00 Week: The truth of the matter, Bond decided over coffee, was that he felt homesick for his real identity. He shrugged.

DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER

1971

Directed by Guy Hamilton

Written by Richard Maibaum and Tom Mankiewicz

Spoilers: severe

American Gothic Week: They have failed to procure the slightest clew

MURDERS IN THE RUE MORGUE

1971

Directed by Gordon Hessler

Written by Christopher Wicking and Henry Slesar (based on the story "The Murders In the Rue Morgue" by Edgar Allan Poe)

Spoilers: moderate

Chimpan-A to Chimpan-Z: I loathe bananas

ESCAPE FROM THE PLANET OF THE APES

1971

Directed by Don Taylor

Written by Paul Dehn

Spoilers: high

The transporter

THE LAST RUN

1971

Directed by Richard Fleischer

Written by Alan Sharp

Spoilers: see above? (highish, if you're a real stickler)

American Gothic Week: Nine eternities in doom!

THE ABOMINABLE DR. PHIBES

1971

Directed by Robert Fuest

Written by James Whiton, William Goldstein, and Robert Fuest

Spoilers: mild

Sister act

THE DEVILS

1971

Written and directed by Ken Russell (based on the books The Devils of Loudon by Aldous Huxley and The Devils by John Whiting)

Spoilers: moderate

What a disaster: Crystal healing

THE ANDROMEDA STRAIN

1971

Directed by Robert Wise

Written by Nelson Gidding (based on the novel by Michael Crichton)

Spoiler alert: a little bit higher than moderate, but there's no way to talk about it without at least alluding to the ending

Steven Spielberg, part I: Never give a trucker an even break

DUEL

Duel is the best TV movie ever made by a first-time film director in 13 days with practically no dialogue that isn't one guy talking to himself.  More importantly, it's also one of the supreme chase movies of all time.  (Plus, it has about thirty posters and many of them are just awesome, but I think I like the one above most of all.)

1971

Directed by Steven Spielberg

Written by Richard Matheson (based on the short story)

With Dennis Weaver ft. Dale Van Sickle (David Mann) and Cary Loftin (The Truck Driver)

Spoiler alert: severe

Note: this is the re-edited text of a review written in April 2015; I assure you that my feelings have not changed a bit. but I repost it for completeness in the context of this, our Steven Spielberg retrospective, which begins right here and right now.

Never give a trucker an even break

DUEL

Duel is the best TV movie ever made by a first-time film director in 13 days with practically no dialogue that isn't one guy talking to himself.  More importantly, it's also one of the supreme chase movies of all time.  (Plus, it has about thirty posters and all of them are just awesome.)

1971
Directed by Steven Spielberg
Written by Richard Matheson (based on the short story)
With Dennis Weaver ft. Dale Van Sickle (David Mann) and Cary Loftin (The Truck Driver)

Spoiler alert: severe

We've been eating Gamera, part VII: "I am beautiful—and I should rule the seas!"

Gamera isn't the most important, or the most influential, or the most popular Japanese monster.  That just means the Guardian of the Universe may have to content himself with simply being the best.  This series of reviews is dedicated to my very favorite turtle.

GAMERA VS. ZIGRA
(Gamera Tai Shintai Kaiju Jigura)

The Showa Era proper draws to a close—and perhaps none too soon.  Somewhere between a bang and a whimper, there is Gamera vs. Zigra.

1971
Directed by Noriaki Yuasa
Written by Nisan Takahashi
With Umenosuke Izumi (Gamera), Yasushi Sakagami (Ken Ishikawa) (yep), Gloria Zoellner (Helen Wallace), Osamu Saeki (Dr. Ishikawa), Koji Fujiyama (Dr. Wallace) (sure), and Eiko Yanami (Woman X)

Spoiler alert: severe