The 100 Greatest movies of the 1970s. 21. Marathon Man (15 Viewers)

[Dr. Octopus]

Yes, I’m not that concerned about the rankings really anyway. It’s opinion and we like what we like.

I appreciate him creating the forum.

 

[timschochet]

I guess, as usual I do not get the point of these lists. If these are your rankings why rank movies you don't like?

ETA: didn’t mean “do not get the point” like it sounded. I meant it more literally.

You misunderstood me. I don’t dislike this movie. It’s a memorable visual spectacle. I appreciate its greatness, I just didn’t enjoy it so much.
I would rather watch The Wrath of Khan than 81/2 or The Bicycle Thieves. But I know the latter two are much better films. I take that into account.

I do think A Clockwork Orange is overrated which is why it’s not in my top 5. But it’s still a great film and IMO deserves its ranking,

 

[timschochet]

35. Mean Streets (1973)

Directed by: Martin Scorcese

Starring: Robert DeNiro, Harvey Keitel

Synopsis: In Little Italy in New York a young man tried to save his best friend from getting into trouble with the mob.

You know what the Queen says? If I had balls I’d be the King- Harvey Keitel as Charlie

So this is the first of the Scorcese- De Niro collaborations which would produce some of the greatest movies in modern history, including Raging Bull, Goodfellas, and one coming up a little later. Mean Streets is not quite in that category but it’s a terrific, gritty crime drama in the Scorcese mold. Harvey Keitel offers one of his best performances and should have become a star after this role.

 

[Andy Dufresne]

I would rather watch The Wrath of Khan than 81/2 or The Bicycle Thieves. But I know the latter two are much better films. I take that into account.

Now wait just one damn minute!

 

[Mrs. Rannous]

I would rather watch The Wrath of Khan than 81/2 or The Bicycle Thieves. But I know the latter two are much better films. I take that into account.

Now wait just one damn minute!

No, they are not better. They are just artier.

 

[timschochet]

34. The Conversation (1974)

Directed by: Francis Ford Coppola

Starring: Gene Hackman, John Cazale, Cindy Williams

Synopsis: A surveillance expert hears about a planned murder by accident.

I’m not afraid of death but I am afraid of murder. -Gene Hackman as Harry Caul

A forgotten classic at this point, but one of Coppola’s absolute best films and arguably Gene Hackman’s greatest role. Just an excellent, extremely tense thriller.

 

[Don Quixote]

Is it “forgotten”? I still see it referenced a lot, but maybe I follow too many classic movie feeds on Twitter.

 

[Andy Dufresne]

I appreciate The Conversation for its unconventionally Hollywood ending.

 

[El Floppo]

Yeah. Forgotten probably not the right word... Smaller, maybe?

 

[Hastur]

I was just watching The Conversation on PlutoTV the other day. Great film.

 

[zamboni]

34. The Conversation (1974)

Directed by: Francis Ford Coppola

Starring: Gene Hackman, John Cazale, Cindy Williams

Synopsis: A surveillance expert hears about a planned murder by accident.

I’m not afraid of death but I am afraid of murder. -Gene Hackman as Harry Caul

A forgotten classic at this point, but one of Coppola’s absolute best films and arguably Gene Hackman’s greatest role. Just an excellent, extremely tense thriller.

#3 of John Cazale's entire filmography of five films listed so far, with the remaining two undoubtedly way way up there.

 

[timschochet]

33. Being There (1979)

Directed by: Hal Ashby

Starring: Peter Sellers, Shirley MacLaine, Melvyn Douglas

Synopsis: A mentally challenged gardener is mistaken for a brilliant philosopher.

As long as the roots are severed, all is well in the garden.- Peter Sellers as Chance

A sharp and brilliant satire. Designed to lampoon those people who tend to prop up certain artists as “profound”. Peter Sellers in one of his greatest roles. (And last.)

 

[Mrs. Rannous]

I cannot watch Peter Sellers. Every role looks like all the others. Just irritating.

 

[Andy Dufresne]

I cannot watch Peter Sellers. Every role looks like all the others. Just irritating.

