Topic: Decent films forgotten

[djahern]

Whiplash 2014 (perhaps not forgotten but worth watching if you missed it)

Watched it last weekend and thought it was outstanding. Don't know how I've missed it entirely for 6 years.

[Hedley Lamarr]

Original series was great if you can find it

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Traffik

Fairly certain it's on All4, it was until recently anyway.

[Alan_X]

The Beast 1988

Made in Britain 1982

Midnight Express 1978

Papillon 1973

The Elephant Man 1980

Duel 1971

Lost Highway 1997 (if you want a lynch spin out)

The Thing 1982

Whiplash 2014 (perhaps not forgotten but worth watching if you missed it)

Patton 1970

It's a bit pedantic but a lot of those are far better than 'decent'.

Made in Britain is stunning and the first outing for Tim Roth. Alan Clarke also made 'Scum' with a young Ray "who's the Daddy now" Winstone.

[Dr. Beaker]

I initially wanted to respond saying this is hardly a decent film forgotten.  But on looking at IMDB's top 250 movies of all times, it comes in at a staggeringly low 97th!!

I honestly thought it would be top 5

So yeah.  I agree

There are quite a few Orson Welles films that I would put on this list, but I seem to be the only person in the world who dislikes Citiizen Kane - in fact I find most of it seriously annoying!

[Qston]

Immortal Beloved

Very much under the radar/forgotten film with Gary Oldman as Beethoven. Wonderful film that is rarely mentioned with Gary Oldman on absolutely top form.

[Andy @ Allerton!]

Lost in Translation

If you don't think that this is the best film ever made or ever to be made then you haven't got a soul and your family through the ages is likely to be comprised of dullards, fops and dainties

[afc tukrish]

Lost in Translation

If you don't think that this is the best film ever made or ever to be made then you haven't got a soul and your family through the ages is likely to be comprised of dullards, fops and dainties

 

[Hendollama]

Lost in Translation

If you don't think that this is the best film ever made or ever to be made then you haven't got a soul and your family through the ages is likely to be comprised of dullards, fops and dainties

That's bait.

[rafathegaffa83]

There are quite a few Orson Welles films that I would put on this list, but I seem to be the only person in the world who dislikes Citiizen Kane - in fact I find most of it seriously annoying!

The Stranger, F for Fake and maybe Touch of Evil fall under that bracket. I'd figure The Magnificent Ambersons has been seen by plenty who enjoyed Citizen Kane and I'd assume many people will be at least indirectly familiar with Citizen Kane through the Simpsons Bobo episode.

[Hedley Lamarr]

There are quite a few Orson Welles films that I would put on this list, but I seem to be the only person in the world who dislikes Citiizen Kane - in fact I find most of it seriously annoying!

I'm not a huge fan of Citizen Kane myself, my favourite from Welles is, and has always been, Touch Of Evil.  It's one of my favourite films, ridiculously dark for 1958.

[McSquared]

It's a bit pedantic but a lot of those are far better than 'decent'.

Made in Britain is stunning and the first outing for Tim Roth. Alan Clarke also made 'Scum' with a young Ray "who's the Daddy now" Winstone.

Yes, on face value it is easy to be put off by the apparent subject matter rather than the underlying narrative and stark view of exactly what this country was like in those days. I particularly like the scene in the interview room with the superintendent. The scene lasts for ages and the acting is so good in it. There was supposedly another ‘tales out of school’ film from leland but I never saw it unfortunately. Scum was ok, but not as good as the above

[rafathegaffa83]

One to add to this list: Cutter's Way. A weird little neo-noir with John Heard putting in a foot to the pedal performance that keeps wanting to go fly off a cliff. One of the 80s most batshit characters

[Buck Pete]

Yes, on face value it is easy to be put off by the apparent subject matter rather than the underlying narrative and stark view of exactly what this country was like in those days. I particularly like the scene in the interview room with the superintendent. The scene lasts for ages and the acting is so good in it. There was supposedly another ‘tales out of school’ film from leland but I never saw it unfortunately. Scum was ok, but not as good as the above

Hell McS,  your list could be an all time favourite top 10 movies list and wouldn't get any complaints from me.

"The Thing" is arguably the greatest horror movie ever made.

[Six Beardy]

Some great shouts upthread,

Maybe these would be classed as niche hidden gems, rather than forgotten ones but 3 I love...

The Vanishing 1988 ( creepy french thriller, a horrible story told in such a mundane everyday banal way that just adds to the horror)
 
Timecrimes  ( 2007 spanish time travel loop nonsense with added mindfucking trippy hilarity. Done on a miniscule budget that puts shame  to every  multi-million special effects gross-out of the genre )

Careful (1992 Guy Maddin film with a 20's/30's  german expressionist style 'beware the judderman' low budget hilarious arthouse craziness. Full of invaluable lifetime advice such as 'keep a lid on it, don't be rash, never go too close to a baby with an open pin, don't put so much pepper on it, don't stand too close to a walnut tree' etc etc  )

The Vanishing endured the indignity of a vastly inferior shit american Hollywood rework. Timecrimes was rumoured to be a remake project for Tom Cruise (thankfully we we've been spared that one so far). I doubt anybody in their right mind would even dare thinking about attempting a remake of Careful. 

