Written by James M. Tate / 12/23/2012 / 2 Comments / al pacino , marlon brando , orson welles , robert deniro , seventies , sixties
JMT FILM INSTITUTE: 10 GREATEST MOVIES OF ALL TIME
![]() |
1) THE GODFATHER PART II (FRANCIS FORD COPPOLA) |
Two time periods covered in a single motion picture… A sequel that exceeds the original when the original is a classic… Robert DeNiro and Al Pacino… The Black Hand and Vito Corleone walking the same direction toward a very different fate… John Cazale telling Al Pacino he’s not dumb, he’s smart… How Richard Bright pronounces “Buenos Aires”… When Joe Spinell says, "The family had a lot of buffers".... Lee Strasberg proves he can practice what he teaches...
![]() |
2) THE GODFATHER (FRANCIS FORD COPPOLA) |
The slow pan on Al Pacino as he turns from passive little brother into calculating mobster… Al finds the gun in the latrine as the train shakes the building’s foundation, providing a suspenseful score without music… Marlon Brando becomes an aging old crime boss, more human than hateful, more loving than evil… James Caan, Robert Duvall, John Cazale… And don't forget the cannoli...
![]() |
3) GOODFELLAS (MARTIN SCORSESE) |
Joe Pesci ain't your clown – and don’t remind him he shined shoes… Ray Liotta’s sharp narration as Henry Hill, telling a tale that, in the two-and-a-half running time, has so many twists and turns the entire thing seems like separately intense, and often darkly humorous, vignettes… Monkey Man, Gimme Shelter, Sunshine of Your Love, the second half of Layla… Morrie’s wig commercial… Lorraine Bracco’s narration as Henry’s wife, not just a token female but an important part of the proceedings: it’s her story too… Martin Scorsese’s peak as a director, gliding the camera like no one else can do, or has done, or will ever do again…
![]() |
4) RAGING BULL (MARTIN SCORSESE) |
Robert DeNiro with the tight muscular build of a middleweight boxer… Then with a belly and double chin… Flashbulbs pop during boxing scenes… Joe Pesci with a looser, fouler mouth than Tommy in GOODFELLAS… Cathy Moriarty at the public swimming pool… Bare knuckles bleeding on a brick prison wall…
![]() |
5) CITIZEN KANE (ORSON WELLES) |
A twenty-five year old kid transforms into a bitter old man… A twenty-five year old kid pissing off a real life mogul that could, and would, hinder a promising career… Dorothy Comingore playing chess in a room with a giant fireplace… Stock footage bats from SON OF KONG… Joseph Cotten in a wheelchair… Everett Sloane remembering that timeless woman in the white dress…
![]() |
6) IN COLD BLOOD (RICHARD BROOKS) |
The meticulous routine of two criminals, and a passive small town family, connected as one living/breathing creature… Not showing the murders till later on… Rain shadows as tears on Robert Blake’s face… Scott Wilson, Scott Wilson, Scott Wilson…
![]() |
7) TOUCH OF EVIL (ORSON WELLES) |
Despite the "Charlton Heston as a Mexican" becoming a pop culture punchline, this is the legendary actor's most subdued and genuine performance... Up against director Orson Welles as a crooked cop epitomizing Film Noir villainy... The three-and-a-half minute opening shot without a single cut... Akim Tamiroff's bulging eyes... Janet Leigh trapped in a rural motel, the first time... Marlene Dietrich's voice... Joanna Moore's figure... Joseph Cotten's cameo... Joseph Calleia's loyalty... And don't forget the shadows, oh those amazing shadows...
![]() |
8) CHINATOWN (ROMAN POLANSKI) |
Only the hidden things matter… Jack Nicholson knows nothing… Faye Dunaway knows everything – how she hides it from both Jack and the audience is the key… John Huston eats fish with eyes…Burt Young eats venetian blinds…
![]() |
9) JAWS (STEVEN SPIELBERG) |
The camera is the shark long enough so the fake looking beast means nothing… Robert Shaw recalling the S.S. Indianapolis – tapping his mug on the table… Roy and Richard kicking home... Spielberg’s camera maneuvers in a viewer-friendly fashion that big budget blockbusters still attempt to this day… Duh Dum, Duh Dum…
![]() |
10) LAWRENCE OF ARABIA (DAVID LEAN) |
Peter O’Toole admits he enjoyed killing the man he had saved… Peter O’Toole saving the man he then has to kill… The match flame becomes a burning desert sun… A desert mirage becomes a man with a gun…
![]() |
10 GREATEST MOVIES LIST BY JAMES M. TATE |
Labels:
al pacino,
marlon brando,
orson welles,
robert deniro,
seventies,
sixties
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
All Time Popular
-
Robyn Hilton enters into an eclectic exploitation comedy career in Wonder Women circa 1973 As mentioned a few posts ago, ROBYN HILTON, b...
-
year: 1978 cast: Allen Garfield, Leif Garrett, Kathleen Lloyd, Tony Alva, Pam Kenneally rating: ***1/2 Although promoted as a Leif Garre...
-
Mary-Louise Weller in NATIONAL LAMPOON'S ANIMAL HOUSE ANIMAL HOUSE, directed by John Landis and produced by Ivan Reitman, stars John...
-
Robyn Hilton on STARSKY AND HUTCH Model/Actress ROBYN HILTON played Mel Brook's secretary in BLAZING SADDLES and turns up in an epis...
-
Kari Michaelsen in Saturday the 14th year: 1982 In LOVE AT FIRST BITE, a popular comedy that took the vampire genre by satire, Richard ...
-
WILLIAM SMITH AS FALCONETTI ON RICH MAN POOR MAN The baddest of all TV bad guys… Matt Dillon’s character in BEAUTIFUL GIRLS calls Antho...
-
Cornelia Sharpe in court to avoid BUSTING Year: 1974 Starring Elliott Gould and Robert Blake as determined vice cops BUSTING hookers, ...
-
Susan Dey in Skyjacked YEAR: 1972 Some of the best elements of hijacking, plane crashing, ship sinking, building burning or any other di...
-
Ron Ely in the pulpy adventure of Doc Savage YEAR: 1976 Just when you thought you'd seen everything, up comes something you missed b...
-
Kristine Debell as A.L. from MEATBALLS In MEATBALLS, actress KRISTINE DeBELL played a camp counselor in a classic movie that's liv...

