Sunday, March 13, 2016

The Last Picture Show 1971


     This film takes place in the tiny town of Anarene, Texas during the 1950’s.  It’s the lull period between WWI and the Korean Conflict.  Sonny and Duane are best friends and they pass their time with movies, football and girls.  Sonny has been seeing Charlene for a year but they break up on their anniversary.  The breakup is probably just due to boredom with each other.  Duane is seeing Jacey, she’s the most popular and richest girl in town.  All the guys think the one who marries her will be set for life.  The town is slowly changing and so are the people.  Some head for the larger cities and some just want to graduate from high school.
     This time period is when it was inexpensive to go see a movie and before television brought in-the-home entertainment.  There isn’t much to do in Anarene, there is the theater, the pool hall and the all-night café.  This film feels like it was actually shot in 1951 instead of 1971.  All the actors are young and it’s interesting to see them at this stage of their lives.  3 ½* (I liked this movie)

118 min, Drama directed by Peter Bogdanovich with Timothy Bottoms, Jeff Bridges, Cybill Shepherd, Ben Johnson, Cloris Leachman, Ellen Burstyn, Eileen Brennan, Clu Gulager, Sam Bottoms, Sharon Ullrick, Randy Quaid, Joe Heathcock, Bill Thurman, Barc Doyle, Jessie Lee Fulton.

Note:  Imdb 8.1 out of 10, 100% critic 90% audience on Rotten Tomatoes, Roger Ebert 4*, Amazon 4.5* out of 5* with 258 reviews.
Special Note:  Filmed in Archer City, Olney and Wichita Falls, Texas.  This film is ranked as #95 on the listing of Greatest Movie of All Time.  Ben Johnson won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor and his role is 9 minutes and 54 seconds.  It's the shortest performance to ever win an Academy Award.  There is a goof too when Lois Farrow makes a telephone call, she dials a 7 digit number but in 1951 it would've been a 5 digit number.

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