My Favorite Underrated and Unwatched Films
Submitted by grandpa_chum on Sat, 10/23/2004 - 12:13
Tags:
- Once Upon A Time... The Revolution Sergio Leone 1971: Also known as "Duck You Sucker" and "Fistful Of Dynamite" it's Leone's least known movie but in my opinion one of his best, right up there with the other two from the once upon a time trilogy, most people don't even know there is a third one because no one wanted to put Leone's title on it. Obviously you can tell that Leone's movies are some of the most ruined by production companies ever edited down so it is nearly impossible for you to get a complete verision without buying two discs from different countries, which is a shame cause you all should see it, but a lot of people hate it cause they feel left down by the ending, which in most versions is missing the final flashback, the best part... anyway there is a special edition dvd in the works, so keep your eyes open and don't miss it, you won't regret the purchase if your a fan of any of leone's work. specially if you like somewhat political movies although it's not overpowering.
- Keoma Sergio Castellari 1976: Usually disregarded as a great because of it's horrid soundtrack/score, which is why i guess so many people miss out on seeing this gem of a movie... if you ever liked spaghetti westerns or westerns in general or even a good deep action movie with a plot i suggest you see this movie. frank nero is amazing and the western action is astounding. what is even more amazing is that they didn't even have a script, just a basic storyline, Nero and Castellari, best of friends(described by castellari as being lovers in a non sexual/homosexual way on the commentary) basically just improvised the whole script on location. The music may plague this movie and keep it down critically, but it does not ruin the experience of such a great film.
- Teenagers From Outer Space Tom Graeff 1953: Now i'm not a huge 50's sci fi fan... but i definitly like it more than contemporary sci fi and the few i do see are really great, but i'm no expert... this is one of my favorite movies... and i'm sure once i get my hands on it again it will be in my top 15 or 20... it's just so great... the story is plausible... the specail effects are laughable, but not stupid... and the feel is undeniable... i would assume the title has a lot to do with it's unwatched and underrated-ness but it has nothing to do with teenagers and it's not the campy 50's beach teeniebopper with aliens thrown in movie i was expecting... its about aliens who look just like humans that come to earth to recruit a planet to grow their food source on... which just happen to be lobsters of a different name... the catch is on earth they grow to be enormous... add this with a love story between a rebelious alien and an earthgirl and weapons that instantly turn breathing, living humans(and yes even dogs) into flopping skeletons and on top of all this treason with a who's your daddy twist... it's just great! One of the greatest movies i've ever seen. And once i get around to seeing it again i'm sure it will be near the top of my all time favorites list.
- 3:10 To Yuma Delmer Daves 1957: As most of you can tell and anyone that knows me, i love westerns, and as far as black and white oldies but goodies go... this one is definitly overlooked and is very very good... it's got a high noon-esque thriller/suspense feeling to it in a western backdrop and some great dialog that isn't just restricted to one liners and threats although i wouldn't recomend this to non-western fans, if you like westerns and can bear to watch em... i suggest you watch this one.
- Rope! Alfred Hitchcock 1948: In my opinion Hitchcock's best film not named psycho, although i have seen niether "Rear Window" nor "North by Northwest" so i guess it doesn't hold alot of merit, but it is better than both "vertigo" and and any other highly acclaimed hitchcock movie i've seen, which is most... it gets a bad wrap because of a few wierd camera tricks that were used to try and make it all look like it was made in one shot, when in reality it was made in a series of 10 minute shots(constraits on film rolls i'm sure). Most people who have seen it think it's just a gimmick and makes for a bad movie when in reality it is the best way i've ever seen to get a play to translate on film, because in order to shoot it this way the characters in essence had to act out a play, and the camera movements are brilliant and really add to the film. A must see for hitchcock fans.
- The Trouble With Harry Alfred Hitchcock 1955: Sort of a whodunit and as far as i'm concerned Hitchcocks only truly funny film... still beautifully shot and scored of course as is expected from a hitchcock film, with a great but not overly famous cast it really did wonders on my overall opinion of hitchcock films as it was the first one i saw, and i'm glad it happened that way.
- Super Fuzz Sergio Corbucci 1980: The longtime spaghetti western staples corbucci and terrance hill team up for a superhero cop comedy with a 70's title and everything... i've heard of corbucci fans who have never heard of this before... it's quite a movie... it's about a cop who solves crimes using his super powers he gained from being exposed to some nuclear material during an explosion... but there is a catch... and it's great the way it's used... ernest borgnine and sal borgese are along for the ride as well.
