Good Movies 1971

Alex Singing in the Rain

A Clockwork Orange - On the heels of the success of 2001 A Space Odyssey, Stanley Kubrick uses Science Fiction again, but rather than metaphysical origins its this time as social comment on violence, gangs and mental health. Criticism of what was called ultra-violence at the time fell short as violence that was the point of the Anthony Burgess novel from 1962. Malcolm McDowell stars as Alex the Droogie leader. A lot of Beethoven and moog synthesizer on the soundtrack and of course that unforgettable rendition of Singing in the Rain. More - A Clockwork Orange

The Last Picture Show - Though it made stars of Timothy Bottoms, Jeff Bridges and Cybil Shepard, it was old timer Ben Johnson and Cloris Leachmen who won Oscars. A Peter Bogdanovich coming of age film in a dying small Texas town in 1952. Filmed in Black and White from the 1966 novel by Larry McMurty. More - The Last Picture Show

The famous drowning scene with Richard Jaeckel

Sometimes A Great Notion - A Ken Kesey novel brought to the big screen of an Oregon family of loggers who buck the union, and suffer being scabs. Directed and starring Paul Newman with Henry Fonda, Lee Remick and featuring Richard Jaeckel who was nominated for an Oscar for the famous drowning scene. The movie was also known as Never Give A Inch. Ken Kesey's'Sometimes a Great Notion

New Movies 1971

Klute - Produced and Directed by Alan Pakula this crime thriller stars Donald Sutherland as a police officer investigating a string of murders of prostitutes in New York City. Inspector Klute meets call girl Bree Daniels played by Jane Fonda who won the Oscar for her performance. More Klute

Dirty Harry - Produced and Directed by Don Siegel Policeman "Dirty" Harry Callahan played by Clint Eastwood enjoys shooting the bad guys with his big .44 magnum. It is a big success and spins off 4 sequels. Also starring Harry Guardino and Andrew Robinson as the Scorpio Serial Killer. It is the first film in the Dirty Harry series. More Dirty Harry

They Call Me Trinity - Written and Produced by Enzo Barboni this spaghetti western was made for the laughs rather than the cool killer made famous by Clint Eastwood. It stars the blue eyed Terence Hill and the fat and sloppy Bud Spencer. The voice dubbing was terrible which made the movie even funnier. It was a very big worldwide hit and was soon followed by Trinity is Still my Name. The two teamed up for another dozen movies. More They call me Trinity

Straw Dogs
Carnal Knowledge

Duel
Harold and Maude

Kotch
McCabe & Mrs. Miller
Nicholas and Alexandra
Play Misty For Me
Plaza Suite
Willard

The Andromeda Strain
The Barefoot Executive
Big Jake
Carry On at Your Convenience
Carry On Henry
Countess Dracula
The Hired Hand
The Hospital
I, Monster
Summer of '42
Support Your Local Gunfighter
Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song
Two-Lane Blacktop
Vanishing Point
Werewolves on Wheels
Who Killed Mary What's 'Er Name?
Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory

B Movies 1971

The Omega Man - Charlton Heston is the last man on Earth after a biological war between Communist China and Communist Soviet Union. Anthony Zerbe plays the evil mutant. In good NRA form, Heston shoots lots of ugly mutants! Following his starring role in Planet of the Apes and subsequent Soylent Green, this movie locks the once top draw Moses and Ben Hur as the Vincent Price of Science Fiction. More - The Omega Man

THX 1138 - An unsuccessful Sci Fi movie starring Robert Duvall and Donald Pleasence. It is notable for it being the first foray of its producer Francis Ford Coppola (The Godfather) and its director George Lucas (Star Wars). More THX 1138

Escape from the Planet of the Apes
Gamera vs. Zigra
Godzilla vs. Hedorah

Entertainment News 1971

Shaft - MGM exploits black audiences in what is considered the first blaxploitation film. Shaft played by Richard Roundtree is a black private detective working out of Harlem in New York. It is directed by Gordon Parks and the sound track of the signature title song, Shaft was written and preformed by Issac Hayes which went on to win an Oscar. More - Shaft (1971 film)

Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song - Considered the real mother of the Black exploitation films this Melvin Van Peebles movie was independently produced, funded by Bill Cosby . Earth Wind and Fire did the music and to give an idea of what it was all about, Huey P. Newton of the Black Panthers said it was his favorite movie. With a X rating it originally appeared in only two theaters but went on to be the biggest grossing independent film of the year. One of Time Magazines 25 Most Important Films on Race

Brian's Song - I made for TV movie concerning the friendship between Chicago Bears running back Brian Piccolo played by James Caan stricken with terminal cancer and his friendship with black teammate Gale Sayers played by Billy Dee Williams. It was such a success it began playing on the big screen in movie theaters. Brian's life a Song of friendship

And Now For Something Completely Different - The comedy troupes' first movie is a compellation of the best sketches from the first two seasons of Monty Python's Flying Circus done over for film. The intention was to sell the series to American audiences, it failed but was a success in England. Monty Python did not become popular in the United States until it was first aired in 1974 on PBS. More - And Now for Something Completely Different

The first permanent IMAX projection system is installed at Ontario Place's "Cinesphere" in Toronto. IMAX.com History & Milestones

Academy Awards 1971

Picture:
"THE FRENCH CONNECTION", "A Clockwork Orange", "Fiddler on the Roof", "The Last Picture Show", "Nicholas and Alexandra"

Popeye Doyle, under the Elevated car chase

Actor:
GENE HACKMAN in "The French Connection", Peter Finch in "Sunday, Bloody Sunday", Walter Matthau in "Kotch", George C. Scott in "The Hospital", Topol in "Fiddler on the Roof"

Actress:
JANE FONDA in "Klute", Julie Christie in "McCabe and Mrs. Miller", Glenda Jackson in "Sunday, Bloody Sunday", Vanessa Redgrave in "Mary, Queen of Scots", Janet Suzman in "Nicholas and Alexandra"

Supporting Actor:
BEN JOHNSON in "The Last Picture Show", Jeff Bridges in "The Last Picture Show", Leonard Frey in "Fiddler on the Roof", Richard Jaeckel in "Sometimes a Great Notion", Roy Scheider in "The French Connection"

Supporting Actress:
CLORIS LEACHMAN in "The Last Picture Show", Ann-Margret in "Carnal Knowledge", Ellen Burstyn in "The Last Picture Show", Barbara Harris in "Who is Harry Kellerman, and Why is He Saying These Terrible Things About Me?", Margaret Leighton in "The Go-Between"

Director:
WILLIAM FRIEDKIN for "The French Connection", Peter Bogdanovich for "The Last Picture Show", Norman Jewison for "Fiddler on the Roof", Stanley Kubrick for "A Clockwork Orange", John Schlesinger for "Sunday, Bloody Sunday"

Top Box Office 1971

1. Fiddler on the Roof - Directed by Norman Jewison and starring Chaim Topol. Controversy abounded for the choice rather than Zero Mostel who made the part of Tevye the Jewish Patriarch famous on stage. The story concerns a poor Jewish family trying to hold to tradition through the marriages of its four daughters in turn of the Century Tsarist Russia. More Fiddler on the Roof:

2. Billy Jack - Tom Laughlin stars as an American Indian defending a school of hippy children from a gang of town racists. Billy takes on the world with his bare hands and good beats evil every time. Precursor to the success of Charles Bronson and Bruce Lee lone vulgate justice movies. The Billy Jack character starred in 4 movies originating with The Born Losers (1967), The Trial of Billy Jack (1974) and Billy Jack Goes to Washington (1977). Nowadays Billy Jack would be shot in the first minute minute or so. More - Billy Jack

3. The French Connection
4. Summer of '42
5. Diamonds Are Forever
6. Dirty Harry
7. A Clockwork Orange
8. Carnal Knowledge
9. The Last Picture Show
10. Bedknobs and Broomsticks