Alternative Distribution: Red State, Zenith

Two recent films that experimented with different theatrical distribution models have now found their way to Netflix Watch Instantly.  I have put both of them in my queue because I want to see whether the buzz generated by their distribution stories is justified by the films themselves.*

I'm not the biggest Kevin Smith fan, but he did succeed in generating a lot of buzz at this year's Sundance Film Festival by buying his own film distribution rights for $20 with a plan to distribute the film theatrically himself.  Ultimately this calls into question the role of theatrical distribution for independent cinema, as Smith also sold Video-On-Demand (VOD), Subscription Video-On-Demand (SVOD), Electronic Sell-Through (EST) and Television rights in the United States to Lionsgate Media (details about the distribution model can be found at MovieWeb).  Did he genuinely believe that he could successfully distribute the film itself, or did he realize that there was no need to invest significantly in the theatrical release as long as the brand is established for the video distribution platforms?  While the jury is still out on whether Smith's theatrical distribution was a success, one wonders whether the theatrical gross will be that relevant in the long run in relation to its branding as people recognize it in their VOD and Netflix queue.

Red State (Kevin Smith, USA, 2011, 88 minutes)
Netflix: Director Kevin Smith puts a unique spin on the horror genre in this tale of hormonal urges gone awry. Three high school boys answer an online ad from a woman seeking wild sex and find themselves face-to-face with a threatening supernatural force.  Netflix link.

Another recent independent film that has experimented with alternative distribution strategies and has dabbled in so-called "transmedia" (translation: multiple format) storytelling is Vladan Nikolic's Zenith.
Following up on the film's conspiracy theory themes, initial publicity for the film was generated in part by actual conspiracy theory websites.  The initial theatrical release strategy was described in IndieWire, where my friend Ray Privett described the subsequent DVD and VOD distribution as "adjusted windowing" in which the key dates are close together but not literally "day-and-date" (simultaneous) release dates.  Zenith was also distributed though Vodo, a peer-to-peer based distribution platform that has been described on the Vodo site as "Netflix meets Kickstarter."  It would be interesting to see statistics for numbers of eyeballs that have seen the film in these various formats, compared to how many people will see the film now that it is on Netflix.

Despite the parallels between these films, the obvious difference is the branding associated with Kevin Smith (and his SmodCast empire) and the relatively unknown status of Nikolic and Zenith.  They are on equal footing on Netflix to the degree that you can hit a button and watch either of them with the same ease right now, but the question would be what will drive people to hit play for Red State or Zenith?

Zenith (Vladan Nikolic, USA, 2010, 92 minutes)
Netflix: In a hellish future where human beings have become stupefied by the state of permanent happiness they have been genetically altered to experience, Jack (Peter Scanavino) offers relief via drugs that cause his customers the welcome phenomenon of pain. But when Jack receives a mysterious videotape of his dead father, he sets out to unmask the dangerous conspiracy that has created this dystopian world. Vladan Nikolic helms this innovative drama.  Netflix link.

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* Edit 11/19/11: Well, I just finished Red State, and it reminded me why I've never liked Kevin Smith's films.  A strong setup (despite some of the clunkiest exposition dialogue I've heard in a while) is followed by narrative spurts that lumber along as the situation gets more overblown and we care even less.  Really has nothing to say about the topic it pretends to be about, it's just a set up for a shootout (which itself is clumsily shot and edited).  Even the inspired audacity of the false climax is undermined by a clumsily written final scene that just keeps going, apparently even beyond the interest of the actors themselves (am I right, don't they seem bored)?

Still, there's probably enough interest in the film to warrant this post, so by all means watch it if you were intrigued by it in the first place and let me know your thoughts in the comments section.

Roman Polanski: Chinatown, Cul-De-Sac, Wanted and Desired

You probably have noticed that Chinatown has been added to Netflix Watch Instantly, so I thought I'd add a quick Saturday entry with some other Polanski related suggestions. The documentary Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired is well worth your time even if you don't think you're interested in his story or the controversy surrounding his escape from statutory rape charges in California.

