Tele's List of 100 Lesser-Known or Under-Appreciated Films Everyone Should See (THE LIST IS COMPLETE! p26)

[Dementeleus]

2 hours ago, ttr said:

Finally Peckinpah, and a film I've never even heard of. Uh-oh...

 

I love Peckinpah, but his other movies are either too well-known or I don't like 'em enough for a list like this. I couldn't make up my mind about RIDE THE HIGH COUNTRY, though, that kept slipping on and off the list. 

[Dementeleus]

Okay, time for the top ten. Let's get this done!

[The Stingray]

I'm ready.

[The Stingray]

Spoiler

Possession (1981)

 

... better make it. Amirite, @Jake Gittes?

 

[Dementeleus]

10. Seconds (1966)

written by: Lewis John Carlino (based on the novel by David Ely)

directed by: John Frankenheimer

starring: Rock Hudson

 

Synopsis:

An unhappy middle-aged banker agrees to a procedure that will fake his death and give him a completely new look and identity - one that comes with its own price.

 

A chilling and unsettling look at identity and desires, SECONDS is basically a modern-day retelling of the Faust legend. It also is the third and final movie in Frankenheimer’s “paranoia trilogy” (also featuring MANCHURIAN CANDIDATE and SEVEN DAYS IN MAY). But where those two films offered at least a somewhat upbeat ending, SECONDS just keeps dipping further into darkness.

 

Hudson is very good, and while audiences of the time wouldn’t have known, he brings greater subtext and meaning to his role because of his secret life as a gay man. It’s not hard to draw strong parallels from his own experiences and that of his character, a man desperate to reinvent himself as a “new man”.

 

James Wong Howe is one of the great cinematographers of mid-century American moviemaking, and he does wonderful work here, working vividly in black-and-white.

 

Fun bit of trivia I found on Wikipedia: Brian Wilson (from The Beach Boys) has the same last name of the main character, and when he showed up late to a screening of SECONDS, he was greeted by some on-screen dialogue “Come in, Mr. Wilson”. He had been suffering from nervous breakdowns at the time, and watching SECONDS (particularly the ending) completely freaked him out, to the point where he couldn’t even bring himself to watch a movie in theaters for decades (broken when he finally went to see E.T. in 1982).

 

 

 

[Dementeleus]

9. The Brother From Another Planet (1984)

written and directed by: John Sayles

starring: Joe Morton

 

Synopsis:

A mute alien with the appearance of a black human is chased by outer-space bounty hunters through the streets of Harlem.

 

The polar opposite of #10 on the list, this is a sweet and gentle parable on race relations in the US in the 1980s. Joe Morton (who’ll be more familiar to most viewers as Dr. Hamilton from Smallville or Miles Dyson in T2) is an escaped alien slave who takes on the appearance of an African-American man when he arrives at Ellis Island. He’s pursued by two alien “men in black” bounty hunters who want to re-capture him and take him back to their home planet.

 

In addition to the obvious race themes, the movie also explores what it means to be an immigrant arriving in America, and how one slowly assimilates to American culture.

 

John Sayles made the movie (which cost about 350k) through a MacArthur Fellows grant. He really is one of the best and lesser-known American directors and I urge everyone to seek out as many of his movies as possible.

 

 

[TalismanRing]

Will Sayles superb Lone Star make this list or is it considered too well known?

[Dementeleus]

18 minutes ago, TalismanRing said:

Will Sayles superb Lone Star make this list or is it considered too well known?

 

At this point, too well-known. Although perhaps I over-estimated what people would consider "well known".  

[Jake Gittes]

51 minutes ago, The Stingray said:

  Hide contents

Possession (1981)

 

... better make it. Amirite, @Jake Gittes?

 

 

Oh hell yeah.

[Dementeleus]

8. Gerry (2002)

written by: Casey Affleck & Matt Damon & Gus Van Sant

directed by: Gus Van Sant

starring: Matt Damon, Casey Affleck

 

Synopsis:

A friendship between two young men is tested when they go for a hike on a Southern California trail, only to discover they’re lost.

