Clint Eastwood has, of course made many excellent films
throughout his long, distinguished career as both an actor and director.
Having been an ardent fan of his for many years, and having seen and
enjoyed all his movies, it is very difficult to pick out any of his
films as my particular favourites. However, if pressed to list an all
time top five, I would probably name all the following movies as ones
which hold a special place in my memory in regard to seeing Clint at his
very best.
1. The Good, The Bad and The Ugly (1967) - Definitely the King of all Eastwood Movies for me, and indeed my all time favourite Western. Clint is just fantastic as the mysterious, cool, calm and collected cigar-chewing Man With No Name. This spaghetti western is such an epic masterpiece of a movie, and has so many iconic and unforgettable scenes in it: the vast, dusty, inhospitable and ominous landscapes through which the three main protagonists - Blondie (Clint Eastwood), Tuco (Eli Wallach) and Angel Eyes (Lee Van Cleef) - journey and fight in desperate search of the graveyard-buried Union gold; Blondie's touching encounter with the dying soldier; the alternating friend/enemy relationship that constantly bubbles between Blondie and Tuco as they occasionally double cross each other, just to further their own devious ends; the tense, nerve-jarring climax in the sprawling cemetery as the three men stand off against each other in a drawn out gunfight (love the way the camera switches from one pair of eyes to the other in the build up to the draw, which brilliantly rakes up the sheer mounting tension and uncertainty of who will die first). And who can forget that awesome, atmospheric music by Ennio Morricone? The Good, The Bad and The Ugly was the first film that made me a Clint Eastwood fan. It is just the most brilliant, totally flawless movie I have ever seen in my life. Truly, the quintessential spaghetti Western.
2. Play Misty For Me (1971) - Clint plays a late-night radio DJ who is relentlessly and lustfully pursued by an obsessed, psychotic female listener, who always requests him to "play Misty" for her. The movie builds up to a chilling, tense climax that has you on the edge of your seat. Now, whenever I hear the song 'Misty', it immediately evokes vivid, chilling memories of this movie.
3. Dirty Harry (1971) - Clint is just awesome in the role of Police Inspector Harry Callahan, who mercilessly deals out his own special style of justice to the criminal scum of America, with a little help from his trusty Magnum, "the most powerful hand gun in the world". Frustrated with the hindrance of police and legal red tape, Harry says to hell with the system - THIS is how criminals should be punished. And, boy, don't we all cheer when Harry confronts the crazed killer Scorpio and gives the scumbag the comeuppance he so deserves?
4. Escape From Alcatraz (1979) - Clint is brilliant in his role as the prisoner Frank Morris, who manages to escape from the notorious Alcatraz island prison with a little help from some fabricated dummy heads which, apparently, to the foxed prison guards, are just the convicts sleeping soundly on their pillows. Based on a true story, Escape From Alacatraz is one of the best prison escape movies ever made.
5. Magnum Force (1976) - Dirty Harry returns for another action-packed thrill ride, as he dares to do things to the criminal scum of America, with his trusty Magnum, that his police superiors would refuse to even contemplate. This time, Harry takes on a secret gang of vigilantes posing as bike-riding cops, led by David Soul. Great twist at the end too, and a very explosive twist at that!
So there you have it: my top five Clint Eastwood movies. Hope they've "made your day."
1. The Good, The Bad and The Ugly (1967) - Definitely the King of all Eastwood Movies for me, and indeed my all time favourite Western. Clint is just fantastic as the mysterious, cool, calm and collected cigar-chewing Man With No Name. This spaghetti western is such an epic masterpiece of a movie, and has so many iconic and unforgettable scenes in it: the vast, dusty, inhospitable and ominous landscapes through which the three main protagonists - Blondie (Clint Eastwood), Tuco (Eli Wallach) and Angel Eyes (Lee Van Cleef) - journey and fight in desperate search of the graveyard-buried Union gold; Blondie's touching encounter with the dying soldier; the alternating friend/enemy relationship that constantly bubbles between Blondie and Tuco as they occasionally double cross each other, just to further their own devious ends; the tense, nerve-jarring climax in the sprawling cemetery as the three men stand off against each other in a drawn out gunfight (love the way the camera switches from one pair of eyes to the other in the build up to the draw, which brilliantly rakes up the sheer mounting tension and uncertainty of who will die first). And who can forget that awesome, atmospheric music by Ennio Morricone? The Good, The Bad and The Ugly was the first film that made me a Clint Eastwood fan. It is just the most brilliant, totally flawless movie I have ever seen in my life. Truly, the quintessential spaghetti Western.
2. Play Misty For Me (1971) - Clint plays a late-night radio DJ who is relentlessly and lustfully pursued by an obsessed, psychotic female listener, who always requests him to "play Misty" for her. The movie builds up to a chilling, tense climax that has you on the edge of your seat. Now, whenever I hear the song 'Misty', it immediately evokes vivid, chilling memories of this movie.
3. Dirty Harry (1971) - Clint is just awesome in the role of Police Inspector Harry Callahan, who mercilessly deals out his own special style of justice to the criminal scum of America, with a little help from his trusty Magnum, "the most powerful hand gun in the world". Frustrated with the hindrance of police and legal red tape, Harry says to hell with the system - THIS is how criminals should be punished. And, boy, don't we all cheer when Harry confronts the crazed killer Scorpio and gives the scumbag the comeuppance he so deserves?
4. Escape From Alcatraz (1979) - Clint is brilliant in his role as the prisoner Frank Morris, who manages to escape from the notorious Alcatraz island prison with a little help from some fabricated dummy heads which, apparently, to the foxed prison guards, are just the convicts sleeping soundly on their pillows. Based on a true story, Escape From Alacatraz is one of the best prison escape movies ever made.
5. Magnum Force (1976) - Dirty Harry returns for another action-packed thrill ride, as he dares to do things to the criminal scum of America, with his trusty Magnum, that his police superiors would refuse to even contemplate. This time, Harry takes on a secret gang of vigilantes posing as bike-riding cops, led by David Soul. Great twist at the end too, and a very explosive twist at that!
So there you have it: my top five Clint Eastwood movies. Hope they've "made your day."
