Shock And Awe - The Grindhouse Experience #4 (11/28/2009)

On a chilly winter evening is there anything better than the prospect of an overnight marathon of Grindhouse cinema to get your blood moving? Of course not. On November 28, 2009 Dion Conflict opened up his Conflict Archives once again to showcase a few offbeat flicks for fans of genre cinema (and confused passerbys). At this point i'm officially a Shock & Awe veteran, having gone four for four with not a minute of sleep, but this time I had to make the sojourn to Toronto from Peterborough, Ontario by my lonesome. The pilgrimage was tough, but I made it to the door by 11:30, purchased the bottomless soda (oh sweet bubbly mistress), and settled in.

Once again big shout-outs to the permissive Fox Theatre staff and Dion for putting up with some intense levels of geekiness while running on almost no sleep.

Let's begin, shall we?

The Shape Of Things To Come (1979)

After the success of Star Wars it stood to reason that other countries would take a stab at galactic space operas, and soon low budget rip-offs started to appear from Italy (Star Crash and Star Odyssey), Turkey (The Man Who Saves The World/Turkish Star Wars), and - rather surprisingly - Canada. A few years away from Videodrome, Canada was not yet on the cutting edge of science fiction, so the choice to adapt an H.G. Wells work into a special effects filled space epic might have seemed rather odd. Even odder was the choice to make it awful.

Thankfully the audience were all riding a similar mental wave during tSoTtC, since when it wasn't being ostensibly weird and silly, it could almost have been a tad boring. The oddness carried things, however, particularly during a low-gravity freak-out (with characters bumbling about in slow motion) which had the crowd rolling. The real highlights, however, were the special effects which ranged from bad (the Dalek-lite baddie robots who waved their arms ineffectively) to worse (models featuring less detail than the Star Wars lego kits I had as a kid).

The cast is full of stalwarts, including a shockingly young Nicholas Campbell (Da Vinci's Inquest), Barry Morse (The Fugitive), and a slumming Jack Palance as the evil, giant hologram loving Omus. A "cute" robot named Sparks is shoe-horned in, but I wouldn't be expecting any action figure in the near future. Entertainingly bad, and an ideal film to kick off the evening.

Mystery Film (1988)

Breaking from tradition, the mystery film went second and this time it was a doozy. In fact, this film could have served equally well as a main event, and was the first mystery film that I had actually seen previously. Now, i've been sworn to secrecy to the identity of the film, but I can say it's directed by a well known genre filmmaker, is a drug addiction allegory, has some great steadicam work from Street Trash's Bruce Torbet, and includes a mindblowing fellatio scene. I think the print was slightly cut from the DVD edition that is available, but it was good, gory fun that the crowd ate up.

Supergirls Do The Navy (1984)

And it's pornography time. As you may recall, at around the halfway point of each Shock & Awe the audience is treated to some classic hardcore porn, which has ranged from the comical (Danish Pastries), to the rather icky (Sensations), to the occasionally offensive (Mona: The Virgin Nymph). This time we're treated to a nautical themed fuck-fest featuring three nubile nymphets doing time on a submarine for extra credit. It's all played for laughs, with the "actors" throwing themselves into their performances enthusiastically, and starlet Taija Rae earning her paycheck by sucking and fucking anything that wasn't bolted down. Party favors were distributed and the audience was instructed to blow anytime that sea-men (nudge nudge) appeared on-screen. My attention started to waver during the final twenty minutes, but there were enough amusing moments around the fornicating (and a few during it) to keep myself focused.

Satanik (1968)

Based on a French comic by Max Bunker, I was half expecting Satanik to follow the pop art stylings of Mario Bava's Danger: Diabolik, but instead received a rather plodding Jekyll and Hyde variation which showed little of the energy of its comic book origins. Magda Konopka plays the scarred Marnie Bannister, who murders her colleague after he devises a way to regenerate tissue in animals - with the side effect that it makes them a tad homicidal. I guess that since she's pretty murderous from the start means that it doesn't really bother her. After her transformation into 60s hotness, she gets involved with all sorts of criminal wheelings and dealings while the police try to track her down. A great soundtrack from Manuel Parada keeps things from grinding to a halt, but it's lacks much oddness or camp and Bannister's eventual fate is a tad lazy and predictable.

Bamboo Gods & Iron Men (1974)

A nice surprise in the blaxploitation/kung-fu genre, Bamboo Gods & Iron Men features a very similar pedigree to the minor classic T.N.T Jackson, also co-written by (and featuring) Ken Metcalfe, produced by the prolific Cirio H. Santiago, and co-starring the late Filipino comedian Chiquito who gets to do a lot of the heavy lifting in the fight scenes. While that film got a lot of mileage out of the lovely Jeannie Bell, this one is all about boxer Cal Jefferson (the surprisingly charismatic James Inglehart) who, after purchasing a statue of Buddha in which some baddies have hidden an ancient Chinese secret, gets caught up in their murderous attempts to get it back. Chiquito plays his little mute Asian buddy who devotes his life to him after Cal saves him from drowning. The choreography is less than graceful, but this is a fun action outing that never takes itself too seriously. There's probably a little too much lame comic relief, but it's energetic and features some good performances from the leads. And it came at the best possible time, as it was hitting 7 am and even the most hardcore of us were starting to drift.

Of course, there's no drifting allowed during..

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974)

When it comes to TCM it's really all been said, but in my drowsy state what really jumped out at me was the quality of the sound-design in the film, and not just those memorable camera flashes in the opening. In a film where things are generally implied rather than shown, the sound effects (and unsettling score) provide plenty of horror - from the satisfying THUNK of hammer hitting head, the skittering of spiders in a web, to the buzz of Leatherface's trademark chainsaw things were obviously lovingly compiled for maximum creep factor. And Marilyn Burns performance is still astounding, her screams basically becoming the film's soundtrack for the last twenty minutes. Still a masterpiece, and it makes Tobe Hooper's eventual filmography that much more depressing.

Also included were trailers for Drum (1976), D.A.R.Y.L. (1985) and The Teacher (1974) as well as various odds and ends between the features.

Perhaps the most consistent line-up yet, Shock & Awe remains (as always) a communal experience for fans of trashy, cult and rare films. As we staggered into the cold air, the remaining crowd having run the gauntlet together, there was a shared sense of excitement and relief to go forth and spread the word of what we had seen. Maybe not a spiritual experience, but still appropriately religious for a Sunday morning. Highly recommended, and i'm already looking forward to the next one.

Capsule Review: All The President's Men (1976)

The blueprint for modern journalism films, the story of Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward's uncovering of the Watergate scandal remains startling, thrilling and intelligently constructed. Committed to recreating recent history, the film relates one of history's most mind-bending accounts of corruption with exact detail, but also finds room for humor – particularly in the interplay between Woodward and Bernstein (Robert Redford and Dustin Hoffman respectively) and Jason Robards as their grizzled editor at the Washington Post. Directed ably by Alan J. Pakula, the acting and production design is uniformally excellent, and it immortalized the character of Deep Throat (Hal Holbrook), who would be parodied endlessly afterward.

Capsule Review: 12 Angry Men (1957)

Previously filmed as a televised play in 1954, Sidney Lumet was able to bring some unique cinematic technique to the story of 12 jurors coming to a decision on the guilt or innocence of a youth accused of murder. His camera slowly zooms in, creating a claustrophobic, sweltering atmosphere ably assisted by the heat-wave hitting the city in the story. Henry Fonda is Juror #8, who stands up to overwhelming scrutiny in defending the young boy, but begins to tear the defense apart when the group begins to examine the evidence a little more closely. Packed with memorable moments, most notably Fonda pulling out a switchblade knife and embedding it in the jury room table, it also features terrific performances from a variety of recognizable faces – particularly Martin Balsam (as the foreman), E.G. Marshall (as a juror focused entirely on logic and facts), and the brilliant Lee J. Cobb as the embittered nemesis to Fonda's crusader.