[afc tukrish]

Cop Land would be a good shout...

[Dr. Beaker]

Vanishing (original, Belgian?) was very good.

[Alan_X]

A few that show my age:

Two Lane Blacktop 1971 - a pure, existential stripped down story of a race across America from New Mexico to Washington DC. A primer-grey Chevy driven by 'The Driver' (the singer James Taylor in his only screen role) and 'The Mechanic' (Dennis Wilson of the Beach Boys) with 'The Girl' (Laurie Bird) along for the ride. The other car is a yellow GTO driven by 'GTO' played by Warren Oates.

In a similar vein: Vanishing Point 1971 ...Barry Newman stars as Kowalski, the last American hero, who set out to prove that he can drive from Denver to San Francisco in just fifteen hours. Along the way, he meets an old prospector (Dean Jagger), a snake worshipper, a nude woman on a motorcycle, and a blind D.J. (Cleavon Little) who "sees" danger ahead... just about sums it up.

Electraglide in Blue 1973 - another classic 1970s movie. Robert Blake as John Wintergreen, a motorcycle cop (he rides a Harley Davidson Electraglide) who wants to join the homicide squad.

[Alan_X]

The Last Picture Show https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0067328/

[McSquared]

Hell McS,  your list could be an all time favourite top 10 movies list and wouldn't get any complaints from me.

"The Thing" is arguably the greatest horror movie ever made.

👍

Proper horror and very creepy.

[jillcwhomever]

It was on iPlayer's Film section. Always worth a look at the 'Silver Screen Classics' on there.

Citizen Kane - Orson Welles masterpiece

The Magnificent Ambersons - anopther Orson Welles masterpiece

King Kong - the 1933 original

The Thing from Another World - 1951 original

and many more.

I still haven't seen Citizen Kane and I really need too.

[Dr. Beaker]

On The Beach - 1959 (WARNING: black and white)

Nuclear holocaust leaves the northern hemisphere shrouded in radioactive shite, and the clouds are creeping further and further south. A US submarine arrives in Melbourne, where everyone has become even more reliant on alcohol than usual.

Stars of yesteryear abound: Gregory Peck as skipper of the sub, Ava Gardner pissed up and smouldering, Anthony Perkins minus the dress, and Fred Astaire (?!) as a nuclear scientist and racing car enthusiast (right up your street Al).

[Crosby Nick]

A few that show my age:

Two Lane Blacktop 1971 - a pure, existential stripped down story of a race across America from New Mexico to Washington DC. A primer-grey Chevy driven by 'The Driver' (the singer James Taylor in his only screen role) and 'The Mechanic' (Dennis Wilson of the Beach Boys) with 'The Girl' (Laurie Bird) along for the ride. The other car is a yellow GTO driven by 'GTO' played by Warren Oates.

In a similar vein: Vanishing Point 1971 ...Barry Newman stars as Kowalski, the last American hero, who set out to prove that he can drive from Denver to San Francisco in just fifteen hours. Along the way, he meets an old prospector (Dean Jagger), a snake worshipper, a nude woman on a motorcycle, and a blind D.J. (Cleavon Little) who "sees" danger ahead... just about sums it up.

Electraglide in Blue 1973 - another classic 1970s movie. Robert Blake as John Wintergreen, a motorcycle cop (he rides a Harley Davidson Electraglide) who wants to join the homicide squad.

Vanishing Point inspired a Primal Scream album by the same name, lead single was called Kowalski and had a few samples of dialogue from the film I think (have never actually seen it!). Good driving tune though.

https://youtu.be/2l-V6KygkFU

[jillcwhomever]

On The Beach - 1959 (WARNING: black and white)

Nuclear holocaust leaves the northern hemisphere shrouded in radioactive shite, and the clouds are creeping further and further south. A US submarine arrives in Melbourne, where everyone has become even more reliant on alcohol than usual.

Stars of yesteryear abound: Gregory Peck as skipper of the sub, Ava Gardner pissed up and smouldering, Anthony Perkins minus the dress, and Fred Astaire (?!) as a nuclear scientist and racing car enthusiast (right up your street Al).

On the Beach, is that one based on the novel by Nevil Shute? I used to love his books as a teenager.

[Dr. Beaker]

On the Beach, is that one based on the novel by Nevil Shute? I used to love his books as a teenager.

Yes.

[jillcwhomever]

Yes.

