The Movie Journal

Shampoo (1975) Shampoo was a major disappointment for me. It had a fantastic cast headlined by Warren Beatty and Julie Christie whom both worked so well together previously in McCabe and Mrs. Miller . It had a great director in Hal Ashby who directed other critically well-received works such as Harold and Maude and Coming Home . The script was written by Robert Towne, who wrote what some critics call the best screenplay of all time with 1974’s Chinatown . The movie was promised as a black comedy with political farce and it was quite the daring, edgy movie for a 1975 release. So if you add up these ingredients, this movie has to be good, right? Unfortunately, there were problems. Enough problems to make me wonder how on earth did this film get nominated for four Academy Awards. Well, let’s talk about these issues more in-depth. I did not think the movie was especially funny. There were some amusing moments for sure, but I never laughed or even chuckled the way I was meant to...

Nashville (1975) Director Robert Altman impressed me with this two earlier directorial efforts M.A.S.H and McCabe and Mrs. Miller , but I believe he really comes into his own with 1975’s Nashville. The way he directed his movie and the way he made it a very intelligent movie with many important themes but can be understood by the general public is just outstanding. However, if you don’t keep up with the movie, you can be sure to get lost in the overload of information Altman throws at you. On paper, the film may seem like a mess but it’s really not. The film really does not have an overall plot, but it has interwoven segments that are related with each other and I’ll discuss a little bit later on. This film is full of unique performances from an unusually large cast. It’s not unusual that there are many characters, but how many major characters there are. There are approximately 25 major speaking roles, and that has to be some sort of record. But all the performances are wonder...

Jaws (1975) Jaws is one of cinema’s most influential movies of all time. This film did wonders for the movie industry. It brought about the advent of the summer movie season, it paved the future for blockbusters, it skyrocketed the career of a genius director in the form of Steven Spielberg, and of course this happens to be a damn good thriller. It is one of my favorite all-time movies and despite seeing this film multiple times, I always find watching the movie to be a wondrous experience. Steven Spielberg is considered by many to be one of best movie directors of all-time, and I wholeheartedly agree with that sentiment. Time after time, he creates movies that exhibit joy, happiness, and the most of all-magic. Even his lesser films have a hint of magic to them. Each and every single thing the guy makes is pure art. 1975’s Jaws is just the beginning of his storied career. Now the production of the movie was often troubled, but the result was incredible. Spielberg often rec...

Dog Day Afternoon (1975) I have a confession to make. As I was watching  Dog Day Afternoon  for this review, I realized my DVD copy was scratched and it would not play the last half of the movie. But luckily, I have seen this movie before and I am fortunate enough to remember how the movie ended. Both times I watched the film, I enjoyed it very much. Given the talent behind and in front of the camera, that comes to me as no surprise. Sidney Lumet is a very talented director who directed incredible films such as 12 Angry Men and Serpico. Lumet reunites with his Serpico star Al Pacino to create a very fine portrayal of a real-life story about a Brooklyn bank robbery. The film is more subtle and quiet when compared to other Lumet films, but the film has an unexpected lighter tone. The film has some funny lines and I was surprised how much I laughed given the subject matter, but then I realized Lumet was not trying to make a serious film. The thematic issue of gay marriage g...

One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975) I will say this upfront. One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest is my favorite film of 1975 and is in my personal top ten films of all time. It’s an American classic that was beloved upon release and forty years later, it still holds up well in terms of relevance and quality filmmaking. There is just so much to love about the movie. Just watching Jack Nicholson and Louise Fletcher go head to head is a delight to watch. Those two actors, whom won Academy Awards for their performances, make this movie into what it is. They are very special performances. People call this movie a comedy, but I’m not sure if you can call it one. There are comedic elements definitely, but this is more of a drama. A drama about losing everything for the benefit of others. Thanks to exquisite direction by Milos Forman and a array of performances from a diverse cast, this movie is one that is necessary to check out. Like right now. J.R McMurphy (Jack Nicholson) has...

Barry Lyndon (1975) Stanley Kubrick has returned after his 1971’s controversial success A Clockwork Orange with his tonally different 1975 feature, Barry Lyndon. His last feature was a movie that was ultra violent and about a totalitarianism society. This movie is different by a wide margin. It has more of a historical value because it takes place in England during the Seven Years’ War and we get a sense of English society at the time. It is also based off the works of famed nineteenth century writer William Makepeace Thackeray. This film also has a lovely atmospheric air to it. Kubrick, as usual, masterfully write this feature. You could tell that this is his pet project. However, the movie does clock in at over three hours and with the lack of action, there can be a dull moment or two to be had. After all, I feel the aristocratic world can get somewhat boring at times. That being said, we have Kubrick on the top of his game as he created a valued historical narrative that remai...