The Best Films of the '70s Tournament

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jkag89
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Opted for the traditional NCAA style format of four brackets (Drama, SciFi/Fantasy/Horror, Comedy and Action/Thriller) with 16 films each. The committee (me) determined that the Drama bracket contained the strongest list of films (both included and considered) so its eventual winner will be pitted against the SciFi bracket winner in the Final Four. While that bracket has some real contenders at the top it is comparatively weak to the other three brackets which are solid throughout. This of course means the Comedy bracket winner will face off against the Action/Thriller bracket winner in the Final Four. Brackets below or if you wish to skip my overly verbose explanations .VOTE HERE


Drama


You can more or less flip a coin whether The Godfather or The Godfather Part II deserve the top seed. The average movie watcher probably enjoys the straight forward narrative The Godfather more, however since I put poll together I'm going with my favorite of the two. I included the lesser known although critically regarded films The Last Picture Show and Badlands over probably more deserving films mostly because I particularly enjoy them. Badlands is seeded against Apocalypse Now since Martin Sheen stars in both. The Last Picture Show is seeded against Taxi Driver since both co-star Cybill Shepherd. Both Network and All the President's Men probably deserve higher seeds, I have no good explanation why they are not other than while I recognize them as excellent films and enjoyed them I do not feel strongly enough about them to seed them beyond wherever it is convenient. The first Rocky is more of a drama than an action flick, I expect to get some criticism for seeding it too low. I think I seeded it too high considering the quality of the films below it but put it at #5 due the fact that popular and quality sequels are still being made. I included Saturday Night Fever, a film I do not like, because of its popularity and cultural significance.

Others Considered: The Sugarland Express (Spielberg's theatrical film debut, also tried to shoehorn it into either the Action/Thriller {car chases galore} or Comedy, {some extremely funny bits} ]but it is really a drama, A Bridge Too Far, Serpico. McCabe & Mrs. Miller, Murder on the Orient Express, Midnight Express, A Woman Under the Influence, Five Easy Pieces, The Last Detail (also considered for Comedy), Barry Lyndon, Picnic at Hanging Rock (another film I really wanted to include, it is Peter Weir's breakthrough film), Days of Heaven, Norma Rae, Fiddler on the Roof, The Goodbye Girl (also considered for Comedy)

Sci-Fi/Fantasy/Horror

After the top seeds, the quality of the films IMO falls off pretty quickly. There are films probably more deserving than THX 1138 (or at least better known as in actually watched by the average movie goer) but I included it to be the cannon fodder for Star Wars since George Lucas directed both. I decided to seed the non-SciFi horror films against each other so once I seeded The Exorcist and Halloween, Carrie and The Omen seeds were determined.. Mad Max is probably seeded too high but I placed it where I did due to several factors: 1) it is first film of a very successful series and later a critically acclaimed reboot, 2) it is just fun seeing a really young Mel Gibson, and 3) it was the topic of much lunch room discussion for squirly middle school boys whether or not we had actually been allowed to watch it by are parents..

Others Considered: The Andromeda Strain, Logan's Run, Superman. The Omega Man, The Black Hole. Star Trek: The Motion Picture, Sleeper (also considered for Comedy), Westworld, A Boy and His Dog, The Wickerman, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, Dawn of the Dead, Eraserhead, Suspiria, Ralph Bakshi's The Lord of the Rings (not really but we're rather light on Fantasy films this decade)

Comedy

Probably the bracket I'll get the most grief about seeding and movies included or left off. Like Saturday Night Fever, I included Grease because of its popularity and cultural significance but it gets the 16 seed even though it co-stars Olivia Newton John simply because I'm not a fan, Thought about seeding it against American Graffiti due to closeness of setting but although I love AG it does not deserve the #1 seed, heck, it probably does not deserve the seed I gave it but it is against The Jerk so it will likely get a quick boot. I personally don't get The Rocky Horror Picture Show but felt it needed to be included, it is seeded it against Young Frankenstein for thematic reasons. Similar reasoning had me pit The Bad News Bears vs Slapshot and M*A*S*H vs Catch-22. Whether you love or hate his films, IMO a Woody Allen picture should be included hence Annie Hall and it is deserving of at least the #8 seed. Being There is an under appreciated Peter Sellers comedy that I really enjoy. BT gets a relatively high seed in order to be against AH since both films are not nearly as frenetic as most of the others that made the cut. The Muppet Movie gets included because I love me some Muppets. Meatballs gets included because its Bill Murray and now that I'm an old I find it refreshing to have a teen comedy that is not overly raunchy and in some ways rather sweet.

