The Movie Journal

Halloween (1978) 1978’s Halloween is the definitive horror film. Without this classic, there wouldn’t be the 80’s slasher flicks we come to know and love today (or do we?). There would be no Nightmare on Elm Street . Genre films are important in today’s cinematic world, but would they be if John Carpenter decided not to direct this little tiny horror film? This film went on to spawn endless amounts of sequels and reboots and they practically all failed quality-wise when compared to this film (although the 2018 sequel that ignored the previous movies was very good). Honestly, it amazes me how John Carpenter was able to create one of the scariest movies ever made. The movie was made on such a low budget, $300,000 to be exact. The movie ended up grossing 47 million dollars domestically and an additional 23 million worldwide thus making the movie the most successful independent movie of all time. The film was well-received when it first appeared onscreen. In fact, esteemed c...

Grease (1978) 1978’s Grease, in many eyes, is a classic film. It is adored by all ages, and it seemingly passes down from generation to generation with love. This is one of the first movies I remember that have a sense of nostalgia. This movie plays well with the baby boomers because it harkens back to the 1950’s, when love was swamped in innocence. This movie got the feel of the 1950’s correct, I have been told. The clothing, the background music, the charm, the acting, and the overall look of the movie. The actual songs are 1970’s rock’n’roll style, and they are wonderful songs. The tone of the movie is upbeat, fun, and innocent. It may be somewhat predictable, but the movie itself was made well. There are a variety of reasons why I enjoy this movie. From the interpretation of the 1950’s lifestyle to the wonderful tunes to the themes of true love-all of it elevates this movie into ‘classic’ territory. However, I am irked by a few things though. Mainly the age of the cast. ...

Jaws 2 (1978) Jaws. The movie that is often given the notion of starting the summer blockbuster season. It was a magnificent achievement that Steven Spielberg’s film became a critical and monetary success. It was a tense thriller that relied upon hiding the shark until the end and its three main leads in Roy Scheider, Richard Dreyfuss, and Robert Shaw. So naturally a sequel would have to be made. Understandably so, I scratch my head at the thought of a sequel. But it doesn’t matter because Jaws 2 does exist. I’ll say this. It’s the best sequel you could hope to make……but that is not saying much. The movie is sometimes enjoyable, but there are several critical mistakes in the movie. But let’s start with the positives. The shark has returned, and it came back bigger and stronger than ever. The shark even has an evil-looking scar to it. I really liked the look of the shark. The performances weren’t too bad, either. Out of the original cast, only Scheider, Lorraine Gary, and Mu...

Animal House (1978) What do The Godfather, Jaws, and Animal House all have in common? The answer is that they are 1970’s classics that have influenced movies the way they are today. The Godfather inspired mafia films/television shows, Jaws began the advent of blockbusters, and Animal House began the R-rated comedies that are prominent in Hollywood today. Before Animal House, there were hardly any R-rated comedies. What this film showed was never showed on the big screen before. Lots of vomit projectiles, lots of sex, and just crazy raucous behavior. People have never seen anything like it but……most of them loved it. I, myself thought it was a very good film. There are many laughs to be had. What I found surprising that despite all the laughs, I could relate to this film because I am not too far removed from college and this film is about fraternity college life. This movie came from ideas out of a college magazine called National Lampoon, and they would eventually became a high...

Days of Heaven (1978) Terrence Malick’s Days of Heaven is one of the most beautiful movies ever made. This movie is all about visual impact and this gorgeous, haunting piece of art will leave you in awe and you will wonder how on earth did this film come out in 1978. Terrence Malick, perhaps the most elusive human being on this planet, is known as a visual director and he proves it here with his second film. The story is very simple, but the story is not supposed to be at the forefront. Apparently after several days of shooting, Malick threw away the script and told the actors to wing it. Through a long and arduous editing process, Malick was able to come up with a coherent story. Let’s talk about these visuals for a second. They are completely mesmerizing and it took people by surprise upon its release. I loved the use of natural lighting on set, which gave the film its unique colors. Malick wouldn’t allow the use of artificial light much to the dismay of many people who we...

