by Tony Nash
(all Opinions are of the Author Alone
- Nominate one or more people to review the film or films of your choice. Or you can request they review something from a certain year, genre, or star. Everyone can review the same thing, or you can request each person cover something different. As long as it’s something they haven’t written about yet, you’re good.
- Nominees are allowed to request a different pick for whatever reason no more than five times. Stuff happens. We all know it.
- Nominees must thank the person who nominated them and provide a link their blog.
- Nominees may nominate others to keep the tag going. Picking the person who nominated them is allowed, or they can nominate someone else. Maybe both.
- All participants need to include these rules in their post, whether they’re nominees or picking nominees.
- All participants should use the “Pick My Movie” banner or something similar in their posts.
- Have fun!
An ultra special and extra huge thanks to the Muse of https://theclassicmoviemuse.wordpress.com/ for this nomination to such an interesting style post/challenge, and thanks also goes to https://weegiemidget.wordpress.com/ for starting the ball rolling on the Tag.
I think all film fans have at one point or another have been asked the question of what would they like to watch if they were to be stuck on a deserted island for an extended period of time or for the rest of their lives. One variant of the question I definitely know I’ve heard is one film someone could take on a desert island, and this I feel for sure is impossible to answer even though there’s few really good films that someone could get sick of, having just one I think would cause some insanity as there needs to be some variety as films will for sure be said modern Robinson Crusoe’s only form of entertainment, and change isn’t necessarily a bad thing here, so five is a fair choice. I used to think I could never answer that question if someone asked it of me but the Muse has given me the unique opportunity to give it my best shot and I shan’t let her down.
#1. RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK (1981) – Steven Spielberg
The film that started my love of the movies. Indiana Jones was my first childhood hero, and the adventures he had always thrilled my imagination. Spielberg and George Lucas’ recreation of the old 1930’s-1940’s serial adventure series hit all the bullseyes back when it came out in 1981 and even today it still thrills new and old audiences alike. It’s a simple story of man on a quest for the artifact of a lifetime told in a very thrilling and extraordinary way.
#2. Il Buono, il Brutto, il Cattivo (The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly) (1966) – Sergio Leone
Steven Spielberg and the Indiana Jones films introduced me to my love of films, Sergio Leone and his Westerns solidified I was a film fan for life. Like with Raiders, GBU is a simple of story of two rogues and a villain looking for a fortune in stolen Confederate gold told in an extraordinary fashion. That the trio have to find this gold as The Civil War is waged all around them is very thrilling and leaves audiences wondering what’ll happen should it slip they’re looking for money meant for the Confederacy. Leone was nearing the peak of his prowess as a storyteller, mixing action and adventure with the occasional pathos of the futility that was “The War Between the States”. Leone had been advised by a few people, including Orson Welles, that Civil War pictures didn’t make loads of money, but thankfully Leone didn’t listen and ended up proving everybody wrong. In High School I had an obsession with this film, and while that obsession is practically gone, I still love the film and will remain my Western, Italian and American, of all time. I prefer the Italian language original of the film.
#3. 用心棒 (Yojinbo/Yojimbo/The Bodyguard) (1961) – Akira Kurosawa
Kurosawa was my introduction to Foreign Language Cinema, and while 七人の侍 (Shichinin no Samurai/Seven Samurai) was the first Kurosawa film I ever saw, Yojimbo is my all time favorite of his work. Famously, or infamously depending on your viewpoint, remade scene for scene as Per un Pugno di Dollari (A Fistful of Dollars) by Sergio Leone, for which Kurosawa and Toho Studios rightfully sued and won – Leone’s film was still shown with Kurosawa and Toho receiving royalties, Kurosawa weaves the best version of a wandering rogue’s initial plan of playing two warring gangs against each other for his own profit taking a different turn when he decides to rescue and free the captive woman of one of the gangs. Toshiro Mifune’s performance as the world and battle weary Ronin (Samurai without a Lord) who has a heart is one of the best ever put to celluloid. This is Kurosawa at his most playful, but he still weaves in the dramatic moments that pull the viewers emotions from them to the surface (something I always admired in his work).
#4. The Wizard of Oz (1939) – Victor Fleming and King Vidor
A classic, and an important part of my childhood. Along with the Indiana Jones films, Oz is one I watched constantly growing up, always amazed by the sets, characters, and colors. Unlike most kids, I was never scared of Margaret Hamilton as The Wicked Witch of the West, I guess something in my juvenile mind told me that she would be getting her comeuppance and that I didn’t need to be afraid. The film became an important part of my life all over again when my god-daughter became old enough to watch it, and she too fell in love with it and the characters. I’m even sure she wasn’t scared of The Wicked Witch either.
#5. Clue (1985) – Jonathan Lynn
I figured at least one Comedy needed to be in here and why not another from when I grew up. Clue ignited my love of Murder Mystery Who Dun-Its as well as being a fine Dark Humor Comedy and its setting primarily in the single location of the house gave it a uniqueness that has rightfully kept it a classic all these years later. The All Star Cast (well, All Star to many of us cause we saw it after many of them became stars) including many Comedy greats like Madeline Kahn, Christopher Lloyd, and Michael McKean is brilliant and effective. Tim Curry of course steals the show as the Butler who may or may not be who he says he is.
BONUS
Monty Python’s Flying Circus Seasons 1 & 2 (1969-1970)
I don’t know if this is cheating, but I had to include at least one TV series on my Desert Island sojourn. I picked the British classic sketch show because I never tire of the humor of Chapman, Cleese, Jones, Idle, & Palin. The first 2 seasons are my absolute favorites as that was their best material in my humble opinion. I own those seasons on DVD from the UK (and I plan to upgrade to the UK Blu Rays), and as an owner of a Region Free/Multi-Region Blu Ray player, I needed to include at least one of the imports in my collection.
OK, now on to pick others to Tag with this interesting topic, and I know quite a few who’d be interested
Make Mine Criterion! – MMC!
https://makeminecriterion.wordpress.com/
Mike’s Take on the Movies
https://mikestakeonthemovies.com/
Debbi – I Found It at the Movies
https://debbimacktoo.wordpress.com/
Eric Binford – Diary of a Movie Maniac
Master Mix Movies
https://mastermixmovies.wordpress.com/
Paul. Writer and Filmmaker – The Cinema Fix Presents
Reely Bernie
Erica D. – Poppity Talks Classic Films
https://poppitytalksclassicfilm.wordpress.com/
dbmoviesblog
Silver Screenings
Jillian Atchley – The Classic Film Connection
https://classicfilmconnection.wordpress.com/
This was really fun to do, and once again I thank the Muse for the nomination
All images courtesy of Google.com/Google Images and their Respective Owners
Japanese writing courtesy of the IMDb
Filed under: Film & TV: Potpourri, Film: Special Topics
Movie Fan Man: Cinema Connoisseur 