70's Month - Day:28 Young Frankenstein

1974's Young Frankenstein isn't just one of the best films of the 70's, but also one of the best comedy films of all-time.

Inspired by the classic Universal monster movies, Young Frankenstein was written by Gene Wilder (who stars in the film) and Director Mel Brooks. 

In the film Wilder plays Dr. Fredrick Frankenstein, the grandson of the infamous Victor Frankenstein. Although Fredrick tries to distance himself from his family's past he learns early on in the film that he has inherited his grandfather's castle. After traveling to Transylvania Fredrick encounters Igor (played Marty Feldman) Inga (played by Teri Garr) and Frau Blucher (played by Cloris Leachman). Of course Fredrick becomes increasingly interested in his grandfather's work, eventually following the same process and creating his own monster.

This film is a laugh a minute and is full of great characters and memorable lines. Mel Brooks himself considers it his finest film, and I have to agree.

5 out of 5

70's Month - Day:27 C.C. and Company

1970's C.C. and Company is a largely forgotten film (as it probably should be), and it is only really notable for starring Joe Namath fresh off his Super Bowl III win.

The film is about a biker gang member named C.C. Ryder (played by Namath) who quickly becomes interested in a fashion journalist named Ann (played by Ann-Margret). C.C. ends up entering a motocross race to impress Ann and, after he wins, he gets in a fistfight with the gang leader over the prize money. C.C. decides to leave the gang but, after he does, the bikers kidnap Ann and C.C. has to race against the gang's leader to win her freedom.

Overall, this movie kinda sucks. The acting isn't good, it's poorly written, at points Namath doesn't look entirely confident on a motorcycle, and the film feels WAY longer than it's 90 minute run time.

1 out of 5

70's Month - Day:26 The Kentucky Fried Movie

Well, here we are in the final days of "70's Month" and today's film is from 1977. Before they made the comedy classics Airplane! and The Naked Gun movies, filmmakers Jim Abrahams and the Zucker brothers made The Kentucky Fried Movie. 

Directed by John Landis, who would go on to direct Animal House the next year, the film doesn't really have a central plot or narrative through-line but instead is a stitched together series of sketches similar to the 1971 Monty Python film And Now for Something Completely Different. The longest of these sketches is A Fistful of Yen, which is an Enter the Dragon parody with quite a few solid jokes. While not every one of the gags and punchlines in the film have aged as well as others, I think it's still a pretty funny movie overall and worth watching.

3.5 out of 5

70's Month - Day:25 Slap Shot

This is a personal favorite of mine. I'm a huge hockey fan and the late Paul Newman is one of my all-time favorite actors but, in addition to that, this is also a really good movie full of memorable characters and quotable lines.

1977's Slap Shot centers around a minor league hockey team called the 'Charlestown Chiefs', and their player-coach Reggie Dunlop (played by Paul Newman). Charlestown is a factory town on the decline and the Chiefs aren't very good, so the team's manager does everything he can to cut costs while simultaneously having the players participate in sometimes embarrassing promotions just to keep the team afloat. During yet another losing season, the team picks up a trio of enthusiastic players known as the Hanson brothers who play a rough and tumble style of hockey and start fights. Dunlop is initially reluctant to play the three brothers until one night he gets word that the team is going to fold after this current season. Being a better con-man than a player or coach, Dunlop convinces the team to start playing dirty, and to get into more fights to draw interest, eventually he lets the Hanson's loose and they become a force to be reckoned with on the ice. This tactic begins work, the Chief actually start winning, and fans start showing up to the games to cheer them on. With interest in the team growing, Dunlop plants a false story with a local sports writer saying that a retirement community in Florida is interested in purchasing the team, with the hope that the story will add to the teams confidence and hopefully lead to an actual sale.

Well, after trying for quite a while Reggie gets a meeting with the team's owner but despite the teams recent success she still has every intention of folding the franchise for a tax write-off. Disheartened by this news, Dunlop comes clean to his players about the team folding and the story about moving to Florida being made up. In the end, the Chiefs make it to the championship game and, because one of the opposing players punches a ref, they actually win. It's the perfect dumb-luck victory for a team that only started winning after they threw clean play and good sportsmanship out the window. I love it.

