Your Hidden Gems of Movies

Cafe Society
21

Good calls on The Man Who Would Be King (one of the best adventure movies ever made) and Tampopo (easily the best movie about ramen ever made).

My vote is for The Snapper. Nobody I’ve ever met outside the SDMB has seen it, and I just saw it by accident. It was made for TV in England (or Ireland?), but got a theatrical release in the US. It’s a “spiritual sequel” to The Commitments (the book on which it’s based is a sequel, but the movie is not), but didn’t get nearly the same level of attention as that movie did in the US. I think it’s a much, much better movie, and it’s one of my all-time favorites.

It’s written by Roddy Doyle and is about a working-class family in Ireland (I think Dublin), and what happens when the eldest daughter gets an unwed pregnancy. It’s sweet without being cloying, realistic without being depressing, and funny without being too slight or silly. I was at a book-signing once where Roddy Doyle talked about his work, and he described them as a “dysfunctional family that’s still successful.” And Colm Meaney as the father and Tina Kellegher as the daughter give just dead-on perfect performances.

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SolGrundy
I watch “The Snapper” once or twice a year. Love it. There is also “The Van” but I didn’t like it as much.
Also enjoyed don’t ask’s “Proof” and “Lantana.” Actually, I enjoy many of the movies mentioned, though I do not exactly consider “The Right Stuff” to be hidden.

Favorite hidden gem movie is Local Hero.
Quirky before quirky became trendy, but it does not hit you over the head with it.
Gorgeous Scottish scenery.

23

I give you The Limey

As for hidden movie jems, the best that I can think of is The Emperors New Groove. Don’t let the whole Disney thing fool you. This is way funnier than anything Disney has done before or since.

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The Year of Living Dangerously …I loved this movie…very haunting but I think it’s fallen into obscurity over the years. It’s set in Indonesia at the time of the fall of dictator Sukarno. Mel Gibson (looking his youthful best) is a journalist.

25

Oooooh…I love this move. You’re right…the cinematography is beautiful. The art of black-and-white film at its finest. Billy Bob Thornton is just awesome.

26

I agree with Sampio about Creator, one of my all-time favorites. The only problem is that I don’t think it’s out on DVD, and it’s hard to find anymore on VHS, too.

Many times I’ve brought up the Will Vinton animated film The Adventures of Mark Twain – if you like Aardman anmimation’s Wallace and Grommit and Chicken Run, you’ll love Will Vinton’s Claymation (Will Vinton came up with and copyrighted “Claymation”). Vinton uses a much brighter pallette, with a much better use of color, IMHO, and his animation is top-notch. The “Adam and Eve” swegment will bring you to tears. I’m a big fan of Mark Twain, and this one gives you Tweain you don’t usually see on screen – “The Celebrated Jumping Frog”, “Captain Stormfield’s Visit to Heaven”, “The Mysterious Stranger”, “the Diary of Adam and Eve”, and snatches of others, all in a framing story. James Whitmore provides the voice of Twain. Well done, and unjustly ignored.

Speaking of Twain, Nebraska Public TV did adaptations of five of his works about twenty-thirty years ago. They occasionally pop up on TV. They are available on VHS, at least. The Last time I was there, the Mark Twain House in Hartford, Ct, had them. They’re al worth the watching, at least the ones I’ve seen. Life on the Mississippi is best. They’ve also got Puss’nhead Wilson which changes Twain’s story, but which has the wonderful Ken Howard as Wilson. The Innocents Abroad does a pretty good job with Twain’s travelogue, and has David Ogden Stiers. The other two are A Private History of a Campaign that Failed (Which also has his late, bitter a War Prayer appended), and The Mysterious Stranger.
And I have to suggest, again, my all-timer favorite mystery The Last of Sheila. It’s the half-brother of Sleuth, and was written by Stephen Sondheim and Anthony Perkins (!). The cast includes James Coburn, James Mason, Dyan Cannon, Raquel Welch, and Richard Benjamin. It’s beautifully done, gives you all the clues, and I guarantee you won’t solve it.