Bloody Nightmares #16: Hip Hop Locos (2001)

Hip Hop Locos is one of the worst films I've ever had the displeasure to see.

I know bad. Christ, I wouldn't have made it this far into the Bloody Nightmares collection if I didn't at least have a high tolerance for low (or no) production values, amateurish acting, and non-existent special effects. I take that sort of thing in stride because I love genre films, and I get excited watching young filmmakers try to pull something together with little more than a few friends and a can-do attitude (and a DV camera). However there's always the possibility that I could run into something that even my sympathetic nature can't tolerate, that can't even be properly laughed at because it crosses the line from badness to being just plain irritating. I'm wracking my brain for even one redeemable thing about the film, and the only thing that comes to mind is that at 70 minutes, at least it's mercifully short. Cold comfort for anyone who even considers watching this abomination.

Unodoz and K10 (played by Unodoz and J10) are a couple of young Latino gangbangers who come up with a plan to set their hip hop careers in motion: kill a bunch of drug dealers + sell the stolen drugs + ? = PROFIT! They jump to action by talking at the camera, then driving around, smoking pot, talking to the camera, calling someone on a pay-phone, talking at the camera and then occasionally stabbing someone. They follow the stabbing with more talking at the camera, usually about how great it was to stab that person, and how they want to drive around, call someone, and then stab someone else. Rinse and repeat, and throw in some awful video and vocal effects for good (bad) measure. There is literally five minutes of plot stretched with endless, seemingly improvised dialogue (Homes.. Homes... Homes homes homes homes homes homes) interspersed with grainy black and white footage that is headache inducing.

I can't even imagine how this film even managed to scrounge up this level of distribution as it looks like something put together over a weekend to entertain (??) some friends of the cast. Oddly, despite the title and central plot, there isn't even any Hip Hop music on the soundtrack; just the occasional synthesizer beat behind awful, repetitive dialogue notably featuring the words “homes!”, “la raza!” and “eh?” in various combinations. At a couple of points Unodoz attempts to freestyle a portion of the plot, which only convinced me that he must have some sort of learning disability to come up with such weak rhymes. At a certain point I actually thought I might be going mad, as scenes began to blend together and repeat in a weird haze of cheap video effects and murky driving footage.

Photography is strictly a point and shoot affair, with minimal editing. Barely visible color footage of our two intrepid heroes gives way to black and white footage of them wandering around in the dark, usually repeating the dialogue that was said in the previous color footage. Often scenes stretch far beyond their breaking point, most notably in a strangulation scene which lasts for an eternity as one of interchangeable “locos” tells the other to “choke him!”. Sound is generally clear, but i'm not sure that's a benefit.

Mill Creek/Pendulum Pictures didn't even include chapter stops for this one. Even by their low standards, this is by far the worst thing i've seen in this collection.

I don't usually like to warn people away from films, as I realize when it comes to badness that quality becomes a very subjective thing. However, I feel confident in saying that there is no way that any reasonable person would get even the smallest bit of entertainment value out of Hip Hop Locos. The credits feature director Lorenzo Munoz Jr.'s name over and over in likely the most misplaced show of ego the film world has ever seen. Fucking awful.

Capsule Review: There Will Be Blood (2007)

Paul Thomas Anderson’s loose adaptation of Upton Sinclairs “Oil” proves to be a vast, welcome departure from his previous films. We follow the career of Daniel Plainview (the absolutely staggering Daniel Day Lewis) as he builds his oil drilling business along with his adopted son H.W. The gorgeous cinematography rewards viewers who may balk at the sometimes slow pacing, but the shots of sudden, intense violence and anger are all the more effective because of it. A great film, and one that shows a surprising maturity from one of America’s most interesting filmmakers.

Capsule Review: Rushmore (1998)

While Wes Anderson first made a strong impression with his quirky crime film Bottle Rocket, it was his next film that firmly established his unique cinematic vision that he would continue in his following films. Jason Schwartzman stars as Max Fisher, an unpopular student at the prestigious Rushmore academy who flunks out after spending more time on extracurricular activities than his studies. He strikes up a friendship with cynical businessman Herman J. Blume (Bill Murray) with whom he eventually battles for the affection of a beautiful teacher (Olivia Williams). As with his other films, Anderson shows a lot of affinity for the oddballs and outsiders in his film, populating his world with colorful characters and a soundtrack of 60s British rock that punctuates sometimes anarchic scenes. Most entertaining are Max's plays – odd pastiches of films like Serpico and Apocalypse Now – and the central performances; particularly Murray who shows off a dramatic ability that would serve him well in later roles in Lost In Translation and Broken Flowers.

Capsule Review: Boogie Nights (1997)

A sprawling epic about the porn industry directed by a young filmmaker making only his second feature, Boogie Nights could have easily been a disaster, but Paul Thomas Anderson has an almost supernatural sense of setting and creates an emotional and original masterpiece. Based loosely on the life of John Holmes, we follow the burgeoning career of the impossibly endowed Dirk Diggler (Mark Wahlberg) who rises to stardom during the golden age of filmed pornography, welcomed into the family fold of director Jack Horner (Burt Reynolds) and his stable of actors and production people. Filled with memorable set pieces and supporting performances – particularly John C. Reilly as the hilarious Reed Rothchild – it's Anderson who tells the complex story with pizazz, featuring long steadicam shots and scenes filled with improvised dialogue. Brilliant.

Capsule Review: Citizen Kane (1941)

An achievement so magnificent that modern audiences may miss out on the countless innovations, Citizen Kane remains an entertaining and enjoyable yarn even outside of its technical brilliance. Constructed by an impossibly young Orson Welles, who also penned the screenplay (with controversial input from Herman J. Mankiewicz), the film famously dramatizes elements of the life of newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst in the lead character of Charles Foster Kane, a high minded boy millionaire whose ethics and relationships begin to erode, alienating him from his friends and lovers before he dies alone in his massive mansion Xanadu. The film is structured around a reporter's search for the meaning of Kane's final word (“rosebud”) and the impressions that the man made on the lives of those he touched throughout his life. Impeccably directed, with photography by Gregg Toland that constantly breaks established cinematic rules, Kane also features amazing performances – particularly from Welles himself who, though only 24 at the time, convincingly plays Kane up to his 70s. As impressive today as it ever was.

Capsule Review: Goldfinger (1964)

The third entry in the Bond film franchise, Goldfinger created a template followed for decades afterward, but remains a wonderfully entertaining yarn filled with memorable characters and exciting – though occasionally dated – action. James Bond (Sean Connery, cementing his reputation as the ultimate Bond) is out to stop the millionaire Auric Goldfinger who has devised a plot to break into Fort Knox – not to steal the gold – but to set up an atomic bomb to irradiate the stock, making his own collection of gold ten times as valuable. All of the elements most strongly connected with the franchise – an Aston Martin packed with gadgets, a suitably imposing henchman (the hat throwing Oddjob), an obsessive and charismatic villain (“Do you expect me to talk?” “No, Mr. Bond, I expect you to die!”), and the usual interplay with M, Moneypenny, Q, and a variety of international beauties. Throw in a memorable Shirley Bassey theme song, John Barry's tremendous score, and Guy Hamliton's sure-handed direction, and you have the ultimate Bond film.

