Movie buffs! Best unknown movies - any suggestions?

[Valteron]

This is not really a poll, it is more like a running list. And I do not mean "unknown" literally.

It just occurred to me that there are a lot of movies that are surprisingly good but that for some reason (marketing, subject, lack of big stars, who knows) are very little known or appreciated. Since most of us have movie channels or repertory theatres we can catch them on/at, I thought it might be fun to share our favourites. That way we will know what to expect.

Here are MY rules (Der Fuhrer hat immer RECHT!) that you must obey:

1.Give the title and a short description. Maybe the stars if you can remember who they are.

2. Do not give away the ending or ruin it for us, but briefly describe the main plot elements and why you think it is such a good movie that deserves more recognition than it got.

Ready? Here is one of my favourite "unknown" fliks.

Buffalo '66 Vincent Gallo, Christina Ricci, 1998. A young guy, Billy Brown, gets out of jail in Buffalo New York in 1966 after serving time for a crime he did not commit but took the rap for because some gangsters forced him to. He is a scruffy, ugly, skinny loser. First thing he does is kidnap an attractive but obviously lower-class young woman who at first comes across as a brainless bimbo. What he wants her to do is pretend she is his girlfriend to his parents, who live in a working-class suburb and are soooo self-centred and unloving that they did not even know he had been in jail. So the girlfriend is there to build him up.

The main plot is that Billy wants to shoot a former football player in Buffalo because he figures that his failure to kick a field goal a few years ago is what made him lose a bet and eventually caused him to go to jail.

What makes it wonderful: The film was made in 1998, but its recreation of the look and feel of working-class America in the 1960s is uncanny. The character development is amazing. You start to feel sorry for Billy and you actually get to love him. You suddenly realize what a nice guy he is, if only.. . . .

At some invisible, seamless moment in the movie, you realize with a shock that the "kidnapped" young woman is staying with him voluntarily, and is in fact "in charge" of Billy, not his victim.
So, I will not give the rest away.

Do other Dopers have any nomiees?

[JohnT]

How does this:

Do not give away the ending or ruin it for us,

jibe with this:

At some invisible, seamless moment in the movie, you realize with a shock that the "kidnapped" young woman is staying with him voluntarily, and is in fact "in charge" of Billy, not his victim.

?

;)

[JohnT]

Me, I'll vote Rize (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0436724/).

[Valteron]

How does this:



jibe with this:



?

;)

The fact that the young woman changes from victim to friend happens very early in the movie and my telling you this does not ruin it for you, I assure you. The main plot is that Billy is so fucked up and irrational and wants to kill someone. Even with the young woman wanting to help, you have no idea what way this troubled young man is going to go, and I am not going to telepgraph the ending, believe me.

[JohnT]

Ahhhh. Usually, "switheroo's" like that tend to be a major plot point.

[CalMeacham]

we've had threads like this before. I'll give a couple of my choices again:

The Adventures of Mark Twain -- Will Vinton invented the term "Claymation", and he was a wizard at the technique. Sadly, I don't think he got the recognition he deserved. This was a full-length claymation movie about the works and life of Twain, told in a suiitably fantastic manner, with James Whitmore doing the voice of Twain. Well-written and beautifully executed. Some parts can bring you to tears. Includes "The Celebrated Jumping Frog", "Captain Stormfiel'd Visit to Heaven", "The Diary of Adam and Eve", and bits of "The Mysterious Stranger", "Tom Sawyer", "Huckleberry Finn", "The Damned Human Race".

