Customer Reviews

America Lost & Found: The BBS Story (Head / Easy Rider / Five Easy Pieces / Drive, He Said / The Last Picture Show / The King of Marvin Gardens / A Safe Place) (The Criterion Collection)

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

With so many surprising and great releases, I've come to take Criterion for granted. But then comes the announcement of "America Lost and Found: The BBS Story" and I'm like an excited kid on Christmas morning. Amazon has done a comprehensive job listing the contents of this impressive set, so I'm going to direct my comments at the eclectic mix of films provided. The BBS story is no less than a film revolution that occurred in the late sixties to try to foster younger artists to the industry and cultivate younger, more adventurous film goers. All films within "America Lost and Found" were produced between 1968 and 1972 and represent a challenge to the conventional film narrative of that period. In retrospect, some of the films have been proclaimed classics while others have become somewhat obsolete. But all are fascinating examples of an artistic rebellion that influenced the film industry for years to come (all the more astounding as much of the company's financing came from the funds generated by the Monkees).

My personal favorite within "America Lost and Found" is Peter Bogdanovich's "The Last Picture Show" which has been begging for a better DVD release. An evocative look at a dying small town, this gorgeous black and white film is supremely entertaining and boasts a spectacular cast. Desolate and spare, the film tells the story of Sonny and Duane who as they approach manhood must face the harsh realities of life, love, and friendship. Nominated for eight Oscars including Best Picture, the film won supporting statuettes for Ben Johnson (a career high) and Cloris Leachman. Jeff Bridges and Ellen Burstyn also received nods as did Bogdanovich for Directing and Screenplay (which he co-wrote with the incredible Larry McMurtry).

Two other undeniable classics in counterculture are Dennis Hopper's "Easy Rider" and Bob Rafelson's "Five Easy Pieces." "Easy Rider" picked up two Oscar nods (including Jack Nicholson's first) and tells the simple story of two motorcyclists' journey across America. Capturing a specific time so perfectly, the film seems to embrace the anti-establishment freedom of its leads (Hopper and Peter Fonda) while making the compelling argument that ultimate freedom is an illusion and that choosing to challenge societal norms thus becomes the norm. And "Five Easy Pieces," another of my all time favorites, was nominated for 4 Oscars (including Jack Nicholson and Karen Black). Another journey picture (both in physical travels as well as in the spiritual/psychological realm), Rafelson's landmark has one of Nicholson's most iconic performances in a film that is immensely angry and riotously funny by turn. The chicken salad sandwich scene is an undisputed classic in American cinema!

Bob Rafelson's well regarded "The King of Marvin Gardens" is also included. An underrated gem set in Atlantic City, this tale of brotherhood and dreaming big casts a realistic light on a get-rich-quick scam gone wrong. Nicholson and Burstyn are on hand, as is Bruce Dern--and this compelling quasi-masterpiece shows the three on disparate (and times desperate) paths toward redemption. Rafelson also supplies this collection with the bizarre "Head," a meandering and psychedelic excursion into the minds of The Monkees. With a documentary feel, the film follows The Monkees on numerous and random musical encounters and celebrates their celebrity while at the same time seeming to indict the culture who embraces such excesses. Jack Nicholson makes his directorial debut on the uneven "Drive, He Said"--noteworthy mostly for the Nicholson credit. Depicting the college experience in the sixties, "Drive" tells the story of a disaffected basketball player. Introducing many plot threads, the film fails to follow an effective through line and is a fairly disjointed (though interesting) effort. And lastly there is Henry Jaglom's "A Safe Place," another oddity of interior monologue with Tuesday Weld descending into a world of fantasy.

Many of the films in "America Lost and Found" share a thematic connection. The films eschew conventional plot driven narratives in favor of character study. These directors wanted to present a realistic portrait of the era in which they lived and not an idealized film world. And many of the central characters in all the works are seeking to identify their place in the modern world or, indeed, determine if they have a place at all. The BBC story, through film, is an intriguing and progressive one in that it functioned in the studio system. Independent cinema of today still reflects many of the same ideals. A must have collection for film lovers. KGHarris, 10/10.