Capsule Review: American Werewolf in London (1981)

Originally devised when John Landis was working on the set of Kelly's Heroes, it took another decade (and some astounding advances in special effects) before the comedic horror film finally made it to the screen. Two American students backpacking through Europe are attacked by a wolf on the Yorkshire Moors, leaving one dead and the other in a London hospital – arguing with the police report that it was a man, not a wolf, who caused the tragedy. He soon begins to have strange dreams, and visions of his dead friend – who is slowly rotting away in limbo – which convinces him that he will turn into a wolf-man during the next full moon. The two students, played by David Naughton and Griffen Dunne, have some great interplay, but the star here is Rick Baker's incredible special effects. The scene where David finally changes into a werewolf is a showstopper, and helped Baker win the first Oscar for makeup. The humor and horror mixes delightfully, and the tone proved to be influential to many young film-makers – certainly reflected in more modern horror/comedy like Shaun Of The Dead (2004).

1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die

"Greatest Films" lists are, of course, entirely subjective and always carry with them certain prejudices that inevitably will upset lovers of film. To capture a really strong snapshot of films considered the best in Cinema would take a ridiculous number, and thankfully Steven Jay Schneider, and a collection of reputable contributors, have helped compile a list that hopes to at least begin to scratch the surface of absolutely unmissable films.

There have been five editions of the book so far, which update with newer films and remove some from the list to make room. This list includes all films up to this point, including those that have been removed, and this long term project is meant to link to either full length or capsule reviews of each film.

1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die (Compiled List)

1. A Trip to the Moon (1902)
2. The Great Train Robbery (1903)
3. The Birth of a Nation (1915)
4. Les Vampires (1915)
5. Intolerance (1916)
6. Broken Blossoms (1919)
7. The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920)
8. Way Down East (1920)
9. Within Our Gates (1920)
10. The Phantom Carriage (1921)
11. Orphans of the Storm (1921)
12. La Souriante Madame Beudet (1922)
13. Dr. Mabuse Parts 1 and 2 (1922)
14. Nanook of the North (1922)
15. Nosferatu (1922)
16. Haxan (1923)
17. Foolish Wives (1922)
18. Our Hospitality (1923)
19. The Wheel (1923)
20. The Thief of Bagdad (1924)
21. Strike (1924)
22. Greed (1924)
23. Sherlock, Jr. (1924)
24. The Last Laugh (1924)
25. Seven Chances (1925)
26. The Phantom of the Opera (1925)
27. Battleship Potemkin (1925)
28. The Gold Rush (1925)
29. The Big Parade (1925)
30. Metropolis (1927)
31. Sunrise (1927)
32. The General (1927)
33. The Unknown (1927)
34. October (1927)
35. The Jazz Singer (1927)
36. Napoleon (1927)
37. The Kid Brother (1927)
38. The Crowd (1928)
39. The Docks of New York (1928)
40. An Andalusian Dog (1928)
41. The Passion of Joan of Arc (1928)
42. Steamboat Bill, Jr. (1928)
43. Storm over Asia (1928)
44. Blackmail (1929)
45. The Man with the Movie Camera (1929)
46. Pandora's Box (1929)
47. The Blue Angel (1930)
48. L'Age D'Or (1930)
49. Earth (1930)
50. Little Caesar (1930)
51. All Quiet on the Western Front (1930)
52. À Nous la Liberté (1931)
53. Le Million (1931)
54. Tabu (1931)
55. Dracula (1931)
56. Frankenstein (1931)
57. City Lights (1931)
58. The Public Enemy (1931)
59. M (1931)
60. La Chienne (1931)
61. Vampyr (1932)
62. Love Me Tonight (1932)
63. Boudu Saved from Drowning (1932)
64. I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang (1932)
65. Trouble in Paradise (1932)
66. Scarface (1932)
67. Shanghai Express (1932)
68. Freaks (1932)
69. Me and My Gal (1932)
70. Zero for Conduct (1933)
71. 42nd Street (1933)
72. Footlight Parade (1933)
73. Gold Diggers of 1933 (1933)
74. She Done Him Wrong (1933)
75. Duck Soup (1933)
76. Queen Christina (1933)
77. Las Hurdes (1933)
78. King Kong (1933)
79. The Bitter Tea of General Yen (1933)
80. Sons of the Desert (1933)
81. It's a Gift (1934)
82. Triumph of the Will (1934)
83. L'Atalante (1934)
84. The Black Cat (1934)
85. Judge Priest (1934)
86. It Happened One Night (1934)
87. The Thin Man (1934)
88. Captain Blood (1935)
89. Mutiny on the Bounty (1935)
90. A Night at the Opera (1935)
91. The 39 Steps (1935)
92. Bride of Frankenstein (1935)
93. Top Hat (1935)
94. A Day in the Country (1936)
95. Modern Times (1936)
96. Swing Time (1936)
97. My Man Godfrey (1936)
98. Mr. Deeds Goes to Town (1936)
99. Camille (1936)
100. Sabotage (1936)

101. Dodsworth (1936)
102. Things to Come (1936)
103. The Story of a Cheat (1936)
104. Captains Courageous (1937)
105. Song At Midnight (1937)
106. Grand Illusion (1937)
107. Stella Dallas (1937)
108. The Life of Emile Zola (1937)
109. Make Way for Tomorrow (1937)
110. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937)
111. The Awful Truth (1937)
112. Pepe Le Moko (1937)
113. Jezebel (1938)
114. The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938)
115. Angels with Dirty Faces (1938)
116. Olympia (1938)
117. The Baker's Wife (1938)
118. Bringing Up Baby (1938)
119. Stagecoach (1939)
120. The Story of the Late Chrysanthemums (1939)
121. Babes in Arms (1939)
122. Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939)
123. The Wizard of Oz (1939)
124. Destry Rides Again (1939)
125. Only Angels Have Wings (1939)
126. Gone With the Wind (1939)
127. Daybreak (1939)
128. Gunga Din (1939)
129. Ninotchka (1939)
130. The Rules of the Game (1939)
131. Wuthering Heights (1939)
132. His Girl Friday (1940)
133. Rebecca (1940)
134. Fantasia (1940)
135. The Philadelphia Story (1940)
136. The Grapes of Wrath (1940)
137. Dance, Girl, Dance (1940)
138. Pinocchio (1940)
139. The Mortal Storm (1940)
140. The Bank Dick (1940)
141. Citizen Kane (1941)
142. The Lady Eve (1941)
143. The Wolf Man (1941)
144. The Maltese Falcon (1941)
145. Sergeant York (1941)
146. Dumbo (1941)
147. High Sierra (1941)
148. Sullivan's Travels (1941)
149. How Green Was My Valley (1941)
150. The Palm Beach Story (1942)
151. Now, Voyager (1942)
152. Casablanca (1942)
153. To Be or Not to Be (1942)
154. Cat People (1942)
155. The Magnificent Ambersons (1942)
156. Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942)
157. Meshes of the Afternoon (1943)
158. Fires Were Started (1943)
159. The Man in Grey (1943)
160. The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp (1943)
161. I Walked with a Zombie (1943)
162. The Seventh Victim (1943)
163. The Ox-Bow Incident (1943)
164. Shadow of a Doubt (1943)
165. Ossessione (1943)
166. Meet Me in St. Louis (1944)
167. To Have and Have Not (1944)
168. Laura (1944)
169. Gaslight (1944)
170. Henry V (1944)
171. Ivan the Terrible (1944) Parts 1 and 2
172. Double Indemnity (1944)
173. Murder, My Sweet (1944)
174. The Battle of San Pietro (1945)
175. Spellbound (1945)
176. Mildred Pierce (1945)
177. Children of Paradise (1945)
178. Open City (1945)
179. The Lost Weekend (1945)
180. Detour (1945)
181. I Know Where I'm Going! (1945)
182. The Best Years of Our Lives (1946)
183. Brief Encounter (1946)
184. Paisan (1946)
185. The Postman Always Rings Twice (1946)
186. My Darling Clementine (1946)
187. The Stranger (1946)
188. Beauty and the Beast (1946)
189. The Big Sleep (1946)
190. The Killers (1946)
191. A Matter of Life and Death (1946)
192. Great Expectations (1946)
193. Notorious (1946)
194. Black Narcissus (1946)
195. It's a Wonderful Life (1946)
196. Gilda (1946)
197. Monsieur Verdoux (1947)
198. Out of the Past (1947)
199. The Ghost and Mrs. Muir (1947)
200. Odd Man Out (1947)

