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: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