Movie Thread: forgotten gems, cult classics, and obscurities

[BeardoMSU]

Given our numerous movie threads in the past, I thought this would be a cool topic.

I was thinking the other day about my favorite movies that either cult hits or largely forgotten...or maybe they weren't considered mainstream, that weren't hits then, or were just flat-out flops, but are still awesome films.

A few off the top of my head...

Altered States
Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels
Repo Man
The Killing of a Chinese Bookie
Pretty much any Brian De Palma movie prior to The Untouchables not named Carrie or Scarface (e.g., Blowout, Dressed to Kill, Body Double, The Phantom of the Paradise)
The Jerk
Sorcerer
The King of Comedy
Manhunter (the first movie with the character Hannibal Lector, and IMO, it's better than Silence of the Lambs)
Thief
The Long Good Friday
Tusk


What say y'all?

[Liverpooldawg]

The Gods Must Be Crazy.

[Turfdawg67]

I love The Jerk, Body Double and Manhunter!

How about these?

Fletch
About Last Night
Nothing in Common
Identity
Memento
Night Shift
Silverado
Swingers

[Prediction? Pain.]

Not sure these are all cult movies or obscurities, but they seem to be under-watched from where I sit:

Shallow Grave (Danny Boyle's first)
Millions (another early one of his)
Paths of Glory (not sure Kubrick can be "obscure", but I think this one is underrated)
Primer
Young Poisoner's Handbook
Invasion of the Body Snatchers (the original)
Lifeboat (a lesser-known Hitchcock movie)
In Bruges
Brazil (Terry Gilliam's; one of my favorite movies)
Moon
Confessions of a Dangerous Mind
Arsenic and Old Lace (one of my favorite Cary Grant movies)
Slacker
Seven Days in May
The Best Man (a mid-60s Henry Fonda movie)
Pink Floyd Live at Pompeii (shameless fanboy pick; Pink Floyd concert film from the era that I consider to be their prime)
The Omega Man (Heston's original)
The Professional
Better Off Dead
Kelly's Heroes
Barton Fink
The Year Punk Broke

Ok, I keep coming up with more and overthinking what is and isn't obscure, forgotten, or cult. I'll stop there.

[BeardoMSU]

I love The Jerk, Body Double and Manhunter!

How about these?

Fletch
About Last Night
Nothing in Common
Identity
Memento
Night Shift
Silverado
Swingers

Memento is a great movie; probably still Nolan's best.

Swingers is great too.

[BeardoMSU]

Not sure these are all cult movies or obscurities, but they seem to be under-watched from where I sit:

Shallow Grave (Danny Boyle's first)
Millions (another early one of his)
These are both great, and Danny Boyle is easily one of my favorite directors. I thought about including Trainspotting in my list above, but figured it didn't quite qualify.

Paths of Glory (not sure Kubrick can be "obscure", but I think this one is underrated)
I agree, especially how Paths is more of a political movie than your typical war film. Way before it's time. Its interesting to think about, but one could argue that in today's culture of film, Kubrick, as a whole, is underrated. I think about that similar to how I view The Beatles; both are hugely important and ingrained in the psyche of both art forms, but....there still should be more appreciation than there is.

And speaking of Kubrick, one of his movies that I should've included above is Barry Lyndon.....that may be my favorite of his films. It's so good, on so many levels...the characters, the set pieces, the costumes, the natural-light photography, etc.., as well as how it ranges in emotion from humor to sorrow.

Primer
Young Poisoner's Handbook
Invasion of the Body Snatchers (the original)
The one with Donald Sutherland?

Lifeboat (a lesser-known Hitchcock movie)
Just like with Kubrick, Hitchcock can be argued as underrated today....no one makes movies like him; at least no one tried to, other than De Palma, and he's obviously on the downslope of his career.

In Bruges
Good call. This movie is hilarious.

Brazil (Terry Gilliam's; one of my favorite movies)
Brazil really is a great movie. His ability to build worlds is a thing to behold.


Moon
Confessions of a Dangerous Mind
Arsenic and Old Lace (one of my favorite Cary Grant movies)
Slacker
Linklater is so underrated as a director.