201. The Bicycle Thief (1948)
202. Letter from an Unknown Woman (1948)
203. Secret Beyond the Door (1948)
204. Force of Evil (1948)
205. Spring in a Small Town (1948)
206. Red River (1948)
207. Rope (1948)
208. The Snake Pit (1948)
209. The Lady from Shanghai (1948)
210. Paleface (1948)
211. The Red Shoes (1948)
212. The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948)
213. Louisiana Story (1948)
214. The Heiress (1949)
215. Kind Hearts and Coronets (1949)
216. Gun Crazy (1949)
217. Adam's Rib (1949)
218. Whiskey Galore! (1949)
219. White Heat (1949)
220. The Reckless Moment (1949)
221. The Third Man (1949)
222. On the Town (1949)
223. Orpheus (1949)
224. The Asphalt Jungle (1950)
225. Rashomon (1950)
226. Winchester '73 (1950)
227. Rio Grande (1950)
228. All About Eve (1950)
229. Sunset Blvd. (1950)
230. Los Olvidados (1950)
231. In a Lonely Place (1950)
232. The Big Carnival (1951)
233. A Streetcar Named Desire (1951)
234. Strangers on a Train (1951)
235. The Lavender Hill Mob (1951)
236. Pandora and the Flying Dutchman (1951)
237. The African Queen (1951)
238. Diary of a Country Priest (1951)
239. An American in Paris (1951)
240. A Place in the Sun (1951)
241. The Day The Earth Stood Still (1951)
242. The Quiet Man (1952)
243. Forbidden Games (1952)
244. Angel Face (1952)
245. Singin' in the Rain (1952)
246. Ikiru (1952)
247. Europa '51 (1952)
248. The Bad and the Beautiful (1952)
249. The Big Sky (1952)
250. High Noon (1952)
251. Umberto D (1952)
252. The Golden Coach (1952)
253. The Bigamist (1953)
254. The Band Wagon (1953)
255. Madame De… (1953)
256. From Here to Eternity (1953)
257. Tokyo Story (1953)
258. Roman Holiday (1953)
259. Wages of Fear (1953)
260. The Naked Spur (1953)
261. Pickup on South Street (1953)
262. Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953)
263. The Big Heat (1953)
264. M. Hulot's Holiday (1953)
265. Voyage in Italy (1953)
266. Ugetsu (1953)
267. Shane (1953)
268. Beat the Devil (1953)
269. Johnny Guitar (1954)
270. On the Waterfront (1954)
271. Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (1954)
272. Les Diaboliques (1954)
273. Animal Farm (1954)
274. Rear Window (1954)
275. A Star Is Born (1954)
276. The Barefoot Contessa (1954)
277. La Strada (1954)
278. Seven Samurai (1954)
279. Senso (1954)
280. Silver Lode (1954)
281. Carmen Jones (1954)
282. Sansho the Bailiff (1954)
283. Salt of the Earth (1954)
284. Artists and Models (1955)
285. Guys and Dolls (1955)
286. Pather Panchali (1955)
287. Bad Day at Black Rock (1955)
288. The Mad Masters (1955)
289. Hill 24 Doesn't Answer (1955)
290. The Ladykillers (1955)
291. Marty (1955)
292. Ordet (1955)
293. Bob Le Flambeur (1955)
294. Kiss Me Deadly (1955)
295. The Man from Laramie (1955)
296. Rebel Without a Cause (1955)
297. The Phenix City Story (1955)
298. Smiles of a Summer Night (1955)
299. Night and Fog (1955)
300. The Night of the Hunter (1955)

301. Lola Montes (1955)
302. Forbidden Planet (1956)
303. The Burmese Harp (1956)
304. The Searchers (1956)
305. A Man Escaped (1956)
306. Written on the Wind (1956)
307. The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956)
308. Giant (1956)
309. All That Heaven Allows (1956)
310. Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956)
311. The Wrong Man (1956)
312. Bigger Than Life (1956)
313. High Society (1956)
314. The Ten Commandments (1956)
315. 12 Angry Men (1957)
316. The Seventh Seal (1957)
317. An Affair to Remember (1957)
318. Wild Strawberries (1957)
319. The Nights of Cabiria (1957)
320. Throne of Blood (1957)
321. The Incredible Shrinking Man (1957)
322. Aparajito (1957)
323. Gunfight at the O.K. Corral (1957)
324. The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957)
325. Mother India (1957)
326. The Cranes Are Flying (1957)
327. Paths of Glory (1957)
328. Sweet Smell of Success (1957)
329. Man of the West (1958)
330. Touch of Evil (1958)
331. Cairo Station (1958)
332. Gigi (1958)
333. The Defiant Ones (1958)
334. Vertigo (1958)
335. Ashes and Diamonds (1958)
336. Horror of Dracula (1958)
337. Mon Oncle (1958)
338. The Music Room (1958)
339. The 400 Blows (1959)
340. North by Northwest (1959)
341. Some Like It Hot (1959)
342. Anatomy of a Murder (1959)
343. Eyes without a Face (1959)
344. Ride Lonesome (1959)
345. Black Orpheus (1959)
346. Shadows (1959)
347. The World of Apu (1959)
348. Breathless (1959)
349. Ben-Hur (1959)
350. Pickpocket (1959)
351. Hiroshima Mon Amour (1959)
352. Rio Bravo (1959)
353. The Hole (1959)
354. Floating Weeds (1959)
355. Rocco and His Brothers (1960)
356. La Dolce Vita (1960)
357. Saturday Night and Sunday Morning (1960)
358. Shoot the Piano Player (1960)
359. L'Avventura (1960)
360. La Joven (1960)
361. The Cloud-Capped Star (1960)
362. The Housemaid (1960)
363. Psycho (1960)
364. Black Sunday (1960)
365. Peeping Tom (1960)
366. The Apartment (1960)
367. Spartacus (1960)
368. Splendor in the Grass (1961)
369. Last Year at Marienbad (1961)
370. La Jetee (1961)
371. One-Eyed Jacks (1961)
372. Lola (1961)
373. Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961)
374. La Notte (1961)
375. Jules and Jim (1961)
376. Viridiana (1961)
377. The Ladies Man (1961)
378. Through a Glass Darkly (1961)
379. Chronicle of a Summer (1961)
380. The Hustler (1961)
381. West Side Story (1961)
382. Mondo Cane (1962)
383. Cleo from 5 to 7 (1962)
384. Dog Star Man (1962)
385. An Autumn Afternoon (1962)
386. L'Eclisse (1962)
387. Lawrence of Arabia (1962)
388. To Kill a Mockingbird (1962)
389. The Manchurian Candidate (1962)
390. Lolita (1962)
391. Keeper of Promises (1962)
392. The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962)
393. What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? (1962)
394. My Life to Live (1962)
395. Heaven and Earth Magic (1962)
396. The Birds (1963)
397. The Nutty Professor (1963)
398. Blonde Cobra (1963)
399. The Cool World (1963)
400. 8 1/2 (1963)

