Minor" Masterpieces
11-29-07, 11:13 AM
#1
DVD Talk Gold Edition
Thread Starter
"Minor" Masterpieces
I'm referring to the under-the-radar movies that aren't necessarily known by everyone but are the ones that have unanimous praise among the people who know about them. Probably the most famous example I'm thinking of is the Coen brothers' Miller's Crossing. Some that come to mind:
Talk Radio - possibly my favorite Oliver Stone movie besides JFK and Natural Born Killers.
Jackie Brown/Death Proof - two Tarantino films with split opinions that I both love to death; I'd actually rank the latter on par with Reservoir Dogs.
Straight Time - arguably Dustin Hoffman's best performance, unavailable on DVD until this year.
Sorcerer/Cruising/To Live and Die in L.A. - all movies by William Friedkin that get less mention than The French Connection and The Exorcist, but which I find just as important.
Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia - not as famous as The Wild Bunch, but I'll argue that this was the most influential Peckinpah movie for the way it foretold the coming of John Woo and the Tarantino generation.
The Last Temptation of Christ/After Hours - two unconventional Scorsese entries that are quite possibly his best films aside from his four most famous ones (Goodfellas, Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, The Departed).
They Live - yes, I call this a "minor masterpiece." On one hand, it's the greatest guilty pleasure movie of all time, one that cancels out guilt, but on the other, it's an ingenious little satire from John Carpenter. My favorite of his aside from The Thing.
The Long Goodbye - one of my favorite movies ever; arguably the forerunner of 70's neo-noir.
I'd also like to point out that Kiss Kiss Bang Bang is quite possibly an instant minor masterpiece from when I first saw it, and that this year, three of my favorite films (Black Snake Moan, Zodiac, and The Darjeeling Limited) can be considered this IMO.
Anyone else have some other hidden or underappreciated gems?
Talk Radio - possibly my favorite Oliver Stone movie besides JFK and Natural Born Killers.
Jackie Brown/Death Proof - two Tarantino films with split opinions that I both love to death; I'd actually rank the latter on par with Reservoir Dogs.
Straight Time - arguably Dustin Hoffman's best performance, unavailable on DVD until this year.
Sorcerer/Cruising/To Live and Die in L.A. - all movies by William Friedkin that get less mention than The French Connection and The Exorcist, but which I find just as important.
Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia - not as famous as The Wild Bunch, but I'll argue that this was the most influential Peckinpah movie for the way it foretold the coming of John Woo and the Tarantino generation.
The Last Temptation of Christ/After Hours - two unconventional Scorsese entries that are quite possibly his best films aside from his four most famous ones (Goodfellas, Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, The Departed).
They Live - yes, I call this a "minor masterpiece." On one hand, it's the greatest guilty pleasure movie of all time, one that cancels out guilt, but on the other, it's an ingenious little satire from John Carpenter. My favorite of his aside from The Thing.
The Long Goodbye - one of my favorite movies ever; arguably the forerunner of 70's neo-noir.
I'd also like to point out that Kiss Kiss Bang Bang is quite possibly an instant minor masterpiece from when I first saw it, and that this year, three of my favorite films (Black Snake Moan, Zodiac, and The Darjeeling Limited) can be considered this IMO.
Anyone else have some other hidden or underappreciated gems?
Last edited by Zen Peckinpah; 11-29-07 at 11:22 AM. Reason: Hit Enter button too quickly
11-29-07, 11:34 AM
#2
Moderator
Originally Posted by Zen Peckinpah
The Long Goodbye - one of my favorite movies ever; arguably the forerunner of 70's neo-noir.
Spike Lee's 25th Hour seems to have this status. Minor or not, it's certainly a masterpiece.
11-29-07, 01:57 PM
#3
DVD Talk Special Edition
Originally Posted by Zen Peckinpah
I'd also like to point out that Kiss Kiss Bang Bang is quite possibly an instant minor masterpiece from when I first saw it, and that this year, three of my favorite films (Black Snake Moan, Zodiac, and The Darjeeling Limited) can be considered this IMO.
11-29-07, 02:40 PM
#4
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
Originally Posted by Zen Peckinpah
I'd also like to point out that Kiss Kiss Bang Bang is quite possibly an instant minor masterpiece from when I first saw it, and that this year, three of my favorite films (Black Snake Moan, Zodiac, and The Darjeeling Limited) can be considered this IMO.
Anyone else have some other hidden or underappreciated gems?