You're a tough crowd.

 

[rockaction]

I cannot watch Peter Sellers. Every role looks like all the others. Just irritating.

I barely can, either, and I was wondering why. Is Dr. Strangelove really that good of a movie? wikkid would say yes and that you needed to be from that generation to get it. I personally found it slightly boring because of Sellers, and I wanted to like it. Terry Southern wrote it and back then I considered Terry Southern hot **** as a writer.

“Who do I have to **** to get off of this set?” - Blue Movie

 

[Dan Lambskin]

33. Being There (1979)

Directed by: Hal Ashby

Starring: Peter Sellers, Shirley MacLaine, Melvyn Douglas

Synopsis: A mentally challenged gardener is mistaken for a brilliant philosopher.

As long as the roots are severed, all is well in the garden.- Peter Sellers as Chance

A sharp and brilliant satire. Designed to lampoon those people who tend to prop up certain artists as “profound”. Peter Sellers in one of his greatest roles. (And last.)

Big fan of this one

 

[El Floppo]

I cannot watch Peter Sellers. Every role looks like all the others. Just irritating.

Huh. Not what I've found. And certainly not with Being There.

Love this movie... One of my favorites. I like to watch.

 

[El Floppo]

I cannot watch Peter Sellers. Every role looks like all the others. Just irritating.

I barely can, either, and I was wondering why. Is Dr. Strangelove really that good of a movie? wikkid would say yes and that you needed to be from that generation to get it. I personally found it slightly boring because of Sellers, and I wanted to like it. Terry Southern wrote it and back then I considered Terry Southern hot **** as a writer.

“Who do I have to **** to get off of this set?” - Blue Movie

George c Scott? Sterling Hayden? And many others... This is in my top 3 and I'm not in Dales generation.

 

[Pip's Invitation]

34. The Conversation (1974)

Directed by: Francis Ford Coppola

Starring: Gene Hackman, John Cazale, Cindy Williams

Synopsis: A surveillance expert hears about a planned murder by accident.

I’m not afraid of death but I am afraid of murder. -Gene Hackman as Harry Caul

A forgotten classic at this point, but one of Coppola’s absolute best films and arguably Gene Hackman’s greatest role. Just an excellent, extremely tense thriller.

#3 of John Cazale's entire filmography of five films listed so far, with the remaining two undoubtedly way way up there.

All five of his films were nominated for the Best Picture Oscar.

 

[Mrs. Rannous]

34. The Conversation (1974)

Directed by: Francis Ford Coppola

Starring: Gene Hackman, John Cazale, Cindy Williams

Synopsis: A surveillance expert hears about a planned murder by accident.

I’m not afraid of death but I am afraid of murder. -Gene Hackman as Harry Caul

A forgotten classic at this point, but one of Coppola’s absolute best films and arguably Gene Hackman’s greatest role. Just an excellent, extremely tense thriller.

#3 of John Cazale's entire filmography of five films listed so far, with the remaining two undoubtedly way way up there.

All five of his films were nominated for the Best Picture Oscar.

Oliver! beat The Lion in Winter. Forrest Gump beat Quiz Show and The Shawshank Remdemption. Crap gets nominated and wins all the time.

 

[rockaction]

Crap gets nominated and wins all the time.

Forrest Gump is not crap. It’s a darn good movie. It didn’t blow my mind like Pulp Fiction, the film that should have won, did—but it was a good movie.

 

[timschochet]

34. The Conversation (1974)

Directed by: Francis Ford Coppola

Starring: Gene Hackman, John Cazale, Cindy Williams

Synopsis: A surveillance expert hears about a planned murder by accident.

I’m not afraid of death but I am afraid of murder. -Gene Hackman as Harry Caul

A forgotten classic at this point, but one of Coppola’s absolute best films and arguably Gene Hackman’s greatest role. Just an excellent, extremely tense thriller.

#3 of John Cazale's entire filmography of five films listed so far, with the remaining two undoubtedly way way up there.