401. Passenger (1963)
402. Contempt (1963)
403. Hud (1963)
404. Winter Light (1963)
405. Flaming Creatures (1963)
406. The Great Escape (1963)
407. Shock Corridor (1963)
408. The Leopard (1963)
409. Barren Lives (1963)
410. Mediteranee (1963)
411. The House is Black (1963)
412. The Haunting (1963)
413. An Actor's Revenge (1963)
414. The Servant (1963)
415. Goldfinger (1964)
416. Scorpio Rising (1964)
417. The Umbrellas of Cherbourg (1964)
418. Marnie (1964)
419. My Fair Lady (1964)
420. Woman in the Dunes (1964)
421. Dr. Strangelove (1964)
422. A Hard Day's Night (1964)
423. The Red Desert (1964)
424. Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors (1964)
425. The Masque of the Red Death (1964)
426. Before the Revolution (1964)
427. Gertrud (1964)
428. The Gospel According to St. Matthew (1964)
429. Black God, White Devil (1964)
430. The Demon (1964)
431. Vinyl (1965)
432. The Shop on Main Street (1965)
433. Doctor Zhivago (1965)
434. The War Game (1965)
435. Tokyo Olympiad (1965)
436. The Battle of Algiers (1965)
437. The Sound of Music (1965)
438. The Sargossa Manuscript (1965)
439. Alphaville (1965)
440. Chimes at Midnight (1965)
441. Repulsion (1965)
442. Juliet of the Spirits (1965)
443. Pierrot Le Fou (1965)
444. Faster, Pussy Cat! Kill! Kill! (1965)
445. Golden River (1965)
446. The Man Who Had His Hair Cut Short (1965)
447. Hold Me While I'm Naked (1966)
448. Blow-Up (1966)
449. The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966)
450. Daisies (1966)
451. Come Drink with Me (1966)
452. Seconds (1966)
453. Who's Afraid Of Virginia Woolf? (1966)
454. Persona (1966)
455. Masculin-Feminin (1966)
456. Au Hazard Balthazar (1966)
457. In the Heat of the Night (1967)
458. Two or Three Things I Know About Her (1967)
459. The Graduate (1967)
460. Playtime (1967)
461. Report (1967)
462. Hombre (1967)
463. Belle de Jour (1967)
464. The Young Girls of Rochefort (1967)
465. Week End (1967)
466. The Godson (1967)
467. Cool Hand Luke (1967)
468. Point Blank (1967)
469. Wavelength (1967)
470. Bonnie and Clyde (1967)
471. The Red and the White (1967)
472. Marketta Lazarova (1967)
473. The Jungle Book (1967)
474. The Fireman's Ball (1967)
475. Earth Entranced (1967)
476. Closely Watched Trains (1967)
477. Vij (1967)
478. The Cow (1968)
479. Once Upon a Time in the West (1968)
480. Planet of the Apes (1968)
481. Faces (1968)
482. Rosemary's Baby (1968)
483. If... (1968)
484. Memories of Underdevelopment (1968)
485. The Producers (1968)
486. David Holzman's Diary (1968)
487. Shame (1968)
488. 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
489. Hour of the Wolf (1968)
490. Targets (1968)
491. Night of the Living Dead (1968)
492. My Night at Maud's (1969)
493. Lucia (1969)
494. A Touch of Zen (1969)
495. Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969)
496. Midnight Cowboy (1969)
497. Satyricon (1969)
498. Z (1969)
499. The Conformist (1969)
500. Easy Rider (1969)

501. High School (1969)
502. In the Year of the Pig (1969)
503. The Wild Bunch (1969)
504. Andrei Rublev (1969)
505. Le Boucher (1969)
506. The Color of Pomegranates (1969)
507. Kes (1969)
508. Tristana (1970)
509. Five Easy Pieces (1970)
510. El Topo (1970)
511. Woodstock (1970)
512. Deep End (1970)
513. The Spider's Stratagem (1970)
514. Little Big Man (1970)
515. The Ear (1970)
516. Patton (1970)
517. M*A*S*H (1970)
518. Performance (1970)
519. Gimme Shelter (1970)
520. Zabriskie Point (1970)
521. The Bird with The Crystal Plumage (1970)
522. The Garden of the Finzi-Continis (1970)
523. Wanda (1971)
524. W.R.: Mysteries of the Organism (1971)
525. A Clockwork Orange (1971) (2)
526. The Sorrow and the Pity (1971)
527. Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971)
528. McCabe and Mrs. Miller (1971)
529. Walkabout (1971)
530. Klute (1971)
531. Harold and Maude (1971)
532. Red Psalm (1971)
533. Get Carter (1971)
534. The French Connection (1971)
535. Shaft (1971)
536. Dirty Harry (1971)
537. Murmur of the Heart (1971)
538. Sweet Sweetback's Baadassss Song (1971)
539. The Last Picture Show (1971)
540. Straw Dogs (1971)
541. Two-Lane Blacktop (1971)
542. The Heartbreak Kid (1972)
543. Aguirre, the Wrath of God (1972)
544. Cabaret (1972)
545. Last Tango in Paris (1972)
546. High Plains Drifter (1972)
547. Sleuth (1972)
548. Deliverance (1972)
549. Solaris (1972)
550. The Godfather (1972)
551. Cries and Whispers (1972)
552. Fat City (1972)
553. The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie (1972)
554. The Bitter Tears of Petra Von Kant (1972)
555. Frenzy (1972)
556. Pink Flamingos (1972)
557. Superfly (1972)
558. The Sting (1973)
559. The Mother and the Whore (1973)
560. Badlands (1973)
561. American Graffiti (1973)
562. Papillon (1973)
563. Enter the Dragon (1973)
564. Mean Streets (1973)
565. The Long Goodbye (1973)
566. The Wicker Man (1973)
567. Day for Night (1973)
568. Don't Look Now (1973)
569. Sleeper (1973)
570. Serpico (1973)
571. The Exorcist (1973)
572. Turkish Delight (1973)
573. The Spirit of the Beehive (1973)
574. Fantastic Planet (1973)
575. Amarcord (1973)
576. The Harder They Come (1973)
577. Pat Garret and Billy the Kid (1973)
578. Dersu Uzala (1974)
579. The Conversation (1974)
580. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974)
581. Mirror (1974)
582. A Woman under the Influence (1974)
583. Young Frankenstein (1974)
584. Chinatown (1974)
585. Celine and Julie Go Boating (1974)
586. Blazing Saddles (1974)
587. The Godfather Part II (1974)
588. Ali: Fear Eats the Soul (1974)
589. Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia (1974)
590. Dog Day Afternoon (1975)
591. One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975)
592. Jeanne Dielman, 23 Quai Du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles (1975)
593. The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975)
594. The Wall (1975)
595. Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975)
596. Barry Lyndon (1975)
597. Fox and His Friends (1975)
598. India Song (1975)
599. Picnic at Hanging Rock (1975)
600. Manila in the Claws of Brightness (1975)