Anyone else have some other hidden or underappreciated gems?
I'd like to put my vote in for Rules of Attraction. Maybe I'm a Bret Easton Ellis fanboy but I think it was a MUCH better adaptation of his novel than American Psycho.
11-29-07, 03:35 PM
#5
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^ Then put me down for American Psycho. I absolutely LOVE that movie.
My actual personal pick would be River's Edge. Great Twin Peaks-esque drama starring Keanu Reeves and Crispin Glover. In fact, director Tim Hunter helmed a few episodes of Twin Peaks based on the strength of that film.
My actual personal pick would be River's Edge. Great Twin Peaks-esque drama starring Keanu Reeves and Crispin Glover. In fact, director Tim Hunter helmed a few episodes of Twin Peaks based on the strength of that film.
Last edited by islandclaws; 11-29-07 at 04:38 PM.
11-29-07, 05:54 PM
#9
DVD Talk Legend
Originally Posted by The Bus
I'd add to that Come and See (Idi i Smotri).
11-29-07, 05:58 PM
#10
DVD Talk Limited Edition
Originally Posted by Zen Peckinpah
I'm referring to the under-the-radar movies that aren't necessarily known by everyone but are the ones that have unanimous praise among the people who know about them. Probably the most famous example I'm thinking of is the Coen brothers' Miller's Crossing. Some that come to mind:
Talk Radio - possibly my favorite Oliver Stone movie besides JFK and Natural Born Killers.
Jackie Brown/Death Proof - two Tarantino films with split opinions that I both love to death; I'd actually rank the latter on par with Reservoir Dogs.
Straight Time - arguably Dustin Hoffman's best performance, unavailable on DVD until this year.
Sorcerer/Cruising/To Live and Die in L.A. - all movies by William Friedkin that get less mention than The French Connection and The Exorcist, but which I find just as important.
Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia - not as famous as The Wild Bunch, but I'll argue that this was the most influential Peckinpah movie for the way it foretold the coming of John Woo and the Tarantino generation.
The Last Temptation of Christ/After Hours - two unconventional Scorsese entries that are quite possibly his best films aside from his four most famous ones (Goodfellas, Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, The Departed).
They Live - yes, I call this a "minor masterpiece." On one hand, it's the greatest guilty pleasure movie of all time, one that cancels out guilt, but on the other, it's an ingenious little satire from John Carpenter. My favorite of his aside from The Thing.
The Long Goodbye - one of my favorite movies ever; arguably the forerunner of 70's neo-noir.
I'd also like to point out that Kiss Kiss Bang Bang is quite possibly an instant minor masterpiece from when I first saw it, and that this year, three of my favorite films (Black Snake Moan, Zodiac, and The Darjeeling Limited) can be considered this IMO.
Anyone else have some other hidden or underappreciated gems?
Talk Radio - possibly my favorite Oliver Stone movie besides JFK and Natural Born Killers.
Jackie Brown/Death Proof - two Tarantino films with split opinions that I both love to death; I'd actually rank the latter on par with Reservoir Dogs.
Straight Time - arguably Dustin Hoffman's best performance, unavailable on DVD until this year.
Sorcerer/Cruising/To Live and Die in L.A. - all movies by William Friedkin that get less mention than The French Connection and The Exorcist, but which I find just as important.
Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia - not as famous as The Wild Bunch, but I'll argue that this was the most influential Peckinpah movie for the way it foretold the coming of John Woo and the Tarantino generation.
The Last Temptation of Christ/After Hours - two unconventional Scorsese entries that are quite possibly his best films aside from his four most famous ones (Goodfellas, Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, The Departed).
They Live - yes, I call this a "minor masterpiece." On one hand, it's the greatest guilty pleasure movie of all time, one that cancels out guilt, but on the other, it's an ingenious little satire from John Carpenter. My favorite of his aside from The Thing.
The Long Goodbye - one of my favorite movies ever; arguably the forerunner of 70's neo-noir.
I'd also like to point out that Kiss Kiss Bang Bang is quite possibly an instant minor masterpiece from when I first saw it, and that this year, three of my favorite films (Black Snake Moan, Zodiac, and The Darjeeling Limited) can be considered this IMO.
Anyone else have some other hidden or underappreciated gems?