Chinatown (Roman Polanski, USA, 1974, 130 minutes)
Netflix: With a suspicious, porcelain-skinned femme fatale (Faye Dunaway) bankrolling his snooping, private eye J.J. Gittes (Jack Nicholson) uncovers intricate dirty dealings in the Los Angeles waterworks and gets his nose slashed for his trouble. Meanwhile, his financier harbors a nasty family secret. Director Roman Polanski reimagines 1930s Los Angeles with an onionlike story that reveals itself one complex layer at a time in this classic neonoir.  Netflix link.

Cul-De-Sac (Roman Polanski, UK, 1966, 99 minutes)
Netflix link: Roman Polanski directs this tense, dark comedic thriller about two wounded criminals, Dickie (Lionel Stander) and Albie (Jack MacGowran), who hole up at a secluded seaside castle belonging to old, meek Englishman George (Donald Pleasence) and his young, vibrant French wife, Teresa (Francoise Dorleac). Soon, only Dickie is left to terrorize the couple, and bizarre relationships between the three begin to form. Jacqueline Bisset co-stars.  Netflix link.

Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired (Marina Zenovich, USA, 2008, 99 minutes)
Netflix: This penetrating documentary explores the tumultuous events of director Roman Polanski's personal life, including the murder of his pregnant wife, Sharon Tate, and the controversial sex scandal that prompted him to flee the United States for France. Highlights include an interview with Polanski's victim, Samantha Geimer, as well as candid conversations with Chinatown screenwriter Robert Towne and actress Mia Farrow.  Netflix link.

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Classic Television: Kovacs, Hitchcock, and Thriller

Netflix defines "classic television" pretty broadly (and includes some truly horrible television shows from the 1970s in the category just because they are "old").  But there are some gems in the Netflix Watch Instantly collection, and this weekend The Ernie Kovacs Collection began streaming.  Not enough people know Kovacs, perhaps because not too many black and white shows shot on video from the 1950s have had a significant life in syndication.  But Kovacs's experiments with the new medium of television has influenced subsequent playful late night television personalities, and his influence extends to the world of video art as well.

To round out today's entry, I've included one well known and one not so well known suspense shows.  The opening credits for Alfred Hitchcock Presents have been parodied in so many ways that people recognize his silhouette without ever having seen an episode of the show.  But it's worth going back to watch these well made shows, including the episodes Hitchcock directed himself.  I was recently introduced to Thriller with host Boris Karloff by fans of the show, and I'm slowly working my way through its episodes as well.

The Ernie Kovacs Collection (1952-1961, 21 episodes)
Netflix: In the infancy of any medium, there will be some who realize its potential well before anyone else, Ernie Kovacs was such a visionary. Between 1951 and 1962 he broke rules that hadn't been made yet and created a "language" that is taken for granted. Netflix link.

Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1955, 39 episodes)
Netflix: Master of the macabre Alfred Hitchcock brings his creepy-droll sensibility to the small screen in four seasons -- 1955 through 1958 -- of this mystery series that features a parade of stars from that era in chilling stories by leading authors. The legendary helmsman himself directed a number of the episodes, including two -- "Lamb to Slaughter" with Barbara Bel Geddes and "The Case of Mr. Pelham" -- that received Emmy nods.  Netflix link.

Thriller (1960, 37 episodes)
Netflix: The legendary Boris Karloff serves as host for this vintage television series, which began as an anthology of crime dramas and mysteries but later morphed into chilling tales of the supernatural and gothic horror. With episodes based on novels and short stories, the show features a roster of guests ranging from big-screen veterans such as John Carradine and Mary Astor to soon-to-be-stars such as Cloris Leachman and William Shatner.  Netflix link.

Samuel Fuller: White Dog, House of Bamboo, China Gate

This week I plan to use the Quick Picks entries to highlight films that I have put on my "In My Queue" list, and give brief reasons why I plan to watch them later in the day.  First up this week is Samuel Fuller's White Dog.

