05-25-2003, 07:52 AM | #123 (permalink) |
Psycho
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Shall We Dance? (1997)
From his seat on a commuter train, a respected but downtrodden Tokyo office worker espies a beautiful woman in the window of a dance studio. Mesmerized, he signs up for ballroom dance instruction at the school, despite the threat of losing face by participating in such an "undignified" public spectable. However, he soon discovers that he has a natural aptitude--and a natural love--for dancing, much to the dismay of his perplexed wife and daughter. ----- Great story and very likeable characters! |
07-23-2003, 01:48 PM | #126 (permalink) |
Insane
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I kind of liked The Tao of Steve and eXistenZ, of course it's up to you guys to decide if those really count as obscure. Plus, as mentioned upthread, Run Lola Run and Free Enterprise are great!
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07-23-2003, 10:55 PM | #128 (permalink) |
Tilted
Location: outside LA
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I'm gonna agree and say Battle Royale, too bad the buzz for the second one is less than stellar
Rashomon is awesome. If you've ever seen a movie that showed an event from the perspective of different characters, it's a throwback to this flick. Kind of like how Basic tried to be. Also Hard Boiled, The Killer, Ran, Yojimbo, Ichi the Killer...sorry to only recommend asian cinema, but I find those are the ones that draw the most blanks among my friends. |
02-15-2004, 11:10 AM | #130 (permalink) |
The Mighty Boosh
Location: I mostly come out at night, mostly...
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La Haine
A French Indie film about a day in the lives of 3 friends the day after a riot. It won the Best Director Award at the Cannes Film Festival in '95. It's a brilliant film, I'd recommend it to anyone
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Europes two great narcotics, Alcohol and Christianity. I know which one I prefer. |
02-15-2004, 04:48 PM | #131 (permalink) |
Observant Ruminant
Location: Rich Wannabe Hippie Town
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"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.. |
02-16-2004, 01:57 AM | #132 (permalink) |
Insane
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Treed Murray
Very intense movie, I found the site for it accidentally while surfing the net and thought the idea of a movie about a guy stuck in a tree was interesting. Is a good movie, kind of hard to find though, I totally advise you guys to try and see it. |
02-16-2004, 04:34 PM | #134 (permalink) |
Psycho
Location: the tangent universe
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Hmm lets see....here are a few DEFINATLEY worth seeing:
Amelie Trainspotting Memento The Rocky Horror Picture Show To Wong Foo Thanks for Everything Donnie Darko About a Boy ....to name the ones off the top of my head
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28 days...6 hours...42 minutes...12 seconds... |
02-17-2004, 12:49 PM | #135 (permalink) |
Crazy
Location: Perth, Australia
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I'm going to second those who recommended 'The Quiet Earth', 'City of God' and 'Schizopolis'.
Happiness is a very good character with some of the most fucked up characters imaginable. Watch with an open mind, very black humour. 'Naked Lunch', anyone? Any movie that involves a giant cockroach that talks out of its arse has to be good... 'Crime 101' ain't bad, good independant Kiwi film about a bunch of uni students who get in way over their heads...
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"Look, I'm pretty relaxed for a guy who just lost money on a rave. And who's currently speeding down the highway drunk off my tits. And I'm being chased by someone in a blue Corolla. Woohoo! I just ran a red light!" |
02-18-2004, 07:17 AM | #136 (permalink) |
Psycho
Location: Boston, MAss., USA
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If you liked Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, you might want to check out "Where the Buffalo Roam", it's an older move starring Bill Murray about the life & times of Hunter Thompson, the main character of F&L..lots of strnageness.
Also, "Attack of the Mushroom People" It's an old Japaneese horror movie, about a group that get's shipwrecked, and is forced to eat "foreign" mushrooms that turn them into...mushroom people (it sounds corny, and it is in large part, but it's also a cool look at how the Japaneese view outside influence) On the animated front, "Graveyeard of the Fireflies" is one of the best films I've seen in a long while. Very upsetting story of two homeless children in Japan during WWII. Not your traditional anime, by any stretch of the imagination. Finally, I've heard of, and had recommended (but haven't seen) the Japaneese version of the Ring. It's supposedly better/scarier than the american version. Saw it at an anime convention I went to, but didn't pick it up..damn.
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I'm gonna be rich and famous, as soon I invent a device that lets you stab people in the face over the internet. |
02-18-2004, 08:04 AM | #137 (permalink) |
Addict
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Most of mine have already been said but a few werent:
Project A (Jackie Chan) Dragons Forever (Jackie Chan) The Castle (Aussie film) Castle of cagliostro (Manga) The great Muppet caper (Muppets) The muppet movie (Muppets) Gladiator (The proper one with cuba gooding jr) Escape to Victory (Football/war movie with micheal Cane and Sly Stalone) Star trek: First Contact (Any star trek will be considered obscure due to the stigma associated with star trek fans) Willow (Fantasy film with Val kilmar) MAd Max beyond the Thunderdome (Mel Gibson) Two Hands (Heath Ledger) Starship troopers ( I seem to be the only one who liked it) Hercules Returns (one of the funniest films ever) Superstar (Molly Shannon) Best of the best (old school martial arts film) Blazing Saddles (Old school Mel Brooks film) Memphis Belle (old war movie) Fantasy Men ( Because Im in it) They Call me Bruce ( old school martial arts satire) In retrospect there is a hell of alot more than I had previously thought... |
02-18-2004, 03:46 PM | #140 (permalink) | |
Crazy
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Quote:
I catch it on the speed channel everyone great once in a while steve mcqueen rules! |
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02-18-2004, 11:13 PM | #142 (permalink) |
Devils Cabana Boy
Location: Central Coast CA
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Cannibal the musical
Orgazmo great stuff, hard to find sometimes , but well worth the hunt
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Donate Blood! "Love is not finding the perfect person, but learning to see an imperfect person perfectly." -Sam Keen |
02-19-2004, 02:12 AM | #143 (permalink) |
Crazy
Location: chatsworth, california san fernando valley
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kentucky fried movie(1971)A series of loosely connected skits that spoof news programs, commercials, porno films, kung fu films, disaster films, blaxploitation films, spy films, mafia films, and the fear that somebody is watching you on the other side of the TV
i have more but i dont want to think
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The Nation that makes a great distinction between its scholars and its warriors will have its thinking done by cowards and its fighting done by fools." -Thucydides |
02-19-2004, 02:47 AM | #144 (permalink) | |
Insane
Location: Within the Woods
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Quote:
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There seem to be countless rituals and cultural beliefs designed to alleviate their fear of a simple biological truth - all organisms eventually perish. |
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02-19-2004, 09:19 PM | #145 (permalink) |
Upright
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Off of the top of the top of my head:
Devil's Backbone (Spanish) After Life (Japanese) - one of my favorites ever Red River (I just watched it. It a western with John Wayne - don't let that stop you.) F for Fake - a crazy Orson Welles made documentary thing about a guy who makes fake famous artist paintings and his biographer and it has these crazy cuts and...I wish I could explain it better. ...I'll get back to you all with more.
