'Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope' (George Lucas, 1977)

Title: 'Star Wars IV: A New Hope'

Release Year: 1977

Director: George Lucas

Cast: Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Peter Cushing, Alec Guinness.

Plot: When princess Leia is kidnapped by the Empire (led by its emperor and Darth Vader), Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, Chewbacca, R2D2 and C3PO initiate a journey to rescue her and reinstaurate peace in their galaxy.

Review: 'Star Wars' is doubtless one of the cinema history most beloved and successful sagas. Back in the 70s it was the ultimate boost for the beginning of Blockbuster trend and since then it has achieved a worldwide cult following and a massive legion of fans.

Personally I think that a movie must also be reviewed taking into account the consequences and impact that it had. Considering that, Star Wars is one of the most groundbreaking films of its time, with innovative special effects and an overwhelming box-office performance. Moreover, its characters have become household names, and continued to gain popularity with the following sequels and the 21st century prequels.

Noble Luke Skywalker, tough -yet sometimes rude- Han Solo and demanding Leia (I see an interesting love story right there), the well-known leading trio of 'Star Wars'

But once you leave the iconic leading trio or the endearing robots R2-D2 and C-3PO, the truth is that 'Star Wars' story is not much more than good entertainment (at least in the first film). It has its epic elements, the construction of what in following installments would be blossoming new plots and a wonderfully special-effects-packed action production, but although it generates a limited desire to continue watching the saga, generally it lacks the depth of other blockbuster franchises.

One of the most endearing relationships is between the robots R2-D2 and C-3PO

Taxi Driver (Martin Scorsese, 1976)

Title: 'Taxi Driver'

Release Year: 1976

Director: Martin Scorsese

Cast: Robert De Niro, Jodie Foster, Albert Brooks, Harvey Keitel, Leonard Harris, Peter Boyle, Cybill Shepherd.

Plot: To overcome his chronic insomnia, Travis Bickle works as a taxi driver at nights. Obsessed with a woman named Betsy and with ending with the filthy society that sorrounds him, he decides to take action as his relationship with a teenage hooker (Iris) blossoms.

Review: Starring Robert De Niro in his best performance, 'Taxi Driver' is one of my Martin Scorsese favorite films (although I generally love everything he does), being a clear example of what film industry owes him and the 'New Hollwood' movement.

The main reason is clear; its characters. To begin with, Travis is a troubled man (I love complex, troubled roles) who lives surrounded by his obsessions. He initiates and spoils his relationship with Betsy (who constitutes his major priority at the beginning of the movie) and later starts to prepare himself to 'take part' in the elimination of the dirt that surrounds the city.

Famous 'You talkin' to me?' scene. As the film goes by, Travis loses his mind completely...

He starts the film as a quite normal yet asocial guy, but ends up entering a spiral of violence and madness in which he lies to everyone about what and who he is. The only capable of helping him is Iris.

Jodie Foster delivers an outstanding performance although having limited screentime

In her first important role, a young Jodie Foster gave life to a very interesting character; the teenage hooker Iris. With only three major scenes in the whole movie, she earned an Academy Award nomination and critics' praise, with the only character capable of conducting Travis rage towards a positive goal (pulling her out of the prostitution market). It's her relationship with him that leads to one of the final, most bloody scenes, executed to perfection by De Niro and leaving a perennial image in moviegoers' minds, as the culmination of a masterpiece.

After killing everybody connecting Iris to the prostitution world and almost being killed, when police arrives, Travis points at his head and exhales 'puff' in an iconic nearly-ending scene

'One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest' (Miloš Forman, 1975)

Title: 'One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest'

Release Year: 1975

Director: Miloš Forman

Cast: Jack Nicholson, Louise Fletcher, William Redfield, Brad Dourif, Danny DeVito, Sydney Lassick, Christopher Lloyd, Will Sampson.

Plot: Trying to avoid prison's hard work, Randle McMurphy enters a mental institution, where he defies the tyranny imposed by nurse Mildred Ratched.

Review: Jack Nicholson is (behind Marlon Brando) one of my favourite actors, due to his versatility and usually mad characters. In 'One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest' he delivers one of his most acclaimed performances in a movie that re-evaluated the treatment that mentally ill people received almost 40 years ago.

The film is led by him and a band of characters, each of them stranger than the previous one, outstanding the work of Brad Dourif as Billy Bibbit, a suicidal patient terrified by both Ratched and his mother.

