Critics Club III: Film of the Year 1979

[Neon Ignition]

This year Thatcher arrives alongside the Walkman and the 70's come to an end with these movie releases


1979




Vote for the best movies of 1979 and share your opinions of the year in film

[Neon Ignition]

This is another year that shows the upward bell curve of well known properties following Star Wars. A surprising number of well known films on the list and though the aesthetic similarity between mid-Dwarf and Alien might be a bit distracting these days that film is probably my choice followed closely by Rocky II which perfectly accompanies the original.

[QualityChimp]

I'll have a think.

While you're waiting, here's "Can U Dig It" by Pop Will Eat Itself, which features samples of The Warriors.

"RIFFS! YEAH! Can U dig it?!"

[Neon Ignition]

Last day of voting before we wrap up the 70's completely.

[wakka]

Alien and Apocalypse Now...what to say about those that hasn’t been said? They’re terrific, though.

The China Syndrome is a really nice offbeat choice. It’s a thriller in which a corrupt power company is putting San Francisco in danger by running a nuclear power plant unsafely. Journalist Jane Fonda sets out to expose them. More interesting than it sounds and a really underrated film.

[QualityChimp]

Star Trek: The Motion Picture, Apocalypse Now and Phantasm are all worth seeing, but aren't my faves.


The Warriors
I heard the PWEI song with samples before I saw the film, but loved it when I saw it.
Such a strange concept, but you still cheer for this gang wrongly singled out for retribution. They're not heroes - they tag everywhere and threaten to "pull a train" on Mercy, but you still want them to make it to the safety of Coney Island.
Such a tense vibe in the dark streets of New York.
This is one of the few films that doesn't benefit from the Director's Cut, which adds comicstrip editing.
All these years later, and it's still getting referenced in popular culture.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Warriors_(film)#In_popular_culture

Alien

Alien has stood the test of time by ditching the "futuristic" look of some sci-fi films and embraced the truckers in space aesthetic. Some of the computers look anachronistic, but the majority of the design is still amazing.
I was surprised, whilst recently watching the Blu-Ray, how great it still looks.
As the crew start to realise how deadly the creature it, that sense of dread descends.
Can't believe we have such poor films at the end of this series.


Escape From Alcatraz
Eastwood Vs. McGoohan in this tense prison drama. Great soundtrack and Alcatraz is really creepy.


Moonraker
I feel obliged to like all the Bonds now! I rewatched this fairly recently and couldn't get over how poor it was. The double-take pigeon at the gondola hovercraft was definitely the shark jump moment for me.
The funny thing is, as a kid, I loved it and probably saw it one Boxing Day. Jaws returns - and finds love! Hugo Drax is pretty badass as a merciless big bad. The scene where he sets his dogs in slo-mo on a lover who betrayed him with Bond has stuck with me. That opening jump from the plane is still brilliant.
Bonus fact! Spielberg let them use the "Close Encouters" notes in exchange for permission to use the Bond theme in The Goonies.


The Black Hole

This film never seems to get much love, derided as a Star Wars rip-off, but I think I prefer it in many ways. It's quite dark in its themes and revelations as they discover what happened to the crew, especially in a Disney Film. V.I.N.CENT and B.O.B. are great robot characters, that I cared more for as a kid than R2 and Threepio.
It's got a fantastic score by John Barry that is sweeping and dramatic, but slightly eerie.
It looks amazing too with convincing spaceship effects and gorgeous matte painting backgrounds.

[vanpeebles]

The Black Hole is way better than any star wars film.

[Dogg Thang]

You guys are kidding yourself about The Black Hole.

But what a year for movies. Alien is top of the bunch. I think it's one of the best films ever made and it still is after all these years. It's an incredible piece of filmmaking in every way.

And lots more there to love too. I adore The Warriors. Phantasm is great fun. Amityville, The Muppet Movie. And Star Trek The Motion Picture, as plodding as it is, is still the best looking Star Trek film by far.

[MartyG]

Star Trek: The Motion Picture, Apocalypse Now and Phantasm are all worth seeing, but aren't my faves..

The horror.

[QualityChimp]

The horror.

It's just 3 hours of looking at ceiling fans, floating downstream and cutting cows in half, isn't it?

Nah, I can see why it's so revered, but it's not one that enthralled me.

[Dogg Thang]

It's just 3 hours of looking at ceiling fans, floating downstream and cutting cows in half, isn't it?

Nah, I can see why it's so revered, but it's not one that enthralled me.

Yeah, Star Trek the Motion Picture took a weird turn.