Seven Days in May
The Best Man (a mid-60s Henry Fonda movie)
Pink Floyd Live at Pompeii (shameless fanboy pick; Pink Floyd concert film from the era that I consider to be their prime)
The Omega Man (Heston's original)
The Professional
I just made the wife watch this movie last week; she'd never seen it before, despite me owning it for years.

Better Off Dead
Kelly's Heroes
Barton Fink
Definitely one of great the 'forgotten' Cohen Bro's movies. Have you seen "A Serious Man" from 2009...it's basically a black comedy about being Jewish, which I can't relate to obviously, but it's told in the classic Cohen's wit that makes them so surprisingly funny.

The Year Punk Broke

Ok, I keep coming up with more and overthinking what is and isn't obscure, forgotten, or cult. I'll stop there.

.

[Prediction? Pain.]

The one with Donald Sutherland?

https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/1010678_invasion_of_the_body_snatchers

I didn't see the 70s remake till much later, mostly because my mom -- with whom I was lucky enough to gain an appreciation for old movies in my early childhood (I'm a TCM dork) -- didn't think it was worthwhile.

Barry Lyndon is great just to look at. (Not unlike 2001, really. Kubrick knew how to make a great-looking movie.) I watched a mini-documentary (or something) about how he tried to make many of the frames look like paintings, and that really is what he did.

"A black comedy about being Jewish" is a pretty spot-on description of A Serious Man, isn't it? I enjoyed that one, too, though not as much as some of their other slow burners like Barton Fink and Miller's Crossing. You seen The Man Who Wasn't There? It's in the same vein as A Serious Man, sans the explicit Judaism connection. More like "a black comedy about being alive."

I think I agree about Hitchcock and Kubrick being a little underrated these days. Dr. Strangelove, Paths of Glory, 2001, Rope, Strangers on a Train, Rear Window, Dial M for Murder, etc. These are some of my favorite movies that I feel like are undisputed classics, but at the same time, I'm not sure how widely viewed they are these days. The visuals, the humor, and the themes have all aged really well, though. (Of course, I could probably rage on with an old-man-in-a-38-year-old's-body rant about movies from the 30s, 40s, and 50s being neglected by all the crass, young preverts these days, so maybe it's just me. I mean, I'm guessing we could include Duck Soup, Harvey, The Best Years of Our Lives, Citizen Kane, and The Third Man on the list of "forgotten" movies and not be too far off, right? *Shakes fist at no one in particular and spits in a spittoon under desk*)

Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels, by the way, is one of my favorites, too. It's hilarious.

[BeardoMSU]

https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/1010678_invasion_of_the_body_snatchers

I didn't see the 70s remake till much later, mostly because my mom -- with whom I was lucky enough to gain an appreciation for old movies in my early childhood (I'm a TCM dork) -- didn't think it was worthwhile.

Barry Lyndon is great just to look at. (Not unlike 2001, really. Kubrick knew how to make a great-looking movie.) I watched a mini-documentary (or something) about how he tried to make many of the frames look like paintings, and that really is what he did.

"A black comedy about being Jewish" is a pretty spot-on description of A Serious Man, isn't it? I enjoyed that one, too, though not as much as some of their other slow burners like Barton Fink and Miller's Crossing. You seen The Man Who Wasn't There? It's in the same vein as A Serious Man, sans the explicit Judaism connection. More like "a black comedy about being alive."

I think I agree about Hitchcock and Kubrick being a little underrated these days. Dr. Strangelove, Paths of Glory, 2001, Rope, Strangers on a Train, Rear Window, Dial M for Murder, etc. These are some of my favorite movies that I feel like are undisputed classics, but at the same time, I'm not sure how widely viewed they are these days. The visuals, the humor, and the themes have all aged really well, though. (Of course, I could probably rage on with an old-man-in-a-38-year-old's-body rant about movies from the 30s, 40s, and 50s being neglected by all the crass, young preverts these days, so maybe it's just me. I mean, I'm guessing we could include Duck Soup, Harvey, The Best Years of Our Lives, Citizen Kane, and The Third Man on the list of "forgotten" movies and not be too far off, right? *Shakes fist at no one in particular and spits in a spittoon under desk*)

Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels, by the way, is one of my favorites, too. It's hilarious.

