Movies, Movies, Movies…
Ahh, the joy of a packed movie palace, settling in to enjoy a great film with a crowd full of friendly strangers….it’s why we love the cinema, right?
Well, we also love it because of great Actors like George C. Scott, shown here being “choked out” a bit – and guess what: Scott shows up TWICE on my “A-Z” countdown of great movies that begin at the letter “H”!
In addition to George C, we have angry cowboys, bad breakups, chainsaw hookups AND shamefully mis-titled Hookers!
As always, this is not a countdown – all ten films are equal in my book – so let’s get to counting – with an incredible action movie starring a hospital full of babies!
10 – “Hard Boiled”
I want to begin with this 1992 movie, directed by John Woo, because it has some of the most incredible action sequences ever put on film, including an extended climax that takes place inside the baby ward of a hospital!
Chow Yun Fat is outstanding as a Cop who won’t back down – even when the mob storm a children’s hospital – this is one of the most action-packed sequences ever captured on film.
“Hard Boiled” brought Chow Yun Fat and Tony Leung to American audiences – it’s an amazing action film – check out this trailer, which is basically 3 minutes of incredible action scenes set to music!
this film takes no time to mesmerize: in the first five minutes, you meet Chow Yun Fat when he literally wipes out a whole room full of gangsters – while sliding down a bannister!
If you haven’t seen this film, search it out now – it is incredible! Read more about this genre of Hong Kong action film here:
I am a fan of westerns: classics with John Wayne, more modern versions with Clint Eastwood and everything in between, which takes us to this gritty 1971 oater:
9 – “The Hunting Party”
This is an obscure 1971 film starring Gene Hackman, Oliver Reed and Candace Bergen – check out the trailer:
Oliver Reed is the outlaw who wants to learn to read, and Candace Bergen is the school teacher he kidnaps to teach him – except she’s also the wife of cattle baron Gene Hackman – who rustles up a “Hunting Party” and begins to pick off the bad guys one by one.
There is lots of grindhouse violence here, but kind of interesting to watch a B-movie being acted out by some well-known “A”-list Actors. This came out the same year that Hackman won Best Actor for “The French Connection!”
Speaking Of Oscar-winning performances:
8 – “Hannah & Her Sisters”
In 1986, Michael Caine and Diane Wiest both won Supporting Acting Oscars for their work in this terrific Woody Allen film – check out the trailer:
Mia Farrow and Barbara Hershey are also outstanding – a film with heart, humor and a lot of emotion. Woody Allen won the Oscar for his screenplay and the film was nominated as well for Best Picture.
Now, another Oscar-winning Actor in a very powerful role:
7 – “Hardcore”
First, while this poster is incredibly powerful, George C. Scott NEVER says that line in the movie!
He does, however, experience the most intense movie screening of all time – check out the trailer:
Paul Schrader directed Scott and Season Hubley in this gritty thriller about a father searching the porn districts of LA and San Francisco, looking for his runaway daughter.
The movie was shot in the real XXX-rated theater districts of those two cities. It’s a powerful film, and you can see more trivia about the making of it here:
Let’s lighten things up with an offbeat comedy from 1972 that made Charles Grodin a star:
6 – “The Heartbreak Kid”
Grodin stars as a man who meets – and falls in love with – the beautiful Cybill Shepard – while on his honeymoon! Check out the trailer:
This is a great film, do NOT watch the awful remake with Ben Stiller – search this one out instead.
OK, our countdown continues now with an 80’s cult classic:
5 – “Hollywood Chainsaw Hookers”
The classic horror comedy came out in 1988, and it’s an over-saturated ball of fun!
This blend of comedy, violence and good clean “naughty fun” is a real treat – and I found a clip of pre-movie star Greg Kinnear at the film’s premiere!
Check it out here:
Now, time to check-in with Doctor George C. Scott again:
4 – “The Hospital”
In 1971, Scott starred in this great black comedy about hospitals, doctors, and crazy patients!
Here is the trailer:
Paddy Chaefsky wrote the screenplay, which skewers the health care industry – he would go on to the do the same to television five years later with “Network.”
See more about this movie here:
Are you yearning for some “J-Sploitation?” Or just wondering what it is?
3 – “Helldriver”
Welcome to the amazingly inventive genre of film known as “Japanese exploitation” – widely imaginative and eye popping – here is a trailer that offers up a ton of proof!
These movies always feature young women who have been wronged – and they always exact bloody revenge…this is a great example of the genre, and you can see more o them here:
https://johnrieber.com/2012/05/01/female-ninja-warriors-extreme-asian-cinema-updated/
Have you ever seen a movie that had been re-titled? Who knows why – perhaps the first name didn’t resonate – but here is one with THREE DIFFERENT NAMES!
2 – “Hooker’s Revenge!”
I love the “Queen Of Artsploitation” Christina Lindberg. In the early 70’s she shocked American audiences with her performances in european art films that were full of sex and nudity. Here is the classic “double bill” trailer for one of her movies:
There is just one problem: “Hookers Revenge” was the third title for the movie – it had already been released TWICE before in the US!
Yes, the film was originally released as “Thriller: A Cruel Picture”, then a year later as “They Call Her One Eye” – and finally years after that as “Hookers Revenge” – and it was the same movie!
It’s classic sexploitation, and Christina is terrific in it – the wild thing is the titling – because she was NEVER a hooker!
Read more about Lindberg’s amazing career, which inspired Quentin Tarantino, by clicking here:
https://johnrieber.com/2014/08/11/christina-lindberg-speaks-the-queen-of-artsploitation-bares-all/
Finally, what many consider to be the greatest film shocker of all wraps up my countdown:
1 – “Halloween”
“The night HE came home!” Director John Carpenter scared us to death with this movie – remember the classic trailer?
Jamie Lee Curtis was dubbed America’s greatest “Scream Queen” because of this film, and it has influenced horror films ever since…see the trailer and a ton of movie trivia here:
https://johnrieber.com/2016/10/03/shocktober-day-3-screams-halloween-scream-queen-jamie-lee-curtis/
So there you have it, a great collection of “H” films to get caught up on or enjoy again…
If you missed by first six letters of the alphabet, here is a story about “Movies A-F”:
And you can’t miss “G”, which is full of great stuff like this:
Yes, that “Godfather” scene with the horse’s head was real! Check out all of my “G” list here:
Let me know your favorite films with the letter “H”!
