Unappreciated masterpieces?

[Blackthorn]

Gallipoli
an epic movie about a tough subject and some good performances by young Australian actors. The scenes of the troops prepping to go over the top into the Turkish guns knowing they are going to die are as moving as anything I have ever seen.

Agree totally.

 

[Stearmen]

Gallipoli
an epic movie about a tough subject and some good performances by young Australian actors. The scenes of the troops prepping to go over the top into the Turkish guns knowing they are going to die are as moving as anything I have ever seen.

Actually, Gibson was an American at the time! He never gave up his citizenship, though, he is also a Irish citizen because of his mother.

 

[Blackthorn]

Layer Cake, from 2004. I can't believe I had never heard of this one before. Excellent!

 

[1mach1]

Vanishing Point


[video=youtube;pA4ymmXa8rs]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pA4ymmXa8rs[/video]

 

[EmergencyIan]

First Blood (1982)

Of course, this movie turned out to be the first in a series of Rambo movies. However, I think that this is a pretty darn good move that stands tall all by itself. Maybe it's sequels cause people to dismiss this movie. That's a mistake, in my opinion.

- Ian

 

[V.C. Brunswick]

First Blood (1982)

Of course, this movie turned out to be the first in a series of Rambo movies. However, I think that this is a pretty darn good move that stands tall all by itself. Maybe it's sequels cause people to dismiss this movie. That's a mistake, in my opinion.

- Ian

Same thing with Rocky. People forget that the first movie won an Oscar for Best Picture.

 

[Edward]

Same thing with Rocky. People forget that the first movie won an Oscar for Best Picture.

The second was good too, then they became pap. The jingoism I recall in number four was woeful. Copland really proved Stallone's true capabilities, mostly lost in a shower of Stallone Persona fluff, as happens so many A listers.

 

[V.C. Brunswick]

The second was good too, then they became pap. The jingoism I recall in number four was woeful. Copland really proved Stallone's true capabilities, mostly lost in a shower of Stallone Persona fluff, as happens so many A listers.

That's why I hate Hollywood's obsession with sequels. In the case of Rocky they turned the character into a comic book character.

 

[Zombie_61]

That's why I hate Hollywood's obsession with sequels. In the case of Rocky they turned the character into a comic book character.

They did the same thing with John Rambo in the first two sequels to First Blood (though I suspect much of that was due to Stallone's writing and his attempts to make some form of political statements through those movies' stories).

 

[Blackthorn]

Vanishing Point


[video=youtube;pA4ymmXa8rs]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pA4ymmXa8rs[/video]

That was really well done. I'll never forget seeing that on the big screen...three times.

 

[Fading Fast]

I have felt the same about the first "Rocky" and "Rambo" movies as referenced above. They are both good, solid movies with real plots, character motivations and interactions that are three dimensional and reasonably realistic with, yes, messages, but handle with some subtlety. Most of the sequels were two dimensional, action-hero movies that destroyed - unfairly - the reputation of the first ones of each series. And while we fret this, Stallone cried all the way to the bank.

 

[Stearmen]

That's why I hate Hollywood's obsession with sequels. In the case of Rocky they turned the character into a comic book character.

Remember this seen in Airplane? Looks like it may be all to real!

 

[EmergencyIan]

Bad Day at Black Rock (1955) starring Spencer Tracy, Robert Ryan, Lee Marvin, Ernest Borgnine and Anne Francis.

I consider this movie a masterpiece. Though, it may not be unappreciated, I believe that it is underappreciated.

Night and the City (1950) starring Richard Widmark, Gene Tierney, Francis L. Sullivan, Herbert Lom and Googie Withers.

This is a great one that gets almost no attention, these days.

- Ian

 

[Fading Fast]

Agree on "Bad Day at Blackrock." It does drag a bit in part and has a few two-dimensional characters, but that is made up for by many strong scenes and Tracey's awesome (as always) performance. I will keep an eye out for "Night and the City."

 

[Fading Fast]

Agree on "Bad Day at Blackrock." It does drag a bit in part and has a few two-dimensional characters, but that is made up for by many strong scenes and Tracey's awesome (as always) performance. I will keep an eye out for "Night and the City."

I was thinking more about this movie and thought that one of the reasons I like it is that it combines the cinematography of a big Western with the vibe and some style elements of a film noir movie (even though it is in color). It is a very visually appealing film: stark and almost like an Edward Hopper painting at times.

 

[EmergencyIan]

I was thinking more about this movie and thought that one of the reasons I like it is that it combines the cinematography of a big Western with the vibe and some style elements of a film noir movie (even though it is in color). It is a very visually appealing film: stark and almost like an Edward Hopper painting at times.

I agree that the cinematography is superb in this film. Dare I say that it's one of it's part of the great ensemble cast.


By the way, "Night and the City" is film noir...(British film noir, though two of the leads in the film are American actors.)

- Ian

 

[skydog757]

48 Hours with Nolte and Murphy. Probably my favorite Walter Hill film. His Southern Comfort tends to get overlooked; it shouldn't.

Almost forgot Hard Times 1975. I saw that movie three times when it was released.

 

[EmergencyIan]

48 Hours with Nolte and Murphy. Probably my favorite Walter Hill film. His Southern Comfort tends to get overlooked; it shouldn't.

Almost forgot Hard Times 1975. I saw that movie three times when it was released.

I really liked "Hard Times", as well! Very good movie that I hadn't heard of until just prior to seeing it a couple of years ago.

"48 Hours" is a good one too.

- Ian

 

[Touchofevil]

Bad Day at Black Rock is one of my most appreciated flicks with the cinematography being what first grabbed my attention. Night and the City is another good flick. It gets a decent amount of play on TCM.

 

[EmergencyIan]

Bad Day at Black Rock is one of my most appreciated flicks with the cinematography being what first grabbed my attention. Night and the City is another good flick. It gets a decent amount of play on TCM.

It's not surprising that I agree.

I would just add (though I'm not alone in this), Richard Widmark was a fine actor and acted in many fine movies. It's more than worth it to see as many of his movies as you can.

- Ian