Start to finish I always have a lot of laughs whenever I watch this one. In my opinion, it's one of Paul Newman's best performances (which is saying a lot), and one of the all-time best sports movies.
I highly recommend it.

I give this one a 4.5 out of 5.

70's Month - Day:24 Earthquake

"70's Month" is quickly coming to a close and I've already looked back at two notable disaster films from that decade, Airport '77 and The Poseidon Adventure, but there's one more I wanted to include; 1974's Earthquake. 

The plot here isn't anything too special. An earthquake, measuring 9.9 on the Richter Scale, destroys Los Angeles. Like most natural disaster movies you watch it for the effects and to see the characters try to navigate their way through crisis. The Cast in this one includes Charlton Heston, Ava Gardner, George Kennedy, Lorne Greene, , Richard Roundtree, Marjoe Gortner, and Barry Sullivan, and he film did win a Special Achievement Academy Award for Visual Effects.

Overall, Earthquake it's not a masterpiece (and it's arguably not even that good of a movie), but it is my favorite movie about an earthquake. Maybe it's the cast, maybe it's that great John Williams theme... Whatever the reason, I always enjoy watching this movie and rewatchability carries a lot of weight for me.

4 out of 5

70's Month - Day:23 The Cowboys

Anyone who frequents this movie blog knows that I love Westerns, and the ones featuring John Wayne are some of my favorites. With that being said, and even though I'm prone to giving an extra bonus point or two to a John Wayne film, 1972's The Cowboys is a legitimately good movie. 

The film is about a rancher named Wil Anderson (played by Wayne) who has a long cattle drive coming up. Unfortunately, at the last minute all of his ranch hands leave to join the gold rush. Desperate for help, Anderson is forced to hire a group of school boys to assist him. Anderson teaches the boys how to properly rope and herd cattle and, even though he gets frustrated with them at various points, Anderson ends up becoming something of a father figure to the boys. So much so that when Anderson is killed by bandits and the herd is stolen, the boys set out to kill the bandits, recover the herd, and complete the drive. 

This one isn't quite on the same level as The Searchers, True Grit, or The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, but I really enjoy it. Overall, it's a solid Western and one I recommend to anyone who is a fan of the genre. 

I give this one a 4 out of 5.

70's Month - Day:22 The French Connection

1971 was pretty good year for movies with films like Fiddler on the Roof, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, The Last Picture Show, Dirty Harry, and A Clockwork Orange all coming out that year. Among those other solid films, and maybe even the best of the bunch, is The French Connecton. The film won five Academy Awards for Best Picture, Best Director (William Friedkin), Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Film Editing and Best Actor (Gene Hackman), it is currently listed on AFI's top 100 and holds and 98% on Rotten Tomatoes... This is one of those that is 'must-see'. 
Probably best known to most for having one of the all-time great car chase scenes, the film offers a lot more than just one notable action set-piece. It's a gritty, compelling, well-paced crime/thriller with some great acting, particularly by Gene Hackman. Speaking of Hackman, while I love him in films like Hoosiers, The Conversation, Unforgiven, The Firm, Superman, The Birdcage, and A Bridge Too Far, his role as Popeye Doyle in this film is him at his best.

This is probably obvious, but I highly recommend The French Connection.
Great movie, 5 out of 5.

70's Month - Day:21 Superman

Superman (or Superman: The Movie as it's sometimes refered to) is a 1978 movie about, you guessed it, Superman. Now even though we live in a golden age of comic book movies, this was a massive hit at the box-office in '78 and I think this film is still one of the all-time greats of the genre. I even placed it on my list of '10 Superhero Movies Everyone Should See'. 

Now by today's standards, the movie is a pretty typical superhero origin story. Not all of the effects hold up, but the film overall is engaging enough that the dated effects don't take me out of the movie. I'd say it stands the test of time for a few key reasons: 

#1 Over 40 years later and Christopher Reeve is still considered by many to be the definitive live-action Superman, and he's great in the role. 

