By Popular Demand: Are There Any Films You Love Whose Unpopularity Or Relative Obscurity You Cannot Fathom?
I'm quite surprised by the overwhelming response to a post of mine that I thought rather quotidian. I seem to have struck a nerve.
When I asked, "Are There Any Highly Regarded Films Whose Popularity You Cannot Fathom?", I deliberately refrained from phrasing the question in the usual way, i.e., "Which films are the most overrated?" because I wanted to avoid hearing folks repeat something they read once in a film guide or in a movie critic's retrospective. I wanted to hear about the films that the rest of the world seems to love, but that the commenter just doesn't "get", that doesn't "grab" him, that bores him, that leaves him cold. As some have noted, this can reveal something interesting about the dissenter.
There have been requests to open a thread on the most underrated films. But, again, allow me to pose the question in a slightly different way: Which are some films that you have discovered and treasure, and yet have not found a large audience or great acclaim? We're less interested in hearing about how, contrary to the critics' opinions, you found Porky's 3 hysterical, and more interested in hearing about the real gems that got lost in the shuffle of the marketplace but that touched you deeply or entertained you immensely--and why.
For me, a good example is Local Hero. It is a comedy--with broad humor at times--and yet I consider its message profound and bittersweet. (Mild spoiler ahead.) The final scene, in which Peter Riegert's character MacIntyre returns to his apartment in Houston, removes beach shells from his pockets, and calls the (empty) telephone booth in Furness, Scotland, is heartbreaking to me. It never fails to elicit moisture in the ocular region.
I believe the reason is that, the first time I saw the movie (during its theatrical release), I was undergoing a wrenching time at the end of college and the cusp of employment. I was on a trajectory toward a job in the oil business, like MacIntyre's, and I was deeply ambivalent about it. And what college student doesn't dream of forgoing a "traditional" career and instead living in a picturesque seaside town as an innkeeper, or a fisherman, or a minister, or a marine biologist who may or may not be a mermaid?
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Comments:
Feb '11
Re: By Popular Demand: Are There Any Films You Love Whose Unpopularity Or Relative Obscurity You Cannot Fathom?
Yes, Cold Comfort Farm is great. Especially Kate Beckinsale before she went Hollywood.
I'm a sucker for historical epics so I have to add Centurian and The Eagle. Two recent films based on Rosemary Sutcliffe's The Eagle of the Ninth, the former loosely "influenced by", the latter directly by. The book is from the 1950s and is set in Roman Britain. Both films limitations were due to budgetary constraints, but they come off very well nontheless and definately deserved a lot more acclaim than they got.
I think the director of The Eagle -- Kevin MacDonald -- also did another entry for this list The Last King of Scotland. LKoS is an incredible tour de force by all involved, but especially Forrest Whitaker as Idi Amin.
Edited on December 30, 2011 at 7:43pmSep '10
Re: By Popular Demand: Are There Any Films You Love Whose Unpopularity Or Relative Obscurity You Cannot Fathom?
One of the funniest movies ever, 1941. A Spielberg/Zemeckes project from 1979, it's lost in the wash with all of their other work. Plus you never figure Spielberg for a zany comedy.Very funny and one of the last good all-star cast movies from Hollywood (Dan Aykroyd, John Candy, John Belushi, Tim Matheson, Slim Pickens, on and on.
Another good is Grosse Pointe Blank and I echo the other choices of Better Off Dead and Raising Arizona.
May '10
Re: By Popular Demand: Are There Any Films You Love Whose Unpopularity Or Relative Obscurity You Cannot Fathom?
I have an addition to my earlier submission... Since it is on AMC right now, I also want to add 'Spy Game'. A pretty good spy tale with Robert Redford and Brad Pitt. Perhaps it does not qualify as obscure, but it certainly hasn't gotten much acclaim that I know of.
Hmmm... Yet another movie about a CIA field agent bucking the system. Perhaps my film choices need expanding...