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0088678/

Robinson Crusoe on Mars -- dumb title, but not a bad science fiction film for its time. There are some real reaches at times, but it's a long cry from space opera and towards thing like 2001. Paul Mantee stars. There's a small part by a pre-Batman Adam West. A lot of people think they lifted a lot of Enemy Mine from this.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0058530/


The Lost Missile -- Science Fiction writer Jerome Bixy gave us the almost-as-neglected "It! The Terror from Beyond Space" (which is arguably too well known to be included here), as well as the creepy Twilight Zone episode where Billy Mumy is the wish-granting monster who puts things in the cornfield and "Fantastic Voyage". This is arguably his least-known film, about a missile of unknown (probably extraterrestrial) origin that threatens to devastate the earth by flying low over it and releasing extraordinary amounts of heat. Very intriguing concept, although they didn't have much of a budget, and the acting is said to be sub-par (It's been ages since I last saw this one). Robert Loggia stars:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0051881/

[Gordon Urquhart]

Local Hero (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0085859/) (starring Peter Riegert as Mac, Burt Lancaster as Felix Happer, and Denis Lawson as Gordon Urquhart!) gets mentioned a lot in threads like this, and I'm not surprised it's a favorite among Dopers. I was only 14 when it came out, and first saw it on HBO or Cinemax; I don't know how well it did box-office-wise, but hardly anyone outside the Dope knows about it.

A Houston oil executive is sent to a coastal Scottish town to negotiate terms for purchasing the town and surrounding beach so that the oil company can develop the land. It's definitely a "fish out of water" storyline, but it's handled with subtlety and grace. The screenplay is profound, the roles are perfectly cast, the scenery is gorgeous, and Mark Knopfler's score is sublime. I suppose it's a comedy, because there are some very funny scenes, but it's a very droll, dry comedy that is made better by not answering all the questions it asks.

[Long Time First Time]

I've always had a warm place in my heart for

The Stepfather (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0094035/)


"Daddy's Home and He's Not Very Happy"

[Eonwe]

I very much like Moon Over Parador (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0095654/), starring Richard Dreyfuss.

Basically, a never quite successful actor is filming a low budget movie in an imaginary South American country. When the dictator of the country dies, his seccond in command, after seeing Dreyfuss do a believable parody of the dictator, kidnaps Dreyfuss and forces him to impersonate the dictator.

While it is on the surface a switcheroo comedy, Dreyfuss' character also deals with the fact that he finally has an amazing role, and pours his heart into it, but of course, no one can ever know; and fame and recognition as a great actor still elude him. Exploring what's important in life, and in particular in the life of an artist, is a fascinating theme in this movie, and is the reason why I love it so much.

Also, aside from Dreyfuss' great acting, Raul Julia gives a phenomenal performance as the seccond in command.

[CalMeacham]

I'm not sure I'd count Local Hero -- it seemed too well-known to me (and my friends). The following three seem to me to be pretty well-known, to, but may not be to the public in general.


The Hidden -- Science fiction starring Kyle McLaughlin as a character very much like the FBI agent he played later in "Twin Peaks", only here he has a good reason for acting weird. The plot seems to be derived from Hal Clement's SF classic "Needle". Very well done, with a lot of cute touches. Ignore the worthless made-for-TV "sequels".

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0093185/

Creator -- Jeremy Leven adapts his book for the screen. Peter O'Toole plays a Nobel laureate trying to clone his dead wife. Totally unlike any other "cloning" film you've ever seen -- it's witty and upbeat and has zero special effects. he college looks and feels like grad school. Vincent Spano, Virginia Madsen, Davide Ogden Stiers, and Mariel Hemingway. It has its bad points, too, but this is refreshingly different:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0088960/

The Last of Sheila The illegitimate half-brother of Anthony Schaffer's "Sleuth" was written by the unlikely due of Stephen Sondheim asnd Anthony Perkins (Yes, that sondheim and that Anthony Perkins), and directed by Herbert Ross. It's a wonderfully convoluted mystery involving a wealthy eccentric puzzle-lover who plays sadistic mind games with his friends (as in "Sleuth"). Here James Coburn is the eccentric and, among his friends are James Mason, Raquel welch (without gratuitous semi-nudity) Dyan Cannon, and Richard Benjamin. The mystery, though convoluted, actually flows naturally from the premise, and there are mysteries within mysteries and unexpected twists. They play fair, though, and give you all the clues you need to solve it. A relatively unknown at the time Bette Midler sings the closing song.