Billy lives terrified by both his mother and nurse Ratched

And there is where the nurse plays her role; subtly (in her group sessions) she humilliates her patients in order to control and dominate them, making them feel that they possess lesser minds or that they're unable and invalid to have a normal lifestyle by silently annulating them as human beings.

Subtly humilliating her patients in her meetings with them, Ratched imposes a tyranny in the institution. The anti-authoritarian McMurphy quickly becomes her biggest enemy and although she orders his lobotomization, after he tries to strangle her, she loses the powerful and strict tone, losing also part of her authority

As the film goes by, McMurphy encourages his boys to trust in themselves and to seek for a freedom that they've neven seen as possible, especially helping Bibbit and pretended deaf and mute 'Chief' Bromdem with whom he forges an endearing friendship. At the end, Rached uses her power one more time, causing Bibbit to commit suicide and ordering a lobotomy for McMurphy. When 'Chief' discovers this (just when Nicholson's character had given him enough confidence in himself to feel 'as big as a mountain') he strangles her with a pillow in an emotive scene, uncapable to leave him there suffering. Right after that he successfully escapes towards his freedom by breaking a window, finally being the one who 'flew over the cuckoo's nest'.

A strong connetion is made between Nicholson and Sampson's characters. The first one helps the second to feel capable to be free. The second one liberates his mate when he no longer can relase himself

'Jaws' (Steven Spielberg, 1975)

Title: 'Jaws'

Release Year: 1975

Director: Steven Spielberg

Cast: Roy Scheider, Robert Shaw, Richard Dreyfuss, Lorraine Gary, Murray Hamilton.

Plot: After the continuous attacks of a lethal shark awake terror in a little coastal town, police chief Martin Brody decides to hunt the creature down.

Review: If you must know something about Spielberg's early movies is that he's a genius in not showing things. In Jaws that's the key of the movie.

That and, of course, the wonderful score created by John Williams (that was played everytime the shark was going to attack, increasing the tension as the audience knew what was going to happen), made of the film (that could really be considered a cheap sunday afternoon TV movie without those characteristics) a major success and a tense cult film.

Although being the most prepared one for the mission, Quint is devoured in the mortiferous jaws of the man-eater shark

Apart from the score and its key role in the origins of Blockbuster movies, Jaws also features an actually built shark. The fact that it's not a digital addition contributes to a major realism, like when Quint is killed, when the jaws of the animal seem to really penetrate in his body for a bloody and realistic scene. The ending, with the famous line 'Smile, you son of a...', it's a glorious finale in which all the tension explodes and you end up breathing fast with a strange feeling of relief.

"Smile, you son of a..."

'The Godfather Part II' (Francis Ford Coppola, 1974)

Title: 'The Godfather part II'

Release Year: 1974

Director: Francis Ford Coppola

Cast: Al Pacino, Robert Duvall, Diane Keaton, Robert De Niro, Talia Shire.

Plot: A continuation of the Corleone family story, the film narrates two stories; the origins of Vito Corleone and the establishment of Michael as the head master of a family full of betrayals and secrets.

Review: After receiving critics and audiences praise, 'The Godfather Part II' was the exception to the rule in terms of sequels, which it revalorated.

Following the story of Michael Corleone, we find the family years after the end of the first film, with many members poisoning the family relationships and Michael and Kay's marriage hitting a low bottom. On the other side, we see how it all started, with Robert De Niro delivering a powerful performance as the younger Vito Corleone. Both stories are incredibly well intertwined in a writing exercise that most filmmakers aren't able to reach.

Corleone's beginnings in the mafia world, played by Robert De Niro, are the film's major achievement

Together with the outstanding performances from the rest of the cast, 'The Godgather Part II' could be considered in many ways better than the original. Why then the first is usually considered better? Well, to start with, it contains the iconic performance of Marlon Brando, but most importantly it stands as 'Vito Corleone's reign', while the second part is 'Michael Corleone's reign and the origins of the family'. And although Al Pacino delivers a gorgeous performance, both characters can't compare.

The important man, the boss alone on top of the mountain. Vito Corleone was always surrounded by his family, who admired and loved him

Whereas the first one ended the film dying while sweetly playing with his granddaugher and revealing to his son that he didn't want a crime life for him (as family was always his priority), the second one ends up still at the head of the mafia family (and much more alive) but destroys the connection over which it was built, once that we had come to understand its different links and connections thanks to both the first installment and the part of Vito Corleone's youth. If moviegoers must decide between the two personifications of a mafia leader, they are surely going to choose the first one, as well as they usually choose the first film as the best one.

