Tafero's DVD Reviews by Year 1964

1964

These are the best films of 1964 and the ones that will qualify for my best 2000 films list – 868 films now qualify for the top 2000 list in an average year as 15 qualify.

1. Zorba the Greek – Quinn had fun doing this one and makes the top 2000
2. Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow – Italian import makes the top 2000
3. Becket – finely acted film ignored by the NY Times, but makes my top 2000 llist
4. The Best Man – interesting, if not realistic, political film that is now a bit passé just misses
5. The Carpetbaggers – wildly uneven soap misses the top list
6. Dr. Strangelove – the greatest black comedy of all time makes both top 2000 list and top 100 list
7. The Fall of the Roman Empire – disappointing spectacle good enough to make the top 2000
8. The Gospel According to St Matthew – beautifully shot film with great dialogue makes top 2000
9. The Pawnbroker – grisly inner city noir with intense Steiger makes this a top 2000 film
10. A Shot in the Dark – very funny Sellers material makes this a top 2000 film
11. The Thin Red Line – This is a fairly faithful rendition of the Jones novel that makes the top 2000
12. The Train – Lancaster WW2 movie that is a bit uneven, but good enough for top 2000
13. Yellow Rolls-Royce – nice storyline makes this film a top 2000 pick
14. Zulu – One of the biggest surprises of the year makes this a top 2000 and top 100 pick
15. Marriage, Italian Style – Italian import makes the top 2000 list
Average year for film

Debuts
Julie Andrews
The Beatles
Judi Dench
James Earl Jones
Donald Sutherland

Remembering Greats Who Have Passed
Alan Ladd – Shane
Peter Lorre – M
Ben Hecht – collaborator of Burt Lancaster
Ian Fleming – Bond movies writer
Gracie Allen – leaving behind George Burns
Harpo Marx – the only good Marx Brothers actor
Cole Porter – legendary song writer
William Bendix – remembered as Riley in Life of Riley