Rating: 
Summary: A CLASSIC MOVIE: BEAUTIFUL AND EVOCATIVE
Review: The plot of the movie has been explained over and over on these pages so just let me say that I saw it upon its original theatrical release and was simply blown away. I have seen it many times since and it still leaves me in awe. The movie is one of the most beautiful movies I have ever seen. The ensemble acting is unbeatable and veteran western character actor Ben Johnson and veteran actress Cloris Leachman steal the movie. Both are absolutely phenomenal. This is a movie for the ages, though younger people of today might not fully grasp its importance. This is an incredible movie. See it.
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Summary: The masterpiece of Peter Bodganovich !
Review: The silent voices of the golden masters of the american literature (Dos Passos , Sinclair Lewis , Nathaniel Hwathorne and William Faulkner) seem to emerge as dark and invisible ghosts in this poignant and supreme jewel film .
The dazzling direction of Bodganovich and his golden touch as atmosphere creator is simply admirable and breathtaking.
A golden issue in the american cinema .
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Summary: One of the finest achievements in all of the cinema
Review: There are a handful of movies in history that can be summed up by the look in a character's eyes (Renee Falconetti's horrified stare in The Passion of Joan of Arc, Al Pacino's steely gaze in The Godfather Part II), and within five minutes of Peter Bogdonavich's controversial 1971...yes...masterpiece, I knew I'd have another one to add to the list. The Last Picture Show is wickedly funny, raunchy, and razor-sharp precise in capturing that post-Senior-year-summer state of mind, but the heartbreaking, jaded look on Timothy Bottoms' face hit me like a ton of bricks, and I'm still somewhat recovering from it.
Show takes place between World War II and the Korean Conflict in the sleepy, dying town of Anarene, Texas. Robert Surtees' camera wisely captures the desolated-yet-beautiful aura of the place in an opening shot that glides down a dusty street, past the movie theater, and into the complex lives of a bunch of horny high school students, nosy townspeople, and Anarene's one pillar of nobility, Sam the Lion. It's really difficult to even believe that Show wasn't made in the 1950's, when the film takes place. The stark, black-and-white cinematography is far-removed from Willis' lush images in Manhattan, but it's not quite low-budget gritty, either. It's mostly owed to shooting on location in the town that inspired Larry McMurtry's source novel, but the authenticity of a now-notable cast's performances elevates this to a class all by itself.
Do Jeff Bridges, Cybill Shepherd, Cloris Leachman, Ellen Burstyn, and Randy Quaid ring a bell at all? In 1971, all were virtual unknowns, and - sadly enough - the giver of the greatest performance in the film, Timothy Bottoms as Sonny, remained virtually so. McMurtry and Bogdonavich's script takes these horny teens and jaded adults and creates a lurid entanglement of sexual liasons, secrets, and naked pool parties that would have Jerry Springer shaking his head. And this would all be patently ridiculous if it weren't for the fact that each and every character has a complexity that makes their actions completely plausible.
And that's the brilliant thing about Bogdonavich's film. He isn't exploiting the closed-door actions and flippant erotic gestures of these messed-up denizens of a rapidly dying town; he understands that everything they do, everything we did at that age, was all a result of the confusion, denial, and pure terror at the life that lies ahead for us all. There's a reason that the movie focuses on the adults in the town, as well: Jacy's mom, coach Popper's wife, Sam the Lion - these people used to be Sonny, Duane, and Jacy at one time, and their hopes and dreams were put on hold just to live comfortably and safely in Anarene.
Timothy Bottoms' Sonny is the guiding force of Picture Show; the character there from the first frame and at the cusp of true reality in its last. Sure, he has his share of American Pie-esque moments (an affair with his coach's wife rings a bell), but it's the bulk of the emotion of the film that falls on him. A deeply sad moment, in particular, lingered with me: a person in the town has just died, and he's riding along in a car, gazing out the window, looking at a distant Texas lake that means more to him than he knows. His eyes seem to take it all in until it's too much, and a tear falls from each cheek without the others even knowing.
A line that completely bowled me over is said to Sonny, as well, and it's proof of the screenplay's perfect hold on the language that we use. Who knows how to put a life-changing experience into the right words? Burstyn's Lois doesn't, and so we get this haunting gem of a line: "I guess if it wasn't for Sam, I'd have missed it, whatever it is."
The adult residents of Anarene did miss it, whatever it was. But this film holds on to a group of people we learn to love, struggle with hating, and eventually don't want to leave, all because we don't want to see them miss whatever it is. The Last Picture Show is one of the most deeply haunting, brutally funny, and real moviewatching experiences I've ever had. I'm glad I didn't miss it, whatever it is. A+
Rating:
Summary: Stunning......as always.
Review: There is no sense in reviewing the story here -- either you already know about this movie, or not. If you have seen it before, buy it and see it again -- and once or twice every year. If you don't know the story, it's worth knowing (well, for mature teens and upwards, anyway). The performances are stellar, the scenery is mesmerizing (especially the black & white photography). The feelings evoked are almost undescribable. And all of it without car chases, gunfights, bombs -- just acting, great dialogue (sometimes great "no-dialog"). A touch of under-acting in one scene, and perhaps a touch of over-acting in another one, are the only minor flaws. (The 65-minute featurette should not be watched before the movie itself.)
