Overlooked Movies by Famous Directors/Actors.

I always think it is really interesting when a main stream director/actor releases a sidestream movie, or a movie that is completely different from their usual line of work. It's true that this kind of thing can lead to poor reviews and a really bad popular reaction, but sometimes it creates brilliant gems of movies. Most of the time though these movies are really overlooked in that director or actor's body of works, so this thread is for people who want to point out great overlooked movies.

For example one of my favourites of Scorsese's movies is The King of Comedy. After having just rewatched it, it really stands out from his other works at the time(it followed Raging Bull). Even though a lot of the ideas were similar to ealrier films eg. an obsessive loser for a main character, aspects of fantasy and delusion. The humour he works into the movie and the often upbeat and comical tempo, especially in the first half really seperates this movie from his other works. It is true that it was a commercial failure and bombed at the box office, but looking on it now, I think it stands as a brilliant hidden gem from Scorsese's work.

Also have to mention how overlooked Deniro's role is in this movie. He is absolutely brilliant Deniro, he makes Rupert Pupkin a really sympathisable and in many ways charming and likeable guy. Then he reveals him to be a complete psychotic who really is dangerous, also this is one movie where I can think of Deniro doing great physical comedy. Oh and the clothes he wears are brilliant. Really contrasts to the tough guy roles he always played at the time.

I think there are two more Scorsese films that are overlooked.

Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore, this is an extremely overlooked film, I bet people reading this are saying, he directed that? It is about a recently widowed woman on the road with her son trying to make a new life for herself.

And also After Hours, a very quirky black black comedy about a poor bastard in New York City who is just trying to get home one night after losing his taxi fare. What could go wrong, you name it.

The Coen Brother's first film, Blood Simple, you probably could ask 50 people if they have even heard about it, much less have seen it, and they will say no. It stars Frances McDormand and one of my personal favorite character actors, M. Emmet Walsh. It is a fastastic, grisly, grimy, gritty, black comedy horror thriller.

with Scorsese, I think any time he's "departed" from the gangster genre, and, with the exception of his last couple of films, any time he didn't use Deniro, the film is to some degree overlooked (Age of Innocence, Bringing Out the Dead, The Last Temptation of Christ, Kundun, etc.). Also, one of his earliest films, Who's That Knocking on My Door is virtually never talked about.

Most of Akira Kurosawa later work seems to be overshadowed by Ran, especially Kagemusha, the film that preceded Ran, which I actually thought was a better movie. And if my high school Japanese teacher hadn't shown Dreams, I probably wouldn't have heard of it aside from a vague reference to the fact that Martin Scorcese had a cameo appearance.

While talking about Scorcese, it seems to me that as much as most film types are able to talk about how great Mean Streets was, the number of people who have actually seen it is surprisingly small.

Slant magazine recently put out a list (http://www.slantmagazine.com/film/features/100essentialfilms.asp) of under-appreciated films recently, and I was amazed at how few I'd actually heard of.

with Scorsese, I think any time he's "departed" from the gangster genre, and, with the exception of his last couple of films, any time he didn't use Deniro, the film is to some degree overlooked (Age of Innocence, Bringing Out the Dead, The Last Temptation of Christ, Kundun, etc.). Also, one of his earliest films, Who's That Knocking on My Door is virtually never talked about.


Bringing out the dead was overlooked because it was a horrible movie with the exception of Tom Sizemore beating that guy with a bat

Bringing out the dead was overlooked because it was a horrible movie with the exception of Tom Sizemore beating that guy with a bat
"Horrible" in what way?

Viggo Mortensen has become bigger as of late with LOTR, Hidalgo, and A History of Violence... but not that many have seen or even heard of The Indian Runner which stars Viggo and David Morse and was directed by Sean Penn.

Also, I think A Perfect World is overlooked. Great film starring Kevin Costner and Clint Eastwood and directed by Eastwood.... I might venture to say it's Costner's best film.

Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore, this is an extremely overlooked film, I bet people reading this are saying, he directed that? It is about a recently widowed woman on the road with her son trying to make a new life for herself.

And also After Hours, a very quirky black black comedy about a poor bastard in New York City who is just trying to get home one night after losing his taxi fare. What could go wrong, you name it.

He directed that?

Entirely agree, Ozma. Alice . . . is a fine movie: the first time (this would have been about 1977) I was forced to admit that child actors could act. You'd think the presence of Jody Foster would have made it better known.

After Hours is as surreal as they come. At one point, Griffin Dunne tries to get past a brawny bouncer into a disco where there's a girl he needs to see. The bouncer replies to his entreaties and bribery with a couple of paragraphs from Kafka's The Trial! How weird is weird?

After Hours kicked ass. Most directors, that would be their best film, but it's probably like Scorsese's sixth or seventh best.

Anyone seen Scorsese's directorial debut ..'Boxcar Bertha'?

Produced by Roger Corman and giving one of his young proteges a crack in the director's chair it is a typical Corman 'exploitation' flick. Taking his lead from the very succesful 'Bonnie and Clyde' of a few years earlier it has male and female leads (David Carradine and Barbara Hershey) as crooks thrown together in the depression of the '30s.