Fuller is well known for his tough war dramas (Steel Helmet, Fixed Bayonets!), bold noirs (Pickup on South Street, House of Bamboo) and sensationalist melodramas (Shock Corridor, The Naked Kiss).  His unique voice in American cinema endeared him to filmmakers in the French New Wave, and Godard featured Fuller in a cameo in Pierrot le Fou (1965).  Godard's film features Fuller stating his philosophy about filmmaking: “The film is like a battleground; love, hate, action, violence, death. In one word EMOTION.”  Fuller had few directing opportunities in the 1970s, but he triumphantly returned with the  semi-autobiographical war film, The Big Red One (1980) which was a critical success but a commercial disappointment.  Still, Fuller was back on the radar, which led screenwriter Curtis Hanson and producer Jon Davidson to approach Fuller to direct an adaptation of Romain Gary's racial allegory, White Dog.

In his Criterion Collection essay on the film, J. Hoberman describes the sensibility that Fuller brings to the film: "filmed in headlines, framed as allegory, a movie of constant hyperbole and borderline absurdity, White Dog combines hard-boiled sentimentality and hysterical violence, sometimes in the same take."  Hoberman goes on to explain how objections from the NAACP and lukewarm test audiences led Paramount to shelve the film. The film was barely seen in America outside of occasional cable television airings until a Film Forum screening in 1991.  Fuller was devastated, and after moving to France (where White Dog had a limited release) he never completed another feature film in Hollywood (his last two, Thieves after Dark and Street of No Return were French productions).

Despite their reliance on conventions of popular genre filmmaking, Fuller's films are always just a bit off-center in terms of narrative and style, and Fuller was never reluctant to utilize any tool available to him to heighten emotional affect. But even when he rubs you the wrong way, Fuller is always admirable for his untethered fearlessness. I'm not anticipating anything subtle when I finally catch up with White Dog this afternoon, but I will see a treatment of sensitive issue by someone whose primary interest was always, in one word, "EMOTION," not sensitivity.  If you decide to join me, either today or in the near future, I look forward to your comments in the discussion section below.

 

White Dog (Samuel Fuller, USA, 1982, 89 minutes)
After hitting a German shepherd with her car, young actress Julie (Kristy McNichol) adopts it and nurses it back to health. When she discovers that her pet has been trained to viciously attack black people, she convinces dog trainer Keys (Paul Winfield) to try to cure the animal. Samuel Fuller directs this controversial, chilling drama based on Romain Gary's 1970 memoir, Chien Blanc. Burl Ives co-stars. Netflix link.






Netflix Watch Instantly also currently has two other Samuel Fuller films.  Of the two, I've seen House of Bamboo, which is fantastic in its use of vibrant widescreen cinematography and location shooting.  Again, despite being a relatively straight forward genre film, at times the compositions seem almost flat and abstract, inspiring later filmmakers like Godard.


House of Bamboo (Samuel Fuller, USA, 1955, 102 minutes)
Netflix: Filmed in Japan and featuring stunning photography, Sam Fuller's 1955 crime noir tells the story of Eddie Kenner (Robert Stack), a U.S. army operative sent to Tokyo to investigate ex-soldier Sandy Dawson (Robert Ryan). Working undercover, Kenner must gain the trust of Dawson, who now heads a gang that's robbed several ammunition trains. Mariko (Shirley Yamaguchi), the secret wife of a dead American soldier, comes forward to help Kenner. Netflix link.

China Gate (Samuel Fuller, USA, 1957, 95 minutes)
Netflix: Mercenaries infiltrate the Chinese border to blow up an arms depot during the French phase of the Vietnam War. A Eurasian smuggler, Lucky Legs (Angie Dickinson), cuts a deal with the mercenaries, agreeing to help them in exchange for her son's safe passage to America. Spaghetti Western legend Lee Van Cleef and crooner Nat King Cole also star in this action thriller by celebrated director Samuel Fuller. Netflix link.