- Vision Quest Harold Becker 1985: After I saw it and loved it, i figured it was one of those movies people who have a passion for sports would love and everyone else would hate... boy was i wrong, apparantly the hate for this film is pretty universal and i can see why... but it's still one of my guilty pleasures and i still love it... despite nothing special on the directorial front and really nothing special on the plot side, nor acting, nor excitement, this film still appealed to me much more than i expected it should have... maybe i'm just a sucker for a movie where a guy does something others says he can't and all that perseverence bologna, but i truly do think this movie has "it", even though it may not have much else... btw, it may be because people hate matthew modine so much, although i don't see why.
- The Vikings Richard Fleischer 1958: I'm not really sure if this fits here, maybe a lot of you have seen it, but just the fact that i had never even heard of it, and would never have seen it if i didn't fall in love with kirk douglass' acting in kubricks "paths of glory" puts it in the category that fits being on this list... if you're a man, don't shy away from the macho in fiction then you'll probably like this movie, but if your a male feminist i suggest you stay away... most of what i liked about this movie is the baddass vikings and their rituals, whether it be historically accurate or not, and the story is good enough and the movie shot well enough that it can stand alone as far as i'm concerned on the silly stuff in the middle... that cream filling if you will.
- Parenthood Ron Howard 1989: Now i dislike Ron Howard as a director as much as anyone, but this is one of the funniest movies i've ever seen... if you have a close relationship with your extended family and like subtle comedy, you will love this film... no doubts about it... steve martin fans need apply too, everything he does is funny in this movie and it has a deep, serious side that is pretty good too and we all know martin can pull that off... Steve martin's best and funniest in my opinion... what could be better than martin as the not so proud father of a sissy son and the son of hard ass old fashioned father played by the always wonderful jason robards... rick moranis, keanu reeves, and a fat joaquin pheonix round out what i believe to be one of the best casted casts around.
- Adventure Victor Fleming 1945: I'm slowly becoming a fan of Vic fleming and clark gable... Everyones seen "wizard of oz" and "gone with the wind" but i didn't imagine that vic fleming had other movies i may like... i don't know why i felt this way but here it is... can't say it's one of his best cause i've only seen 3 of his films but definitly is very enjoyable... it really made me rethink my stand on romantic comedies and really turning me into a fan of the pre-1960 romantic comedy.
- The Cowboys Mark Rydell 1972: Not only is this a really good film and one of the best westerns of the 70's(along with keoma, high plains drifter, and the outlaw josey wales) it also adds another aspect to the plethora of John Wayne character attributes... John Wayne Father Figure... and boy is he great!... despite what i thought going into it, there's nothing soft about this role... at one point he talks a crying kid out of his life long lisp in about 20 seconds... bruce dern is also does his best impression of a sinister bad guy... one of the better late/older john wayne films along with true grit and the shootist. Also a pretty good unknown John Williams score as well.
- Firecreek Vincent McEveety 1968: James stewart and Henry Fonda(straight out of Once upon a time in the west, or so it seems) are great in this little gem of a western... not a whole lot this film has to offer but i do love the ending, and a great ending sure can save a mediocre film and will everytime... fonda isn't around alot and only appears sparingly but james stewart in one of his better westerns of his later years is great in my opinion... western fans won't be disapointed, specially ones who love james stewart.
- They Live John Carpenter 1988: I've heard such terrible things about this movie... but i absolutely love it... it has that 50's sci fi feel to it, with a little carpenter shootem up full of holes action mixed in, with a side of politics... i love the way he uses the glasses and created probably the best, and one of the simpliest i might add, aliens i've ever seen in a movie. Highly recomended to anyone who has ever been intrigued by the simplicity and honesty of a 50's sci fi or anyone who likes action movies with a little thought put into them.
- Batman Leslie H. Martinson 1966: One of the funniest movies ever made... everyone loves the dark action batman movies, or at least thats what i've heard, either people just don't like the comedic batman or they just do so secretly... i know old people love the television show... but does anyone realize that the movie is much much better and funnier than anything on the television program... adam west has simply one of the funniest performances in the history of film... or any other medium for that matter
- Slums Of Beverly Hills Tamara Jenkins 1998: A great comedy... funny as hell and is really really well shot... especially for a girl... one of only a handful of films directed by a woman i've ever really liked... in fact this and big are all i can think of... Not a bad cast either, Alan Arkin being my favorite, but Lyonne, Tomei, and the always great Kevin Corrigan are well worth watching as well... just a really good movie that no one seems to know about... i'm sure they are out there... but i don't know any of 'em... i saw it on tv LATE LATE one... well... morning on tv and since have boughten the dvd and never heard about it outside of my house again.
