Some of these ads are for long-forgotten obscure titles, some are for classics like \u201cKing Kong,\u201d \u201cCasablanca,\u201d \u201cSunset Boulevard,\u201d \u201cDr. Strangelove,\u201d \u201cButch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid,\u201d \u201cThe Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie,\u201d \u201cChinatown,\u201d \u201cStar Wars,\u201d \u201cPlatoon,\u201d \u201cSilence of the Lambs,\u201d \u201cRushmore,\u201d \u201cThe Matrix\u201d and \u201cThe Talented Mr. Ripley.\u201d Some are for movies produced far outside of the U.S.; as you\u2019ll see, even the Soviet Union touted its Sovexport Film operation in Variety in the 1960s and \u201870s. Some of the pages presented here simply capture a moment in time.<\/p>\n
We hope cineastes enjoy this trip through the past century of film as seen through the pages of New York-based Variety, which began publication in December 1905, and Los Angeles-based Daily Variety, which had a proud 80-year run as Hollywood\u2019s hometown paper, published Monday-Friday from 1933 to 2013.<\/p>\n
And remember, when you need to know what the O.G. \u201cStar Wars\u201d grossed in its opening weekend in markets like St. Louis, Detroit and \u201cCincy\u201d \u2013 now you know where to find a handy chart.<\/p>\n
\tThe Wild Party (1929)<\/p>\n
\t\t![\"\"](\"https:\/\/variety.com\/wp-content\/themes\/pmc-variety-2020\/assets\/public\/lazyload-fallback.gif\")
\n\t\t\t\tImage Credit: Variety\t\t\t<\/p>\n
The original \u201cIt\u201d girl brought home the box office for Paramount with 1929\u2019s \u201cThe Wild Party,\u201d directed by Dorothy Arzner.<\/p>\n
Appropriate for its title, \u201cThe Wild Party\u201d was one of the movies that spurred the industry\u2019s adoption of the Hays Code a few years later to tame the debauchery depicted on screen.<\/p>\n
From the March 27, 1929, edition of Variety.<\/p>\n
\tKing Kong (1933)<\/p>\n
\t\t\t<\/p>\n
This ad for 1933\u2019s \u201cKing Kong\u201d demonstrates how movie openings were typically platformed region by region.<\/p>\n
From the April 4, 1933, edition of Variety.<\/p>\n
\tThe Kennel Murder Case \/ Lady Killer (1933)<\/p>\n
\t\t\t<\/p>\n
Warner Bros. found a clever way to tout the high-profile stars in two of its top-tier pictures released in 1933: William Powell in \u201cThe Kennel Murder Case\u201d and James Cagney in \u201cLady Killer.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
From the Nov. 21, 1933, edition of Variety.<\/p>\n
\tJezebel (1938)<\/p>\n
\t\t\t<\/p>\n
\u201cJezebel\u201d is one of the reasons Bette Davis is Bette Davis.<\/p>\n
She earned the second of her two best actress Oscar wins for the film directed by William Wyler. Davis lived large in our pages for most of her 81 years.<\/p>\n
From the Jan. 5, 1938, edition of Variety.<\/p>\n
\tGirls on Probation (1938)<\/p>\n
\t\t\t<\/p>\n
Warner Bros. made no bones about exploiting the public\u2019s interest in true crime and tales of mayhem. \u201cGirls on Probation\u201d starred the future Oval Office occupant, Ronald Reagan.<\/p>\n
From the Nov. 2, 1938, edition of Variety.<\/p>\n
\tA Tragedy at Midnight (1942)<\/p>\n
\t\t\t<\/p>\n
Film noir, anyone? Great pop art style. And don\u2019t forget to buy U.S. Defense Bonds.<\/p>\n
From the Feb. 24, 1942, edition of Daily Variety<\/p>\n
\tBambi (1942)<\/p>\n
\t\t\t<\/p>\n
The forest, and animated movies, will never be the same.\u00a0<\/p>\n
From the Oct. 9, 1942, edition of Daily Variety<\/p>\n
\tCasablanca (1942)<\/p>\n
\t\t\t<\/p>\n
\u201cCasablanca\u201d emerged as a massive wartime hit as Warner Bros. rolled it out slowly in theaters starting in late 1942.<\/p>\n
As the Humphrey Bogart-Ingrid Bergman starrer prepared to move to bigger cities on the East Coast, Warner Bros. took out a cheeky ad depicting movie ushers getting ready to wrangle big crowds.<\/p>\n