Since I am mostly commenting on the "HEAD" portion of this set, I should include that already having "Five Easy Pieces" in a restored version on DVD and "Easy Rider" has been reissued numerous times with not much bonus material here, this print of "HEAD" is from the original 35mm negative! Where-as the awful DVD release from Rhino, who lies in a leader frame that the Full Frame format is how the film was meant to be seen! I beg to differ and bow to Criterion for releasing this incredible movie in glorious widescreen and in a true 5.1! Don't worry, those purist that still listen through a Stereo Reciever (because MOST humans only have 2 ears),like myself..the stereo seperation will blow you away, especially if you have the inferior RHINO release, you need not do a side by side comparison! Not only are the songs in true stereo but the entire soundtrack through-out the entire movie. Including the closing credits (Known on the Colgems soundtrack as "PLus Strings") by Ken Thorne. Which also gives RHINO another bad mark. In October, RHINO released a "HEAD Deluxe CD boxset" and list the "Plus Strings as "stereo" and they are most certainly not, yet Criterion goes the extra mile and finds true masters to all the Stereo songs plus Ken thorne's excellent incidental music! "Porpoise Song" has the nice deep low ends and crystal clear highs. Special credit with the live "Circle Sky" and "As We Go Along" where the vocals were burried on the RHINO release. Not so on this print. You feel as if the movie were filmed yesterday! Not bad for a 42 year old film! The colors are vibrant and the print is so sharp you may want to keep your hands away from the screen! Criterion deserves an award for thier excellence!

I hadn't heard about this collection until i ran a search for Head on Blu Ray here at Amazon. At first I was ecstatic that it was on Blu Ray but dismayed that it was only available as part of a collection. When I saw the other films included coupled with the price being right i decided to buy it. I have now watched all the films and wasn't disappointed. Criterion does an excellent job with the HD transfers and the extras on each film.

Head was a lost gem I first saw on the CBS Late Movie in the early 1970s. To understand it, it helps to have some background about the Monkees and the myths surrounding them, as well as their desire to be taken seriously as a 1960s rock group. I already owned the Rhino DVD version, which professed that the 1:33 to 1 aspect ratio was original intended version. Nothing could be further from the truth; here it is presented in its original 1:78 to 1 aspect ratio (16:9 in the parlance of our times). The extras are very informative as is the commentary by Michael Nesmith, Peter Tork, Davy Jones and Micky Dolenz. Finally, an honorable version of this wonderful cult film!

I have seen Easy Rider several times over the years; the last time I saw it was a DVD presentation and I found it to be somewhat dated. However, due to the excellent HD transfer I was less focused on the lingo of the day and more on Laszlo Kovac's excellent cinematography. It's amazing how great the film looks with a proper transfer and it gave me a greatly renewed interest. Again, the extras are top-notch and very informative. It's equally impressive how much "bang for the buck" BBS got from all their films.

Five Easy Pieces was another film I already owned on DVD but again, this version looks wonderful.

The Last Picture Show is one of my favorite 1970s films and I never owned it before now. Again, the extras are excellent and the transfer is impeccable.

I had never seen the remaining films. A Safe Place and Drive, He Said were my least favorites though they are certainly interesting curious from the era. Sometimes films like these require repeated viewings to be fully appreciated though the acting in each were superb and both were original and imaginative. The King of Marvin Gardens was excellent and I'm surprised it didn't do well in its theatrical release years ago. Still, Criterion gave all the Class A treatment with high quality HD transfers and informative, interesting extras.

Criterion must be commended for their great efforts on this set. It's well worth purchasing and will provide several hours of viewing pleasure.

For anyone who loves New Hollywood cinema that kicked off in the late 1960s and ran through most of the 1970s as documented in Peter Biskind's book Easy Riders, Raging Bulls: How the Sex-Drugs-and-Rock 'N' Roll Generation Saved Hollywood, this new box set from the Criterion Collection is essential. The extras for this set are something else and will keep you busy for countless hours.

On the Head DVD is an audio commentary by The Monkees - Micky Dolenz, Davy Jones, Michael Nesmith, Peter Tork. Rather appropriately, they talk about how they got their own television show and then the film. They are all pretty candid about how badly the film performed at the time and how it was their attempt to trash the image of the band from the show.

"From The Monkees to Head" is an interview with director Bob Rafelson. He talks about the genesis of the T.V. show and how The Beatles influenced it with A Hard Day's Night. He goes on to talk about how the show led to the film and how everyone around him told him not to make it.

"BBS: A Time for Change" is a 30-minute featurette on BBS, an independent production company that existed from the late 1960s to the early 1970s. This is an excellent look at the genesis of this company and its place in cinematic history.