Steven Speilberg's first film, The Sugarland Express, he made some student films prior to this and directed some TV shows, but this is his first real movie.
It is a good film and very overlooked. It stars Goldie Hawn, Ben Johnson, William Atherton and Michael Sacks, who was so brilliant as Billy Pilgrim in Slaughterhouse Five.

The Sugarland Express (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0072226/)

..and speaking of 'student films'...George Lucas' THX 1138' is worth a look if you haven't seen it and John Carpenter's 'Dark Star' is worth buying even if you haven't seen it!!

with Scorsese, I think any time he's "departed" from the gangster genre, and, with the exception of his last couple of films, any time he didn't use Deniro, the film is to some degree overlooked (Age of Innocence, Bringing Out the Dead, The Last Temptation of Christ, Kundun, etc.). Also, one of his earliest films, Who's That Knocking on My Door is virtually never talked about.


I have to agree with Joker on this one Matt. He clearly forgot to higher an editor for this film i kept waiting and hoping it would end and it NEVER DID i finally had to shut it off i missed what i believe to be about the last 15 minutes of the film. I watched it in fast forward with a morbid wonder of weather or not it had an ending. I felt it to be boring (with the exception of the guy who impailed himself...that never gets old, and the scene where the paramedics bring back the goth kid in the goth club from the "dead" and everyone joins hands to do so "with the power of Christ" bwaaahaha i got a good giggle out of that. The rest was just painfull for me on my worst movies list for sure. That being said, interestingly the first movie you named was The Age Of Innocents which is insidently one of my favourate movies. I can't see that one too many times.

Charlie mentioned Roger Corman...

everyone should see The Intruder, directed by Corman and starring William Shatner of all people. It's about the events surrounding the integration of a school and Shatner stars as a young bigot troublemaker.

Steven Speilberg's first film, The Sugarland Express



I thought his first movie was that Flick with the Driver and the evil semi-truck trying to kill him...

Spielberg's Duel was a TV movie, whereas Sugarland Ex was his first film for cinema release. And wasn't there another TVM in between, starring Sandy Dennis is a tale of rural possession?

Spielberg's Duel was a TV movie, whereas Sugarland Ex was his first film for cinema release. And wasn't there another TVM in between, starring Sandy Dennis is a tale of rural possession?Yes after Duel, a TV movie, he made two more TV movies, Something Evil with Sandy Dennis and Darren McGavin and Savage Dog, with Martin Landau and Barbara Bain.

Then his first theatrical movie was Sugarland Express and then right after that he made Jaws.

Charlie mentioned Roger Corman...

everyone should see The Intruder, directed by Corman and starring William Shatner of all people. It's about the events surrounding the integration of a school and Shatner stars as a young bigot troublemaker.

Yeah! Released as 'The Stranger' in the UK it is without a doubt Shatner at his best...before he believed he WAS James T Kirk and milked the part for all it was worth.

A lot of people have never seen The Twelve Chairs. a Mel Brooks movie I quite enjoyed.

The Twelve Chairs (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0066495/)

A lot of people have never seen The Twelve Chairs. a Mel Brooks movie I quite enjoyed.

I remember that one. I'd walk barefoot over hot coals for anything with Ron Moody, but I'm afraid I found it a bit tame.

Still, it was better than the other 1969 version of the same story, Twelve Plus One, one of those European co-productions that collapse in a welter of barely comprehensible accents. Apart from Orson Welles playing a conjuor, the most notable thing about it was that, alas, it was Sharon Tate's last film before the Manson Family got her.

Willy Rushton (who played Tim Brooke-Taylor's gay lover!) recalls in a book his disgust at the eagerness with which the makers rushed to release the movie so as to cash in on the publicity following the murders.

I remember that one. I'd walk barefoot over hot coals for anything with Ron Moody, but I'm afraid I found it a bit tame.

Still, it was better than the other 1969 version of the same story, Twelve Plus One, one of those European co-productions that collapse in a welter of barely comprehensible accents. Apart from Orson Welles playing a conjuor, the most notable thing about it was that, alas, it was Sharon Tate's last film before the Manson Family got her.

Willy Rushton (who played Tim Brooke-Taylor's gay lover!) recalls in a book his disgust at the eagerness with which the makers rushed to release the movie so as to cash in on the publicity following the murders.
I've never seen that version, but I don't think I'll be looking for it after your less than glowing report.

I really liked "Carrie", amazing performance by Laurence Olivier and its a very touching film.

I really liked "Carrie", amazing performance by Laurence Olivier and its a very touching film.


I loved the bit where Olivier dumps the bucket of pig's blood all over the prom queen!!

Charlie is being silly and will have to be sent home.

Charlie is being silly and will have to be sent home.




sorry.. :o

Bringing out the dead was overlooked because it was a horrible movie with the exception of Tom Sizemore beating that guy with a bat

I gotta say that i though Brining Out the Dead was a fantastic film. The tone and ambience Scorsese gives us is unforgettable, the opening credit sequece alone had me sucked into it's sleek style. I think it was his stab at something a little different, and sadly it has been overlooked.