From the Feb. 1, 1943, edition of Daily Variety.<\/p>\n
\tHangmen Also Die! (1943)<\/p>\n
\t\t\t<\/p>\n
The renowned German helmer Fritz Lang of \u201cMetropolis\u201d fame delivered a chilling contemporary story of surviving against the Gestapo in the film released under the title \u201cHangmen Also Die!\u201d The screenplay was co-written by the celebrated German author Bertolt Brecht.<\/p>\n
From the Oct. 9, 1942, edition of Daily Variety<\/p>\n
\tIt\u2019s a Wonderful Life (1946)<\/p>\n
\t\t\t<\/p>\n
A hearty handshake and thank you to Frank Capra, Jimmy Stewart and everyone else who gave us the gift of \u201cIt\u2019s a Wonderful Life.\u201d<\/p>\n
From the April 15, 1946, edition of Daily Variety<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
\tSunset Boulevard (1950)<\/p>\n
\t\t\t<\/p>\n
Paramount didn\u2019t exaggerate. We\u2019ve never been able to forget Billy Wilder\u2019s masterwork about fame, ego and aging.<\/p>\n
From the Aug. 2, 1950, edition of Variety.<\/p>\n
\tDetective Story (1951)<\/p>\n
\t\t\t<\/p>\n
Eleanor Parker was a star on the rise in the early 1950s. \u201cDetective Story\u201d was a hit for director William Wyler. And how \u2019bout that vintage Paramount Pictures logo.<\/p>\n
From the March 4, 1952, edition of Daily Variety<\/p>\n
\tFrom Here to Eternity (1953)<\/p>\n
\t\t\t<\/p>\n
Believe the hype. Deborah Kerr \u2014 her last name rhymes with \u201cstar.\u201d<\/p>\n
And yes, the plotline from \u201cThe Godfather\u201d is true. This movie saved Johnny Fontaine \u2014 aka Frank Sinatra \u2014 when he was at a career crossroads.<\/p>\n
From the March 3, 1953, edition of Daily Variety<\/p>\n
\tPaths of Glory (1957)<\/p>\n
\t\t\t<\/p>\n
This was a breakthrough film for director Stanley Kubrick. It also fueled Kirk Douglas\u2019 rise as a bona fide producer of serious pictures.\u00a0<\/p>\n
From the Dec. 25, 1957, edition of Variety<\/p>\n
\tMarty (1956)<\/p>\n
\t\t\t<\/p>\n
This movie will break your heart to bits and also make you understand why Paddy Chayefsky\u2019s name still resonates today.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s a remake of a 1953 \u201cPhilco TV Playhouse\u201d drama that starred Rod Stieger. That version will also break your heart into tiny pieces. For the big screen rendition, under the direction of Delbert Mann, Ernest Borgnine is never better than in this role as a lonely, insecure man who stumbles into happiness.<\/p>\n
\tApril Love (1957)<\/p>\n
\t\t\t<\/p>\n
Because who doesn\u2019t want to see Pat Boone and Shirley Jones holding hands in glorious Cinemascope?<\/p>\n
From the Nov. 26, 1957, edition of Daily Variety<\/p>\n
\tThe 400 Blows (1959)<\/p>\n
\t\t\t<\/p>\n
Please present your membership card.<\/p>\n
This is one of the movies that made Fran\u00e7ois Truffaut a household name among film lovers. Truffaut didn\u2019t need a fancy full page ad to make his mark \u2014 this was a small notice placed low on an inside page.<\/p>\n
From the Feb. 9, 1960, edition of Daily Variety<\/p>\n
\tElmer Gantry (1960)<\/p>\n
\t\t\t<\/p>\n
Sinners! Here\u2019s how studios once teased upcoming releases. \u201cElmer Gantry\u201d marks one of Burt Lancaster\u2019s finest performances.<\/p>\n
From the June 20, 1960, edition of Daily Variety<\/p>\n
\tSmell-O-Vision (1960)<\/p>\n
\t\t\t<\/p>\n
This ad appears to be touting the latest enhancement to movies that some in the film biz championed in an effort to fight competition from television.<\/p>\n
So while it sounds like a \u201cSaturday Night Live\u201d sketch, Smell-O-Vision was a real thing, at least for a moment. Michael Todd, Jr. was the son of the famed British producer who was married to Elizabeth Taylor and died in a plane crash in 1958.<\/p>\n