There are screen tests for all four Monkees that were done before the T.V. show. They were integrated into the pilot episode and helped launch the show. Their personalities really come out in this footage. We also see two of The Monkees paired up with two other guys that never made the final cut.

"The Monkees on The Hy Lit Show, 1968" is a rare T.V. appearance by the band to promote Head. It takes place next to a boxing ring (?!) and it is interesting to see them try and explain their film.

"Promotion" includes several theatrical trailers, T.V spots and radio spots for the film. Also included is a collection of stills and behind-the-scenes photographs.

On the Easy Rider disc, there is an audio commentary by co-writer and director Dennis Hopper that was recorded in 2009. He kicks things off by talking about the genesis of the film. He also talks about his motivation for making the film and what he was trying to say with it. He points out bits of dialogue and visual inserts that were improvised. There are several lulls throughout as Hopper tends to get caught up in watching the film.

Also included is a 1995 commentary by Hopper, Peter Fonda and production manager Paul Lewis. This is a much livelier track as everyone shares filming anecdotes like Phil Spector lending his limousine and bodyguard to the film. They also point out where various scenes were shot and how also just how stoned Jack Nicholson was during the famous campfire sequence.

There are two trailers.

The second disc starts off with a 30-minute BBC2 documentary entitled, "Born to be Wild". It features Hopper, Fonda, Karen Black and cinematographer Laszlo Kovacs. Hopper and Fonda talk briefly about how Roger Corman taught them to make a film fast and cheap. Of course, they address the casting of Nicholson and how Hopper didn't see him in the role. Everyone tells some good filming anecdotes in this highly enjoyable extra.

Carried over from the 35th Anniversary Edition is "Easy Rider: Shaking the Cage," an hour-long retrospective documentary featuring new interviews with Fonda, Hopper, Seymour Cassel (who worked on the crew) and Black. Hopper says that the film was an attempt to counter the mainstream fluff like the Frankie and Annette beach party movies that ignored sex, drugs and contemporary rock `n' roll. This is a top-notch look at all the wild stories of filming Easy Rider, including the infamous Mardi Gras shoot.

"Hopper and Fonda at Cannes" features a segment from French T.V. of Fonda and Hopper at the 1969 Cannes Film Festival with their film and they briefly talk about it.

Finally, there is an interview with Steve Blauner, one of the founders of BBS. He talks about the genesis of the company and about their start in T.V., creating The Monkees. He points out that the money from the show paid for Easy Rider.

If you own the Easy Rider (35th Anniversary Deluxe Edition) of the film you might want to hold on to as the commentary that Hopper does on it is not included, nor is the excellent BFI Modern Classics book on Easy Rider by Lee Hill or the bonus CD with select songs from the film.

The Five Easy Pieces disc starts off with an audio commentary by director Bob Rafelson and interior designer Toby Rafelson. Toby points out that the entire film was shot on practical locations. Originally, she didn't want to do the film but Bob convinced her when he told that he was going to use their own furniture (!). By keeping it under budget and on time, he had final cut and could also cast whomever he wanted. Naturally, Bob talks about working with Nicholson on this engaging track.

"Soul Searching in Five Easy Pieces" features an interview with Rafelson where he talks about the film's development. He was nervous about doing Five Easy Pieces because it was the first time he worked with actual, serious actors. He had written two screenplays but didn't like them. He showed them to screenwriter Carol Eastman and she threw them out and wrote her own.

"BBStory" is a 2009, 46-minute documentary about BBS Productions and features the likes of Rafelson, Peter Bogdanovich, Jack Nicholson, Karen Black, and several others. It starts off with the social and political conditions that gave birth to the company. The studio system was collapsing and BBS made films that reflected the times that people were living in.

"Bob Rafelson at AFI" features excerpts from an audio recording of Rafelson speaking at the American Film Institute. He talks about his career and the films he made for BBS.

Finally, there are two teaser trailers and one full-length trailer.

Drive, He Said starts off with "A Cautionary Tale of Campus Revolution and Sexual Freedom," a featurette where Jack Nicholson, Bruce Dern and co-producer Harry Gittes talk about making this film. It was about college campus revolution and at one point during filming a real riot broke out on the campus they were at. They went ahead and filmed it without permission. Nicholson talks about shooting the basketball sequences and how he cast actual players.

Also included is a trailer.

A Safe Place includes an audio commentary by director Henry Jaglom. He points out that the film was originally a play starring Karen Black. By adapting it into a film he wanted to make it more abstract, exploring the internal nature of Tuesday Weld's character. Jaglom is quite eloquent and engaging on this track.