#2 The Superman theme by John Williams is a fantastic, iconic piece of music. 

#3 Gene Hackman.

There have been bigger, more impressive superhero movies since and there will be even more in the future but Superman is still worth watching if you've never seen it.

4 out of 5

70's Month - Day: 20 Logan's Run

Well, we're twenty days into 70's Month, and today's movie is the 1976 sci-fi film Logan's Run starring Michael York and Jenny Agutter. 

 The film opens with the text "Sometime in the 23rd century... the survivors of war, overpopulation, and pollution are living in a great domed city, sealed away from the forgotten world outside. Here in the ecologically balanced world, mankind lives only for pleasure, freed by the servo-mechanisms which provide everything. There's just one catch: Life must end at thirty unless reborn in the fiery ritual of carrousel" and it is a interesting setup for the story. Our main character Logan (played by Michael York) is a policemen known as a "Sandman", who's job is to pursue and kill anyone who tries to escape being "renewed" at the carrousel (ironic because in real life York was in his mid 30's when this film was released). Early on, Logan is given a mission by a computer to locate and destroy a Runner sanctuary outside of the city, forcing Logan to become a Runner himself. Alongside Logan, and aiding in his escape form the dome, is a runner named Jessica (played by Jenny Agutter) It isn't long after escaping the dome that the truth is revealed when Logan and Jessica discover that, although the sanctuary is a myth, there is an old man living outside the city, proving that the carrousel renewal is a lie, people can live past 30 and exist outside the dome.   

Although I think Logan's Run is a fun and entertaining movie I wouldn't necessarily call it a really good one. I like Michael York a lot as an actor but this probably isn't his best performance, and I'd say the acting in general in this movie hovers between good and good enough. The film did win a special Academy Award for visual effects, but most of those effects have not stood the test of time and some are even laughably bad. 

I give this one a 2.5 out of 5.

70's Month - Day:19 Murder on the Orient Express

Murder on the Orient Express is a 1974 film adaptation based on the Agatha Christie novel of the same name. It was directed by Sydney Lumet and boast an impressive cast, including Albert Finney, Lauren Bacall, Ingrid Bergman, Sean Connery, John Gielgud, Vanessa Redgrave, Michael York, Jacqueline Bisset, Anthony Perkins and Wendy Hiller.

The plot, as the title would suggest, centers around a mysterious murder aboard a train called the Orient Express. Unfortunately for the murderer (or maybe murderers), one of the train's passengers just so happens to be the famous detective Hercule Poirot.

This is one of the all-time great whodunit films that will likely have you trying to solve the case along with Poirot, and I highly recommend it to anyone who likes a good murder mystery.

4.5 out of 5

70's Month - Day:18 Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory

Today’s movie is the 1971 family flick Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory.

The film about an eccentric and reclusive chocolatier who decides to allow a small group of people enter his factory, with the goal of finding a special child to 'inherit it all' is one of cinemas timeless classics. Now although it would be easy to just say “Yep, this is a great movie” and be done with it, the movie is not without its flaws. The first third is hit or miss in my opinion. For example, aside from Grandpa Joe the rest of Charlie’s Family is forgettable and dull. Also, I would contend that aside from ‘The Candy Man’ there isn’t a really good song until 'Pure Imagination' when they enter Wonka's factory and even after that, I've always found the various Oompa Loompa the songs to be a bit annoying.

That being said, Gene Wilder's performance as Wonka is absolutely amazing and, despite a slow start, once the movie does take you inside of the Wonka Factory it is a wonderful ride from there until the end credits.

4.5 out of 5

70's Month - Day17: The Gauntlet

Another day, another 70's movie.

Today's film is 1977's The Gauntlet starring Clint Eastwood and Sondra Locke. This movie, which was also directed by Eastwood, is about a grizzled cop named Ben Shockley (played by Eastwood) who is tasked with traveling from Phoenix to Las Vegas to pick up and escort back a 'nothing witness' for what he is told is a 'nothing trial'. Not long after he gets to Vegas Ben learns that this witness, Gus Mally (played by Locke) may be more important than that he was originally told. As it turns out Mally is a prostitute with mob ties and some incriminating information regarding the Phoenix Police Commissioner. So now Shockley must get Mally to City Hall back in Phoenix while avoiding the two of them being killed by both the mob and the police. 

