1962
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| Peter O'Toole leads the charge as Lawrence of Arabia |
Lawrence of Arabia is truly a one-of-a-kind epic. Beautiful photography, expansive settings, gripping story, first-rate cast, direction by David Lean, etc...You almost can't beat it for epics. You basically couldn't do this movie today without relying heavily on CGI, but everything you see in Lawrence of Arabia has an authentic feel to it (Where did they get all those camels?) There is an awful lot of plot to lug around at times, but its worth the effort even if you need a scorecard to keep up with who is representing which warring tribe or the political ramifications as to which city is being sacked at what time, and certainly a film to see at least once for any moviegoer.
I first saw Lawrence of Arabia on the big screen in 1989, which is really the best way to see it if the opportunity ever presents itself.
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Frank Sinatra and Laurence Harvey at the garden club lecture
in The Manchurian Candidate |
The Manchurian Candidate, a political thriller based on Richard Condon's book, has the plot of a brainwashed soldier being set up to be a key part of a political assassination in the United States. Even though I've seen this movie before, I liked watching it again to see how all the pieces to the complex conspiracy reveals itself. The cast is highlighted by Laurence Harvey as Col. Shaw, the unwitting accomplice to the plot and Angela Lansbury as his conniving mother. My favorite scenes (or set of scenes) involve the brainwashing of the soldiers around Chinese and Soviet conspirators that interchangeably revert to a lecture at a ladies' garden club at different times during their indoctrination.
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Of course, most 1962 films didn't make the 1001 movie cut. Here are some that I've seen at some point in the past.
1. Advise and Consent
I included a picture of Allen Drury's book Advise and Consent, because it always seemed to show up every year at our library book sale in one edition or another. No, I haven't got around to reading this epic tome yet, but Otto Preminger's movie featuring Henry Fonda, Charles Laughton and many others is a pretty good political intrigue picture if memory serves.
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Original 1959 cover of the novel which is
probably still on one of my shelves somewhere. |
2. 300 Spartans
After seeing the movie 300, I decided to watch the the 1962 Cinemascope film based on the same Persian War storyline. Verdict: I prefer 300, comic book overtones and all.
3.
The Brain that Wouldn’t Die
Made in 1959, but not released until 1962, this silly science fiction film is best know in my house as the first Mystery Science Theater episode that featured Mike Nelson after replacing Joel Hodgson. It should be described in your house that way, too!
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"Jan in the Pan" from The Brain that Wouldn't Die via
Mystery Science Theater |
4. Cape Fear
Revenge drama about a criminal (Robert Mitchum) coming back to seek revenge on the lawyer (Gregory Peck) who convicted him. I actually prefer Martin Scorsese's 1991 remake more. I think preferring a remake in two of the first four listings here is more coincidence than trend.
5. Carnival of Souls
One of my favorite low-budget cult horror movies ever. I guess others agree, since it actually got released on Blu-Ray from the high brow Criterion Collection in 2016. Carnival of Souls on Blu-Ray from Criterion? You gotta love that!
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Who needs The Walking Dead when you've just
paid admission to...Carnival of Souls? |
6. Days of Wine and Roses
Well respected film dealing with alcoholism that I'm really surprised isn't listed in the 1001 book. Probably worth a revisit.
7. Dr. No
Things that happened in October, 1962:
First James Bond movie
Johnny Carson takes over Tonight Show
Cuban Missile Crisis
I was born
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First Bond girl Ursula Andress in Dr. No set a standard
of voluptuousness that was hard to duplicate in my book |
8. Follow That Dream, Girls, Girls, Girls or Kid
Galahad
I now realize listing the Elvis movies I've seen in the years of doing this blog are starting to all run together. I think I've seen Follow That Dream...or have I?
9. Five Weeks in a Balloon
Sort of a rip-off of Around the World in Eighty Days. The release date of this movie makes me realize I've had a crush on Barbara Eden for about fifty years now. (Maybe not quite that long)
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| Barbara Eden in Five Weeks in a Balloon |
10. David and Lisa
I remember thinking this film of two young people with mental illnesses finding romance was pretty good. Definitely one I need to revisit.
