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Mabuse Classic Movies Presents...The Inessentials

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Mabuse Classic Movies Presents...The Inessentials

Old 10-12-19, 07:01 PM
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Mabuse Classic Movies Presents...The Inessentials

Good evening and welcome to The Inessentials. A look at films from a slightly twisted perspective.

I call these the Inessentials as a spin on TCM’s The Essentials, but let me define my terms here. Many movies contain something that has to be seen. Something funny, something shocking, something Zeitgeist defining, something that permeates pop culture. There are many great movies that contain these sorts of moments, but there are also bad movies that can have these brilliant moments too. Movies that taken as a whole aren’t that good, but contain some nugget of brilliance that would make me recommend them nevertheless.

Example #1
Step Brothers

The film in general is pretty sloppy, it’s supporting cast is weak (save for Adam Scott), it’s just not anybody’s best outing. But Boats and Hoes, Prestige Worldwide, the Fucking Catalina Wine Mixer, The Billy Joel Tribute Band that only plays his ‘80s material, and a small assortment of very funny bits make it essential viewing even though it’s not altogether a great film.

Example #2
They Live

A superb, suspenseful first act pays off in one of cinema’s greatest, cleverest, and most influential reveals. And then sort of goes to pieces. I’m not going to diss it for the fight scene either. That’s another moment not to be missed. But taken altogether the movie really falls off a cliff, yet despite it faltering this is a movie everyone has to see.
Old 10-12-19, 07:02 PM
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Re: Mabuse Classic Movies Presents...The Inessentials

Old 10-12-19, 08:36 PM
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Re: Mabuse Classic Movies Presents...The Inessentials

You included They Live?

They Live is a masterpiece.
Old 10-12-19, 11:58 PM
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Re: Mabuse Classic Movies Presents...The Inessentials

They Live is one of the best films of the 1980's.
Old 10-13-19, 01:17 AM
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Re: Mabuse Classic Movies Presents...The Inessentials

Step Brothers supporting cast is weak? This is about as wrong a statement as one could make. Kathryn Hahn is fantastic, the parents are fantastic, etc etc.
Old 10-13-19, 01:38 AM
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Re: Mabuse Classic Movies Presents...The Inessentials

They Live is a mess. But the premise, execution, and the first 45 minutes are essential viewing.

And remember, I’m not saying you shouldn’t see these movies. Im saying you absolutely should. But they have major problems.

Last edited by Mabuse; 10-13-19 at 01:50 AM.
Old 10-13-19, 10:55 AM
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Re: Mabuse Classic Movies Presents...The Inessentials


Hot Takes: The Thread.

They Live is one of Carpenter's absolute best. I'm ashamed that I didn't watch it for the first time until this year.
Old 10-13-19, 11:18 AM
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Re: Mabuse Classic Movies Presents...The Inessentials

I love the premise of They Live. I just have trouble getting past Roddy Piper.
Old 10-13-19, 11:54 AM
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Re: Mabuse Classic Movies Presents...The Inessentials

I admit that The Peacemaker is a pretty generic, almost made-for-TV movie, but there is a scene that I’ve never seen in another movie.

The bad guys have wrecked after chasing Clooney and Kidman. Rather than just drive away, Clooney goes back, gets out of his car, walks up to the wrecked car and shoots the people inside. No hesitation, no quip, just takes them out of the equation.

It is a badass move and I don’t know why we don’t see it more.
Old 10-13-19, 03:44 PM
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Re: Mabuse Classic Movies Presents...The Inessentials

Originally Posted by Draven
I admit that The Peacemaker is a pretty generic, almost made-for-TV movie, but there is a scene that I’ve never seen in another movie.
How dare you, Sir! The Peacemaker is one of my Top 5 action movies. It’s not anywhere near a generic made-for-TV movie.


And if you want to talk about underrated John Carpenter movies, I’ll throw out The Fog. IMO, it fits right behind Halloween as Carpenter’s best!
Old 10-13-19, 04:11 PM
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Re: Mabuse Classic Movies Presents...The Inessentials

Originally Posted by Draven
I admit that The Peacemaker is a pretty generic, almost made-for-TV movie, but there is a scene that I’ve never seen in another movie.

The bad guys have wrecked after chasing Clooney and Kidman. Rather than just drive away, Clooney goes back, gets out of his car, walks up to the wrecked car and shoots the people inside. No hesitation, no quip, just takes them out of the equation.

It is a badass move and I don’t know why we don’t see it more.
Thank you for contributing something that's is germane to the topic.

If you don’t like my examples make some of your own.
Old 10-13-19, 04:22 PM
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Re: Mabuse Classic Movies Presents...The Inessentials

Shouldn't you call them The Non-essentials?

