My Decade (1970's)

Reckon everyone has their favorite decade and if most of you are like me it'll be the one where you go through your teenage years before life became too serious and we all discovered the opposite sex.

I was lucky because mine was the 70's when most of the best films where made, the best music produced and Leeds United where the best football team and England the top sporting nation.

Lets face it many of you will argue your era is best but you'll never convince me, lol.

Ok I'll justify my claim that 70's were best, we'll start with films (or the type I like) and maybe do music next week :-

Westerns - The Outlaw Josey Wales (1976) my favorite of all time, Clint is the best in this field and this just edges out his 1966 classic "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly".


Prison Films - Reckon the top three of all time were made in the 70's with Midnight Express (1978) just getting the nod over Papillon (1973) & Scum (1979).


Gangsters - The Godfather Triology (1972 was the first) need I say more


War Films - Ok tough call some great films in all eras but I'll throw in "Apocolypse Now" (1979) but although up there not sure if best ever.


Sport - Yes it was the era that gives us Rocky (1976) but I'm gonna throw in another Stallone film, not boxing but wrestling, its A little known gem called "Paradise Alley" (1978).


Street Gangs - Forget The Football Factory, Green Street and all the modern crap the best gang film was made in 1979 and based in New York, you got it yet. Its "The Warriors" such a cult movie with virtually unknown actors.


James Bond - Yes it started in the 60's but the best Bond was Roger Moore and he started with "Live and Let Die" in 1973.

Paul Newman 1925-2008

I see yesterday one of the great actors of a generation died, Paul Newman is sort of one of the people whose films I grew up with. But rather than even try write an obituary cos I'm sure others will do a much better job I thought I'd list my five favorite Paul Newman roles with clips for you to enjoy. I'm sure you'll all have your own memories.

I'll do mine from in reverse order :-

5. The Sting - In this classic he played the part of con man Henry Gondorf in one of two films he starred alongside another great Robert Redford.


4. The Hustler - Paul twice played Pool Hustler Fast Eddie Felson, this was the first time the 2nd was "The Colour of Money". I wasn't sure which film to put here. This clip is the final match with Minnesota Fats (Jackie Gleeson).


3. Buth Cassidy & the Sundance Kid - This was the other film Paul played alongside Redford, Paul was Butch in this acclaimed classic.


2. Somebody up there likes me - Well I love boxing pictures and in one of his early films he played the part of Rocky Graziano in a true life story.


5. Cool Hand Luke - You just gotta love the charactor Luke Jackson in this Prison/chain gang classic. I mean who gets jail for chopping off the tops of parking meters.


RIP Paul Newman