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My MUST SEE Films 1960-1990’s

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By Marci Liroff

I believe that you should become a student of the cinema. You should be a walking talking library of films. There are SO many films that you should see not only for reference, but to become a well-rounded actor.

It is crucial to you to become an actor with range by watching old movies. I’d like you to become a walking/talking film library . You may come across a director in an audition situation or on-set who, rather than being able to articulate what she is looking for, will give you an example of a character in a classic (or not so classic) film. Since you’re a student of cinema, you will know exactly what she’s referring to.

I’ve compiled a few lists of my favorite American Films from the Sixties to the Nineties.

I’m sure I’ve missed A LOT!

Let me know what I should add to the list!

SIXTIES

2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY

THE BIRDS

BONNIE & CLYDE

BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY’S

BUTCH CASSIDY & THE SUNDANCE KID

BYE BYE BIRDIE

THE MUSIC MAN

WEST SIDE STORY

DR. ZHIVAGO

DR. STRANGELOVE

THE DIRTY DOZEN

EASY RIDER

FUNNY GIRL

GOODBYE, MR. CHIPS

GUESS WHO’S COMING TO DINNER?

LOLITA

MY FAIR LADY

PATTON

THE PINK PANTHER

PSYCHO

ROMEO & JULIET

SPLENDOR IN THE GRASS

WAIT UNTIL DARK

SEVENTIES

A CLOCKWORK ORANGE

ALICE DOESN’T LIVER HERE ANYMORE

ALIEN

ALL THAT JAZZ

AMERICAN GRAFITTI

ANNIE HALL

ROSEMARY’S BABY

BREAKING AWAY

CARRIE

CATCH-22

CHINATOWN

CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND

COAL MINER’S DAUGHTER

DAYS OF HEAVEN

THE DEER HUNTER

DELIVERANCE

DOG DAY AFTERNOON

DON’T LOOK NOW

THE ELEPHANT MAN

ERASERHEAD

FAME

FIVE EASY PIECES

THE FRENCH CONNECTION

THE FRONT

THE GODFATHER I & II

THE GRADUATE

THE GREAT SANTINI

THE STING

HAIR

HAROLD & MAUDE

THE HEARTBREAK KID

HEAVEN CAN WAIT

JAWS

KRAMER VS. KRAMER

LADY SINGS THE BLUES

THE LAST PICTURE SHOW

THE LAST DETAIL

LENNY

MANHATTAN

MARATHON MAN

MASH

MCCABE & MRS. MILLER

MIDNIGHT EXPRESS

MIDNIGHT COWBOY

NASHVILLE

NORMA RAE

NORTH DALLAS FORTY

ONE FLEW OVER THE CUKOO’S NEXT

ORDINARY PEOPLE

PAPER MOON

PAPILLION

PLAY IT AGAIN, SAM

RAGING BULL

SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER

SERPICO

SHAMPOO

SLEEPER

A STAR IS BORN

STAR WARS

THE GREAT SANTINI

THE SUGARLAND EXPRESS

TAXI DRIVER

URBAN COWBOY

THE WAY WE WERE

YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN

EIGHTIES

AFTER HOURS

AGNES OF GOD

AMADEUS

ATLANTIC CITY

AVALON

BABY BOOM

THE BIG CHILL

THE BIG PICTURE

BLADE RUNNER

BLOOD SIMPLE

BODY HEAT

BORN ON THE FOURTH OF JULY

THE BREAKFAST CLUB

BULL DURHAM

DEAD CALM

DEAD POETS SOCIETY

DESERT BLOOM

DESPERATELY SEEKING SUSAN

DINER

DIRTY DANCING

DO THE RIGHT THING

DOWN AND OUT IN BEVERLY HILLS

DRUGSTORE COWBOY

E.T.

