The Big Sleep (1978)

 

Grizzled American private detective in England investigates a complicated case of blackmail turned murder involving a rich but honest elderly general, his two loose socialite daughters, a pornographer and a gangster.

From memory: This adaptation of the classic Raymond Chandler is an attempt to repeat the success of the excellent Farewell, My Lovely of three years earlier and does achieve to find its tone, pace and downbeat humor, but is simply just not as good as the previous film.

Halliwell (no star): "Straight remake of the 1946 film, curiously and ineffectively set in London."

Maltin**: "...less a remake of the Hawks classic than a more faithful rendering of the Chandler novel, albeit updated and set in London. If you get by that, it's tolerable with a strong cast, fresh locations, and thankful lack of camp." 

 

 

Fat City (1972)

Two men, working as professional boxers, come to blows when their careers each begin to take opposite momentum.

Great performances, especially Susan Tyrell, and great faded color photography. The downbeat story was slightly lost on me, though, since I've seen worse fates depicted on screen before.

The Man Who Fell to Earth (1976)

A humanoid alien comes to Earth to get water for his dying planet, and he starts a high technology company to get the billions of dollars he needs to build a return spacecraft.

Highly idiosyncratic science fiction tale with lots of pretension; wonderfully produced and photographed, with quite a few memorable scenes, but rather difficult to follow.

Halliwell*: "A weird piece of intellectual science fiction made weirder by longueurs of all varieties: obscure narrative, voyeuristic sex, pop music and metaphysics. Not an easy film or a likeable one, despite its great technical skill."

Maltin***1/2: "Highly original, fabulously photographed adaptation of Walter Tevis' classic fantasy novel is riveting for the first two-thirds, goes downhill toward the end. Still tops of its kind."