Before his shocking death at age 50, the elder Todd produced 1956\u2019s \u201cAround the World in 80 Days,\u201d which gets a nod in the low left-hand corner as \u201cstill going strong,\u201d presumably in second-run theaters and outside the U.S.\u00a0<\/p>\n
From the Jan. 6, 1960, edition of Variety<\/p>\n
\tThe Night (1961)<\/p>\n
\t\t\t<\/p>\n
Moreau, Mastroianni, Vitti and Antonioni \u2014 yes, please!\u00a0<\/p>\n
From the Jan. 6, 1962, edition of Daily Variety<\/p>\n
\tWest Side Story (1961)<\/p>\n
\t\t\t<\/p>\n
When you\u2019re a Jet, you\u2019re a Jet all the way. And when you\u2019re a best picture nominee, you get a double-truck ad touting all those Oscar nominations.<\/p>\n
Not even Robert Wise nor Leonard Bernstein nor Stephen Sondheim could have imagined how much movie and musical fans would still love this property more than 60 years later.\u00a0<\/p>\n
From the March 29, 1962, edition of Daily Variety<\/p>\n
\tThe Birds (1963)<\/p>\n
\t\t\t<\/p>\n
We\u2019re scared already! Universal Pictures spared no expense to promote one of Alfred Hitchcock\u2019s late masterpieces. This was the first of about 10 pages of ads touting every aspect of the production.<\/p>\n
From the April 11, 1963, edition of Daily Variety<\/p>\n
\tDr. Strangelove (1963)<\/p>\n
\t\t\t<\/p>\n
Stanley Kubrick delivered a Cold War era satire with a pointed (Slim Pickens\u2019 pointed) warning about the threat of nuclear devastation with his landmark \u201cDr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Gentlemen \u2014 no fighting in the war room!<\/p>\n
From the Dec. 18, 1963 edition of Variety<\/p>\n
\tDr. Strangelove (1963)<\/p>\n
\t\t\t<\/p>\n
Columbia Pictures really promoted the heck out of Stanley Kubrick\u2019s \u201cDr. Strangelove\u201d as an awards contender. It wound up with four nominations \u2014 for best picture, best director, best actor (Peter Sellers) and for adapted screenplay.<\/p>\n
From the Jan 22, 1965, edition of Daily Variety<\/p>\n
\tThe Sound of Music (1965)<\/p>\n
\t\t\t<\/p>\n
The hills were alive with box office.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Sound of Music\u201d was the smash hit that helped right the ship at 20th Century Fox after the disaster that was 1963\u2019s \u201cCleopatra.\u201d With coin rolling in, the studio spared no expense to tout the film\u2019s achievements in our pages.<\/p>\n
From the March 10, 1965, edition of Daily Variety<\/p>\n
\tBlow Up (1966)<\/p>\n
\t\t\t<\/p>\n
Michelangelo Antonioni\u2019s \u201cBlow Up\u201d is a slightly bizarre romp that captures its Swinging \u201960s moment. Today, it would be released by A24.<\/p>\n
\tThe Fortune Cookie (1966)<\/p>\n
\t\t\t<\/p>\n
Jack Lemmon plus Walter Matthau plus Billy Wilder plus I.A.L. Diamond equals a classic comedy that resonates today.<\/p>\n
From the March 24, 1967, edition of Daily Variety<\/p>\n
\tA Man for All Seasons (1966)<\/p>\n
\t\t\t<\/p>\n
All hail the king and queen.<\/p>\n
And how about that long-forgotten tagline for Columbia Pictures: The total look in entertainment.<\/p>\n
From the March 24, 1967, edition of Daily Variety<\/p>\n
\tA Man and a Woman (1966)<\/p>\n
\t\t\t<\/p>\n
Heartbreak and longing never looked so sexy as it does in the hands of director Claude Lelouch and stars Anouk Aim\u00e9e and Jean-Louis Trintignant.<\/p>\n
From the March 24, 1967, edition of Daily Variety<\/p>\n
\tBarefoot in the Park (1967)<\/p>\n
\t\t\t<\/p>\n
It\u2019s hard to find a better-looking pair than Robert Redford and Jane Fonda. This adaptation of Neil Simon\u2019s Broadway play provided a big boost to Redford and Fonda\u2019s careers.<\/p>\n
From the Jan. 29, 1968, edition of Daily Variety<\/p>\n
\tIn the Heat of the Night (1967)<\/p>\n
\t\t\t<\/p>\n