- Companeros Sergio Corbucci 1970: If you've ever even slightly liked a spaghetti western in the past or well done action movies period... you will love this film... it's simply amazing, great direction from one of the best and I love Tomas Milian and Franco Nero... they are both great actors.
- Legion William Peter Blatty 1990: Also known as The Exorcist III(against the will of the director and creator of the exorcist franchise). It is Better and scarier than the exorcist! Not by much though... both are great films and what is not to love about George C. Scott.
- Red Dawn John Milius 1984: I guess i just don't get why people think this movie is so unbelievable... everything that happens seems possible to me... maybe tactically it isn't perfect, but unexperienced rebels with supplies can survive, it is possible... i also don't see how a movie can be too patriotic, specially since all they were doing was trying to survive, not fight a war... this movie has a quality that i have never really seen in any other movie, it really makes you see the other side of war, everything that you have at one time or another thought was a bad thing for the enemy to do, you root for these american kids to succeed at, and everything that you thought we were doing right, being the powerful ones, in war you hate and despise the enemy of... if you hate this movie for all other reasons i know you will at least enjoy it for really and powerfully portraying the opposite sides of war in a way that really makes you think about things that are going on and whether or not you can really say there is a good guy and a bad guy, above all else it pushes the idea that we are all bad guys in war, wronfully/rightfully? become heros within our own side.
- Conan The Barbarian John Milius 1982: Simply one of the best ever made... one of the most perfectly casted movies of all time(don't comment if you haven't seen it)... the story is simple yet sucks you in... and john milius is a directorial genius... not to mention the music is the best i've heard this side of morricone... I would never have guessed in a million years i would see two great films, one starring patrick swayze and the other arnold schwarzenegger, in the same week.
- Parents Bob Balaban 1989: Although I've never seen a whole david lynch movie, i was surprised that this wasn't directed by him, once i found out later it was someone else... the greatness of this movie is also a huge surprise, just think a david lynch-esque(as far as i know) thriller starring randy quaid and directed by a comic character actor... really quite amazing considering the parts it's made up of... really well done, either way.
- Anything Else Woody Allen 2003: Don't believe what you hear... this is just as good as some of Allen's best... I highly recommend it to anyone... i still can't understand why everyone hates it, specially allen fans.
- The Cat In The Hat Bo Welch 2003: Now I'm not gonna defend this one too much, because i'm not an expert or fan of kids movies, but I saw this movie in theatres about a year ago and upon seeing it on numerous worst movie of the year lists I was a bit surprised, but it wasn't until last night, when i caught it on tv that i confirmed that this movie was not only pretty damn funny, it also had one of the VERY few brilliant moments i've ever seen in a childrens movie... if you don't know i'm refering to the surreal crotch shot played to the commodores "I'm easy like sunday morning"... for that shot alone i would say it was worth watching
- Lucky Numbers Nora Ephron 2000: Now I may not hate a director more than Nora Ephron, and not because her direction is all that bad but just because of all the movies she's made and how much I obviously hate them, but she's not too bad aside from that. Maybe it's essentially her writing that I hate, because this is the only one of hers I've liked and the only one she hasn't written. This movie is one of those 100 story, 100 character, fandango, where everything goes wrong and everyone is in on it, although I hate those movies, the cast in this one makes it very enjoyable. Travolta is amazing, and even very funny this time. Kudrow, Roth, Ed O'Neill, Michael Moore's character is hilarious, Michael Rapaport is perfect as usual, and even Bill Pullman is pretty funny. On top of all that, for some reason the story and travolta's character is very relatable, you feel bad for him, but he's an idiot and you laugh at him the next second, it's a really well done film that is very funny.
Author Comments:
Not in any Particular order... just movies i love that most people either haven't seen or don't like very much.
Don't know what you mean by 'average moviegoer,' but who here hasn't seen Rope? Even most of my friends, who have probably seen fewer than two dozen pre-1970s films, have seen that one.