All five of his films were nominated for the Best Picture Oscar.

Oliver! beat The Lion in Winter. Forrest Gump beat Quiz Show and The Shawshank Remdemption. Crap gets nominated and wins all the time.

IMO The Graduate was a better film than either Oliver! or The Lion in Winter. But…I like Oliver!…I don’t find it crap.

I’m also curious about you making this point here. Is there one or more of the Cazale films that you don’t find worthy? Which one?

 

[timschochet]

32. Alien (1979)

Directed by: Ridley Scott

Starring: Sigourney Weaver, Tom Skerritt, John Hurt, Ian Holm, Veronica Cartwright, Harry Dean Stanton

Synopsis: An alien creature invades a spaceship from Earth and attempts to kill all aboard.

Micro changes in air density my ***- Sigourney Weaver as Ripley

I see that in another thread here, this movie was selected as the greatest horror film of all time. That’s not at all a bad choice, but I find myself disagreeing with it, since I have another film in this category ranked above it on this list, and I also think this movie’s first sequel is just a little better as well.

Nonetheless this a great great movie. One of the plot elements that makes it so great is that the alien is not the only villain- Ian Holm as the incredibly creepy Ash gives a superb performance. (Speaking of which did anyone see Alien Romulus and what they did with Holm, who died in 2020, via CGI? That freaked me out.) a truly scary and marvelous flick.

 

[Andy Dufresne]

32. Alien (1979)

Directed by: Ridley Scott

Starring: Sigourney Weaver, Tom Skerritt, John Hurt, Ian Holm, Veronica Cartwright, Harry Dean Stanton

Synopsis: An alien creature invades a spaceship from Earth and attempts to kill all aboard.

Micro changes in air density my ***- Sigourney Weaver as Ripley

I see that in another thread here, this movie was selected as the greatest horror film of all time. That’s not at all a bad choice, but I find myself disagreeing with it, since I have another film in this category ranked above it on this list, and I also think this movie’s first sequel is just a little better as well.

Nonetheless this a great great movie. One of the plot elements that makes it so great is that the alien is not the only villain- Ian Holm as the incredibly creepy Ash gives a superb performance. (Speaking of which did anyone see Alien Romulus and what they did with Holm, who died in 2020, via CGI? That freaked me out.) a truly scary and marvelous flick.

I did and it was awful - the effect I mean: the movie was decently enjoyable. I'm very susceptible to the Uncanny Valley effect and this instance was even worse than Rogue One.

 

[Dr. Octopus]

Uncanny Valley effect

I had to look up what this is.
I love the last part of Rogue One (but can understand the point).

 

[shuke]

36. A Clockwork Orange (1971)

34. The Conversation (1974)

32. Alien (1979)

I can't believe we're in the top 5 already.

 

[SWC]

you left smokey and bandit off this list so you are dead to me and you are forbidden from using the words east bound or down take that to the bank brochacho

 

[Joe Schmo]

you left smokey and bandit off this list so you are dead to me and you are forbidden from using the words east bound or down take that to the bank brochacho

Amen, brochacho! This right here is the crime of the century in this thread, all the other missteps pale in comparison.

 

[DocHolliday]

32. Alien (1979)

Directed by: Ridley Scott

Starring: Sigourney Weaver, Tom Skerritt, John Hurt, Ian Holm, Veronica Cartwright, Harry Dean Stanton

Synopsis: An alien creature invades a spaceship from Earth and attempts to kill all aboard.

Micro changes in air density my ***- Sigourney Weaver as Ripley

I see that in another thread here, this movie was selected as the greatest horror film of all time. That’s not at all a bad choice, but I find myself disagreeing with it, since I have another film in this category ranked above it on this list, and I also think this movie’s first sequel is just a little better as well.

Nonetheless this a great great movie. One of the plot elements that makes it so great is that the alien is not the only villain- Ian Holm as the incredibly creepy Ash gives a superb performance. (Speaking of which did anyone see Alien Romulus and what they did with Holm, who died in 2020, via CGI? That freaked me out.) a truly scary and marvelous flick.