Sidney Poitier delivers a fabulous, for-the-ages performance in this civil rights drama that was ripped from the headlines. So does Rod Stieger.<\/p>\n
Even though Poitier had won the best actor Oscar for 1963\u2019s \u201cLilies of the Field,\u201d he was not Oscar nominated for \u201cIn the Heat of the Night.\u201d Stieger was nommed and he won.<\/p>\n
From the Jan. 23, 1968, edition of Daily Variety<\/p>\n
\t2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)<\/p>\n
\t\t\t<\/p>\n
Don\u2019t forget to mail away for your tickets at the Cineramadome! Another landmark offering from Stanley Kubrick.<\/p>\n
From the March 25, 1968, edition of Daily Variety<\/p>\n
\tTHX 1138 (1971)<\/p>\n
\t\t\t<\/p>\n
Here\u2019s where it all started for George Lucas, with an assist from his pal Francis Ford Coppola.<\/p>\n
This ad ran in early 1968 but \u201cTHX 1138\u201d did not hit theaters until 1971.<\/p>\n
From the Jan. 26, 1968 edition of Daily Variety<\/p>\n
\tGuess Who\u2019s Coming to Dinner (1967)<\/p>\n
\t\t\t<\/p>\n
It\u2019s a little creaky by contemporary standards, but Stanley Kramer\u2019s \u201cGuess Who\u2019s Coming to Dinner\u201d was an A-list (Sidney Poitier, Spencer Tracy, Katharine Hepburn) effort by Hollywood to address the civil rights awakening and racial tensions of the era.<\/p>\n
From the March 22, 1968, edition of Daily Variety<\/p>\n
\tGuess Who\u2019s Coming to Dinner (1967)<\/p>\n
\t\t\t<\/p>\n
Beah Richards was Oscar nominated for supporting actress for her work opposite Spencer Tracy in \u201cGuess Who\u2019s Coming to Dinner.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
From the March 20, 1968, edition of Daily Variety<\/p>\n
\tBonnie and Clyde (1967)<\/p>\n
\t\t\t<\/p>\n
\u201cBonnie and Clyde\u201d was part of the wave of late 1960s movies that changed everything about American movies.\u00a0<\/p>\n
From the March 20, 1968, edition of Daily Variety<\/p>\n
\tCool Hand Luke (1967)<\/p>\n
\t\t\t<\/p>\n
Truly, one of the most inspired supporting actor campaigns of all time.<\/p>\n
Actor George Kennedy gives an assist to \u201cmy boy Luke,\u201d who can eat 50 eggs.<\/p>\n
From the Jan. 26, 1968, edition of Daily Variety<\/p>\n
\tCool Hand Luke (1967)<\/p>\n
\t\t\t<\/p>\n
The gospel of Paul Newman.\u00a0<\/p>\n
From the Nov. 8, 1967 edition of Daily Variety<\/p>\n
\tThe Graduate (1967)<\/p>\n
\t\t\t<\/p>\n
This ad ran seven times in two weeks in March 1968. \u201cThe Graduate\u201d grabbed seven Academy Award nominations, including a bid for best picture. Mike Nichols came away with the Oscar for best director.<\/p>\n
From the March 15, 1968, edition of Daily Variety<\/p>\n
\tAmerican Zoetrope (1969)<\/p>\n
\t\t\t<\/p>\n
That\u2019s quite a development slate for Francis Ford Coppola\u2019s independent studio venture American Zoetrope. Respect.<\/p>\n
From the Dec. 11, 1969, edition of Daily Variety<\/p>\n
\tThey Shoot Horses, Don\u2019t They? (1969)<\/p>\n
\t\t\t<\/p>\n
Sydney Pollack won the first of his two best director Oscars for this earthy look at Depression-era dance contests and the desperate folks who took part in them. Fun fact: A whole bunch of this movie was shot on the Santa Monica Pier.<\/p>\n
From the Jan. 23, 1970, edition of Daily Variety<\/p>\n
\tThe Heart Is a Lonely Hunter (1968)<\/p>\n
\t\t\t<\/p>\n
An under-appreciated gem starring Alan Arkin and Sondra Locke, based on the Carson McCullers classic.<\/p>\n
From the March 13, 1969, edition of Daily Variety<\/p>\n
\tButch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969)<\/p>\n
\t\t\t<\/p>\n
Raise your hands high and smile.<\/p>\n
From this teaser ad, it sure looks like 20th Century Fox knew that \u201cButch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid\u201d would be beyond boffo at the box office and in pop culture.<\/p>\n
