It all ends today. This is the last of the Retro Hollmann Award of 1971.
Within, you will find: my favorite costumes; my full Top Ten; my lineup of Original Song, the final winner of which was not decided until three minutes before I hit PUBLISH...
And, to start us off, the prize for Best Ensemble, which has no equivalent at the Oscars, but hey -- these are the Hollmann Awards.
BEST ENSEMBLE
1. The Boy Friend
Always give props to a troupe of dancing, singing thesps, all bringing their A-Game, all on-tone, none ever better. Maybe you wouldn't think to combine the talents of Glenda Jackson, Twiggy, Tommy Tune, and Vladek Sheybal (not to mention Max Adrian, Georgina Hale, and Antonia Ellis) -- but thank goodness someone did.
4. Carnal Knowledge
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHVbob0rRcAsbPXoMcDLYJkNOi_F3fGOH4TYJbU3T4MIPDu0E1AeOuwpqPBaiTU2vB7N9y7uZtLXr9wUSUB6K_60i2I8DGv9gr7514Dz3kORDhTbEqN7znG_eFBQq6FZawj9pBOvz3hXd7/s1600/Screen+Shot+2015-04-01+at+5.58.23+PM.png)
Unexpected performances from Ann-Margret, Candice Bergen and Art Garfunkel; effective cameos by Carol Kane and Rita Moreno; an almost movie-stealing turn from Cynthia O'Neal; and a phenomenal Jack Nicholson at the center of it all.
5. Cold Turkey
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_E-1PKrZJps4d3AhkKXD-ItJeGjGneAcbEy2hnx_pTxZ0XZ6KZzGasfzyYj67Pqy9AniM1WqjvgAGct4joD3Vq2kl-am3nWpTxw9OBOFFjN_uOILHek5KSA8009yYf_E1SKIQF0TvJFXD/s1600/Screen+Shot+2015-04-01+at+6.05.20+PM.png)
Dick Van Dyke and Bob Newhart against type, yes -- but let's also give props to Barnard Hughes' desperate, chain-smoking doctor, Barbara Cason's snooty cigarette fiend, Simon Scott's surly tobacco exec, and Bob & Ray.
3. Dodes'ka-den
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Kurosawa's cast has to run the gamut from comedy to drama, varying degrees of each, without being in different films. Nailed it. Little Hiroyuki Kawase is a real find as the beggar's son, Tomoko Yamazaki wrings your heart as the paper flower girl, and at the heart of it all -- Yoshitaka Zushi as the boy conducting a train.
2. The Last Picture Show
Ross Brown, casting director
Anarene feels like the real deal, not just because of the soon-to-be legends like Jeff Bridges, Ellen Burstyn, and Cybill Shepherd; not just due to the reliable character work of Eileen Brennan, Clu Gulager, and Ben Johnson; but also because of the work from Sharon Taggart, Joe Heathcock, Sam Bottoms, and Gary Brockette. It takes a village to make a masterpiece.
What more can I possibly give to the films of Ken Russell? Find out after the jump...