Review of The Last Picture Show (1971) by Matt P — 24 Jul 2011

Set in a dreary, dilapidating West Texas town in the 1950s, "The Last Picture Show" focuses mainly on the life of teenager Sonny (Timothy Bottoms), and his fall-outs and happenings within the small town. This includes the often female rivalry between his best bud, Duane (played by a young Jeff Bridges), who finds little "action" in the town and seeks better means of employment. The love interest, Jacy (played by Cybill Shephard), is a flirtatious young tease, and can't seem to get around town as much as she would like to. Jacy sets the centerpiece for what the two young men both desire; and in a town where the pickings for a bride are scarce, they need the best there is.

"The Last Picture Show" is a film as old as the time it depicts. Because it was filmed so truthfully (the shots meant to look like 1952 look completely authentic) we're wrapped up in this small little world and their drama, no matter how cogged up or crazy it be. In a town and time such as this, you would have adultery, cheatings, and pedophiles. It's a brutal movie in the sense that is showcases such scenes in a realistic manner that will appear hard to watch. This is due both to the wonderful performances, original screenplay, and careful camera placing, along with the right-set music. Hank William's hokey tunes are the right kind of tunes that can only balance out the bizarre and freaky occurrences we see happen here. And it's because of that dynamic contrast, that this movie looks so startlingly fresh.

When things seem to go wrong, or some strange rumor circulates amongst the vapid townspeople, everyone seems to go with it and accept it. It was back in this time (when the economy society were depleting) that this sort of accepted generation died out. The crumbling buildings and tumble-weed scenery shots are the perfect back drop to showcase just how sad the short-lived boom towns of the 1940s-50s were becoming, And like the events seen so realistically in this film, they all boil down to just a circulated rumor, true or not, but generally accepted and understood. "The Last Picture Show" is a timeless film, and unique because there aren't many films expressing the same dismal message such as deterioration. Movies like this and "Easy Rider" come the closest to capturing a portion of America that has long since been lost, but never forgotten.