I like both Eastwood and Locke in the film, but the story felt a little underdeveloped and, even at only 109 minutes, it felt like a padded runtime. Also, not really a critique but just something that stood out; there is a comical amount of bullets fired in this film. I give this one a moderate recommendation, it's a good but not great movie. 

3 out of 5

70's Month - Day16: Being There

Right off the bat, I love this movie. 5 out of 5.

Being There is a 1979 film starring Peter Sellers, Shirley McLaine, Jack Warden, Melvyn Douglas and Richard Dysart. the film is a bout a simple-minded, naïve, gardener named Chance. When the rich man he works for dies, Chance is forced by some lawyers to move out of the man's estate. The thing is, Chance spent his whole life at that home and everything he knows he learned from watching TV. While wandering about in the city, Chance is hit by a car owned by a wealthy business man named Ben Rand and his wife Eve. After taking Chance back to their home to recover, and mishearing his name Chance the Gardener as "Chauncy Gardiner" it is assumed that he is a well-educated businessman who has just fallen on some hard times. Chance's simple and soft-spoken nature is interperated as wise and insightful, earning him the favor Ben. Further happenstance even leads to Chance giving advice to the President of the United States... I won't give away how the whole thing plays out because, if you've never seen this one, I highly recommend checking it out. It's sweet, funny, even a bit sad at points, and full of solid performances. 

70's Month - Day:15 Jaws

I couldn't go through a month of 70's movies without dedicating one of the days to Jaws. Spielberg's 1975 masterpiece about a great white shark terrorizing the people of Amity Island on 4th of July weekend became one of the biggest hits of the 1970's and is still the gold-standard of shark films. I'll keep this short and I'm not going to bother to go into the plot with this one because...well, it's Jaws. It's great, you've probably seen it and if not, find it and watch it. Unlike so many of the shark movies that would follow over the decades Jaws really isn't driven by carnage and kills, but rather by tension and memorable characters. Even though the mechanical shark does look a bit dated today, the performances of Roy Scheider, Robert Shaw, and Richard Dreyfuss, combined with an iconic John Williams theme help maintain Jaws' status as a 'must-see' film more than 40 years after it's initial release.
5 out of 5

70's Month - Day:14 Benji

Well, we've reached the halfway mark of "70's Month" and today's movie is 1974's Benji. Written, directed, and produced by Joe Camp, Benji was pretty successful at the box-office back in '74, resulting in numerous sequels.

The movie is about a lovable, neighborhood stray dog named Benji that two young kids want to take in. The problem is the children's father isn't too keen on adopting Benji because he might have diseases or something. That is, of course, until the kids are kidnapped and Benji helps save the day.

I think it's a decent enough movie. Sure, it's a little thin on plot but it stars a cute little dog and it's only about an hour and a half long making it a good film to watch with kids. It's nothing spectacular and it does try a bit too hard to tug on the old heartstrings, but I like it overall better than say a film like Air Bud, The Adventures of Milo and Otis or The Shaggy Dog.

2 out of 5

… and my dog was captivated the whole time.

70's Month - Day:13 The Poseidon Adventure

Nearly two weeks into "70's Month" and today's film is the 1972 disaster flick The Poseidon Adventure. I briefly mentioned this film earlier this month in my Airport '77 post on Feb. 4th, and I think this film is a bit better than that one.

 In the film an ocean liner, the S. S. Poseidon, is making it's final transatlantic journey before it is to be retired. However, a massive tidal wave capsizes the vessel in the middle of the ocean. With most of the passengers and crew now dead, a small group must traverse through the overturned ship and reach the engine room where they believe they can escape. Along the way, the ragtag group encounters several obstacles, and of the ten only six eventually make it out alive.

