979)
58. The Tree of Wooden Clogs (Ermanno Olmi, 1978)
59. The Ceremony (Oshima, 1971)
60. Eraserhead (David Lynch, 1977)

[FerdinandGriffon]

53. Melody (Jean-Christophe Averty, 1971)

Whoah. Had no idea this existed. Looks exquisite, and if it is I'm going to have to check out his Montand/Prevert films too.

Zedz, I hope your list proper had room for some Gainsbourg proper?

[swo17]

Melody is available on this DVD.

And yeah, something like spots 15-45 on my list are pretty much a 30-way tie.

[zedz]

It really hurts to leave that out. It's a longform music video for the entire Melody Nelson album, featuring spectacular state-of-the-1971-art video effects that are amazingly expressive and creative considering the limitations of the technology. And it goes without saying that it includes the best soundtrack of any film of the decade.

[zedz]

And yeah, something like spots 15-45 on my list are pretty much a 30-way tie.

After I posted the message above, and before you picked up the list, I actually rectified the most rank ranking irritation on the list: several generations of massaging had somehow forced a film that had to be in my top twenty down to number 31.

[Yojimbo]

I can now exclusively reveal that I have managed to produce a ranked Top 50 listing, from an initial shortlist of 163.

Given the nature of the beast -however - and the possibility that I might have omitted a candidate worthy of inclusion, I'm currently making myself available to last-minute pleadings of any and all members of 'the not-chosen 113' who consider themselves more worthy

Expect white smoke sometime within the next 24 hours, swo! :-$

[FerdinandGriffon]

56. Easyout (O’Neill, 1971)

Just watched this. I know it's a hoary old cliche, but I'd be hard pressed to name a film that more effectively, succinctly and exactly conveys the experience of an acid trip, down to the various distinct stages and their progression. First the mesmeric sensitivity to landscape, then human gesture and movement within the same, followed by the peak period of absolute hysteria and confusion, largely disconnected from one's specific surroundings, then a much calmer interval of graphic and geometric abstraction while self-possession returns, etc, etc. It's very hard to bring this stuff back from a trip in a communicable form, so needless to say I'm very impressed with what O'Neill has done. I'm sure there are other valences of meaning to the film, but on a first viewing, this one was very forceful.

[zedz]

Swo reminded me of a great film I plugged in this very thread and then completely forgot to include on my list, so it is with great regret that I relegate my previous number 47, Vengeance Is Mine, to the also-rans.

[Yojimbo]

Swo reminded me of a great film I plugged in this very thread and then completely forgot to include on my list, so it is with great regret that I relegate my previous number 47, Vengeance Is Mine, to the also-rans.

Vengeance Is Mine is one of the 113, zedz!

[zedz]

Is this some kind of sign?

[Yojimbo]

Is this some kind of sign?

The bookies don't fancy its chances!

[Askew]

Vengeance is Mine also failed to make it onto my final top fifty despite liking the movie quite a bit. I would however strongly recommend two of MoC other '70s releases to anyone who hasn't submitted a list yet. Shinoda's Silence and Watkin's Edvard Munch were two of the best films I saw for the first time for this list.

[swo17]

Fun tidbit for today: There's one film on the list that two people so far have voted for, and both of them misspelled the film's title the exact same way!

[domino harvey]

Oh my god, it is spelled "Chinatwon"

[domino harvey]

Also, I hope everyone remembered to use their number 50 slot to vote for something crazy (that you still like, obv)

[Yojimbo]

Oh my god, it is spelled "Chinatwon"

A common complaint: I must remember to subject my fnail 50 to forensic spell-check audit, prior to submission

[Yojimbo]

Also, I hope everyone remembered to use their number 50 slot to vote for something crazy (that you still like, obv)

My draft 50 has enough fun entries: I'm amazed at how many of the 'usual suspects' I consigned to the also-rans. But their replacements are so much more fun to watch.
So, 'canon' be damned, and hang the consequences!

[zedz]

Also, I hope everyone remembered to use their number 50 slot to vote for something crazy (that you still like, obv)

Oh yes.

Spoiler

Hellooooooo!

[zedz]

Fun tidbit for today: There's one film on the list that two people so far have voted for, and both of them misspelled the film's title the exact same way!

If it's Wanda Gosciminska – Weaver, I plead insanity.

[domino harvey]

Also, I hope everyone remembered to use their number 50 slot to vote for something crazy (that you still like, obv)

Oh yes.

Spoiler

Hellooooooo!

If zedz is brash enough to reveal his #50 choice, then so will I (unless he was joking, in which case I am brashest yet again)

Spoiler

[Yojimbo]

If zedz is brash enough to reveal his #50 choice, then so will I (unless he was joking, in which case I am brashest yet again)

Spoiler

Oh, that!
I didn't recognise it, although I should have

It's not one of the 113, though!
- or current 50