Midnight Cowboy (1969)

Ah, just when I was thinking to myself: " You know, the AFI list could use some more grungy 60s movies," they deliver with Midnight Cowboy. It's rated #43 on the list (down 7 spots from the 1997 list). Maybe the most famous aspect of this movie is the quote: "I'm walking here! I'm walking here!' which I did not know going into this that it would be in the film- this quote is ranked #27 on AFI's 100 Greatest quotes, which I suspect is the primary reason this movie made it on the list.

Beyond that, I really don't have a lot to say about this movie. It would be unfair of me to say that it is "bad", because it really isn't. It's a decent movie and one can follow it much easier than say Butch Cassidy or Easy Rider. But, I found it really dull, and even though it only clocks in at 113 minutes, it feels so terribly long. It doesn't help when the director decides to throw in a long party segment, ware it appears that the entire crew of the film started rolling acid and proceeding along with the movie- what is it about the 60s that makes directors decide to include drug scenes that hardly fit into the narrative, do little to enhance the story, and just generally confuse the viewer? If they wanted to include drugs, why could they never make it feel more relevant to the story? Instead, the audience is subjected to 15 or 20 minutes of nonsensical wondering around and jump cuts. 

Also, as everyone knows, this movie was rated X when it came out....Why? Is it because Joe Buck ( John Voight) is a male prostitute or that there is tons of references to him and Ratso (Dustin Hoffman) being gay? I suggest it is the latter, which does not necessary make the film worse, but I guess that was a surprise for me. Either way, it could have been worse, but It should have been a lot better to be on this list.