Grit, music, misogyny, feminist, family, mayhem, horror, disillusionment, loneliness, etc. These are 50 essential 1970s films that I have actually seen and in random order. Notice huge gaps like All That Jazz, Dawn of the Dead, Manhattan, or Solaris or films that I haven’t seen enough times like Apocalypse Now and The Godfather (perhaps they aren’t on the list for a reason?).
A Short Film about Killing Misogyny. Its a perfect dramatization of the asshole and the sort of passive woman that is victimized by the asshole. Except here the victim is Ann-Margaret whom I cannot fathom ever had to deal with this sort of partner. Not sure if this were ever a stage play but it could have been – it’s a character driven script with little cinematography aside from snow driven scenes at an unnamed New England university. Art Garfunkel is more than just a muse for Jack Nicholson’s Jonathan Fuerst – in fact he is pretty darn good. It starts as a very identifiable tale of teenage lust from the male perspective. Candice Bergen is absolutely spot on playing the 3rd cog in a sexual triangle with Garfunkel and Nicholson and the Nicholson and Bergen deception of Garfunkel is startling in its nonchalance. We flash forward to the men post graduation peering down upon an ice skating ring and pair of breasts (the two of which are a fourth character in this short film). Garfunkel settles down with Bergen’s Susan (who is never seen on screen in the latter half of this two-part drama) and Nicholson hooks up with the gorgeous Bobbie played by Ann-Margaret. Shortly the potential consequences of misogyny are revealed in the most devastating way. Look out for great objective scenes of Nicholson and Garfunkel talking to one another and you.
**** / *****
