The Human IMDB

When people look back to the golden years of movies, the 1970's, certain directors will pop up instantly.  Francis Ford Coppola, Martin Scorsese, Steven Speilberg to name a few.  But one director who never has received nearly as much credit as those guys is Sidney Lumet.  Lumet just passed away recently, and I was reminded of the awesome movies he made in the 70's particularly with Al Pacino.  He also directed 12 Angry Men, one of the few movies that takes place in practically one location and still blows you away.   Here are his other classics-

Serpico-In between The Godfather 1 and 2, Al Pacino played Frank Serpico in a classic true story about police corruption.  Serpico doesn't stand the test of time like his other movies, but the combination of Lumet and Pacino is enough to make it watchable.

Dog Day Afternoon-"ATTICA! ATTICA!" Forget The Godfather trilogy, forget Scarface, forget every other role Pacino has ever had, he is easily the best he's ever been in Dog Day Afternoon.  Him and John Cazale (Fredo Corleone in The Godfather), rob a bank in order to get money for Pacino's sex operation.  It's a bizarre, true story, and it's another movie where Pacino's acting, and Lumet's intense direction fuel a movie that otherwise would've been average in less capable hands.  Great, great movie.

Network-"I'm mad as hell, and I'm not gonna take it anymore"-The line spoken by Peter Finch, during the scene that probably won ihm the Oscar, is one of the most memorable lines in movie history.  It's also another great Lumet film, that relies on great acting and writing.  It's a great behind the scenes look at television, and has other great actors like Robert Duvall, and Faye Dunaway.

Sidney Lumet deserves legendary status, and the fact that he never won an Oscar is just another blow to that pompous, ass-kissing ceremony's credibility.  I'm gonna go watch Dog Day Afternoon, R.I.P Sidney Lumet.