I
11. How the West Was Won
I've always liked this expansive Western epic ever since the first time I saw it as a kid on television. Definitely a movie that had quite the all-star cast from Gregory Peck to Debbie Reynolds to John Wayne to Jimmy Stewart. In fact, I remember seeing this for the first time with my brother, who actually knew who all these larger than life stars were. I think the conversation went something like this.
Me: Who is that?
Brother: That's Karl Malden.
Me. Who is that?
Brother: That's Walter Brennan.
Me. Who is that"
Brother: That's Richard Widmark.
Me: Who is that?
Brother: Would you shut up and let me watch the movie?
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Jimmy Stewart chases the varmint for the last time
after he meets Carroll Baker in
How the West Was Won |
12. Hatari!
Pretty fun John Wayne adventure about people who capture animals for zoos. My favorite part is the scene where a drunk Red Buttons keeps asking "Tell me about the rocket? What did it look like?" I can't even remember the context, but it was funny...trust me.
13. The Intruder
Racist Yankee with a questionable hairpiece convinces a bunch of hicks to elect him their leader. Now, now...I'm not talking about the 2016 Presidential election. This low budget American International movie which I originally watched on Night Flight on the USA network during the 80's, is actually pretty sound and surprisingly poignant film.
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Captain Kirk before he saw the light in
The Intruder |
14. King Kong vs. Godzilla
I really can't remember who wins.
15. Lonely are the Brave
Film of a modern day Cowboy (written by Dalton Trumbo and starring Kirk Douglas) who just can't fit into the modern world is one of those films that I would have bet would have been in the 1001 book.
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Another round for Mr. Douglas
in Lonely Are the Brave |
16. The Miracle Worker
First film telling of the Helen Keller/Annie Sullivan story. Originally on Broadway in 1959, and a theater staple ever since.
17. The Longest Day
Star studded retelling of the D-Day Invasion featuring John Wayne, Robert Mitchum, Richard Burton and many others. The invasion probably seems tame after you've seen Saving Private Ryan, but it's a pretty good film in its own right. I seem to remember seeing this for the first time with my brother, who actually knew who all these larger than life stars were. I think the conversation went something like this.
Me: Who is that?
Brother: That's Robert Ryan.
Me. Who is that?
Brother: That's Curt Jurgens.
Me. Who is that"
Brother: That's Peter Lawford.
Me: Who is that?
Brother: Would you shut up and let me watch the movie?
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| John Wayne at Normandy in The Longest Day |
18. Mr. Hobbs Takes a Vacation
Lighthearted Jimmy Stewart comedy. I admit to watching it...and not remembering much about it.
19. The Music Man
Classic musical that gets extra points for having a librarian as a lead character and has one of my favorite all-time musical numbers Rock Island, which features the cast singing about that out-of-town salesman in rhythm to the train that they are moving on. One day...one day...I'd like to be in a production of this and perform this song!
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Marion the Librarian and the con man in
The Music Man |
20. Ride the High Country
Early addition to the Sam Peckinpah cannon...yet, another one that needs revisiting.
21. Requiem for a Heavyweight
Sad story from a Rod Serling story about how a washed up boxer has to cope with life after his ring career is finished. Between Requiem for a Heavyweight, Lawrence of Arabia, The Guns of Navarone, and Zorba the Greek, this was a pretty good period for Anthony Quinn.
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Anthony Quinn faces the end of his career in
Requiem for a Heavyweight |
22. State Fair
There really wasn't anything better on that time I watched State Fair with Pat Boone? It did have Ann-Margaret in it. Maybe that's why I watched it.
T
23. Sanjuro
It's interesting that neither Sanjuro or Yojimbo make the 1001 book like so many other Kurosawa films did. Both are excellent films in their own right.
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| Sanjuro: Kurosawa...Mifune...Samurai...sign me up! |
24. Term of Trial
I remember this film with Laurence Olivier as being a pretty powerful drama when I first saw it. That's been over thirty-five years ago...so don't hold me to it.
25. The Trial
Orson Welles doing Franz Kafka seems like a pretty righteous teaming to me. But the film is confusing and often doesn't make sense. But in this case, that's a good thing. You understand? Or if you don't understand, maybe that's good, too!
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| Tony Perkins about to go on an existential trip in The Trial. |
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| Goodbye, 1962 and stay safe, everyone! |
