The Last Picture Show (1971)

The Best Last Picture Show
A black and white portrait of a dying Texas town complete with tired businessman, bored wife, all the problems of adolescence in a place where nothing goes on. The spectrum of life from young man/woman hood to adults trying to make meaning of life (and concluding that adultery is the only way), to a whole used-up life expiring, is brilliantly portrayed with obliterating dust, emptiness, banging screen doors. The lack of color is as it should be. The only "color" in their lives is a saucy waitress who dishes out the sustenance of life, on plates and verbally. Superb direction, fresh acting, perfect casting. The entire action is summed up by a mute teenager who is "taken care of" by the town. This boy "sweeps up" the town as his way of returning care. He, too, is eliminated, by lack of understanding, by lack of sensitivity. Brilliant, memorable film.

Haunted by The Last Picture Show
At the time I saw this movie I was probably under age 30. Didn't really pay much attention to the story line but loved many of the old songs remembered from childhood. I saw it on TV but was in-and-out of the room in which it was playing. In the very last scene, a radio can be heard in the background: a comic recording (a la Arlo Guthrie) telling a very funny story of a town's use of Grandma's lye soap. At that point I lost all interest in the movie characters as I had been looking all my adult life for that recording. I turned up the volume to hear the very little of the recording that was included and missed the dialogue between the characters.

I continued to search for the recording (it may have been entitled "It's in the Book") off-and-on for many more years with no luck. After reading so many of the reviews here I want to sit down and watch the entire movie again. I will still love the music but it's now more than 35 years later, I'm far more mature, and I'm certain my rating will be higher than that of so long ago. I shall purchase both the movie and the soundtrack. No one has indicated anything on the soundtrack other than songs, but I'll settle for that.

The Last Picture Show
Moving, mature, powerful and thought provoking is The Last Picture Show as it leads us through the lives and scandles of ordinary, fault-ridden people in a small, poor, dusty, Texas town in the 1950s getting in touch with their career and sexual identies. Excellent cast, excellent direction, excellent black and white photography. Very memorable.

I remember I first saw "The Last Picture Show" when I was young--probably attracted by news that it showed some full-frontal nudity, which it does, but "The Last Picture Show" is no porno flick by a long shot, and any nudity which exists is for the conveyance of the story, not to sexually arouse the audience.

When I was young, but still old enough to get into the movie, I wasn't mature enough to fully understand it. It's almost like you have to be over 35 years old to appreciate it as the work of art it is. I'm in my 50s now and very glad to have this masterpiece in my collection.