From the Jan. 1, 1969, edition of Variety<\/p>\n
\tButch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969)<\/p>\n
\t\t\t<\/p>\n
Undoubtedly, this ad today would go through layers of talent approval that would spin the heads of the 20th Century Fox executives who assembled it at the start of the Me decade.<\/p>\n
From the Jan. 5, 1970, edition of Daily Variety<\/p>\n
\tMidnight Cowboy (1969)<\/p>\n
\t\t\t<\/p>\n
Another landmark film that changed, if not everything, then certainly a whole lot of things.<\/p>\n
From the March 20, 1970, edition of Daily Variety<\/p>\n
\tThe Wild Bunch (1969)<\/p>\n
\t\t\t<\/p>\n
Somebody at Warner Bros. forgot how to spell Warner Bros. in this ad to tout Sam Peckinpah\u2019s work on the landmark \u201cThe Wild Bunch.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
From the Jan. 23, 1970, edition of Daily Variety<\/p>\n
\tThe Boys in the Band (1970)<\/p>\n
\t\t\t<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Boys in the Band\u201d is not a musical. It\u2019s a terrific, milestone movie from William Friedkin.<\/p>\n
From the March 25, 1970, edition of Variety<\/p>\n
\tTrash (1970)<\/p>\n
\t\t\t<\/p>\n
Andy Warhol and Joe Dallesandro would like a word with Oscar voters for their avant-garde movie \u201cTrash.\u201d<\/p>\n
After that, you can check out the Kurosawa festival at the Cine-Cienega Theatre (now The Poppy nightclub) on La Cienega near Melrose Avenue.<\/p>\n
From the Dec. 23, 1970, edition of Daily Variety<\/p>\n
\tThe French Connection (1971)<\/p>\n
\t\t\t<\/p>\n
An out and out thriller indeed. There is not a wasted frame in William Friedkin\u2019s cat-and-mouse crimer for the ages. Gene Hackman at his most Gene Hackman.<\/p>\n
From the Sept. 15, 1971, edition of Variety<\/p>\n
\tThe Last Picture Show (1971)<\/p>\n
\t\t\t<\/p>\n
Cloris Leachman shows why she was respected by all her knew her with her heartbreakingly good, Oscar-winning performance as a woman wracked by pain and regret in Peter Bogdanovich\u2019s elegy to a changing America.\u00a0<\/p>\n
From the Jan. 20, 1972, edition of Daily Variety<\/p>\n
\tSovexport Film (1972)<\/p>\n
\t\t\t<\/p>\n
We promised you an ad from Sovexport Film \u2014 and as a bonus it touts the famous sci-fi fantasy \u201cSolaris\u201d from helmer Andrei Tarkovsky.<\/p>\n
This double-truck ad was placed in Variety\u2018s 1972 Cannes Film Festival preview section, as a precursor to shopping a bunch of film rights during the festival.\u00a0<\/p>\n
From the May 3, 1972, edition of Variety<\/p>\n
\tThe Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie (1972)<\/p>\n
\t\t\t<\/p>\n
If you were releasing Luis Bu\u00f1uel\u2019s next movie, you\u2019d take pleasure in bragging about it too.<\/p>\n
Especially this movie, which is chock full of crazy-good surrealist fun and a career-defining perf by Fernando Rey. Excuse me, may I tell you about a dream I had?<\/p>\n
From the May 3, 1972, edition of Variety<\/p>\n
\tThe Ruling Class (1972)<\/p>\n
\t\t\t<\/p>\n
When you\u2019re Peter O\u2019Toole and it\u2019s the early 1970s, you don\u2019t need to put your name in your FYC ad.<\/p>\n
From the March 13, 1973, edition of Daily Variety<\/p>\n
\tDon Siegel (1972)<\/p>\n
\t\t\t<\/p>\n
He made their day. Universal was so excited about signing \u201cDirty Harry\u201d director Don Siegel to a multi-picture deal that they bragged about it in an ad.<\/p>\n
From the Nov. 16, 1972, edition of Daily Variety<\/p>\n
\tMy Name is Nobody (1974)<\/p>\n
\t\t\t<\/p>\n
After Hollywood produced a glut of movie and TV westerns in the late 1950s and early \u201960s, it largely fell to Sergio Leone to reinvent the oater genre in the 1970s. He had help from Henry Fonda, who knew his way around a horse opera.<\/p>\n
From the June 5, 1974, edition of Variety<\/p>\n