Sep '10
Re: By Popular Demand: Are There Any Films You Love Whose Unpopularity Or Relative Obscurity You Cannot Fathom?
Completely agree! One of the best movies ever. Has everything from great cast to iconic music.
Jun '11
Re: By Popular Demand: Are There Any Films You Love Whose Unpopularity Or Relative Obscurity You Cannot Fathom?
Point taken re: the thin Shyamalan "oeuvre". He had such a promising start to his commercial career, then lost his way about halfway through The Village. Hard to believe that it has been nearly 10 years since he made anything worth watching!
RE: Unbreakable, IMO a lot of folks can't get past the comicbook-heavy. My wife falls asleep whenever I've watched it, while I still get chills up my spine.
Of course, that's better than her Googling "divorce attorneys" when I start quoting Tropic Thunder. "Me? I know who I am. I'm a dude playin' a dude..."
Kevin Walker
Saying that it's M. Night's best, though... Isn't that like saying "Talking In Your Sleep" is your favorite song by The Romantics? I mean, besides that and "What I Like About You", what is there? :-) · Dec 30 at 7:55am
Aug '10
Re: By Popular Demand: Are There Any Films You Love Whose Unpopularity Or Relative Obscurity You Cannot Fathom?
Indeed, a very good spy thriller that (much like The Fourth Protocol) finds a balance between Bond-ian action and LeCarré-esque bureaucracy.
However, I see it on television A LOT. As such, I think it fails on the obscurity scale.
Aug '10
Re: By Popular Demand: Are There Any Films You Love Whose Unpopularity Or Relative Obscurity You Cannot Fathom?
The problem with Unbreakable is that once Willis' character realizes that he's a superhero, he doesn't become nearly badass enough. Firstly, he should learn he's a superhero way earlier in the story. Secondly, once he embraces this new reality, the movie should become a rollercoaster ride. Instead, it remains dull.
Basically, Shyalamadama-ding-dong could have invented Heroes and/or Alphas years before network tv discovered superheroes. Instead, he gave us an interesting snooze-fest.
Mar '11
Re: By Popular Demand: Are There Any Films You Love Whose Unpopularity Or Relative Obscurity You Cannot Fathom?
Point taken re: the thin Shyamalan "oeuvre". He had such a promising start to his commercial career, then lost his way about halfway through The Village. Hard to believe that it has been nearly 10 years since he made anything worth watching!
Agreed that The Village is hardly a great movie.
But, if you watch it as a seminar in political philosophy--particularly as a response to Rousseau--it makes it tolerable. As an action/horror movie, not so much.
Re: By Popular Demand: Are There Any Films You Love Whose Unpopularity Or Relative Obscurity You Cannot Fathom?
HalifaxCB: The Horse's Mouth. (1958, B&W). It's a small comedy, done in that wonderful way the British used to be able to do these things.
Dec 29 at 11:48am
In a similar vein, The Lavender Hill Mob (1951), with Alec Guinness and Stanley Holloway. In fact, I would put all the Ealing Studios comedies into this category.
For drama, I vote for The Sweet Hereafter, with Ian Holm and based on the Russell Banks novel.
Aug '10
Re: By Popular Demand: Are There Any Films You Love Whose Unpopularity Or Relative Obscurity You Cannot Fathom?
SPOILER ALERT!!! SPOILERS AHEAD!!! DO NOT READ IF YOU PLAN ON SEEING THE VILLAGE!!!
What makes The Village so painful to watch is that it could have been a great movie, if only Shyaladama-ding-dong had made a few small changes.
Have a cache of medical supplies secretly buried somewhere in the woods. It's ridiculous that NONE of the adults would have made some sort of preparation for a worst-case scenario.
or...
Sep '10
Re: By Popular Demand: Are There Any Films You Love Whose Unpopularity Or Relative Obscurity You Cannot Fathom?
