I watched both of these quite recently for the Pers Rec HoF so no need for a rewatch. I have two other noms which are part of my Top 100 and that I watched multiple times but I might rewatch them just for the fun.
The Long Goodbye (1973)
The greatest thing about this film is its use of soundtrack. The song "The Long Goodbye" (a great song btw), takes up the vast majority of the sound treatment, with "Hooray for Hollywood" being the one other song used. This makes the whole atmosphere very homogenous, helping the immersion effect.
Elliot Gould and the great Sterling Hayden are obviously the strong actors here. Gould can be a little distracting sometimes because his style of acting isn't exactly conventional, but his coolness eventually convinced me. I didn't like Nina van Pallandt too much though, as I felt she lacked the femme fatale typical menace.
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Bicycle Thieves (1948)
Again, I start with the soundtrack. The main theme makes half of the movie. It's incredibly simple but so touching. It's like the feeling of despair of that man is enclosed in a few music bars, with a touch of childlike dreams. I miss this kind of soundtracks, tbh.
The simplicity I mentioned on the soundtrack is also the main characteristic of the movie. From the premise to its execution: just a man looking for his bicycle, without which he can't survive. The fact that Antonio is the only person who understands the true importance of such a trivial object makes him a very lonely but powerful character.
As for the acting, the kid is probably the best actor here, which is quite weird. Antonio has some great scenes too but he's not brilliant. I didn't care for Maria.
I do think the movie lost a bit of its atmosphere during the central part because everything becomes a bit messy and I kind of lost track of what I was supposed to be feeling. The final shot, however, it's like getting hit by a truck. Again, just a man walking with his son, but I felt everything, the anger, the despair, the lack of control over one's destiny.
It's truly a masterpiece, one I wish it does well here!
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