The Desert Island---Part I

I belong to one of those internet social networks, and one of the fun things I did a while back was list my "Desert Island discs", that is, the 15 albums or CD's that I would have to have with me if I was stranded on a desert island. That was so much fun that I figured I would bring the concept over to my blog. Part I is going to list the 10 DVD's that I would have to have with me, then I will list the albums/CD's in Part II, the books in Part III, and toys in Part IV. We'll see how it goes. So, in no particular order, here are the top 10 movies/DVD's that I would need to have with me on my desert island and why:

1. The Godfather
My all-time favorite movie, and I'm sure I don't need to tell you why. I couldn't live out the rest of my life happily if I couldn't experience all over again Marlon Brando uttering the immortal line "I made him an offer he couldn't refuse", Al Pacino making his bones in the Italian restaurant, James Caan having his way with one of the bridesmaids at his sister's wedding, Caan again this time meeting his violent end at the Jones Beach tollbooth, and the superbly done baptism sequence of Carlo and Connie's baby. The best gangster movie ever made and more than worthy of its Academy Awards and legendary status.

2. It's A Wonderful Life
I did a blog entry some months ago about why I identify with George Bailey, so I won't go into it all again. This film is timeless and makes me cry every time I watch it. And consider this, I first showed this film to my stepson and stepdaughter eight years ago. They are now 17 and 14, moody and cynical, and very much a product of their time. Nevertheless, they still insist on seeing this black-and-white, made-in-1946 film every Christmas eve. I think that says it all.

3. The Searchers
Anyone who has ever been cynical about John Wayne should see this film. The Duke does a tremendous job of acting, and actually makes you care about a character who is racist, sexist, violent, and thinks nothing of shooting people in the back. The photography is gorgeous, the story is absorbing, and the entire production is simply beautiful. John Ford, one of the great masters of American cinema, never made a better movie.

4. Pulp Fiction
Many people don't "get" Quentin Tarantino, and I can understand why. This film, however, is simply a masterpiece. With its lopsided chronology, amazing dialogue, fascinating moral dillemas and tremendous acting, the film continues to engage and entertain. Too many unforgettable sequences to name them all, but just a few are: Travolta and Thurman's wonderful dance at Jackrabbit Slim's, Samuel L. Jackson's monologue supposedly quoting the Bible just before he kills Frank Whaley, Bruce Willis and Ving Rhymes meeting up with Zed and his buddies, and the infamous adrenaline shot scene. Dang, I want to go put it in my DVD player right now just thinking about it.

5. JFK
It's sad to see that Oliver Stone has become such a hack, and I admit that the film plays fast and loose with historical fact. Nevertheless, this is an absorbing and endlessly entertaining movie, which never ceases to get me worked up every time I watch it. I don't know if there was a conspiracy to kill JFK by the Mafia, the Cubans, the military, etc. But I certainly don't believe Oswald acted alone, and this film serves to bring out those feelings. Kevin Costner as an extremely fictionalized Jim Garrison, and the rest of the cast, are enthralling. One of the most "cinematic" films ever made.

6. Goodfellas
I love gangster movies, especially when they are done well, and this one is as great as any. I also idolize Martin Scorcese, who has made more great films than most directors. This one is my all-time favorite of his. A relentless, powerful narrative, driven by tremendous performances from Ray Liotta (never better), Robert DeNiro, Paul Sorvino and Academy Award winner Joe Pesci. This is also Scorcese's most inventive film, with freeze frames, slow motion, montages done to rock music and Liotta's narration, and the famous tracking shot of Liotta and Lorraine Bracco entering a nightclub through a back door, walking down hallways, through a busy kitchen, past busboys and chefs and waiters, and finally into the club itself where they are given a makeshift table and chairs right up front. It's all done in one unbroken shot and it is simply amazing.

7. Casablanca
Do I really need to say anything about this movie? Is there anyone out there who doesn't love it? The definitive Bogart performance, the luminous Ingrid Bergman role, the wonderfully sly and corrupt Claude Rains, the creepy Peter Lorre, etc. Probably the most loved film of all time, endlessly watchable and timeless. Here's looking at you, kid.

8. Z
Here's my one personal favorite that most people will probably scratch their heads over. If you've ever seen this film, you understand its power and greatness. But most people today, especially young people, know nothing about Z. A French-made film about a true assassination of a Greek politician, the film is directed by Constantin Costa-Gavras, a wonderful director who has also become almost forgotten today. With a relentless pace and fascinating story, not to mention one of the all-time great movie scores, the story enfolds and engulfs the viewer, eventually leaving you completely worn out. I saw this film for the first time when I was 11 years old in 1969. My cousin and I were both blown away by its power, and it remained my favorite film for most of my life. If you see no other movie I list in this blog entry, make sure to check out Z. You won't regret it.

9. The Manchurian Candidate
Forget about the remake with Denzel Washington, the original is one of the most powerful and wickedly funny political films ever made. The brainwashing sequence, where Frank Sinatra and Laurence Harvey's patrol are made to believe that they are at a ladies social club meeting, is one of the most intense sequences in cinema. The rest of the movie is equally relentless, and while the acting of the leads (Harvey, Sinatra, and the beautiful Janet Leigh) is merely adequate, the performances of the supporting players, especially a terrifying Angela Lansbury as Harvey's evil mother, are tremendous.

10. Paths of Glory
I couldn't be stranded on a desert island without a Kubrick film, and I have always believed that this is his best. While most people would pick a different Kubrick masterpiece (whether it be 2001, Dr. Strangelove, A Clockwork Orange, The Shining, etc.), I feel that this powerful, tight, relentless anti-war film is the most complete film in Kubrick's oeuvre, and the closest he ever got to perfection. The trench warfare scenes are unbelieveable, the set design is magnificent, and the acting is universally solid, including Kirk Douglas in what I believe was his best performance, and Adolph Menjou perfectly capturing all the nuances of a truly evil general. The execution scene is one of the most emotionally wringing sequences in the history of cinema.

And there you have it. The ten movies I simply couldn't live without.