Very true, regarding movies from the 30's/40's. A seminal movie to my upbringing from that era is Abbot and Costello Meet Frankenstein...the first movie I ever watched that combined humor and horror in a believable way. And Welles' entrance in Third Man has to be one of the most pimp first scenes in a movie ever...that smile, lol.

I've seen The Man Who Wasn't There. Liked it. Millers Crossing is my favorite Cohen Bros movie, btw.

Speaking of Kubrick documentaries, there is a great one on Netflix right now called "Filmworker", which focuses on Leon Vitali and his life working for Kubrick. It's really good.

Lock Stock is hilarious. The ending, with Bacon hanging off the side of the bridge with the phone in his mouth and rifle in his hand is one of the funniest closing frames of a movie I can think of.

It's interesting the discussion about the classics, and the Kubricks and Hitchcocks of the world. They're widespread appeal is definitely shrinking with each generation, but that problem is more general, really. I've got students who've never seen the original Jurassic Park, for example...yet they've seen the new Jurassic Worlds....which boggles my mind. Just the other day I asked my class of around 30 how many had seen "Jaws", since we're in New England, and it was filmed at the Vineyard, etc., but only 3 out of the entire class had.....but they all clamor to go see Dwayne Johnson's new exercise in cinematic hubris every chance they get....If they haven't seen more approachable classics like Jurassic Park and Jaws, there's no point of me even asking about Rear Window or 2001. It's depressing.

[Tbonewannabe]

All of the My Name is Nobody movies. I wasn't a big fan of westerns when I was young but I loved those movies.

[BeardoMSU]

Speaking of docs...

"Final Cut: The Making and Unmaking of Heaven's Gate" is an excellent behind the scenes window into the production of a truly great movie, thought it was totally lambasted upon release. I've mentioned Heaven's Gate in other film threads a few times I think, lol.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XnG-KZwrCxs

Another good doc is "Overnight", which is about Troy Duffy and the making of "The Boondock Saints".


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jc2GYck0jEA

I love the movie, but watching this, you can see why everyone walked away from him; he[is] was a total sociopath.

[Tbonewannabe]

Speaking of docs...

"Final Cut: The Making and Unmaking of Heaven's Gate" is an excellent behind the scenes window into the production of a truly great movie, thought it was totally lambasted upon release. I've mentioned Heaven's Gate in other film threads a few times I think, lol.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XnG-KZwrCxs

Another good doc is "Overnight", which is about Troy Duffy and the making of "The Boondock Saints".


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jc2GYck0jEA

I love the movie, but watching this, you can see why everyone walked away from him; he[is] was a total sociopath.

Not sure what exactly the Overnight is about. Did Troy Duffy bump heads with Weinstein and get blackballed? He did make Boondock Saints 2 with pretty much the original cast returning so I am not sure if everyone hated him if it would have gotten made.

[Tbonewannabe]

I would add Army of Darkness but it is more mainstream now especially since they had the Starz show.

[Martianlander]

Don't know if it's forgotten but watch "Charade" if you get a chance. Cary Grant, Aubrey Hepburn, Walter Matthau, James Coburn, George Kennedy. From 1963. Great movie.

[Prediction? Pain.]

I would add Army of Darkness but it is more mainstream now especially since they had the Starz show.

Ooo, good call, dude. That movie's freaking awesome. And I think it's still a cult movie notwithstanding the series (and the Evil Dead remake). The "Helloooooo Mr. Fancypants . . . " quote may be one of the best lines ever.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6uFuURJR9vg

[Prediction? Pain.]

Speaking of docs...

"Final Cut: The Making and Unmaking of Heaven's Gate" is an excellent behind the scenes window into the production of a truly great movie, thought it was totally lambasted upon release. I've mentioned Heaven's Gate in other film threads a few times I think, lol.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XnG-KZwrCxs

Another good doc is "Overnight", which is about Troy Duffy and the making of "The Boondock Saints".


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jc2GYck0jEA

I love the movie, but watching this, you can see why everyone walked away from him; he[is] was a total sociopath.