"Henry Jaglom Finds A Safe Place" sees the filmmaker talking about the influence of improvisational theater and the New Wave of European cinema. He was interested in creating stories about the inner lives of women.

"Notes on the New York Film Festival" sees Jaglom and Peter Bogdanovich talk with film critic Molly Haskell about The Last Picture Show and A Safe Place in 1971. It's great to see them all in their prime talking so confidently about their work. The two directors banter playfully with each other in this enjoyable extra.

Also included are outtakes of Orson Welles blowing his lines and four screen tests.

There is a trailer as well.

The Last Picture Show includes an audio commentary by Peter Bogdanovich and actors Cybill Shepherd, Randy Quaid, Cloris Leachman and Frank Marshall. The director explains why he shot the film in black and white and says that the town was divided about them filming there. He goes into the casting choices with some interesting stories. Shepherd says that she never acted before doing that film and gives her impressions of working on it as do the other participants.

Bogdanovich returns for another commentary, this time by himself. There is some overlap from the previous track making it kind of redundant. Not surprisingly, he dwells on the nuts and bolts of filmmaking and discusses its themes.

Also included are two trailers.

The second disc includes "The Last Picture Show: A Look Back," an hour-long documentary made in 1999 with most of the key cast members and Bogdanovich and author Larry McMurtry recalling their experiences of making the film. It takes us through the genesis and filming to its reception. There is a fair amount of crossover of information from the commentaries but if you're not into listening to commentaries then this is for you.

"A Discussion with Filmmaker Peter Bogdanovich" sees him talking about how he got into show business, what directors influenced him and, of course, The Last Picture Show.

"Picture This" is a documentary about Bogdanovich and key cast members reunited to make the sequel, Texasville while also talking about their experiences making the original film. It also paints a fascinating portrait of the people that lived in the town.

Also included are 16mm screen tests of several actors in the film.

There is location footage that Bogdanovich shot while scouting places to shoot for the film.

"Truffaut on the New Hollywood" features filmmaker Francois Truffaut talking briefly about the New Hollywood directors in 1972 on French T.V. He also offers high praise for The Last Picture Show.

For The King of Marvin Gardens, there is a selected-scene commentary by Bob Rafelson. He talks about some of the stylistic choices he made. After Five Easy Pieces, he wanted to make a more abstract film. He talks about the film's style and comments on the characters.

"Reflections of a Philosopher King" sees Rafelson and actress Elle Burstyn talking about the characters in the film and how they came to be and evolved over the course of filming.

"Afterthoughts" features Rafelson, cinematographer Laszlo Kovacs and actor Bruce Dern talking about the style of the film and how it was achieved and why. There is some overlap from the previous extras but Dern and Kovacs' comments are quite good and funny as hell.

"About Bob Rafelson" is brief text biography of the man's career.

Finally, there is a trailer.

It goes without saying that few studios would have the courage to produce a blu-ray and dvd boxed set featuring seven films representing the full creative output of a single production company. But the Criterion Collection is committed to film scholarship and preservation, so we have the ambitious release of America Lost and Found: The BBS Story, a seven-film collection featuring some well-remembered classics (Easy Rider, Five Easy Pieces and The Last Picture Show), some forgotten films of the New Hollywood period (Drive, He Said, A Safe Place and The King of Marvin Gardens), and The Monkees sole big-screen outing (Head), all produced by the team behind BBS Productions. Yet as America Lost and Found makes the case, the creative explosion in American cinema that occurred in the late 1960's and early 1970's would not have happened if not for the contributions of Bob Rafelson and Bert Schneider, who parlayed their financial success with The Monkees television show into seminal film production company BBS. And as disparate as some of the films in this set are, they are all critical in understanding the success and ultimate demise of BBS.

First, it's worth noting that nearly every film in this collection gets the full Criterion treatment -- supplemental extras, commentary tracks and a first-class transfer to HD. Although Drive, He Said and A Safe Place are put together on a single disk, they are treated better than some of more bare bones titles Criterion has released over the past twenty years. The packaging is flawless, with each volume in the set receiving a cover based on the film's original movie poster. In addition, a thick book provides essays on BBS and the films included in the collection. If you are at all interested in graphic design, this set is a real showpiece, especially when compared with so many dull studio blu-ray and dvd releases. At $70 (on Amazon), you're getting each film for $10 -- as most Criterion releases retail for $25- 30, this is an incredible bargain. Even with the weaker films in the set, it's hard not to feel like you're getting more than your money's worth.