Heist Films: The Italian Job, Topkapi, The Hot Rock

This week I'm returning the Quick Picks closer to their original inspiration: less talk, more titles and links.

There's not much more to say here other than that there's nothing that beats a good heist film.  While some may quibble with my inclusion of 11 Harrowhouse on this list, I remember taping it off of cable when I was in my teens and watching it several times because even good to mediocre heist films are great even on repeat viewings. I'm not sure why people dislike 11 Harrowhouse so much, but I'm going to look at it again to see if it matches my memory of it.  I'd appreciate reactions to it in the comments section.

In any case, there are some obvious omissions from this list (Rififi, for example) but I focused on those films that are currently available on Netflix Instant View.  Hopefully doing this list will inspire me to finally catch up with The Hot Rock, which is often mentioned as an underrated film of the 1970s, and cited by Steven Soderbergh as an influence on his Ocean's Eleven.


The Italian Job (Peter Collingson, UK, 1969, 99 minutes)
Netflix: In director Peter Collinson's Golden Globe-nominated caper flick, enterprising swindler Charlie Croker (Michael Caine) hatches an ingenious plan to steal a huge cache of Chinese gold en route to Turin, Italy, as collateral for a new Fiat plant. The diversion for the heist: A gigantic traffic jam during an Italy-Great Britain soccer match. Incarcerated criminal genius Mr. Bridger (Noel Coward) helps Croker get financing -- from his jail cell. Netflix link.

Topkapi (Jules Dassin, USA, 1964, 119 minutes)
Netflix: Jet-setting jewel thief Elizabeth Lipp (Melina Mercouri) drafts master tactician Walter Harper (Maximilian Schell) and some ragtag locals, including grifter Arthur Simpson (Peter Ustinov), to help pinch a gem-encrusted dagger from an Istanbul museum. Unwittingly tapped as a patsy to smuggle guns over the border, Simpson soon ends up straddling both sides of the law. Ustinov scored a Best Supporting Actor Oscar for his first-rate performance. Netflix link.

The Asphalt Jungle (John Houston, USA, 1950, 112 minutes)
Neftlix: Nominated for four Academy Awards and long considered a noir classic, John Huston's heist film follows a band of criminal masterminds (Sam Jaffe, Sterling Hayden and Louis Calhern) as they carry out a million-dollar jewelry-store burglary that will have them set for life. Snatching the loot is easy, but their greed soon leads to double crosses and murder. The film features an early appearance by Marilyn Monroe as a sexy moll. Netflix link.

The Hot Rock (Peter Yates, USA, 1972, 100 minutes)
Netflix: Robert Redford stars as jewel thief and ex-con John Dortmunder, who's hired to pinch a priceless African sparkler from a New York City museum in this Oscar-nominated caper comedy. To help pull off the elaborate heist, Dortmunder drafts a safecracker (George Segal), a wheelman (Rob Leibman) and an explosives expert (Paul Sand), but the job snowballs after a string of missteps and mishaps. Zero Mostel shines in a supporting role as a slimy lawyer. Netflix link.
Update: No longer streaming on Netflix

11 Harrowhouse (Aram Avakian, UK, 1974, 95 minutes)
Netflix: Small-time jewel dealer Howard Chesser (Charles Grodin) is in way over his head when he brokers a deal to purchase and cut a huge stone. When the valuable gem is stolen, Chesser's backer (Trevor Howard) forces him to rob the world's largest diamond exchange. With some inside information and a powerful vacuum, Chesser pulls off the heist but soon finds himself on the run. John Gielgud and Candice Bergen also star in this entertaining crime caper. Netflix link.

Alfred Hitchcock: Pre-Hollywood

Alfred Hitchcock had already directed 28 films in England before David O. Selznick brought him to Hollywood to direct Rebecca (which won Best Picture in 1940).  Many of Hitchock's English films are lesser known today, in part because some have fallen into the public domain and often only poor quality versions of them are available. But it is worth going back to see how Hitchcock's style evolved, and several of his early films are genuine classics.