Death on the Nile (1978) When done right, mystery movies can be very fun and engaging movies. One of the best mystery authors of the twentieth century was Agatha Christie, and many of her works were adapted to the big screen to varying levels of success. The biggest hit movie was 1974’s Murder on the Orient Express . Following in that film’s footsteps, Death on the Nile was released four years later with the same formula. The story is essentially the same, but with a different location and brand new set of characters. While the movie is fine, it is also somewhat forgettable. It has not been awhile since I seen this film and I usually remember my films, but I’m having a hard time trying to figure out what exactly happened. That being said, it is a decent watch. The scenery is fun to see and the costumes are cool to look at. The cast is filled to the brim with veteran British actors and they all deliver fine performances. We are aboard the S.S Karnak as it travels down the gre...

Midnight Express (1978) Alan Parker’s Midnight Express is a powerful movie based on the real-life experiences of Billy Hayes and his brutal stay at a Turkish prison in the early 1970’s. This film paints a portrait on how awful life in prison can be especially as a foreigner. It doesn’t help that the Turkish guards are nasty brutes reveling in the fact that they can do whatever they want to their prisoners. Especially the head guard. Wow, what a sadistic man! I’ll tell you straight up that this film can be hard to watch sometimes because of the brutality of the prison scenes. They are very violent and the head guard’s favorite punishment is painfully beating the soles of the feet. This film is also a portrait on the corruption of the Turkish political and criminal system (Hayes was sentenced to over 30 years for attempting to smuggle hashish out of the country just to set an example). This film is also a wonderful portrait on the descent from normality to madness. Hayes is seen ...

The Deer Hunter (1978) 1978’s The Deer Hunter is one of the more polarizing movies to come out during the 1970’s. It was the first movie with the deeply controversial subject of the Vietnam War to both become a critical and commercial success. However, there were several people who expressed dissent ranging from its portrayal of the Vietnam War to the controversial involvement of Russian roulette to the singing of “God Bless America.” I remember not being too impressed with the film the first time I viewed it. I felt it was too long and violent. Years later, I am singing a different tune. It’s a difficult film to sit through because of its violence and the effects of PTSD (post-trauma syndrome). But it is a highly engaging and effective film and I regard it as one of the more influential American movies of the 1970’s. Not the best, but the most influential because there will be more successful films tackling the Vietnam War on the horizon. You can call this movie a symphony of...

Superman: The Movie (1978) Richard Donner’s Superman: The Movie is one of the first major superhero movies to be a major success. The movie was released at a time where they hardly ever came out and if there were any superhero movies, they mostly sucked. Well, this 1978 feature began to change how these type of movies would be made, but it would be many years yet before a consistent track record could be made. Firstly, I enjoyed this movie very much. In introducing people this character, I always tell them to watch this film first. It really captures the essence of who Superman is. The movie has a fair amount of action, but I like how the film is built upon characterization. We learn of the different world where Superman is from, why he is sent to Earth, his childhood where he learns he is not normal, and the meaning of his existence. Director Richard Donner and screenwriters Mario Puzo and David Newman were able to successfully incorporate these themes into the movie and it re...

Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978) I have never been a fan of horror movies or remakes because they are usually not good. But when done right, they can be special movies. Invasion of the Body Snatchers happens to be both a remake and a horror movie, so I  had my doubts. Luckily, this is a really good movie. This film is based off the 1956 film of the same name, and I hear it is a good movie. So when a remake at least equals the quality of the original, then that means you did something right. Most people seem to agree that this movie equals the same horror tone as the original, but it passes it in terms of conception. There are many themes this movie expanded on. Such themes include paranoia, the idea of dehumanization whether it’s mentally or quite literally in the case of this movie. You could also talk about the idea of the lack of trust of people in an increasing complicated world. The original had roots in communism as the 1950’s were known for paranoia as the Co...