The MoFo Top 100 of the 1970s: Countdown

I couldn't get into Picnic at Hanging Rock as it's really not my type of movie. I wouldn't have anything negative to say about it, and I would try it again. It's quite possible that I just simply didn't get it the first time.

Serpico wasn't a contender for my list, but I think it's a very good movie. My personal feeling is that it's a little high, and maybe benefited from being seen by most of the members.

My list:

18.The Omen
24.Invasion of the Body Snatchers

Seen: 22/46

Maybe it lacks pull for non-Americans, its particular subject matter is seen as dated (though corruption is always relevant and topical) or perhaps it's Pacino's performance that's great and not so much the actual movie, but I thought Serpico would come in higher. Pacino makes Serpico a memorable and endearing character in film.

Never heard of Hanging Rock.

Great pic, Holden Pike.

Serpico was #10 on my list. Lumet was another director knocking it out of the park in the 70's. Although only 1 of the 2 that will show up later is on my list. Serpico is just a great atmospheric police drama. It seems like a simple movie to do but we don't get near enough. Great Pacino performance as well.

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Letterboxd

Serpico was #2 on my list! Great, great film, I almost lost hope that it would make it.

I never got round to watching Serpico, but after reading what you guys think of it, I have to watch it now. Might watch it tonight actually.

Picnic at Hanging Rock was the last film I watched before turning in my list. I found the story intriguing, but ultimately the characters annoyed me ("I know that Miranda is a Boticelli angel!" ) and I felt disconnected from the film. It did not get my vote.

Serpico I enjoyed quite a lot. I thought the story was good and, most importantly for my own personal enjoyment, found the character of Serpico to be quite likable and interesting. At number 9, it's one of three Lumet films to make my list and is my favorite of them.



My List
1. Didn't Make The Cut
6. Paper Moon (#74)
9. Serpico (#55)
12. Invasion of the Body Snatchers (#68)
22. Hausu (#76)
23. Mad Max (#70)
25. Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo (1 point, not on the countdown)

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I tried to watch Picnic at Hanging Rock prior to submitting my list, but it wasn't available from Netflix and then Hulu had it available, only when I went back to watch it, it was only available on Hulu Plus. It has now made its way to #2 on my Netflix queue, so soon I'll be able to check it out. (I suspect too many people from this site had it on their Netflix queue as well, resulting in the "very long wait.")

Serpico is a great drama, and Al Pacino really drives this movie. I prefer Dog Day Afternoon, though I voted for neither. But if I were to have voted for one or the other, I would have voted for Dog Day Afternoon. Regardless I suspect we'll see at least a couple more Pacino movies on this list.

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I may go back to hating you. It was more fun.

Love, love, love Picnic at Hanging Rock. My #2.

Ah - and now another title that I had on my list for a bit, but that I eventually removed - Picnic at Hanging Rock. Really well done stuff, and I think perhaps it might have belonged a bit higher up overall. I don't recall exactly which film pushed it off my final list, bit it definitely had a chance of being somewhere around 20-25 for me...

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Only seen Picnic out of those two. I didn't vote for it though. It's good, but never really stood a chance at making my list. I do appreciate it however. It's really creepy and I love the way it sucks you in and you feel like you are actually sitting around sweating on those hot rocks with that group of girls.

Yeah, Dog Day is another great film and has another great Pacino performance. Pacino was a master in the 70s.

I'm hoping for Dog Day Afternoon to break the top ten, but can't see it.

Serpico was my #25 and Picnic At Hanging Rock in my pile of shame and would probably have been on my list had I not been such an idiot.

This, of course, would have pushed out Little Beardy Shouty Al and we can't have Little Shouty Al being pushed out.

It's probably the poor guy's only chance of appearing in the list...

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"Critics are like eunuchs in a harem; they know how the Tatty 100 is done, they've seen it done every day, but they're unable to do it themselves." - Brendan Behan

I ordered Picnic at Hanging Rock during the Criterion sale, but it's not even supposed to ship until August 12th. Haven't seen Serpicio either.

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I think that Picnic at Hanging Rock is slightly overrated. Perhaps what I would call an 'accidental masterpiece'. I read that the book was actually supposed to have an ending but it was axed at the suggestion of the editor to make it better, and reading what the ending was supposed to be, it sounds pretty bad and doesn't really fit anything to do with the film. Fair play for Peter Weir for his great direction, because the film does have good atmosphere, with the cinematography making great use of the Australian enviroment, and the film cleverly using the event to comment on other issues with the school girls. I give it .

Not seen Serpico, although it looks like a film I'd like.

This is the first group where I have seen both. I did like Picnic at Hanging Rock. It was a good art house film, if one were to call it that. I do think Serpico is a tad overrated, but it's a decent thrill movie, I suppose. Neither made my list however.

MY LIST
2. The Last Picture Show +
6. Fantastic Planet
9. House +

MOVIES IVE SEEN
Breaking Away +
Autumn Sonata +
MASH
Paper Moon [rating]3.5[rating]
Don't Look Now +
The Muppet Movie
Little Big Man +
Badlands
Picnic at Hanging Rock
Serpico +

I've seen Serpico and it's good, been years since I've seen it though.

I own Picnic at Hanging Rock but have yet to watch it.

Our final 54 (no order)
The Godfather
The Godfather 2
Cabaret
Jaws
Chinatown
Star Wars
A Clockwork Orange
Network
Dog Day Afternoon
Young Frankenstein
Amarcord
Blazing Saddles
Halloween
Five Easy Pieces
One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest
Taxi Driver
Apocalypse Now
The Long Goodbye
3 Women
Nashville
Close Encounters of the Third Kind
The Conversation
Rocky
Patton
Annie Hall
Manhattan
Kramer vs. Kramer
Cries and Whispers
Harold and Maude
The Deer Hunter
The Exorcist
American Graffiti
Aguirre, the Wrath of God
Monty Python and the Holy Grail
Outlaw Josey Wales
High Plains Drifter
Rocky Horror Picture Show
The French Connection
Days of Heaven
Eraserhead
Barry Lyndon
Alien
McCabe and Mrs. Miller
Dirty Harry
Texas Chainsaw Massacre
A Woman Under the Influence
Stalker
The Warriors
Mirror
Life of Brian
El Topo
Solaris
The Jerk
Get Carter

Which sadly means, no Wonka.

There's 4 on that list that may not make it (Uzala, Woman Under the Influence, Life of Brian, and The Jerk are my biggest question marks) but overall that's pretty darn close.


****edit, added Solaris for Dersu Uzala

And now I must rage about not having Castle of Cagliostro show up on this list. I really like that film