The Lady Vanishes:

1930s Alfred Hitchcock. Difficult to understand all of the old-timey accents at first. Unsure who the protagonist is until 45 minutes in. Unsure if it was a comedy. Some boring parts (probably just a generational thing). The movie got enjoyable once the lady FINALLY vanished (too far into the movie). The last shot of the movie is a hilarious one.

-Vicki

Thief dir: Michael Mann 1981

OK!!! OK. Alright. Oh god this movie has my number so hard. It’s summertime you guys and if you’re in the US you know that we are in the middle of a heat wave that keeps threatening to turn into massive thunderstorms. Shit is hot and humid and the only reasonable thing to do is grab some popsicles, open the windows, point a fan at yourself and watch a movie.

James Caan is a thief (hence the title) who wants to complete one final job that will allow him to retire to the suburbs like a “normal” person. All he needs is a girl to agree (Tuesday Weld) a house in the burbs, a child and to get his father figure (Willie Nelson) out of prison.

WHAT ELSE DO YOU WANT?! James Belushi? check. Dennis Farina playing a henchman? check. Crazy synth soundtrack by Tangerine Dream? check. Wet streets, nighttime, James Caan strutting around in tight jeans, cowboy boots and a leather jacket paired with a gold chain and no shirt? CHECK! A cameo by the Green Mill cocktail lounge in Chicago? Oh yes, check.

I really love Michael Mann. After spending years working on television this was his first feature and he came out swinging. The style and attitude of this movie is strong as hell.

It’s got bad ass and cool down pat and I was consistently surprised by the dialogue,  which is incredible. There’s a beautiful scene in a coffee shop between James Caan and Tuesday Weld where he’s trying to convince her to be his suburban wifey. “often cited as the film’s high point, Caan has long considered the scene his favorite of his career” (wikipedia).

Every search I’ve made for this movie also brings up Drive (2011) and people have referenced it as though it’s a remake or homage and although there are some tonal similarities and referential shots they are not terribly similar. You will not go wrong having a double feature night with these two movies.

3 Women - Robert Altman

My husband walked through the room and asked, “how is it?”. My state of ecstasy was so deep all I could do was tear my hands away from my face to point at the screen where Sissy Spacek was tooling around in an abandoned wheelchair trying to make friends. THIS MOVIE IS PERFECT. For me.

I grew up watching Shelley Duvall’s Faerie Tale Theatre and have always liked her but man, was she incredible. It’s such a shame, I’ve always gotten the sense that she doesn’t have the long-term respect as an actress that she deserves. She wrote her diary entries, recipes and improvised a lot of her own dialogue. It’s amazing. She’s great. This movie rules.

Apparently this is very reminiscent of Persona, which I haven’t seen but I have seen Mullholland Drive and that is very reminiscent of 3 Women.

Watch this.

Bad ass, absurd satire by Robert Downey Sr. It’s crazy to think this was made in 1969. Putney Swope is the only black executive (in charge of music) at a Madison Avenue ad firm who is accidentally put in power after the head of the company drops dead at a board meeting. Robert Downy Sr. dubbed his voice in for the character of Putney making him both comedic and commanding. Supposedly he did this because the actor had trouble memorizing his lines but considering how critical the movie is of race relations, advertising, Hollywood and power I can’t help thinking that it’s another intended layer of irony. At least I hope so.

Bonus: I don’t think I’ve ever heard the word ‘beaver’ so much.

Assault on Precinct 13 - 1976

Bad ass and awesome.

This is John Carpenter’s first film and the beginning of his hot, hot streak. Watch this mash up of Night of the Living Dead and Rio Bravo late at night and turn it up loud.

BONUS: That blonde child actress who is currently on Real Housewives of Beverly Hills has a small but unforgettable role.

This is exactly what all this is for. The good shit.

I watched this movie because the other night I put on She-Devil and was surprised to find out it wasn’t half as terrible as it looked. More on that later. I was so confused I looked up the director to see if this was another trophy female director scenario like Just One of the Guys and found that not to be the case. Susan Seidelman has had a diverse and consistent career. She worked on Sex and the City and directed Desperately Seeking Susan among other things. After graduating from Tisch, her debut was this movie Smithereens.

Hmm … a lady made independent film that takes place in the early 80s NY punk scene with a wild female protagonist? I stopped reading. From the first 30 seconds this movie had my heart. It’s more Sayles than Fabulous Stains and I’m willing to bet that it will be a criterion in under five years.

Here are some tantalizing fun facts:
This was the first American independent film to be selected to compete for the Palm d’Or at Cannes. The Feelies did the score and it’s fantastic. It was written by the guy who wrote Philadelphia. The lead, Susan Berman was cast after being noticed in a theater lobby. She’d never acted before and she’s amazing. Richard Hell is her co-star.

It’s sad and honest, fun and really well made. Also, get real. Did you read the above paragraph? This fucking movie could not be any cooler. I don’t want to push it too hard but you’re a fool if you don’t watch it.

It says on wikipedia that Wes Craven, who admits in the documentary Inside Deep Throat that he spent his early career directing porn, originally set out to make this a hardcore movie. But when they started filming it they realized it was too good to not be mainstream. Additionally, it’s a remake of The Virgin Spring which is an adaptation of a medieval Swedish folk ballad about two sisters killed by highwaymen who then seek shelter at the girls’ parents house.

Those are two of the best fun facts I’ve heard about a movie in a long time.

It’s hard to believe it was made in 1972, I think it’s aged very well. It’s a crude and effective mix of exploitation (Abel Ferarra) mixed with realistic emotional reactions (Michael Haneke). What a combination. It’s funny to think that Funny Games came over 20 years after Last House on the Left when it feels like a predecessor.

The songs were written by the actor who plays the villian Krug. Early 70s acoustic. Amazing. The final act of this movie is actually shocking and crazy good.