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Citizen Kane Orson Welles was a master of light and shadow and the use of camera angles. A great mysterious opening to an intelligent story with a good movie soundtrack debut from Bernard Herrmann.
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Round Midnight A classic story of a down and out jazz genius, more appreciated in Europe than in his own country. Based on the lives of Lester Young and Bud Powell this film has a great music soundtrack featuring actual performances by Dexter Gordon, Herbie Hancock, Tony Williams, Bobby Hutcherson and John McLaughlin. Dexter Gordon was nominated for an Academy Award for his role as saxophonist Dale Turner.
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The Manchurian Candidate John Frankenheimer's masterpiece. Great story that is the Granddaddy of all conspiracy theory movies. Great performances by Frank Sinatra, Laurence Harvey and Angela Lansbury. This movie was withdrawn from circulation for several years after the assassination of JFK.
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Midnight Cowboy
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2001 A Space Odyssey
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The Conversation A little known Francis Ford Coppola film from around the same time as "The Godfather". An excellent performance from Gene Hackman. He would play a very similar role in "Enemy of the State", another great film that pays homage to "The Conversation".
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Psycho How to pick just one film by the "Master of Suspense". Vertigo, Rear Window, North by Northwest and Spellbound are all great films. "Psycho" is a classic because of the great story by Robert Bloch, great performances by Janet Leigh, Anthony Perkins and Vera Miles and once again a very memorable score by Bernard Herrmann.
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The Day the Earth Stood Still This is the "Classic" science fiction film! Great acting from Patricia Neal, Michael Rennie and Sam Jaffee. The scenes featuring Gort the robot are greatly intensified by Bernard Herrmann's jarring musical score.
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Blazing Saddles
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Jason and the Argonauts (1963) Ray Harryhausen's masterpiece. What more need I say! Just watch it and enjoy the spectacular stop motion animation in scenes featuring the bronze giant Talos, the tormenting Harpies and the infamous battle with the Skeletons!
