Yanks

Yanks

CIP etc.

19 September 1979

Historical Drama

DVD
C-

The Brits were more interesting than the Yanks.  John Schlesinger directed, three years after Marathon Man.

The Wiz

The Wiz

Motown Productions/ Universal

October 24, 1978

Musical

DVD
D+

Since the first dozen or so minutes barely resemble the L. Frank Baum book (this is based on the stage musical based on the book), watching the first quarter hour meant that this is the story of a spinster schoolteacher who hallucinates about graffiti.  Sidney Lumet directed.

Là dove non batte il sole AKA The Stranger and the Gunfighter AKA El kárate, el Colt y el impostor

Là dove non batte il sole AKA The Stranger and the Gunfighter AKA El kárate, el Colt y el impostor

Compagnia Cinematografica

1974

Western, Action, Historical Drama

DVD
D+

A Western and an "Eastern" (complete with martial arts) mashed together.  Antonio Margheriti directed.

Sartana in the Valley of Death AKA Sartana nella valle degli avvoltoi AKA Ballad of Death Valley

Sartana in the Valley of Death AKA Sartana nella valle degli avvoltoi AKA Ballad of Death Valley

Victor Produzione

15 August 1970

Western

DVD
D

Forgettable, if it's the one I think it is.  Roberto Mauri wrote and directed.

Life Is Tough, Eh Providence? AKA La vita a volte è molto dura, vero Provvidenza?

Life Is Tough, Eh Providence? AKA La vita a volte è molto dura, vero Provvidenza?

Oceania Produzioni Internazionali Cinematografiche etc.

26 October 1972

Comedy, Western

DVD
C+

This is wacky, not just in the slapstick but in dubs that reference e.g. Joe Namath and They Shoot Horses, Don't They? At times, I thought I'd give it a B-, but there are too many dangling threads, like the saloongirl who kept swearing vengeance and then missed the last third of the movie.  Giulio Petroni directed, five years after the much darker Death Rides a Horse AKA Da uomo a uomo.

Von Richthofen and Brown AKA The Red Baron

Von Richthofen and Brown AKA The Red Baron

The Corman Company etc.

June 30, 1971

War Drama

DVD
D+

Nice scenery.  Roger Corman directed.

Valdez Is Coming

Valdez Is Coming

United Artists

April 9, 1971

Western

DVD
D+

More nuanced than usual for this genre, but then it is based on an Elmore Leonard novel.  Edwin Sherin directed.

El Topo AKA The Mole

El Topo AKA The Mole

Producciones Panicas

18 December 1970

Western

DVD

D-

Not as bad as I expected, when I first heard of it, over thirty years ago, but I did watch only the first quarter hour.   Alejandro Jodorowsky wrote, directed, and played the title character.

Too Late the Hero

Too Late the Hero

ABC Pictures

May 20, 1970

War Drama

DVD
D+

At least it has Henry Fonda and Cliff Robertson arguing, unlike most World War II movies.  Robert Aldrich directed and co-wrote.

The Tin Drum AKA Die Blechtrommel

The Tin Drum AKA Die Blechtrommel

Franz Seitz Filmproduktion etc.

3 May 1979

Historical Comedy, Fantasy

DVD
C

I enjoyed the movie when I saw it in '83 or '84, finding it funny and profound.  (My hippie aunt thought nothing of taking me and my same-age cousin to such a controversial film.)  I subsequently read the Günter Grass novel once or twice.  So I gave it over a half hour today, but I just couldn't get into it.  Volker Schlöndorff directed and co-wrote.

Tim

Tim

Pisces Production etc.

13 July 1979

Romance

DVD

D+

Sort of creepy movie starring a young Mel Gibson and a not so young Piper Laurie as a potential couple.  (And it's not the age difference that bothered me most.)  This is based on the Colleen McCullough novel and directed by Michael Pate.

Ten (1979)

Ten (1979)

Orion etc.

October 5, 1979

Comedy

DVD
C-

I of course had heard of this movie since the time but never tried to watch it before.  Bumped up a notch for casting, but the main character is pretty unsympathetic, his stalking aside.  Blake Edwards wrote and directed.

Superman (1978)

Superman (1978)

Warner Bros. etc.

December 15, 1978

Sci-Fi

DVD
C-

I actually never saw this movie at the time or until today, but some of it got into the zeitgeist, so the first quarter hour (without Reeve) seemed oddly familiar.  Mario Puzo and Tom Mankiewicz contributed to the script, while the versatile Richard Donner directed.

Summer City AKA Coast of Terror

Summer City AKA Coast of Terror

Avalon Film Corporation etc.

22 December 1977

Historical Drama

DVD
D

A group of young Australian jerks, Mel Gibson among them.  I might've bumped this up a notch for the early rock & roll, if the sound recording wasn't subpar.  Christopher Fraser directed.

The Sting

The Sting

Universal

December 25, 1973

Crime Drama, Historical Drama

DVD
C-

I've watched this once or twice before, but, other than the very catchy "Entertainer" theme, it never stays with me.  George Roy Hill directed, four years after he directed Newman and Redford as Butch and Sundance.

Star Wars: Episode Four - A New Hope

Star Wars: Episode Four - A New Hope

Lucasfilm Ltd./ 20th Century Fox

May 25, 1977

Sci-Fi

DVD
C-

I of course saw this at the time and a few times since, as well as three or four of the later movies.  But I never really got into the franchise.  This time, nostalgia for R2D2 aside, I didn't really find much to entertain me in the first quarter hour.  Lucas wrote and directed.

Star Trek: The Motion Picture

Star Trek: The Motion Picture

Paramount

December 8, 1979

Sci-Fi

DVD

D+

I was never into any of the versions of Star Trek, although I probably watched a few episodes of the original series in syndication when I was a kid.  Anyway, I was either bored or thinking What? Why? with this today.  Robert Wise directed, about eleven years after Star!, the last Wise movie I reviewed.

Soylent Green

Soylent Green

MGM

May 9, 1973

Sci-Fi

DVD
C-

I've had the ending of the movie spoiled for probably decades, so it was interesting to finally watch a bit of this, especially since it's set in 2022.  Not interesting to stick with it of course, especially with Heston as the lead.  This is based on Harry Harrison's novel Make Room! Make Room! and directed by Richard Fleischer.

Sounder

Sounder

20 Century Fox

August 13, 1972

Historical Drama

DVD
D+

While I recognize that this was ground-breaking in its day, it's a little dull.  This is based on William H. Armstrong's Newbery-award-winning children's novel (which I might've read as a kid), and directed by Martin Ritt, five years after Hombre.

Solaris (1972)

Solaris (1972)

Mosfilm

5 February 1972

Sci-Fi

DVD
D+

Slow-moving.  This is based on Stanislaw Lem's novel and directed by Andrei Tarkovsky.