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Rodney · 02-15-2004, 04:48 PM

"Obscure" is a relative term. Some people called "Harold and Maude" obscure, and now it probably is. But it was a huge cult film in the '70s, almost as big as Rocky Horror for a while.

Of course I gotta laugh when I read these lists, not because they're not good films nor obscure, but because they're mainly less than 20 years old. There are a lot of great and obscure films from the 60s, the 70s, and especially the black-and-white era. When I was a kid, movies from 1940-1960 were all over the channels , and I got to see a lot of cool stuff. Now that stuff exists only on video, or in the vaults of Turner Classic Movies, when anyone cares to show it, and you all are missing out on a lot of off-trail stuff -- some well-known in its day, some always obscure.

Some movies to look for in the dusty corners of your video store:

Three Strangers -- a Humphrey Bogart movie without Bogie, but _with_ Petter Lorre and Sidney Greenstreet (the fat man). They don't even miss him.

Murder, He Says. Black comedy from '43 about murderous hillbillies trying to off an insurance adjuster.

Any horror movie fromVal Lewton and his disciples from the '40s and '50s: Cat People, The Body Snatcher (with Karloff), Curse of the Demon.

The Loved One. Black comedy about death from '64. David Lynch has got nothing on these guys.

Carnival of Souls, '62. What if you made a cheap ghost/haunting movie in your hometown in Kansas with 16mm film and dubbed sound and it was REALLY GODDAMN CREEPY?

The President's Analyst, '68 or so -- kind of obscure now, but one of the best comedy/satires made in the last 40 years, and still pretty damn fresh. The part about being kidnapped by the Canadian Secret Service really makes me laugh.

Dreamchild -- '80s Brit film about Lewis Carroll and the real person who was Alice in Wonderland. Great movie, actually, and also very spacey, complete with giant grotesque Muppets.

Diva, '80s French new-wave movie that's all chase (except for the opera). Better than Run, Lola, Run in my opinion.

The Lady Eve, or anything directed by Preston Sturges. He did great '40s comedies with lots of great dialog and stuff happening on the screen every minute. The first ten minutes of LE are a bloody scream, and the rest is nearly as good.

Weekend in Havana. 1940s musical with Alice Faye that is absolutely surreal --- kind of a 90 minute technicolor music video.

Absolute Beginners. The same, only made 30-odd years later in England starring David Bowie, with rock music.

Repo Man -- shouldn't be obscure, but it is anymore. LA punks, radioactive dead aliens, car repossessors, a Chevy Malibu -- what more do you want?

All the good old film noir from the '40s and '50s; great stuff, 'way more cynical than most things we have today, and with better gunfights and chases:

D.O.A
The Big Heat
The Killers
Kiss of Death
Murder, My Sweet
Phantom Lady
Touch of Evil

Grim Prairie Tales -- anthology of supernatural stories of the old west, told around the campfire by a bounty-hunting psycho played by James Earl Jones. Not all great, but nothing else like it.

Local Hero, Comfort and Joy (Scottish comedies from the '80s, good stuff)

Masque of the Red Death -- Edgar Allan Poe, Vincent Price, Roger Corman, Technicolor -- what's not to like? 1962 or so.

02-15-2004, 04:48 PM	#131 (permalink)
Rodney Observant Ruminant Location: Rich Wannabe Hippie Town	"Obscure" is a relative term. Some people called "Harold and Maude" obscure, and now it probably is. But it was a huge cult film in the '70s, almost as big as Rocky Horror for a while. Of course I gotta laugh when I read these lists, not because they're not good films nor obscure, but because they're mainly less than 20 years old. There are a lot of great and obscure films from the 60s, the 70s, and especially the black-and-white era. When I was a kid, movies from 1940-1960 were all over the channels , and I got to see a lot of cool stuff. Now that stuff exists only on video, or in the vaults of Turner Classic Movies, when anyone cares to show it, and you all are missing out on a lot of off-trail stuff -- some well-known in its day, some always obscure. Some movies to look for in the dusty corners of your video store: Three Strangers -- a Humphrey Bogart movie without Bogie, but _with_ Petter Lorre and Sidney Greenstreet (the fat man). They don't even miss him. Murder, He Says. Black comedy from '43 about murderous hillbillies trying to off an insurance adjuster. Any horror movie fromVal Lewton and his disciples from the '40s and '50s: Cat People, The Body Snatcher (with Karloff), Curse of the Demon. The Loved One. Black comedy about death from '64. David Lynch has got nothing on these guys. Carnival of Souls, '62. What if you made a cheap ghost/haunting movie in your hometown in Kansas with 16mm film and dubbed sound and it was REALLY GODDAMN CREEPY? The President's Analyst, '68 or so -- kind of obscure now, but one of the best comedy/satires made in the last 40 years, and still pretty damn fresh. The part about being kidnapped by the Canadian Secret Service really makes me laugh. Dreamchild -- '80s Brit film about Lewis Carroll and the real person who was Alice in Wonderland. Great movie, actually, and also very spacey, complete with giant grotesque Muppets. Diva, '80s French new-wave movie that's all chase (except for the opera). Better than Run, Lola, Run in my opinion. The Lady Eve, or anything directed by Preston Sturges. He did great '40s comedies with lots of great dialog and stuff happening on the screen every minute. The first ten minutes of LE are a bloody scream, and the rest is nearly as good. Weekend in Havana. 1940s musical with Alice Faye that is absolutely surreal --- kind of a 90 minute technicolor music video. Absolute Beginners. The same, only made 30-odd years later in England starring David Bowie, with rock music. Repo Man -- shouldn't be obscure, but it is anymore. LA punks, radioactive dead aliens, car repossessors, a Chevy Malibu -- what more do you want? All the good old film noir from the '40s and '50s; great stuff, 'way more cynical than most things we have today, and with better gunfights and chases: D.O.A The Big Heat The Killers Kiss of Death Murder, My Sweet Phantom Lady Touch of Evil Grim Prairie Tales -- anthology of supernatural stories of the old west, told around the campfire by a bounty-hunting psycho played by James Earl Jones. Not all great, but nothing else like it. Local Hero, Comfort and Joy (Scottish comedies from the '80s, good stuff) Masque of the Red Death -- Edgar Allan Poe, Vincent Price, Roger Corman, Technicolor -- what's not to like? 1962 or so. Last edited by Rodney; 02-15-2004 at 04:53 PM..