The Netflix Watch Instantly options do go a bit earlier than these more famous titles listed below.  Currently streaming is the silent version of Blackmail (1929), which almost immediately was re-worked to become England's first sound feature (also in 1929).  Two other early Hitchcocks include the silent Easy Virtue (1928) and an early sound feature, Number 17 (1932).

The Man Who Knew Too Much (Alfred Hitchcock, UK, 1934, 74 minutes)
Netflix: The Lawrences are vacationing in Switzerland when a secret-agent friend is mortally wounded. Before dying, he utters some cryptic words revealing a planned assassination in London, and things only get worse when the couple's daughter is kidnapped. With little police help, the parents take matters into their own hands. Alfred Hitchcock's black-and-white classic was later remade in color, starring Jimmy Stewart and Doris Day. Netflix link.

Hitchcock told Francois Truffaut that he considered his remake of The Man Who Knew Too Much to be the superior film, stating that the 1934 version was the work of a talented amateur, while the 1956 version was the work of a professional.  But the original is still worth watching on its own terms, because Hitchcock as a talented amateur is still worth watching.

Sabotage (Alfred Hitchcock, UK, 1936, 76 minutes) 
Netflix: Director Alfred Hitchcock adapts Joseph Conrad's novel into a black-and-white classic. Based on her husband's recent absence from home, a movie-theater cashier (Sylvia Sydney) suspects that her spouse is involved in espionage. Meanwhile, her teenaged brother travels through London, unaware of the time bomb he's carrying in a reel can. Netflix link.

This film is often confused with a later Hitchcock film with a similar title, Saboteur (1946).  (Saboteur is the film with the iconic image of Norman Lloyd falling from the Statue of Liberty.)  Further adding to the confusion is that the title of Sabotage was changed for its American release to The Woman Alone.  Hitchcock famously dismissed a bombing sequence in this film for breaking all of his own rules for suspense.

 
The 39 Steps (Alfred Hitchcock, UK, 1936, 76 minutes)
Netflix: Richard Hannay (Robert Donat) is vacationing in England when he gets caught in a web of mystery in this Hitchcock thriller. Shots ring out at a show, and a terrified woman (Lucie Mannheim) begs Hannay to help her. He's certain she's crazy -- until she appears at his flat with a map in hand and a knife in her back, muttering something about 39 steps. Eluding the police, Hannay travels through Scotland to unearth the truth. Netflix link.

The 39 Steps came in fourth place in the British Film Institute's 1999 poll of top 100 British films (topped only by Lawrence of Arabia, Great Expectations, and at number one, The Third Man.  This is one of several Hitchcock classics with the theme of the innocent man on the run from the police, needing to clear his name (later exemplified in films like North by Northwest).  This is the first of four film adaptations of the book The 39 Steps, and Netflix is also streaming the 1959 version directed by Ralph Thomas.

The Lady Vanishes (Alfred Hitchcock, UK, 1938, 96 minutes)
Netflix: Traveling aboard a transcontinental train, young Iris Henderson (Margaret Lockwood) becomes alarmed when an acquaintance, elderly governess Miss Froy (Dame Mae Whitty), suddenly vanishes. Inexplicably, all the other passengers deny having seen the woman. So Iris turns to her lone ally -- handsome music scholar Gilbert Redman (Michael Redgrave) -- for help. As the two search for clues to Froy's disappearance, they uncloak a sinister plot. Netflix link.

In addition to being a neat little suspense thriller, this film is also notable for featuring the first appearance of Naunton Wayne and Basil Radford as bumbling and bemused friends who want to get home in time for the cricket match.  These minor characters, sometimes referred to as Caldicott and Charters, were so popular that they appeared in several other English films in the 1940s, including Dead of Night (1945), Quartet (1949) and Passport to Pimlico (1949).  Netflix is also streaming the much maligned 1979 remake of The Lady Vanishes starring Cybil Shephard and Elliot Gould. (I don't know, I liked the remake when I saw it as a kid, but most people seem to hate Shephard's performance in particular.)

