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Entent Ga 'Stunt man 1-* i * people toj By Dav Film T. S. Eliot said the world wo with a bang, but who could h industry would begin the 1980 movies I saw in the past year worth the cost of the gasoline and only a fraction of thos< mission. If, as the song said, 1980 w dust, the "one" must have bi filmmaking. For the most p past year were distinguished on tried-and-true genres, trie true story lines. Eleven rema with eight sequels and an aim of previous hits. The best movie to open i unquesuonaDiy nai AsnDy s was released to several parts nominated for two 1979 Osca best. Likewise, Carroll Balla James I very's "The Europea and exceedingly enjoyable fill their original 1979 release date Of the movies that premiere latecomers, among them Ken Martin Scorsese's "Raging Bi fl/\^ RffinVtaol PiminA'c 4 4LJpo\r iivp, itvimvi O Ilx^CtV the Carolinas or Georgia, so tl Thus, one should keep in min may have some tampering do 1980 releases branch out and p As of December 31, however went right and what went wroi THE 1 1. "THE STUNT MAN." A first into the tinseled web of < and, when blackmailed into i dangerous stunts, becomes ce kill him. Kinetically exciti Richard Rush's cinematic f versus reality and the fine Nothing in the movie was as i of the acting (by Peter O'Ti bara Hershey) and the br direction. 2. "ORDINARY PEOPLE Donald Sutherland, Mary Ty made this searing document American family into anytl Robert Redford took Juditl directed it with such style an could have guessed it was hi nearora seems to nave been i but he has treated his characi Allen and Bergman combiner of sweeping this year's Acade 3. "DRESSED TO KILL." could not have created a hon so ludicrously manipulative audiences, yet director Bria style and wit to spare. He ev several oi the film's major s into the narrative so that no nudity as a shock effect, even had in mind all along. In the housewife, Angie Dickensor sensual portrait of a sexual seen. If she doesn't receive Supporting Actress, it will I history of the Academy. 4. "FAME." Alan Parker about eight talented youngst for Performing Arts in New 1 unrestrained creativity. Ea came through with flying col exhibited the vocal polish an superstar along the lines of D "Fame" and "Out Here On R highlights, both in film and in 5. "THE EMPIRE STRIKI Wars" sequel (the second of Wiiiv.il uir VJl IgiiUli 19 UUIML* five) had us irretrievably mouths literally watering for of the Jedi." Irvin Kershnei George Lucas tradition and tl in the original. Had not mos! been deleted, this one might 1 6. "IT'S MY TURN." In wl film, director ClauriU Weill p off in "Annie Hair'ditd "N ?r uuu^iuauijr uic uitx/-icai, W) Clayburgh delivered yet an formance as a klutzy math passionate tail spin by a wo player, light-heartedly portr onscreen banter between th< and future pairings would be 7. "AMERICAN GIGOLO.' ;ainmeni imecoc , 'Ordinary p flicks. id Baker Critic >uld end with a whimper and not ave guessed the motion picture ? in such a manner? Of the 163 less than a third of them were : needed to drive to the theatre, ; were worth the price of adas the year another one bit the sen a reference to originality in art, the movies released in the only by their makers' reliance d-and-true stars and tried-andkes were released in 1980, along ost countless number of rip-offs in Columbia during 1980 was "Being There." But because it of the country in 1979 and was rs, it can't top a list of 1980's rd's "The Black Stallion" and ms," both beautifully mounted us, must be omitted because of is. Ki in 1980, several highly-touted Russell's "Altered States" and nil, and one widely-publicized en's Gate," have yet to open in ley can't be listed here, either, d that my best and worst lists ne to them after the remaining lay the styx. ', this is my assessment of what ig in 1980. OBEST fugitive on the lam falls headan egomaniacal movie director performing progressively more invinced trie director is trying to ing and intoxicatingly funny, unhouse was all about illusion ! line that separates the two. t seemed, except for the quality jole, Steve Railsback and Barilliance of Rush's script and Sterling performances from