Midler

[Push You Down]

David Mamet's Spartan. Although it came out two+ years ago, Ebert featured it this year in his Overlooked Film Festival. It stars Val Kilmer, Williiam H Macy and Kristen Bell (Veronica Mars).
Kilmer plays a sort of special forces/special agent badass that is brought in to help with a major kidnapping. If you can take the completely unrealistic but fascinating Mamet dialogue, it's an amazing movie.

The tagline is simply: She's missing.

Six String Samurai is a well shot and well made surreal road movie about a post-Apocalyptic America where Elvis ruled over the last bastion of civilization (Lost Vegas) and upon his death guitar samurai make their way to compete to be the new king. We follow Buddy and his unwanted kid sidekick on adventure vignettes while they are being stalked by Death (who looks like Slash from GnR).

How I Got Into College- the last of the Savage Steve Holland comedies (the guy who did Better off Dead and One Crazy Summer as well as the animated series Eek the Cat) It stars Anthony Edwards and Lara Flynn Boyle (who look amazing as a real sized person and not a stick figure). It's about the craziness that goes on with high school kids attempting to get into college. It also features Phil Hartman and Nora Dunn in small but hilarious roles as SAT-prep scam artists.

Leap of Faith- stars Steve Martin, Liam Neesom, Debra Winger, Lolita Davidovich, Lukas Haas and Meatloaf (Phillip Seymor Hoffman in a small role). It is probably one of my three favorite movies of all time.
Martin plays a scheister revival preacher whose traveling show gets stuck in a small Texas drought town. Winger plays his partner in crime and Neesom plays the towns sheriff.

[El_Kabong]

Miracle Mile, with Anthony Edwards (again!) and (I think) Phoebe Cates. Takes off a bit from where Martin Scorcese's After Hours begins, but ends up much, much darker (and AH was pretty dark indeed). Set over the course of one night in the LA basin, this starts out as what looks to be a light romantic comedy, then, following a bizarre phone call taken by Edwards at a convenience store, veers wildly into a horrifying apocalyptic nightmare. The audience is thrown way off balance early on, and never regains it again. Fascinating stuff, I thought, despite having perhaps the most depressing ending in the history of cinema.

[Rocketeer]

The Rocketeer, with Bill Campbell and a stupendously attractive Jennifer Connelly. Any movie with a jetpack, two GeeBees, the Spruce Goose, Howard Hughes, a zeppelin, Rondo Hatton, and Nazi spies has gotta be great, right? Right! And Timothy Dalton is wonderfully slimy.

Did poorly at the box office (I think audiences were turned off by the massive, massive saturation ad campaign) but I personally think it's one of the greatest adventure movies ever.

[Push You Down]

I haven't seen Miracle Mile since I was a kid... but I remembered really liking it.


A few weeks ago I finally made it to the La Brea Tarpits and was reminded of the ending of the movie.

[CalMeacham]

Gotta agree with you, Rocketeer, about Rocketeer. (I said that right, didn't I?)


You left out the Great James Horner score. The opening bars are among my favorite for a film. Disney musta liked it, too, because it got used a lot for Disney trailers.

I still can't understand why this film isn't more popular, or shown more often even today.


But I still wouldn't classify it as "unknown". Most Disney films aren't exactly unknown. But if you want one I'll bet you never heard of, try Perri:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0050837/

Never, to my knowledge, released on VHS, laserdisk, or DVD. Never shows up on TV. Based on a book by Felix Salten, who wrote "Bambi". In fact, Bambi has a cameo in this film!

[CalMeacham]

I haven't seen this one, and didn't even know about it until I read about it on the 'net. It's based on a Kuttner and Moore story ("Vintage Season") that's in the Science Fiction Hall of Fame, and every review gives it high marks. Now I've got to get it to see if it lives up to its hype -- there's little enough good SF cinema ut there:

Grand Tour: Disaster in Time

Stars Jeff Daniels. Directed by David Twohy, who did Pitch Black and Chronicles of Riddick, although I won't hold it against him.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0104362/

[detop]

Cal I have that movie on tape, but under the title Timescape. So you may want to keep an eye for it under that title also.