Others considered: The Life of Brian, Murder by Death, Rock 'n' Roll High School, Heaven Can Wait, Shampoo, 10, Bananas, Manhattan. Silver Streak, Foul Play, Cheech & Chong's Up in Smoke, Paper Moon (briefly considered it as a matchup against Bad News Bears.both co-star Tatum O'Neal) The Sunshine Boys (again as a matchup against Bad News Bears, both co-star Walter Matthau) , Oh God, The Longest Yard, Every Which Way But Loose. Harold and Maude

Action/Thriller

Both The Sting and Smokey and the Bandit are a bit out of place here but both are too good to be placed in their more natural bracket (Drama for The Sting, Comedy for the Bandit) where heavy weights in those two brackets would make seeding them much lower than they deserve if seeding was based solely on quality of all 64 films. Of course one must include Bond, James Bond. The Spy Who Love Me is probably the best of the five produced in the '70s but it does not make the cut for the following reasons; 1) Live and Let Die is my favorite of the five, 2) I felt it necessary to include the only Sean Connery Bond film of the decade and 3) since I want an overall diverse bracket TSWLM does not get to "come in from the cold." Three Days of the Condor is an excellent political thriller that is probably seeded too low but placed at #13 to match it against the other Redford film in the bracket. The Poseidon Adventure, is the representative of the popular ensemble cast disaster films of the era and is seeded to match up against the other Gene Hackman film in the bracket. Eastwood vs Eastwood in Escape and Outlaw . Death Wish makes a nice foil for Dirty Harry. The Warriors gets the nod because it is another favorite of squirrely middle school boys to have lied about seeing (and in my case, not to be disappointed when finally old enough to watch)..

Others Considered: Duel (went back and forth about including this excellent Spielberg made for TV film as the 16 seed against Jaws but decided to keep the contest to theatrical releases), The Deep (again as #16 since it was also adapted from a Peter Benchley novel, however even Jacqueline Bisset in a wet T-Shirt can save this clunker), The Cassandra Crossing, The Day of the Jackal, Marathon Man, The Eagle Has Landed, The Great Waldo Pepper, High Plains Drifter (already included three other Eastwood films), Vanishing Point (if better known it would have seeded it against Smokey and the Bandit), Spy Who Loved Me, The Man with the Golden Gun, Walking Tall, Billy Jack, Fist of Fury, Coffy, Airport, The Towering Inferno, Earthquake (and these are only a few of the all-star cast disaster films popular in the decade, if I wanted, I could have given them their own bracket)

Flame away everyone, might not be able to address any criticism of seeding, ect. until the evening if today is anything like yesterday at work. I hope I did not eff up setting up this poll.

Have a Happy and Safe 4th of July weekend everybody Don't forget to VOTE
bluefire579
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AG
With commentary as well. Nice.
Ol Jock 99
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Fat Bib Fortuna
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AG
Dear Vito, sorry you got matched against me in the semifinals. Don't be too proud of this Italian terror you've constructed. The ability to oppose the heroin trade is insignificant next to the power of the Force That will be a day long remembered. It will see the end of the Corleone family, it will soon see the end of a shark named Bruce.

Your pal, DV



OldArmy71
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AG
Where is The Conversation?
Fat Bib Fortuna
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AG
You claim the Sci-Fi bracket is weak, but you leave off Chris Reeves' Superman?
It would beat anything except Star Wars, Alien and maybe Close Encounters.

Arguably the most recognizable main theme in movie history, even above Star Wars. I told myself I wasn't going to be that guy, but damn, SUPERMAN
et98
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AG
I liked the way you seeded them. I've always felt that creating interesting match-ups between movies with something in common is better than trying to rank them outright 1-16. In reality, seedings shouldn't matter anyway if we're just going to whittle it down to one.
Cinco Ranch Aggie
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AG
MuckRaker96 said:

You claim the Sci-Fi bracket is weak, but you leave off Chris Reeves' Superman?
It would beat anything except Star Wars, Alien and maybe Close Encounters.

Arguably the most recognizable main theme in movie history, even above Star Wars. I told myself I wasn't going to be that guy, but damn, SUPERMAN
I'd suggest with some snark that if you don't like the poll, do you own ... but I know that's exactly what you will do.