Those two look interesting, Beardo. I'm not sure why, but too enjoy documentaries about Hollywood back in the day and about movies gone wrong. Lost in La Mancha, Milius, Lost Soul (the doc about the bombed Dr. Moreau movie), and They'll Love Me When I'm Dead (the Netflix doc about Orson Welles' last/unfinished movie) come to mind as great examples.

[BeardoMSU]

Not sure what exactly the Overnight is about. Did Troy Duffy bump heads with Weinstein and get blackballed? He did make Boondock Saints 2 with pretty much the original cast returning so I am not sure if everyone hated him if it would have gotten made.

Yeah, bumped heads with Weinstein, and pretty much everyone he came in contact with. It's really interesting watching him burn all his bridges. He eventually able to find a production outlet to make the movie obviously, but he was only contracted to make money off the theater release...which it bombed in. It became a cult-classic when it went to DVD...but unfortunately, he didn't make any money from that.

I absolutely loath Boondock Saints 2.

[Tbonewannabe]

Yeah, bumped heads with Weinstein, and pretty much everyone he came in contact with. It's really interesting watching him burn all his bridges. He eventually able to find a production outlet to make the movie obviously, but he was only contracted to make money off the theater release...which it bombed in. It became a cult-classic when it went to DVD...but unfortunately, he didn't make any money from that.

I absolutely loath Boondock Saints 2.

I didn't hate it but it lost something like a lot of sequels do. I wonder if he made more off the sequel.

[parabrave]

Fandango.

[OLJWales]

Anybody ever seen "Where the Buffalo Roam" starring Bill Murray playing Hunter S. Thompson?

Also, what's the name of that movie where the karate kid plays a young guitar player heading to the MS Delta with a blues player seeking Robert Johnson's story?

[Tbonewannabe]

Anybody ever seen "Where the Buffalo Roam" starring Bill Murray playing Hunter S. Thompson?

Also, what's the name of that movie where the karate kid plays a young guitar player heading to the MS Delta with a blues player seeking Robert Johnson's story?

Crossroads. Great music in that movie.

[parabrave]

Ooo, good call, dude. That movie's freaking awesome. And I think it's still a cult movie notwithstanding the series (and the Evil Dead remake). The "Helloooooo Mr. Fancypants . . . " quote may be one of the best lines ever.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6uFuURJR9vg

Took my Girlfriend to see this movie when it first came out. I loved it. I also wasn't allowed to pick movie night for the rest of the time I dated her.

[War Machine Dawg]

If we're talking cult classics, I'll always be a Highlander fan. This first one was good and Endgame was solid. And the TV series was fantastic. Just ignore 2, 3, and The Source. Really wish someone would revive it and do it justice.

[BeardoMSU]

If we're talking cult classics, I'll always be a Highlander fan. This first one was good and Endgame was solid. And the TV series was fantastic. Just ignore 2, 3, and The Source. Really wish someone would revive it and do it justice.

Dude, I love Highlander. Despite the fact that Christopher Lambert is up there in the echelon of Steven Segal as shitty actors go, the first one is actually a great cult classic. Sean Connery and The Kurgan make that film. The second one is an absolute shit show...really makes you wonder wtf they were thinking while making that movie. 3 is terrible, but I actually think Mario Van Peebles is pretty good in it....plus...Deborah Kara Unger was a 90's smoke show. The Source, if you've never seen it, is depressingly bad...and it featured Duncan, sadly.

I loved the show, as well. I think the show was better than the movies, actually. My dad and I watched that show weekly. Also, the characters in the show is why I liked Endgame, since it combined the stories of Duncan and Connor, while also having guys like Methos, Richie, and Joe Dawson.

[Tbonewannabe]

If we're talking cult classics, I'll always be a Highlander fan. This first one was good and Endgame was solid. And the TV series was fantastic. Just ignore 2, 3, and The Source. Really wish someone would revive it and do it justice.

I loved Highlander. I read something about the making of it and they just had no intention of making a sequel until the studio threw a boat load of cash at them. It was just tough to write out of the corner they painted themselves into.

I will throw out Krull and Beastmaster for consideration. I loved both of those movies when I was young.