The set opens up with Head, which is overly indulgent and almost unwatchable. Suffice it to say, Criterion gives it a richer treatment than it deserves, including a stellar HD transfer and a full suite of supplements. Although Head is interesting in terms of its style and cinematography, it is presented as sort of an acid trip version of The Monkees television show, with the band members leaping from disconnected episode to disconnected episode. Except each episode is something akin to a nightmare someone had about the tv series. This description probably sounds cooler than the movie really is. However, the extras are very illuminating, particularly the documentary featuring director Bob Rafelson, who is unapologetic about his less than promising debut film. Of course, he has a right to be unapologetic, because he would go on to make Five Easy Pieces, one of the most important American films of the 1970's.

Dennis Hopper's Easy Rider is a film I grew up very aware of, but never actually sat through in its entirety. My father was a fan and even taped it off of HBO in the 1980's, which I always took as a reason to stay away. This was a mistake, as Easy Rider is a phenomenal film, worthy of the "classic" status it has held since its release. The plot is simple enough -- two hippies, Wyatt (Peter Fonda) and Billy (Hopper), make a huge amount of money on a cocaine deal, stow the cash and head across the country to retire in Florida. This brings the two across the southwest and the south, where they stay at a commune, pick up a Texan ACLU attorney played by Jack Nicholson, go to Mardi Gras in New Orleans and meet two groups of hippie-hating hillbillies. What could have been a glorious celebration of sixties era counterculture is instead a more somber examination of the counterculture's failure to achieve the immediate cultural transformation they longed for. The supplemental materials do an excellent job of illuminating the creation of the film, and also allow us to see the creative and personal strains between Dennis Hopper, Peter Fonda and co-writer Terry Southern. Laszlo Kovacs' cinematography (arguably the first film to intentionally use lens flairs and other "dirty" camera techniques four decades before J.J. Abrams made them a cliche) looks especially amazing in the HD transfer.

The third film in the set is another I hadn't seen before -- Bob Rafelson's Five Easy Pieces. In it, Jack Nicholson stars as Bobby Dupea, a childhood piano prodigy disillusioned with his life and his family. The film opens with Dupea working in a Texas oil field and living with his girlfriend, waitress Rayette, played by Karen Black. Bobby is incredibly unhappy with his life and holds Rayette in great contempt, but when he learns about his father's recent illness, he and Rayette head to the Dupea's family homestead on an island in Washington State. The film is stark and bleak, really investigating Bobby's disillusionment and inability to find happiness. In many ways, Five Easy Pieces sets the tone for almost all American independent cinema to come, featuring an alienated loner trying to make sense of it all. The supplements offer a look at the many collaborations between Jack Nicholson and Bob Rafelson, and really put Rafelson into context as one of the seminal filmmakers in the American New Wave.

The fourth disc includes both Drive, He Said and A Safe Place. The pair are probably the weakest in the package and the least notable, mostly because they stand as artifacts of their era. Serving as Jack Nicholson's directorial debut, Drive, He Said focuses primarily on the campus counterculture and a star basketball player, while A Safe Place is a largely incomprehensible and overambitious film about the psyche of Tuesday Weld. Neither are worth watching, although it should be noted that both transfers are as exceptional as the rest in the set.

Peter Bogdanovich's classic The Last Picture Show fills the fourth disc in the set. As interesting as many of the included films are, this one is easily the best, surpassing both Five Easy Pieces and Easy Rider. Bogdanovich would go on to make many films after, but his career would never again see a film like The Last Picture Show. Following a group of kids stuck in a dusty west Texas town, The Last Picture Show applies a European cinematic aesthetic to a classic American coming of age story. The transfer is phenomenal -- the black and white cinematography has made the leap to 1080p with nary a blemish to report. It appears that most of the extras are from previous editions, but if you want this film on Blu-Ray, this is probably the best way to get it.