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Summary: 1950's North Texas in Full Color
Review: This film captures life in small town Texas vividly. It was shot in black and white but color film would not have changed the appearance one bit. Some of the scenes were shot where I delivered newspapers as a kid. I thought I had been transported back in time when I first saw the film. The characters and dialog are magnificent and the situations reminiscent of life as it was then. It is a beautiful and touching film, one to watch over and over.
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Summary: 1950's North Texas in Full Color
Review: This film captures life in small town Texas vividly. It was shot in black and white but color film would not have changed the appearance one bit. Some of the scenes were shot where I delivered newspapers as a kid. I thought I had been transported back in time when I first saw the film. The characters and dialog are magnificent and the situations reminiscent of life as it was then. It is a beautiful and touching film, one to watch over and over.
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Summary: BEN, CLORIS, ELLEN AND CINEMATOGRAPHY STEAL THE SHOW!
Review: THIS FILM SHOULD HAVE WON THE BEST PICTURE OSCAR! IT WAS GROUNDBREAKING!...AND IF CLORIS DOESN'T BREAK YOUR HEART IN HER OSCAR WINNING PERFORMANCE THEN YOU JUST AIN'T BREATHING!!!
Rating:
Summary: A powerful and realistic film on life and facing struggles
Review: This film, to me, was touching and made me think about life and the daily struggles and temptations we face as humans. I can't say I've seen a film like this one. It stands out from any other. The actors play their roles so well and with such deep meaning. I feel that Timothy Bottoms captivated me just by the expressions on his face and the emotion he demonstrated through out the whole movie. Sonny Craford who was played by Timothy Bottoms was a young man trying to find his place in this world but often looked in the wrong places. I don't think he knew any better. I always get very emotional when I see these characters lost in their own ignorance not knowing right from wrong. Duane Jackson who is played by Jeff Bridges is a egotistical teenager who struts around town with his girlfriend Jacy Farrow(Cybil Shepard). They seem to both rely on each other for their physical wants as teenagers often experience. Jacy isn't the dependable type of girlfriend. She often fools around with other guys and doesn't give the slightest bit of remorse for people who she has hurt. She is not very accepted by some people in town because of the way she presents herself. Sam the Lion (Ben Johnson) is almost like a father figure for Sonny and Duane. They both admire and respect him. He kind of portrays the respected adult that everyone knows and loves. Ruth Popper( Cloris Leachman) is the coaches wife who is struggling with the fact that her husband is never around and there is no one to give her the affection that she needs. She begins to look for love in the wrong place and that being Sonny Crawford(Timothy Bottoms). They share a couple of passionate flings and Ruth feels she can still be loved by someone. She is now getting kind of attached to these flings and it is personal to her. On the other hand Sonny doesn't take their relationship that seriously and gets involved with Jacy. She always gets whatever guy she wants and uses them for personal pleasure. Jacy is the tramp of the town. Through out the whole movie some of these characters are continuosly looking for something else, something better but, the result ends up hurting them in the end. Each of the main characters carries something with them that just doesn't satisfy their physical or emotional needs. The first time I saw this film I was blown away by the amount of emotion displayed by each of the actors. One in particular and that is Timothy Bottoms. Towards the end of the movie I begin to see his true feelings emerge caused by an unfortunate accident. I feel that through that accident he began to realize that life can be painful and sometimes the most unnoticed people can have the biggest impact on you. I have never been more touched by an actors preformance than Timothy Bottoms. In the beginning of the movie he makes his way around experiementing with different things trying to find himself in the world and at the end he learns an important lesson that will change his life forever and he finally gets in touch with his inner most emotions. This film is very real and it shows how people often try to find themselves in the world. I highly recommend this movie if you are looking for an emotional and real eye opening drama that brings out the true feelings in people and often brought out by painful experiences or struggles.
Rating: 
Summary: plaudits for cinematography
Review: This flick is overrated. But you've got to give the filmmakers credit for going with black- and- white, for shooting it in Texas (where the story takes place) and for not trying to squeeze in too many characters into the "plot."
The Chase, starring Marlon Brando, that also takes place in Texas, might have received all the praise heaped on the Last Picture Show flick had they gone the black -and- white route and stayed away from the Universal back lot. Hud, also shot in Texas, was a better film than this. It seems to me, a good rule of thumb to doing pictures in Texas is to go with black-and-white photography. Don't know why, could be the automatic, built-in authenticity factor one gets with B & W. Color very often means Hollywood glitz, and doesn't seem to work well with this type of tale. Anyway, it's not the worst flick ever made. Ben Johnson does a nice job, so does Ellen Burstyn. The latter two deserve four stars for their work here. Sybil Shephard was drop-dead gorgeous at the time.
Rating:
Summary: Simply a Must-See
Review: This is a magnificent movie, even though depressing in several instances. Don't miss it -- it's a milestone in cinema history. Incidentally, Cybill Shephard's name was derived from those of her grandfathers, Cy Shobe and Bill Shephard. It's probably a good thing their names weren't Mo and Ron.
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