Overall, this one is pretty entertaining from start to finish. With a solid cast consisting of Gene Hackman, Ernest Borgnine, Red Buttons, Roddy McDowall, Shelly Winters, Carol Lynly, Jack Albertson, Stella Stevens and Leslie Nielson, and with a music by the great John Williams, The Poseidon Adventure is a cut above your average disaster picture. 

4 out of 5

70's Month - Day:12 Mean Streets

Before Taxi Driver and Raging Bull, Goodfellas and Casino, Martin Scorsese directed the 1973 film Mean Streets. Although this one lacks the polish of something like Goodfellas, it's still a really good film nevertheless. 

In the film Harvey Keitel plays Charlie, a man who is both involved in organized crime and also a devout Catholic. A constant problem for Charlie is that he feels responsible for his reckless friend Johnny (played by Robert De Niro) who owes money to various loan sharks all over town. Eventually one of those creditors runs out of patience things end with Charlie and Johnny getting shot.

Overall, I like the movie but It's not one of my favorites from Scorsese. While definitely an entertaining, quality film with some good performances, my one gripe is that the pacing feels slightly off; It drags a bit in the middle but also the ending feels rushed. With that being said, I do recommend the film if you've never seen it.

4 out of 5

70's Month - Day:11 Every Which Way but Loose

Every Which Way but Loose is a 1978 comedy starring Clint Eastwood, Sondra Locke, Geoffrey Lewis, Beverly D'Angelo, and an orangutan.

Philo (played by Clint Eastwood) is a man who makes a living fighting other guys in parking lots and construction sites for money. One evening he meets and quickly falls for a country singer named Lynn (played by Sondra Locke). A few days later, after Philo gives her some money, he goes to pick her up he learns that she has left California for Colorado. So he and his buddies Orville (played by Geoffrey Lewis) and Clyde the orangutan hop in Philo's truck and head for Denver. Along the way they pick up a woman at a produce stand (played by D'Angelo) who becomes Orville's love interest in the film. While the foursome is in search of Lynn, they re also being pursued by both a biker gang and two police officers that Philo pissed off in California and all sorts of comedic mishaps ensue. Eventually Philo finds Lynn, finds out that he was being hustled, gets in one more brawl, and the movie ends.

While it is a fairly entertaining movie, I wouldn't call it a good one necessarily. I found the comedy very hit and miss and, since Philo doesn't get the girl in the end or beat the legendary Tank Murdock (who is referenced multiple times throughout the film), I find the ending underwhelming. This one is worth watching once, but probably only once.
2 out of 5

70's Month - Day:10 Rocky II

Rocky II, as the name would suggest, is the follow up to 1976's Rocky. Released in 1979 Rocky II features a rematch between Rocky Balboa and Apollo Creed. Apollo is upset that people are claiming he's a false champion because some think Rocky should have won the first fight. While I do like Rocky II, this setup never really worked for me. In the first film Rocky was a guy who had no business fighting for the Heavyweight title which is why it's such a great underdog story. However, having Apollo just deadset on beating Rocky in more convincing fashion doesn't resonate as much... and spoiler alert: Rocky wins this time.

All of the same characters are back for this one; Adrian, Mick, Paulie, etc. and I like these characters so I give the film a bit of a bonus for that, and the score is solid.

Overall, while not as good as the original, I think Rocky II is entertaining and a decent follow-up to the original.

3.5 out of 5

70's Month - Day:9 M*A*S*H

Released in 1970, M*A*S*H is an interesting case as it's a fantastic film but is probably more well known today for the popular television show it spawned which ran from '72-'83. the film was nominated and won several awards, and holds the #54 spot on the "AFI's 100 Years... 100 Movies" list.

The film centers around a Military Army Surgical Hospital in South Korea and stars the likes of Donald Sutherland, Elliot Gould, Tom Skerritt, Robert Duvall, and Sally Kellerman just to name a few. I think the whole cast of offbeat characters in the film mesh perfectly and provide a lot of laughs. The comedy here might not be everyone's cup of tea but for me it really clicks.