11-29-07, 06:58 PM
#11
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Gotta love "Blood Simple" and "Miller's Crossing"...Great call on "Straight Time"...If you haven't done so already; check out Kubrick's "The Killing", if you like "The Long Goodbye" you'll love "The Killing"
11-29-07, 07:33 PM
#12
DVD Talk Gold Edition
Thread Starter
Originally Posted by colbyw
Gotta love "Blood Simple" and "Miller's Crossing"...Great call on "Straight Time"...If you haven't done so already; check out Kubrick's "The Killing", if you like "The Long Goodbye" you'll love "The Killing"
11-29-07, 08:21 PM
#13
Memento -This film is just amazing. Nolan gets all the love from the fans, the media and I'm sure the studios for Batman Begins but Memento is still his best.
Umberto D. -Might not exactly be considered minor, but when you think of films of Vittorio De Sica the one that always comes to mind is The Bicycle Thieves, a masterpiece in it's own right, however, Umberto D. is the superior film.
Nights of Cabiria -Again, this film doesn't come up when talking about the great Federico Fellini. It is my favorite and a superb one.
Red Beard -Akira Kurosawa, that guy that made those samurai flicks. Well, Kurosawa made some great movies that didn't involve Toshiro Mifune gripping a sword. Red Beard is a very powerful film that I was highly impressed with. Same goes for the criminally underrated High & Low.
Umberto D. -Might not exactly be considered minor, but when you think of films of Vittorio De Sica the one that always comes to mind is The Bicycle Thieves, a masterpiece in it's own right, however, Umberto D. is the superior film.
Nights of Cabiria -Again, this film doesn't come up when talking about the great Federico Fellini. It is my favorite and a superb one.
Red Beard -Akira Kurosawa, that guy that made those samurai flicks. Well, Kurosawa made some great movies that didn't involve Toshiro Mifune gripping a sword. Red Beard is a very powerful film that I was highly impressed with. Same goes for the criminally underrated High & Low.
11-29-07, 10:16 PM
#15
Originally Posted by PopcornTreeCt
Red Beard -Akira Kurosawa, that guy that made those samurai flicks. Well, Kurosawa made some great movies that didn't involve Toshiro Mifune gripping a sword. Red Beard is a very powerful film that I was highly impressed with. Same goes for the criminally underrated High & Low.
And I will also add:
Eyes Wide Shut
Rumble Fish
11-29-07, 11:25 PM
#17
DVD Talk Hero
I'd like to add Revenge and True Romance by Tony Scott. Both are favorites of mine that many aren't familiar with (many Tarantino fans aren't even familiar with True Romance)
11-29-07, 11:41 PM
#18
DVD Talk Limited Edition
The Duellists (1977) - Ridley Scott first directed film is a masterpiece. Amazing cinematography, great performance by Harvey Keitel and Keith Carradine despite their American accent in mostly British casts.
11-29-07, 11:50 PM
#19
DVD Talk Gold Edition
Thread Starter
Originally Posted by Rypro 525
I'd like to add Revenge and True Romance by Tony Scott. Both are favorites of mine that many aren't familiar with (many Tarantino fans aren't even familiar with True Romance)
I've never seen Revenge...should I see the director's cut or the theatrical? I've heard meh things about the latter, but my interest piqued when I heard Tarantino was a fan.
11-30-07, 08:56 AM
#20
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Years ago in preparation for being locked indoors all weekend with a massive snowstorm heading my way I hit the local video store and picked up four movies, all of which looked interesting:
Zero Effect
The Tao of Steve
The Spanish Prisoner
Beautiful Girls
All of which I think in their own way are brilliant little gems. It was probably the best blizzard I've experienced.
Zero Effect
The Tao of Steve
The Spanish Prisoner
Beautiful Girls
All of which I think in their own way are brilliant little gems. It was probably the best blizzard I've experienced.
11-30-07, 02:12 PM
#21
DVD Talk Limited Edition
Before Sunrise, Gattaca, and the Korean Memories of Murder are a few of mine.
I too love Miller's Crossing, but am not a fan of The Killing due in large part to the obnoxious narration.
I too love Miller's Crossing, but am not a fan of The Killing due in large part to the obnoxious narration.
11-30-07, 07:33 PM
#23
Moderator
Originally Posted by bhk
Europa, Europa.
12-01-07, 02:30 AM
#25
DVD Talk Hero
Originally Posted by Zen Peckinpah
I've never seen Revenge...should I see the director's cut or the theatrical? I've heard meh things about the latter, but my interest piqued when I heard Tarantino was a fan.