Enter the Dragon
This film, released in 1973, and directed by Robert Clouse, stars the martial arts expert, Bruce Lee, in the lead role. The film is stunning for a series of superbly staged sequences, highlighted by masterly fighting by Lee (especially in the glass room) in a wide variety of martial arts styles. It is a milestone in cinema, because it succeeded in bringing Hong Kong action movies to an international audience.
The Five Man Army
This film, released in 1969, is an Italian Zapata spaghetti western set during the Mexican Revolution. Directed by Don Taylor, it stars Bud Spencer, Peter Graves, Nino Castelnuovo, Tetsuro Tamba and James Daly in the lead roles. The story revolves around 5 men lead by Dutchman (Peter Graves) left to rob a train carrying $500,000 in gold on behalf of the leader of the Revolution. The excellence factor is the music for this film scored by Ennio Morricone.
One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest
This film, released in 1975, is one of the most famous films ever made. Directed by Milos Forman, the film deals with the difficult subject of mental health and its treatment. It deals with life-and-death issues, and is set in a hospital psychiatric ward. Intense situations alternate with comic moments and underlying these are the weighty topics of tyranny, sacrifice and the fragility of the human mind. The lead actors Jack Nicholson and Louise Fletcher, turn in near perfect performances. The film was the first in 41 years to win all the top-five Academy Awards.
The Gold Rush
This film, released in 1925, was a silent film directed and acted by Charlie Chaplin. It is set in the period of the Klondike Gold Rush and features Charlie Chaplin in his ‘Little Tramp’ role. He is cast as a romantic idealist and lone gold prospector at the turn of the century. One of the most famous of the many classic scenes is the starvation scene of 2 cabin-marooned prospectors boiling and fastidiously eating a stewed shoe!
Psycho
This film, released in 1960, was a remarkable horror movie directed by the famous Alfred Hitchcock. For the first half hour, the movie is a thriller featuring the famous actress Janet Leigh as a secretary. It then goes into the realm of horror as she stops to spend the night at a spooky motel run by a weird young man, Norman Bates, perfectly embodied by the boyish and sympathetic Anthony Perkins, and his domineering, hidden-from-sight mother. The film was shot in black and white, giving it a stark feel, and every scene makes a stunning impact on the viewer.
Those that almost made it
Casablanca: Michael Curtiz
The Great Escape: John Sturges
Rush Hour series: Brett Ratner
The Great Dictator: Charlie Chaplin
Jaws: Steven Spielberg
Hariharan Ramakrishnan is a student of class 9.