[Rocketeer]

I haven't seen this one, and didn't even know about it until I read about it on the 'net. It's based on a Kuttner and Moore story ("Vintage Season") that's in the Science Fiction Hall of Fame, and every review gives it high marks. Now I've got to get it to see if it lives up to its hype -- there's little enough good SF cinema ut there:

Grand Tour: Disaster in Time

Stars Jeff Daniels. Directed by David Twohy, who did Pitch Black and Chronicles of Riddick, although I won't hold it against him.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0104362/

I've seen it -in fact, I own a copy- and it's very nice. Even Mrs. R, who is usually a tough sell on SF, liked it.

[Push You Down]

Wanted to add "Jesus' Son" since HBO is playing it right now.
It is based on the novella of the same name by Denis Johnson, one of my favorite books.
It stars Billy Cruddup as the lead and features Holly Hunter, Dennis Hopper, Dennis Leary and Jack Black in supporting roles. Its the story of a junkie on the path to recovery and is told (as in the novella) through a series of short stories. Performance Artist Miranda July has a small role as a nurse...

and speaking of Miranda July.... her film "Me and You and Everyone We Know" was pretty much the best movie I saw last year. ))<>(( .... see the movie, you'll get it.

[Rocketeer]

...You left out the Great James Horner score. The opening bars are among my favorite for a film. Disney musta liked it, too, because it got used a lot for Disney trailers.


So true. Just last night I was watching a trailer for Secondhand Lions, and there was the familiar swelling strains of the Rocketeer score. The other movie score that gets used a lot is the one for The Shadow, not a bad movie at all if you fast-forward through the opening scenes in Tibet.

[Improv Geek]

Boondock Saints - A cult classic about two Irish men who decide to go vigilante justice. It's got William Dafoe and many memorable scenes.

The Red Violin - This one has Samuel L. Jackson as a violin antique appraiser and it follows the life of a violin and the drama it "saw" in its life. A brilliant movie.

[Elendil's Heir]

Another vote here for The Hidden, a funny, smart, freaky but oft-overlooked masterpiece of scifi/horror.

I'd also vote for Breaker Morant, a movie about Australian soldiers court-martialed for war crimes during the Boer War. Edward Woodward stars. It's a great courtroom drama and military adventure; the closing scenes are wrenching. This is a movie that will stay with you for a long time.

[ZebraShaSha]

I have two, both dealing with mafia type things.

The first is one I have never heard discussed before, but it's pretty good: Amongst Friends. It's gripping, enthralling, and over-all realistic. More realistic than most mafia movies I have seen, it follows close friends who grow up together who weave in and out of the mafia lifestyle. Of course, I haven't seen "Mean Streets" just yet, but this movie would still be solid if it ripped off some elements from Scorsese.

Also, a great early role by Mira Sorvino.

The second, one I bet people have seen before on here, is Things to Do In Denver When You're Dead. It's a lot more popular than the above, but I bet in a lot of circles it is still labeled as "unknown".

This is another amazingly realistic mafia movie. Sure, some elements are pure Hollywood, but that is going to happen with a film of this type.

The best parts, for me, were the relationship, the dialouge, and the characters. With this film, there isn't some tacked-on B-subplot of how Jimmy gets a girl - it is played perfectly, highlighting everything wrong with Jimmy's lifestyle and Jimmy himself. It also makes the ending all-the-more tragic.

The dialouge was simply amazing. Not quite Pulp Fiction, but it was more than solid in a lot of parts. Things like, "I am Godzilla! You are Japan!" pop up throughout, just charming gems that should have mass cult appeal.