I highly recommend checking out M*A*S*H if you've never seen it, I think is hands down on of the best movies of the 1970's.

5 out of 5

70's Month - Day:8 Death Wish

We now move into week two of "70's Month", and today's film is 1974's Death Wish starring Charles Bronson.

In the film Bronson plays architect Paul Kersey who's wife is murdered and his daughter is sexually assaulted by the uh...um...uh Jeff Goldblum gang. With his daughter being traumatized by the event and unwilling to look at pictures that may identify the assailants, Kersey decides to hit the streets at night and deal out some vigilante justice. This puts the NYPD and the Mayor in a difficult spot because, while what Kersey is doing is illegal, the presence of a vigilante is drastically reducing the rate of muggings in the city. In the end, Kersey is given a 'get out of NYC and we'll look the other way' offer by the police.

Overall, I like Death Wish. Bronson is a good fit for the role, and it's a well paced, entertaining crime film. The movie spawned several sequels of varying quality, and a 2018 remake starring Bruce Willis. Not all of those films are worth your time, but I think the original is.

I give this one a 3 out of 5

70's Month - Day:7 Gator

The follow up to 1973's White Lightning, and premiering just about one year before the iconic Smokey and the Bandit, 1976's Gator both stars and was directed by Burt Reynolds. Now, the film isn't one of Reynolds best, as evidenced by it's 5.8/10 IMDb score and it's whopping 0% on Rotten Tomatoes. However, I like the movie despite it's shortcomings and I think it's worth checking out.

In the film Reynolds plays a moonshine runner and ex-con named Gator McKlusky who is coerced by a federal agent to gather tax-evasion evidence against racketeer, and old friend of Gator's, Bama McCall (played by Jerry Reed). Along the way Gator meets local journalist Aggie Maybank (played by Lauren Hutton) and the two join forces to take down Bama McCall.

While it isn't that great of a movie overall, it has it's highlights. There is a pretty fun high-speed boat chase through a swamp early on, and some decent comedic beats sprinkled throughout. Sure the acting is hit or miss, it's about 20 minutes too long, and on the whole the film feels a bit underdeveloped... but it's entertaining enough.

I give it a 2 out of 5.

70's Month - Day:6 Manhattan

It's 2019 and that means that today's movie turns 40 this April. Despite what your opinions on Woody Allen as a person are, it's hard to deny that Woody Allen the filmmaker has made some great movies over the years. One of his best known films, and my personal favorite, is 1979's Manhattan.  

This is going to be a pretty short overview because I don't really have any nitpicks with the film. It's comedy about a twice-divorced, 40+yr old writer (played by Allen) who is dating a 17yr old girl but ends up falling for his best friend's mistress. The film is full of sharp, witty, dialogue and unforgettable moments. It's well cast, well paced, beautifully shot, and has a great musical score. Overall, a great movie and one that gets a big recommend from me.
5 out of 5

70's Month - Day:5 The Stepford Wives

Day #5 of 70's Month and today's movie is 1975's The Stepford Wives. 

I don't love or hate this one. The first hour or so can be a bit of a chore as it moves along at such a leisurely pace that you'll probably fall asleep if you turn this one on too late in the evening. However, it's the third act of the film that makes it worthwhile as the tension starts to ramp up, and the film delivers a solid ending. 

The movie is based on a 1972 Ira Levin book of the same name, but I never read it so I don't know if the novel doesn't start to get exciting until the final third, or if this is just an issue with the big-screen adaptation. It's the tale of a woman named Joanna (played by Katherine Ross) who moves with her husband and kids to the suburban town of Stepford. Joanna quickly befriends another newcomer to the town named Bobbie (played by Paula Prentiss) and the two notice that all of the other women in the town seem to be perfect housewives... a little too perfect.

Spoiler Alert! for a 43year-old film: They're robots.