There are quite a few films that came to my mind when i saw this thread. Probably Peter Jackson's Meet the Feebles is the one that sticks out most, it seems to have been forgotten amidst the likes of Bad Taste and Braindead.

Also, Terry Gilliam's The Fisher King. I only found out about this fairly recently through the imdB, sadly i have yet to see it (but it's on the ol' Blockbuster list). It seems funny though, he made it in between Brazil and Twelve Monkeys, both of which have achieved critical and cult success, and yet not many people know of its existance.

Probably Peter Jackson's Meet the Feebles

A true 'forgotten gem' :D

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http://www.fbo.com.au/DVDImages/8245575.jpg




The Coen Brothers did a movie before Blood Simple. It was a very low budget dark commedy called Crime Wave (http://www.amazon.com/Crimewave-Region-2-Louise-Lasser/dp/B00004Y6G7). It was written by the Coen Brothers, directed by Sam Raimi and produced by Rob Tapert. Bruce Campbell is cast in a supporting role. I've seen where the Coen brothers will actually get irritated if interviewers bring up this movie. They've all tried very hard to bury it.

It is not nearly as bad as they make it out to be. There was said to be some creative battles with the studio because they were all unknowns at the time. They didn't get the movie they wanted and while not a total masterpiece, it's well worth seeing.

It's slapstick dark humor, and the production quality is only one notch up from Evil Dead (which the Coen Brothers are also said to have had a large uncredited role in, Joel Coen is actually listed in the Evil Dead credits as assistant film editor).

There is this one scene in Crimewave with this amazing camera shot looking down from above at a box of matches that get over-turned on a table. Pre CGI. Where you either ask "How did they do that?" or "How many takes did they have to do to get that?" It has some stupendously funny scenes in it. Some extremely Raising Arizona-esque moments. If you're a fan of any of the individuals above, see it. It was late to DVD, and even out of print in VHS for many many years. It is now available again. See Amazon (http://www.amazon.com/Crimewave-Louise-Lasser/dp/B0002HO7A0/).

http://www.mts.net/~clarinat/Crimewave.jpg

Hey thanks for that info Chris, and I remember seeing that movie years ago, who knew?? And crikey, I did not know Brion James died in 1999, man he was in so many many movies, it is a shame, I liked him, he was a good character actor.

I did not know Brion James died in 1999

He's DEAD!!!!???? Really!!?? Eight years ago!!???? I had absolutely no idea.

He's DEAD!!!!???? Really!!?? Eight years ago!!???? I had absolutely no idea.I know weird huh. A picture for anybody who can't place his name with a face. He was really a rather attractive man, and a fantastic actor.
Brion James (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001397/)


http://www.nndb.com/people/687/000082441/brion-sized.jpg

Brion James (born February 20, 1945 in Redlands, California, died August 7, 1999 in Malibu, California) was an American character actor. Best known for playing the character of Leon Kowalski in the movie Blade Runner, James portrayed a variety of colorful roles in well-known American films such as 48 Hrs., Another 48 Hours, Tango & Cash, Silverado, Red Heat and The Player. James' commanding screen presence and formidable physique usually resulted in his casting as a heavy, appearing more frequently in lower budget horror and action films throughout the 1980s and 1990s. James appeared in more than 100 films before his career was tragically cut short by a fatal heart attack.

I thought his career had been a bit quite of late... :o He was one of the those actors who cropped up in loads of films...Wow.I can't believe he's been dead 8 years and I was totally unaware.

Mind you..his 'c0ckney' accent in Tango and Cash remains one of the worst I've ever heard..ever. Bless 'im

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A picture for anybody who can't place his name with a face...


http://www.brmovie.com/Images/Characters/Leon/BR_Leon_Looks_On.jpg


...He was really a rather attractive man...

Well, I know what they say about the eye of the beholder.


...and a fantastic actor.


Yes he was.


http://www.brmovie.com/Profiles/BR_Char_Leon.htm



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Ewww not as Leon perhaps, but I thought the profile pic they have of him on imdb is not bad.

Swimming With Sharks (UK title) AKA The Buddy Factor (US title).
Love this movie, Kevin Spacey plays an obnoxious, sexist, bully of a Hollywood movie producer called Buddy Ackerman and Frank Whaley plays a fresh out of film school big player wannabe called Guy.
The dialogue in this film is fantastic, the advice (in the form of verbal abuse) that Buddy hands out to Guy on a regular basis is sadistically hilarious.

Quotes:

Buddy: You are nothing! If you were in my toilet I wouldn't bother flushing it. My bathmat means more to me than you!

Buddy: Avoid women directors. They ovulate. Do you have any idea what that does to a three month shoot?

Buddy: You wanna talk big directors? Think Attenborough, think Spielberg, think Lean.
Guy: Lean's dead.
Buddy: No he's not, don't you ever say that. He's just unavailable.

Buddy: This is the only way that you can hope to survive. Because life... is not a movie. Everyone lies. Good guys lose. And love... does not conquer all.