601. Salo, or the 120 Days of Sodom (1975)
602. Nashville (1975)
603. Cria! (1975)
604. The Traveling Players (1975)
605. Jaws (1975)
606. The Killing of a Chinese Bookie (1976)
607. Carrie (1976)
608. The Outlaw Josey Wales (1976)
609. All the President's Men (1976)
610. Rocky (1976)
611. Taxi Driver (1976)
612. Network (1976)
613. Ascent (1976)
614. In the Realm of the Senses (1976)
615. 1900 (1976)
616. The Man Who Fell to Earth (1976)
617. Star Wars (1977)
618. Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)
619. The Last Wave (1977)
620. Annie Hall (1977)
621. Last Chants for a Slow Dance (1977)
622. Storszek (1977)
623. Man of Marble (1977)
624. Saturday Night Fever (1977)
625. Killer of Sheep (1977)
626. Eraserhead (1977)
627. Ceddo (1977)
628. The American Friend (1977)
629. The Hills Have Eyes (1977)
630. Soldier of Orange (1977)
631. Suspiria (1977)
632. The Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith (1978)
633. Five Deadly Venoms (1978)
634. The Tree of Wooden Clogs (1978)
635. The Deer Hunter (1978)
636. Grease (1978)
637. Days of Heaven (1978)
638. Dawn of the Dead (1978)
639. Shaolin Master Killer (1978)
640. Up in Smoke (1978)
641. Halloween (1978)
642. The Marriage of Maria Braun (1979)
643. Real Life (1979)
644. My Brilliant Career (1979)
645. Stalker (1979)
646. Alien (1979)
647. Breaking Away (1979)
648. The Tin Drum (1979)
649. All That Jazz (1979)
650. Being There (1979)
651. Kramer vs. Kramer (1979)
652. Life of Brian (1979)
653. Apocalypse Now (1979)
654. The Jerk (1979)
655. The Muppet Movie (1979)
656. Manhattan (1979)
657. Mad Max (1979)
658. Nosferatu The Vampyre (1979)
659. Ordinary People (1980)
660. Atlantic City (1980)
661. The Last Metro (1980)
662. The Shining (1980)
663. The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
664. The Elephant Man (1980)
665. The Big Red One (1980)
666. Loulou (1980)
667. Airplane! (1980)
668. Raging Bull (1980)
669. Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
670. Das Boot (1981)
671. Gallipoli (1981)
672. Chariots of Fire (1981)
673. Body Heat (1981)
674. Reds (1981)
675. An American Werewolf in London (1981)
676. Three Brothers (1981)
677. Man of Iron (1981)
678. Too Early, Too Late (1981)
679. Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1981)
680. E.T. The Extra-Terestrial (1982)
681. The Thing (1982)
682. Poltergeist (1982)
683. Blade Runner (1982)
684. The Evil Dead (1982) [2]
685. Tootsie (1982)
686. Yol (1982)
687. Diner (1982)
688. Fitzcarraldo (1982)
689. Gandhi (1982)
690. The Night of the Shooting Stars (1982)
691. A Question of Silence (1982)
692. Fanny and Alexander (1982)
693. A Christmas Story (1983)
694. El Norte (1983)
695. Videodrome (1983)
696. Return of the Jedi (1983)
697. The Big Chill (1983)
698. Sans Soleil (1983)
699. The Last Battle (1983)
700. L'Argent (1983)

701. Utu (1983)
702. Terms of Endearment (1983)
703. The Fourth Man (1983)
704. The King of Comedy (1983)
705. The Right Stuff (1983)
706. Koyaanisqatsi (1983)
707. Once Upon a Time in America (1983)
708. Scarface (1983)
709. The Ballad of Narayama (1983)
710. Amadeus (1984)
711. The Terminator (1984)
712. Paris, Texas (1984)
713. A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)
714. This Is Spinal Tap (1984)
715. Beverly Hills Cop (1984)
716. Ghostbusters (1984)
717. A Passage to India (1984)
718. Stranger Than Paradise (1984)
719. The Killing Fields (1984)
720. The Natural (1984)
721. The Breakfast Club (1985)
722. Ran (1985)
723. Come and See (1985)
724. The Official Story (1985)
725. Out of Africa (1985)
726. The Purple Rose of Cairo (1985)
727. Back to the Future (1985)
728. The Time to Live and the Time to Die (1985)
729. Brazil (1985)
730. Kiss of the Spider Woman (1985)
731. The Quiet Earth (1985)
732. Mishima (1985)
733. Prizzi's Honor (1985)
734. Vagabond (1985)
735. Shoah (1985)
736. The Color Purple (1985)
737. Manhunter (1986)
738. Stand By Me (1986)
739. Blue Velvet (1986)
740. Hannah and Her Sisters (1986)
741. She's Gotta Have It (1986)
742. The Decline of the American Empire (1986)
743. The Fly (1986)
744. Aliens (1986)
745. Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986)
746. Down by Law (1986)
747. A Room with a View (1986)

748. Children Of A Lesser God (1986)
749. Platoon (1986)
750. Caravaggio (1986)
751. Tampopo (1986)
752. Peking Opera Blues (1986)
753. Salvador (1986)
754. Top Gun (1986)
755. Sherman's March (1986)
756. The Horse Thief (1986)
757. Yeelen (1987)
758. Wings of Desire (1987)
759. Project A, Part II (1987)
760. Babette's Feast (1987)
761. Raising Arizona (1987)
762. Full Metal Jacket (1987)
763. Withnail and I (1987)
764. Good Morning, Vietnam (1987)
765. Au Revoir Les Enfants (1987)
766. Broadcast News (1987)
767. Housekeeping (1987)
768. The Princess Bride (1987)
769. Moonstruck (1987)
770. The Untouchables (1987)
771. Red Sorghum (1987)
772. The Dead (1987)
773. Fatal Attraction (1987)
774. A Chinese Ghost Story (1987)
775. Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown (1988)
776. The Vanishing (1988)
777. Bull Durham (1988)
778. Ariel (1988)
779. The Thin Blue Line (1988)
780. Akira (1988)
781. Cinema Paradiso (1988)
782. Hotel Terminus: The Life and Times of Klaus Barbie (1988)
783. A Fish Called Wanda (1988)
784. The Naked Gun (1988)
785. Big (1988)
786. Dangerous Liaisons (1988)
787. Grave of the Fireflies (1988)
788. Landscape in the Mist (1988)
789. The Decalogue (1988)
790. Die Hard (1988)
791. A Tale of the Wind (1988)
792. Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988)
793. Rain Man (1988)
794. The Story of Women (1988)
795. The Accidental Tourist (1988)
796. Alice (1988)
797. Drowning by Numbers (1988)
798. Batman (1989)
799. When Harry Met Sally... (1989)
800. Crimes and Misdemeanors (1989)

801. The Cook, the Thief, His Wife and Her Lover (1989)
802. Drugstore Cowboy (1989)
803. My Left Foot (1989)
804. The Killer (1989)
805. Do the Right Thing (1989)
806. Roger & Me (1989)
807. Glory (1989)
808. The Asthenic Syndrome (1989)
809. Sex, Lies and Videotape (1989)
810. Say Anything... (1989)
811. The Unbelievable Truth (1989)
812. A City of Sadness (1989)
813. No Fear, No Die (1990)
814. Reversal of Fortune (1990)
815. Goodfellas (1990)
816. Jacob's Ladder (1990)
817. King of New York (1990)
818. Dances with Wolves (1990)
819. Europa Europa (1990)
820. Pretty Woman (1990)
821. Archangel (1990)
822. Trust (1990)
823. Close-Up (1990)
824. Edward Scissorhands (1990)
825. Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer (1990)
826. Total Recall (1990)
827. Once Upon a Time in China (1991)
828. Boyz 'n the Hood (1991)
829. Raise the Red Lantern (1991)
830. Delicatessen (1991)
831. A Brighter Summer Day (1991)
832. Naked Lunch (1991)
833. La Belle Noiseuse (1991)
834. The Rapture (1991)
835. My Own Private Idaho (1991)
836. Thelma & Louise (1991)
837. Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)
838. The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
839. JFK (1991)
840. Slacker (1991)
841. Tongues Untied (1991)
842. Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker's Apocalypse (1991)
843. The Double Life of Veronique (1991)
844. Strictly Ballroom (1992)
845. The Player (1992)
846. Reservoir Dogs (1992)
847. Romper Stomper (1992)
848. Glengarry Glen Ross (1992)
849. Unforgiven (1992)
850. Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992)
851. Candy Man (1992)
852. A Tale of Winter (1992)
853. Aileen Wuornos: The Selling of a Serial Killer (1992)
854. The Crying Game (1992)
855. Man Bites Dog (1992)
856. The Actress (1992)
857. Farewell My Concubine (1993)
858. Thirty Two Short Films About Glenn Gould (1993)
859. Groundhog Day (1993)
860. Short Cuts (1993)
861. Philadelphia (1993)
862. Jurassic Park (1993)
863. The Age of Innocence (1993)
864. The Puppetmaster (1993)
865. Schindler's List (1993)
866. Blue (1993)
867. The Piano (1993)
868. The Blue Kite (1993)
869. The Wedding Banquet (1993)
870. Red (1994)
871. Hoop Dreams (1994)
872. Forrest Gump (1994)
873. Clerks (1994)
874. Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994)
875. The Lion King (1994)
876. Satantango (1994)
877. Natural Born Killers (1994)
878. The Last Seduction (1994)
879. Pulp Fiction (1994)
880. The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
881. The Wild Reeds (1994)
882. Chungking Express (1994)
883. Crumb (1994)
884. Heavenly Creatures (1994)
885. Through the Olive Trees (1994)
886. Riget (1994)
887. Dear Diary (1994)
888. Muriel's Wedding (1994)
889. The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (1994)
890. Casino (1995)
891. Deseret (1995)
892. Babe (1995)
893. Toy Story (1995)
894. Strange Days (1995)
895. Braveheart (1995)
896. Safe (1995)
897. Clueless (1995)
898. Heat (1995)
899. Zero Kelvin (1995)
900. Seven (1995)

