This film makes me sob, literally weep at the end, it isn't even very dramatic just intensely sad. There's bits I hate about it, like the party scene which just seems like a big fake acid trip, a little cliche. I just find the whole thing such a sad tale. Anyway, I was thinking about this movie the other day and felt like crying so I though I'd see what other people's views on it were. Seen it? Loved it? Hated it?
I think its a great movie. The acting is great, and the story is unique and interesting social commentary. I often get the theme from Midnight Cowboy stuck in my head, its bittersweet I like the acid trip part, you have to remember when this film was made, and that acid was far stronger back then
but that's my point, for the times it's the cliche 'trippy' scene, but it doesn't quite work. Whereas Easy Rider for example, where they actually all were on acid (or so I'm told) really fucking works, I believe it and it makes me feel as trippy as they do.
I'm not a big fan either, but that scene works and the reason it works is because you really feel it, mind you I was on mushrooms the last time I watched it which might have helped! I fucking hate the ending to that film, it replays in my head sometimes and just freaks me out.
Something about Easy Rider seems just trashy to me... For some reason I don't like typical "bikers" that may have something to do with it. It's been a while, can't really remember the ending
well I think for it's time it wasn't trashy, but the idea of 'bikers' has since become a little stereotypical, which has given the movie a kind of stupid 'biker' attatchment. It has some fantastic acting in it. The ending is they both get blown off their bikes by Rednecks, it's horrible and makes me feel crap.
OK rings a bell now. I don't like rednecks either Didn't Dustin Hoffman get an academy award for playing Ratzo in Midnight Cowboy? I'm off to consult imdb.com *whistles* going where the sun is shining through the pouring rain, going where the weather suits my clothes
I agree that 'Midnight Cowboy' is a really sad,downbeat film.It is more or less set in the New York gutter!. It was a milestone film for it's time.Very gritty,very realistic.Films up until then tended to show New York in a positive light.Also nobody ever made films about the lives of New York hustlers. This was Dustin Hoffman's second superb performance after 'The Graduate'. Jon Voight gave the performance of his film career!. The opening song: "Everybody's Talkin'"- by Harry Nillson sets the tone for the whole film. If you are very astute & perceptive;you will notice in a scene where Voight & Hoffman are running through the New York streets:- they pass a Cinema showing: 'Hang 'Em High' with Clint Eastwood.That would tend to suggest the film was actually 'fimed' in late 1967 or early 1968!. Not a "feel-good film" but a "perceptive & challenging film" .
i'm pretty sure he did didn't he, or maybe he got nominated. He plays the part damn well, well enough to make me cry (and I aint one for crying).
OK Dustin Hoffman was nominated but didn't win The film did get Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Screenplay
Okay,okay-I've made my signature smaller. It's interesting that the Director was a Brit: John Schlessinger who had previously directed the romantic epic: 'Far From The Madding Crowd'. It took a Brit to see the seedier side of the pursuit of the American Dream. Also the Film seems to be degrading the whole concept of the American Dream as it existed in 1969.
People have been writing and making films regarding the darkside of the American dream for a long time, both Americans and otherwise...pulp fiction novels,biker movies, stories like "To Kill a Mockingbird" etc. so I really wouldn't say it took a brit to see this for the first time...especially since the writer was: James Leo Herlihy Add estate info Date of birth (location) 27 February 1927 Detroit, Michigan, USA Date of death (details) 20 October 1993 Los Angeles, California, USA. (overdose of sleeping pills)
Midnight Cowboy was excellent. It broke ground in movies. Did you know it was rated "X" when it came out, because of the Gay Hustler? (Even though there were NO details about his customers ect.) That was considered too racy for American Families back in the early 70s. I remember my mother's church group going on and on about how awful it was, and no one had seen it.
