I just watched this for the first time. Yes this was a fine film with good acting for 1971 standards.
However, I do not get why this won 5 Oscars for best picture, best director, best actor, etc.
I also loathe the type of cheesy late 1960's/early 1970's background music that was in this movie. Other examples of this kind of background music is Dirty Harry, Bullitt, etc.
I am over 40. However, maybe I'm just too new fashioned???
Have you looked over what the competition was in the Oscars for that year? It was a joke. Aside from a few coinciding nominations for A Clockwork Orange there just isn't anything to see there.
shareSorry, but this movie deserved all of the Academy Awards that it received. Absolute wonderful movie not just by early 70s standers. This movie has actually held up pretty well over time
shareI agree. Hackman my favorite actor and I liked the film but it was methodically slow. I loved the atmosphere and everything else but it was a 7 at best for me and that's because of hackman
shareThe French Connection was one of those movies I’d always meant to see but never got around to seeing. Until last night.
Over the weekend I decided to find movies I’ve wanted to see and finally watch them. Starting first with “Chinatown”. I loved it.
Then “Barry Lyndon” which was one of the only Kubrick films I’d never seen.
I loved it. What a beautiful film…
Lastly came “The French Connection”.
I also didn’t really care for it. I mean I totally get why it was such a landmark film. The acting, directing, documentary style cinematography was all top notch.
But all in all the film just didn’t click with me either.
Why did Slumdog Millionaire, The Hurt Locker, The Artist, The King's Speech, or The Shape of Water win a bunch of Oscars?
Are they in any way historically or culturally relevant? Nop. Just nop
Back then there wasn’t the plethora of cop movies and TV shows which have made this seem part of an overstuffed genre. I’m sure it must have seemed fresh in its time, and Hackman’s performance - which still has bite today - gave us a fascinating and rich character.
Of the nominees I’d have gone with The Last Picture Show in a heartbeat, but it’s not so hard to understand why this won.