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Muhammad Ali, the Greatest Directed by William Klein Written by William Klein 1969/France IMDb link First viewing/YouTube   The only time I watched boxing in my life was when Muhammad Ali fought.  I just loved to watch him dance around the ring.  So this was nostalgia and thus perfect for Lockd read more

True Grit Directed by Henry Hathaway Written by Marguerite Roberts from a novel by Charles Portis 1969/US IMDb link Repeat viewing/Amazon Prime John Wayne certainly did have true grit until the end.  Just what we all need during Lockdown. The story takes place in the 19th Century Old West.  Mattie read more

The Oblong Box Directed by Gordon Hessler Written by Lawrence Huntington and Christopher Wicking from a story by Edgar Allen Poe 1969/UK IMDb link First viewing/Amazon Prim3 They Shoot Zombies, Don’t They? When horror movies are a suitable exchange for worry, it must be Lockdown. The story tak read more

The Cow (Gaav) Directed by Dariush Mehrjui Written by Dariush Mehrjui from a play by Gholam-Hossein Saedi 1969/Iran IMDb link First viewing/YouTube One of 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die   This movie, if not exactly upbeat, is an excellent escape into a little-known culture and is there read more

Army of Shadows is another film from Jean Pierre-Melville that falls back into the realm of the autobiographical, even as it’s based on a book by French journalist Joseph Kessel. Because Melville, a resistance fighter himself, had a previous history with this very same world. The names and da read more

Army of Shadows is another film from Jean Pierre-Melville that falls back into the realm of the autobiographical, even as it’s based on a book by French journalist Joseph Kessel. Because Melville, a resistance fighter himself, had a previous history with this very same world. The names and da read more

The Cremator (Spalovac mrtvol) Directed by Juraj Herz Written by Ladislav Fuks and Juraj Herz from a novel by Fuks 1969/Czechoslovakia IMDb link First viewing/Criterion Channel   Not a feel-good film but a unique and well-made one.  I’ll settle for that during Lockdown. The setting is Cz read more

Army of Shadows (L’armee des ombres) Directed by Jean-Pierre Melville Written by Jean-Pierre Melville from a novel by Joseph Kesel 1969/France IMDb link First viewing/Criterion Channel   I love Melville and the actors in the great cast.  The plot was a tad too convoluted and dialogue-free read more

They Shoot Horses, Don’t They? Directed by Sydney Pollock Written by James Poe and Robert E. Thompson from a novel by Horace McCoy 1969/US IMDb link First viewing/Netflix rental   A grueling and inhumane dance marathon stands in for all the misery of the Great Depression.  Not ideal for read more

Gamera vs. Guiron (AKA “Attack of the Monsters, “Gamera tai daiakuju Giron”) Directed by Noriaki Yuasa Written by Niisan Takahashi 1969/Japan IMDb link First viewing/YouTube   This stupid movie is perfect for the terminally distracted during Lockdown. Two annoying little kids read more

The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie Directed by Ronald Neame Written by Jay Presson Allen from a novel by Muriel Sparks 1969/US IMDb link Repeat viewing/YouTube   This study of delusion and comeuppance has held up very well over the years. The action takes place over several years in the mid-1930s.   read more

Z Directed by Costa-Gavras Written by Jorge Semprún from of Vasilis Vasilikos 1969/France/Algeria IMDb link One of 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die Repeat viewing/Criterion Channel Not a comfort watch for Lockdown but a a masterpiece of political cinema. In an unnamed country (clearly Greece) read more

Hello, Dolly! Directed by Gene Kelly Written by Ernest Lehman from a play by Thornton Wilder 1969/US IMDb link Repeat viewing/YouTube rental Not my favorite musical but cheerful enough for the Lockdown. The setting is 1890’s New York.  Widow Dolly Levi (Barbra Streisand) is an expert at arrang read more

My Night at Maud’s (Ma nuit chez Maud) Directed by Eric Rohmer Written by Eric Rohmer 1969/France IMDb link Repeat viewing/Criterion Channel One of 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die   Perfect fare if you feel like thinking deep thoughts or exploring the human condition during Lockdo read more

Support Your Local Sheriff Directed by Burt Kennedy Written by William Bowers 1969/US IMDb link First viewing/Netflix rental The charisma of James Garner and the superb cast of supporting actors made me think I might be in for good Lockdown viewing.  I was right. In the Old West, a town springs up read more

Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969) Directed by George Roy Hill Written by William Goldman 1969/US IMDb link Repeat viewing/Amazon Instant One of 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die Launching “Flickers in Time: The Lockdown Edition” with this beloved classic.  It’s a blen read more

Walt Disney Studios produced a number of great made-for-television films for their series The Wonderful World of Color...one of which was The Secret of Boyne Castle. This grand little Irish adventure flick was aired on NBC in three one-hour segments between the weeks of February 9-23 in 1969.  read more

The Valley of Gwangi Directed by Jim O’Connolly Written by William Bast and Julian More 1969/USA IMDb link First viewing/Amazon Instant The main reason to see this one is for Ray Harryhausen’s stop-motion animation.  He’s done better work in other movies. TJ Breckingridge (Gila Gol read more

Salesman Directed by Albert and David Maysles and Charlott Zwerin 1969/USA IMDb link Repeat viewing/Netflix rental   I’ve always loved a good documentary and this is one of the very best. There is no narration or interviews.  The filmmakers follow a group of traveling salesmen as they ped read more

The movies continued to break barriers in 1969 when Midnight Cowboy became the first, and only, X-rated film to win the Academy Award for Best Picture, only a few years after the MPAA rating system was created.  1969 was the last year the MPAA used the M rating. Boris Karloff died at age 81.  Judy read more