\tChinatown (1974)<\/p>\n
\t\t\t<\/p>\n
What a movie. \u201cChinatown\u201d nabbed 11 Oscar nominations, including best picture and nods for stars Faye Dunaway and Jack Nicholson. It scored one win, for Robert Towne\u2019s unforgettable screenplay.<\/p>\n
From the Jan. 31, 1975, edition of Daily Variety<\/p>\n
\tChinatown (1974)<\/p>\n
\t\t\t<\/p>\n
Faye Dunaway\u2019s talent agency ICM sought to reinforce the point on her Oscar nom for \u201cChinatown.\u201d<\/p>\n
From the March 24, 1975, edition of Daily Variety<\/p>\n
\tMitchell Brothers Film Group (1974)<\/p>\n
\t\t\t<\/p>\n
The porn biz blossomed in the 1970s and so did the Mitchell Brothers out of San Francisco. Their rise and sordid fall was recounted in the 2000 Charlie Sheen-Emilio Estevez starrer \u201cRated X.\u201d<\/p>\n
\tThe Happy Hooker (1975)<\/p>\n
\t\t\t<\/p>\n
It was the \u201970s, after all. This was quite a move for Vanessa\u2019s younger sister.<\/p>\n
From the Nov. 27, 1974, edition of Variety<\/p>\n
\tA Woman Under the Influence (1974)<\/p>\n
\t\t\t<\/p>\n
The great Gena Rowlands and John Cassavetes and their good friend, \u201cColumbo\u201d star Peter Falk, practically bleed out on screen with the raw emotion in this intimate drama.<\/p>\n
From the March 24, 1975, edition of Daily Variety<\/p>\n
\tHarry and Tonto (1974)<\/p>\n
\t\t\t<\/p>\n
The great Art Carney won the Oscar for his work in this tender Paul Mazursky film. Co-star Melanie Mayron was robbed!<\/p>\n
From the Feb. 11, 1974, edition of Daily Variety<\/p>\n
\tJaws (1975)<\/p>\n
\t\t\t<\/p>\n
The modern blockbuster era begins as \u201cJaws\u201d chews its way through box office records.<\/p>\n
From the Aug. 13, 1975, edition of Variety<\/p>\n
\tSuperman (1978)<\/p>\n
\t\t\t<\/p>\n
The Super Film of the Seventies, indeed.<\/p>\n
This super-early 1976 teaser ad marked a new chapter for Marlon Brando, who famously pulled down a huge paycheck for not many minutes on screen in Richard Donner\u2019s take on the Man of Steel.<\/p>\n
From the Aug. 18, 1976, edition of Variety<\/p>\n
\tDog Day Afternoon (1975)<\/p>\n
\t\t\t<\/p>\n
From 1957\u2019s \u201c12 Angry Men\u201d to 1984\u2019s \u201cGarbo Talks,\u201d helmer Sidney Lumet has an enviable C.V. Here he\u2019s lauded for the film that earned the second of his five career Oscar nominations for best director.<\/p>\n
From the Feb. 20, 1976, edition of Daily Variety<\/p>\n
\tThe Return of the King (1980)<\/p>\n
\t\t\t<\/p>\n
The long arm of J.R.R. Tolkien extends to this cult-fave Rankin\/Bass animated rendition of his enduring fantasy franchise \u2014 released 20 years before Peter Jackson seized the rings for a new generation.<\/p>\n
Plus, they threw in a teaser for a \u201cThe Hobbit\u201d animated special for NBC.\u00a0<\/p>\n
From the Aug. 18, 1976, edition of Daily Variety<\/p>\n
\tThe Promised Land (1975)<\/p>\n
\t\t\t<\/p>\n
The renowned Polish helmer Andrezej Wajda got a profile boost in Hollywood with a Variety ad for his 1975 film that was released as \u201cThe Promised Land.\u201d It was Oscar nommed for best foreign language film.<\/p>\n
From the Jan. 7, 1976, edition of Variety<\/p>\n
\tNetwork (1976)<\/p>\n
\t\t\t<\/p>\n
Faye Dunaway was destined to win the best actress Oscar for her portrayal of a conniving network television executive, as rendered by the great writer Paddy Chayefsky and helmer Sidney Lumet.<\/p>\n
From the Jan. 24, 1977, edition of Daily Variety<\/p>\n
\tTaxi Driver (1976)<\/p>\n
\t\t\t<\/p>\n
Travis Bickle, we\u2019ll never forget you or your favorite breakfast. What a picture.<\/p>\n
From the Jan. 24, 1977, edition of Daily Variety<\/p>\n
\tStar Wars (1977)<\/p>\n
\t\t\t<\/p>\n