The final disc is dedicated to Robert Rafelson's The King of Marvin Gardens, a character piece focused on two brothers played by Jack Nicholson and Bruce Dern. Despite some stunning cinematography from Lazlo Kovacs, King of Marvin Gardens is not a particularly successful film. David (Nicholson), a Philadelphia-based late-night radio host finds himself pulled back into the orbit of his charismatic huckster older brother Jason (Dern). Jason has set himself up in Atlantic City and is working a Hawaiian land deal, where he hopes to open a resort. With him are two women -- one middle aged, the other in her twenties -- who both appear to be Jason's girlfriends. He tries to entice David into joining his scam, but ultimately finds himself careening towards a tragedy of his own invention. The King of Marvin Gardens is definitely in the same mold as Drive, He Said and A Safe Place -- two films that, while visually interesting, are not exactly comprehensible or engaging from a story perspective. Like the other discs in the set, The King of Marvin Gardens features a phenomenal transfer, though the extras are somewhat light -- two brief featurettes about the making of the film, and a scene-specific commentary from Rafelson.

All and all, one could easily call America Lost and Found: The BBS Story "70's Film School in a Box." Not all the films included in the set are particularly compelling or worth owning on their own, but together they comprise an important archive that gives the viewer a much clearer picture of a critical turning point in American cinema, making a strong case for the influence of Robert Rafelson on the creation of New Hollywood cinema. Unlike Copolla's failed American Zoetrope project (yes, I know all of his films were produced under that moniker -- but the original idea of a San Francisco-based studio failed after THX1138), Rafelson and his associates actually succeeded in producing seven films and one documentary outside of the American studio system. Though not always successful, they were incredibly influential and would provide the template for the independent cinema revival of the 1990's. Anyone interested in the fertile 1970's should take a look at this excellent collection.

I've been working my way through this box set. My oldest son, a fellow film buff, gave it to me for my birthday. It's a treat. These were turbulent times in America, with the Vietnam war, political divisions, and restless young people. If anything, this box set is a great documentary of an era. Other reviews have gone into great detail, so I'll just say that the film transfers are all exceptional! The extras add to the understanding, and the book is a nice touch. It's great to see performances by emerging actors like Jack Nicholson, Bruce Dern, Dennis Hopper, Cybil Shepherd, Peter Fonda, and others. These are all exceptional films. Highly recommended!

Criterion has put together quite a package of films coming from the late 1960's to the 1970's. In addition to the 7 films (on 6 BR Discs), there is a nice handbook called "America Lost and Found: The BBS Story". Individual essays accompany each film and cast and crew credits are given. Each Blu ray disc is expertly transferred by Criterion in their proper aspect ratio. The sound in all cases is mono, but it is clean and understandable. From my perspective the films range from dreadful to a masterpiece in one case. Here are individual reviews and star ratings:

The Last Picture Show (1971)- 5.0 - According to director Peter Bogdanovich, he made this movie on location in Archer City, Texas in 2 months and spent another 6 months editing. By his own admission, he didn't know many of the technical aspects of filmmaking so reworking the prints was necessary. In the end, he got it all right. Shot in glorious black and white in order to promote the grim, bleak decay of a small Texas town, the film also gives us a complex set of characters. With the exception of Best Supporting Actor winner Ben Johnson, the cast is mostly unknown actors. This is model Cybill Shepherd's first role. Bogdanovich shot the film using traditional camera techniques. In addition to an established color pallet, most films of the era were being produced by directors experimenting with hand held cameras, quick cuts and special effects. "Picture Show" exhibits like the era it portrays, 1951-1952 dusty Texas. Bogdanovich doesn't use a musical score. Instead he uses the music of the day with an emphasis on Hank Williams. In fact a couple shots feature an old 45 rpm changer and of course a jukebox. By my count there are 8 or 9 central characters and Bogdanovich manages to flesh out each one so we know who they are and what they represent. For the most part the central focus is on Sonny (Timothy Bottoms) a graduating high school senior who comes to realize, life isn't getting any better, but seemingly has no options. The film was controversial at the time. It showed a change in American demographics as people were leaving the small towns that dotted the country for bigger cities that had more opportunities. "The Last Picture Show" is replete with nudity, adultery and sex. While this was not unheard of at the time, the context of it being in the lives of regular small town citizens was. The screenplay was adapted from Larry McMurtry's book of the same name. He grew up in Archer City, so I suspect all the events really happened, even if the characters may have differed. The film was hailed by critics at the time but lost the Best Picture Oscar to "The French Connection". With this his second film Peter Bogdanovich solidified his place in film history with this brilliant masterpiece. MSO (8-14-11)

