A fascist film, or a film about a fascist cop? Either way, this is suspenseful, energetic stuff, directed with urgency and style by Cahiers du Cinema favorite Don Siegel.

Straw Dogs is one of Sam Peckinpah's finest films, a relentless study in violence and machismo that is shocking, not only for its explicit gore, but for the degree to which it manipulates "civilized" audiences. Even the most passive viewer may find himself silently cheering on the carnage at the film's climax--an act that, in retrospect, gives much cause for discomfort.

The picture is long, beautiful, and dull.

A little too much talk and not enough action, but it's still fun.

With MINNIE AND MOSKOWITZ, Cassavetes took a break from the decidedly somber mood of FACES and HUSBANDS, and produced the most accessible, and endearing example of his very exceptional art.

Kubrick's liberal, anti-authoritarian reading of Anthony Burgess's very Catholic allegorical novel is morally confused but tremendously powerful... No serious moviegoer can afford to ignore it.

This is a doggedly eccentric film which some will reject out of hand. Others will find it profoundly moving and life affirming.

The Las Vegas locations sizzle and the script at least has the good sense not to take itself too seriously.

The laughs are sardonic, and the reality of Chayefsky's heavy-handed message (i.e., hospitals treat their patients badly) eats away at the viewer. But even when it falls flat, it's still an interesting watch.

Filled with unique special effects and delightful music.

While it remains a treat for the eyes, NICHOLAS AND ALEXANDRA suffers from the filmmakers' attempts to tell too much.

The script is full of inconsistencies, and the humor is strictly of the New York nebbish school, but it's well worth checking out.

An exquisite piece of streamlined suspense and action that clearly demonstrates that the 24-year-old filmmaker was already in full control of his vision.

A superior thriller, Play Misty For Me proved that popular actor Eastwood could direct himself in a film, concentrate on every aspect of the production from the visuals to the performances, and complete the shooting ahead of schedule and under budget. What he delivered was an engrossing study of how loneliness and longing can be transformed into irrational rage after a thoughtless act of selfish indulgence. Much of the credit must go to Jessica Walter for her outstanding performance which somehow manages to be chilling while at the same time sympathetic.

What could have been a brilliant film experience, expanding on the stage version as only film can, ends up instead as a series of wonderful bits and pieces.

Bogdanovich's finest effort; bleak and beguiling.

One of the best of many early 1970s vampire movies inspired by Sheridan Le Fanu's Carmilla, Daughters of Darkness is remarkable not only for its eroticism, but for Kumel's stunning visual style, reminiscent of that of Josef von Sternberg.

This tough, brilliant crime film features Hackman as the indefatigable Popeye Doyle, who passionately hates drug pushers.

This is a funny, entertaining comedy that handles its touchy subject with great skill and sensitivity.

This was the feature debut of director John Hancock (who would go on to BANG THE DRUM SLOWLY and WEEDS), and he does a fairly effective job of pulling good shocks out of this somewhat familiar material. The script doesn't help his cause: it's badly underdeveloped and contains some confusing inconsistencies.

Trumbo, directing his first film, drives home his points in a somewhat obvious, often awkward fashion that is overly talky, but so disquieting is his story and the reality underlying it that it is difficult not to be moved by the film and Bottoms' fine performance.

A humorless Greek-tragedy western with little going for it save its inexorable momentum toward the obvious end.

Badly dated and clumsily allegorical, The Omega Man has some fairly interesting moments, the most memorable being the view of a devastated, empty downtown Los Angeles.

Willard could have been a great horror film; instead, it just makes you want to lift your feet safely off the floor.

Players give excellent portrayals, but the picture is lacking in both setting and direction.

Gripping adventure tale.

The set design, by future director Derek Jarman, is probably the most successful element of the film.

Supposedly a no-holds-barred look at the seamy heroin subculture, The Panic in Needle Park is really little more than a boring romance between two dullards intercut with close-ups of filthy needles being jabbed into scarred veins.