Featured Post
PAIGE CONNER POSSESSES EXPLOITATION HORROR IN 'THE VISITOR'
Paige Conner in THE VISITOR Year: 1979 THE VISITOR has many cult influences starting with THE BIRDS since the blonde-haired, blue-eyed eight...


Most Popular Last Year
-
Robyn Hilton enters into an eclectic exploitation comedy career in Wonder Women circa 1973 As mentioned a few posts ago, ROBYN HILTON, b...
-
Kari Michaelsen in Saturday the 14th year: 1982 In LOVE AT FIRST BITE, a popular comedy that took the vampire genre by satire, Richard ...
-
Cornelia Sharpe in court to avoid BUSTING Year: 1974 Starring Elliott Gould and Robert Blake as determined vice cops BUSTING hookers, ...
-
year: 1960 cast: Sonya Wilde, James Franciscus, Patricia Michon rating: ***1/2 I PASSED FOR WHITE, one of those title-says-it-all kind...
-
Tom Signorelli presents Robyn Hilton on set YEAR: 1974 Robyn Hilton, the BLAZING SADDLES redhead, co-starred in THE LAST PORNO FLICK (ak...
-
Interview with actress Greta Blackburn Greta Blackburn is tall, blond, gorgeous, and most important of all, a terrific actress. The pro...
-
year: 1976 starring: Linda Lavin, Alfred Lutter rating: ***1/2 The iconic sitcom ALICE, about a trio of waitresses working in a greasy s...
-
Unusually hatless, Eric Kilpatrick's Jackson lies beside his signature shades and a broken bottle with blood red white... Growing up...
-
Kerri Green and John Candy in SUMMER RENTAL Year: 1985 John Candy, in his first leading role, plays a burnt-out air traffic controller ...
-
Interview with Urban Cowboy's Jessie La Rive Mapes "Hold my beer, Jessie," Debra Winger's character, Sissy, tells real...

Excellent list. Three of these are on my personal Top 10 and all are worthy of recognition.
ReplyDeleteJMT Film Institute? Are they taking applications?
ReplyDeleteGreat list. Not my Top 10, but I love the first 5, and I still haven't seen TOUCH OF EVIL or IN COLD BLOOD. I know I know, shame shame shame. It gives me something to look forward to.
(okay just took care of TOUCH OF EVIL, ordered it)