901. Smoke (1995)
902. The White Balloon (1995)
903. Xixch Lo (1995)
904. Underground (1995)
905. The Brave Heart Will Take the Bride (1995)
906. Dead Man (1995)
907. The Usual Suspects (1995)
908. The Pillow Book (1996)
909. Three Lives and Only One Death (1996)
910. Fargo (1996)
911. Independence Day (1996)
912. Secrets and Lies (1996)
913. Breaking the Waves (1996)
914. The English Patient (1996)
915. Gabbeh (1996)
916. Lone Star (1996)
917. Trainspotting (1996)
918. Scream (1996)
919. Shine (1996)
920. Deconstructing Harry (1997)
921. L.A. Confidential (1997)
922. Happy Together (1997)
923. Princess Mononoke (1997)
924. Fast, Cheap and Out of Control (1997)
925. The Butcher Boy (1997)
926. The Ice Storm (1997)
927. Boogie Nights (1997)
928. Kundun (1997)
929. The Sweet Hereafter (1997)
930. Funny Games (1997)
931. Taste of Cherry (1997)
932. Open Your Eyes (1997)
933. Mother and Son (1997)
934. Titanic (1997)
935. Tetsuo (1998)
936. The Celebration (1998)
937. Saving Private Ryan (1998)
938. Buffalo 66 (1998)
939. Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (1998)
940. The Big Lebowski (1998)
941. Run Lola Run (1998)
942. Rushmore (1998)
943. Pi (1998)
944. Happiness (1998)
945. The Thin Red Line (1998)
946. The Idiots (1998)
947. Sombre (1998)
948. Ringu (1998)
949. There's Something About Mary (1998)
950. Magnolia (1999)
951. Beau Travail (1999)
952. The Blair Witch Project (1999)
953. Taboo (1999)
954. Rosetta (1999)
955. All About My Mother (1999)
956. Three Kings (1999)
957. The Wind Will Carry Us (1999)
958. The Audition (1999)
959. Time Regained (1999)
960. Fight Club (1999)
961. Being John Malkovich (1999)
962. American Beauty (1999)
963. Attack the Gas Station (1999)
964. Eyes Wide Shut (1999)
965. The Sixth Sense (1999)
966. The Matrix (1999)
967. Nine Queens (2000)
968. The Captive (2000)
969. In the Mood for Love (2000)
970. Ali Zaoua, Prince of the Streets (2000)
971. Gladiator (2000)
972. Kippur (2000)
973. Yi Yi (2000)
974. Requiem for a Dream (2000)
975. Amores Perros (2000)
976. Meet the Parents (2000)
977. Signs & Wonders (2000)
978. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000)
979. Traffic (2000)
980. The Gleaners and I (2000)
981. Dancer in the Dark (2000)
982. O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000)
983. Memento (2000)
984. Amelie (2001)
985. What Time Is It There? (2001)
986. Y Tu Mama Tambien (2001)
987. Kandahar (2001)
988. Spirited Away (2001)
989. The Piano Teacher (2001)
990. The Son's Room (2001)
991. No Man's Land (2001)
992. Moulin Rouge (2001)
993. Monsoon Wedding (2001)
994. Fat Girl (2001)
995. Mulholland Dr. (2001)
996. The Royal Tenenbaums (2001)
997. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)
998. Lantana (2001)
999. A.I.: Artificial Intelligence (2001)

1000. Adaptation. (2002)
1001. Far From Heaven (2002)
1002. Gangs of New York (2002)
1003. Hero (2002)
1004. The Pianist (2002)
1005. Talk to Her (2002)
1006. City of God (2002)
1007. Russian Ark (2002)
1008. Chicago (2002)
1009. The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002)
1010. Uzak (2002)
1011. Rabbit-Proof Fence (2002)
1012. Irreversible (2002)
1013. Bus 174 (2002)
1014. The Barbarian Invasions (2003)
1015. Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003)
1016. Oldboy (2003)
1017. Good Bye Lenin! (2003)
1018. The Lord of the Rings: The Return Of The King (2003)
1019. The Best of Youth (2003)
1020. Lost In Translation (2004)
1021. Fahrenheit 9/11 (2004)
1022. The Passion Of The Christ (2004)
1023. Collateral (2004)
1024. The Aviator (2004)
1025. Million Dollar Baby (2004)
1026. Head-On (2004)
1027. 3-Iron (2004)
1028. Crash (2004)
1029. Downfall (2004)
1030. Sideways (2004)
1031. A Very Long Engagement (2004)
1032. Go, See, and Become (2005)
1033. Paradise Now (2005)
1034. Brokeback Mountain (2005)
1035. Tsotsi (2005)

1036. Caché (2005)

1037. The Constant Gardener (2005)
1038. Little Miss Sunshine (2006)
1039. Apocalypto (2006)
1040. The Departed (2006)
1041. Pan's Labyrinth (2006)
1042. Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan (2006)
1043. The Lives of Others (2006)
1044. Once (2006)
1045. The Queen (2006)
1046. The Host (2006)
1047. The Prestige (2006)
1048. Children of Men (2006)
1049. United 93 (2006)
1050. The Last King of Scotland (2006)
1051. Babel (2006)
1052. Volver (2006)
1053. The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (2007)
1054. La Vie En Rose (2007)
1055. No Country For Old Men (2007)
1056. Into the Wild (2007)
1057. There Will Be Blood (2007)
1058. Atonement (2007)
1059. Surfwise (2007)
1060. The Bourne Ultimatum (2007)
1061. Paranormal Activity (2007)
1062. WALL-E (2008)
1063. The Good, The Bad and The Weird (2008)
1064. The Dark Knight (2008)
1065. The Wrestler (2008)
1066. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008)
1067. Gomorra (2008)
1068. The Class (2008)
1069. Slumdog Millionaire (2008)
1070. Anvil! The Story of Anvil (2008)
1071. Let the Right One In (2008)
1072. The Hurt Locker (2009)
1073. An Education (2009)
1074. Precious: Based on the Novel "Push" by Sapphire (2009)
1075. Avatar (2009)
1076. District 9 (2009)
1077. The Hangover (2009)
1078. In The Loop (2009)
1079. The White Ribbon (2009)
1080. Inglorious Basterds (2009) (2)
1081. Fish Tank (2009)
1082. Monsters (2010)
1083. Of Gods and Men (2010)
1084. Black Swan (2010)
1085. Four Lions (2010)
1086. The Social Network (2010)
1087. Inception (2010)
1088. The King's Speech (2010)
1089. True Grit (2010)

1090. Senna (2010)
1091. Le Havre (2011)
1092. Shame (2011)
1093. The Tree Of Life (2011)
1094. The Kid With A Bike (2011)
1095. The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo (2011)
1096. Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2011)
1097. Drive (2011)
1098. War Horse (2011)
1099. A Separation (2011)
1100. Bridesmaids (2011)
1101. The Descendants (2011)
1102. Hugo (2011)
1103. The Artist (2011)

USA Saturday Nightmares: The Dummy (1981)

In the spirit of Living Dolls, the next short feature I now present is entitled, The Dummy which is yet another tale of inamimate objects behaving badly.