Another under appreciated move is Michael Mann's feature film directorial debut, Thief. Film uses many of the wonderful cinematic techniques Mann has perfected over the years. Other debuts include the film acting debuts of Robert Prosky, Dennis Farina, James Belushi and William Petersen , and Tangerine Dream's first cinematic score. The movie has the look and feel of a prequel to Mann's classic Heat. James Caan is excellent in the lead role.
May '10
Re: By Popular Demand: Are There Any Films You Love Whose Unpopularity Or Relative Obscurity You Cannot Fathom?
How could I forget Midnight Run?
Mar '11
Re: By Popular Demand: Are There Any Films You Love Whose Unpopularity Or Relative Obscurity You Cannot Fathom?
Adam Freedman
HalifaxCB: The Horse's Mouth. (1958, B&W). It's a small comedy, done in that wonderful way the British used to be able to do these things.
Dec 29 at 11:48am
In a similar vein, The Lavender Hill Mob (1951), with Alec Guinness and Stanley Holloway. In fact, I would put all the Ealing Studios comedies into this category.
· Dec 30 at 11:25am
For good or ill, The Horse's Mouth was my first encounter with Prokofiev. To Lavender Hill, I'd add the original Lady Killers and my own personal Ealing favorite, Kind Hearts and Coronets, the perfect black comedy.
Jul '11
Re: By Popular Demand: Are There Any Films You Love Whose Unpopularity Or Relative Obscurity You Cannot Fathom?
I know the critics panned it, but I thoroughly enjoyed Joe vs. the Volcano. I saw it as a great character study on viewing how we live our life and what we would do to become more than what we normally have planned for ourselves.
Nov '10
Re: By Popular Demand: Are There Any Films You Love Whose Unpopularity Or Relative Obscurity You Cannot Fathom?
A few Mel Brooks movies have been named, but not my favorite - The Producers. I'm sure in 1968 it was scandalous, but today it's almost family entertainment. Gene Wilder is wonderful as Mr. Bloom, the neurotic little accountant. I realise this movie got a Broadway musical, and a movie of the musical, but I was not impressed at all.
I'll second Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow. This got panned like crazy, nobody watched it, and those few that did mostly didn't like it. I cannot for the life of me understand that last part, unless they didn't know what it was going in. It captures nearly perfectly the feel of the old 30's pulp sci-fi stories, while having pretty decent special effects.
Edited on December 30, 2011 at 9:35pmJun '10
Re: By Popular Demand: Are There Any Films You Love Whose Unpopularity Or Relative Obscurity You Cannot Fathom?
"Dead Again" - Derek Jacoby. Fantastic.
(Jacoby's "Cadfael" series is a must -- I know it's not a movie but just have to plug this medieval era classic series.)
Aug '10
Re: By Popular Demand: Are There Any Films You Love Whose Unpopularity Or Relative Obscurity You Cannot Fathom?
In honour of co-star Fred Ward's 69th birthday today, allow me to nominate Tremors.
Aug '10
Re: By Popular Demand: Are There Any Films You Love Whose Unpopularity Or Relative Obscurity You Cannot Fathom?
Larry Koler: "Dead Again" - Derek Jacoby. Fantastic.
(Jacoby's "Cadfael" series is a must -- I know it's not a movie but just have to plug this medieval era classic series.) · Dec 30 at 12:34pm
If you're plugging Jacoby, don't forget Cla.cla.clau....dius !
Sep '10
Re: By Popular Demand: Are There Any Films You Love Whose Unpopularity Or Relative Obscurity You Cannot Fathom?
The Bruce Willis comedy-action flick Red had a brief theater run, so I think it qualifies for this post. Completely impossible plot, but good dialogue and pacing, great casting. Worth watching just to see John Malkovich and Helen Mirren with automatic weapons.
Dec '10
Re: By Popular Demand: Are There Any Films You Love Whose Unpopularity Or Relative Obscurity You Cannot Fathom?
Yes. Kevin owes us the list when the thread closes.