Midnight Cowboy (1969)

[AnamorphicWidescreen]

Originally Posted by English Patient

I hope the Criterion edition gets more people to check out this movie - I get the feeling that this is one of those films that's kind of fallen through the cracks over the years and isn't as well-respected anymore.

That's possible. However, the way I see it - if you're a true cinephile, it's almost certain that you would have seen this film already....at least once. I wasn't even born when this film was released. However, even before I became the hardcore movie fan that I am now, I remember first catching MC on a heavily edited TV broadcast in the late '80's. This viewing (as flawed as it was) inspired me to check it out on VHS soon after.

[English Patient]

Originally Posted by AnamorphicWidescreen

That's possible. However, the way I see it - if you're a true cinephile, it's almost certain that you would have seen this film already....at least once. I wasn't even born when this film was released. However, even before I became the hardcore movie fan that I am now, I remember first catching MC on a heavily edited TV broadcast in the late '80's. This viewing (as flawed as it was) inspired me to check it out on VHS soon after.

That was my experience as well. Lately I've been reading more recent reviews of the movie (ones written in the 90s and even more recently) and I was surprised at how sharp the criticisms were. One review called it "outrageously overrated." I guess it's probably the predictable backlash after it won Best Picture (I think the same thing happened to The English Patient in '96). Still, I hope people check out the film so they can judge for themselves.

[Rory]

Originally Posted by English Patient

I hope the Criterion edition gets more people to check out this movie - I get the feeling that this is one of those films that's kind of fallen through the cracks over the years and isn't as well-respected anymore.

It doesn't help that its two stars aren't as well-respected anymore.

[The Sovereign]

Originally Posted by English Patient

I hope the Criterion edition gets more people to check out this movie - I get the feeling that this is one of those films that's kind of fallen through the cracks over the years and isn't as well-respected anymore.

I hope that you're right, although I really don't know how it's widely considered these days. I've always considered MC as a bellwether to 70s American cinema. But I also agree with your Oscar backlash comment. That was probably the worst thing that could have happened to a film like that.

[English Patient]

Originally Posted by The Sovereign

I hope that you're right, although I really don't know how it's widely considered these days. I've always considered MC as a bellwether to 70s American cinema. But I also agree with your Oscar backlash comment. That was probably the worst thing that could have happened to a film like that.

Midnight Cowboy and Last Tango in Paris are the 2 films from that era that made an initially great critical impression and then seemed to lose some of their luster in the ensuing years, at least judging by some of the anecdotal reviews I've been reading. But maybe I've just been focusing too much on the negative reviews. There are still plenty of reviewers out there who think Midnight Cowboy holds up after all these years.

[moviflicilm]

Originally Posted by Rory

It doesn't help that its two stars aren't as well-respected anymore.

That has much to do with personal baggage of the two stars lives, even if their work has diminished in recent years. I wonder if Criterion is concerned that Hoffman sexual misconducts would hurt the sales of the film in the climate we're living in.

[jjhunsecker]

Originally Posted by moviflicilm

That has much to do with personal baggage of the two stars lives, even if their work has diminished in recent years. I wonder if Criterion is concerned that Hoffman sexual misconducts would hurt the sales of the film in the climate we're living in.

Not to mention Jon Voight's extreme political turn

[MifuneFan]

The release is already in the top 100 bestselling Blu-rays on Amazon, and that's without any sale prices or anything. I think the controversies with Hoffman is more under the radar than other people, so I doubt it'll affect sales at all. I think if Criterion really thought that would be a major problem they'd either cancel, or shelve the release for some time.

[AnamorphicWidescreen]

There are so many controversies out there involving people in the entertainment industry, and who knows if all of the accusations are true.

If these controversies resulted in all of the films connected to these people to be pulled/prevented from being released to Blu/DVD, we wouldn't be getting any new releases - LOL.

Originally Posted by Trace Buster Buster

Am I the only one who doesn't enjoy the party scene? This is one of my favorite movies of all time but that long drawn out scene drags the movie down in my opinion.

I actually like the party scene. Though most of us watching this now are jaded & have seen things like this before, when I watch the film I try to see the scene through the eyes of those who were watching the film for the first time back in the late 1960's. I.e., at that time party scenes like this were fairly subversive, and hadn't been seen in films much up to that point. (The closest thing I can think of was the hippy party scene in the Clint Eastwood/Don Siegel film "Coogan's Bluff" (1968) ).

Also, I think we - as viewers - are meant to put ourselves in the mind-set of Joe re: all of the strange things he sees at the party, and he's obviously overwhelmed to a great extent. However, Ratso (being much more jaded & having grown up in NYC) is probably less surprised - LOL.

I also find the party scene to be extremely well-edited re: the quick cuts, etc. In fact, the entire movie is edited extremely well.

[Rory]

I'm sure none of it makes any difference to Criterion; the movie is significant and important and they're probably proud to be releasing it.