EDWARD SCISSORHANDS

EMPIRE OF THE SUN

THE FABULOUS BAKER BOYS

FAST TIMES AT RIDGEMONT HIGH

FATAL ATTRACTION

FERRIS BEULLER

A FISH CALLED WANDA

FIVE CORNERS

THE FLAMINGO KID

FLASHDANCE

THE FLY

FOXES

FRANCES

FULL METAL JACKET

GHOSTBUSTERS

GOOD MORNING, VIETNAM

GOODFELLAS

THE GRIFTERS

HENRY & JUNE

HOOSIERS

KING OF COMEDY

MASK

MOONSTRUCK

AN OFFICER AND A GENTLEMAN

OUT OF AFRICA

PLATOON

THE POSTMAN ALWAYS RINGS TWICE

THE PRINCESS BRIDE

PRIZZI’S HONOR

RAINMAN

RAISING ARIZONA

THE RIVER’S EDGE

SCARFACE

SAY ANYTHING

SEX, LIES & VIDEOTAPES

THE SHINING

SHOOT THE MOON

SILKWOOD

SIXTEEN CANDLES

SOMETHING WILD

SOPHIE’S CHOICE

STAND BY ME

THE SURE THING

TENDER MERCIES

TERMS OF ENDEARMENT

TESTAMENT

TOOTSIE

THE TRIP TO BOUNTIFUL

VICTOR/VICTORIA

WORKING GIRL

ZELIG

NINETIES

A BRONX TALE

A BUG’S LIFE

A FEW GOOD MEN

A LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN

A SIMPLE PLAN

A WALK ON THE MOON

ALADDIN

AMERICAN BEAUTY

AMERICAN HISTORY X

APOLLO 13

AUSTIN POWERS

BABE

BAD BOYS

BARTON FINK

BEFORE SUNRISE

BEING JOHN MALKOVICH

BENNY & JOON

BIG NIGHT

BILL & TED’S BOGUS JOURNEY

BOOGIE NIGHTS

BOTTLE ROCKET

BOYS DON’T CRY

BOYZ N THE HOOD

BRAVEHEART

CAPE FEAR

CARLITO’S WAY

CASINO

CHAPLIN

CLERKS

CRASH

DANCES WITH WOLVES

DAZED AND CONFUSED

DEAD MAN WALKING

ED WOOD

EDWARD SCISSORHANDS

EL MARIACHI

ELECTION

FALLING DOWN

FARGO

FEARLESS

FIGHT CLUB

FLIRTING WITH DISASTER

FORREST GUMP

FOUR WEDDINGS AND A FUNERAL

FRIED GREEN TOMATOES

GHOST

GHOSTS OF MISSISSIPPI

GIRL, INTERRUPTED

GLENGARRY GLEN ROSS

GO

GOOD WILL HUNTING

GOODFELLAS

GROUNDHOG DAY

HEAVENLY CREATURES

HENRY & JUNE

HOME ALONE

HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS

JACOB’S LADDER

JERRY MAGUIRE

JUNGLE FEVER

JURASSIC PARK

KIDS

L.A. CONFIDENTIAL

LA FEMME NIKITA

LEAVING LAS VEGAS

LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL

LIKE WATER FOR CHOCOLATE

LOCK, STOCK AND TWO SMOKING BARRELS

MAN ON THE MOON

MILLER’S CROSSING

MISERY

MR. HOLLAND’S OPUS

MRS. DOUBTFIRE

MY BEST FRIEND’S WEDDING

MY OWN PRIVATE IDAHO

NATURAL BORN KILLERS

NOTTING HILL

ONCE WERE WARRIORS

OUT OF SIGHT

PHILADELPHIA

PLEASANTVILLE

POSTCARDS FROM THE EDGE

PRETTY WOMAN

PRIMAL FEAR

PULP FICTION

PUMP UP THE VOLUME

QUIZ SHOW

REALITY BITES

RESEVOIR DOGS

REVERSAL OF FORTUNE

ROMEO + JULIET

RUN LOLA RUN

RUSHMORE

SAVING PRIVATE RYAN

SCHINDLER’S LIST

SCREAM

SE7EN

SEARCHING FOR BOBBY FISCHER

SECRETS & LIES

SENSE AND SENSIBILITY

SET IT OFF

SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE

SHINE

SHORT CUTS

SINGLES

SISTER ACT

SLACKER

SLEEPERS

SLEEPLESS IN SEATTLE

SLING BLADE

SLUMS OF BEVERLY HILLS

SOAPDISH

SPEED

STRICTLY BALLROOM

SWIMMING WITH SHARKS

SWINGERS

THE ADVENTURES OF PRISCILLA, QUEEN OF THE DESERT

THE AGE OF INNOCENCE

THE BIG LEBOWSKI

THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT

THE BODYGUARD

THE COMMITMENTS

THE CRYING GAME

THE ENGLISH PATIENT

THE FISHER KING

THE FUGITIVE