All of the men in the town replace their wives with robots that cook, clean, take care of the kids, and basically do whatever they're husbands say. It's a decent film overall with an interesting premise, I just don't think it completely lives up to the potential of that premise.
2.5 out of 5

70's Month - Day:4 Airport '77

One of the first things that comes to mind when I think of films from the 1970's is the plethora of memorable disaster movies. From Earthquake to The Towering Inferno to Meteor and The Poseidon Adventure, I have a bit of soft spot for disaster movies and today's film is a solid entry. 

Airport '77 is the story of a hijack attempt gone wrong, which results in a 747 crash-landing in the Bermuda Triangle. Although the character archetypes and the plot structure are a bit by-the-numbers, the movie does boast a solid cast with the likes of Jack Lemmon, Lee Grant, George Kennedy, Olivia De Havilland, Christopher Lee, and James Stewart which helps elevate the film. The first 20 minutes or so of the movie don't flow that well in my opinion, but once the plane is submerged underwater and the tension starts to build, the movie really hits it's stride.

Overall, I like Airport '77. It's not my favorite disaster movie and I wouldn't go so far as to call it a 'great' movie, but it is entertaining and worth a watch.

3 out of 5

70's Month - Day:3 Rocky

"70's Month" rolls on and today's movie is 1976's Rocky.

A Best Picture winner, #57 of the American Film Institute's top 100, and the highest grossing film of 1976, Rocky is simply one of those all-time great films. For anyone who doesn't know the plot of this iconic film, it's the story of Rocky Balboa (played by Sylvester Stallone), a down-on-his-luck boxer from Philadelphia who gets the chance of a lifetime to fight the Heavyweight Champion of the World, Apollo Creed (played by Carl Weathers). Even though Rocky narrowly loses the big fight at the end, he proved to himself that he "could go the distance".

I almost didn't want to write anything up about this film because anything I could say most people already know; It's a great underdog story, with memorable characters, it has an amazing musical score, and the training montage that ends with Rocky running up the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art is one of the most famous scenes in cinema history. 

Rocky would end up spawning a whole series of movies of varying quality (I did a ranking of all the Rocky films a while back that you can check out buy clicking HERE) and they're not all 'must-see' films, but the first one is still great. 

5 out of 5

70's Month - Day:2 Robin Hood

There have been a ton of big-screen film adaptations based on the classic literary character Robin Hood over the decades. My personal favorite is The Adventures of Robin Hood from 1938, but among some of the other versions I like is Disney's 1973 version simply titled Robin Hood. 

In this version all of the of the characters are anthropomorphic animals: Robin and Maid Marian are foxes, Little John is a bear, Prince John is a Lion, Friar Tuck is a Badger, etc. Aside from the 'Robin Hood, except they're all animals' angle, it's a fairly standard retelling. Robin steals from the rich and gives to the poor, he participates in an archery tournament, he and Maid Marian fall in love... you probably know the story.

Overall, I think it's an enjoyable film, all of the characters are fun, and it's only about 80 minutes long, which is nice. One area the film definitely does fall short for me is the soundtrack. Many Disney films are known for not only their quality animation but also their incredibly memorable songs, and this film's music is pretty forgettable. I don't know where this one ranks among hardcore Disney animation fans, but I like it.

3 out of 5

70's Month - Day:1 Mad Max

Some films have deep meaning, some hold a great cultural significance… and some are just cool movies.

1979's Mad Max, starring Mel Gibson, is an immensely entertaining action film. Max (played by Gibson) is an Main Force Patrol officer, and a really good one. That is until one day when fellow officer 'Goose' is ambushed by a motorcycle gang and burned alive. After that Max resigns from the force and sets off on a vacation with his wife and young child. But, of course, the motorcycle gang ends up coming across Max's family and kills them. As a result, Max sets out to pursue and kill the gang members.

Overall, I don't know if I'd call Mad Max a great movie but it is on of those that, no matter how many times I've seen it, if I come across it on TV I can jump in at any point and enjoy the film. It has both memorable characters and some tense scenes that always draw me in. Now, I know everyone went nuts for Mad Max: Fury Road a couple years back (I thought it was ok) but that was a $150-million dollar movie and, for me, it had none of the charm that the original did. I recommend checking out Mad Max if you've never seen it.

4 out of 5.