Finally, two of my all-time favorite films are by Fred Zinneman, and I know they’re on DVD – A Man for All Seasons, the Sir Thomas More biopic with screenplay by Robert Bolt, based on his play, and The Day of the Jackal, which so far outclasses the pointless remake “The Jackal” that it isn’t funny.

27

Into the Night . Jeff Goldblum and Michelle Pfeiffer. Makes a Great double Feature with After Hours with Griffin Dunne
Indian Summer . Alan Arkin, Bill Paxton, Sam Reimy (did he Act in any other movie?)

Doc Hollywood . Nice little Michael J. Fox film.

Both Indian Summer and Doc Hollywood have Julie Warner in them ( and I think I’m in Love with Julie Warner :slight_smile: )

28

You can’t get more hidden than Screen Door Jesus, and independent film that was never picked up for distribution other than at a few film festivals (I wrote a glowing comment on their web page and got an e-mail from their producer wanting details of how I saw it). Just a great film – funny and very thoughtful about religious belief.

I also point out The Well, a surprisingly good look at race relations, especially given the fact it was filmed in 1951. Got an screenplay Oscar nomination, but has been forgotton.

Others that come to mind:

Muriel’s Wedding
Black Moon
Return to Oz

Of those already mentioned, I’m a fan of The Snapper, The Adventures of Mark Twain, The Man Who Wasn’t There, The Emperor’s New Groove, The Man Who Would Be King, LA Story,* and My Man Godfrey (is that really all that obscure? Shocking!).
*I generally don’t care for Will Vinton; his animation is just too sinister (the California Raisins always struck me as being very evil). But it worked when he concentrated on Twain’s dark side.

29

I’ll second this. It’s oddly touching in addition to being piss-your-pants funny. In a similar vein of being an over the top while simultaneously accurate portrayal of Texas, get your hands on a tape of A Tuna Christmas and be prepared to change your undies.

My nomination is the wonderful romantic comedy All Over the Guy. Yes, its main focus is a gay couple; but it is so well done even your prudish grandmother can appreciate the tenderness of the relationships. The characters are real, the situations true and the resolution honest. This movie is sadly obsure when it should be held up as an example for Hollywood to follow. It doesn’t resort to slapstick like Nine Months. It doesn’t get needlessly sentimental like Sleepless in Seattle. It’s not overblown like My Best Friend’s Wedding. I highly recommend it.

30

That’s what I get for not checking after I type. The “s” is right next to the “d”.
Pudd’n’head Wilson, of course. The other way sounds too risque.

31

David Mamet’s “Spartan” with Val Kilmer, Ed O’Neil and the girl who plays Veronica Mars.
It’s a Mamet spy thriller.

32

I suggest The Emperor and the Assassin. I stumbled upon this one late, late at night on a movie channels that I didn’t know I had and can’t remember. I can’t speak for the accuracy of the historic content, but it was easily one of the best damn movies I’ve ever seen.

33

Enthusiastic second for this one. The best work of Mel Gibson and Sigourney Weaver, but it’s Linda Hunt who steals it away.

**Let it Ride ** with Richard Dreyfuss and David Johansen as cab drivers at the track

Anything directed by Carroll Ballard

34

The Quatermass series (excepting the fourth one). Much of the TV serials is available on VHS and DVD now, and I think the movies all are. Nigel Kneale’s British SF series is extremely good, and although fans of the series know about them, I’m not sure if anyone else does. The QWuatermass Xperiment (in the U.S. “The Creeping Unknown”), Quatermass 2 (in the US “Enemy from Space”) and Quatermass and the Pit (In the US “Five Million Years to Earth” – not to be confused with the Harryhausenm movie “Five Million Miles to Earth”). The fourth, released in a horribly cut-up form as The Quatermass Conclusion, was awful. I’m told that it’s much better without the cuts, but I find it hard to believe.
Calvin Floyd’s victor Frankenstein (AKA “Terror of Frankenstein”) is remarkably faithful top Shelley, and precedes Kenneth Branaugh’s version by many years.