(P.S. I agree with you about THEY LIVE. Starts off great, gets really silly. Keith David is good, but it needed a stronger actor in the lead role. Hell, they could have had David play the Piper part and leave out the David character entirely.)
Old 10-13-19, 04:55 PM
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Re: Mabuse Classic Movies Presents...The Inessentials

Ultimately that probably would have been a way better idea. Having a black character be the one who “sees”. Having a black lead back then was impossible unfortunately.
Old 10-13-19, 04:58 PM
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Re: Mabuse Classic Movies Presents...The Inessentials

I’ve got another one. The tv miniseries version of IT has all kinds of problems, but it really has to be seen to witness Tim Curry’s utterly insane performance.

Last edited by Mabuse; 10-13-19 at 09:00 PM.
Old 10-13-19, 05:20 PM
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Re: Mabuse Classic Movies Presents...The Inessentials

Originally Posted by Ash Ketchum
Shouldn't you call them The Non-essentials?

(P.S. I agree with you about THEY LIVE. Starts off great, gets really silly. Keith David is good, but it needed a stronger actor in the lead role. Hell, they could have had David play the Piper part and leave out the David character entirely.)

The fight scene would have been pretty silly ...
Old 10-14-19, 08:06 AM
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Re: Mabuse Classic Movies Presents...The Inessentials

Originally Posted by Mabuse


Thank you for contributing something that's is germane to the topic.

If you don’t like my examples make some of your own.
My example was The Peacemaker.

Movies that taken as a whole aren’t that good, but contain some nugget of brilliance that would make me recommend them nevertheless.
Took it straight out of your rules.
Old 10-14-19, 10:41 AM
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Re: Mabuse Classic Movies Presents...The Inessentials

I was genuinely thanking you, not being sarcastic. And my second sentence was aimed at everybody else.
Old 10-14-19, 11:26 AM
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Re: Mabuse Classic Movies Presents...The Inessentials

Originally Posted by Mabuse
I was genuinely thanking you, not being sarcastic. And my second sentence was aimed at everybody else.
Then I apologize. It sounded like you were saying that I needed to come up with my own examples.
Old 10-14-19, 11:27 AM
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Re: Mabuse Classic Movies Presents...The Inessentials

Originally Posted by GoldenJCJ
How dare you, Sir! The Peacemaker is one of my Top 5 action movies. It’s not anywhere near a generic made-for-TV movie.
Oh don't get me wrong. I LOVE The Peacemaker. I'm also the only person I know who loves The Peacemaker.
Old 10-14-19, 11:33 AM
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Re: Mabuse Classic Movies Presents...The Inessentials

I haven’t seen it since it was new.

It feels like Clooney picked a lot of good movies while he was still on ER and transitioning to movies. From Dusk Till Dawn, Three Kings, Out of Sight. Does Peacemaker deserve a rewatch?
Old 10-14-19, 01:39 PM
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Re: Mabuse Classic Movies Presents...The Inessentials

I thought I was in for an entertaining ride after the opening scene of The Way Of The Gun.



I was not.

Last edited by printerati; 10-14-19 at 01:52 PM.
Old 10-14-19, 06:31 PM
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Re: Mabuse Classic Movies Presents...The Inessentials

Yeah that movie in no way deserves its reputation. It’s just terrible. But yeah that scene is amusing.
Old 10-15-19, 08:41 AM
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Re: Mabuse Classic Movies Presents...The Inessentials

I like the idea of this thread. I'm sure I come across many movies like these. But can't think of one now. Damn brain getting old
Old 10-16-19, 08:46 AM
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Re: Mabuse Classic Movies Presents...The Inessentials

Originally Posted by Draven
I admit that The Peacemaker is a pretty generic, almost made-for-TV movie, but there is a scene that I’ve never seen in another movie.

The bad guys have wrecked after chasing Clooney and Kidman. Rather than just drive away, Clooney goes back, gets out of his car, walks up to the wrecked car and shoots the people inside. No hesitation, no quip, just takes them out of the equation.

It is a badass move and I don’t know why we don’t see it more.
Funny you mention this, I always thought it was a pretty badass scene, right up to Clooney's character doing that. I hadn't really seen anything like this until I watched the Jackie Chan movie The Foreigner this morning. I vaguely remember hearing about the movie, but only came across it while channel flipping. Turns out it's a pretty decent movie, and while Chan shows that he's a bit slower now, he's still very realistic when it comes to him doing action and fight scenes. There's a scene towards the end of the movie where a scenario like the one in The Peacemaker happens. It was a bit brutal in context, but worked pretty well.
Old 10-16-19, 02:27 PM
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Re: Mabuse Classic Movies Presents...The Inessentials

Originally Posted by E Unit
Funny you mention this, I always thought it was a pretty badass scene, right up to Clooney's character doing that. I hadn't really seen anything like this until I watched the Jackie Chan movie The Foreigner this morning. I vaguely remember hearing about the movie, but only came across it while channel flipping. Turns out it's a pretty decent movie, and while Chan shows that he's a bit slower now, he's still very realistic when it comes to him doing action and fight scenes. There's a scene towards the end of the movie where a scenario like the one in The Peacemaker happens. It was a bit brutal in context, but worked pretty well.
YES! The Foreigner is a bit of a guilty pleasure for me too and yes, it has a similar thing happen in it.

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