 

All three of the principal creative talents on this movie have done very high profile movies: Damon needs no further mention, Affleck has done a ton of high-level supporting work (though his biggest movies are probably the OCEAN’S trilogy), and Van Sant, of course, is known for GOOD WILL HUNTING and TO DIE FOR (among others).

 

GERRY is a dramatic departure for all of them. Van Sant describes it as “Bela Tarr meets Tomb Raider”, which is one hell of an eye-catching quote. Van Sant didn’t have a lot of experience playing video games, and he was struck that the continuous, un-edited perspective meant you had to stay with characters during their travels. Bela Tarr is a Hungarian filmmaker known for his tremendously long takes of “banal” moments… most epicly and hilariously (for me) in his nine-hour SATANTANGO, which features a ten-minute shot of a herd of cattle slowly wondering through a village.

 

So Van Sant’s clever quote isn’t far off. GERRY doesn’t contain much dialogue (and what dialogue exists is largely improv by Affleck and Casey), and the two characters (both named Gerry) wander through an increasingly hostile language in mostly mute confusion. It’s an unexpectedly profound and awesome experience.

 

 

 

[RandomCat]

Hey, I know 9 and 8. Thought this would be a slide into ignorance for me. Off to a great start.

[Dementeleus]

7. The Steel Helmet (1951)

written and directed by: Samuel Fuller

starring: Gene Evans, William Chun, James Edwards, Richard Loo

 

Synopsis:

A ragtag group of American stragglers battles against superior Communist troops in an abandoned Buddhist temple during the Korean War.

 

This movie is pretty incredible on several levels. Like Oliver Stone, Samuel Fuller was a screenwriter who served in the infantry and used his experience as a grunt to fuel his films. Fuller is actually an interesting guy just taken on his own: he was writing for a New York paper when he was only 17, working the beat as a crime reporter. He eventually wrote some pulp novels in the 40s and 50s, but he also started writing screenplays in the 1930s. When he wasn’t particularly happy at how they were directed, he told independent producer Robert Lippert that he’d direct his own scripts for no additional fee. He spent most of his career working in low-budget genre films, tackling subjects that were usually too graphic or risqué for mainstream movies at the time: the situations at mental hospitals, a prostitute trying to integrate back into the “normal society” of a small town, and so forth.

 

THE STEEL HELMET falls into these categories, but for war movies. It was made while the Korean War was still happening, and it’s a scathing indictment of US Military brass, while simultaneously being a tribute to the grunt, the infantryman who fights and dies according to orders, no matter how stupid. But what’s even more remarkable about STEEL HELMET is its frank depiction of racial integration in the Army (and the problematic situation of minorities living in America). The ragtag platoon in the movie features an African-American medic and a Japanese-American sergeant. Not only are both men presented matter-of-factly, there are several scenes where captured Communists directly try to subvert both men based on how segregation and racial hostility was still prevalent in the US. When you consider that the movie was made in 1951 (!) and look at how other movies refused to even acknowledge these aspects of America society, it’s pretty amazing that Fuller had the balls to face this head on (and provide real dimensionality to these supporting characters).

 

The movie is really low budget. Fuller made it for 100k and shot it in Griffith Park. His producer wanted to cast John Wayne in the main role of Sergeant Zack, but Fuller refused and threatened to walk off the picture if that happened. And while it’s understandable that the producer would want a big-name star to help sell tickets, the movie is so directly opposite everything Wayne supported (both on- and off-screen) it’s pretty hilarious he was even considered.

 

btw, @Baumer, this movie comes after the 1950 cut-off point we’ve talked about for American acting, but Gene Evans’ performance here is A-grade amazing and feels really contemporary. He’s basically an anti-hero, and the frank bluntness of his character and how he speaks and acts feels like a movie made in the 80s (or even today), rather than the acting styles most prevalent in the first half of the 1900s. (Some of the other performances are much more mannered and feel very “40s” or “50s” in that regard, but Evans stands head and shoulders above them.)

 

Two fun bits of trivia: Zack gives the little Korean kid who rescues him in the beginning the nickname “Short Round” — a name Spielberg used in clear homage and tribute to Fuller when he gave the same name to Indy’s kid sidekick in TEMPLE OF DOOM. And secondly, there’s a Star Wars connection with Fuller as well. One of his best-known movies is a semi-autobiographical WWII epic called THE BIG RED ONE, starring Lee Marvin… and Mark Hamill.