Jesse (Jesus) Franco’s Count Dracula gets a lot of flak for being directed by Franco, and it does have some embarrassing scenes. But the first half blew me away – a low-budget, yet very faithful and effective treatment, with Christpher Lee himself as the Count! Predates the big-budget Coppola film by twenty some years. I highly recommend it:

The Royal Hunt of the Sun:

quasi-historical drama by the author of Amadeus and Equus, with Christopher Plummer in a surprisingly athletic performance as Atahuallpa, emperor of the Inca. Lots of folks from A Man for All Seasons, too. Robert Shaw plays Francisco Pizarro.

35

Topsy-Turvy: A great flick about Gilbert & Sullivan coming up with The Mikado.

Once Were Warriors

Azumi

36

Goodbye Pork Pie
A Kiwi road movie, in a Mini

Gumshoe
Spoofy/serious tribute to American hard-boiled detective tales - set in Liverpool
Even survives Andrew Lloyd Webber’s score (though the crass tune at the end still annoys)

I fourth The Man Who Would Be King

Any of the “Ealing comedies” like the original “The Ladykillers”, “Kind hearts and coronets” etc
(except the last one “Titfield thunderbolt” which is rubbish)

37

And Terri Garr and a laconic Robbie Coltrane. This is a terrific movie, along with California Split the only movies that understand gamblers.

“He’s pissed it all away!”

Surprisingly the scriptwriter had her name taken off the credits because she thought it was crap. What an idiot.

38

4 movies, along a similar “vein” (pun intended) are;

Pale Blood, a vampire hires a detective to investigate murders that seem to be the work of a vampire (not him though), interesting take on vampire lore, and the “twist ending” while not entirely predictable (you get hints throughout the movie if you’re observant…) is pleasant, and it’s nice for once to see the vampire portrayed as the “good guy” (admittedly, a good guy on a high-protien liquid diet, but still…)

Sundown, the Vampire in Retreat a rather unique film, harmless fun, it’s a “Horror/Comedy/Vampire/Western” film (yes, you read that right…) starring David Carridine and…Bruce Campbell

Bruce Campbell is playing against typecasting here, as a brainy, nerdy, self-consious decendant of the infamous Abraham Van Helsing, who stumbles into a midwest town in the middle of nowhere, populated by Vampires, who with the help of SPF-100 sunblock, large sunhats, and artificial blood substitute, are trying to make the best of their (un)life

Bruce Campbell and Deborah Foreman have great on-screen chemistry and play well off each other, seems like Bruce is just Deborah’s…type :wink:

Modern Vampires;
just like the name says, this film deals with a group of California “Modern” Vampires, directed by Richard Elfman (composer Danny Elfman’s brother, Danny provides music for the film as well…), and starring Casper Van Dien as Dallas, Natasha Gregson Warner as slinky little vamp Niko (Rowr!), Rod Steiger as Van Helsing, Kim Cattrall as Ulrike, Udo Kier (typecast again as a vampire) as Vincent, Gabriel Cassus as “Timebomb”, Robert Pastorelli (the painter guy from Murphy Brown) as the Count, and Craig Ferguson (the boss from Drew Carey) as Richard

this is one DVD where the commentary is even more fun than the movie, and the movie’s an absolute blast, where else can you see Richard going ape in a topless bar feeding on donors/victims in a steel cage, or encouraging Niko to kill an annoying, snobby clothing shop clerk for no reason at all…“oh go on, kill the fing bch, go on, rip her f**ing lungs out you little rascal…” (said in a happy, amused voice)

Razor Blade Smile
think “La Femme Nikita” with fangs and a twisted sense of humor

39

You Want Gems…I’ll Give You Gems!