The perfect death for the perfect patriarch. Vito Corleone's sweet devotion towards his family is something that Michael has out of his reach

'The Exorcist' (William Friedkin, 1973)

Title: 'The Exorcist'

Release Year: 1973

Director: William Friedking

Cast: Ellen Burstyn, Linda Blair, Lee J. Cob, Max von Sydow, Kitty Winn, Jack MacGowran, Jason Miller, Mercedes McCambridge.

Plot: After Regan is possessed by the devil, her mother Chris MacNeil looks for help in medicine and ultimately decides that her daughter needs an exorcism.

Review: The most famous (and most parodied) horror film of cinema history. We take a break between the two 'The Godfather' installments with this genre classic.

It doesn't matter how many years go by or how good and realistic new technologies are, if a films is well-done, no matter how old it is, it can still scare you to death. That's what 'The Exorcist does' through its 2 hours lenght.

One of the different shadows that appears momentaneously in fast and fading shots. A terrifying technique that arises more than one scream

After she goes from being a normal teenager to curse everybody and become an agressive child, Regan's mother's despair increases. I truly don't understand what the doctors were waiting for; it's true that if Regan was going through a mental illness she could be making everything up. But one thing is cursing the whole day and the other is appearing with a massacred face and being able to go down the stairs backwards and walking with both feet and hands. That was scary.

The well-known image of Regan's impressive transformation. How could any doctor think that she was going to teenage phases; we are sort of crazy, but not possessed, mister...

After the necessary journey towards the exorcism, the famous scene arrives. One thinks that after having watched it hundreds of times it should have lost its effect but when the possesed young girl starts to do a 360 degrees rotation with her head it's as spooky as ever. After half an hour of terrifying looks and the killing of both priests, the girl returns to normality, not knowing what has happened, neither knowing that she has changed horror history forever.

Famous score and scenes from 'The Exorcist'

'The Godfather' (Francis Ford Coppola, 1972)

Title: 'The Godfather'

Release Year: 1972

Director: Francis Ford Coppola

Cast: Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, James Caan, Richard S. Castellano, Robert Duvall, Sterling Hayden, John Cazale, Diane Keaton.

Plot: One of the most famous crime stories of cinema history, 'The Godfather' narrates the life of the Corleone mafia family (led by Vito Corleone) and the evolution of his younger son Michael from living outside the family business to being its new boss.

Review: Many consider 'The Godfather' one of the best films in cinema history. They're not wrong. With an astonishing cast led by the memorable performances of Al Pacino and Marlon Brando (especially the last one), you start the movie not understanding any of the family connections and you end entering and understanding them.

"I'm gonna make him an offer he can't refuse": In the role of a lifetime Marlon Brando's Vito Corleone was (and is) one of the most iconic characters in film history. Not only feared but also with strong connection of love and respect towards his family. A completely round persona

The main reasons for its success are its perfect script and the marvellous perfomances/characters. Marlon Brando shines with one of the most remarkable performances of film history. His Vito Corleone is an iconic character that is able to produce fear while trying to maintain the family united with his best intentions, ultimately dying while endearingly playing with his grandson. At the other side of the coin, we find Al Pacino's Michael Corleone, who suffers a deep transformation from outside oberserver to head and master of the family's operations. His realtionship with Keaton's Kay is the only love story in 'The Godfather' and, surprisingly, it really works.

From the light to the darkness: Michael Corleone goes from abhorring his family business to command each and all of them

In other terms, the film benefits from Mario Puzo's blend of violence and genius, while guided by Francis Ford Coppola masterful direction. The deaths, the threats, the undercover menaces... 'The Godfather' creates an entire universe around the family and then fill that space with the most impressive set of actors and iconic roles and lines to deliver a real masterpiece.

Scenes like the horse head one prove that The Godfather is a work of art

'Cabaret' (Bob Fosse, 1972)

Title: 'Cabaret'

Release Year: 1972

Director: Bob Fosse

Cast: Liza Minelli, Michael York, Joel Grey, Fritz Wepper, Helmut Griem, Marisa Berenson.

Plot: Berlin (Germany), 1930s. As the Nazi party rises, the music and the night fuse in the Kit Kat Club. In the middle of the caos, Sally Bowles and Michael York find themselves in an odd love story.

Review: 'Cabaret' has inspired me mixed feeling. From parts that I've genuinely praised to others that I've abhorred.

The main reason for the abhorred ones is that I think that I never connected with the more vaudevill-themed side of the film. Although I've enjoyed some of the songs ('Maybe this Time', 'Cabaret'), many others haven't had any kind of appeal for me.