This is easily top 10 for me. Easily. I watch this movie over and over and it doesn’t get old.

 

[dickey moe]

"There's no way... NO WAY...that this thread could come from tim's loins!"

 

[Mrs. Rannous]

34. The Conversation (1974)

Directed by: Francis Ford Coppola

Starring: Gene Hackman, John Cazale, Cindy Williams

Synopsis: A surveillance expert hears about a planned murder by accident.

I’m not afraid of death but I am afraid of murder. -Gene Hackman as Harry Caul

A forgotten classic at this point, but one of Coppola’s absolute best films and arguably Gene Hackman’s greatest role. Just an excellent, extremely tense thriller.

#3 of John Cazale's entire filmography of five films listed so far, with the remaining two undoubtedly way way up there.

All five of his films were nominated for the Best Picture Oscar.

Oliver! beat The Lion in Winter. Forrest Gump beat Quiz Show and The Shawshank Remdemption. Crap gets nominated and wins all the time.

IMO The Graduate was a better film than either Oliver! or The Lion in Winter. But…I like Oliver!…I don’t find it crap.

I’m also curious about you making this point here. Is there one or more of the Cazale films that you don’t find worthy? Which one?

I went and checked his filmography. I don't like any of those movies. Not a ding on his acting skills.

The point I was making is that an Oscar nomination doesn't necessarily indicate a good movie. The song category is really rife with misfires.

 

[timschochet]

31. Blazing Saddles (1974)

Directed by: Mel Brooks

Starring: Cleavon Little, Gene Wilder, Harvey Korman, Slim Pickens, Madeleine Kahn, Burton Gilliam, Alex Karras

Synopsis: The town of Rock Ridge is saved from destruction by a black sheriff.

Hey where the white women at? - Cleavon Little as Bart.

Still a classic, still one of the funniest films ever, still Mel Brooks’ finest effort. Could it be made today? Possibly not.

 

[El Floppo]

POSSIBLY not?

 

[Mr. Mojo]

Crap gets nominated and wins all the time.

Forrest Gump is not crap. It’s a darn good movie. It didn’t blow my mind like Pulp Fiction, the film that should have won, did—but it was a good movie.

I think that Shawshank should have won. Pulp Fiction was brilliant in some places and lousy in others.

 

[Dan Lambskin]

Crap gets nominated and wins all the time.

Forrest Gump is not crap. It’s a darn good movie. It didn’t blow my mind like Pulp Fiction, the film that should have won, did—but it was a good movie.

I think that Shawshank should have won. Pulp Fiction was brilliant in some places and lousy in others.

Shawshank might be the most overrated movie in history
Don’t get me wrong it’s a good movie, but nowhere near deserving of the best of all time status it gets

 

[zamboni]

31. Blazing Saddles (1974)

Directed by: Mel Brooks

Starring: Cleavon Little, Gene Wilder, Harvey Korman, Slim Pickens, Madeleine Kahn, Burton Gilliam, Alex Karras

Synopsis: The town of Rock Ridge is saved from destruction by a black sheriff.

Hey where the white women at? - Cleavon Little as Bart.

Still a classic, still one of the funniest films ever, still Mel Brooks’ finest effort. Could it be made today? Possibly not.

Fart jokes are too offensive these days, so I’d say no.

 

[Andy Dufresne]

Crap gets nominated and wins all the time.

Forrest Gump is not crap. It’s a darn good movie. It didn’t blow my mind like Pulp Fiction, the film that should have won, did—but it was a good movie.

I think that Shawshank should have won. Pulp Fiction was brilliant in some places and lousy in others.

Shawshank might be the most overrated movie in history
Don’t get me wrong it’s a good movie, but nowhere near deserving of the best of all time status it gets

Your taste in movies is a little suspect.

 

[KarmaPolice]

Crap gets nominated and wins all the time.

Forrest Gump is not crap. It’s a darn good movie. It didn’t blow my mind like Pulp Fiction, the film that should have won, did—but it was a good movie.