Oh, and BTW, you must see Rear Window if you like Rope (and of course, North by Northwest). Rear Window is WAY up there on both my lists of 'best films ever' and 'favorite films ever.'
i dunno... i just meant people who don't watch movies constantly like myself and probably everyone else here... as for rope!... i'm sorry, that one is beyond my control as i am the only person i know, along with my brother whom i watched it with, who has seen it or even heard of it
another thing to keep in mind is i am relatively a rookie in the world of movie-buffery... i've only been interested as filmgoing as an intense hobby for about a year now.
Oh, cool, me too! Though, for myself, it's about 14 months, now. Before that, I hadn't really seen many movies. It all started when I turned 18 and didn't have to pay attention to what my parents thought was proper or improper to view :-)
same here... when i was 18 i saw my first Leone movie and that got me into it... seeing it as more than just a hollywood moneymaker, not understanding why buffs are infatuated with movies.
Yeah, lukeprog, I'd never heard of Rope myself until I stumbled across it at the library a few years back. Now I'm at least name-familiar with pretty much everything Hitchcock touched, but that certainly wasn't always the case. We are really a bunch of budding cinephiles here, but outside of listology, I believe grandpa chum is largely correct in asserting that Rope is underwatched. I'm thinking that Rope would certainly not be on many lists of "The two dozen pre-1970s films that I've watched," your friends excepted. Perhaps I'm wrong.
Anyway, let me second the assertion that Rear Window is a must-see. Go! Now!
Maybe I have weird non-cinephile friends, but most of them have seen rope. If they've seen pre-1970s films, they've basically seen Disney cartoons (from when they were young) and Hitchcock movies. But you're right, of all Hitch's movies, Rope probably wouldn't even be in the top 5 of ones most people who've seen his work have seen.
I can't believe you've recommended "The Vikings" a movie I've still haven't blotted from my memory. I may have to try hard liquor next. Kirk Douglas and Tony Curtis were lucky they didn't get stoned(the rock variety) at the release.
And "Vision Quest"...my goodness, although I do remember kinda fondly for it's hammy storyline and a scene in which a man pegs up a wall for love or something thereabouts.
So I guess I'm an underrater myself.
I think I've seen "Duck You Sucker", no sure though.
I'll have to look up the others and possibly even rent, thanks.
It seems like One-Eyed Jacks might have a place on this list.
T'ho
:?)
i've really wanted to watch one-eyed jacks for a while from the reccomendation of a friend and i just haven't gotten around to it
btw... i know people are gonna hate these movies... that is the nature of the list... i'm just saying i for some reason or another love em, while others obviously don't.
If you love bizarre spaghetti One-Eyed Jacks should hit you just about in the right place. "Marlon Brando's" first and last attempt at direction as well, historical significance and all.
You know a movie I love that noone else does...Night Of The Following Day, again with MalBro.
I must vent lest The Vikings drive me insane. :?)
T'ho
:?)
thats another great thing about these movies... i can see why people would absolutely loath just about every movie up there... whatever it is just doesn't bother me and in some cases i actually like it
didn't know brando directed... now i'm really interested in seeing it... i may just have to pick it up.
your a bender. c'mon, if you place 'colour of money' as an essential Scorsese picture than you need to think! Scorsese even said he didn't enjoy maing that picture. it was top please the studios, so he could make 'last temptation.'
haha... What difference does it make!... it's a good movie, regardless if scorsese did it in his underwear or while his wife was having her period... it makes no difference... and i never said it was essential scorsese... it's just one of my favorites of his movies.
Ah, Parenthood! One of my favorites from that... um, half-decade.
alot of you don't know much about film, and cant compose a critical opinion. you probably think tarantino is the saviour of modern cinema! grand pa chum, im disapointed in you. i want to chat. debate! you up for it!
first off i'd like to know where you got the idea i thought tarantino is anything but a very good director... second it's hard for me to criticize films i love... and why is it exactly you are disapointed?
I was a fan of Leone's work back when critics were calling it garbage. I saw Duck You Sucker about the time it came out. That's the title it originally had.
I like it and it's good to see it on a list.
I don't like it as much as the Leone westerns with Fonda (1) or Eastwood (3) but considering Once Upon A Time In The West is one of the greatest westerns ever made and that's followed closely by The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, it's not that easy to reach that level.
I recently learned that The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly has been newly restored to its original Italian running time of 179 minutes.
i think duck you sucker is more of a war movie than a western... and you're right, it is hard to follow west and gbu... but imo leone made the best western, gangster, and war movie of all time... which makes him the ultimate director in my eyes.