The MoFo Top 100 of the 1970s: Countdown

As Time Goes By

08-27-14

LOVE both of these films!

Young Frankenstein is part of my top 101 favorite films (in my current thread) and this is what I briefly wrote about it:

Originally Posted by Cobpyth

Young Frankenstein (1974)

Young Frankenstein is by far the best parody of a genre that I've ever seen. While being absurdly hilarious, this film is still infused with love for the source material it is ridiculing. Therefore, this film has the wonderful classic horror atmosphere AND the brilliant comedy.
Furthermore, the performances in this film are absolutely fantastic. Gene Wilder is LEGENDARY as Dr. Frankenstein and Peter Doyle, Marty Feldman, Cloris Leachman, Teri Garr and especially Madeline Kahn are also phenomenal.

I can't imagine anyone NOT liking this film. This is Comedy with a big C.

However, the film did NOT make my personal top 25... I don't know exactly why, but while putting together my list, I just didn't feel like adding Young Frankenstein to it. My intuition and mood at the time told me to nominate some other films that I also (equally) love. On any other day, this film could've easily made my list, though (like today, for instance).

I watched it one night when I was sleeping over at my grandmother's house. Everyone was asleep, it was really dark and I was still way too "awake" to go to bed. I decided to explore which DVDs my grandparents owned and when I spotted Young Frankenstein, it just felt like a good idea to watch that one.
I laughed practically throughout the whole movie, I was enthralled by the film's classic horror atmosphere (the violin scene gave me goosebumps) and the next morning, I realized I had watched a permanent new favorite!

Awesome film. I'm glad it made it so high without my help (which it actually had a right to).

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Barry Lyndon did make my list! I had it at number 10. It's a fantastic, epic story, Kubrick's visual style is simply perfect (practically every scene in this picture is breathtaking) and as usual, the script of this Kubrick film is so intensely smart and interesting, that I'm sure I will rewatch it many more times!

----------------------------------------------

16. Barry Lyndon �

(+) #10 on my list!
15. Young Frankenstein �

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Cobpyth's Movie Log ~ 2019

Last edited by Cobpyth; 08-27-14 at 05:26 PM.

mark f

Bright light. Bright light. Uh oh.

08-27-14

I was initially disappointed by Barry Lyndon since it seemed like a step down from Kubrick's previous films, but I've never thought of it as less than very good. Here's what I said about it in one of my "recent" posts about it.

Originally Posted by mark f

Barry Lyndon (Stanley Kubrick, 1975)

Kubrick's three-hour adaptation of the Thackeray novel is one of his most-meticulous films, filled to the brim with his exactitude in visual and musical codes. The first artistic decision Kubrick made was to shoot the entire film with nothing but natural sunlight and/or candles. No electric lights were used at all during the production. The result is that the entire film is gorgeous and many of the shots do indeed seem to recreate Kubrick's intention of making much of the film look like paintings from the period. Then he also wanted to use only music from the period of the film (the second half of the 18th century), and although he stresses one piece each by Bach, Mozart, Schubert and Vivaldi, he does tend to repeat them. This effect can sometimes become mesmerizing while at other times it smacks of obsession. One thing is certain though, and that's that Barry Lyndon is a very good film. No, it isn't fast-paced, but it is full of incident and even action. Young Redman Barry (Ryan O'Neal as the title character in one of his strongest performances) is a master duellist and there are many duels in the movie, as well as several battle scenes set during the Seven Years War. The film has the inexorable pull of fate as Barry's life is taken to and fro, often through incidents he has no control over. However, the second half of the film where he marries Lady Lyndon (Marisa Berenson) and treats her shabbily does seem to rest fully on his shoulders even though I wouldn't call him a "self-made man". All of this beauty and suffering leads to an ironic conclusion which certainly is in keeping with those of most Kubrick films. Be sure to watch this one if you've been blowing it off till now.

Young Frankenstein is in my top 100, so there's no explanation for why I didn't include it in this list. It's the only film from the '70s in my top 100 to not be in my list, but something (wrongly) made me delete it rather than a different title, and that is shameful. I actually had several comedies that got chopped at the last minute, so maybe I shouldn't [constructively] criticize others for not having enough comedies in their top lists. As far as my first several viewings, they were all at the local theatre. If somebody is going to watch the first two Frankenstein movies, they should also see the third, Son of Frankenstein, to get all the references Kenneth Mars made to the Lionel Atwill inspector character. There's no sense in quoting lines or citing all the references, because there are so many, and they're all enriched by the consistently-inspired performances. My vote for Mel Brooks' best and funniest, and in truth, Young Frankenstein is so authentic, it deserves to be part of the Universal Frankenstein series although it was released by 20th-Century Fox.

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Thursday Next

I never could get the hang of Thursdays.

08-27-14

I do like Barry Lyndon, but I've never quite seen what makes it so much more special than any other costume drama.

I haven't seen Young Frankenstein, but after the glowing endorsements on this thread I feel I should rectify that immediately.

Camo

Msg

BANNED

08-27-14

Barry Lyndon is one of three Kubricks i've yet to see, along with Dr.Strangelove and Paths of Glory, so i'll have to change that soon. For some reason it never even crossed my mind to watch it for the list, i must have thought it was from another decade. Young Frankenstein is an excellent comedy that wasn't far from making my list.

Seen - 52/86

Zotis

Otaku/Skramz

08-27-14

I haven't seen Young Frankenstein.