Dear Frankie is a charming little flick set in Scotland. A deaf boy writes letters to his dad who is on a boat sailing the oceans or so he thinks. His mother has been writing as his ‘daddy’ for years and now, because of a bet at school and the untimely arrival of what was thought to be a fictional boat, she has to come up with a Dad for a day. Not a comedy. Just a nicely done drama.

Billy Elliott Set in England during the coal miner’s strikes in the 80’s. A young boy is suppose to be taking boxing lessons but his true passion is ballet (which causes mucho problems with his dad - who was brilliant. ) Great comedy-drama. Look for the impeccable Julie Walters as the chain smoking ballet teacher.

East is East Set in England in the early 70’s. A large family of Pakistani-Brits don’t fit in with the brit community and don’t fit in with the Paki community. Some great laughs and some true life moments that are a little raw. ( the brothers in this flick are all gorgeous, IMHO.)
The Producers Mel brooks indy film gem that languished and disappeared from the box office shortly after it was released. Recently released on DVD after nearly 20 years since it was put on video. Had/has a cult following and now a highly successful broadway play. Just.Rent.It.Now.

Educating Rita Julie Walters as the working class woman hungers for an education and Michael Caine as the drunk burned out college professor. A gem of a picture .

Radio Days I think this is the best Woody Allen film. You never see him, he just does a voice over. It is the ‘story’ of his youth growing up in Rockaway and his and his families love of the Radio and programs they listened too. The hero of the story is Joe and his love of the Masked Avenger and how it leads him to a life of crime. The scene with Joe, his parents and the Rabbi is a crack up. Great music and a very special film.

Hopscotch (1980) Walter Matthau is the worlds most dangerous man. He is about to expose the CIA, FBI, KBG and himself. After 30 years with the “Company” his new boss views his fuckup in the field ( which it wasn’t) and puts him on desk duty. Our wonderful hero decides to write a book outing all the secrets he knows and uses all his super spy technique to outrun the growing secret police on his tail. Look for a very young Sam Waterston and MP Glenda Jackson as an ex-spy who helps him out. Comedy, romance and fun!
Nate and Hayes (1983) virtually came out in the midst of the Indiana Jones films/Romancing the Stone/Richard Chamberlin’s adventure flick and disappeared within two weeks.
A great adventure/pirate romp. A young and hot Tommy Lee Jones as real life buccaneer ‘Bully’ Hayes. (And Miles o’Keefe, who did great in this and nothing else after.) Rescue the pretty chick, deal with zee germans & cannibals and not get hung and one of the best bad guys ever, Ben Pease. w00t!
Rent this movie, pop some corn and just enjoy. It is farcical, yet entertaining. Major lusting is available to both sexes with TLJ and Jenny Seagrove. Especially with the sacrifice of a virgin scene…the costumes are a scream!

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty a classic story of a mild mannered mouse ( Danny Kaye) who imagines himself as a number of daredevil heroes. One of his daydreams becomes a reality when he gets involved with the luminescent Virginia Mayo and becomes a target of a gang of jewel thieves and their loot. Boris Karloff has a bit part in it as well. Tapokita…tapokita…tapokita…

The Flamingo Kid Possibly Matt Dillon’s best flick. Set in 1960. Jeffery Willis has one last carefree summer before starting college in the fall. When he is invited out to spend an innocent day at their rich parents beach club, the Flamingo. Jeffrey is offered a job and gives up his other job of packing groceries, much to the annoyance of his Brooklyn Parents ( Hector Elizondo,). He becomes a cabana boy and deals with gin playing card sharps. wealthy snobs and Wayne Gretsky’s future wife, Janet Jones Gretsky. His blue collar ethic and existance is lured to the wealthier side.

40

I’ve wanted to see this for a while, but it must be very obscure because I’ve never seen it for sale or rental anywhere. I’m a huge fan of Buffy, Angel, and the ouevre of Bruce Campbell, and I see no way a “Horror/Comedy/Vampire/Western” could be anything but super-sweet.