Easy Rider (1969) - 4.0 - Hailed at the time for its innovative use of a few dollars, "Easy Rider" raised awareness throughout the country for its counter-cultural ideals, a life of true freedom and the effects of recreational drugs. Unfortunately, the minimal budget shows. The story is fine, essentially a journey across the southern U. S. Peter Fonda (also a producer), Dennis Hopper (also the director) and especially Jack Nicholson (a last minute replacement) are all fine in their roles. The movie tends to linger a bit too long on occasion and has some disjointed editing but hey, that's what you get on a shoestring budget. I'm sure the film didn't do well then, or even today in the Deep South where prejudice is on the surface and tolerance is a word not often used. In one scene presumed to be Louisiana our trio goes into a small town café. They are verbally badgered by a deputy sheriff and some local rednecks, but a gaggle of teen-age girls are all aflutter about the older bad boys on motorcycles. I guess it gave hope that a new generation would be more acceptant of differences. I thought that too. I was wrong. Hopper focuses much of the first half on the journey throughout the Southwest and its beautiful scenery. While the guys smoke a lot of dope along the way, 2 of the guys and their paid-for dates engage in a tab of LSD. The "trippin'" scene is very convincing and would suggest Hopper had been there before. "Easy Rider" is a groundbreaking film in many ways, but it has lost some of its luster when viewed today. MSO (8-12-11)

Five Easy Pieces (1970) - 4.0 - I hadn't seen this film in many years. What I remembered is probably what most would. I remembered the scene in the café where Robert Dupea (Jack Nicholson) becomes frustrated trying to order the breakfast he wants. I remembered the scene where stuck in a traffic jam, Robert climbs up in the back of a stake-bed truck and starts playing an upright piano being transported. What I don't remember is what a good movie this is. Directed and co-written by Bob Rafelson, it certainly qualifies as one of the great American New Wave films of the 1970's. Robert is a drop out of sorts. Thirty-something, he gave up a promising career as a concert pianist to the disappointment of his well-to-do musical family. He is now working in a California oil field. He has no responsibilities beyond getting a paycheck, getting drunk and getting laid. He has a live-in girlfriend, Rayette (Karen Black), but she constantly is listening to country music and envisions herself as a songwriter/performer. She also tends to annoy him with talk of love and romance. Robert fools around on the side, but Ray is loyal. Robert learns of his father's failing health after 2 strokes and decides to pay him a visit at his Puget Sound island home. Also at the rambling home are Robert's sister (Lois Smith), his older brother (Ralph Waite) and his brother's girlfriend (Susan Anspach). Although Robert brought Rayette along, he leaves her on the mainland in a motel while he makes his days-long visit. He says longer than expected because he is smitten with Catherine (Anspach) and in fact has a one night stand in the home while his brother is away. Robert wants to stay with Catherine but she wants no part of him and his lack of drive and responsibility. His life is also complicated by the fact Ray is pregnant. Bored, Ray makes the trip to the compound to surprise Robert. A family dinner that night and a subsequent night of entertaining puts Robert again at odds with his stuffy family and their friends. This terrific film put Nicholson on the "A" list. His performance as the dickish Robert is excellent as is that of Black as the good natured but needy waitress, Rayette. In the end, Robert doesn't know what to do. He runs. Excellent film. MSO (1-31-12)

The King of Marvin Gardens ((1972) - 3.0 - This BBS production was a follow-up of sorts to "Five Easy Pieces." This is the first time I've seen the movie. The story follows two brothers. David (Jack Nicholson) is a DJ in Philadelphia that primarily tells stories over the air. I'm not sure who his target audience is but I never heard of the concept. His brother Jason (Bruce Dern) is a man of dreams and ideas. Currently, Jason plans to buy a small island in Hawaii and develop it for homes and businesses. He asks David to come to Atlantic City and help him with the details. Oh, and bail him out of jail. Jason is currently living in a hotel with a just-past-her peak former beauty queen (Ellen Burstyn) and her very much in-her-peak step-daughter (Julia Anne Robinson). The brothers couldn't be more different. David is a quiet depressive loner who lives with his grandfather. Jason is a gadfly who is exuberate and optimistic all the time. The film really has no plot. It's all about their interaction. And this is the problem with the film. While Jessica (Robinson) and her step-mom are obviously a 2 for 1 package for Jason, she's also somewhat interested in David. But he's too timid or withdrawn to act upon her flirtation. To some extent all four characters are insecure and a bit loony. There are a couple scenes that would have worked well in director Bob Rafelson's previous film "Head." That is, pretty ridiculous. Still, Nicholson's performance is very interesting and insightful. Laszio Kovacs photography is very good, showing a freezing Atlantic City in an unusual way. A mild recommendation but perhaps a must for film students as it concludes an American experiment of Euro/art cinema style filmmaking. MSO (9-5-11)

