Lifetime Movies: 1975

Nominees: Dog Day Afternoon, Jaws, Monty Python and the Holy Grail, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, The Rocky Horror Picture Show

In recent years I've come to truly appreciate the achievement Rocky Horror. It's something that we will never see again--that no-holds barred creativity is just not allowed anymore. And Tim Curry stepping out of the elevator is still one of the greatest screen entrances of all time. Cuckoo's Nest and Dog Day are simply classics with Nicholson and Pacino, respectively, giving nothing less than iconic performances. It was a pretty strong year, but one that comes down to two films I have watched more times than I remember and will continue to watch again and again. I don't know which to pick--who came up with this stupid game anyway? Hold on...

...ok, gun to my head I will now have to say

Winner: Monty Python and the Holy Grail 

Notes: Two other movies I wanted to mention for sentimental reasons. One, Disney's The Apple Dumpling Gang--I don't remember anything about this other than it has Don Knotts in it and that at some point in my childhood I really wanted to watch it on TV. (Note within a note: One of my earliest TV memories is watching The Wonderful World of Disney--possibly, The Apple Dumpling Gang Rides Again--on TV upstairs in my grandparents room instead of Super Bowl XIV, even though the Rams were my favorite team because I liked their helmets. The Steelers became my favorite team after they won that game and remained so despite me probably not even watching a football game until I chose the Cowboys as my new and forever favorite team in 1982. Yes, based on their helmets.) The second movie is The Land That Time Forgot. One of my favorite memories--and really, feel free to analyze this as you will--is staying up one New Year's Eve and watching this (and its sequel) with my dad. It's funny what we hold onto, isn't it?...There were some amazing movie posters this year as well. Jaws and Rocky Horror, of course, but also the one from Dog Day which I don't think I ever saw before...Finally, I have to say that gun to the head trick? Really very effective decision-making tool. Say, what year did the Deer Hunter come out?