Finally, the characters. Critical Bill, Easy Wind, Jimmy the Saint- the characters are all incredibly realistic at being larger than life. Every character is developed perfectly, with not too much or too little background info given. It also has a young Steve Buscemi as the creepy-as-hell "Mister Shh" who never talks, only assasinates, and Christopher Walken, "The Man With a Plan." Those are both actual character titles, and it fits beautifully within the film.

I'll also second Buffalo '66, one my top 50 movies of all time, most likely.

[stegon66]

Shoot, where do I start? Hmmm....

Of Freaks and Men - A disturbing, sepia-toned excursion into the underworld of pornography in turn of the century St. Petersburg. Not for all tastes, but if you're cinematically adventurous, go for it.

[rjung]

I'll throw out Disney's overlooked masterpiece, The Emperor's New Groove.

Premise: Emperor Kuzco (David Spade), 18-year-old ruler of an unnamed Central American nation, is targeted for assassination by his aged advisor, Yzma (Eartha Kitt). However, due to a screwup, Kuzco is turned into a llama, and needs the help of a lowly peasant named Pacha (John Goodman) to get him home and restore his former self. Complicating the matter is that Kuzco is determined to raze Pacha's home to build a theme park for himself, and Yzma's machinations against Kuzco's return.

What makes it wonderful: While the premise sounds like Yet Another Retreaded Predictable Disney Animated Movie, the execution is of an irreverent, zany, slapstick-filled comedy farce, one part Marx Brothers and two parts Chuck Jones. Yzma's dum-bulbed assistant Krunk (Patrick Walburton) steals the show, but everyone shines here, including Pacha's loving family and Bucky the squirrel. The entire movie is one entertaining thrill ride, capped off with a climactic chase and runaround at the end that's worth the price of admission alone.

"Why do we even have that lever?!"

[Bob Ducca]

Center of the World - 2001
Molly Parker, Peter Sarsgaard
A tech-boom millionaire hires a poor waitress to spend time with him in Vegas. Sexual acts are also involved in the deal, but only at her discretion. Of course, their relationship develops from there and Sarsgaard's character ends up falling for Parker. Won't give away the ending, but it's a wonderful character study about the different ways men and women view love and sex. It's a wonderfully accurate portrayal of how hard it is to have a sexual relationship without emotions getting involved.

[RealityChuck]

Check out these. (http://www.sff.net/people/rothman/GBF/index.htm)

[lissener]

Another vote here for The Hidden, a funny, smart, freaky but oft-overlooked masterpiece of scifi/horror.
You forgot "comedy."

[yanceylebeef]

I'll cast my vote for The Big Bus (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0074205/) , the grandaddy of all those Airplane and Scary Movie spoofs you see around.


My favorite quote from the bar fight scene..."Look out he's got a broken candle! Look out, He's got a broken Milk Carton!"

Badly paraphrased because I haven't seen the movie in about 30 years.

[BrainGlutton]

Obscure tho' it is, the greatest, most artistically successful, and most important movie ever made is, obviously, Arise!

http://www.subgenius.com/scatalog/video.htm

[priapus]

I loved the movie,Funny Bones with Oliver Platt and Jerry Lewis.Yes,Jerry Lewis.
Its odd,funny,edgy and one can learn a lot about comedy and people with "funny bones"..

[Push You Down]

I'll cast my vote for The Big Bus (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0074205/) , the grandaddy of all those Airplane and Scary Movie spoofs you see around.


My favorite quote from the bar fight scene..."Look out he's got a broken candle! Look out, He's got a broken Milk Carton!"

Badly paraphrased because I haven't seen the movie in about 30 years.


I swear Comedy Central used to play it on weekends all the time in the early/mid 90s.

[bubastis]

I'll cast my vote for The Big Bus (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0074205/) , the grandaddy of all those Airplane and Scary Movie spoofs you see around.


My favorite quote from the bar fight scene..."Look out he's got a broken candle! Look out, He's got a broken Milk Carton!"

Badly paraphrased because I haven't seen the movie in about 30 years.


