MidCenturyCinema is dedicated to the analysis and appreciation of the movies, in particular the films and filmmakers of the middle of the twentieth century (1941-1979), with an emphasis on America and France, and a special interest in the “New Hollywood” films produced between 1967 and 1976. But the range of interests implied by both “the seventies film” and “mid-century” more generally is quite broad. Forefathers, affiliates and descendants, inspirations and legacies, and arguments and controversies stretch freely across decades, continents, and attendant forms of media.
This site features two active platforms. One is for news and commentary; the other, 50 years ago this week, revisits and engages milestones and turning points related to the New Hollywood as they occurred a half century ago. MidCenturyCinema also features access to my writings on film, and a set of links that should be of interest to those who share the passions reflected on these pages.
This page also brings together a number of posts that engage our core (cinematic) philosophies. Following those is a collection of additional internal links to comprehensive MCC overviews of some of our favorite directors and performers. Finally, this page also gathers posts on featured television shows, and, for endless hours of fun, our voluminous “best of” lists. (Additional contributions on all these topics can also be found on the Books, Essays and More page.)
Thinking about the movies:
A Conversation with David Thomson
Our Twenty-Five Favorite Films
Thinking about Directors and Voice (and once more)
Art and Artists: Where We Stand
A Review of Woody Allen’s Memoirs
Some of our favorite things:
Directors: Woody Allen, Olivier Assayas, Robert Altman, Theo Angelopoulos, Ingmar Bergman, Claude Chabrol, Ashgar Farhadi, Stanley Kubrick, Alfred Hitchcock, Krzysztof Kieslowski, Jean-Pierre Melville, Yasujiro Ozu, Jafar Panahi, Maurice Pialat, Claude Sautet, Martin Scorsese, Bertrand Tavernier, Agnes Varda.
Performers: Karen Black, Faye Dunaway, Elliott Gould, Gene Hackman, Dustin Hoffman, Jack Nicholson, Robert De Niro, George Segal, Donald Sutherland, Kristen Stewart
More items of interest:
Highlights from the Small Screen: Batman, Columbo, Get Smart, Kojak, The Odd Couple, The Mary Tyler Moore Show, The Bob Newhart Show, Star Trek.
Lists, lists and more lists!! The Best of 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, MCC Top 25s from the 1940s and 1950s, the 1960s, the 1970s, the 1980s and 1990s, the 2000s and 2010s; Our Ballot for the Sight and Sound Greatest Films of All Time Poll; A Guide to Dylan’s Albums, his Tours, and some of his Greatest Songs