THE FULL MONTY

THE GREEN MILE

THE GRIFTERS

THE HOUSE OF YES

THE ICE STORM

THE IRON GIANT

THE LION KING

THE MAN IN THE MOON

THE MASK

THE MATRX

THE MIGHTY DUCKS

THE PEOPLE VS LARRY FLYNT

THE PIANO

THE PLAYER

POINT BREAK

THE PROFESSIONAL

THE RIVER WILD

THE SHAWSHANK REDEPMPTION

THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS

THE SIXTH SENSE

THE TALENTED MR. RIPLEY

THE THIN RED LINE

THE TRUMAN SHOW

THE USUAL SUSPECTS

THE VIRGIN SUICIDES

THELMA & LOUISE

THERE’S SOMETHING ABOUT MARY

THIS BOY’S LIFE

THREE KINGS

TITANIC

TO DIE FOR

TOY STORY

TRAINSPOTTING

TREMORS

TRULY MADLY DEEPLY

UNFORGIVEN

WAG THE DOG

WAITING FOR GUFFMAN

WAYNE’S WORLD

WELCOME TO THE DOLLHOUSE

WHAT’S EATING GILBERT GRAPE

WHITE MEN CAN’T JUMP

YOU’VE GOT MAIL

Please let me know what I’m missing. I think this list will be ever-growing! (I haven’t even touched all the foreign films yet!)

Comments

  1. I loved your article in this weeks backstage. I’m an actor and such a huge fan of TV/FILM, I could talk about it all day. All I was doing was nodding in agreement while I was reading your article. I’m such a big believer in knowing the history of what’s come before. Like any good musician should know classical music in some form or another, an actor should know certain in’s and out’s of great films and television shows. I noticed you had Butch Cassidy in the 70’s list ( I believe it came out in 1969 haha). I’m looking forward to coming in and reading for you in the future. I’m currently in NYC “acting” it up.

  2. Chuck Filipov says

    Having a sick day film festival and am loving this list for reference! One thing I notice missing: Lawrence of Arabia. Granted it’s one of MY must-sees but wanted to throw it out there.

  3. Brenda foulks says

    One of my favorites is “Silence of the Lambs” 1996 movie.

  4. Every film on this list is on MY list. LOVE! Some of my other faves: Eraserhead (1977), The Shining (1980), Sixteen Candles (1984), Mask (1985), Pretty Woman (1990), Five Easy Pieces (1970) and Planes, Trains & Automobiles (1987)

    I’m sure there are more, but your list reminded me of how great film can be.

    Thanks, Marci. Miss our conversations!

    Billy DaMota

  5. I’ve been chipping away at this list since I came across the backstage article you posted some time ago. Thank you so much for your insight, and your recommendations. I believe this will help me along in my craft, and it’s so interesting to learn some of these actors back stories.

  6. Kathleen Huber says

    “A Room With A View.” A glorious movie (1985, I think), and a glorious acting class.

  7. Pascal ElMER says

    I’m surprised Philadelphia didn’t make the list? However, I do think it’s a fantastic list!

Trackbacks

  1. […] use a movie scene as a reference. Check out the link on my website’s resources page for must-see movies from 1960–1990. Watch episodes of “Actors on Actors” from Variety. You’ll see famous actors interviewing […]

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