Holy crap I loved this movie. I havent seen it in years, I mean maybe twenty years. I was only small, spoof did not register, I watched it as a completley serious movie. I really though that man was going to drown when the coke fountain tap broke and the room filled to the top with cola.... I REALLY thought he would drown. Straight to Amazon to purchase this!

Ill thro in Enemy Mine, with Dennis Quaid. Still looks pretty good, and Louis Gossetts Make-up is still brilliant after all these years. Curse you, Drakk!


And maybe not as forgotten as it needs to be to make this list, but not as well known as it should be, Quick Change. What kind of clown are you? The crying on the inside kind, I guess.

[misterdls]

The documentary "The Thin Blue Line", about the murder of a Dallas, Texas police officer in 1976. An innocent man was convicted of the crime and was sentenced to death. The film is notable because it features interviews with virtually all of the principal subjects in the case, and because of the many realistic re-enactments of the crime. Absolutetly riveting. It should have a profound effect on anyone interested on how the justice system really works. Not at all like your typical documentary. This film was instrumental in bringing the case to public attention and resulted in the eventual reversal of a terrible miscarriage of justice.

These two links about the case contain "spoilers", in the sense that they contain information about the final disposition of the case, subsequent to the 1988 release of the film.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Thin_Blue_Line_(documentary)

http://www.txexecutions.org/reports/323.asp

(The second link's relevance to this case becomes apparent in the 4th paragraph from the end)

[misterdls]

The documentary "The Thin Blue Line", about the murder of a Dallas, Texas police officer in 1976. An innocent man was convicted of the crime and was sentenced to death. The film is notable because it features interviews with virtually all of the principal subjects in the case, and because of the many realistic re-enactments of the crime. Absolutetly riveting. It should have a profound effect on anyone interested on how the justice system really works. Not at all like your typical documentary. This film was instrumental in bringing the case to public attention and resulted in the eventual reversal of a terrible miscarriage of justice.

These two links about the case contain "spoilers", in the sense that they contain information about the final disposition of the case, subsequent to the 1988 release of the film.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Thin_Blue_Line_(documentary)

http://www.txexecutions.org/reports/323.asp

(The second link's relevance to this case becomes apparent in the 4th paragraph from the end)

Sorry, the first link does not work; just look up "The Thin Blue Line" on wikipedia.

[Eonwe]

I'll throw out Disney's overlooked masterpiece, The Emperor's New Groove.

Premise: Emperor Kuzco (David Spade), 18-year-old ruler of an unnamed Central American nation, is targeted for assassination by his aged advisor, Yzma (Eartha Kitt). However, due to a screwup, Kuzco is turned into a llama, and needs the help of a lowly peasant named Pacha (John Goodman) to get him home and restore his former self. Complicating the matter is that Kuzco is determined to raze Pacha's home to build a theme park for himself, and Yzma's machinations against Kuzco's return.

What makes it wonderful: While the premise sounds like Yet Another Retreaded Predictable Disney Animated Movie, the execution is of an irreverent, zany, slapstick-filled comedy farce, one part Marx Brothers and two parts Chuck Jones. Yzma's dum-bulbed assistant Krunk (Patrick Walburton) steals the show, but everyone shines here, including Pacha's loving family and Bucky the squirrel. The entire movie is one entertaining thrill ride, capped off with a climactic chase and runaround at the end that's worth the price of admission alone.

"Why do we even have that lever?!"

I'll agree with that. I had given it a pass, but saw it last summer on video at a friend's house and was pleasantly surprised with the whole movie.

[mack]

One of my favorite 80's movies was Choose Me (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0087054/). It's been 10+ years since I've seen it so I can't really summarize the plot adequately, but it's just a fine little movie.

[Push You Down]

The documentary "The Thin Blue Line", about the murder of a Dallas, Texas police officer in 1976. An innocent man was convicted of the crime and was sentenced to death. The film is notable because it features interviews with virtually all of the principal subjects in the case, and because of the many realistic re-enactments of the crime. Absolutetly riveting. It should have a profound effect on anyone interested on how the justice system really works. Not at all like your typical documentary. This film was instrumental in bringing the case to public attention and resulted in the eventual reversal of a terrible miscarriage of justice.

