If you can't smoke it, drink it, spend it or love it... forget it.

Two more reasons why I love American Films from the 70s




Payday is based on the life of Waylon Jennings, the unrelenting story of Rip Torn as Maury Dann, an outlaw singer who goes on a two day bender of pills and booze on the road between Alabama and Nashville only to find his fate is inextricably tied to his white Cadillac.








Straight Time follows the plight of Max Dembo, a paroled ex-con released from San Quentin who tries to go straight only to find that the only life that suits him is one of a criminal.





I often wonder what it is that draws me to these American made films of the early 70's. There is something about the way the dialog sounds, the rich yellow-brownish tint of the film stock, the long dissolves, sun flares, long stationary camera technique. There is the willingness to end a film on a nebulous, or even down note, as these two movie do. Finally, there is a naturalness to the acting and direction that is seldom found in current films. Or perhaps its just the fact that Gary Busey or Harry Dean Stanton may be in the films.

This year offered a few films that shared a small glimmer of the magic- No Country for Old Men and The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (not coincidentally the same cinematographer for both films: Roger Deacon). However the most recent film I have seen that truly captures the flavor is Forty Shades of Blue, Ira Sach's 2005 movie about a Memphis Producer also played by (a much older) Rip Torn.