Another one for the list then.

I would add too The Third Man, one of those film that got great critical acclaim but goes under a lot of people's radars for some reason. One of the best spy films ever made in my opinion.

[Dr. Beaker]

Another one for the list then.

I would add too The Third Man, one of those film that got great critical acclaim but goes under a lot of people's radars for some reason. One of the best spy films ever made in my opinion.

And agreed.

[jillcwhomever]

The Three/Four Musketeers (far better than the recent Hollywood remakes)
Empire of the Sun (don't know why this gets so little attention)
Brighton Rock (sinister and one of those films which has disappeared).
The Killing Fields (amazing and underrated film)
Excalibur (best Arthurian legend film)

[rafathegaffa83]

Killing Fields is a great film. I'd slso add Quiz Show in the underrated historical dramas sub-genre

Vanishing Point inspired a Primal Scream album by the same name, lead single was called Kowalski and had a few samples of dialogue from the film I think (have never actually seen it!). Good driving tune

The film probably couldn't have been made post-1971. It just has a certain existential vibe with a car that never seems to run out of gas.

[liverbloke]

Killing Fields is a great film. I'd slso add Quiz Show in the underrated historical dramas sub-genre

The film probably couldn't have been made post-1971. It just has a certain existential vibe with a car that never seems to run out of gas.

it is but it's a really really really grim film

another top film but also really really really grim - warning do not watch this with someone you love or with your kids - is Funny Games

both the original and remake are bleak and shocking

[jillcwhomever]

it is but it's a really really really grim film

another top film but also really really really grim - warning do not watch this with someone you love or with your kids - is Funny Games

both the original and remake are bleak and shocking

It is but it doesn't make it any less a great film though. You just have to be strong enough to watch it at the time you do.

[Titi Camara]

12 Years a Slave
21 Grams
30 Days of Night
500 Days Of Summer
1408
A Bittersweet Life
A Dangerous Method
A Field In England
A History of Violence
A Prophet [Un Prophete]
A Serious Man
A Tale Of Two Sisters
Animal Factory
Animal Kingdom
Antichrist
Another Year
Apocalypto
Argo
Attack the Block
Awaydays
Babel
Bad Words
Battle Los Angeles
Beasts Of The Southern Wild
Big Fish
Black Swan
Blue Valentine
Brother
Byzantium
Chained
Changeling

Fuck it, I can't be arsed doing any more

[Dr. Beaker]

it is but it's a really really really grim film

another top film but also really really really grim - warning do not watch this with someone you love or with your kids - is Funny Games

both the original and remake are bleak and shocking

Another really grim film, The Road. Any father with a son should watch at their peril, as discussed with a mate in work recently.

[Alan_X]

On the Beach, is that one based on the novel by Nevil Shute? I used to love his books as a teenager.

The shots in San Francisco are stunning.

[jillcwhomever]

The shots in San Francisco are stunning.

Down on my list to watch this Christmas.

[Stubbins]

Another one for the list then.

I would add too The Third Man, one of those film that got great critical acclaim but goes under a lot of people's radars for some reason. One of the best spy films ever made in my opinion.

Agree with that. And one of the most iconic shots in cinematic history - Harry Lime in the doorway, his face suddenly illuminated by the light from an adjacent window. Doorway still a regular tourist attraction in Vienna apparently.

[Alan_X]

Agree with that. And one of the most iconic shots in cinematic history - Harry Lime in the doorway, his face suddenly illuminated by the light from an adjacent window. Doorway still a regular tourist attraction in Vienna apparently.

It also includes this classic quote:

“You know what the fellow said – in Italy, for thirty years under the Borgias, they had warfare, terror, murder and bloodshed, but they produced Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci and the Renaissance. In Switzerland, they had brotherly love, they had five hundred years of democracy and peace – and what did that produce? The cuckoo clock.”

[Six Beardy]

Electraglide in Blue 1973 - another classic 1970s movie. Robert Blake as John Wintergreen, a motorcycle cop (he rides a Harley Davidson Electraglide) who wants to join the homicide squad.

Classic soundtrack too.

I remember as a kid seeing it playing in town and advertised in the Echo and always thought it was a porno film. 

[Qston]

Another one for the list then.

I would add too The Third Man, one of those film that got great critical acclaim but goes under a lot of people's radars for some reason. One of the best spy films ever made in my opinion.

Great shout. A fantastic film.

My dad used to sit me down to watch a lot of "old" films when I was growing up. This was one of them and it stuck with me along with the original adaptation of Great Expectations with John Mills.

The Cruel Sea should be added to this list as well.

[Dr. Beaker]

Right lets get all the arl ones out the way - To Have and Have Not.

[Andy @ Allerton!]

Some great ones

Sharkey's Machine

Soylent Green

Logans Run

Outland

Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)

The Midwitch Cuckoos