“We love you, Ruben! And we love your shoes!”
“My cat can eat a whole watermelon!”
I’d like to put forth Miller’s Crossing.
Now this movie is actually fairly well-known, and all the critics seemed to love it. In fact, the main quibble Ebert had with it is that it was a little “too perfect”. As in the dialogue and the plot points and the look of the movie was so down pat that it leant an air of unreality to the movie. I’m sure that’s the opposite of “damning with faint praise” if there is an example.
But, in spite of all this, almost everybody I know hasn’t seen this movie. Once in a while I sit down and make people watch this movie. All I say is “Gabriel Byrne is one of the baddest motherf***er’s you’ve ever seen.”
But it’s not this way I would recommend this movie to all you discriminating Dopers. It’s just a good example of classic film noir interpreted through modern day sensibilities. It’s cool throughout the entire movie and doesn’t miss a beat. Scenes to look for are Albert Finney defending himself with a tommy-gun, and pretty much any scene with the Dane, who looks like he just walked out of one of those old-time films.
“‘Friends’ is a mental state.”
Some more…
Time Bandits (Terry Gilliam, IIRC)
Stalingrad (a horrific early '90s German war film)
Killer Klowns From Outer Space
Full Moon High - with Adam Arkin as a teenage werewolf. Or at least, he thinks he is. Gets really hilarious when Alan Arkin turns up and starts talking to the camera. Only seen this once, so may be less funny than I remember…
Radio Flyer - Elijah Wood and Joseph Mazello as very young kids who have a bad time with a stepfather. Lots of child’s POV sequences.
Cabin Boy - Chris Elliot as Chris Elliot. A lot better than anyone gives it credit for. I think a lot of people just hear it’s a ‘bomb’ and go with the vocal minority. I also question the bomb-itude of Ishtar.
Goodbye Pork Pie - a classic New Zealand movie that nobody outside of the country has ever heard of.
Krull - Fantasy movie. Very cool sequences. Stars such actors as Robbie Coltrane, Liam Neeson, and Francesca Annis. Wonderful! Wish it was on DVD.
Starchaser: The Legend of Orin - A great animated movie, clearly stealing ideas from Star Wars, but doing it well. Funny, too.
One of my favorites was Phantom of the Paradise, which was a retelling of the Faust story with Paul Williams as a record mogul, who was actually Satan. I also recall one called The Clonus Horror, which was a terrifying story of clones being kept for body part harvesting - It gave me more than a few nightmares. And has anyone seen the TNT movie The Rough Riders, with Tom Berenger as Teddy Roosevelt?
Wow, not only have I seen most of these, I have a fair number of them in my video collection. Either they’re not that obscure or I’m a hard-core film geek. You decide.
My nomination for a truly obscure movie nobody has heard of:
Guy. Years before The Truman Show, EdTV, and the like, came this small independent movie starring Vincent D’Onofrio. He’s an ordinary guy who unexpectedly starts getting followed around by a documentary filmmaker with her camera. The whole movie is from the documentarian’s point-of-view; we see what the pursuing camera sees. He has no idea why she’s filming him; she just suddenly intrudes into his life and tells him he’s the subject. Occasionally unpleasant and misanthropic, but very, very interesting, and very much ahead of its time.
Mofo Rising I loved Miller’s Crossing! A great gangster film that I think got overshadowed by Scorcese’s Goodfellas. Had they come out a few more months apart, I think Miller’s Crossing would’ve gotten more of the recognition it deserved.
Another vote here for Rosencrantz & Guildenstern are Dead. I found this at a Blockbuster in San Antonio when I was in the AF, but can’t seem to find it anywhere in St Louis! I especially liked seeing Gary Oldman being hilarious in a comedic role instead of being the villian again.
I’d also liked to add another vote for A Midnight Clear. Absolutely wonderful and gives you a unique perspective on how wars are fought and how human the soldiers are - even those we are taught to hate because they are ‘the enemy’
And I don’t know how obscure this film will be to the Dopers, but no one I know IRL has heard of it, and I haven’t seen it for rent anywhere. I loved Sleuth starring Michael Caine and Lawrence Olivier. Two tour d’force performances by two great actors. (This is back when Michael Caine used to be a good actor.) In fact, if it hadn’t been for a bout of insomnia and this being shown on PBS, I may have never seen it. I’m glad I taped it that night too (I always pop a tape in the machine and record a movie if I think I may like it) because as I said, I’ve never seen this anywhere else for sale or rent.
