Last Chance, Netflix: Blazing Saddles, Hello Dolly!, An Unmarried Woman
Friday, June 23, 2017 at 12:01PM There are quite a few Oscar'ed titles leaving Netflix on July 1st as they continue to thin their streaming catalogue. So you officially have 1 week left to watch them if you're trying to fill in holes in your movie knowledge. After the jump let's play a little screengrab roulette (sharing whatever comes up), shall we?
Tess take care of the bags, I'll meet you at the car!
WORKING GIRL (1988)
Hee! This was a little Easter Egg or maybe a Knife Twist or Oscar voters at the time that Sigourney Weaver was also starring in Gorillas in the Mist this same year. I can't remember where I read it but at least one voter was really annoyed with how much gorilla swag he got in the mail that year. We wrote about this movie recently right here.
6 Oscar Nominations: Picture, Director, Actress, Supporting Actress x2, and Original Song*
Tell him to come over. We can have an orgy.
AN UNMARRIED WOMAN (1978)
LOL, this quip. I first saw this movie with Nick when we were both trying to complete our Best Actress Nominee viewings (he is officially done, I have countless to go!) and he described Jill Clayburgh (RIP) as "Diane Keaton on Quaaludes" and I laughed. Nick is so funny. But the movie is 100% worth seeing as a late 70s sexual revolution zeitgeist time capsule with others of it's 'where we at right now?' ilk like Kramer vs Kramer and Looking for Mr Goodbar. I wonder if any movies from this decade will have people looking back on them as statements about the culture of the mid Teens? It's harder to say now since there are so few movies attempting to capture the zeitgeist and lots of visual FX hits instead.
3 Oscar Nominations: Best Picture, Best Actress, Best Screenplay
[orchestra playing the title song melody - no singing]
HELLO, DOLLY! (1969)
Timely what with the musical back on Broadway and winning lot's o' Tonys. Since the original film adaptation isn't widely beloved (critically or nostalgically), they really ought to consider remaking it right now with Bette Midler, don't you think? Give her one last shot at a Best Actress Oscar. It's such a pity that more Broadway successes don't aim for immediate film adaptations... especially in this era where Broadway runs are often "limited" engagements.
7 Oscar Nominations: Picture, Cinematography, Editing, Costumes, Score Adaptation*, Sound*, Art Direction*
[mechanical sounds and Chloe Moretz giggling]
HUGO (2011)
Zzzz. Sorry. I know people love it. In this case, people are not me... though it's often something to look at.
11 Oscar Nominations: Picture, Director, Screenplay, Editing, Costumes, Score, Cinematography*, Sound Mixing*, Sound Editing*, Visual FX*, Art Direction*
WE THE WHITE GODFEARING CITIZENS OF ROCK RIDGE...
BLAZING SADDLES (1974)
What would people make of the jokes about racism if this were to come out now?
3 Oscar Nominations: Supporting Actress, Editing, Original Song
Well done, Bob. You don't mind if I call you Bob do you? I knew a Bob once.
THE LAST SAMURAI (2003)
Remember when Tom Cruise was still trying to win an Oscar? It's easy to forget! I also forget that this one was a minor Oscar success because people never talk about it. But that's what happens with period epics released in December. Or at least that's what used to happen and still does to a smaller degree (multiple nominations even if no one is particularly enthused as long as you're in "Oscar bait" and released at the last second). I did not like this one. You?
4 Oscar Nominations: Supporting Actor, Art Direction, Costume Design, Sound Mixing
And finally...
Can you believe this following classic got zero Oscar nods? Ooof. It's arguably the best remembered film of 1953 (give or take Roman Holiday). That's what the Academy gets for rejecting comedies by default!
PIGGY: You little angel. You don't even know that there is a certain kind of girl that would take advantage of a thing like this.
LORELEI: She'd have to be a pretty terrible girl to be mean to a sweet, intelligent and generous man like you.
GENTLEMAN PREFER BLONDES (1953)
This movie is bliss from start to finish. If you've never seen it, give it your full attention for 91 minutes. You will be glad you did.
Shoulda Been Oscar Nominated For: You name it! But 100% for Picture, Director, Score Adaptation, and Costume Design
Also leaving Netflix on July 1st
Batman (1966) which we wrote about here
Flicka 2
9/11: Stories in Fragments
Secrets: The Sphinx
MacGyver: Seasons 1 - 7
Ghost Whisperer: Seasons 1 - 5
Futurama: Season 6
Day of the Kamikaze
Mystery Files: Hitler
Mystery Files: Leonardo da Vinci
Nazi Temple of Doom
The Hunt for Bin Laden
The Incredible Bionic Man
History in HD: The Last Bomb
Secrets: A Viking Map?
Secrets: Richard III Revealed
Shuttle Discovery's Last Mission
Titanic's Final Mystery
Samurai Headhunters
America's Secret D-Day Disaster
Black Wings
Blondie's New York
Bombs, Bullets and Fraud
Death Beach
Hip Hop: The Furious Force of Rhymes
American Pie Presents: Beta House
American Pie Presents: The Naked Mile
Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging
While You Were Sleeping
Kate & Leopold
El Dorado
Reader Comments (9)
You are absolutely right about Gentlemen Prefer Blondles. They forgot to give Hawks his competitive Oscar(only one nomination for one of his least remembered, Sergeant York, 1941) with so many great movies. Comedies, dramas, westerns, anything... Cukor won accidentally- Vincente Minnelli, master of musicals, was the first choice, but price was too hight- almost at the end of the road with My Fair Lady. Other great one of him with zero nomination is another comedy classic, Bringing Up Baby, with Kate Hepburn, the Jennifer Lawrence(;p) of her time and our dear and forever Cary Grant.
Not even From Here to Eternity or Shane, for 1953? Interesting how The Robe was such a big hit but never hear anything about it anymore. I guess it got lost in the (red) sea of biblical epics of the '50s.
Obviously Blazing Saddles couldn't get made today, but that might be my favorite scene. The jump reaction of everyone as soon as she starts the "WE..." Good stuff.
1953 is a great year in film. The Top Ten Box Office list is unbelievable. A lot is remembered and Gentlemen Prefer Blondes has >>The Monroe Factor<<, what helps the memory. 1953 was also a great year for her. When I think about emancipated women I never think about the 1970s movie actresses - I always think about Katharine Hepburn, Barbara Stanwick, Bette Davis, Jean Arthur, Ava Gardner... even Marlene Dietrich and others... Even Monroe and Doris Day with apparently more "conventional/stereotypical" roles/personas... Seems to me they played this role not only in movies but also in real life...
I am thinking about how they would try category fraud if GPB were released today. Whoever was to be deemed supporting would win.
I just love the first Hello, Dolly ! movie and I'd love to see it be redone with Bette Midler.
BLAZING SADDLES (1974)
What would people make of the jokes about racism if this were to come out now?
If made today the complaining wouldn't be about the racial jokes but anything made at the expensive of trans women.
I WISH Bette Midler still had a chance at Oscar. I wish she had won for The Rose.
I never comment on these posts because I'm too busy cramming all the gems on the list into my viewing schedule, but they've saved me from missing my chance with so many titles so many times, thank you!