It\u2019s safe to say that in the second week of January in 1977, the film business had no idea what was about to land at the turnstiles from a galaxy far, far away. But they were warned with this teaser ad.<\/p>\n
From the Jan. 12, 1977, edition of Variety<\/p>\n
\tStar Wars (1977)<\/p>\n
\t\t\t<\/p>\n
EMI may have gotten the title slightly wrong, but they were smart to get way out in front of the \u201cStar Wars\u201d super nova.<\/p>\n
This ad, which ran nearly a year before the film\u2019s May 1977 release, touts the use of EMI\u2019s production facilities in the making of the space opera.<\/p>\n
From the July 21, 1976, edition of Variety<\/p>\n
\tStar Wars (1977)<\/p>\n
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Somebody at Lucasfilm or Variety \u2014 or both \u2014 probably got fired for the botched aspect ratio on the photo in this \u201cStar Wars\u201d teaser ad with the pinkest of logos.<\/p>\n
From the Jan. 6, 1977, edition of Daily Variety<\/p>\n
\tStar Wars opening weekend grosses (1977)<\/p>\n
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Headed for hyper space. House records tumble.<\/p>\n
This isn\u2019t an ad, but as an in-the-moment rundown of the birth of the \u201cStar Wars\u201d franchise at the box office, it\u2019s simply too cool not to include.<\/p>\n
From the May 27, 1977, edition of Daily Variety<\/p>\n
\tAnimal House (1978)<\/p>\n
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Universal Pictures crated a mock Variety front page to tout the release of \u201cNational Lampoon\u2019s Animal House.\u201d<\/p>\n
From the March 3, 1978, edition of Variety<\/p>\n
\tComing Home (1978)<\/p>\n
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The depth of the performances by Jon Voight, Jane Fonda and Bruce Dern in Hal Ashby\u2019s \u201cComing Home\u201d forced the nation to deal with harsh realities of the Vietnam war.<\/p>\n
From the Jan. 31, 1979, edition of Daily Variety<\/p>\n
\tComing Home (1978)<\/p>\n
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Director Hal Ashby gave us \u201cHarold and Maude,\u201d \u201cThe Last Detail,\u201d \u201cBeing There\u201d and \u201cComing Home,\u201d to name a few unforgettable films. He won his only Oscar for his editing work on 1967\u2019s \u201cIn the Heat of the Night.\u201d<\/p>\n
From the Jan. 4, 1979, edition of Daily Variety<\/p>\n
\tVlad Tepes (1979)<\/p>\n
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Spectacular! Strong dramatic conflict!<\/p>\n
Finally, straight outta Romania, we got the first authentic representation of Vlad the Impaler aka Dracula.<\/p>\n
From the Jan. 3, 1979, edition of Variety<\/p>\n
\tHair (1980)<\/p>\n
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We miss you, Treat Williams.\u00a0<\/p>\n
From the Jan. 3, 1980, edition of Daily Variety<\/p>\n
\tThe Empire Strikes Back (1980)<\/p>\n
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The success of the \u201cStar Wars\u201d franchise had exhibitors crying tears of joy. And many were motivated to show their appreciation by taking out ads to hail George Lucas.<\/p>\n
Here\u2019s one example from a Northern California exhibitor during the run of \u201cThe Empire Strikes Back.\u201d<\/p>\n
From the June 26, 1980, edition of Daily Variety<\/p>\n
\tGalaxina (1980)<\/p>\n
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Sadly, this movie is notorious for all the wrong reasons. If you know, you know. RIP.<\/p>\n
From the Aug. 5, 1980, edition of Daily Variety<\/p>\n
\tFort Apache the Bronx (1981)<\/p>\n
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The great Pam Grier made a meal out of her supporting role in this Paul Newman police drama.<\/p>\n
From the Jan. 27, 1982, edition of Daily Variety<\/p>\n
\tRagtime (1981)<\/p>\n