(Oh, and I agree, Superman should have been on the list and yeah, the John Williams Superman theme is awesome).
Brian Earl Spilner
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AG
MuckRaker96 said:

You claim the Sci-Fi bracket is weak, but you leave off Chris Reeves' Superman?
It would beat anything except Star Wars, Alien and maybe Close Encounters.

Arguably the most recognizable main theme in movie history, even above Star Wars. I told myself I wasn't going to be that guy, but damn, SUPERMAN
Says the guy that left off Braveheart.
Brian Earl Spilner
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AG
This is a great showdown and the commentary is a nice inclusion.

I agree that Superman should be in there, but there'll always be one movie that people miss.

Weirdly, I have seen almost none of the action category. (Seen Jaws and Diamonds Are Forever.)
Fat Bib Fortuna
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AG
Brian Earl Spilner said:

MuckRaker96 said:

You claim the Sci-Fi bracket is weak, but you leave off Chris Reeves' Superman?
It would beat anything except Star Wars, Alien and maybe Close Encounters.

Arguably the most recognizable main theme in movie history, even above Star Wars. I told myself I wasn't going to be that guy, but damn, SUPERMAN
Says the guy that left off Braveheart.
And when I put it in, it got the **** kicked out of it in the first round.
Ag 11
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AG
No love for Serpico? A Bridge Too Far?
No John Wayne movies at all? The Cowboys? Rio Lobo? Big Jake?
Bruce Almighty
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Brian Earl Spilner said:

MuckRaker96 said:

You claim the Sci-Fi bracket is weak, but you leave off Chris Reeves' Superman?
It would beat anything except Star Wars, Alien and maybe Close Encounters.

Arguably the most recognizable main theme in movie history, even above Star Wars. I told myself I wasn't going to be that guy, but damn, SUPERMAN
Says the guy that left off Braveheart.


Maybe the op is anti quadriplegic.
Tanya 93
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I FREAKING LOVE THE WARRIORS!


THANKS DUDE!


And I played Frenchy in 2 different Grease productions. I don't just like ABBA.

jkag89
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OldArmy71 said:

Where is The Conversation?
I have never seen it. films that I have not seen do not get to make either the tournament nor others considered.
jkag89
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MuckRaker96 said:

You claim the Sci-Fi bracket is weak, but you leave off Chris Reeves' Superman?
It would beat anything except Star Wars, Alien and maybe Close Encounters.

Arguably the most recognizable main theme in movie history, even above Star Wars. I told myself I wasn't going to be that guy, but damn, SUPERMAN
It was one of the last films eliminated from consideration. The last time I watched both the first two Reeve's Superman movies they did not seem to have aged well. That might have something to do with the wave of new comic book movies. It most likely helped their cause in that I've watched Rollerball, Silent Running and Soylent Green in the past year or so.
jkag89
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Ag 11 said:

No love for Serpico? A Bridge Too Far?
Both are mentioned in the other's considered. A Bridge Too Far is a very accurate portrayal of Operation Market Garden, well except for the tanks used, but for the most part true to history. Also has a great score and the air drop scene is spectacular,.


The Dakota's taking off to get some idea of the score


Still all that does not make it an overall great movie.

Quote:

No John Wayne movies at all? The Cowboys? Rio Lobo? Big Jake?
Should have at least mentioned the Duke but In my mind I think his '70s movies were all released in the '60s. Shame on me for not even considering them. I love The Shootist and if I had thought about it would have included it in the Action/Thriller bracket. but then it would have probably bumped The Warriors and missed getting cool points from Tanya,
Bruce Almighty
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AG
jkag89 said:

OldArmy71 said:

Where is The Conversation?
I have never seen it. films that I have not seen do not get to make either the tournament nor others considered.


Top 5 movie of the 70s IMO.
jkag89
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I've heard a lot about it but it simply not one of those movies stumble upon. I guess I should really seek in out to understand all the praise.
Brian Earl Spilner
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It upsets me more that you considered it and left it out rather than forgot it.

You cannot possibly put Soylent Green above Superman.
jkag89
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Soylent Green is people!
jkag89
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Results after a day are pretty much as expected. Only two lower seeds are winning. One I predicted would be the case, one in Action/Thriller is a little surprising although that vote has tightened up over night. Only two contest are really close one in Comedy and the other in Action/Thriller.
AgfromHOU
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AG
Without the original Superman movie you don't get today's wave of comic book movies. Heck, Kevin Feige makes all of his people watch Superman II so they know the essence of a hero. Without Superman being a really good movie, you don't get a sequel, Batman '89, and many others. To me it holds up just as well as A New Hope in action and special effects.
oragator
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Being There is a really underrated and forgotten movie.

