MovieChat Forums > The Formula (1980) Discussion > Totally Underrated.....

Totally Underrated.....

posted 18 years ago by concord_trimming
23 replies | jump to latest

I am highly dissapointed that this movie has a rating it does, I thought it deserved at least a 6.5- 7.5.
And a razzie nomination for Marlon Brando? Common.. I dont agree with people knocking Marlon, he is very misunderstood. When he takes on a character, he has a certain flare he brings to the character, and sometimes no flare, depending on the character, whatever it calls for, or whatever he believes it will take to make it most believable. He is One of the best if not the best of all time. George.C. Scott was great, not the greatest of plot's, but it was very overlooked.

[–] AlbertTheFlasher 18 years ago

The book was so much better.

[–] 18 years ago

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[–] hojsholm 17 years ago

Agreed this film is very underrated, and Marlon Brando gives a very good performance.

[–] john-wheat 17 years ago

I agree that this film is underrated. But I can't say much for Marlon Brando's performance. I didn't get the feeling that Brando was putting anything into his role and he had very little interest in it. He kept making me laugh for some reason. That's what I thought anyway. However I did enjoy this film. George C. Scott was good as he always is and I thought Marthe Keller did good to.

I thought it was funny that this film's only Oscar consideration was for it's cinematography which was terrific. Bill Conti's music score was great as well and I'm surprised no body else has mentioned it. I give this film 3 out of 4 stars.

[–] BoSoxRule 17 years ago

I agree, john. All I got from Brando was complete disinterest in the project. Near the end it seems like he can't even remember his own character's name. "This is Adam....Steiffel".

I'm happiest...in the saddle.

[–] StrangerandPilgrim 17 years ago

I don't wish to sound like a "conspiracy nut" (not that I don't think there are conspiracies) but once would think that this underrated, overlooked film was underrated and overlooked because of political reasons. This film has A LOT to say! Although it may be a fictional story I suspect that there's a lot of truth behind the "fictional" story.
Watch it. You'll be pleasantly surprised. And more than a little unnerved.

[–] jlynn_231988 17 years ago

This is an interesting tidbit: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2004/sep/25/usa.secondworldwar

[–] richsass 16 years ago

Highly underrated I gave it an 8.

What are you gonna do? Kill me? Every body Dies. John Garfield (Body and Soul)

[–] true9999 16 years ago

I think one of the reasons the film is underrated is because the world is so much different than it was in 1980 when this film was made.

The country was coming off long gas lines that most people under 45 likely don't remember. I was a kid then and I barely remember. So absent the outrage of that time with OPEC, absent the Berlin wall, you really have a plot that seems week.

I remembering seeing the movie as a kid, sneaking in to see a R-rated movie, and seeing it all these years later, and it didn't have the same suspense or relevance.

Unfortunately, this is a well done movie that was really dependent on the times.

[–] teejay6682 15 years ago

i enjoyed it, despite having some problems with the script, mostly for george c. scott. who i can watch in anything.

[–] deforest-1 11 years ago

True9999 -- So people aren't supposed to know about important events in history like the Oil Shock? That's just the "maguffin" anyway, as Hitchcock called it -- just a plot device to hang the story on, not the actual point of the film. Might as well junk "Gone With the Wind", "The Godfather" because they are way, way outdated. Let's bring in some dinosaurs, spacemen, wookies and hobbits with special effects -- the kind of subjects and universal themes that never date.

[–] emncaity 10 years ago

That's a really good observation. So much of the material was spot-on, if you understood the context. If you grew up in a world where there really hasn't been such a thing as "shortage," other than what causes you to pull another dollar a gallon out of your wallet (when you've got plenty left to pay your rent and cell phone bill), the subject matter of the film is going to seem more like a fantasy than a plausible reality. For now, anyway.

[–] purplehaze-6 15 years ago

It is a conspiracy film and maybe the times reflect the low rating as many people are less into this genre of film than in the past.

[–] WarpedRecord 13 years ago

I love a good conspiracy film, but this just feels rather flat despite the strong cast. George C. Scott is compelling, but Brando just looks bored. "The Formula" is an apt title for this. 6/10 stars from me.

[–] intexor 13 years ago

I agree that the rating for this movie is a bit ridiculous. It has three great actors delivering great performances and is quite a good detective mystery story.

[–] tonightweareyoung1 13 years ago

totally agree with you. its a good movie (i just bought the dvd from amazon) and im very happy i did. good acting overall and from brando (its no on the waterfront) but still a good performance by him here.

the book may have been a tad better, but a 5.5 rating is not deserved, i think it should get at least a 7.

[–] PoppyTransfusion 13 years ago

I agree; the film's a 7.

I'm a fountain of blood
In the shape of a girl

[–] PoppyTransfusion 13 years ago

This film is hard to get hold of on DVD. I got mine as part of a region 1 box set. The story is as pertinent today as it was in 1980 even though, as some comment, the film does reference things that are anachronistic. I loved Brando's performance and imagine he had lots of fun developing the slightly bumbling figure with a hearing aid who is the power behind the throne.

The conversation between Caine and Steiffel contained some of the wittiest dialogue, not sure how much was written and what improvised. My favourite lines are: the war's over, the world will be different, one big happy corporation. No more enemies, only customers. For some reason this line reminds me of The Matrix.

I also liked in business we're all Swiss. Such a jibe at Switzerland and its 'neutrality' that has helped make it very rich.

I'm a fountain of blood
In the shape of a girl

[–] Wuchakk 12 years ago

For the last 6 weeks or so I've been seeing lots of new DVD copies at Big Lots for 3 bucks.

[–] 12 years ago

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