A murder mystery set aboard a train cruising through snow-covered mountains? Add Charles Bronson and an Old West setting and you’ve got Breakheart Pass. As discussed previously at this blog, I’m a big fan of mixed genres and, in particular,…
Read more →1970s Films
Jaws: A Fishy Story
Just when you thought it was safe to go back on the Internet, Jim Brymer returns with some thoughts on the quintessential summer blockbuster: Jaws Recently, Avengers: Endgame blasted records for a movie release, surpassing every movie ever released in…
Read more →Guest Review: Come to the “Cabaret”
Cabaret started out as a Broadway show. Actually it started out as a series of stories written by Christopher Isherwood about life in Berlin, post WWI, just before and immediately after the coming of the Nazi party. The original play…
Read more →In Space No One Can Hear You Turn 40: Celebrating Four Decades of “Alien”
It’s been 40 years since Ridley Scott‘s Alien redefined the moviegoing experience by combining an enthralling blend of science fiction and horror. It also featured a female protagonist (Siguourney Weaver as the trailblazing space trucker Ellen Ripley), something that was…
Read more →Sean Connery Stages “The Great Train Robbery”
In addition to writing bestselling novels like Jurassic Park and The Andromeda Strain, Michael Crichton also found time to moonlight as a film director. One of his most successful efforts was The Great Train Robbery (1979), based on his own…
Read more →Marlon Brando Delivers a Luminous Performance In “The Nightcomers”
Earning mixed reviews upon its original 1972 release (despite the fact that star Marlon Brando won a BAFTA — the UK equivalent of an Academy Award — for his performance), the British film The Nightcomers has gone on to become…
Read more →“Earthquake” Rumbles and Rattles!
Rumble…rumble. That’s the sound of Earthquake (1974), one of several big budget, all-star disaster movies made in the 1970s. Airport (1970) perfected the formula, but it was The Poseidon Adventure (1972) that inspired a dozen or so imitations (not counting the spoofs…
Read more →What’s Your Favorite Song from the “Grease” Soundtrack?
There’s no greater reason why Grease has remained popular for more than 40 years other than its unforgettable soundtrack. With songs like “Summer Nights,” “You’re the One That I Want,” “Beauty School Dropout,” “Hopelessly Devoted to You” and other songs…
Read more →The Five Best Movies That Start With “Q”
I know it’s quazy, but what if you’re in the mood to watch a movie with a title that starts with “Q”? We pondered this question and came up with five quick picks: 1. Quatermass and the Pit (aka Five…
Read more →Create-A-Caption: The Taking of Pelham One Two Three
Based on the best-selling novel by John Godey, The Taking of Pelham One Two Three is a riveting thriller that remains a watershed moment in 1970s cinema. The movie concerns a quartet of criminals who commandeer a New York City…
Read more →