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Director Milos Forman explores complex issues of racial tensions in early 1900s New York in a much-loved movie that includes a powerhouse, Oscar-nommed performance by Howard E. Rollins Jr.<\/p>\n
From the Jan. 2, 1982, edition of Daily Variety<\/p>\n
\tPrince of the City (1981)<\/p>\n
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This movie gives us Treat Williams\u2019 single-best performance on screen \u2014 sorry \u201cEverwood\u201d stans. And thank you, Sidney Lumet.<\/p>\n
From the Jan. 4, 1982, edition of Daily Variety<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
\tEndless Love (1981)<\/p>\n
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Those on the older end of the Gen X spectrum will never forget the hubbub this Franco Zeffirelli movie caused in pop culture just as they headed in to middle school and high school.<\/p>\n
\u201cEndless Love\u201d also arrived just as Brooke Shields was seemingly everywhere selling us on the virtues of her Calvin Klein jeans. And none of us can forget Lionel Richie\u2019s title tune because that sturdy love ballad has been the soundtrack to dances, weddings and many other special occasions ever since it shot up the charts some 45 years ago.<\/p>\n
From the Jan. 20, 1982, edition of Daily Variety<\/p>\n
\tExcalibur (1981)<\/p>\n
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This one from the great John Boorman is as good as sword-and-sandal movies come.<\/p>\n
From the Jan. 4, 1982, edition of Daily Variety<\/p>\n
\tWhose Life Is It Anyway (1981)<\/p>\n
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John Cassavetes, the ultimate multihyphenate, we lost you far too soon.\u00a0<\/p>\n
From the Jan. 20, 1982, edition of Daily Variety<\/p>\n
\tZoot Suit (1981)<\/p>\n
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Multihyphenate Luis Valdez and Edward James Olmos made their mark in Hollywood with this film adaptation of Valdez\u2019s play revisiting a hard chapter of Los Angeles\u2019 history.<\/p>\n
From the Jan. 4, 1982, edition of Daily Variety<\/p>\n
\tReds (1981)<\/p>\n
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In Warren Beatty\u2019s hard-bitten Russian revolution drama \u201cReds,\u201d Diane Keaton proves with an Oscar-nommed performance that she could handle drama as effortlessly as comedy. RIP.\u00a0<\/p>\n
From the Jan. 4, 1982, edition of Daily Variety<\/p>\n
\tDiner (1982)<\/p>\n
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Barry Levinson\u2019s autobiographical dramedy about his youth in Baltimore launched or greatly accelerated the careers of Steve Guttenberg, Mickey Rourke, Kevin Bacon, Ellen Barkin, Daniel Stern, Paul Reiser and Tim Daly. Not to mention his own as a writer, director and producer.<\/p>\n
From the April 13, 1982, edition of Daily Variety<\/p>\n
\tPoltergeist (1982)<\/p>\n
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Thanks to director Tobe Hooper\u2019s skill at building tension, tract-house suburbia would never be the same.<\/p>\n
From the March 29, 1982, edition of Daily Variety<\/p>\n
\tDead Men Don\u2019t Wear Plaid (1982)<\/p>\n
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Filmed in Detecto Vision!<\/p>\n
This movie holds up better on a rewatch as a spoofy tribute to hard-boiled detective movies than it was received in its day. Carl Reiner and Steve Martin took a big swing.<\/p>\n
From the March 10, 1982, edition of Daily Variety<\/p>\n
\tA Christmas Story (1983)<\/p>\n
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The backstory of this film chestnut has been well told over the years, and deservedly so.<\/p>\n
\u201cA Christmas Story\u201d is not only the greatest Christmas movie of all time (on this we\u2019ll have no argument, please); it\u2019s high on the list of greatest movies of all time.<\/p>\n