I look forward to your responses and feedback in the comments section.  --JLK

Henri-Georges Clouzot: Diabolique, The Wages of Fear

Today's quick picks serve a double duty.  These are fine picks for those looking for great foreign films that they haven't seen yet; these tend to be overlooked since they are more genre driven than art-house fare.  And these are also fine picks for those who are looking for a good suspense film; these might not come to mind immediately nor do they show up right away in genre browsing on Netflix. 

Diabolique (Henri-Georges Clouzot, France, 1954, 116 minutes)
Netflix: The ailing spouse (Véra Clouzot) and manhandled mistress (Simone Signoret) of a sadistic boarding school headmaster (Paul Meurisse) plan and execute the man's murder -- but their plan goes haywire when the corpse vanishes. Henri-Georges Clouzot directs his real-life wife in this icy, black-and-white masterwork of homicide and Grand Guignol suspense, which ranked No. 49 on the Bravo network's "100 Scariest Movie Moments." Netflix link.

It's hard to describe the "scary moment" mentioned above without spoilers, but it is safe to say that I was genuinely creeped-out by this film when I first saw it back when I was in my teens.  I don't want to go so far as to say "don't watch it alone" or any such nonsense, but it was a memorable viewing experience because I did watch it alone and was a little freaked out for a while afterward.  This messes with your head.  Robert Bloch, the author of the screenplay for Hitchcock's Psycho, cited Diabolique as his favorite horror film (though perhaps suspense thriller would be a better genre description).

The Wages of Fear (Henri-Georges Clouzot, France, 1953, 148 minutes)
Netflix: An oil company enlists four destitute drifters -- Mario (Yves Montand), Luigi (Folco Lulli), Bimba (Peter Van Eyck) and Jo (Charles Vanel) -- for a dangerous mission transporting volatile explosives across Central America's treacherous terrain. Packed with nerve-racking tension that never lets up, director Henri-Georges Clouzot's gritty masterpiece took home the Grand Prize at the 1953 Cannes Film Festival. Netflix link.

As recently as 2010, Empire Magazine ranked this at #9 in their list of The 100 Best Films of World Cinema. In his review Roger Ebert stated that "the film's extended suspense sequences deserve a place among the great stretches of cinema." The film was remade and Americanized much later with mixed results with William Friedkin's Sorcerer.  The Criterion website has two helpful essays on the film by Danny Perry and Dennis Lehane.

Le Corbeau (Henri-Georges Clouzot, France, 1943, 91 minutes)
Netflix: The shadowy writer known only as "Le Corbeau" drives a French provincial town -- via cryptic and damning letters -- into exposing the suspicion and hard feelings hidden beneath the community's surface. Made during the Nazi occupation of France, director Henri-Georges Clouzot's film was vilified by the right-wing Vichy regime and other groups. But writers such as Jean Cocteau recognized the powerful subtext to Clouzot's anti-Gestapo tale. Netflix link.

The great thing about doing this blog so far has been discovering many films that I need to see, and I have put this on my to-see list.  According to the Criterion website, this is currently out of print, so we all should try to watch it while it is still on Netflix (although it will probably be available again through the new Criterion-Hulu deal).  The film was controversial in part due to it being co-produced by a German production company, while at the same time many read it as a thinly veiled anti-Gestapo commentary.  Quentin Tarantino makes a reference to this controversy in Inglourious Basterds, when we see the cinema owner change her marquee to Le Corbeau (even though the film was banned in Occupied France).

Genres: Films I Should Have Seen By Now from the 1970s

In the coming weeks the Thursday entries will focus on either popular genres (Western, Musicals, Horror, Comedy, Action, Sci-Fi, etc.) or on television series (yes, that means there will be at least one Doctor Who entry).  I’m going to cheat a bit on my own premise and schedule by starting with this entry of films from the 1970s that I really should have seen at this point in my life, but I haven’t.  So while future entries will focus on one particular genre, I’ll break this entry into a variety of genres.  Of course, what is great about many 1970s films is the degree to which they played with genre conventions and fused them with influences from art film and modernist filmmaking practices.  So some might argue that these genre labels are misleading (even though I"ll use Netflix labels as my guide); that may be true, and I look forward to hearing those objections in the comments section.