"What good is sitting alone in your room? Come hear the music play. Life is a Cabaret, old chum, Come to the Cabaret"

Morover, the frantic life of Sally Bowles was a train moving too fast for me and her love story with Michael never gains enough strength. From their three way situation to the fact that Sally aborts even with the promise of a solid life with Michael because deep down she loves Cabaret life too much, they had an uneven relationship which never had a very promising future (to the date I still strongly believe that Michael was gay or at least bisexual).

Sally Bowles; difficult to love, impossible to hate

The other sider of the coin was represented by the Nazi subplot. I absolutely loved the love story between Fritz and Natalia, with his religion confession (knocking at her door and claiming 'I'm a Jew') as one of the most endearing and fragile moments of the film. Just beautiful. Add to this how that story was connected with a scary (yet implied) awareness of the country's situation (Jews being murdered or insulted, a party with Nazi supporters singing 'Tomorrow belongs to me' in choir, etc.) and the film is saved from failing, ending with a subtle yet terrifying picture of The Kit Kat club, which has now a mostly Nazi audience (when at the beginning of the film they were kicked out).

The film's major success is its subtle Nazi awareness and Fritz and Natalia's love complicated story

'A Clockwork Orange' (Stanley Kubrick, 1971)

Title: 'A Clockwork Orange'

Release Year: 1971

Director: Stanley Kubrick

Cast: Malcolm McDowell, Patrick Magee, Adrienne Corri, Miriam Karlin, Godfrey Quigley, Anthony Sharp, Warren Clarke.

Plot: In a modernist future, Alex is the head of a gang which worships ultraviolence, that and his love for Beethoven conform his entire life. When he's jailed for the murder of a woman, he'll do anything to leave the prison, taking a dangerous decision.

Review: In a strange futuristic world with colorful wigs, strange locations and a different society, Alex uses ultraviolence as a day to day way of expressing himself (as shown in the raping scene where he sings 'Singin' in the Rain' while he undresses the writer's woman).

The first of the two Kubrick movies that I'm going to review, 'A Clockwork Orange' reaches the other side in terms of transgression and controversity. Considered a cult film by many, Alex's actions and his behaviour have given praise to its creator Stanley Kubrick.

The creation of Alex's character was very praised by audiences and critics

Although I didn't specially worship the character, I did appreciate how intelligent he is and how, in his mind, there's only one way to tell a story as complex as his. Not only does the film hand the microphone to the criminal this time, but also helps us to understand his mind and why he ultimately decides to offer himself as a test subject for the Ludovicho technique.

Is the Ludovicho technique a useful and viable way to reduce agressive behaviours or just annulates criminals as human beings?

Once practiced his possibilities to perform evil actions are drastically reduced but far from solving the problem it transforms Alex's life into a torture nightmare. In the end, government actions are criticized and Alex is restored as a hero. No one can deny that such a message was quite controversial back in the early 70s and even if you haven't loved the film (like in my case), you must recognize that the technique didn't eliminate the evil side of Alex, it just imprisoned it; doing the right thing has no value if you don't have the option to choose. Like some philosophers affirm, nor hell nor heaven have sense if man hasn't got the freedom to decide whether to sin or not.

'Easy Rider' (Dennis Hooper, 1969)

Title: 'Easy Rider'

Release Year: 1969

Director: Dennis Hooper

Cast: Peter Fonda, Dennis Hooper, Jack Nicholson.

Plot: Two freewheeling hippies cross the country going to New Orleans, as they discover themselves.

Review: 'Easy Rider' has really baffled me. To make it short, they spent the whole movie taking drugs, they met Nicholson's character and then they all died.

Without meaning that everybody in that age was drug addicts, I think that the film had much more sense in the late 1960s for the need of freedom of the youth, searching the track of their futures. As for the drugs, hippie community was known for using them to reach ecstasy and alterated states of consciousness (as seen in the scene with the hookers in the cemetery). Far beyond its important social connotations, the film itself offes little for a different time moviegoer that hasn't studied film history before.

Freewheelers looking for their destiny...

As positive qualities we find Jack Nicholson's performance as a funny and drunk lawyer who brings some light between the smoke of the weed that impregnates the movie and the death of all of them (which somehow awakes a feeling of injustice for the killing of innocent people just for their lifestyles), especially the leading characters at the end of the film.

Jack Nicholson... one of a kind. Demonstrating his genius in his early films