ler Moore and Timothy Hutton t on the break-up of an afluent ling but an ordinary movie, l Guest's 1977 best-seller and d attention to detail that no one is first film. Like Woodv Allen. nfluenced by Ingmar Bergman, ters with more compassion than 1 If any movie stands a chance my Awards, it's this one. Even Sir Alfred in his heyday ror movie so fiercely funny and as this without alienating his in DePalma pulled it off with 'en flirted with pornography in equences, but made it fit right one could accuse him of using though that's probably what he : role of a frustrated New York 1 created the most vivid and ly repressed woman I've ever an Oscar nomination for Best :>e the biggest oversight in the 's innovatively staged musical ers who attend the High School ifork was a dazzling explosion of ch of Parker's no-name stars lors, especially Irene Cara, who id intensity needed to become a onna Summer. Her renditions of ly Own" were among the year's music. 2S BACK." Just when this "Star a projected nine-part series, in ?r four and this one is number hooked, it ended, leaving out d^ the next installment, "Revenge hi r directed the film in the best w he special effects outshone those th t of the original's wit and humor ci lave placed a bit higher. hi hat was only her second feature ui ickfed yp wfoerd W<kkjy A|ien left P lahhattatt," creating What was tc ttiest romance of the year. Jill pi other eccentric, inventive per- pi lematics professor sent into a manizing professional baseball th ayed by Michael Douglas. The si ; stars was delightfully pointed th most welcome. hi ' Sumptuous art direction and a b; :k rates I^^HH^p: ftllll X,'V " "" ?" ' <,-v .- / Steve Raitsback makes H 1^ gp^SB :: " > ' A Donald Sutherland and A4 "? thnir //i? ? "r\^: ?? ??f vi u##iar; HH| > aim ssmk s|Hb^V Nancy Allen doesn 't know "Dressedto Kill." /namic score from Giorcio IS ghlighted this penetrating expl orkings of a male prostitute. Richai ie leading role, but Lauren Hutt< riminally underrated performance, is rigor mortis as an unfulfilled h rihappy marriage to an unfeeling po aul Schrader's elegant treatment oi > a wave of glossily-produced soft lace of the smarmy sexploitation laying at drive-ins. a 4 inrif w* m AKin ** * r\run A 1! - a. i nc. buixu niunnn." /\ pueuc ie legend of Jesse James from one :ylists, Walter Hill. In what probabl ie casting coup of the decade, fou ired to play four sets of brothers an y turning in exceptional performs > 1980 fill J .mt \ , .1 fllHiHPlA *Si one of his daring stunts for a movie coi ^ ]ary Tyler Moore discuss family matters y People." JA mmm ?m K1MB w^jM Ig^^H '' >( >< %pE that she's next in line to be butchered, floroder and Blondie realized entertainn oration of the inner portrayed by supp< d Gere was a bit stiff in Smith and Amy Strj >n, in the year's most women in the Old W more than made up for 9. "HOPSCOTCH ousewife trapped in an safely within the bo litician. Writer-dir?otr?r hnnnrfc m r/io JU11 ? ? v* ivainjr v\ r sex may very well lead wonderful interpla; core films to take the Jackson and the hi films one usually finds Beatty. Ronald Nea pace and the script ally violent reworking of though not so muc of Hollywood's master trivances. And com y will be remembered asfefreshing to note tl r sets of brothers were picture. d all of them responded 10. "COAL MINI inces. A magnificently ms npany in "The Stunt Man." ; .v:v*-: ' ' : ; !? &iP x\--( P^MH^w' f ; during the aftermath of a crisis j^Hi v /: !v&i;.-. >>: : H gi H Hk ? U Hp I^^Hk - ' HIH ' - ^H^iic^aSHM^S^E _ : [ i ^pi*j in Brian De Pa/ma's horror film nent that, with the pillars of strength irtini/ nlnvorc Dnmnln D/?ul o r?jvio & aiucia l\CTAJ, cwvaiuia" ^ker, opened new doors in the depiction of est. I." The first secret agent spoof to stay lindanes of the genre and also within the /as made all the more enjoyable by the y between Walter Matthau and Glenda larious supporting turn by volatile Ned me kept the action moving at a breakneck by Brian Garfield, was always clever, h so that it called attention to its considering the number of bullets fired, it's nai not one drop of blood was shed in the iH'S DAUGHTER.** Virtually devoid of s?e FMma, pag* 74 iwnnm < a