 

I can't find a trailer for it, so here's the movie's opening, a fantastic example of visual exposition:

 

 

[Dementeleus]

btw, I just realized I missed a golden opportunity for serious hipster points. I shoulda put all the foreign titles in their original transliterations, not the English-language title. Woulda given me more street cred in Park Slope, Wicker Park, and Silver Lake.

[Fancyarcher]

I found Gerry a bit of a slog to sit through, but if it's on this list, more power to you Tele.

[Dementeleus]

5 minutes ago, Daniel Dylan Davis said:

I found Gerry a bit of a slog to sit through, but if it's on this list, more power to you Tele.

 

Not surprising, it's definitely not for all tastes.  

[Dementeleus]

6. Eyes Without a Face (1962)

written by: Pierre Boileau & Thomas Narcajac & Jean Redon & Claude Sautet (from the novel by Redon)

directed by: Georges Franju

starring: Pierre Brasseur, Alida Valli, Edith Scob, Juliet Mayniel

 

Synopsis:

A surgeon causes an accident which leaves his daughter disfigured, and goes to extremes to give her a new face.

 

A tale of “quiet anguish”, as described by director Georges Franju. In the late 50s, British horror movies were popular with French audiences, and producer Jules Borkon wanted to capitalize on this market (previously untapped by French filmmakers). He got the rights to this story, but actually producing it required a delicate balance of elements: there couldn’t be too much blood (which would offend French censors), they couldn’t show animal torture (which would offend English censors), and they couldn’t do mad-scientist characters (which would offend German censors). All of these elements were very present in the novel, so Franju and his screenwriters had to carefully hint about things (for the most part) while giving the scientist villain a more nuanced role.

 

The result is a haunting and unsettling movie, all the more so for what it implies than what it literally depicts — though there’s a surgery scene that’s legit freaky even for a modern audience. Legendary composer Maurice Jarre (LAWRENCE OF ARABIA, DR. ZHIVAGO, among others) wrote the score, which has two main melodies: a funky carnival tune (alternately annoying and creepy), and a more melancholy piece for Christiane, the poor daughter who was horribly injured by her father.

 

The 1962 date for EYES WITHOUT A FACE refers only to the American release, it actually was released in Europe almost two years earlier. It didn’t get very good reviews initially, but its reputation has really grown over the years. Many critics have noted the influence of French filmmaker Jean Cocteau in it, especially in its overall tone of “poetic horror and tactful, tactile brutality” (as J. Hoberman wrote). Of special interest to people like @Baumer and @The Stingray and @somebody85 is that John Carpenter cites it as a major design influence on HALLOWEEN — he was inspired to create the look of Michael Myers after seeing the blank, featureless white mask worn by Christiane.

 

 

 

[Jake Gittes]

Sam Fuller is another guy who seems like he's totally my kind of filmmaker, but I haven't seen anything from him yet. Love his cameo in Pierrot le Fou though.

[RascarCapat]

1 hour ago, Free State of Tele said:

6. Eyes Without a Face (1962)

 

 

 

 

 

Aaaahhh tele you stole one of the movie I have in my "French movies you gotta see" list that I'm preparing

 

Well actually it's all in your honour old sport.

However, you just make a comment about leaving the original title for hipster point and you do it again....

 

Also although it's very a very different movie,  Almodovar's "La piel que habito" always reminds me of that movie.

Edited June 22, 2016 by RascarCapat

[Dementeleus]

Just now, RascarCapat said:

 

Aaaahhh tele you stole one of the movie I have in my "French movies you gotta see" list for your own list

 

Well actually it's all in your honour old sport.

However, you just make a comment about leaving the original title for hipster point and you do it again....

 

 Well, I figured at this point I might as well finish out. When I post the full list at the end, maybe I'll do it then. 

[RascarCapat]

Well actually I just read the wikipedia article about "La piel que habito" and Almodovar clearly cites "Les yeux sans visage" as one of his main inspiration for his movie :

 

https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_piel_que_habito

Edited June 22, 2016 by RascarCapat