I think that Shawshank should have won. Pulp Fiction was brilliant in some places and lousy in others.

Blueberry pancakes?

 

[Mrs. Rannous]

Have a nice day.

 

[timschochet]

30. M*A*S*H* (1970)

Directed by: Robert Altman

Starring: Elliot Gould, Donald Sutherland, Sally Kellerman

Synopsis: Adventures of a mobile hospital unit during the Korean War

This isn’t a hospital, it’s an insane asylum!- Sally Kellerman as “Hotlips”

I had to lower this movie in the rankings by a point or two for introducing us to the most annoying earwig song in cinematic history, “Suicide Is Painless” complete with lyrics that were thankfully removed from the TV show.

But beyond that horror, this film is practically the definition of “black comedy”, and I think makes the point about the madness of war much better than Catch-22 ever did.

 

[Mrs. Rannous]

the most annoying earwig song in cinematic history

Uh-oh. This can't end well.

 

[Dan Lambskin]

Earwig?

 

[Mrs. Rannous]

Earwig?

Beats me.

 

[Psychopav]

42. Halloween (1978)

Directed by: John Carpenter

Starring: Jamie Lee Curtis, Donald Pleasance

Synopsis: Crazed killer escapes from asylum and threatens baby-sitter.

I realized that what was living between that boy’s eyes was purely and simply…evil. - Donald Pleasance as Dr. Loomis

The original film in the franchise is less gory and far more suspenseful than its many sequels, IMO. There are also no supernatural elements which, in Stephen King’s definition (which has already created some controversy here) makes it not really a horror film at all but a suspense thriller ala Psycho. But most critics would rank both films as among the greatest horror films of all time.

Personally I enjoyed this film when it came out and was reasonably scared but it created a “slasher” genre which I really have not enjoyed over the years: this film’s endless sequels, the Friday the 13th movies, the Scream movies, etc. Each one with the same basic plot, a similar group of teenagers all of whom die but one, and bloody gory slashing and killing. I know these films must make a ton of money or Hollywood wouldn’t keep churning them out year after year, but I’ve never been a fan.

But there are supernatural elements in Halloween. When Michael sits up after getting stabbed in the eye and when Loomis looks over the balcony and sees nothing but an imprint, that's surreal and supernatural and that's what added to the suspense dramatically, imo.

And anyway, **** Stephen King. The guys a lunatic and is no more the arbiter of what constitutes horror than anyone else.

I'll take "things that Andy Dufresne wouldn't say" for $100, Alex.

 

[Psychopav]

36. A Clockwork Orange (1971)

Directed by: Stanley Kubrick

Starring: Malcolm McDowell, Patrick Magee

Synopsis: In a future dystopian England, a sociopath rapist undergoes experimental “rehabilitation”.

I was cured, all right! - Malcolm McDowell as Alex

This is a visually stunning movie. I saw it at a midnight showing during my college years. It is highly regarded as one of the greatest films of the 20th century, and most of the critics lists of 70s films have this movie at the very top.

I couldn’t do that. For me, as I wrote, it is visually stunning, but that’s about it. The excessive violence (particularly in the first third of the film) and subsequent storyline lacks real drama for two reasons- first off, just as in the novel (which I tried to read and failed) the language barrier is too great- whatever this slang is supposed to be I can’t figure out what they’re saying and I don’t want to spend my time deciphering it.

The second reason is- Kubrick always leaves me cold. I have tried to watch and enjoy almost all of his films and with very few exceptions (Spartacus, the first 20 minutes of Full Metal Jacket) I just find his movies uninteresting, lacking the character development and drama I need to love a film. I don’t even have Barry Lyndon (1975) on this list because it’s so incredibly dull to me.

This film does belong on this list, and pretty high, because, once again, it’s so visually stunning, groundbreaking really, and there’s something incredibly charismatic about Malcolm McDowell’s performance. But 36 is as high as I could go.

What about the score? Surely that at least rates a comment? It is groundbreaking and integral to the film as well imo.

 

[Dr. Octopus]

Earwig?

Beats me.

earworm

 

[zamboni]

Earwig?