These two links about the case contain "spoilers", in the sense that they contain information about the final disposition of the case, subsequent to the 1988 release of the film.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Thin_Blue_Line_(documentary)

http://www.txexecutions.org/reports/323.asp

(The second link's relevance to this case becomes apparent in the 4th paragraph from the end)

I heard an interview with the director of the documentary- year later the man he helped free accosted him and demanded a cut from the profits of the movie. The director looked at him and said "Sure, you owe me five grand then. I LOST money on that movie!"

[teela brown]

I love a not very famous David Lean movie: Hobson's Choice from 1954, starring the wonderful Charles Laughton. He's an alcoholic bootmaker in turn-of-the-century northern England, and rules his three daughters with an iron fist. They are free labor for him, and he wants to prevent them from marrying. His eldest daughter, though, has different ideas for herself and for her father's best employee and bootmaker. The employee and the daughter are played wonderfully by John Mills and Brenda De Banzie, respectively. In fact, they're played so well that they almost steal the show from Charles Laughton, a near impossible task. I almost never see this movie shown on television, which is puzzling. I think I'll have to buy a copy, if I can find one on DVD.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0047094/

[Glassy]

Smilla's Sense of Snow is a rather nifty little thriller with an unusual Denmark/Iceland setting. It stars an unbelievably beautiful (http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.metroactive.com/papers/metro/03.13.97/gifs/sense-snow-9711.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.metroactive.com/papers/metro/03.13.97/sense-snow-9711.html&h=238&w=350&sz=10&tbnid=cWGEg4JBp1nT-M:&tbnh=78&tbnw=116&hl=en&start=6&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dsmilla%2527s%2Bsense%2Bof%2Bsnow%26svnum%3D10%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D%26rls%3DGGLD,GGLD:2004-28,GGLD:en) Julia Ormond as an icy, brilliant, vulnerable bitch. I'm not usually good at telling whether or not women are sexy, but I'm pretty sure she's extremely hot in this movie. Anyway, it's a very intelligent and intriguing suspense/mystery movie until about 10 mintues from the end, when it just gets goofy. Still, worth watching if you haven't seen it.

[mack]

I don't know how 'unknown' it is but The Apostle - with Robert Duvall as a gifted evangelist preacher on the run is excellent. You might rent that and Sling Blade and have yourself a Southern smalltown oddball movie fest.

[Wee Bairn]

Three movies, all starring the goddess Tuesday Weld:

Play it as it Lays
Pretty Poison
Lord Love a Duck

[Biffy the Elephant Shrew]

Lord Love a Duck
Just got this one on DVD last week!

[CalMeacham]

A few others:


Panic in Year Zero -- ultra-low-budget sf movie from early 1960s has Ray Milland and his family narrowly missing a nuclear attack on LA (the glass painting of LA under a mushroom cloud -- cheap, but much better than the sloppy use of stock footage of atomic tests you usually see -- is as exotic as the effects get) and trying to survive among the lawless crowd of refugees. Pretty good film with a Heinleinian feel to it. they have to overcome obstacles and solve problems --How do you cross a bumper-to-bumper road of cars filled with panicked refugees? -- before they reach a safe haven. Dated, but worth seeing.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0056331/


Kronos --1957 science fiction film about an invading alien robot tat lands in the sea, then makes its way to land to wreak havoc (I really think that the book The Iron Giant was based on owes quite a bit to this film). What distinguishes this film from the other 1950s monster-on-the-loose flicks is its style. The nearly featureless box box of a robot , propelling itself across the landscaope with three thumping legs and one rotating one is totally unlike any other, and the visual flair is fantastic -- you'd never believe a featureless box could be so visually appealing and stylized, but it is. Done by a lot of the same folks that gave us Forbidden Planet. Unfortunately, it's intellectually vapid, but it's a joy to behold.


http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0050610/


Creation of the Humanoids -- incredibly obscure science fiction story starring nobody you ever heard of. The "Humanoids" are anthropomorphic robots that get progressively more human as they're refined in a bleak future. Surprisingly mature and cerebral, with an Asimovian feel to it.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0055872/

[Kizarvexius]

Enthusiastic seconds for Breaker Morant and The Emperor's New Groove. Boy, I'll bet that's the first time in history that THOSE two films have ever been mentioned in the same sentence.