Drive, He Said (1970) - 3.0 - Jack Nicholson steps behind the camera for the first time in this Vietnam era film about a couple college roommates struggling with college and what comes next. William Tepper gives a numb performance as Hector, a star basketball player with eyes toward the NBA. His roommate is Gabriel played over-the-top by Michael Margotta. It's easy to see why the two leads are unknown today. Gabriel is about to be drafted and is playing the sanity card. He takes a lot of pills (assume some sort of hallucinogens) and smokes a lot of pot. Both go to a college called Ohio. Now there is an Ohio University located in Athens which is southeast of Columbus, but this Ohio is located in the mountainous region of Ohio! At least based on a couple exterior shots. Actually the film was shot in Oregon. There really isn't much of a plot. Hector is a star but is thinking more about the politics and student rebellion. He's also having an affair with one of his prof's wife (Karen Black). Gabriel just doesn't want to get drafted as he sees this as sure death. It should also be noted that Nicholson shoots numerous scenes with full frontal nudity and doesn't hold back on the male gender either which is often the case. I suspect he did this just to see if he could get away with it. The best thing about the film is the basketball game photography. Most films don't get the sports action right. Nicholson does. I admit the short shorts look very strange today but the rest is excellent. One of the actors, Mike Warren was an All-American at UCLA before becoming an actor (starring role in TV's "Hill Street Blues"), and helped Nicholson set up some of the basketball scenes. While the film really isn't all that good there are other trivia of note. Terrence Malick ("The Tree of Life") was an uncredited screenwriter. Future TV stars David Ogden Stiers ("M.A.S.H.") and Cindy Williams ("Happy Days") have small roles. The Blu ray transfer is very grainy and clearly shows the age of the film. The sound is a remastered mono. MSO (12-23-11)

A Safe Place (1971) - 1.5 - This is a bizarre and quite boring film about...I don't know what. Something about a confused, lonely, disturbed woman named Susan or Noah (she uses both). She is either dreaming, hallucinating or is loco. I'm not quite sure. Played by a fetching Tuesday Weld, she comes across almost as if she's not acting. Is this just her improvising? Orson Welles is somehow in the movie as some sort of fantasy magician who levitates a silver ball that only Susan/Noah can see. A young Jack Nicholson shows up as a ghost or memory or something. I don't know. Philip Proctor plays opposite Weld in a role originated by director and writer Henry Jaglom on Broadway. He describes Welds character as "pretty, sad and weirder than hell." That pretty much sums up this mess. MSO (12-27-11)

Head (1968) - 1.5 - Back in the late-1960's after the Beatles swept the nation and the world with their music and 2 successful movies, a TV show was created called "The Monkeys". It featured 4 actors who later became famous not only for the show but for their music...as it were. They became an American based band, although singer Davy Jones was a Brit and didn't play an instrument. The other 3 were pretty average at best. Still, the show and the group were a big hit with the teenage girls at the time. When the series ended after a 2 or 3 year run, this ridiculous movie was made. Directed by Bob Rafelson who also co-wrote the film with Jack Nicolson it is nothing more than a disjointed acid trip. It makes no sense, isn't funny and isn't even very musical. It does feature however cameos by a host of well known names. Some were famous at the time (gossip columnist Rona Barrett, horror film actor Tor Johnson, Mouseketeer Annette Funicello, heavyweight champ Sonny Liston, Green Bay linebacker Ray Nitschke, stripper with the world's biggest boobs Carol Doda, musician Frank Zappa, film icon Victor Mature) and some up-and-comers (Jack Nicholson, Dennis Hopper, Teri Garr). I can't image anyone enjoying this film unless your mind is altered somewhere close to the state the writers and actors were at the time. MSO (9-4-11)

Buy this! If you like film at all you must get this. Head is very interesting. Easy Rider is necessary viewing. Five Easy Pieces is one of the best ever. Drive, He Said is what it is. A Safe Place has Orson Welles. The Last Picture Show is fantastic. The King of Marvin Gardens is like nothing else. Put all of this together with the voluminous extra features, the great Criterion video/audio, and the incredible content, and you get one of the greatest box sets ever. Worth every cent....

I was extremely delighted with this product it was far better than I imagined Criterion have done it again BRAVO

I love all of the films that are in this great boxset. I really love "A Safe Place" and "Five Easy Pieces."