It might seem a bit odd to recommend films that I haven’t seen yet.  But part of my aspiration with this blog is to start a dialogue with people about what they’re watching and how they’re using the streaming services currently available.  So the fact that I’ve now admitted to having not seen these films will light a fire under me and force me out of shame to finally sit down and watch these, since they’re just sitting there in my queue and there’s really no excuse not to watch them.   And now I am subject to peer pressure from those reading this to finally see them.

This list is inspired in part by the recent list Time Out list of the 100 Best British Films of all time.  Topping the list was Nicholas Roeg’s Don’t Look Now, which has been on my View Instantly queue for far too long (and yes, it was on there before the Time Out list came out). It is also inspired by the fact that Don't Look Now will only be streaming for another few days, expiring on March 1.  So hopefully this entry will light a fire under all of us to watch it.  As it turns out, there are three Nicholas Roeg films from the 1970s on the list (and a fourth from 1980, Bad Timing, is also currently streaming), so we'll start out with those.

Mystery / Psychological Thriller

Don’t Look Now (Nicholas Roeg, UK, 1973, 110 minutes)

Netflix: After losing their young daughter in a tragic drowning accident, John (Donald Sutherland) and Laura (Julie Christie) Baxter relocate to Venice, Italy, where they meet an elderly psychic woman who insists that she sees the spirit of the child. The couple is unsure of this stranger's visions, but John begins to have psychic flashes of his own, seeing the child walk the streets of Venice. Is he insane, or is there a deeper meaning to the sightings?  Netflix link.  

Once again, this will no longer be streaming after March 1, so let's take a look at it and share feedback in the comments section.  This is the title I'm most embarrassed not to have seen at this point, so perhaps I will watch it right after I post this.

 

Mobster / Crime Drama

Performance (Nicholas Roeg & Donald Cammell, UK, 1970, 105 minutes)

Netflix: On the lam from his gangland cohorts, mob muscleman Chas Devlin (James Fox) gets more than he bargained for after taking refuge at the home of reclusive, faded rock star Turner (Mick Jagger) and his two bohemian gal pals (Anita Pallenberg and Michèle Breton). The two-bit enforcer soon finds himself ensnared in Turner's hedonistic lifestyle and trapped in mind games designed to challenge Chas's sense of identity. Netflix link.  

Since Nicholas Roeg seems to be getting all of the love in this list, let me recommend looking at this hard to find documentary on Donald Cammell over on You Tube (posted across seven separate 10 minute segments, the link is to the first segment).

Adventure

Walkabout (Nicholas Roeg, UK, 1971, 100 minutes)

Netflix: Horrific circumstances strand an urban brother and sister (Lucien John and Jenny Agutter) in the Australian outback, where they're found by an aboriginal boy (David Gulpilil) who helps the pair return to their city. As they wander, the siblings survive danger with the help of their new friend. The bond between the three grows, but when they reach civilization, the aboriginal boy finds he's unwelcome. Netflix link.

Of course, as a Criterion Collection release, we're at a disadvantage to watch the stream instead of being able to watch the extras on the DVD.  This may change with Criterion's deal with Hulu, which may lead to having extras available to stream.  Meanwhile, here's a brief essay on the film by Roger Ebert on the Criterion Current webpage.

Mystery / Suspense

Night Moves (Arthur Penn, USA, 1975, 100 minutes)

Netflix: Cut-rate private eye Harry Moseby (Gene Hackman) finds himself caught in a labyrinth of mendacity and murder in director Arthur Penn's top-notch suspenser. Tapped to locate the runaway daughter (Melanie Griffith) of faded Hollywood star Arlene Iverson (Janet Ward), Harry heads to the Florida Keys, where what he considered a run-of-the-mill case turns into something much more. Meanwhile, his marriage is slowly disintegrating. Netflix link.