My recommendation: A Midwinter's Tale (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0113403/) . Also known as In The Bleak Midwinter, this film was Kenneth Branagh's Christmas present to wannabe thespians everywhere. It's the story of a down-on-his-luck actor (Michael Maloney) who decides to mount a low-budget production of Hamlet. As a Christmas show. In two weeks. With only seven actors. And this is supposed to save his sanity, somehow. The dialogue is delightfully witty and delivered in a spot-on, rapid-fire fashion by an enormously talented ensemble cast (featuring several of Branagh's regulars). Still not available on DVD, sed dum spiro, spero.

[rjung]

Kronos --1957 science fiction film about an invading alien robot tat lands in the sea, then makes its way to land to wreak havoc (I really think that the book The Iron Giant was based on owes quite a bit to this film).
Don't forget The Incredibles, which has an invading (non-alien) robot that lands on a beach, then makes its way downtown to wreak havoc. Not only was the movie directed by Iron Giant's Brad Bird, but the villian's password was "KRONOS". :D

</hijack>

[want2know]

A few others:


Panic in Year Zero -- ultra-low-budget sf movie from early 1960s has Ray Milland and his family narrowly missing a nuclear attack on LA (the glass painting of LA under a mushroom cloud -- cheap, but much better than the sloppy use of stock footage of atomic tests you usually see -- is as exotic as the effects get) and trying to survive among the lawless crowd of refugees. Pretty good film with a Heinleinian feel to it. they have to overcome obstacles and solve problems --How do you cross a bumper-to-bumper road of cars filled with panicked refugees? -- before they reach a safe haven. Dated, but worth seeing.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0056331/


Kronos --1957 science fiction film about an invading alien robot tat lands in the sea, then makes its way to land to wreak havoc (I really think that the book The Iron Giant was based on owes quite a bit to this film). What distinguishes this film from the other 1950s monster-on-the-loose flicks is its style. The nearly featureless box box of a robot , propelling itself across the landscaope with three thumping legs and one rotating one is totally unlike any other, and the visual flair is fantastic -- you'd never believe a featureless box could be so visually appealing and stylized, but it is. Done by a lot of the same folks that gave us Forbidden Planet. Unfortunately, it's intellectually vapid, but it's a joy to behold.


http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0050610/


Creation of the Humanoids -- incredibly obscure science fiction story starring nobody you ever heard of. The "Humanoids" are anthropomorphic robots that get progressively more human as they're refined in a bleak future. Surprisingly mature and cerebral, with an Asimovian feel to it.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0055872/
Ah, Kronos ! One of my favorites! I can always count on you, Cal !

Two Western spoofs:

The Villain starring Kirk Douglas

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0080097/

Rustler's Rhapsody with Tom Berenger

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0089945/

Not to be missed whether you love or hate Westerns!

[SmartAleq]

How about "Barry McKenzie Holds His Own" (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0071196/) directed by Bruce Beresford and written by Beresford and Barry ("Dame Edna") Humphries? Stupid as a fried popsicle, but damned funny in a totally over the top, stereotypically Australian manner... Gotta love Donald Pleasance as a vampire, really you do...

I've always loved "The Madwoman of Chaillot" (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0064621/) and can recommend it without reservation.

"Tapeheads" (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0096223/) never got the recognition it deserved, snide, funny and a great soundtrack--the "Roscoe Rap" marks the first time I figured that rap music might not be just noise.