4A – Raging Bull (1980). Such was Robert De Niro’s commitment to method acting, that he stripped down to 66kg to play boxing legend Jake La Motta then spent 3 months fattening himself to 97kg in Italy to play the retired boxer and now bloated nightclub owner. Raging Bull is considered by many critics to be the best film of the 80’s winning the best actor Oscar and being nominated for seven others. Along with Goodfellas and Taxi Driver, this is a crowning achievement from Martin Scorsese. The movie is filmed in stunning black and white and the opening scene has that unique contrast of impending violence and Italian classical music.

4B – Apocalypse Now (1979). Also nominated for eight Oscars, this epic production from director Francis Ford Coppola virtually mirrored everything that was wrong about its subject, the Vietnam War. A massive budget blowout, undisciplined behaviour, drug and alcohol abuse and actors losing the plot in the heat and humidity of the Phillipines. Add to that an egomaniac star in Marlon Brando and you’re in trouble. Fortunately for Coppola the final result was impressive and the return at the box office more than covered the investment. The opening scene is quite unforgettable and backed by the perfect song for the Vietnam conflict, The End by The Doors.

3 – Reservoir Dogs (1992). This opening scene actually starts with a group of career criminals sitting around a table in a diner supposedly planning a robbery. It then becomes a long winded autopsy of Madonna’s hit songs and other inane chat. From there we hear from comedian Steven Wright cast as a DJ who plays daggy ‘toe tapping’ songs from the 70’s that dominate the soundtrack to the film. The opener is Little Green Bag by The George Baker Selection, a minor hit in Australia also in the days of Countdown. Following the titles, director Quentin Tarantino takes us to a gruesome scene with a wounded Tim Roth being helped by Harvey Keitel which sparks your curiosity immediately. This was Tarantino’s first film and would highlight his characteristic use of split screens and alternating timelines.

2 – Taxi Driver (1976). My favourite film of all time. Robert De Niro worked as a New York taxi driver for two months as was his method acting wont and there’s no doubt it paid off when he took on the role of ex-Marine Travis Bickle. The opening scene opens the door to the seedy world of 70’s Harlem and The Bronx accompanied by the brilliant score from Bernard Herrmann.

Given my borderline obsession with Taxi Driver, whilst in NYC in 2014 we tracked down a couple of original movie sites for the film, one being the electoral office which is now a bank. Clearly ecstatic, I stormed inside it and walked around in an altered state right through the bank employee’s work stations maniacally explaining to anonymous people that “these are the same windows!” and “this is where Cybil Shepherd sat!” Suddenly a guard appeared with one hand on his revolver and ushered me to the door. Another ‘file under imbecile’ moment. 🙂

1 – Full Metal Jacket (1987). To any ex-military servicemen, this opening to Stanley Kubrick’s classic anti-war film, could well be triggering. On 30th July 1980 I sat in one of these chairs as a seventeen year old pacifist, 3000km from home and contemplating how the hell I’d got there or in fact why? In the space of a few seconds I was transformed into a Hare Krishna and about to endure the worst three months of my life. That was the Australian Army and basic training at Kapooka near Wagga Wagga. This film is in two parts. Firstly a marine platoon’s basic training in South Carolina, followed by their actual war experiences in Vietnam. The basic training is conducted by Lee Ermy, a former marine sergeant who was employed initially as a consultant but was so good, Kubrick gave him the role. He is incredible and everything about the training is authentic. Amazingly, the Vietnam scenes were filmed in England even as close as East London. The opening scene says it all backed by Hello Vietnam by Johnny Wright.

PS I do remember an older recruit that fateful day in 1980 who hopped on the chair, turned to the barber and said “just a trim round the ears thanks”, to which he received a stony-faced look and deathly silence. We all laughed internally. 🙂

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