A Decade Under the Influence (2003)

User Rating:

7.6/10   

Directors:

Ted Demme
Richard LaGravenese

Genre:

Documentary | History

Plot:

A documentary examining the decade of the 1970s as a turning point in American cinema. Some of today's best filmmakers interview the influential directors of that time.

Plot Keywords:

Filmmaker | 1970s | Cinema | Director | Interview

Awards:

Nominated for Primetime Emmy. Another 1 win & 1 nomination

Cast

Robert Altman	...	Himself
John G. Avildsen	...	Himself
Warren Beatty	...	Himself (archive footage)
Linda Blair	...	Herself (archive footage)
Peter Bogdanovich	...	Himself
Peter Boyle	...	Himself (archive footage)
Marshall Brickman	...	Himself
Ellen Burstyn	...	Herself
John Calley	...	Himself
Jimmy Carter	...	Himself (archive footage)
John Cassavetes	...	Himself (archive footage)
Julie Christie	...	Herself
Francis Ford Coppola	...	Himself
Roger Corman	...	Himself
Bruce Dern	...	Himself
Clint Eastwood	...	Himself
Louise Fletcher	...	Herself (archive footage)
Jane Fonda	...	Herself (archive footage)
Peter Fonda	...	Himself (archive footage)
Milos Forman	...	Himself
William Friedkin	...	Himself
Pam Grier	...	Herself
Goldie Hawn	...	Herself (archive footage)
Monte Hellman	...	Himself
Jimi Hendrix	...	Himself (archive footage)
Dennis Hopper	...	Himself
Mick Jagger	...	Himself (archive footage)
Robert F. Kennedy	...	Himself (archive footage)
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei	...	Himself (archive footage)
Martin Luther King	...	Himself (archive footage)
Piper Laurie	...	Herself (archive footage)
Sidney Lumet	...	Himself
Paul Mazursky	...	Himself
Marshall McLuhan	...	Himself (archive footage)
Mike Medavoy	...	Himself
Richard Nixon	...	Himself (archive footage)
Polly Platt	...	Herself
Sydney Pollack	...	Himself
Ronald Reagan	...	Himself (archive footage)
Robert Redford	...	Himself (Archival Footage) (archive footage)
Dick Rodstein	...	Offscreen Voice
Jerry Schatzberg	...	Himself
Roy Scheider	...	Himself
Paul Schrader	...	Himself
Martin Scorsese	...	Himself
Sissy Spacek	...	Herself
Robert Towne	...	Himself
Jon Voight	...	Himself

MPAA:

Rated R for language, and images of sexuality, violence and drug use.

Runtime:

138 min | USA:108 min (Sundance Film Festival) | 152 min (DVD) | USA:180 min (DVD)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White | Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Certification:

USA:TV-MA (cable rating) | Australia:M | Singapore:NC-16 | USA:R

Company:

Constant Communication

Trivia:

Director Ted Demme's last film

Movie Connections:

References Images (1972)

An Excellent Film On Films!

The 1970s opened the door to the largest, most diverse era of film in the history. Some films were great ("The Godfather", "The Conversation", "Mean Streets", Chinatown", "The French Connection", "Five Easy Pieces", "Jaws", "McCabe And Mrs. Miller") Others were not so great ("The Getaway", "The Outfit", "Badge 373", "Joe", "The Taking Of Pelham One Two Three", "Brewster McCloud", "Castle Keep") And others were barely worth the price of admission.

Yet every one was a fresh breath of air compared to today's Corporate Hollywood. Where every film is given a Big Weekend to recoup its cost. Or go straight to HBO and rental.

What "Decade" does so well is to relate the sudden and rarely experienced sensation of freedom to be given money to make and direct a film. Perhaps personal. Perhaps not. Sometime with a clutch of extras. Sometimes, in the middle of a busy street before the cops show up. Long before the Corporate Overseers, Suits, Committees and Lawyers ever became part of "The System".

The commentaries are superb. Especially Julie Christie and Dennis Hopper. Though as you listen, you'll slowly discover just how many Big Directors today (Coppola, Scorsese, Ron Howard, Dennis Hopper, Peter Bogdonovitch) got stated as "Roger Corman Commandos". Working long hours with short pay. Shooting a film in under a month. Learning all the steps and tricks of the trade by doing it themselves. Turning in product that was on-time and under-budget.

See "Decade" for its message. And for a long and varied list of films to watch made through those wondrously turbulent years.

Though, I would not complain if IFC decided to devote another documentary solely to that most under-rated Grand Pioneer of film, Roger Corman.