Barry Lyndon was on my list, great film.

christine

Dreams is freedom

08-27-14

Glad Barry Lyndon made it. I'm very partial to period dramas and this one is specially beautiful .
That makes 9 films from my list so far. Another 4 is a certainty , any more I'd be really happy!

VFN

Winter Calls Thy Name

08-27-14

Haven't seen Barry Lyndon but was reading about it and came across an apparent paraphrase of a remark about Kubrick, or Kubrick and Lyndon: Most directors take pictures to make movies; Kubrick makes movies to take pictures.

Young Frankenstein (or should I say Frankensteeeeeeeen) is great fun, very funny, and Gene Wilder at his best.

HitchFan97

You get to me

08-27-14

Not a huge fan of either of the last two, but they're both ok.

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Camo

Msg

BANNED

08-27-14

I was right about Young Frankenstein but Monty Python didn't show up. So here's my top 14 prediction:

1.Taxi Driver
2.The Godfather
3.Jaws
4.Star Wars
5.Chinatown
6.Apocalypse Now
7.A Clockwork Orange
8.One Flew Over the Cukoos Nest
9.The Godfather Part 2
10.Alien
11.The Exorcist
12.Rocky
13.Close Encounters
14.Monty Python and the Holy Grail

HitchFan97

You get to me

08-28-14

Originally Posted by Camo

Your top ten is, I think, almost certainly the top ten. Not sure about the order though.

Captain Spaulding

Defending Champ

08-28-14

I'm surprised both made it this high on the countdown, especially Barry Lyndon, which I always thought was one of Kubrick's least popular films. I'm not a fan of period pieces, so Barry Lyndon isn't really my thing. Like everyone has said, the movie looks amazing, with many scenes worthy of being framed and hung on a wall. However, I've seen every Kubrick film except for Fear and Desire, and the only one I'd rank lower than Barry Lyndon is Killer's Kiss. No matter how much I admire the film from a technical standpoint, I just can't get into it.

I watched Young Frankenstein for the first time about a year ago. I'm nowhere near as familiar with Mel Brooks and Gene Wilder as nearly everyone else on here, but I had a great time watching it. I adore Bride of Frankenstein (my pick for greatest sequel ever), so it was fun to see many of the same sets and props. Not all of the jokes land, but more hit the mark than in most comedies. The classic horror atmosphere is great. After a re-watch or two, I could see easily see it becoming a favorite.

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Letterboxd

Tacitus

The People's Republic of Clogher

08-28-14

I've appreciated Barry Lyndon more as I've gotten older but not enough for it to make anywhere close to my 25. I can vividly remember when I first resolved to get my hands on a copy - It was referenced during a Moviedrome episode and, by the magic of YouTube, here is the very clip:

You can see what old Alex means...

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Holden Pike

One Ornery Sumbitch

08-28-14

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Last edited by Holden Pike; 08-29-14 at 02:13 PM.

Holden Pike

One Ornery Sumbitch

08-28-14

Skepsis93

Play It

08-28-14

Originally Posted by Skepsis93

My official top 14 prediction:

14. Monty Python and the Holy Grail
13. Close Encounters of the Third Kind

God-dammit.

Like both, voted for neither.

Holden Pike

One Ornery Sumbitch

08-28-14

Steven Spielberg enters the list in the top fifteen with Close Encounters of the Third Kind, which was on twenty-eight lists, including thirteen top ten votes: a first place, a second, two third, a fourth, a fifth, two sixth, a seventh, three ninth, and a tenth place vote. Spielberg�s gentle sci-fi parable wasn�t really close to encountering the next spot on the list, as there was a 63-point chasm with no Bridge of Death between #14 and #13. The second Monty Python film on our countdown (#41 Life of Brian) was on twenty-nine total lists with sixteen top ten votes: two first, a second, a third, a fourth, four fifth place votes, Sir, a sixth, two seventh, three ninth, and one tenth for The Holy Grail. And there was much rejoicing.

Holden Pike

One Ornery Sumbitch

08-28-14

And you'll notice that the point swings are getting pretty outrageous. In the nine reveals since McCabe & Mrs. Miller at number twenty-two, there has been a one hundred and forty-six point increase to Monty Python and the Holy Grail.The most popular films in this race were very popular. And we've still got a dozen to go.

Starting tomorrow.

The Rodent

Rodent's Reviews: Delivering The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly In Film

Rodent's Reviews: PART DEUX!

Rodent's 1950-Present Sci-Fi And Futuristic Fantasy Movies

I Am Rick Cottontree

08-28-14

Had Close Encounters in 4th place... again though, I'm not a fan of Monty Python.

1.
2. Deliverance - 51st
3.
4. Close Encounters Of The Third Kind - 14th
5.
6.
7. The Deer Hunter - 38th
8. Carrie - 36th
9.
10.
11. Superman The Movie - 23rd
12.
13.
14. Mad Max - 70th
15. Then Texas Chainsaw Massacre - 25th
16. The Wicker Man - 79th
17. Logan�s Run - 100th
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.
23.
24. Dawn Of The Dead - 35th
25. Assault On Precinct 13 - 80th

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Originally Posted by Iroquois

Resident Evil: Retribution was my one-pointer

Mr Minio

I like to argue

08-28-14

Never seen that Spielberg flick.

Didn't find Holy Grail funny nor interesting, but it wasn't a chore to finish neither, so I gave it

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