That is all.
Fat Bib Fortuna
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Brian Earl Spilner said:

It upsets me more that you considered it and left it out rather than forgot it.

You cannot possibly put Soylent Green above Superman.





Superman upon hearing the news he got left out.







Superman a few hours later, incapable of dealing with the deluge of unfamiliar human emotions.
fig96
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I was going to complain about Planet of the Apes or 2001 but they both just miss the 1970 cutoff

I do think based on cultural influence Enter the Dragon is seeded pretty low.
jkag89
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fig96 said:

I was going to complain about Planet of the Apes or 2001 but they both just miss the 1970 cutoff
If I could have had Planet of the Apes, Soylent Green would not have made the cut. I just can't leave off the melodramatic acting of Moses, er Charlton Heston if available to me.
Quote:

I do think based on cultural influence Enter the Dragon is seeded pretty low.
I agree. The moving of The Sting and Smokey and the Bandit to that bracket and me wanting to have a Bond vs Bond match up with neither meriting a seed higher #8 pushed Enter the Dragon down.
jkag89
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MuckRaker96 said:

Brian Earl Spilner said:

It upsets me more that you considered it and left it out rather than forgot it.

You cannot possibly put Soylent Green above Superman.





Superman upon hearing the news he got left out.







Superman a few hours later, incapable of dealing with the deluge of unfamiliar human emotions.
If you can get Superman to reverse the rotation of the Earth so we can go back before I posted the brackets, I might, just might reconsider.
jkag89
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Polls will close at around 8:00 PM tonight.

The results of the films that are winning are more or less as expected. Only one result was a little unexpected. Two more are have a vote margin more lopsided than expected. A few others have the underdog garnering more votes than expected.

Only one matchup has less than ten votes of separation (Comedy bracket), Two matchups in the Action/Thriller bracket could become very interesting if there is a late surge in vothing.

In response to the feedback given: Most Glaring Omission VOTE HERE
oragator
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Speaking of John Wayne films, The Shootist is a really underrated/forgotten movIe too. Great cast, great allegory for the end of his life and well written and directed.
Professor Frick
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jkag89 said:

OldArmy71 said:

Where is The Conversation?
I have never seen it. films that I have not seen do not get to make either the tournament nor others considered.


No judgement, we've all got movies we've just never got around to for whatever reason. BUT, as a guy who is clearly into movies, you should do yourself a favor and watch The Conversation as soon as you can. In my top ten all time.
jkag89
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First Round Results
Total number of voters - 102

Drama
#1 The Godfather Part II (94, 92.2%) vs #16 Saturday Night Fever (8, 7.8%) Impartial/Undecided (0)
#2 The Godfather (98, 96.1%) vs #15 All the President's Men (3, 2.9%) Impartial/Undecided (1, 1.0%)
#3 Apocalypse Now (96, 94.1%) vs #14 Badlands (4, 3.9%) Impartial/Undecided (2. 2.0%)
#4 Taxi Driver (72, 70.6%) vs #13 The Last Picture Show (26, 25.5%) Impartial/Undecided (4, 3.9%)
#5 Rocky (95, 93.1%) vs #12 Network (7, 6.9%) Impartial/Undecided (0)
#6 One Flew Over the ****oo's Nest (67, 65.7%) vs #11 Chinatown (32, 31.4%) Impartial/Undecided (3, 2.9%)
#7 Patton (83, 81.4%) vs #10 Dog Day Afternoon (16, 15.7%) Impartial/Undecided (3, 2.9%)
#8 Kramer vs Kramer (27, 26.5%) vs #9 The Deer Hunter (71. 69.6%) Impartial/Undecided (4, 3.9%)

Sci-Fi/Fantasy/Horror
#1 Star Wars (97, 95.1%) vs #16 THX 1138 (4, 3.9%) Impartial/Undecided (1, 1.0%)
#2 Alien (95, 93.1%) vs #15 Soylent Green (5, 4.9%) Impartial/Undecided (2. 2.0%)
#3 Close Encounters of the Third Kind (92, 90.2%) vs #14 Silent Running (7, 6.9%) Impartial/Undecided (3, 2.9%)
#4 The Exorcist (77, 75.5%) vs #13 The Omen (19, 18.6%) Impartial/Undecided (6, 5,9%)
#5 A Clockwork Orange (74, 72,5%) vs #12 Rollerball (21, 20.6%) Impartial/Undecided (7, 6.9%)
#6 Halloween (64, 62.8%) vs #11 Carrie (35, 34.3%) Impartial/Undecided (3, 2.9%)
#7 Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (61, 59.8%) vs #10 Mad Max (38. 37.3%) Impartial/Undecided (3, 2.9%)
#8 Invasion of the Body Snatchers (77, 75.5%) vs #9 The Man Who Fell to Earth (14, 13.7%) Impartial/Undecided (11, 10.8%)