The Dummy starts innocently enough with a married couple (Carri Vickerey as The Wife and Ezra Titelbaum as The Husband) entering their aparment during a dark stormy night. Director Louis la Volpe is generous enough to provide just enough discussion between the two to set things up. The Wife is more than a tad annoyed with her spouse over the prospect of getting their apartment ready for some sort of dinner party for their respective parents.

The Husband then abruptly heads off for an evening shift at work; leaving the wife all alone in the apartment with the namesake of the short film.

The stage is now set. Time for some mayhem.

The Dummy is a little hamfisted when it comes to action and direction, but what do you really want from a short film with barely over a seven minute runtime?

If you've ever had the hairs raise up on the back of your neck while watching Magic (1978) with Anthony Hopkins or the infamous Zuni Fetish segments of the Trilogy of Terror films, or even the Child's Play movies, then this little gem will tap into those primal childhood fears when shadows played on your wall at night and you really did hate that smiling clown doll your aunt gave you that one Christmas.

USA Saturday Nightmares: Living Dolls (1980)

I hate to sound like an old curmudgeon, but horror on cable television these days ain't worth jack. Back in the day, you could always count on late-night cable networks to pull out nearly all the stops and serve up something that was just as creepy as anything you could see in theaters.

The struggle for identity in the early days of the USA Network was particularly enjoyable. USA didn't know whether it wanted to make you laugh or freak you out, so you could always count on an eclectic variety of programming. However when it came to Saturday nights, USA followed in the proud tradition of the local affiliates of the major networks and reserved the nether hours following the late news for horror films.

And what great stuff that was, but USA didn't stop there. They kept the creepiness going on even during the commercial breaks with the introduction of short films and introduced a whole new facet of the medium to an appreciate audience.

One of the first movies that ever freaked me out as a kid was Living Dolls by Todd Coleman. It follows a day in the life of a poor guy named Melvin (Park Dougherty). Melvin works at a bridal shop as a janitor and sufferes the merciless slings and arrows of the condscending women that saunter in and out of his life.

One afternoon, Melvin decides that he has had enough and goes upstairs to the storage area above the shop. Since he doesn't quite have the courage to tell off the shop owner or the customers that make his life unbearable, he decides that he is going to practice being assertive on the mannequins first.

Little does Melvin realize that hell hath no fury like a woman scorned… even one made out of plaster.

There's certainly nothing in Living Dolls that you haven't seen in similar pieces of work (most noteably an episode of The Twilight Zone entitled "The After Hours"), but Coleman's attention to lighting, music, and setting really makes this short film something special.

I thought that Coleman would end up a big-time horror director, but the guy seems to have faded into obscurity. Thankfully, the online community has kept Living Dolls from suffering a similar fate.

Targets (1968)

Horror legends rarely get as respectable a send-off as Boris Karloff was afforded in Peter Bodgdanovich's Targets, a thriller loosely based on the Charles Whitman water tower murders of the early 60s. It's rather interesting that both Karloff and Bela Lugosi ended their careers working with young, eager filmmakers on a low budget, but while Lugosi hammed it up in Bride Of The Monster, Karloff was given one of his very best roles – basically playing himself – in an effective (though occasionally muddled) meditation on modern horrors.

Karloff plays the aging horror actor Byron Orlock who, after seeing his latest opus (represented by clips from the Roger Corman stinker The Terror), decides that his style of victorian horror can no longer cut it compared to the real-life horrors that fill the newspapers. Young director Sammy (Bogdanovich, also a playing a variation on himself) tries to lure Orlock out of retirement to star in a script which he feels will be something different and respectful to the actor. Sammy's girlfriend is Orlock's personal assistant and is trying to get him to make a final personal appearance at a local drive-in theatre before leaving for England.

Meanwhile we follow the young Vietnam veteran Bobby Thompson as he goes from attempting to discuss his seemingly random thoughts of violence with his wife, to acting out on these thoughts by horrifically murdering his family. Leaving a note stating that more will die, Thompson climbs a water-tower and uses a sniper rifle to randomly shoot at drivers. Eventually the two stories meet as Bobby, running from the police, hides behind the drive-in movie screen and begins to target those watching the film.

Despite being his first directorial effort (having worked on Roger Corman's The Wild Angels previously), in the included commentary Bogdanovich states that his two least favorite genres of film are horror and science fiction. With Corman producing, he likely didn't have much say in the matter but he's actually quite good at directing suspense, attempting some ambitious shots and cinematic references to Hitchcock and Fritz Lang that foreshadow his major success over the following decade. In particular, the choice to use only ambient sounds and radio noise (inspired by Rear Window) give everything a realistic, verite feel that serves to build tension in the sniper scenes. This is particularly true in an early scene where Bobby is skulking around his house and we can hear conversations in the other room. Bogdonavich gives a lot of credit to his sound editor, and it really is quite well done for a low budget production.

While not actually Karloff's final film – he made some mostly forgotten Spanish sci-fi films afterwards – Targets was made just two years before the actors death and makes a fine capper to a masterful career. Bogdanovich was obviously in awe of the man and his cinematic importance, and takes several opportunities to pay tribute. Orlok watches a clip from Howard Hawks The Criminal Code (the film that introduced Karloff to many), meditates on his importance at the height of his career, and - most memorably - is given an opportunity to tell W. Somerset Maugham's tale of the Appointment in Samarra, showing that even at this late stage of his career Karloff retained his ability to chill the audience.

However it's the Bobby Thompson segments that prove to be the most terrifying, particularly since he envelops the usual idea of the all-American boy, with his young wife and strong relationship with his parents. We're never given any strong idea of just what pushes him over the edge - even his military background is barely hinted at - but when he finally snaps it's truly horrifying. The scenes on the water tower with Thompson drinking soda and eating a sandwich as he calmly picks off drivers are equally shocking, and have retained their power to disturb.

The Paramount DVD of Targets features the film in its original 1.85 :1 aspect ratio, and the image quality has held up quite well for a low-budget film of the era. Music is minimal throughout, usually only heard blasting from speakers (or introduced by Corman regular, the late "The Real" Don Steele), but is effective and the mono soundtrack is never difficult to decipher.

We also get a couple of wonderful extras, including the thirteen minute Targets - An Introduction by Peter Bogdanovich where the director/actor relates how he got into directing and some of the fascinating stories behind the creation and (eventual) distribution of Targets. Even better is the full length commentary by Bogdanovich, who repeats a lot of the information from the Introduction, but continues to pack the running time with interesting anecdotes about his experiences making the picture. One of the biggest reveals involves how much maverick director Samuel Fuller contributed to the final script, basically re-writing the whole thing without asking for credit. Both features are very worthwhile.

While the two stories never really gel effectively - likely because of the limited time that Karloff was available - Targets remains a striking example of low-budget horror, as well as a timely epitaph for the style of horror pioneered by Karloff, Lugosi and Chaney. The film feels relevant even today, where issues of gun violence and post-traumatic stress still dominate headlines, but for audiences in 1968 - shaken by Robert Kennedy's assassination - the film must have been almost too much to bear. A minor masterpiece, and one well worth revisiting.