Beats me.

Earwig

 

[Brunell4MVP]

30. M*A*S*H* (1970)

Directed by: Robert Altman

Starring: Elliot Gould, Donald Sutherland, Sally Kellerman

Synopsis: Adventures of a mobile hospital unit during the Korean War

This isn’t a hospital, it’s an insane asylum!- Sally Kellerman as “Hotlips”

I had to lower this movie in the rankings by a point or two for introducing us to the most annoying earwig song in cinematic history, “Suicide Is Painless” complete with lyrics that were thankfully removed from the TV show.

But beyond that horror, this film is practically the definition of “black comedy”, and I think makes the point about the madness of war much better than Catch-22 ever did.

I watched this last week. I was all excited as I liked it 20 years ago. But frankly the movie stinks. The comedy has not stood the test of time. It's fairly depressing too The TV show was much better and lighter hearted. I think if people sat down and watched this, 1) they'd be lucky to last 30 mins and 2) it would not crack their top 200 of the 1970s. And agree Tim ... the song has awful words. It's a nice instrumental, but the words will make one actually want to go through with it. How this ranks above Patton is crazy especially as another war movie. Acting, story, and directing all 10x better in Patton.

 

[turnjose7]

42. Halloween (1978)

Directed by: John Carpenter

Starring: Jamie Lee Curtis, Donald Pleasance

Synopsis: Crazed killer escapes from asylum and threatens baby-sitter.

I realized that what was living between that boy’s eyes was purely and simply…evil. - Donald Pleasance as Dr. Loomis

The original film in the franchise is less gory and far more suspenseful than its many sequels, IMO. There are also no supernatural elements which, in Stephen King’s definition (which has already created some controversy here) makes it not really a horror film at all but a suspense thriller ala Psycho. But most critics would rank both films as among the greatest horror films of all time.

Personally I enjoyed this film when it came out and was reasonably scared but it created a “slasher” genre which I really have not enjoyed over the years: this film’s endless sequels, the Friday the 13th movies, the Scream movies, etc. Each one with the same basic plot, a similar group of teenagers all of whom die but one, and bloody gory slashing and killing. I know these films must make a ton of money or Hollywood wouldn’t keep churning them out year after year, but I’ve never been a fan.

But there are supernatural elements in Halloween. When Michael sits up after getting stabbed in the eye and when Loomis looks over the balcony and sees nothing but an imprint, that's surreal and supernatural and that's what added to the suspense dramatically, imo.

And anyway, **** Stephen King. The guys a lunatic and is no more the arbiter of what constitutes horror than anyone else.

I'll take "things that Andy Dufresne wouldn't say" for $100, Alex.

He might. There are a number of instance in which King's characters deride their creator for being a hack.

 

[Mrs. Rannous]

30. M*A*S*H* (1970)

Directed by: Robert Altman

Starring: Elliot Gould, Donald Sutherland, Sally Kellerman

Synopsis: Adventures of a mobile hospital unit during the Korean War

This isn’t a hospital, it’s an insane asylum!- Sally Kellerman as “Hotlips”

I had to lower this movie in the rankings by a point or two for introducing us to the most annoying earwig song in cinematic history, “Suicide Is Painless” complete with lyrics that were thankfully removed from the TV show.

But beyond that horror, this film is practically the definition of “black comedy”, and I think makes the point about the madness of war much better than Catch-22 ever did.

I watched this last week. I was all excited as I liked it 20 years ago. But frankly the movie stinks. The comedy has not stood the test of time. It's fairly depressing too The TV show was much better and lighter hearted. I think if people sat down and watched this, 1) they'd be lucky to last 30 mins and 2) it would not crack their top 200 of the 1970s. And agree Tim ... the song has awful words. It's a nice instrumental, but the words will make one actually want to go through with it. How this ranks above Patton is crazy especially as another war movie. Acting, story, and directing all 10x better in Patton.

Right with you. How that movie came out of the book is a mystery. The book is so much better.

And, in a major surprise, I don't like Altman's films either.