1957 BEST MOVIE OF THE YEAR!

This is my choice (choices) for Best Picture for the year 1957.  My criteria is that I can only use films that are on the 1001 list. To make it a little easier on myself, I am using the rules of the first Academy Award and name a winner for Best Picture (won by Wings for 1927-1928) and Best and Unique and Artistic Picture (won by Sunrise from 1927-1928). 

I really had to bypass some great movies for this year (Throne of Blood, 12 Angry Men, Paths of Glory, The Cranes Are Flying). 1957 seems like a most underrated movie year!

And the nominees on the entries from every edition of 1001 Movie You Must See Before You Die are...
12 Angry Men
The Seventh Seal
An Affair to Remember
Wild Strawberries
The Nights of Cabiria
Throne of Blood
The Incredible Shrinking Man
Gunfight at the O. K. Corral
The Bridge on the River Kwai
Mother India
The Cranes Are Flying
Paths of Glory
Sweet Smell of Success

                    

And the winner for the Best Picture of 1939 is…The Bridge on the River Kwai

The Bridge on the River Kwai

The Bridge on the River Kwai is...The Bridge on the River Kwai has got to be ranked as one of the greatest films ever made! At least that’s my initial reaction after seeing it for the first time last night. The question is why did I put off seeing it for over forty years?

I could try to list reasons why you should see it, but I really don’t want others to make the same mistake that I made and procrastinate for years and say “I just don’t feel like watching a three-hour 1950’s war film."

So, instead I will now implement hypnosis techniques I learned from Marshall Sylver’s home hypnosis kit to persuade you in a little stronger way to watch this film if you are for some reason still reluctant.

We begin:

I want you to listen carefully to my voice
as you close your eyes and picture yourself
in a clearing outside a Japanese jungle in 1943.
Do not be concerned, for you are not a prisoner of war,
You are free and just there relaxing, relaxing.

Deeper…deeper…

You hear whistling in the background,
The World War I Colonel Bogey March, I think.
But if that’s too jaunty for our purposes,
just imagine the more tranquil “Fishin’ Hole” theme
from The Andy Griffith Show.

Deeper…Deeper…

If you are a male, four female Thai water carriers
are bringing you fresh sustenance,
If you are a female, you are being brought an extremely dry martini
from a shirtless William Holden.

Deeper…Deeper

You are totally in control
just like Alec Guiness.
But the force is not with you,
because that’s a different movie.

Deeper..Deeper

You are now totally susceptible to the power of suggestion.
And I am suggesting that you watch The Bridge Over the River Kwai,
Now available on DVD and Blue-Ray from Columbia.

Deeper…Deeper.

When I count to three I will give my men the order to fire.
Scratch that.
What I meant to say is when I count to three you will awaken.

One…Two…Three…awake!

I hope you will now enjoy this film as much as I did.

The Bridge on the River Kwai

And the Award for Unique and Artistic Picture of 1939 is...The Seventh Seal

The Seventh Seal

The Seventh Seal is Ingmar Bergman at his most Bergmanesque. Since he is certainly on the short list of my favorite directors, I really I had to include this film about war, love, religion and, of course, death. Some also may not realize that Bergman films always have a dark sense of humor to them as well. So break out your chess board, form a conga line and let's have some fun!

The Seventh Seal