The 1970’s in film ranks as one of the best decades in its history. It’s up there with the 1930’s and 1950’s. The Godfather 1 & 2, Mean Streets, The Last Picture Show, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Five Easy Pieces, All the President’s Men, American Graffiti, Taxi Driver, Jaws, Apocalypse Now, The Exorcist, Chinatown, A Clockwork Orange, Rocky, The Sting, The Shining, Dog Day Afternoon, The French Connection, The Conversation, Serpico and many more. Comedies had their share of greatness too, led by Woody Allen and Mel Brooks, in a decade that thrived on great cinema.
You can find earlier post in this series easily by clicking right here!
Animal House
The National Lampoon classic recently celebration it 40th anniversary, A low budget comedy from Universal that no one was expecting much from. It changed film comedy. Here is a great take on the film from Dennis Cozzalio.
Annie Hall
One of my favorite films of all time. Attached is my review that tells it all. Click here!
Blazing Saddles
Along with Woody Allen, Mel Brooks was our comedic saint during the 1970’s. Blazing Saddles is a hilarious spoof on the western genre and our society. The late Madeline Kahn received an Oscar nomination for role as Lili Von Shtupp. A comic masterpiece,
Catch-22
Any attempt at describing a plot, novel or film, is doomed to inadequacy. We are following the exploits of a fictional fighter squadron in Italy during the height of World War 2. There are a lot of characters but our chief tour guide is Alan Arkin’s John Yossarian whose motto is “live forever or die in the attempt.” For Yossarian, the enemy is anyone who wants to get him killed. It doesn’t matter what side they are on. You can read my review here.
Life of Brian
M.A.S.H.
Robert Altman was one of my favorite filmmakers back in the day. He changed cinema for the better with films like Thieves Like Us, McCabe and Mrs. Miller, The Long Goodbye, Nashville and many others. He didn’t always succeed but he was always fascinating. Here is my review.
Manhattan
Beautifully filled in black and white by Gordon Willis, Manhattan is Woody Allen’s love affair with the city of New York or at least Woody’s idolized version of New York, a city filled with museums, artists, intellectuals and psychoanalyst. Read my review here.
Network
The Paddy Chayefsky/Sidney Lumet dark satire is one of those films that seemed so far out at the time, but over the years had come close to our reality today. No matter how insane the political view, the mindless viewers watch and believe, and for the network sellouts it doesn’t matter as long as they make money.
Play it Again, Sam
Young Frankenstein
Dr. Frankenstein: You know, I’m a rather brilliant surgeon. Perhaps I can help you with your hump.
Igor: What hump?
Mel Brooks’ tribute to Universal studio’s Frankenstein movies of the 1930’s is a side splitting love affair with movies. As he did with Blazing Saddles and would do again later in other films he took a film genre and affectionately twisted it into a ball of hilarity.
Manhattan was a little bit creepy with the way Woody’s 40-something character was dating a 17 year old.
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Definitely feels more unsettling today than it did. While I like the film, some of the scenes are uncomfortable.
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I’ve been a Woody Allen fan since I was about 12. Even then the romance between Allen and Hemingway gave me the creeps. I thought she was even younger than 17. Still it was always in the top three of my Allen films until all that Mia Farrow and her daughter stuff came up. It was just too much to bear, for me anyway. It’s a gorgeously shot film though, no doubt. I still can’t get enough of Young Frankenstein. It is so layered and everyone of those layers is deliciously funny.
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Farrow is a bit of a flake herself, so who knows what to believe or what is even the truth. They did make some good films together some of which will be popping up when the 1980’s comes around next month. I always considered Young Frankenstein Brooks best film.
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Me too, about Young Frankenstien. Well, I take that back, The Producers I think is his best. Then YF and then Blazing Saddles running almost neck to neck. I even like the much maligned High Anxiety.
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The Producers is fabulous. I recently watched it again for the umpteenth time.
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Woody’s films haven’t dated well for me, though I haven’t seen ANNIE HALL in a long time and remember enjoying it. I’m a YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN fan, too, and agree with allthingsthriller that HIGH ANXIETY was underrated.
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We on opposite side here my friend. For me they hold up very well :). I have to give High Anxiety another look. Haven’t seen it in years.
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Great post 🙂 I agree with both you and Pam (allthingsthriller) in regards to Young Frankenstein being Mel Brooks best film. He not only parodies the Universal monster movies of the 30’s, but he also pays homage to them as well. In other words, he has a lot of enthusiasm for what he is tackling. As for all the other comedies, I can only nod in agreement with you on the choices. M.A.S.H. was the perfect breakthrough hit for it’s director Robert Altman. His fascinating deconstructions of genres (the war film in this case) and his flair for overlapping dialogue (as with Howard Hawks) and improvisation managed to appeal to a mainstream audience and all of those trademarks that would mature to a level beyond belief with his succeeding films. In case you are interested, I have a blog entry regarding my favorite Robert Altman films. I will give you the link below. Anyway, keep up the great work as always 🙂
https://cinematiccoffee.com/2018/02/18/my-favorite-robert-altman-films/
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Thanks John. M.A.S.H. was and is a great film. Altman was always a fascinating filmmaker.
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“Start the Revolution Without Me” is very underated film of the 1970’s.
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Armando, I have not seen it, but will check it out. Thanks for the recommendation.
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I love Young Frankenstein, Marty Feldman singing ‘I ain’t got nobody’ is particularly brilliant. But I think I prefer The Producers. It’s as close to perfect as it’s possible for a comedy film to be. Well, for me at any rate!
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[…] via Favorite Comedies of the 70’s — Twenty Four Frames […]
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