Comedy
#1 Monty Python and the Holy Grail (80, 78.4%) vs #16 Grease (19, 18.7%) Impartial/Undecided (3, 2.9%)
#2 National Lampoon's Animal House (98, 96.1%) vs #15 Meatballs (4, 3.9%) Impartial/Undecided (2. 2.0%)
#3 Blazing Saddles (90, 88.2%) vs #14 The Muppet Movie (11, 10.8%) Impartial/Undecided (1, 1.0%)
#4 Young Frankenstein (88, 86.3%) vs #13 The Rocky Horror Picture Show (11, 10.8%) Impartial/Undecided (3, 2.9%)
#5 M*A*S*H (87, 85.3%) vs #12 Catch 22 (9, 8.8%) Impartial/Undecided (6, 5.9%)
#6 The Bad News Bears (74, 72,2%) vs #11 Slapshot (21, 20.6%) Impartial/Undecided (7, 6.9%)
#7 American Graffiti (28, 27,5%) vs #10 The Jerk (70, 68.6%) Impartial/Undecided (4, 3.9%)
#8 Annie Hall (51, 50.0%) vs #9 Being There (43, 42.2%) Impartial/Undecided (8, 7.8%)

Action/Thriller
#1 Jaws (92, 90.2%) vs #16 The Warriors (8, 7.8%) Impartial/Undecided (2. 2.0%)
#2 Dirty Harry (91, 89.3%) vs #15 Death Wish (8, 7.8%) Impartial/Undecided (3, 2.9%)
#3 The French Connection (75, 73.5%) vs #14 The Poseidon Adventure (23, 22.6%) Impartial/Undecided (4, 3.9%)
#4 The Sting (83, 81,4%) vs #13 Three Days of the Condor (13, 12.7%) Impartial/Undecided (6, 5.9%)
#5 Smokey and the Bandit (86, 84.3%) vs #12 Shaft (12, 11.8%) Impartial/Undecided (4, 3.9%)
#6 Deliverance (60, 58.8%) vs #11 Enter the Dragon (37, 36.3%) Impartial/Undecided (5, 4,9%)
#7 Escape from Alcatraz (42, 41.2%) vs #10 The Outlaw Josey Wales (56, 54.9%) Impartial/Undecided (4, 3.9%)
#8 Live and Let Die (67, 65.7%) vs #8 Diamonds are Forever (32, 31.4) Impartial/Undecided (3, 2.9%)

Round of 32 Matchups VOTE HERE (Voting will be open until 8:00 Tuesday Evening)

Drama
#1 The Godfather Part II vs #9 The Deer Hunter
#2 The Godfather vs #7 Patton
#3 Apocalypse Now vs #6 One Flew Over the ****oo's Nest
#4 Taxi Driver vs #5 Rocky

Sci-Fi/Fantasy/Horror
#1 Star Wars vs #8 Invasion of the Body Snatchers
#2 Alien vs #7 Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory
#3 Close Encounters of the Third Kind vs #6 Halloween
#4 The Exorcist vs #5 A Clockwork Orange

Comedy
#1 Monty Python and the Holy Grail vs #8 Annie Hall
#2 National Lampoon's Animal House vs #10 The Jerk
#3 Blazing Saddles vs #6 The Bad News Bears
#4 Young Frankenstein vs #5 M*A*S*H

Action/Thriller
#1 Jaws vs #8 Live and Let Die
#2 Dirty Harry vs #10 The Outlaw Josey Wales
#3 The French Connection vs #6 Deliverance
#4 The Sting vs #5 Smokey and the Bandit
jkag89
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Most Glaring Omission results so far
Superman 30.8%
No John Wayne Films 23.1%
Serpico 17.9%
Four at 5.1%: The Conversation, A Bridge Too Far, The Life of Brian, No Bracket for Disaster Films
Thee at a vote each: Murder by Death, Every Which Way But Loose, No separate bracket for Travolta
MSFC Aggie
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Other than the Holy Grail......that comedy bracket was extremely difficult for me.
Brian Earl Spilner
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Taxi Driver vs Rocky
 
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