[Pecker]

Originally Posted by Rory

It doesn't help that its two stars aren't as well-respected anymore.

I'm not sure that's the case, particularly with DH.

We've had (as far as I'm aware) just three allegations against him, none of which have or are being investigated further. Very tough to investigate these things so many years after unless there's a very clear and repeated MO, and there's always the danger that at least some of the allegations made in the current climate will be opportunistic and malicious.

The allegations may resurface, but for now I think they've died a death.

[blankford]

Should I jump on this at the current price? $27.37?

[Rick Grimes]

With the pre-order guarantee, I went for the $27.99 (just found out about it too). Silence to the Lambs and Night of the Living Dead came down to half price, so I'm confident this will come down to..

Loved Midnight Cowboy and it's iconic scenes, which was what drew me to the film in the '90s (due to the numerous references on Seinfeld and other media): Eg. Joe Buck (Jon Voight) walking down a New York street in his cowboy outfit, "Everybody's talking at me, I can't hear a word their saying" playing. "Ratio" Rizzo (Dustin Hoffman) shouting "Hey! I'm walking here. I'm walking here", when a car almost runs him over at a crosswalk... And it's not a bad film either. Was one of those movies that was a landmark, as it showed that Hollywood were growing up and starting to tackle mature issues, maturely.

Note: Midnight Cowboy has the dubious distinction of being the only X-rated film to win a Best Picture Oscar (In 1969, X-rated meant NC-17/Unrated i.e. The studio refused to edit the film to please the censors). By today's standards, a bit tame. In Australia, the film has the equivalent of a PG-13 rating (M - Recommended for Mature Audiences.
FYI, other notable X-rated films that were nominated "A Clockwork Orange" and "Last Tango in Paris".

Will look forward to this one.

[DarknessBDJM]

It'd be nice if they added the Faith No More cover of the theme song in the blu-ray somehow, maybe with a makeshift video from film clips or stills. It's a great cover of the original.

[mrrant_33]

Originally Posted by Rick Grimes

With the pre-order guarantee, I went for the $27.99 (just found out about it too). Silence to the Lambs and Night of the Living Dead came down to half price, so I'm confident this will come down to..

Loved Midnight Cowboy and it's iconic scenes, which was what drew me to the film in the '90s (due to the numerous references on Seinfeld and other media): Eg. Joe Buck (Jon Voight) walking down a New York street in his cowboy outfit, "Everybody's talking at me, I can't hear a word their saying" playing. "Ratio" Rizzo (Dustin Hoffman) shouting "Hey! I'm walking here. I'm walking here", when a car almost runs him over at a crosswalk... And it's not a bad film either. Was one of those movies that was a landmark, as it showed that Hollywood were growing up and starting to tackle mature issues, maturely.

Note: Midnight Cowboy has the dubious distinction of being the only X-rated film to win a Best Picture Oscar (In 1969, X-rated meant NC-17/Unrated i.e. The studio refused to edit the film to please the censors). By today's standards, a bit tame. In Australia, the film has the equivalent of a PG-13 rating (M - Recommended for Mature Audiences.
FYI, other notable X-rated films that were nominated "A Clockwork Orange" and "Last Tango in Paris".

Will look forward to this one.

Seinfeld Mom and Pop store - YouTube

My Picks

Zapp Gigolo - YouTube

SCTV, 31883 '3 D FIRING LINE' 'MIDNIGHT COWBOY II' - YouTube

[Spiderwalk]

Originally Posted by Rick Grimes

"Ratio" Rizzo (Dustin Hoffman) shouting "Hey! I'm walking here.

Who's Ratio Rizzo? was he known for torrenting?

[AnamorphicWidescreen]

It's well worth noting that MC won Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Adapted Screenplay at the Academy Awards in 1970. That was the first time a film with a rating of X won at these awards. Quite impressive, especially for a film of this type.

In preparation for the Criterion MC release in a couple of months, I recently re-watched the Blu again. I've seen the film numerous times, but always notice something different each time:

-When Joe is leaving TX (Houston?!) at the beginning of the film, he stops & looks at a storefront that is going out of business. You see the word "Sally's" on the window. This was actually his grandmother Sally Buck's old beauty parlor.

- The drugged/mentally ill woman that Joe sees in the NYC coffee shop (playing with the plastic mouse/rat) is also later seen in Times Square, running around as if she's being pursued - though it doesn't appear as if anyone is after her. Her appearance(s) in the film are unsettling & disturbing. I get the strong impression that she's a non-professional "actress", and that Schlesinger filmed her acting herself. No way to verify this, however - but, her scenes definitely don't look rehearsed/scripted.

[Dailyan]

Review up

https://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Midni...199410/#Review

[lilboyblu]

Great review; this is stunning. Cannot wait to add it back into my collection.

[MifuneFan]

Looks good. Nice healthy grain pattern throughout.