MovieChat Forums > Alice's Restaurant (1969) Discussion > One of 1000 Greatest Films. Why?

One of 1000 Greatest Films. Why?

posted 13 years ago by SeanOBackHair
10 replies | jump to latest

Not trying to be mean, but a bit genuinely confused why this is considered a classic. I’ve been going through the New York Times 1,000 greatest movies list and caught up on some of them (Gone With the Wind, The Conversation, Diqbolique etc.), but after watching this one, I don’t understand why its on the list.

Is there some sort of deep metaphor I’m missing when they dump and clean up the trash? Why was the cop so mad about the trash after he’d been so buddy, buddy with the hippies? Why was every scene dealing with Vietnam so jokey?

I felt the cinematography was bland, the editing haphazard, the character that died was completely undeveloped, and the acting mediocre at best.

Plus, the movie probably has the most forced joke in motion picture history when out of nowhere, Arlo finds a donkey and then some guy says “I always wondered how I can get my ass across Canada”. What?

Also, the ending was pretty good, but I liked it better when it was done in “The Graduate”.

[–] 13 years ago

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[–] Owlwise 11 years ago

It'a considered a classic because it really captures the spirit of its times -- the idealism, the despair, the struggle to become a whole human being, the absurdity of everyday American life, the inescapable presence of the Vietnam War, the search for personal authenticity, the uses & misuses of freedom, the questioning of the status quo -- so many things!

THe jokiness about Vietnam was ironic, if not quite black humor -- dealing with horrific things by playing it for nervous laughs. Anyone of draft age (as I was myself at the time) realized that he could wind up in Vietnam, having to kill or be killed in a war many of us believed was illegal & immoral. I was lucky enough n ot to b e drafted; other guys weren't so lucky, and some of them either died or came home forever changed. Certainly none of us wanted to wind up becoming the next Lt. Calley of My Lai massacre infamy, or someone like him. Sadly, that aspect of the film is still relevant today, just in another part of the world.

The joke about getting his ass across Canada is a reference to fleeing the country to avoid the draft, as many principled young men did.

The acting was loose & often improvisational in order to get a feeling of naturalness, as opposed to Hollywood slickness.

A beautiful, funny, sometimes heartbreaking film.

[–] 11 years ago

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[–] bobbydallas (8055) 2 years ago

'twas OK

[–] Bossdog677 (1448) 2 years ago

Because the Hippies currently run the world and can't get over 1969.

[–] snepts (11123) 2 years ago

Most fatuous remark I've read in the last fifteen minutes.
You've joined the ranks of the truly dumb here, but at least you aren't alone.

[–] Bossdog677 (1448) 2 years ago

But you know its true

[–] Kowalski (57402) 2 years ago

MY FATHER IS A HIPPIE...CLASS OF 1969...ATTENDEE OF WOODSTOCK...LIFELONG POTHEAD WITH A PONYTAIL AND LITTLE MONEY...HE IS 70 YEARS OLD AND NEVER LEAVES HIS EASY CHAIR...I DOUBT MANY OF HIS KIND OUR IN MUCH AUTHORITY AT THIS POINT.

[–] Bossdog677 (1448) 2 years ago

The Current President is 9 years older than your dad, the Speaker of the House is 12 years older. My grandpa volunteered for two tours in 'Nam, Lifelong Pothead and little money and would be 70 years old now if he didn't die of cancer in 2020 and the same people running government now likely spit on him on his return home and made us not able to have a proper funeral for him with their concocted covid nonsense that was in fact the biggest transfer of wealth in modern history.

[–] OnanTheBarbarian (10275) 2 years ago

Ah, hippy hippy forward
Hippy hippy hippy hippy hippy shake
Oh, it's time to do 'em right