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-Amy |
02-19-2004, 09:27 PM | #146 (permalink) | |
Psycho
Location: i live in the state of denial
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Quote:
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02-20-2004, 08:33 AM | #147 (permalink) |
Talk nerdy to me
Location: Flint, MI
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Unless I missed it, I can't believe there were no mentions of
"They Live" and "Hell Comes to Frogtown" Two classics with former WWF wrestler "Rowdy" Roddy Piper. "They Live" has the best line ever. "I have come here to chew bubblegum and kick ass...and I'm all out of bubblegum."
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I reject your reality, and substitute my own -- Adam Savage |
02-20-2004, 11:04 AM | #148 (permalink) |
Getting it.
Super Moderator
Location: Lion City
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Rodney... great list of Film Noir titles... I am a huge fan of this genre (if you can call it that).
My addition to the obscure titles that must be seen is George A Romero's vampire film "Martin". One of the most underrated vampire films of all time.
__________________
"My hands are on fire. Hands are on fire. Ain't got no more time for all you charlatans and liars." - Old Man Luedecke |
02-22-2004, 06:43 AM | #151 (permalink) |
Getting it.
Super Moderator
Location: Lion City
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Is that the film Maniac where the killer takes women's scalps and puts them on maniquins?
If so, very twisted film.
__________________
"My hands are on fire. Hands are on fire. Ain't got no more time for all you charlatans and liars." - Old Man Luedecke |
02-22-2004, 04:08 PM | #153 (permalink) |
can't help but laugh
Location: dar al-harb
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Mars Attacks!
It kind of pokes fun at B sci-fi, but never in a snobbish sort of way. I saw this just the other day and was surprised at how many famous actors are in it. jack nicholson, natalie portman, glenn close, jack black, the girl from "Jacky Brown", sarah jessica parker, pierce brosnan, michael j. fox, martin short. all directed by tim burton and scored by danny elfman.
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If you will not fight when your victory will be sure and not too costly, you may come to the moment when you will have to fight with all the odds against you and only a precarious chance for survival. There may even be a worse case. You may have to fight when there is no hope of victory, because it is better to perish than to live as slaves. ~ Winston Churchill |
02-24-2004, 02:01 PM | #156 (permalink) |
Crazy
Location: Lincoln
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So many great movies to choose from...
13 Conversations About One Thing - Not much action, but great if you want something to talk about after. Series 7: The Contenders - A spoof on reality television where people have to kill each other and the last one standing wins. Actually written before Survivor and the current reality TV fad hit. Waking Life - Great philisophical animated film, explores what reality is. If you have trouble following such films, the animation is phenomenal to look at. |
02-24-2004, 11:55 PM | #157 (permalink) |
bad craziness
Location: Guelph, Ontario
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Dont know if anyone's mentioned it yet but
Suicide Kings - Christopher Walken and Dennis Leary how can you go wrong? Free Enterprise "Young filmmakers (Robert Weigel, Eric McCormack) trying to hawk a movie titled "Bradykillers" about a serial killer who goes after victims Marcia, Jan, and Cindy meet their screen idol, William Shatner. Shatner, appearing as himself, has fun poking fun at his own image. The two young men, who idolize him and in their fantasies have seen him as a shadowy fairy godfather figure, are alarmed at the reality of the middle-aged non-Captain Kirk man that they meet. However, their relationship helps anchor the two more into reality." (from IMDB) fun fun stuff. William Shatner's best role job ever, nope that isnt a joke. Also one that no one seems to remember Logan's Run. I just love that movie
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"it never got weird enough for me." - Hunter S. Thompson |
02-24-2004, 11:57 PM | #158 (permalink) | |
bad craziness
Location: Guelph, Ontario
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Quote:
Dont forget it's directed by John Carpenter
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"it never got weird enough for me." - Hunter S. Thompson |
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02-25-2004, 01:19 PM | #160 (permalink) |
Loser
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A lot of good films have been mentioned. I don't know how "obscure" this movie is, but I thought I'd throw in Spirited Away. Amazing anime about a young girl who ends up in a world she has to come to terms with. It was theatrically released for a short while and has found its way to Disney DVD.
Every time we watch it, we're amazed at how many turns the story takes in such a short amount of time. Seek it out. |
Tags |
movie, obscure, recommendations |
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