Chunking Express came out in Hong Kong back 6 or 7 years ago, and was recently released in the US on video as part of Quentin Tarentino’s Rolling Thunder collection of movies. This is one of my favorite movies, and is probably one of the most artistic and brilliant films ever made. Wong Kar-Wai was the director, and he is pretty much the big “art film” director in Hong Kong right now. The plot involves two separate stories, both involving police officers who have just been ditched by their girlfriends. This film has countless beautiful and meaningful shots, and deserves wide recognition. Go see it.
Okay…
Never Cry Wolf True story of a guy sent to document that wolves are depleting caribou herds, as a precursor to instituting bounty-hunting. He finds that the wolves aren’t the real threat. Gorgeous, haunting, scenic film with a wonderful score by Mark Isham.
All You Need is Cash The documentary of the Rutles, otherwise known as the Prefab Four. A few Pythons, some original SNLers, and a few real rock stars make the funniest Beatles spoof in existence.
Alice in Wonderland It’s Alice, it’s X-rated, and it’s a musical! Absolutely one of my favorite movies of all time. “I should probably dry off. Does anyone have a towel?” “We used to have one, but it was stolen by a hotel.” Rimshots galore, and the songs are great. What’s a Nice Girl Like You Doing on a Knight Like This? is hilarious.
The Legend of Billie Jean Sharon Slater goes on the lam with her brother (played by Christian Slater—no relation) and a few of her friends (one is Yeardly “Lisa Simpson” Smith), after unfairly being ripped off by a shady local. Becomes a local hero. Cool little movie, and she was stunning.
…thinking…
Roadside Prophets
Crimewave
Black Robe: Story about Jesuits in 17th century New France traveling deep into Ottawa territory.
The Mountain Man: Charlton Heston plays a free trapper in the golden years of the fur trade era.
Jeremiah Johnson: Robert Redford plays the lead as “Jeremiah ‘Liver-eatin’ Johnson” loosly based on history.
The Name of the Rose
Set during the inquisition, this flick features Sean Connery as a monk who investigates mysterious deaths at a monestary he visits.
The Next Voice You Hear
Stars James Whitmore and Nancy Reagan. No-one knows quite what to make of it when a voice on the radio claims to be G-d with messages for mankind.
Rustler’s Rhapsody
Tom Beringer and G.W. Baily star in this send-up of B-westerns. Directed by Hugh Wilson (Police Academy, Blast from the Past, Rough Riders, Dudley Do-Right).
~~Baloo
I, too, have heard of and seen Gummo. I thought it was disgusting and pointless. Who wants to see kids killing cats? Not me.
I also love The Secret of Roan Inish. My mom made me watch it a couple years ago, and I was pleasantly surprised. All my friends hate it, and that upsets me.
Some other great movies:
How to Get Ahead in Advertising
Manny and Lo
Heavenly Creatures
The Addiction
Buffalo '66
Stealing Beauty
The Lost Boys
A Clockwork Orange
Newsies (obscure, but has a huge following of teenage girls)
Dream for an Insomniac
I watch the Independent Film Channel a lot. Keep in mind that my idea of obscure is probably a lot different from everyone who will read this. I’m sixteen, and all my friends watch romances and blockbusters. Sickening.
“Flesh+Blood” (Rutger Hauer and Jennifer Jason Leigh in a 16th century action/psychological drama. One of Paul Veerhoeven’s pre-RoboCop movies and one of his few good ones.)
LOVED IT!!!
and the Lost Boys!! Oh that was a good one!
I really liked “Like Water for Chocolate”…had anyone else seen it?
King Solomon’s Mines- Incredibly corny, but fun to watch.
I swear that was an episode of Macguver.
Fearless starring Jeff Bridges, and Rosie “Our Lady of Annoying Voices” Perez. I really liked this movie, but I don’t know anyone personally who has actually seen this movie.
Most of the other movies I would have mentioned here have already been mentioned by others…