Oh yeah, this is totally better than Clockwork orange! - The French Connection (1971) Discussion

[–] thecursor2002 16 years ago

This film had at least three of the most memorable scenes in American Movie history, it had one of the best scores ever written, it had the best chase scene ever put to celluloid, the best performance of Gene Hackman's career, the finest editing and direction of Friedkin's, and it was made on a budget not even one half of today's modern blockbusters yet packed more tension in every scene.

Clockwork Orange was a weighty, hyper violent mess that showed the descent of Kubrick from classic filmmaker to self involved weirdo.

For once, the Oscars made the right call: French Connection > Clockwork Orange.

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[–] Brando1986 15 years ago

Out of all the films that get touted as a classic, 'A Clockwork Orange' is one of the least deserving. The Academy made the right choice in not giving the award to that garbage.

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[–] 15 years ago

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[–] rtms1988 15 years ago

Oscar is politics, I like to see the show and I have fun with it, so that's it. I don't discuss about it with anyone, I think it's useless. Both movies are so great, I love them, I enjoy to watch them very much and both are very different like everyone here already said, but I don't know which one of them I prefer most.

Ohh... yeah, I know which I prefer most, The Last Picture Show.

Roberta Trevisan
"Film lovers are sick people"
"Till The Angels Say Amen"

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[–] 15 years ago

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[–] wrfarley 15 years ago

The OP wrote started this thread 2 years ago; I'm sure he's changed his opinion by now.

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[–] balthazar_bee 8 years ago

Six further years later...I'd love to hear if he has.

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[–] donniejahns3-1 15 years ago

Fiddler on the Roof was better than both these movies and should have won Best Picture.

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[–] wrfarley 15 years ago

OK then, put it on the FIDDLER board.

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[–] A_Fistful_of_Pennies 14 years ago

I'm surprised Clockwork Orange even got nominated.

It seems like too extreme a movie for the Oscars. I like that movie a lot, but I'd say French Connection is indeed better.

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[–] 14 years ago

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[–] JellyFish19 14 years ago

Yeah, this was a weak Best Picture. The car chase was great, but the rest of the movie didn't impress me at all. No way this was better then Clockwork Orange.

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[–] 14 years ago

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[–] JellyFish19 14 years ago

Greatest cop movie? Even better then Dirty Harry, Serpico, Heat or LA Confidential? Hmm, guess I did missed a lot...

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[–] 14 years ago

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[–] vader421 14 years ago

They made the right choice. A Clockwork Orange was overrated then and it's overrated to this day. A film that can't properly be made into a film because it's flat out just to tough. I'll give Kubrick credit where it's due that he tried, but overall A Clockwork Orange turned out to be a sloppy mess. If you want the true Clockwork Orange experience, read the book which is far superior to the film. For the French Connection, one of the greatest cop films of all-time that deserved to win and rightfully so did.

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[–] Jiipp 14 years ago

The best picture winning doesn't really bother me, but Malcom McDowell should have won the best actor over Gene Hackman.

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[–] ringfire211 14 years ago

You guys are all wrong! Best picture of the year was "BIG JAKE".

Connery, Moore, and Brosnan! Accept NO substitutes!

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[–] A_Fistful_of_Pennies 12 years ago

As much as I love Stanley (he's my favorite director), Clockwork Orange is among his lesser works in my eyes. I enjoy: 2001, Strangelove, Full Metal Jacket, Paths of Glory, Barry Lyndon, Spartacus, and The Killing more. I do like it more than Lolita and Eyes Wide Shut.

But with that said, French Connection is not only the best choice, it's also cool because it's not a typical best picture winner. It's not overly dramatic, it's not a comedy with some dramatic parts, not a musical, and not pretentious at all.

It's a gritty crime drama/thriller with some pretty good action scenes in it. I actually don't think Gene should have won an Oscar for this role, because while the acting is great, the storytelling is what makes this movie what it is.

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[–] druss44121-1 12 years ago

Clockwork Orange is one of my favorite films. However, apples and oranges. French Connection is also very good. God forbid not everyone ranks everything EXACTLY as you would.

My top 3 of 1971:

1. A Clockwork Orange
2. The French Connection
3. The Last Picture Show

Oscars top 3 of 1971:

1. The French Connection

WTF!?!?!?!?!?!??!?!?!?!!?!?!

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[–] 12 years ago

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