Arthur Penn had a wide ranging career.  He was at the forefront of the changes in American cinema during the 1960s with Mickey One and Bonnie and Clyde (the latter of which is on Watch Instantly).  He ended his career with films like Penn and Teller Get Killed (1989).  But in the 1970s he was still considered a top director, with films like Little Big Man with Dustin Hoffman and this detective drama starring Gene Hackman and a young Melanie Griffith.

Romantic Drama

Minnie and Moskowitz (John Cassavetes, USA, 1971, 115 minutes)

Netflix: Writer-director John Cassavetes crafts a relatable tale of romance about two utterly average people: Minnie Moore (Gena Rowlands), a museum curator recovering from a bad break-up with her married boyfriend, and Seymour Moskowitz (Seymour Cassel), an outspoken parking attendant. Nothing about Seymour seems "right" -- not his face, not his job nor his demeanor. But Minnie finds herself falling for him anyway. Netflix link.  

John Cassavetes is a key figure in the history of American independent filmmaking, and this is one of his lesser known efforts.  At some point you should also look at his other films currently available for streaming, including Shadows, Opening Night, Killing of a Chinese Bookie, and especially A Woman Under the Influence.  Also available, which I haven't seen, is A Child is Waiting, one of his films directed for a Hollywood studio before his return to independent filmmaking with Faces.

Western

The Hired Hand (Peter Fonda, USA, 1971, 90 minutes)

Netflix: Harry Collings (Peter Fonda) has been traveling around with his fellow drifter and friend Arch Harris (Warren Oates). Disturbed by thoughts of the wife (Verna Bloom) and child he left behind so long ago, Harry decides to attempt a reunion with them by working on the family farm. All is well until Arch is taken prisoner by a past enemy; now, Harry must choose whether to uphold his responsibility to the family or save his longtime friend. Netflix Link.

Truth be told, I have barely heard of this film beyond the browsing that I did while researching this entry, but the reviews and comments intrigued me enough to put it on this list.  With Warren Oates in the cast, I'm curious to see if it is like some other alt-westerns from the early 1970s like The Shooting (which now fetches $50.00 and up for a DVD on Amazon).  We'll see...

Political Thriller / Suspense

Parallax View (Alan J. Pakula, USA, 1974, 102 minutes)

Netflix: After the assassination of a leading U.S. senator, journalist Joseph Frady (Warren Beatty) notices that the reporters who witnessed the murder are inexplicably dying. Frady investigates and finds that the assassination was part of a conspiracy involving a shadowy therapy institute called the Parallax Corporation. Driven by curiosity, he infiltrates Parallax in an effort to uncover the truth. Hume Cronyn co-stars as Frady's editor. Netflix link.

  

This film is well known enough, and was on television often enough when I was in high school, that you would think that I would have seen it by now.  Despite being out on DVD since 1999 (and apparently in stock at Amazon), this is not available on DVD though Netflix.

Black Comedy

The Ruling Class (Peter Medak, UK, 1974, 154 minutes)

Netflix: After a House of Lords member dies during a bizarre cross-dressing ritual, his nutty son, Jack (Peter O'Toole) -- who thinks he's Jesus Christ -- is bequeathed the family estate. As a result, his family members must scheme to steal back Jack's inheritance. This 1972 cult comedy, in all its murder and mayhem glory, takes a swipe at every swath of class-obsessed British society. Arthur Lowe shines as Jack's lucky servant, Tucker. Netflix link.

Another film that seemed to be on cable television often enough when I was in high school that you think I would have seen it.  Also notable as a title cited in the complaint comments for its exemption from the Time Out Top 100 British Films list mentioned at the top of the entry. Most recently Peter Medak has directed for American television, including episodes of The Wire, Carnivale, and Breaking Bad.

I look forward to your comments.  --JLK